186. Sebastian Maniscalco: What Is He Even Doing Here?

Mon Sep 29 2025

This week the one and only Sebastian Maniscalco sits down with Mike for a wide ranging conversation on their parenting strengths and weaknesses, the difference in what makes them cry, and Sebastian’s early days waiting on his future co-star Robert DeNiro. Plus, Sebastian reveals if he ever acts like Sebastian offstage.

Transcript

A (0:00)

What are you doing? What's the trick?

B (0:02)

What's the trick to what? Looking fit. First of all, it's very deceiving. My biceps might look larger than normal because I detached my bicep. Do you see this hole right here? So one part of my biceps snapped off. So when I have a sleeve on, it looks like, man, this guy's really fit. It's not. My biceps are detaching.

A (0:28)

Why did you have to do that?

B (0:30)

I didn't have to do. It happened. They snapped off. It's not like I snapped off my bicep. I was sitting around the house and going, babe, I just snapped my biceps. No, you thought it was, like a cosmetic thing.

A (0:45)

Yeah, I thought. That is the voice of the great Sebastian Maniscalco. So excited for this episode. It is, I would say, a long time in the making. I've been a fan of Sebastian's for a long time. I've only met him maybe once or twice ever. And I just. I asked him to come on and he said yes. He's doing a whole bunch of tour dates in Atlantic City, and it happened, and I think it went as well as it could have possibly gone. He is, hands down, one of the biggest comedians in the world by some metrics. The biggest comedian in the world, I think on polestar or, you know, through touring comedians or whatever, is maybe the. I don't know, the. The highest grossing comedian on tour. I mean, he's massive. He's huge. And he is hilarious. He has many, many specials. He is on tour at the Wynn in Las Vegas. He is in Durant, Oklahoma. He's in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Windsor, Ontario. I mean, he. He's all over the place. We talk about a lot about starting out in comedy. We talk about performance, touring, how. How he creates jokes. Very different from how I create jokes. He puts my feet to the fire on a bunch of stuff like what. What note cards are on my wall, what. What jokes they correspond to. It's very funny, dynamic, very unique dynamic for the podcast, but it's a. It's a thrilling one. I. I was honestly, I was very intimidated to meet him and talk to him for an hour. I mean, I was. You know, he's a great comic, and I don't know him that well. It's a big month on the podcast. We have a special announcement. We've launched Working It Out Premium. And what this is is it's an ad free version of the podcast available exclusively through Apple Podcasts. It's 4.99amonth. What you get when you get working out, Premium is an ad free version of the podcast. No ads ever. People ask me for this a lot, so it's part of the reason we did it. Two, you get to support the show. We work out really hard on the show. We have producers and sound mixers and all these things that go into making this show for you every week. We're very proud of it and we hope you like it. Number three, bonus content. We will be releasing bonus content for subscribers who I've been calling secret public subscribers. We're talking about longer, more in depth Q and A's, bonus discussions with guests, some essays that I'm gonna share with just you that I'm working on, that I've been working on actually for a while that you can't find anywhere else. And so stay tuned for that. I love this conversation with Sebastian. We go deep into joke writing, how to be yourself on stage. What version of Sebastian is Sebastian on stage? Is he that person who. He's on stage, off stage, kids soccer games. He and I were both waiters starting out. We talk about that celebrity encounters he had when he was a waiter in Los Angeles at the Four Seasons. We talk about how both of us get nervous doing other people's podcasts and why. And pretty honestly, it's pretty honest conversation. We even get a phone call from Pete Holmes in the middle of the episode. So there's a lot going on. Enjoy my conversation with the great Sebastian Maniscalco. I asked you advice over DM in May. Cause I was going on your mom's house in Texas, Tom and Christina's podcast, and I saw your episode and I was like, he did it, right? And I was nervous about it. I was like, what do you. You know? And you were just like, oh, yeah, I was nervous about it and. But I was. They're good, good talkers and it was fun and they're easy and that kind of thing. It was really helpful. But you. But the thing you wrote to me is you go, sometimes you do these podcasts and you're not that one, but other ones, and you think, what the fuck am I doing here right now? So do you have that with this podcast?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Mike Birbiglia’s Working It Out

Episode 186: Sebastian Maniscalco – “What Is He Even Doing Here?”
Date: September 29, 2025
Host: Mike Birbiglia
Guest: Sebastian Maniscalco

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Mike Birbiglia welcomes comedian Sebastian Maniscalco for a conversation that blends the comedic process, touring life, family dynamics, and the challenges of sustaining authenticity over a prolific career. Both comedians compare notes on joke writing, performing for differing audiences, navigating nerves, and balancing family with professional demands. The conversation is honest, sometimes vulnerable, and filled with laughter, as both reflect on their journeys and the peculiarities of stand-up life. Sebastian offers stories from his time as a waiter to playing arenas, and together they “work out” unfinished bits and creative anxieties.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Relentless Cycle of Podcasts and Audiences (04:42 – 07:03)

Repetitiveness of Podcast Questions:
Sebastian admits to sometimes feeling like he’s repeating himself on various podcasts, questioning the value of retelling the same old stories.

“How many times do people wanna hear me tell the same story in a different environment?” (05:11 – Sebastian)
Hoping to Reach New Audiences:
Sebastian expresses uncertainty about whether podcasts help him reach new demographics, despite his massive established fanbase.

“I don’t know a lot of the times how much new audiences I’m picking off these things, right?” (06:16 – Sebastian)
Broader Comedy Demographics:
Sebastian wants a more diverse audience:

“When I look in the audience, I feel like there should be more Asians there, more black people, more whatever…” (06:42 – Sebastian)

Structure, Process, and Material Development (07:59 – 15:25)

Contrasting Creative Methods:
Mike uses note cards and structured writing, while Sebastian works more organically, recording performances and living his material rather than scripting it.

“My bits aren’t like written bits. They're almost like I’m living my material.” (08:22 – Sebastian)
“Should I be doing that?” – On seeing Mike’s wall of note cards (09:59 – Sebastian)
The Challenge of Real Stories in Comedy:
Both reflect on how real-life stories rarely resolve neatly, requiring creative embellishment to complete a bit.

“Almost never do real stories happen with a beginning, middle, and end. And you have to be like, well, what would be the middle of that story?” (13:57 – Mike)
Balancing Authenticity vs. Artistic License:

“You could tell what happened and you could tell what didn’t happen based on the commitment and delivery.” (09:08 – Sebastian)

The Pressure of Standup and Evolving as a Comedian (11:39 – 25:14)

Each Show as a Commercial:
Sebastian views every show as an advertisement for the next, raising the pressure to consistently exceed expectations.

“...my shows as a commercial for the next time I come into town.” (11:39 – Sebastian)
“It’s hard to maintain that.” (11:57 – Sebastian)
Growing Comfort Onstage:
Sebastian describes starting out more reserved and angry on stage, only becoming comfortable sharing his true self after 8-9 years.

“I was very angry... Not letting people in on the joke. So it took me a while to, like, find my feet up there.” (24:11 – Sebastian)
Masking Vulnerability:

“I think it was a mask for me. I was kind of just disappointed in human behavior in general.” (25:17 – Sebastian)

Juggling Comedy, Family & Aging (14:23 – 16:39)

Work-Life Balance:
Both discuss missing important family moments for work, feeling torn between professional demands and being present fathers.
Aging, Health Anxieties, and Performing:
Sebastian details a bicep injury, framing his seemingly fit appearance as deceiving.

“My biceps might look larger than normal because I detached my bicep... It’s not, my biceps are detaching.” (16:40 – Sebastian)

Comedic Rituals and Nerves (17:45 – 22:17)

Pre-Show Rituals:
Mike reveals he meditates by lying down next to the stage, a decades-long grounding ritual that Sebastian finds both odd and intriguing.

“If I walked in... and you went to go to lie on the floor and look at the ceiling, I’d go, what the—what is this guy doing?” (20:22 – Sebastian)
On-Stage Energy:
Once the show starts, the room size becomes irrelevant; it’s all about connecting.

Stories from Waiting Tables in Hollywood (26:56 – 29:47)

Celebrity Encounters:
Sebastian reminisces about his time as a waiter at the Four Seasons in LA, sharing run-ins with Julia Roberts, Stallone, Sean Penn, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro.
Notable anecdote:

“I waited on De Niro... you were eating the free nuts like we're going out of style.” (29:04 – Sebastian)
Transition to Working with De Niro:
He later collaborated with De Niro on “The Irishman” and as co-lead in a film about his own father.

Authenticity Off-Stage (30:19 – 31:02)

Persona Differences:
Sebastian is far more subdued and quiet offstage compared to his energetic stage persona, which can surprise fans during meet and greets.

Appearance by Pete Holmes (31:02 – 31:46)

Unexpected Call:
Pete Holmes calls in, joking about Sebastian’s influence on Seinfeld’s act, lightening the episode with meta-comedy.

“Tell him his influence on Seinfeld is palpable.” (31:14 – Pete Holmes)

Roots, Routine, and Emotional Vulnerability (34:13 – 43:24)

Sicily Pilgrimage:
Sebastian shares the emotional pilgrimage with his father back to Sicily after 50 years, revealing intergenerational differences in processing emotion.

“I’m emotional, I’m crying... I’m looking at him: nothing, nothing coming out of this guy.” (35:23 – Sebastian)
On Parenthood:
Both discuss being surprised by the joy of fatherhood and confronting fears about not being a good dad.
Sensitivity in Fatherhood:
Sebastian describes himself as sensitive, often crying at movies, which contrasts with his less demonstrative wife and connects to his stage vulnerability.

Working Out Unfinished Bits (49:03 – 56:11)

“Rats in the Ceiling” Routine:
Mike works through a new bit about a rat infestation and his wife’s pacifistic “catch and release” approach, with Sebastian riffing on his own similar experience and encouraging Mike to “man up.”

“What are we gonna do, hold their hands out the door?” (51:10 – Sebastian)
Soccer & ‘80s Parenting Bit:
Sebastian shares an incomplete bit about his “old school” parenting at his son’s soccer games, creating friction with more modern, hands-off dads.
Colonoscopy Bit Development:
Sebastian is developing a routine about colonoscopies and endoscopies, with lots to work out post-procedure.
Creative Chemistry as Foils:
They riff that their differences—as more passive vs. assertive dads—could serve as foils in their stand-up, fueling future bits.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Podcast Fatigue and Repetitiveness:
“How many times do people wanna hear me tell the same story in a different environment?”
— Sebastian (05:11)
On Stand-Up Authenticity:
“You could tell what happened and you could tell what didn’t happen based on the commitment and delivery.”
— Sebastian (09:08)
On Parenting Regrets:
“I just hope that I’m spending enough time with them... you can’t be there 24/7. If you were, you’d probably go nuts.”
— Sebastian (39:28)
On Vulnerability:
“I’m also sensitive, which people—I'm crying at movies. My wife isn’t.”
— Sebastian (42:46)
On Celebrity Waiter Encounters:
“He was eating the free nuts like we're going out of style. Actually got upset at him in my head that he kept like, wanting more almonds.”
— Sebastian (29:04)
On Needing a Comedic Foil:
“You and I need each other as foils in our bits... the contrast of people’s takes on it.”
— Mike (55:36)

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|--------------------| | 04:42-07:03 | “What am I doing here?” Podcast fatigue & audience crossover | | 07:59-15:25 | Comedy process: note cards vs. lived experience, storytelling, authenticity | | 16:40-17:12 | Health, bicep injury, and outward appearances | | 17:45-22:17 | Pre-show rituals, performance nerves, audience energy | | 26:56-29:47 | Stories from waiting tables with Hollywood celebrities | | 34:13-36:03 | Journey to Sicily: emotional legacy and family roots | | 37:08-38:53 | Reflections on parenting, jealousy, living in the moment | | 49:03-51:10 | Working out the “rats in the ceiling” and “man up” bits | | 53:12-56:02 | Developing the colonoscopy, soccer dad, parenting bits & comedic chemistry |

Supporting a Cause

Sebastian’s Charity:
Sebastian spotlights his family’s foundation, Tag You’re It, supporting children’s education, veterans, and Alzheimer’s research.

“We self fund it. It’s not like, you know, we have a board... It’s called Tagg. It’s on my website.” (56:44)

Conclusion

This episode of Working It Out is a masterclass in comedy process, work ethic, and vulnerability. Birbiglia and Maniscalco blend humor with candor, revealing the discipline behind performance, the struggle to balance work and family, and the humility required to evolve as an artist. The episode is full of laugh-out-loud moments, earnest admissions, and inside glimpses into the shared and solitary paths of stand-up comedians.