WTF with Marc Maron Podcast - Episode 1524 - Tig Notaro

Episode Date: March 25, 2024

Tig Notaro’s new comedy special is called “Hello, Again” which serves as a reintroduction of sorts, considering how much has changed in Tig’s life over the years. Tig explains to Marc how her previous tough, no-nonsense demeanor gave way to a different side after surviving cancer and falling in love. They talk about how Tig’s relationship developed with her wife Stephanie and why, after being pushed to the brink by illness, she just wants to raise her family and do work that’s important to her. Sign up here for WTF+ to get the full show archives and weekly bonus material! https://plus.acast.com/s/wtf-with-marc-maron-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Available in select locations. See app for details. All right, let's do this. How are you? What the fuckers? What the fuck buddies? What the fuck, Nick? What's happening? Alright, let's do this. How are you? What the fuckers? What the fuck buddies? What the fuck, Nick?

What's happening? It's Mark Maron here, host of the WTF podcast. You're listening to it. You're listening to me. I'm a little punchy. I got up very early this morning to fly back from Boise, Idaho at 7 in the morning. Boise Idaho! That's where I was. Not the easiest place to find a vegan meal. I'm not complaining. I went to a nice Indian place called the Taj Mahal. Had a very very pleasant well-prepared

Chana Masala and I did a show. I flew up there. I don't know who was there. Were you there? I flew up from Atlanta I did Atlanta on Friday the Buckhead Theatre excellent full house Nice crowd good vegan restaurants there a couple had had pretty good vegan meals. I guess that's what I'm focusing on I guess that's what this is about saw some old friends I guess that's what I'm focusing on. I guess that's what this is about. Saw some old friends. My buddy Matt, who you heard on this show, was not in town, so he says.

I still don't know where Matt and I are at after our episode, but he said he was out of town and didn't see Matt, saw my old buddy Craig Anton and his wife Leslie. Saw my friend Amanda down there. And it's nice. It's nice to go out to cities where you know people. So that all worked out and the show was good as well.

I had a local guy down there named Wellington Ojukwu who opened for me, did a fine job. It was pretty interesting. There was this, what had happened was it was a seven o'clock show and I didn't wanna do a seven o'clock show. I wanted to do an eight o'clock show. So there was a miscommunication

because I had done a seven o'clock show there. The last time I was in Atlanta and people were scrambling to get there and this time it was raining. So I literally created a mild party atmosphere. At about 10 after seven, I got on the God mic So I literally created a mild party atmosphere. At about 10 after seven, I got on the God mic and just told the people what was going on.

I said, look around, clearly not everyone's here. I appreciate you all making it here on time, but I knew it was a difficult time and I threw my booking agent under the bus and said, I wanted to do it at eight. So let's just hang out. I made this playlist. We'll just listen to some music.

I'll have the sound guy crank it up. And then when most of the people get here, we'll just start the show then. And then I did some jokes from the God Mike, got a few laughs and I think it worked. And I think it's approach I'll take in the future when things are running late. Just do a little pre-show for my show by me.

That's the idea. Tig Notaro was on the show today and I have not talked to Tig in a while. And I'm a big fan of Tig's. I've known her a long time. She really is. I mean, it's been, geez, how long has it been? 14 years since we talked on a one-to-one basis

in the garage. The last time was episode 81 in June, 2010. And that's a long time. And she was a different Tig then. I mean, totally, was a different Tig then. I mean totally, totally a different Tig then. Nothing had happened in her life. No cancer, no stardom. And I met Tig a million years ago.

It had to be in like 2007, maybe 2004 or five. She featured for me in Tampa. And the interesting thing about Tig is she was always Tig. But now there's a lot of depth to it. And it's kind of great. I'm at Largo this Wednesday, March 27th for a show with comedy and live music with the band, the Song Butchers.

I don't think they're gonna like that name. Then I'm back on tour in Madison, Wisconsin at the Barrymore Theater on Wednesday, April 3rd, Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Barrymore Theatre on Wednesday, April 3rd, Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Turner Hall Ballroom on Thursday, April 4th, Chicago at the Vic Theatre on Friday, April 5th, Minneapolis at the Pantages Theatre on Saturday, April 6th, Austin, Texas at the Paramount Theatre on Thursday, April 18th as part of the Moontower Comedy Festival, Montclair, New Jersey on Thursday, May 2nd at the Wellmont Center, Glenside, Pennsylvania in the Philly area on Friday, May 3rd at the Keswick Theater,

Washington, D.C. on Saturday, May 4th at the Warner Theater, Munhall, Pennsylvania outside Pittsburgh on May 9th at the Carnegie Library Music Hall, Cleveland, Ohio on May 10th at the Playhouse Square, Detroit, Michigan on May 11th at the Royal Oak Music Theater, and you can go to wtfpod.com slash tour for tickets. And while you're at wtfpod.com checking out my tour dates, take a look around. If you like what you see,

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that sometimes I put in the set, but I didn't. And it was kind of fun, it was kind of interesting. Boise is one of those places where I feel like, you know, I've provided a safe space for like-minded people surrounded by definitely not like-minded people. But I did start to explore the phone thing, you know? I mean, I lay in bed sometimes and just, you know, let myself be emotionally jerked around by my phone.

And I'm not talking about sexually, though there is that option as well, which makes it even more devious in that I would imagine that there are plenty of people out there whose primary relationship is with that machine, is with the phone. Because I can lay in bed and just scroll through reels and be like, oh, look, they saved that pelican. Ah, look at the duck and a kitten. Oh my God. What kind of bread are they making?

What is that? Is that just fried? Is that where is that taking place? Oh, some rock. There's some some grateful dead footage like there. I can sit with my phone for a half an hour and have all the feels. All of them, crying, anger, joy, love maybe. Like there's got to be some relationships where people are getting all the feels

from the phone in their hand while there's someone sweeping next to them and then with whatever else they're going to put in their hand. I think it's a problem. Is that what I'm trying to say? I don't know people. All I know is I was in Boise and a woman came up to me after the show my age and she said, do you remember me? And I didn't really remember her, but her face looked familiar. And she goes, I knew you were an Albuquerque, and we made out. And I'm like, did I work with you when I was in high school? What are you talking about? And then we were able to sort of kind of get the timeframe

down to right after I got out of Los Angeles, the first time like 1987. So I was probably 23, well, 87, so 83, like 24 years old, it was right before I went into rehab the first time, and she said, yeah, I was fucked up, you were fucked up, we're hanging out at the El Madrid, watching the Broadway Elks, and we hooked up a couple times and I'm like well Did we did we go did we do it? She's like, I don't remember and I'm like, I don't remember either But I did remember her kind of that's wild to live that long where you have several different lives

I mean in talking to TIG. Yeah, I found some old memories that are that are a bit jarring, but I think I can have them and own them. But, yeah, as I said before, talking to Tig now and Tig, you know, 20 years ago, is that what? Yeah, almost 20 years ago, where a lot of people thought we dressed the same and it was sort of a joke we had with each other. It's like a different person. The stuff that's happened in her life

and the sort of way she's a lot more open person and a lot more full person. And just a great talk, really. Her new comedy special, Tig Notaro, Hello Again, And just a great talk, really. Her new comedy special, Tig Notaro, Hello Again, premieres tomorrow, March 26th on Prime Video. It was a great special. There's a great middle bit in there. There's a couple of great stories.

And it's always a pleasure. I've done her podcast before, but always kind of a raw, like a couple of previously very defensive people kind of acclimating to their new, more open grown up dispositions. And just a nice talk. This is me talking to Tig. It's hockey season, and you can get anything you need delivered with Uber Eats.

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live map in the Uber app. Uber Teen Accounts. Invite your teen to join your Uber account today. Available in select locations. See app for details. and the bookings records. And it was 14 years ago that we did our one long interview. I mean, we've done a couple live ones, but it was 14 years ago. Wow.

It's fucking crazy. That's really crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy.

It's crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. 14 years ago that we did our one long interview. I mean, we've done a couple of live ones, but it was 14 years ago. Wow. It's fucking crazy. That's really crazy. Pre-cancer, pre-everything, pre the whole life of you.

I don't even know why you were on. I don't know what I was doing on this planet. 14 years ago. During that time period, I'm like, I don't understand who I was. I mean, do you understand who you were 14 years ago? Well, I think I was more freaked out and I think I was more panicky about things. And I don't know that I've changed tremendously, but I do feel a little more comfortable in my skin most of the time. Yeah. but I do feel a little more comfortable in my skin most of the time. Yeah, yes.

But you know, but so much has happened for you in 14 years. I have so much has happened for you in 14 years. Yeah, I know, but you have a kid, you have a wife, you have done a million shows. Mine hasn't shifted that much. I beg to, well, you know, probably part of it, and you know, you were on my old podcast. Which one, you do like nine, right? No, well, you know, probably part of it, and you know, you were on my old podcast.

Which one, you do like nine, right? No, well, I put everything to bed and I'm just pushing the handsome podcast now. And that's you and- Fortune Famester and May Martin. And May, I had her on a couple weeks ago. That was kind of wild. They them.

Yeah, sorry, I had they on them. I had them on. I was real good with the episode. It just slipped. I just slipped! Yeah, people slip I had they on them, I had them on. I was real good with the episode, it just slipped. I just slipped! Yeah, people slip. I know. But it's all about intention, Mark. It's about intention and training.

Yes. We have to be trained. You know, there's a generation of us that, you know, just it's easy to correct. Yeah. You know, one of my, and I'll go back to that, but I have to say, one of my favorite things, my stepfather,

he was in his 70s living in a small town in Texas, and he had come out to visit in Los Angeles, and my wife Stephanie's mother was dating a man who had a kid that was transitioning. And I told my stepfather, I said, this is before Transparent, the TV show, like before things really started to get. Yeah, change the culture.

Yeah. And I said, Rick, I just wanna let you know, Carol is dating, her boyfriend has a kid that is transitioning female to male and goes by he, and he is not going to necessarily look like a he, but I just want to let you know that that's what's going on. And this is a world, obviously not in his world. How did he respond to you just saying that?

Did he look confused? No. You know what he said? Well, I'll call anyone whatever they want me to call them. And that was the end of the story. And I was like, I was so impressed by that. And it's such a, yeah, you slip up and you have to learn new things. But if a 75 year old man from small town,

or he was probably 72 or something at the time, whatever, you get it, from small town Texas, can grasp it and have no follow up questions. Well, that's the whole thing. I was thinking about it the other day. I mean, how small is your life and how angry are you that that becomes some sort of cause? Like, you know, I'm not doing that.

Right. What is that? I don't even understand it. Nor do I. I don't understand where that comes from even. I don't either. It's baffling. And I always, I try to share that story

about my stepfather. It's beautiful. Because people are always like, yeah, well, you know, this and that, but I'm like, this guy has, this is so far from his world and reality. And it's not like we haven't shifted language before. It's not that big a deal.

We're constantly shifting language, thoughts. Everything's constantly shifting. Not with those people. Not with that. They're holding on. No, and that ties into what we were talking about before when you were on my podcast. And now that I've gotten back to that,

I'm forgetting what we were talking about. Oh, I remember, we were talking about things changing for me and that, you know, I'd been on your podcast and you had something maybe that you were going to go into and I fucked it up. Yeah. As I started talking about May. I thought for sure I was going to seamlessly go back.

Pull it back around? Well, just how people change. Yes. And, oh, I was going to say, I talked about this with you when you came on my other old podcast that is now, has gone night and night. What was that called? Don't Ask Tick. now, has gone night-night. What was that called? Don't Ask Tick.

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a advice show. Advice show. Yeah. But we talked about this on that episode, how we've known each other for years. It's crazy. It is crazy. Tampa.

I started in Tampa. And I always liked you and enjoyed your comedy. And then I just have felt like you were one of the people that I don't know, you've been a real curve ball for me. And as I said on my podcast, you're somebody that I've really gotten to know through your show more. And I guess that's what happens when people are like,

oh, I'm a fan of yours, I know everything about you. And it's like, you know, from a distance, I could be like, yeah, I like Mark and yeah, Mark, yeah, he's funny and yeah, and oh yeah, he can be kind of difficult or curmudgeonly or whatever. But getting to know you and understanding you more through listening to this, it just, and that's again, listening to people

and then going, oh, I get him more. And also for my taste, you've gone in a direction that, where I'm like, that's amazing, look at Mark. Well, thank you. Well, I feel like, you know, over the years, we've had conversations and we've had interactions and we've had not tensions, but there was, you know,

there was some drama, not with you and I, but you know, with people we know. And I think, you know, it has to do with how people handle things and whether they're willing to change or sort of own up to things. And I think we've, even though we don't see each other, but I remember the times that we've talked, it's always pretty real.

So then that's off the air, right? I mean, the last time I talked to you, you made me terrified of oils, of cooking oils. I never forget it. Every time I pour olive oil in a pan. So you think about me every day, essentially. Almost. Anytime I cook with oil, I'm like, fuck.

Am I? I think oil is better for you when it's not heated, essentially. Essentially, but because of where you were at in your journey with oil, I think oil is better for you when it's not heated essentially. Essentially, but because of where you were at in your journey with oil, it was pretty like you know, this is you're gonna get cancer. If you heat up that oil, it's fucking over and I'm like, oh my god. And it might be.

Sure. It might be for you, might not be for another person. That's right. We can't judge. No. All you can do is remove things. All you can do might not be for another person. That's right, we can't judge. No. All you can do is remove things. All you can do is run around and be terrified. That's all you can do. And that's all I've been doing.

And I'm trying to come out of that. I'm trying to find that happy medium. And that even ties back to having differences with people. I'm really trying to find happy mediums with people I disagree with, with is this oil gonna kill me if I heat it, or is it better unheated, or you know. But also don't you find, like not,

now this is, it's a stretch of a comparison, but you know, when you lock into something that makes you feel like you have some control over something, you can get fairly fanatic about it. I mean, and that's why those horrible people that are making a stand over they, them, you know, that's why they do it.

Cause there's angry need to have control. I'm not suggesting we be empathetic and I'm not apologizing for them, but I find in my life, because things, and certainly stuff you've dealt with, become so overwhelming and terrifying, you know, oil's gonna get you through. Your stance on oil could be what makes your day better,

even your week. And just to be clear, we're talking about cooking oil. We're not talking about motor oil. I don't know where you stand on motor oil. That's for sure. If you heat that up or unheat it, yeah, it's definitely, it's gonna get you. That motor oil is gonna take you down.

So if you're, stop cooking in motor oil. It's not for frying. That's what I was trying to tell you, is don't cook the motor oil, Marc. But I can't remember why, because I've been a vegan now. Yeah, and I love it. For over a year.

But like you were, when I talked to you about oil, you were already veganing. Yeah, I've been veganing for years. Since the cancer? After that, just I've had some, it was kind of crazy to be known for being sick, coming through it and I did it. But then.

And then you got sick again. Well, the reality is that, there's complications, there's medications, there's surgeries, all that kind of stuff that continued with me. And so, yeah, I got to a point where I was tired of being in pain, I was tired of being fearful. And I thought, well, what I do have control over is what I put in my body.

And so, and I'm not perfect. I do love donuts. I do love- They have vegan donuts. I know it, sir. And I have kids and we are full of vegan donuts. Do you go to Donut Friend? I think you were far away.

Donut Friend's in Highland Park and I go there. I try not to go too often. Yeah, I mean, I'll have a donut if it's around. Non-vegan donut? No, no, I don't mess around. Yeah, me neither. And it's like, I shouldn't even give a shit. But there's something about,

and I don't know that, I don't really consider myself a control freak, but I know from being a sober person, and there's a mindset to it. It's like, if I just put a little milk in, it's over. You know? I know. That's how I am too.

I like, I can't, my brain, like what will happen to my body if, well, and also, you know, when I've ordered a coffee or something and I'm out somewhere and I'm, have you ever done that and then you're drinking it and you're like, God, this tastes a little weird. I don't know if you have a latte or something. I don't usually, I'm pretty on top of the milk situation.

I am too and I've still, this is over, I've been vegan many more years You have and where I'm walking down the sidewalk. I'm like this tastes so weird and I'm like, oh god Is this cow milk? Oh god. My wife will full-on throw up spit Projectile on the sidewalk if there is any any sort of cow She's totally vegan too. Oh, and so are our kids.

Well, and when I say so are our kids, they are, but we tell them. They can eat meat? Well, we do tell them if they wanna eat something or try something that they can do it because, you know. Don't wanna deny them that. We want them to think for themselves. We want to lead them in the direction

that we think is best, but we also don't want to fully make them, you know. Right, resent. Yeah, yeah. So when they go to birthday parties or they're at school or they want to try something. They don't come home ashamed. Yeah, yeah.

But it's so nice because all their friends always, you know, provide. Accommodated. Yeah, it's so nice because all their friends always, you know, provide. Accommodated. Yeah, it's really nice. And then our kids are like, hey, our friends always have vegan food for us, can we have regular food for them? And Stephanie and I are like, okay.

Oh, God. But the thing about putting, like, where do you stand? Because this is a new thing I've been doing. And I don't even know if it's correct or right. I think when you do the vegan thing, you gotta make sure you get everything you need. Like, you gotta take a B12 supplement of some kind. Yep.

I use a spray. Do you use a spray? No, I have a little. You just take a pill? Yeah, I take a little edible. It's like a little candy. A gummy? Or a candy? It's crunchy. Oh yeah, yeah, I know that one.

But like I've decided that walnut oil is where it's at. Not cooking with it. Raw, raw nut oil. Putting it in your car. Put it, yeah, and it runs amazing. And I don't think anyone knows it. No, just put it in a smoothie or something, like a tablespoon for the omegas.

What are you doing for your omegas, seriously? I mean, I'm eating all sorts of walnuts. You're eating the walnuts. Doesn't it seem like walnut oil, high-grade walnut oil, would be a solution to that? Possibly. No, no, no, I'm just putting it out there. You know what I almost brought you?

You seem hesitant and judgmental about the walnut oil choice. Is that because you know something or you never thought of it? No, I don't know anything. I don't know. I have no judgment whatsoever. I was just more so trying to, I don't know if I'm just being selfish.

I was trying to get at what I was wanting to tell you. Oh, you go ahead. I forgot to bring you a present. I was gonna bring you this thing I started, I made, well, I created called Dyke Dust. And it's nutrient dense. And I came up with it when we became vegan. Because when you become vegan, you're scared

that you're not gonna get nutrients because people have that drilled in your head. Which of course you won't get the nutrients if you're not, if you're just eating bread and. No, you can't just do peanut butter and French fries. Right. And wonder why you gained weight. That is, have you eaten peanut butter and French fries?

Together? Yes. No, I do, I will nut butter though. I will, yeah, if I'm in a pinch, I'll almond butter, peanut butter, yeah. Yeah, what about sunflower seed butter? That's too rich. Oh, okay. Too much. I like that. It's good, yeah. Yeah, what about sunflower seed butter? That's too rich. Oh, okay.

Too much. I like that. It's good, but it's like 9,000 calories in a tablespoon. Yeah, well. I have a regular eating disorder, not just an ideological one. What is your eating disorder? I'm terrified of that.

Oh, okay, yeah, I've heard you talk about that. But anyway, I was gonna bring you dike dust, and I typically- What is dike dust? What's in it? Well, I can't tell you. It's a special concoction. It's a secret recipe. Yeast?

Is there yeast in it? There's nutritional yeast. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Can you have some of that? Sure, I'm just wondering. There's a lot of stuff, a lot of stuff. And you've designed this? I designed this because I was so concerned

that our kids wouldn't get enough nutrients. With the vegan thing. So I came up with this and then I started to realize like, oh right, if you eat a balanced diet, it's fine. But this is just extra, and it goes into like savory things. You just sprinkle it on? Pizza, pasta, salad, soups. But I'll get it to you.

Is it like Spike? I don't know Spike. I think that's what it's called. Like there's a couple of, I don I'll get it to you. Is it like Spike? I don't know Spike. I think that's what it's called. Like there's a couple of, I don't know, it sounds good. How's it selling? I don't sell it. Oh, you just make it home? Yeah, I just make it and bring it to friends' houses.

Yeah, when I go over to somebody's house or go to dinner at their house or it's their birthday, I bring up dike dust. Are there people that have several containers up going, like, she brought some more, I don't even know what to do with it. I mean, if I can name drop, Jennifer Aniston is chock full of dike dust.

And she was telling me, she said, if you ever sell this, you have to change the name because people like myself are gonna get in trouble or not feel comfortable ordering dike dust, you know? And so I feel like she has a point, but. Yeah, but again, just adapt. You know, you've signed off on it. Absolutely, I don't have a problem with somebody.

To me, it sounds so normal and sweet. I brought some to my therapist and she was like, what is this? And I said, it's dyke dust. And I only came up with that name because it had no name and I'd take it to somebody's house and they'd be like, what is this? I said, it's stank dust. I don't know. And I only came up with that name because it had no name and I'd take it to somebody's house and they'd be like, what is this? And I was like, I don't know, it's stank dust.

It's, and oh, is that gonna make me gay? I don't know. That's exactly the intention. A nutrient dense lesbian is what she'll be when I leave town. Well, I thought that was funny in the new special where you just call yourself a, what, an old school lesbian? Yeah, like run of the mill, old fashioned lesbian.

Well, cause every, you know, with non-binary people and trans, you know, I walk into a public bathroom and I get looks and like intense vibe sometimes. From who? People in the public bathroom. From the dudes of the urinal? Yeah, oops. But no, I'll get some sideways looks of like,

what are you, who are you? What is this, is this the right bathroom? And I get called sir near daily. It's not an exaggeration. Yeah, but so you just didn't wanna bother with, identifying in a particular like modern way? I mean, that's what it, isn't that still modern, a run of the mill lesbian?

No, I think that's old school. To be lesbian? No, to be like to be a run of the mill lesbian. Yeah, yeah, I guess that's true. Because it takes me to another time. You know, like college. Yeah. You know, like there was a time when there were lesbians.

And you were experimenting in college, you experimented with lesbians. Sure, with lesbians, yeah. You did? I was the last stop for... Everyone got off the train. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, my first girlfriend had just come out of a relationship with a woman,

but she was, and this was like 1985. So, but there was a world where there was definitely like a lesbian world and a gay world. And then, you know, whatever we were, you know, wandering around. But now that's there, there's a full spectrum. What do you mean whatever you were? You and your girlfriend? No, no. I mean, just that, you know, there's straight guys and then there were, you know, you know, guys who were confused and figuring it out. Were you ever confused?

I think when I was in college, yeah, there was a period there where because I was in, you know, the theater company where I'm like, yeah, I might, you know, maybe I'll kiss a dude. Did you kiss a maybe I'll kiss a dude. Did you kiss a dude? I kissed a dude. Yeah? Yeah. And how did it send you to the moon?

No, no, it felt familiar and peculiar and the whiskers kind of threw me. Yeah, oh my God, me too. Anytime I've kissed a guy, I'm like, whoa, you gotta do something about that. And also my face would get red. Where I was like, I'm allergic to. Yeah, I think there was a different kind of thing

back then where if you were of a certain artistic bent, you just wanted to try, but not unlike heroin, it didn't stick. So you did heroin. Yeah. And did you? Didn't shoot it, Now, but, so you did heroin. Yeah. And did you- Didn't shoot it, snorted it, and not for me. Okay.

Kissed a dude once, not for me. Okay, and what did, was he calling and being like, hey? No, it was like one of those weird kind of theater parties and you kind of just do it. Walk me through this. How did, tell me, were you like in the back corner of the room where you guys like, we don't care who knows it. I can't, try and pry me off of this.

It's- No, it was just like, you know, one of those things where I think that, you know, he was, I don't even remember really how it went. Then there was a period there where there was this professor who was obsessed with me. And I think that I was really kind of- Like male professor. Yeah.

And I was really kind of lost and it was more, but I was still dating women, but I think I was just awkward and uncomfortable. And I just liked when people liked me. So it was not a big ordeal, but it just felt like something I had to check off the list. I see. It didn't go like, I didn't,

because if you really, if you want that, if you wanna pursue sex with somebody, you feel it. But if you're just sort of like, wow, that was weird. That's different, it's a different feeling. Yeah, it's a very different feeling. Like, wow, okay, I did that. Yeah. But I think like what happened,

cause I feel like in terms of changing that you, like when I met you, like was it the, do you think that, was it the cancer or the marriage or the combination of things? Because I think you lightened up and you opened up and you became more sort of, you know, vulnerable and compassionate in a way that, because like when, back in the old days,

you were a little tough. Yeah. And were you aware of that? I was, for sure. Yeah. I was aware of it. I mean, it was, for sure, I was aware of it. I mean, it was, you know, I was tough. I was, I kind of identified with I'm cool. That's the thing that's gonna get me through this ride of life, I'm cool, you know?

And cancer and love blew my cool. Really? Big time. Yeah. Yeah. And there's, you can't really hold onto it too tightly when you're, you know, when you're deathly ill, not just cancer, but I had also an intestinal disease and pneumonia, all these things. What was it, that Mercer or something? It's called C. diff.

Oh. And I was unable to eat food for a very long time. But it's, you know, when your clothes are falling off and you have diarrhea and you're like projectile vomiting. There's a vulnerability to that. Yeah, it's like you can't, your cool is blown. And you're being rolled around hospitals and you're in wheelchairs and you're on medication.

And I lost over 20 pounds. And it's like, I can't be like, hey. Hey. Weeding these boots. Yeah, who smells diarrhea? It's mine, baby doll. Yeah. Was Stephanie with you during the cancer?

No, we were, well, she was, but not romantically. We were working on a independent film called In a World. And we played love interests and I was deathly ill. I had these three deadly illnesses simultaneously and didn't know it. And- You didn't know about any of them? No.

So you had the cancer and the intestinal thing? know it. And- You didn't know about any of them? No. So you had the cancer and the intestinal thing? And pneumonia. And- You think you had a cold? I did. I had a cold and I wasn't typically very sickly and at all. And so I just told them I wasn't feeling well and they made this little pallet on the floor

and I would go lie down between takes and then I had a girlfriend at the time and I. Oh I knew her I think. I don't know, no I don't think you did. We were only together for like six months and there was a load that she had to take on. You know we started dating and then I was like, oh my gosh, I have all, I was so sick.

And then it's like, then in the middle of being so sick, my mother trips, hits her head and dies. And then my girlfriend and I split up. Well, she like, I don't wanna be selfish, but I can't. I gotta get the hell out of here. Too much for me. Yeah she like, I don't wanna be selfish, but I can't. I gotta get the hell outta here. Too much for me. Yeah, but meanwhile I was all, no, she wasn't. I think we were not a match, I know for sure.

And I'm very happy to say she is a very close friend now and I love her so deeply. That's nice. Oh my God, she's married with kids, I'm married with kids, we all hang out and she's just one of my favorite people. That's great. She and my wife love each other, but anyway, while I was sick, I was telling her, I was like,

I was wanting her to leave me, because I really thought I was dying, and I also, when you're that sick, and she and everybody meant well, but when people are asking, hey, how are you feeling today? It sounds like a nice thing to say, but it's so hard to get that question

when things are so terrible. And I was so, so sick and I was so deeply sad. And so anytime somebody was like, and how are you doing? It enraged me because it's like, how does it look like I'm doing? I am four pounds, my mother's dead, I can't eat food.

Like, can you just not, and I said, please stop asking me, I'll tell you if something changes. The big little sign, not good. Yeah, truly, truly. Because they're not willing to shoulder what you really have to offer. So let's just move on. Yeah, I mean.

It's like, you know, I noticed that, but it's different with grief, because a lot of times people just, they don't know what to say, but the fact that they're there is nice. Yeah, yeah. But I mean, but like when you are visibly and clearly ill, I mean, there's a way to ask, how are you doing? I guess there's a way sort of like, you ask it acknowledging

full well that it's not great and like, how are you doing? Right? If it came at you with the correct amount of concern? Did you take it? No, I think I just needed, like if one person, the first time they saw me said, how are you doing? And I was like, clearly not well. I'm not exaggerating when I say my underwear was falling off. Like I was so, I was a bag of bones. So these people would ask you while you were in your underwear?

If only I could be in my underwear. It was falling off. And I kept thinking I was gonna get better, so I didn't buy new clothes. And then I just kept not getting better. And so, yeah, I think after somebody would see me ask me how I was doing, I needed the how are you doing to stop.

Right. And then I'll tell you are you doing to stop. Right. And then I'll tell you if I'm starting to get better, but I'm not. But you didn't isolate, right? You still let people hang out. I did isolate. I got to a point where I just wanted it to be my immediate friends and family.

I was very, to go back to my cool, I was very protective of myself and the condition I was in. Because you didn't wanna be, like we said at the beginning, there is a vulnerability that's out of your control. So you don't want everyone to come by. No, I remember I went to do Pete Holmes' podcast when I was kind of back out.

How was that? Well, it was good, but when I saw him, he goes, Oh my God, Sarah Silverman told me how sick you've been. She'd show me pictures. And I was like, I was so upset and I called Sarah and I was like, you cannot show people pictures of me. I was so upset.

And she was like, oh my God, I'm so sorry. She was like, I was just, I was thinking, I didn't consider how you would feel. I wouldn't care. And so I am so sorry. And I was like, finally, okay. But I was so upset. And I would never have normally even gone on stage

and done a show because I was so private. I was so cool and shut off and like, nothing gets to me. And man, when your underwear is falling off. It really changed me. And so I met Stephanie on that movie. And then when I, I collapsed one day and went to the hospital and never came back

to normal life for a good six months. Yeah. And, but when I did resurface, I went to do a show at UCB and I ran into Stephanie there and we had done the movie, you know, six months before. And when I ran into her, the movie was going to Sundance and we exchanged numbers. We were like, oh my gosh, how crazy. Yeah, I'm going too.

I'll see you at Sundance. We exchanged numbers. And when I gave her my number, I said, and I didn't think, there was no like romantic interest between us, but I was single and she was single. And I gave her my number and I said, There was no like romantic interest between us, but I was single and she was single. And I gave her my number and I said, and just a heads up,

I'm not a big texter. I don't, you know. And she goes, oh, me neither. And I said, yeah, I just went out with this girl for a coffee and she texted me right after and said, that was so fun. And she knew I had a show that night. And then she texted me around show time and said, have so fun. And she knew I had a show that night. And then she texted me around show time

and said, have a great show. And then that night she wrote sweet dreams. And I was like, Jesus Christ. I was like, that was some coffee, huh? And then, so Stephanie's like, yeah, I'm not into texting either. And that night I went home and I got a text from Stephanie

that said sweet dreams. And I was like, oh my God, this girl's hilarious. That made me laugh. It was like silence and then 11 o'clock sweet dreams. And then neither of us could stop texting each other. So now you're a texter. Yeah, well, with her, I was taking my phone to the bathtub. I didn't want to miss a single thing she said.

Isn't that great to be locked in and that excited? Oh my God. And it's so important. Oh, it's so- You have to pull over your car. Yeah, you're like, oh my God, Stephanie. I told her later, I was like, when you would text me, it felt like the name Jesus Christ

popped up on my phone every time. It's a good jolt. I mean, such a good jolt. And it worked out. It is still working. Yeah, I think it's interesting though to me, because sometimes I hold things pretty close and I don't necessarily trust people emotionally

and I know I'm guarded and I know I'm guarded and I know I'm self-centered and stuff, but I can feel the other side. I just don't always know how to get there most of the time. I don't know what the risk of being more openhearted and trusting really is, but it seems like you kind of got like a big, cathartic revelation

from being forced into this situation where you had no control. And you were able to stay in it, you didn't close back up. No, I mean, I know it's kind of cliche to say it, but I feel like I was pushed to the very edge and dangled over that edge. And something yanked me back and I feel very thankful and I don't wanna be on that edge again.

Are you spiritual? I wouldn't say that I am. Stephanie is and I love that she is. I'm not a religious or, I don't know what I am. Yeah, I never locked in with it. Yeah. Like there's never a day where I'm like, is there a God? Yeah.

It just, I never, it doesn't even cross my mind. Yeah, yeah. And some people, that's like their primary turmoil. Yeah. And I'm like, probably not. Yeah, same, same. But also if people get something from it and it's a positive experience and they're doing good,

I'm all for it. Yeah, the last part's the important part, the doing good part to that experience. That's really the determiner of whether or not you can tolerate it. I did feel cursed though, even though I'm not like spiritual,

I don't know what that is about my head, but also I did pray when I was very sick. I prayed. And I couldn't believe I was so down and out. And I also, this is so fascinating. I also apologized to God for praying. And never checking in. And never checking in and just swinging by.

And being like, can you help me out? I know I don't even believe that I'm talking to you, all of this is- Pete Slauson How is this not in the show? Julie Snell Yeah. But yeah, and then, and I did, I prayed pretty regularly and, you know, obviously there is a God because I did make it out alive. Pete Slauson Sure, of course. Obviously, he heard your prayers and you're all set.

Julie Snell Thank you, thank you. There is something funny about the awkwardness of prayer when you're not a religious person, because in recovery, it's sort of part of it at the beginning, and they're pretty clear. It's of your understanding, you don't have to have one. So there is that moment, it's a very funny scene, if you think about like, hey, I don't know.

Trying to get it, how, I don't know. Trying to get it, how do I start? Where to begin? My name's Mark. You know that. Yeah, it's awkward and it's embarrassing because even being alone, praying. On your knees, to get on your knees alone.

Oh, I didn't get on my knees. Oh, I did, that's heavy. You got on your knees. I got on my knees. When did you pray on your knees? Like early sobriety, you know, because I had a sponsor that was like, just do it. You know, what do you got to lose?

And I'm like, all right, I'll try new things. That's really awkward. Well, yeah, because- Getting on your knees. By yourself? Yeah, and that seems like you've taken it a step further. Well, that's the deal, but I think that's really the power of it.

However you get there, it's the humbling. It's the humbling of realizing that you have control of very little, right? And to humble yourself before whatever, the universe is a real kind of heart opener and it's a very weird, vulnerable place to get on your knees or even to pray in general for someone who doesn't pray.

To be like, hey God. Did you at all laugh a little bit when you got on your knees? Yeah, I think so. My sponsor at the time said, it doesn't matter if you believe to pray because there's something almost ancient about the groove, the universal groove of prayer.

Even if you don't believe, the amount of praying that happens in the world throughout the history of human beings is some sort of frequency that you can tap into non-denominationally. And that's some mystical shit, but I like that framing of it. That's why it's effective. Yeah. And do you still get on your knees?

No, not really. Pray? I haven't gotten on my knees and prayed in a while. How long? Yeah, maybe after Lynn died, I did probably, just to feel that. I think the humbling thing releases you of something. Now, here's what's really interesting. I honestly can't wait to go home and get on my knees and pray tonight.

Oh, good. I'm serious. I wanna see what that feels like. You know, you can handle it. What if that's the thing that broke me? And that was the end of TIG. She started eating meat right after she prayed. Now she's with a dude.

Classic TIG. You're always taking a risk there. But like, I think the last time I talked to you was interesting because, well, maybe a couple of times ago, where, you know, I was like, you know, what are you doing? You know, and you're just like, I'm just like, I don't want any more bullshit. I just want to just raise my family. And I don't want anything. You

know, that's what I'm doing. Yeah. Did that. And that's what you did, kind of, right? I mean, that's what I am doing. I mean, I'm obviously still working. I finished a big tour, but. Before the special, leading up to the special. Leading up to the special. To build it out, to figure it out. That's correct. You gotta explain a thing to me. Yeah.

Yeah, because I was one of those people you were talking about. I watched the She-Lean. Yeah. I watched the joke two or three times and I couldn't quite figure out what the hook was, what the thing was. You still don't get it?

Well, I mean, I get that you made this assumption about, based on this name that wasn't real and you brought up something from your life and it was awkwardness, right? Well, yeah, she was talking about- Nicole. Reese Witherspoon was talking about Nicole Kiffin. Right, and you thought she was talking about another woman.

No, no. I thought, because Reese Witherspoon was talking about the different heights of the different actresses on Big Little Lies. And Reese said, I'm 5'2", Laura Dern's 5'10", Nicole Kidman's six feet, and Shailene is five, I think it was five seven or five eight. I thought, Reese said, that Nicole Kidman is six feet

and she leans. Oh, so there is a Shailene. Shailene Woodley. Yeah, right, she's the actress, right? The other actress. Yeah. Okay, now I get it. Okay, I didn't know Shailene's there.

I had never heard of her when that happened. And so I just knew. I said, it's very funny now. Yeah, and so, oh no, maybe it doesn't translate. when that happened. And so I just knew. It's very funny now. Yeah, and so, oh no, maybe it doesn't translate. No, it does, it does. But what I said to Reese, when she said, and Nicole Kidman's six feet, I thought she said, and she leans five eight.

And I said, oh, well I used to date a woman that was six feet, and I think she hunched. Yeah, she was insecure about her height, so she hunched. So she hunched. It just sat there. And her producing partner, Lauren, and my wife Stephanie were all blank faced staring at me, like, what are you talking about?

Okay, see, if I know, because I like that actress, Shailene Woodley, is that her name? Yeah, you seem like a huge fan. No, I do, but I didn't know her name right off. So that fucked the joke up for me, but everyone seemed to get it. Yeah.

Yeah, it's not a problem with the bit. And I would have probably gotten, I probably wouldn't have said what I said if I knew the name Shailene Woodley. Right, exactly. Right, it's very funny. Let me ask you, do you, because remember years ago you had that story

about meeting Taylor Swift. No, Taylor Day. I was Taylor Day? Yeah. God damn it. Do you know Taylor Swift? I don't, but a big fan. Yeah.

Yeah. I just needed to. What? but a big fan. Yeah. Yeah. I just needed to. What? I got, like I'm doing my closing bit involves a Taylor Swift song

and I need her to sign off on it. Oh, okay. At some point, if I wanna put it on a special. And I kinda know Jack Antonoff, I don't know how it's gonna happen. It's not, it doesn't make fun of her. It's kind of a great joke. Like in your closing, you didn't have to ask Adele for.

No, I didn't. No, nothing that I did was recognizable. I don't know if Adele will even know that that has anything to do with her. Do you know her? Adele? Yeah. No.

You just met her. No, I didn't even meet her. She was just at the party. Oh, oh, yeah. And to be honest, I don't know where she was at the party when I did that thing. I think it's a very funny special. Well, thank you.

You're very funny. And it's so odd though too, because you see it, even in the arc of your specials, your sort of openheartedness has shifted, right? You know, like, you know, the difference between this special and like one from like your first special, can you see it? Oh, again, like I don't even understand who I was or what I was doing.

Because you didn't even really talk about yourself, really, did you? No. Early on. It was fully observational or- And it was about the timing and yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So I think that like- I'm still observational.

No, of course, but I mean, but the cancer really broke open the personal point of view thing, talking about yourself. Yeah, yeah, for sure. And yeah, and I still, you know, I talk about, as I was saying earlier in this conversation about how it's not like I am in remission now and then I'm completely fine.

It's been an ongoing situation. And I talk about it, but what I'm focusing on is the, the awkward, uncomfortable experiences that happen. And it, you know, in the moment people always ask, they're like, oh, when you're being wheeled out on a stretcher, you think, and this is gonna be a great stretch. It's like, I've been through so much physical pain that if I'm being wheeled off somewhere,

you better believe I can't handle it. And so there's no part of me thinking, how am I gonna structure this bit? You know? Yeah, it's gotta beat itself out when you feel it. Well, I mean, this one, fortunately, in terms of discomfort or pain, like it just seems that the physical therapy was the big,

you know, and that's much less than cancer. Yeah, the physical therapy, I mean, oh my God. It's a funny image. You're a funny person. Oh, you're silly. How old are the kids? They will be eight in June. And they are, you know, like everyone,

they're beautiful and hilarious and brilliant. And I think I have a comedian on my hands. Really, one of them? Yeah. How do you know? I mean, he's just so into words and I think I have a comedian on my hands. Really, one of them? Yeah. How do you know? I mean, he's just so into words and he's a little wordsmith and he loves Bob Dylan.

Really? I mean, I guess he probably could be, obviously anybody can be anything. Sure. But he writes, he journals, he draws cartoons. And when he listens to music, he wants to know, like, what does he mean by the mouth of a graveyard? You know what I mean?

Like, and- How do you answer that one? I don't, I'm just like, I don't know what he means. But Bob Dylan says, don't analyze his lyrics. So I told my son, don't think too much about it. But the perfect example of, this is my son Max. We were in Colorado when they were six last year, Halloween time, driving down the road.

Stephanie and I are of course in the front seat, Max and Finn are in the back. And while I was driving, I said, oh my God, there's a pumpkin in the road. And Max, who is so bone dry, and people are like, wonder where he got that. He is drier than I am. He's sitting in his little car seat in the back and he says, you mean oh my gourd.

And I look at, I turn back and I said, what did you say? And he said, you mean oh my gourd, pumpkins or gourds. I was like, I almost drove off the road. I was like, that is so funny. That's a good one. It's really good. Clever kid. What's the other one up to?

Oh my gosh, he is, he's the kind of kid that could easily go on a talk show. We would never put him on one, but he's, since he was four, just like obsessed with, they're both very athletic, but Finn knows stats. He knows history of sports. He can tell you the exact batting lineup. He can mimic each batter.

He follows college, professional. He's eight? Seven. Oh my God. He follows women's, men's, everything. And all around our kitchen, there's paper taped up with his handwritten, a little misspelled and you know, backward S's. All stats, he gets up at five, looks at Stephanie's phone,

gets stats, puts it on in the kitchen, on the walls. It's really something. Where do you learn that? Well, I mean, Stephanie, we're both athletic, but she is, you know, she's on a women's basketball league. Oh, okay, yeah. She, we take women's basketball league. We take them to sporting events. Her dad lives in town and he's our, we call them the triplets, he's our childcare.

So there's definitely sports influence, but he, look, I was raised in a house where everybody was watching games, my brother played, I played, but man, he's just like. It's so funny, so you got a poet and a sports guy. Yeah, yeah, it's really interesting. And it makes sense, I mean, you can see both, right? Absolutely. From you guys.

And it might change, obviously. I'm not a veterinarian or an architect, like I hope to be, or the fifth beetle. That was my biggest dream. When you were a kid, the fifth beetle? And John Lennon had already been shot. Oh, see. But when I listened to my albums, I was there.

I didn't matter that it was the 80s. I was like, I'm gonna be the fifth Beatle. That was my dream. Did you watch the doc? I haven't. That's crazy. I want to and I will, but. Are you still like, do you still have Beatles in your heart?

Oh. Of course, right? So deeply. I mean, you're gonna watch that doc and you still like, do you still have Beatles in your heart? Oh. Of course, right? So deeply. I mean, you're gonna watch that doc and just be like, what the fuck? They're just like, cause like two things happen. You're like, they're just people, but they're magic. I know, but they're not.

They're not. I was just, I just got back from New York two days ago. Yeah. And I can't help myself, but go by the Dakota. Really? Yeah. Yeah. Because I always walk around Central Park. And as much as I loved every Beatle, just, I really did.

Loved everyone so deeply, but I was more of a John. Me too. Oh my gosh. But like, I interviewed Paul McCartney and, you know was more of a John. Me too. Oh my gosh. But like I interviewed Paul McCartney and you know, in a live situation. And I really like, I was like, I had the opportunity I'm gonna interview Paul, but I'm like, I'm really a John guy. Like even talking to Paul, I'm like, all right, Paul.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I'm, yeah. I sat next to Paul at a vegetarian restaurant years ago and then I was in line with Ringo Starr at Air One grocery store. Down in Hollywood? Yeah. That one, yeah. Yeah, and so I've had two close brushes with Beatles,

but I was so deeply John Lennon. Like I just, I felt his pain. Yeah. I, oh man, did I love him. He was the best. But yeah, I'm always drawn to the Dakota. What do you feel when you go there? What do I feel? I'm not quite sure.

I think when I go and I look, in fact, I can show you, I took a picture of it again. Yeah, have you ever been inside? No, maybe what it is is it's that, that was obviously the last, you know, it reminds me kind of when my mother died and I went home and I wrote about this in my book, but there was a vase with fresh flowers in the vase,

and it feels like that I just missed you. Because when I came home from taking my mother off life support, I had gone from LA, flown from LA to Houston. She and my stepfather were living in Houston at the time. And I went from the airport to the hospital, took her off life support, and then took a cab back to their house.

And when I went in, got home in the middle of the night, went into the kitchen and I saw the vase with fresh flowers and then I knew my mother had put in that vase. And that felt like that, I just missed you. And that's maybe a similar thing. That's interesting. There's something immediate about it. Yeah, or most recent before they were gone.

Yeah. Yeah, and there's also Yeah, yeah, yeah. Before they were gone. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and there's also this thing like, as I get older, there are these things that you want to make sure you stay connected to. And that's a way of doing it. Yeah.

Do you know? I mean, standing out in front of the Dakota, it still feels magic, right? And sad at the same time. Yeah, and sad. It's like, oh my gosh. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Where'd you shoot that special at, BAM?

Is that what that was? No, at, I just itched my head because you itched yours. That's weird. I taped it at King's Theater. That's beautiful. It is so, have you not been to King's Theater? No, I thought it was at Brooklyn Opera House and I had performed there.

And if I didn't remember that it looked like that I'd be like, what the fuck was I even doing? But I'd never been there. Wow, it's so stunning. It's so beautiful. It's in Brooklyn? I'd never even heard of it. Do they do plays?

I think they do everything. I directed four specials for HBO. Do you know that? What is the podcast? Two Dope Queens. Yeah. They did four specials there, and when I was working on that several years ago,

I thought I had like one day come back and tape something here. Yeah, it looks great. Yeah. And Stephanie directed it. My wife directed it. Is the first time she directed a special? Yeah, the first time she had directed a special,

we co-directed a feature with Dakota Johnson. That'll be coming out. I don't have an exact date, but it's coming out soon. What's that about? It's a later in life coming out story. Not like your grandma comes out type thing, but in your thirties where you're just like chugging along in life

but you got a secret and you're already. And she's the lead? Dakota, yeah. I love her. Wait till you see her in this. Truly, she is so good. It is such a stellar performance. But I will say, I'm very proud of what we did.

I think we were one of the first, if not the first productions back up and going in the pandemic. No vaccine, masks, like we pulled this off. It was really terrifying. The vaccine, masks, we pulled this off. It was really terrifying. No vaccines? I mean, what do you mean? Like we were through it.

The vaccine had not. Oh, it hadn't happened. Hadn't happened. So it was peak pandemic. Yes, we were out there in the early day and I was truly like, what am I doing? Cause I didn't know if I had heard from different people that I was potentially at higher risk

because I had had cancer. And I was like, oh my God. Yeah, it's terrifying. But yeah, we did it and the film is called Am I Okay? And it'll be announced soon when that's coming out. But it went to Sundance, it sold to HBO Max. And so it'll- Oh good, so it's coming out.

Yeah, it'll be out. Did it went to Sundance, it sold to HBO Max and so. Oh good, so it's coming out. Yeah, it'll be out. Did you manage to avoid COVID? I got COVID one time. Yeah, me too. That I know of. Yeah. It was all right. It pretty much leveled me.

Yeah, well, I got very tired, but I didn't get totally sick. Oh, I did. Oh, you did? When I get something, I really go for it. You're great. I mean, it's crazy. But you look so fucking healthy. Well, I feel healthy, but I think I'm sensitive.

I don't know what it is. So you've moved away from cursed to sensitive. Yeah, I'm sensitive. But it's like, if a medication or a complication happens to 1% of the population. You're it? I used to be like, oh, I'll be fine. But now when a doctor says there are some cases,

I'm like, well, here we go. I have it for sure. You should just change and put your name on the medication bottle. There's some problems that Tig has had with this. But she's one of three. Mark, I'm telling you, it is across the board. It's ridiculous. Well, it was good talking to you.

It was great talking to you. So what do you eat for lunch? What do you cook at home mostly? Chickpeas? Oh my God. A lot of chickpeas. Do you know what I am obsessed with? What?

What? What? What? Do you eat oatmeal? Yeah. Do you eat steel cut oats? Sure, it takes longer, but I'll eat them. I mean, here's what you do.

I do the whole batch for five days. I cook it all. Oh, so you do the slow cook on the steel cut and then you throw it in the fridge and then throw it in the pot with a little non-dairy milk and revive it. Okay, sure. Sometimes I eat it cold or heated up.

But let me tell you, I make a massive batch of steel cut oats. In that, I put bananas, wild frozen blueberries. From Trader Joe's? Aromatherapy, doesn't matter. Organic, wild frozen blueberries. From Trader Joe's? Aromatherapy, doesn't matter. Organic, wild frozen blueberries. Everything organic. Raspberries.

Okay. Banana, blueberry, raspberry, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, cinnamon. Do you cook it with the flax or put the flax after? No, I cook the oats. Because sometimes you cook with flax, it becomes gelatinous. Yeah, yeah, no.

I put that in and then mix it all in. But also I don't even cook it with any sort of milk substitute. I just make it with water. Okay. And actually the cinnamon I don't put, oh and raisins, Yellow golden raisins. Put those in there.

So you can just almost cut pieces out. It is so good. And it's not only a great and healthy breakfast. I mean, you wanna talk people saying like, do you get enough protein? This breakfast is so full of protein, your face will pop off. And it's such a great, healthy breakfast.

It is an incredible little snack during the day, and dessert. But I put the cinnamon on at the very end. I like it. I do that, I cook brown rice for the week, but this seems like, cause it almost feels like it's almost like one of those, almost becomes a casserole.

Like you can cut pieces out, right? It's a full on casserole of oatmeal. And I'm very into bowls. I love bowls. I do bowls too. Bowls, oatmeal. Do you remember that restaurant in New York, Angelica Kitchen?

It was one of the early kind of high end vegan places. It was a macro restaurant. So that's what I have in my head with a bowl. Like I have a grain, a bean, a protein, a pickled thing, and a sea vegetable if possible. Yeah. Yeah, that's how I do it. I love that stuff.

Yeah, me too. And when people think that you're, again, that I'm wanting something, no. No, I love it. I no. No, I love it. I love cooking it. I love it. I air fry tempeh all the fucking time. We should have a cool cooking show.

Yeah, do you ever follow vegan influencers? I follow them now. Pretty much. Fucking nuts. That's what Stephanie makes fun of me. She's like, oh, she'll ask, oh, do you follow? And I always forget to follow people I know. I'm more so, I will follow vegan.

She'll be like, oh, right, you just follow heads of lettuces. But that's basically what I'm interested in. I don't like to follow, like, I have a few people I've followed for years that were part of a larger group of people, but mostly they're not comics. Yeah. Like they're just random people. Did I tell you during the pandemic,

I got a plant-based nutrition certification? Well, I think so. I think that was part of the oil discussion. Oh, okay. Okay. Yeah, sorry. We won't go back into that. So what does that enable you to do?

Well, I'm not like trying to do anything with it necessarily, but I wanted it for my own information because I find nutrition so interesting and how putting the wrong stuff in your body will break you down and putting the right stuff in will keep you going. But I did, when I was working with Reese Witherspoon, I said to her, I was like, yeah,

during the pandemic, I got this certification and I've, I've been helping my neighbor and other comedians and family members that need any sort of guidance. And I said, I've been thinking about maybe consulting and she said, oh yeah, because that'll make you hundreds of dollars. She's like, that's a great idea.

And in that moment I was like, I guess that, because I'm probably not gonna start consulting. She's kind of, she's something. Have you interviewed her? No, but I've met her like once, you know, she's a little pistol. Yeah, really She's great. Oh, she's awesome. Yeah. All right. Good talking you good talking to you There you go now, you know and that was there was a like deep stuff I didn, I didn't know what we're,

where we were going to go. And, but again, you can watch her new special, Tig Notaro Hello Again, prime video starting March 26th. Hang out for a minute people. You're invited to an immersive listening party led by Rishi Keshe Her way, the visionary behind the groundbreaking song, Exploder podcast and Netflix series.

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Available in select locations. See app for details. Hey, you never know what wonders await you in the WTF archives. Six years ago this week, we had our 900th episode and I commemorated it by saying goodbye to my old garage. Oh, wow. and I commemorated it by saying goodbye to my old garage. Oh, wow.

So this is what the plan is. I'm gonna take down stuff here in the garage, moving towards the selling of the house. So I've set up a few boxes here. I've got a box for documents, and I've got a box for stuff I'm gonna keep, and I've got a box for stuff that I'm probably not going to keep nothing personal and the first thing I'm looking at over here is

These are these are the notes for the Obama Interview and I save this this thing from the Secret Service Telephone trap sheet, please fill out the blank spaces with as much information as possible Special agents may sign as a witness and then bomb threat sheet I don't know what all that meant but it has a page it looks pretty good oh I see you had a checklist I guess I checked this stuff it didn't fill out here and then there's just the notes from Brendan that we put together to talk to Obama about and then there's my notes and some more notes. So I should keep this. It was a fairly complicated day. So that goes

in the document box. Oh, it's already it's already happening. Oh my god. This weird thing is a strange man made out of pipe cleaners straddling a rat, a plastic or rubber rat. I've had this since college. I remember making it when I was high. The pipe cleaner guy has a very defined cock and balls for some reason, and he's riding a rat. It seems like a rare piece of ephemera. I will keep that.

This is the first iPod. That seems like I should keep that. Oh, this is some notes. Who is this? Father of politics, why Why enlisted in Navy political help his father's Oh Al Gore Al Gore notes. I'll keep those. This is a spider-man comic with the not ready for primetime players, and I think it's close to the original cast of SNL yeah minus Chevy and spider-man. I don't know where I got this, but I'll keep that. Oh, here's my high school diploma. I did it. I did it. Mark David Maron, satisfactorily

completed the course of study prescribed for graduation from Highland High School. Look at that. Look at that. I did it, folks. I should keep that. You can listen to episode 900 for free in all podcast apps or subscribe to WTF Plus to get every episode of WTF ad free with the option to get bonus episodes twice a week. Just go to the link in the episode description or go to WTFPod.com and click on WTF Plus. And a reminder before we go,

this podcast is hosted by A-Cast. Okay, Tom Petty. So I'm gonna be a good boy. So So So So So Boomer lives, monkey, La Fonda, cat angels everywhere.