[powerpress]
At its best, storytelling isn’t just entertainment—it’s transformation.
It’s how we take the mess of being human and spin it into connection, empathy, and meaning.
My guest today is Mike Birbiglia, a master of narrative whose approach to comedy transcends traditional stand-up. Through his acclaimed one-man shows, films like “Sleepwalk With Me,” and his podcast “Working It Out,” Mike demonstrates how vulnerability becomes our most powerful creative force.
“When you can see your life as a story, you can encourage the main character to make better decisions.”
– MIKE BIRBIGLIA
Today, we explore:
- The Architecture of Great Storytelling
- Finding Grace with Distant Parents
- From “Look at Me” to “Look at Everybody”
- An Unexpected Audience with Pope Francis
- Why “Letting Your Brain Go for a Walk” Unlocks Creativity
For those who prefer a visual experience, the conversation is available on YouTube. As always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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- Connect with Mike: Website | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | TikTok | iTunes
- IMDB: Mike Birbiglia
- Mike Birbiglia’s Podcast: Working It Out
- Time: Why Isn’t Mike Birbiglia More Famous?
- Vanity Fair: Mike Birbiglia on Why He Veers Away From Politics in His Comedy, Who Critiques His Jokes, and His New Netflix Special
- NPR: Mike Birbiglia admires his mom’s ‘Forrest Gump’ energy
- Netflix: Watch Mike Birbiglia: The New One
- The Late Night Show: How Mike Birbiglia Got A Laugh Out Of Pope Francis
- Stephen Colbert: A Gift from the Comedy Gods | Mike Birbiglia’s Working It Out
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Thank The Team: I do not do this alone. Send your love to Jason Camiolo for audio engineering, production, show notes and interstitial music; with additional audio engineering by Cale Curtis and additional music by Moby; Dan Drake & Morgan McCrae for video, & editing; graphics by graphics by Alejandro Ribadeneira & Bryan Lawrence; portraits by Davy Greenberg; copywriting by Ben Pryor; and theme music by Tyler Piatt, Trapper Piatt & Hari Mathis.
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