Mike Birbiglia and Alex Edelman On The Art of the One-Man Show | Hell & High Water

John Heilemann talks with comedians Mike Birbiglia, best known for his acclaimed one-man shows Sleepwalk With Me, Thank God for Jokes, and The New One, and Alex Edelman, whose buzzy new monologue Just For Us, produced by Birbiglia, is one of New York’s hottest tickets. Heilemann and the two performers discuss why Birbiglia took Edelman under his wing and how their mentor-pupil relationship works; what Just for Us - in which Edelman unfurls an extended, acutely observed, often hilarious yarn about the night he crashed a meeting of white nationalists in Queens - says about broader questions of identity in American culture; and what drove Edelman’s decision to focus the show on his Judaism, which has long been central to his sense of self but not his comedy. They also assess the arc of Birbiglia’s career from stand-up to storytelling; his biggest influences, from Mitch Hedberg to Steven Wright; the personal experiences that have inspired him to be vulnerable on stage and take emotional risks; and why, for both Birbiglia and Edelman, a pair of comics who readily and repeatedly land killer jokes, there’s a lot more to comedy than making people laugh.
#MikeBirbiglia #AlexEdelman #Comedians
Subscribe to The Recount
/ @therecount
Watch Recount Live on Twitch every weekday at 4p.m. ET - / therecount
Read The Recount Newsletter
therecount.com/newsletter
Website
therecount.page.link/Home
Twitter
/ therecount
Twitch
/ therecount
Hell & High Water podcast
therecount.com/podcasts/hell-...
The Long Game with LZ & Leitch podcast
therecount.com/podcasts/the-l...
Instagram
/ therecount
Facebook
/ therecount
In an era of information overload and alternative facts, it's never been more vital to illuminate what matters most: the truth. Support The Recount in our mission to hold powerful interests to account, through fact-based journalism, by making a donation today.

[@rabbitfishtv]

I loved this talk. Thank you for it! I’m also obsessed with how Birbiglia’s hair looks great in the front camera and insane in the side camera.

[@robertlevinson9188]

John is fabulous and fantastic. Alex is exciting and VERY funny, AND honest and revealing. Bob

[@whazzat8015]

Incredible piece on writing and storytelling

[@simonfea2]

Ive seen Birbigs twice, he is GREAT live. Fantastic ❤

[@BellyLaugher]

I loved this. I'm fascinated by the stories behind the stories & hearing about how peoples' creative processes have developed & taken twists & turns. I don't always understand the language specific to crafting jokes, or even storytelling, but I DO get a strong sense of the richness & fun & introspection & aha!s. I like how your questions & follow-up ideas engendered thoughtful replies from Mike & Alex. Thanks very much. I wish I'd known abt your channel 2years ago!

[@XantheMatychak]

i don't think MB's process is an unusual amount of rigor. craft takes time and how lucky we are when we get to spend the time we want to spend.

[@deborahthomas3475]

The “F” statement made the comment that much more STARTLING.

[@myghkl]

I want to know if Alex's mother was ever in the same hotel room - say 34 years ago - with Jerry Lewis.