169. Ira Glass Returns: Ira Tries Stand-Up Comedy (For Real)

Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out podcast

Mygirlfriendsboyfriend, Interviews, Comedy Interviews, Sleepwalkwithme, Iraglass, Comedy, Thankgodforjokes, Thenewone, Mikebirbiglia, Dontthinktwice, Birbiglia

4.8 • 4K Ratings

🗓️ 5 May 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Ira Glass has appeared on the Working It Out podcast three times before, and usually it’s Mike asking Ira for advice, whether it’s about podcasting or storytelling. But now the tables have turned: Ira recently listened to a stand-up set he performed years ago, he has the itch to try it again, so he’s come to Mike for comedy advice. On this episode, Mike and Ira listen to Ira’s old stand-up set in real time, break down what worked and what didn’t, and brainstorm ideas for Ira’s next set. Please consider donating to your local public radio or television station.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, everybody, it's Mike Barbiglia.
0:11.6	This is a very special episode of working it out.
0:15.3	Ira Glass, of course, has been a guest on the podcast before.
0:18.5	He was episode number one.
0:20.5	He was episode number 100. And usually
0:23.6	it's me asking Ira for advice. He's given me so much brilliant advice over the years. And now the
0:29.8	tables have turned because Ira, he called me a couple weeks ago and he said, you know, I was listening
0:36.7	back to stand-up comedy that I performed about 10 years ago
0:40.9	at the Eugene Merman Festival in Brooklyn and he goes and it was pretty good and I was like I want to try to do
0:48.9	this I want to try to get better so I thought maybe I'd come on your show and we'd talk about I'll play some of the actual
0:55.5	audio from me doing stand-up and you can critique it and tell me how you think it can be better.
1:00.8	And so that's what we're doing today. I just want to tell you about a couple shows I'm doing
1:06.0	this summer. Obviously, the Good Life is coming out May 26th, whenever it shows up on your Netflix,
1:12.8	Remind Me area. Just click, Remind Me, so you know, comes out Monday, May 26th.
1:19.2	I'm super, super excited how it came out. I can't wait for you to see it.
1:23.0	I'm doing a couple shows this summer in support of John Mullaney.
1:27.7	Me and Nick Kroll and Fred Armisen are each doing probably 15 to 20 minutes sets at the beginning of John's headlining set.
1:37.1	August 7th at the Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, August 8th at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, New York.
1:44.5	Get tickets at berbigs.com and sign up for the mailing list to know about all upcoming shows.
1:50.4	I love this conversation with Ira Glass today.
1:52.3	We've never done this before.
1:53.6	We've never listened.
	...

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