New York comedian Mike Brown is a big fan of objective cause-and-effect scenarios. This drew him into playing video games, studying math and engineering, and ultimately getting on stage to tell jokes and get laughs. The thing is, sometimes you have to face events that are completely senseless ..read more

It's tempting to try to look for a reason why Joel Kim Booster, ordinarily a very funny and engaging person, feels dead inside, trapped in a persistent depressive state. His father recently died of COVID. The two hadn't been very close (Joel's dad was a conservative Christian, Joel is a gay Hollywood star) but were beginning to reconnect. You could point to the pandemic, which left Joel in an apartment he doesn't like for extended periods. But it's just as easy to point to things that aren't especially depressing about Joel's situation. He's got movie and TV deals, he's taping an hour-long Net ..read more

It’s easy for movies to get depression wrong, portraying a clinical disorder as equivalent to just being bummed out and, in the case of romantic comedies, curable with a magical kiss. People with actual depression know better and appreciate films that show the truth. In this episode, our listeners, the beloved THWoD-balls, give their picks, ranging from sci-fi to historical drama to comedy. We got moon men, bridesmaids, a couple of hobbits, and even a Babadook. Fill out your watch list! You can order John's book on Amazon (amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (bit.ly/IndieTHWo ..read more

Monologist and comedian Mike Birbiglia has always had a mile-long dark streak. Even if he’s never been diagnosed with clinical depression, he’s recognized his own lack of capacity to feel joy and is constantly aware of a kind of existential dread that haunts him. But rather than shy away from all that, he picks at it. Mike fills us in on how he deals with that darkness and the inner meaning of a lot of his work. You can order John's book on Amazon (amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.co ..read more

To celebrate the release of our book we are excited to offer you a sneak preview of the audio version, read by author and THWoD host John Moe. Hear how he started to unlock his own mental mysteries with the help of a productive relationship with a therapist, a lot of time with dogs, and some key decisions. The book is available on all platforms as of May 5, 2020. Check it out on Amazon (amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: hilariousworld.org/donate ..read more

Standup comedian and writer Emmy Blotnick is a rising star in the comedy world. But along the path to success, she’s had to navigate a depression that manifested in some pretty unexpected ways, including culinary disasters involving pumpkin puree, kidney beans, and butternut squash soup. Thanks to some hard work, EMDR therapy, and more nutritious choices, she’s on the right track. You can pre-order John's book on Amazon (amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show to ..read more

Some people don’t have short job titles. Dave Holmes is, among other things, a writer, MTV VJ (despite losing the contest that landed him the job), TV host, actor, and even a former advertising executive. He has dealt with anxiety, depression, and a thorny time coming out as a gay man. Just before our conversation, he received a new diagnosis of ADHD and suddenly a lot of things made a lot more sense. You can pre-order John's book on Amazon (amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: hila ..read more

During this long stretch of just staying home, we decided to reach out to some friends of THWoD, hear their voices, and find out how they're holding up. Writer Ana Marie Cox is drawing strength from her sobriety, actor John Ross Bowie is balancing work and fatherhood, and comedian Solomon Georgio has found a soothing new hobby of driving to the airport and then turning around and going home again. You can pre-order John's book on Amazon (amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: hilariou ..read more

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