Michelle Buteau was a local TV news editor in New York until she tried stand-up for the first time, only days after 9/11. Since then she’s become an international touring comedian, bestselling author, and co-creator and star of her own Netflix series Survival of the Thickest. Now Michelle talks with Mike about figuring out who you are as a person, sharing embarrassing personal stories in a writers room, and why comedy is a family business. Plus, new jokes about parenting, yoga class, and Mike and Michelle discuss whether Mike should go on the Breakfast Club morning show.

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Mike's tour dates: https://www.birbigs.com/tour-dates

Text BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updates

Find Mike:
Website: https://birbigs.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfans
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbiglia

Find Michelle:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellebuteau/
Website: https://michellebuteau.org

Hosted and Produced by Mike Birbiglia
Producers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary Simons
Sound Mixed by Kate Bilinski
Video Consultant: Graham Willoughby
Special Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, Oona
Music: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers

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This week, SNL’s Jane Wickline and comedian Liva Pierce return to Working It Out to discuss the Off-Broadway debut of their two person musical comedy show, Dukes. Mike grills Jane and Liva on the realities of working so closely with another person, and the three of them break apart the existential dread that accompanies most of their creativity. Plus, Jane and Liva work out two new songs from their show and the three of them create a song from a bit Mike is working on.

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See Jane and Liva Off-Broadway in Dukes. Get tickets here.

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(Recorded August 2025) Having recently toured together with John Mulaney, Mike and Fred sit down for his first in-studio appearance on Working it Out. They discuss Fred’s SNL audition, his best sketch writing advice, and the manners of navigating video exhibits in museums. Plus, Fred borrows Mike’s guitar to demonstrate how cultures around the world play the acoustic guitar.

Please consider donating to: Letters Charity

Mike's tour dates: https://www.birbigs.com/tour-dates

Text BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updates

Find Mike:
Website: https://birbigs.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfans
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbiglia

Find Fred:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sordociego/

Hosted and Produced by Mike Birbiglia
Producers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary Simons
Sound Mix: Shubh Saran
Supervising Engineer: Kate Bilinski
Video Consultant: Graham Willoughby
Special Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, Oona
Music: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers

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Comedian Aaron Chen may be known internationally for his role on the hit Australian TV series Fisk, but he’s been a working stand-up since the age of 15. In fact, he might be the only Working It Out guest who learned to drive commuting to and from comedy clubs with their dad. Now he’s got a hit Netflix special, Funny Garden. This week, Aaron sits down with Mike to discuss his journey from the suburbs of Sydney to opening for Ali Wong to headlining his own shows across the world. Plus, Aaron and Mike open up about the instances early in their careers when they regrettably lashed out at audiences, and how they became more adept at navigating difficult shows.

Please consider donating to Food Bank For NYC.

Mike's tour dates: https://www.birbigs.com/tour-dates

Text BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updates

Find Mike:
Website: https://birbigs.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfans
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbiglia

Find Aaron:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chennylifestyle/
Website: https://www.aaronchencomedy.com

Hosted and Produced by Mike Birbiglia
Producers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary Simons
Sound Mixed by Shubh Saran
Supervising Engineer: Kate Bilinski
Video Consultant: Graham Willoughby
Special Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, Oona
Music: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers

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This week, the very funny Jon Rudnitsky joins Mike to answer listener submitted questions. The two of them discuss how long it was before they started earning money from comedy, the complete loss of dignity required to make it as a stand-up, and what it is that keeps them showing up every day. Plus, how Jon caused what he believes to be one of the greatest mistakes in SNL history.

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Wanda Sykes is one of Mike’s original dream guests for the podcast. Now, on the heels of her new Netflix special, Legacy, Wanda talks with Mike about how they both started in DC, and why Wanda left her job at the NSA to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. Wanda tells the story of how she moved from the writers' room of The Chris Rock Show to acting in sketches, how she got tricked into auditioning for Curb Your Enthusiasm, and the weird requests she gets from Curb fans. Plus, new jokes from Mike and Wanda.

Please consider donating to the Ruth Ellis Center.

Mike's tour dates: https://www.birbigs.com/tour-dates

Text BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updates

Find Mike:
Website: https://birbigs.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfans
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbiglia

Find Wanda:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/IamWandaSykes/
Website: https://wandasykes.com

Hosted and Produced by Mike Birbiglia
Producers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary Simons
Sound Mixed by Ben Kruse
Supervising Engineer: Kate Bilinski
Video Consultant: Graham Willoughby
Special Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, Oona
Music: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s resume is a laundry list of hits: Project Hail Mary, The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and more. Their success with projects that didn’t initially seem like good ideas has even spawned a verb in Hollywood, “to Lord and Miller” something. Now they sit down with Mike to discuss the positive and negative ramifications of that. They also discuss the test screening process of Project Hail Mary, and working with Nicolas Cage on their new series Spider-Noir. Plus, they reveal the five films that would be on the syllabus of Lord and Miller University.

Please consider donating to City Year and/or Make-A-Wish

Mike's tour dates: https://www.birbigs.com/tour-dates

Text BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updates

Find Mike:
Website: https://birbigs.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfans
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbiglia

Find Phil and Chris:
Instagram: Phil, Chris

Hosted and Produced by Mike Birbiglia
Producers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary Simons
Sound Mixed by Shubh Saran
Supervising Engineer: Kate Bilinski
Video Consultant: Graham Willoughby
Special Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, Oona
Music: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Mike and Robby Hoffman sit down for their first in-depth conversation like, as Robby puts it, two cats cautiously getting to know each other. Mike and Robby work out new jokes about vending machines and AI, share advice about marriage, and Robby begs Mike’s fans to stop sending him emails. Plus, Robby tells the stories of how she got cast in Hacks, and how her outspokenness at a writers guild meeting drew the attention of John Mulaney, who went on to direct Robby’s Netflix special Wake Up.

Mike's tour dates: https://www.birbigs.com/tour-dates

Text BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updates

Find Mike:
Website: https://birbigs.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfans
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbiglia

Find Robby:
Website: https://www.robbyhoffman.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robbyhoffman/

Hosted and Produced by Mike Birbiglia
Producers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary Simons
Sound Mixed by Ben Kruse
Supervising Engineer: Kate Bilinski
Video Consultant: Graham Willoughby
Special Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, Oona
Music: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.