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In a somewhat unexpected way, comedian Mike Birbiglia, who was once a Catholic but hasn’t practiced for some time, frequently incorporates elements of confession into his humor. His typical joke structure involves an initial statement, a twist, and a revelation. In the early stages of his latest Netflix special titled “The Good Life“, which focuses on him attempting to instill values in his then 9-year-old daughter, he shares a story about her ballet performance. As he and his wife watched, they became emotional because, as he puts it, “she doesn’t have it.” However, when the moment was over, he confessed that he went backstage to praise her for her performance, to which she replied, “You would say I was fantastic, even if I wasn’t fantastic.” He admitted, “That’s true,” before adding humorously, “You’re so much better at logic than you are at ballet.

Navigating such sensitive family terrain can be tricky, especially when children are part of the equation. It’s all too easy to veer off course, becoming either overly sentimental or harsh. However, in his upcoming special airing on May 26, Birbiglia dons his waterproof boots and bravely wades through the murky waters. A recurring theme in this performance is the deterioration of his father, a distinguished neurologist who was often mysterious in his anger. “As a child,” he reminisces, “I always admired my dad as being larger than life. He was a doctor and in his spare time, he earned a law degree.” This only served to underscore his reluctance to embrace fatherhood. But there’s more to the story. “To be fair,” he continues, “we weren’t exactly model children.” A moment of pause follows. “We always yearned for a real dad.

Mike Birbiglia’s latest one-man show, titled “The Good Life,” delves into a phase of his life where he’s starting to lose people, either due to aging like his father or growing up, such as his daughter. Four of his shows have been adapted into specials, and he has directed and written two movies. Birbiglia is a multi-talented individual, having won numerous awards, authored books, been nominated for an Emmy, hosted a popular podcast with high-profile guests, and made notable appearances in various TV shows and even a Taylor Swift music video. Surprisingly, he’s not widely recognized. As Birbiglia strolled through Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City just days before the special was set to air, he joked with his wife that “it’s only a week away from when I’ll be famous for a month, then not for two years.

Previously that morning, he had acted like a goose among geese, scaled a tree, feigned eating grass, and stood on a public bench to assist a photographer in capturing a great picture. Surprisingly, only once was he stopped in the park, by a gardener who recognized him from a podcast. As he waited for his coffee, an elegant gentleman glanced up from his own beverage to compliment his performance. Additionally, when a young woman on the street requested a selfie, the comedian happily obliged and praised her choice of high-end food provider: “Poppy’s! They have two locations now, correct?” His lack of renown is not because he lacks enthusiasm for pleasing others.

Mike Birbiglia’s everyday demeanor and familiarity could seem incongruous with typical celebrity status. He appears just like an average 46-year-old man. His performance was recorded over a six-show span at New York City’s Beacon Theatre, which was then taken by comedian Nikki Glaser for another six shows. Given their friendship (and his close relationships with most comedians), they each appeared as a guest on the other’s show. After that, he found himself at his daughter’s school, and one of the mothers mentioned she had watched Glaser’s show. Birbiglia shared, “I said, ‘Oh, I was on one of the shows,'” with a hint of satisfaction. “I appreciate that,” he continued. “That means I’m being a good dad.

Birbiglia’s performances aren’t just about telling jokes or imitating others (though he does an admirable job with Jim Gaffigan), but rather, they weave together tales that subtly revolve around a main topic, like “what makes for a good life?” He skillfully escalates the sentiment to the brink of sentimentality and then swiftly transitions into dark humor. As he senses the audience’s reaction, he often flashes a knowing smile. After numerous jokes about his father’s decline, he breaks away from the narrative and gently brings the audience back to reality, acknowledging that comedy serves as a means of coping. Watching his show feels like observing an individual attempting to analyze and manage his own emotional landscape—a task typically handled by psychiatrists or neurologists.

As a seasoned movie reviewer, I wholeheartedly agree with Birbiglia’s perspective: comedians are indeed a unique breed of healed-yet-wounded individuals. You see, ever since my girlfriend walked out on me at the tender age of 22, I found solace in therapy, even sharing sessions with her therapist’s wife. The art of comedy, for us performers, lies in transforming our pain into laughter. As Birbiglia puts it, “The job is to make the hurt funny. If you don’t, you won’t survive in comedy.”

If a comedian can master this delicate balancing act – turning personal anguish into amusement – they bestow upon their audience a priceless gift. Laughter is the reason people attend comedy shows, after all. It’s a cathartic experience that transcends the stage and connects us all.

Birbiglia appears to be remarkably considerate and cautious, which makes it seem as though he may have avoided the contentious issues that many comedians have encountered in recent years due to the growing debate over what is considered offensive versus funny. However, even he recognizes the need for caution. As he puts it, “The detachment of sound and video over the past decade has given anyone using a microphone a new level of self-awareness. It’s like constantly asking oneself, ‘How does this passage sound? How does this sentence sound? How does this word sound?’ Everything becomes isolated, and I am not immune to that. I do wonder, could this be taken out of context?

The process of removing content from its original context might be one reason behind the surge of comedians who openly express political and conservative views. As Birbiglia explains, “Tribal loyalties have become so rigid in the past decade that anyone who strays from their tribe’s perspective on social media is often criticized.” He continues, “I believe this has radicalized some individuals. They don’t want to be reprimanded, so they choose to leave.” Birbiglia defends Tony Hinchcliffe, who made a joking remark about Puerto Rico at a Trump rally that was misconstrued as a statement in certain media outlets. “Whether you find the joke amusing or not,” says Birbiglia, “it was still a joke.

Mike Birbiglia might have become widely recognized. Back in 2008, CBS commissioned a pilot based on his personal life narrative, featuring Bob Odenkirk and Frances Conroy. Unfortunately, it wasn’t picked up. Birbiglia referred to this incident as a turning point. “I experienced receiving an overwhelming number of suggestions for my own story, only to have it turned down,” he shared. “I decided then that I merely wanted rejections on my own terms.” Later in the same year, his unique production, Sleepwalk With Me, which combined elements of theater and stand-up comedy, focusing on his unusual sleep disorder that led him to walk through a window, was staged Off Broadway, with a bit of assistance from Nathan Lane. The show was successful and gave birth to a book, an album, and a film. “I prefer staying within a limited sphere,” Birbiglia admitted. “It’s about maintaining control, which can be a slight weakness, desiring such a great degree of control.

John Mulaney, one of his closest friends, doesn’t agree that Birbiglia is averse to fame. “I think everyone craves some level of recognition,” explains the comedian. However, he also believes that his friend has already achieved it. “The concept of fame can be subjective, given that he’s experienced successes that some well-known figures haven’t,” he adds. “I don’t know anyone who commands as much respect across the theater, stand-up comedy, film, and television industries all at once.” It seems to Mulaney that Birbiglia didn’t reject fame; instead, he chose a less conventional route to achieve it. “He made intentional decisions to have a more intriguing career by avoiding the widely accepted mainstream paths.

Mike Birbiglia spent his childhood as one of four siblings, residing approximately 45 minutes away from Boston. As he matures, he acknowledges that his early years were more isolated than he initially perceived. “As an adult,” he reflects, “I’m recognizing that my childhood was significantly lonely compared to what I thought at the time.” Growing up, Birbiglia was Mike Birbiglia, the comedian, yet no one around him understood his humor. He spent many hours listening to Weird Al during car journeys and experienced a significant moment when his elder brother Joe, who now manages his production company, took him to see Steven Wright’s performance. This encounter sparked an understanding that he could make a living through comedy. In college at Georgetown, Birbiglia discovered improvisation. Upon leaving the troupe, he passed the leadership to Nick Kroll, who later handed it to Mulaney. At the time when Mulaney was still a sophomore, Birbiglia was already pursuing stand-up professionally, and the younger comic often performed as an opener for him. As Mulaney puts it, “I transitioned from aspiring to be a stand-up comedian to actually being one because I opened for him.

Many comedians owe a significant debt to Birbiglia due to his generous support. In 2022, he financed the Off Broadway production of Alex Edelman’s show “Just for Us,” which later became an HBO Special, and in 2019, he did the same for Jacqueline Novak’s “Get on Your Knees,” which went to Netflix. Interestingly, his show “The Old Man and the Pool” was nominated for an Emmy against both of these productions last year; Edelman ended up winning. His podcast, “Working It Out,” featuring renowned comedians like Ben Stiller, Stephen Colbert, and Hannah Gadsby, is essentially a live recording of him helping other comedians refine their jokes. As Mabel Lewis, one of his producers who has worked with him for seven years since she was 17, puts it, “His belief in the personal and professional growth of those around him runs deep.

A comedian named Gary Simons, who’s known for his stand-up acts, has performed as a warm-up act for Birbiglia during his live tour. According to Simons, Birbiglia assisted him in getting recognized by Estee, the booker at New York City’s Comedy Cellar, which is where many up-and-coming comedians get their break. Previously, Mulaney attempted to convince Birbiglia to perform more stand-up. Mulaney expressed his desire for people to remember that Birbiglia is not only a brilliant storyteller but also an exceptional stand-up comic, given the significant influence he had on Mulaney’s career. Birbiglia possesses an intriguing Sinatra story that he hasn’t shared before. “I’ve inquired as to why he doesn’t share it,” said Mulaney. “He replies that it doesn’t fit the narrative of his current show, and I suggest, ‘Why not dedicate an hour just to telling stories?’

As a fan, I find it fascinating that Mike Birbiglia doesn’t seem to be troubled by the fact that while numerous individuals he’s collaborated with and mentored have ascended to stardom, he hasn’t. He himself admits, “I created an entire movie about jealousy, titled Don’t Think Twice. It explores the consequences for an improv group when some of its members are offered a spot on a renowned TV sketch show, reminiscent of Saturday Night Live.” Birbiglia wrote and directed this film, stating that the experience helped him conquer those lingering feelings. “Following the completion of that movie, I realized, ‘Yes, this is an unnecessary ordeal to subject oneself to.'” This demonstrates his philosophy of letting go, as evidenced by his decision to cast Maggie Kemper Rogers, his former girlfriend whose departure prompted him to seek therapy, as his romantic interest – a choice suggested by his wife.

Birbiglia’s ability to resist fame might stem from his wife Jen Stein, a poet who has long sworn off celebrity. As J. Hope Stein, she focuses solely on her art and shuns self-promotion. Birbiglia finds this grounding. Like a poet, he meticulously crafts his comedy routines until they’re perfect. Over the years, he’s managed to improve incrementally, weathering the ups and downs of the industry.

Lately, his spouse proposed a fresh opportunity. “She said, ‘You should try improv again.’ She added, ‘When you do improv, you genuinely seem happy,'” he recounts. “I replied, ‘But I haven’t done improv in a decade.’ She responded, ‘Precisely.”’ Lately, he has attempted a few performances with comedians from the SNL team of Please Don’t Destroy. This new phase is intriguing given Birbiglia’s preference for maintaining a smaller scale to ensure more control, which is exactly what one must relinquish when doing improv. However, he finds it exhilarating. “It brings me the most joy,” he says. Perhaps it’s because improv also involves being silly in a manner that makes those around you shine, something Birbiglia is well-known for.

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2025-05-23 15:13

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