Now this should be interesting.
WTF with Marc Maron is one of the most popular podcasts on the internet (including 100 million downloads on iTunes), featuring interviews with fellow comedians in addition to musicians, actors, filmmakers and writers. (The chats are often recorded in Maron’s garage, which he converted into a podcast recording studio.) In the latest episode, Maron talks to writer-director Judd Apatow.
But the comedian scored quite the get for an upcoming podcast. At the beginning of the aforementioned episode with Apatow (released on Thursday), Maron revealed that he will be interviewing President Barack Obama this coming Friday for a podcast that should be posted next Monday (June 22). As reported by Deadline’s Dominic Patten, Obama will be in Los Angeles for fundraisers held by TV producer Chuck Lorre and entertainer Tyler Perry. While he’s in the area, the president also plans to stop by Maron’s garage.
Of course, Obama has sat down with comedians and talk shows before, making appearances on late-night programs such as The Tonight Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live. He was also a guest on Zack Galifianakis’ “Between Two Ferns” show, which generated a whole lot of publicity (much of it for the Affordable Health Care Act). The AP Party’s Jeremy Klumpp wrote about that appearance soon after it happened last March.
It’s not known whether the president intends to promote anything or draw attention to certain issues during his chat with Maron, or if he just wants to have a thoughtful conversation. Maybe he’s worried about Maron, his personal relationships and if he’s eating right. Many of us who listen to the show have the same concerns.
WTF has gained notoriety for the insight and personal anecdotes that Maron — sometimes unwittingly — draws from his guests during the course of their conversation. But he’s also willing to ask questions and address subjects other interviewers might not be willing to touch. Sometimes, that doesn’t work — as when Gallagher walked out of his interview.
Above all, Maron has the time on his show to facilitate longer, in-depth conversations that you typically don’t hear anywhere else on TV or radio — or even most other podcasts.
Many times, the setting works wonderfully, such as when Robin Williams talked about his struggles with depression or Louis C.K. confronted Maron about the deterioration of their friendship and how that affected him. Slate declared that episode the greatest podcast of all time, if such a thing can be determined. So that’s where the bar is set for President Obama. No pressure. He just has to do better than Louis C.K.
Could this also someday inspire a story for an episode of Maron, the comedian’s sitcom on IFC?
