Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

Most comedy podcasts interview comedians about their lives. Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out does something more specific and more interesting: it invites a different comedian or creator each week to actually develop new, untested material in real time. The result is a show about the craft of comedy rather than just the personalities behind it -- a genuine inside look at how jokes actually get built. Birbiglia has released five solo shows on Broadway and multiple Netflix specials (Sleepwalk with Me, Thank God for Jokes, The Old Man and The Pool), and he brings that director's eye to the interview format. He listens differently than most podcast hosts, picking apart what works in a guest's story and helping them figure out why a bit is not landing yet. Recent guests have included Chris Fleming, Nathan Lane, Taylor Tomlinson, James Acaster, and Ali Siddiq, with John Mulaney appearing for the show's 200th episode milestone. Across 237 episodes, it holds a 4.8-star rating from over 4,500 reviews. This is the podcast for Rogan listeners who appreciate the creative process conversations -- the episodes where Joe asks a comedian or fighter how they actually developed their approach to their craft. Working It Out is entirely built around that dynamic. There is no sidekick laughing in the background, no sponsorship read interruptions. Just two people working through material together, with occasional bonus episodes featuring prep sessions from the Comedy Cellar. It is unusually thoughtful for the comedy podcast space.