Nathan Lane: The Safest Thing You Can Do Is Take a Risk

Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out podcast

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

4.8 • 4.6K Ratings

🗓️ 23 March 2026

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

(Recorded February 2025) Nathan Lane sits down with Mike and recounts moments from his legendary career — discussing what it was like to work with Mike Nichols, Elaine May, and Robin Williams. He shares what he likes most in a director, who he’s jealous of, and what he remembers of twenty-something year old Mike. Plus, an incredible story about working with Joaquin Phoenix on the film Beau is Afraid. Please consider donating to Broadway Cares

Transcript

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0:00.0	Who is someone you're jealous of?
0:10.0	Well, that's not fair.
0:12.1	To ask someone in show business that?
0:15.0	Well, let me get out my list.
0:25.6	Music Let me get out my list. That is the voice of the great Nathan Lane.
0:28.3	This is a re-air of an episode from February of last year.
0:32.3	Nathan Lane is, of course, a legend.
0:34.0	He's a three-time Tony Award-winning actor, three-time Emmy Award-winning actor. He has done
0:39.6	everything. He is currently on Broadway in a revival of Death of a Salesman. It's him and Lori Metcalf.
0:48.5	Just an amazing cast. This is a great episode we have today. He has so much wisdom and just so much experience.
0:57.1	I love, love talking to him.
0:59.3	By the way, thanks to everyone who signed up for Working Out Premium on Apple Podcasts.
1:02.8	We've been doing a bunch of bonus episodes for the Working Out premium subscribers.
1:07.5	You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, and when you do, you will get no ads on any of the
1:12.6	episodes, and you'll support the show, which is an independent production. We appreciate it.
1:16.8	And you get bonus episodes. By the way, if you are in Los Angeles, I will be at the
1:21.9	Netflix as a Joke Festival, May 6th at the Wilshire Eell Theater. It'll be me and friends.
1:28.0	I'll probably do about 30 or 40 minutes of new material,
1:30.4	and I'll bring on friends working it out with friends in Los Angeles at the Wilshire E-Bell
1:36.2	Theater.
1:36.9	I'm also doing a bunch of dates in support of John Mullaney with Fred Armisen, May 14th
1:41.2	in Colorado Springs, May 15th in Eugene, Oregon, May 16th in Bend, Oregon.
	...

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