Comedian Marc Maron Reveals His Process Behind Going ‘From Bleak To Dark’ [VIDEO]

Very few times am I actually nervous about interviewing someone from film or television.

Marc Maron was different. I’ve been listening to his WTF interview podcast for a very long time. For someone who occasionally does interviews, his podcast is sort of the gold standard. Maron has a weird combination of a laid back, easygoing interview style meshed with an overwhelming sense of neurosis that makes him a unique force on the podcast front. His best interviews tell us things about not only his interview subject but also about himself. We also learn something about ourselves along the way.

By now, you surely know of the unbelievable and inconceivable tragedy that struck in 2020 when his girlfriend, director Lynn Shelton, suddenly collapsed and died due to complications from acute myeloid leukemia. That trauma, COVID, climate change, political discourse, and more funneled into Maron’s recent stand-up special From Bleak To Dark. The mere existence of the special is a minor miracle as Maron wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to find recent events, including his personal loss, funny.

But he did, and the resulting special is a major accomplishment for the comedian. Poignant, of course, but also honest and very funny, From Bleak To Dark features some of Maron’s very best work, including a perfectly pitched joke about “angel factories” that shocks into gales of laughter.

So, I had the extreme pleasure of talking to Maron about his experience, about making the special, and about the process of working through its intense ingredients. See the special as it’s a great reflection on where we’ve been over the last few years as well as a frank (and frankly funny) conversation about grief, something few of us honestly approach. I loved having this conversation with him, and I hope you will love listening to it.

From Bleak To Dark streams exclusively on MAX.