WTF with Marc Maron — Episode 1679: Tracy Letts (September 18, 2025)
Overview
In this candid, reflective episode of WTF, Marc Maron sits down with his friend Tracy Letts—Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, actor, and screenwriter—for an expansive conversation about art, aging, authenticity, and navigating the shifting terrains of politics, creativity, and personal relationships. As Maron’s iconic podcast edges toward its end, the discussion is relaxed, meandering, and honest, delving into what keeps artists motivated and grounded amidst a chaotic world.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Detaching from the Doom Scroll
- (16:51) Marc and Tracy open their conversation by discussing their attempts to step back from compulsive news consumption.
- Tracy acknowledges that disengagement happens "in fits and starts" and wonders aloud about the actual impact of personal or artistic resistance to the political environment.
- Maron and Letts agree on the importance of voting and supporting positive change, even as they feel the limitations of individual agency.
Notable Quotes:
- Tracy Letts: "I'm 60 years old. I'm not gonna, you know, what good does it do me to get out in the street with a sign or, you know, go down to the courthouse?" (17:43)
- Marc Maron: "There's this idea that...a lot of it is going to keep happening, but...very little is going to get through the noise." (18:18)
Art, Meaning, and Museums
- (21:38–25:48) Tracy shares a moving experience visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, finding hope in crowds still seeking connection with art regardless of background or age.
- The dialogue embarks into discussions of abstraction in art (notably Rothko), authenticity, and the value of not creating strictly to please an audience.
- Both reflect on how abstract works (like those of Rothko) can move people in ways beyond simple interpretation.
Notable Quotes:
- Tracy Letts: "That's the most hopeful I felt in a long time...if we still got this, we're okay." (22:38)
- Marc Maron: "I think he [Rothko] was at the edge of the fucking abyss...and the only thing he could do not to dive into it, which he eventually did, was make those pictures." (25:08)
On Playwriting, Success, and Value
- (26:40–40:25) Maron hones in on Letts’ relationship to writing, art, and recognition.
- They explore the trials of creative self-expression, the challenge of writing plays, and the difference between doing personal work and collaborative performance.
- Letts discusses collaborating with James Taylor on a musical and the inherent sadness in Taylor’s music.
- They joke about the sometimes niche appeal of their respective work and surrendering the fantasy of being “for everyone.”
Notable Quotes:
- Tracy Letts: "The plays are me. That's who I am." (29:57)
- Tracy Letts (on his son rejecting James Taylor): "He asked me to take it off because it was too sad." (42:17)
Insider vs. Outsider, Aging, and Self-Perception
- (34:35–47:37) A humorous and honest exploration of industry “insiders” vs. “outsiders,” imposter syndrome, and the strange rituals of show business gatherings.
- Marc muses on the persistent feeling of being outside looking in, even as others might see him as a fixture.
- Tracy points out most people feel like outsiders, regardless of apparent status.
- They bond over the self-critical nature of reviewing one’s old creative material.
Notable Quotes:
- Marc Maron: "I still think I'm an outsider, really, because I'm not, like, a big celebrity." (35:40)
- Tracy Letts: "Aren't most people...outsiders who feel like outsiders even though you would identify them as insiders?" (37:06)
- Tracy Letts: "I have a kind of reverse body dysmorphia where I think I look all right, and then I see myself. I'm like, what the fuck?" (46:44)
The Toll and Evolution of Podcasting
- (47:52–53:34) Maron digs deeply into his reasons for bringing WTF to a close:
- He discusses exhaustion—not just physical, but emotional and creative—from years of public sharing.
- He expresses a desire to step away from the mic to rediscover his creativity outside the shared self-revelation of podcasting and stand-up.
Notable Quotes:
- Marc Maron: "I'm a little tired of digging parts of myself out, which is what I do in order to share and relate..." (48:41)
- Tracy Letts: "Our public personality is curated...Part of the gig is I'm going to show you who I am, warts and all. But, of course, you don't really do [that]." (50:25)
Collaborating and Acting: New Roles and Indigenous Representation
- (56:06–63:13) Tracy describes joining Sterling Harjo’s new FX show "The Lowdown," motivated by the uniqueness and honesty of Reservation Dogs and a desire to support more authentic Indigenous stories.
- They discuss their own upbringings in Oklahoma and New Mexico, their connections (and lack thereof) to the Native communities around them, and the power of seeing underrepresented stories on screen.
Notable Quotes:
- Tracy Letts: "I got on a Zoom call with him [Sterling Harjo] and I said, I'll do anything...You can't keep me out of it." (57:11)
- Tracy Letts: "I've lived in Oklahoma for the first 17 years of my life. And I was like, why have I never seen these people represented on tv?" (63:27)
Acting Craft: Roles Old & New, the Nature of ‘Research’
- (66:11–70:26) Tracy discusses recent acting projects, including a turn as a general in Kathryn Bigelow’s upcoming film and reflects on the peculiar challenges of learning specialized "languages" (military, finance).
- He admits he’s not a big "research" guy—preferring to let the costumes, sets, and story prompt the work of finding the character’s humanity.
Notable Quotes:
- Tracy Letts: "So the job in some way is to find a human being who's doing that job, performing this function." (69:04)
- Tracy Letts: "I just put on the costume and act like I pretend I'm the person." (69:45)
Family Life, Mortality, and Intergenerational Change
- (75:51–81:02) Letts and Maron talk kids, mortality, legacy, and the shifting meaning of art and purpose as they age.
- Letts’ blend of humor and candor about his children, their personalities, and the cold logic of mortality leads to some of the funniest and most moving moments of the episode.
Notable Quotes:
- Tracy Letts: “My 4 year old just has ice water in her veins...She said to my son, you know, again, he's three years older than her. She said to him, Haskell, you will never be loved.” (80:16)
- Marc Maron: "I know how that goes around...Some guy told me to get a kitten to stop my other cat from beating up on the old cat. I'm like, I'm not. I can't bring another. It's gonna outlive me." (78:55)
Movies, Legacy, and Artistic Curiosity
- (81:25–84:25) Letts and Maron wrap up by sharing recent movie watches, reminiscing about filmgoing, and the persistent curiosity and nostalgia that comes with time.
- They marvel at the enduring impact of classic art and artists—Kurosawa, Pynchon, and favorite screen performances—acknowledging renewed appreciation as they age and the cultural conversation evolves.
Notable Quotes:
- Marc Maron: "It's funny, you get to a certain age, all the old movies, I've...realized that about myself. It's like, I got to go back about 30 years to start really hitting the patch." (82:49)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
Friendship Origin Story
- Tracy Letts: "You kind of dared me to be your friend." (34:45)
- Marc Maron: "That's right." (34:49)
- Tracy Letts: "...That night, I saw you in the bathroom and I went up and I gave you a hug. And a friendship was born." (35:16–35:18)
On The Challenge of Authentic Art
- Tracy Letts: "I wrote a play about fascism and nobody came. It's kind of how I feel." (73:27)
- Marc Maron: "What, to the Minutes?" (73:36)
On Kids' Brutal Honesty
- Tracy Letts: “My 4 year old...said to my son, Haskell, you will never be loved.” (80:16)
- Marc Maron: “Is she reading your plays?” (80:39)
Mortality and Math
- Marc Maron: "I can't bring another [pet]. It's gonna outlive me. It's a cat." (78:55)
- Tracy Letts: "You turn 60 and you're like, oh, I can pay." (78:53)
Significant Timestamps
- 16:51 — Detaching from the news; personal strategies for resilience
- 21:38 — Hope in art/museum visits; art’s endurance
- 34:35 — Friendship, outsiders/insiders, and celebrity navigation
- 47:52 — Why Marc is ending WTF; emotional/creative toll
- 56:06 — Working with Sterling Harjo; "The Lowdown" and indigenous representation
- 66:11 — Tracy's latest film projects and thoughts on acting
- 75:51 — Family, kids, mortality, and legacy
- 81:25 — Movies and aging; recent watches and re-examinations
Episode Tone & Style
The conversation maintains Marc Maron's trademark blend of neurotic humor, thoughtful skepticism, and surprising vulnerability, matched by Letts’ understated wit, warmth, and candor. Both men oscillate between self-deprecation, sincere artistic admiration, and the bittersweet observations that come with creative life and growing older.
Takeaway
This episode is a tour de force of two seasoned artists at eye-level, discussing their craft, creative doubts, culture, comedy, art's meaning, and how to ride out the chaos both in society and in the mind. For fans—and those newly discovering WTF—it's a tender, funny, philosophical goodbye to the kind of honest conversation that thrives in Maron's garage.
For listeners interested in art, writing, acting, or simply the process of being honest with oneself (and others) as the world spins madly on, this conversation is required listening.