How Marc Maron’s WTF Changed the World
Veteran comedian, actor, radio personality, screenwriter and television producer Marc Maron has a net worth of $ 4 million and earns $ 1 million a year, mostly through his podcast “WTF with Marc Maron”.
The podcast features famous personalities from Hollywood and beyond, garnering interest, criticism and a level of fame from guests like Barack Obama and Louis CK
However, business hasn’t always been so lucrative, as Maron found himself struggling in his stand-up career and frustrated by years gone unnoticed. The podcast ultimately cemented Maron’s level of success among the Hollywood elite and that’s how he did it.
The early years
Maron started his stand-up career at age 24, but didn’t really take his first hiatus before performing at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles. A possible move to New York City, led to a botched audition for “Saturday Night Live”, although he continued to visit comedy clubs and audiences seemed to appreciate his brutally honest, at times rude, and depending. The Guardian, “ill-defined†work.
He spent five years jumping from one radio show to another with Air America, found work as a host for “Short Attention Span Theater” and “Comedy Central Presents”. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Maron also created his own one-man show, “Jerusalem Syndrome,†which has become somewhat popular off Broadway.
In the early 2000s, Maron said his career had lost its relevance. He was no longer selling tickets and had seen other comedians like Sarah Silverman, Louis CK, David Cross and others rise to the top and achieve the success he hoped for.
He openly discussed his own thoughts of suicide, plunging fully into depression, self-pity and despair.
A second chapter
It was at the end of this depression that in 2009, Maron chose to sit in his garage, “where I was preparing my own demise,” he said. Atlantic and started a podcast.
According to Maron, he started out talking about himself, feeling the freedom of others not in control of his narrative and his unique way of communicating. He wanted to talk to friends, coworkers, celebrities and more, to reach out and build relationships and knew he needed help overcoming his feelings of failure.
“WTF with Marc Maron” started with Maron calling on other comedians and for the first time he was in the listening chair versus the speaking / performance chair.
Maron’s guest list is so diverse that he has also managed to attract a diverse audience. He’s had conversations with Mel Brooks, Iggy Pop, Leonardo DiCaprio and the late Robin Williams and his unique interview style allows everyone to share who they are in their own way.
He’s not afraid to face, challenge, and offend, but he’s also been where comedian Todd Glass felt safe in coming out as gay, where Bob Odenkirk discussed his issues with anger and Obama said the N word.
Controversy, conversation, and compromise all came out of what is now a very popular podcast, with around 220,000 downloads per episode.
Rise to the top
The decision to sit down in his own garage and start recording and posting his conversations with a variety of well-known names may very well have saved his life. Plus, it kicked off a second chapter in Maron’s career that he could never have foreseen.
In 2013, Maron published his memoir, “Attempting Normal”. Acting roles seemed to present themselves: “Maron,†a series based on the comedian’s life, ran from 2013 to 2016. He also had a role in Netflix’s “GLOW,†and you’d find him. in the movie “Joker” with Joaquin Phoenix. He just wrapped up his third Netflix comedy special this spring, “End Times Fun,†according to Indiewire.
Recently announced, Maron and producer Brendan McDonald are slated to be the first recipients of the Governors Award from the Podcast Academy for Excellence in Audio (Ambies) for their work on the podcast.
These accolades and recognition are impressive and a nod to the success Maron has worked for for decades, however, his own personal development could be the best reward.
According to Maron, he has become a better listener. Thanks to the podcast, he is able to tackle important issues and raise questions that others may be afraid to ask.
He is also sober. After years of drug and alcohol abuse, sobriety set in in 1999. According to The Guardian, the comedian who exuded negativity, bold honesty and many times controversy, now offers humility, vulnerability and understanding to many of the podcast’s guests.
From struggling and rejected to award-winning podcast host, Maron has created new life and found a way to be himself rather than trying to fit into the box others have created.
Sources: The Guardian, Celebrity Net Worth, Atlantic, Indiewire
