EXCLUSIVE: Seems Barack Obama is coming to L.A. this week for more than just Hollywood cash. After big-bucks fundraisers at Chuck Lorre and Tyler Perry’s not-inconsiderable Pacific Palisades and Beverly Hills pads on Thursday, the leader of the free world is going to spend a little bit of time on Friday morning in a garage in Highland Park doing a podcast. Of course, the fact that the garage is the HQ of the widely downloaded WTF With Marc Maron probably sweetens the appeal for the President, who is making his debut on the show.
The plan is that before Obama jumps on Air Force One on June 19 to head up to San Fran for more Democratic Party fundraisers, the pop culture-conscious POTUS will swing by the comedian’s garage studio in the morning for a just over one-hour sit-down. The White House reached out to Maron’s team a couple of weeks back to set up the interview, sources tell me. The commercial-free podcast with the President is set to be posted online June 22. As is fitting the office, and like most of the WTF episodes, Obama will be Maron’s only guest for Friday’s taping. Having teased something “massive” coming up the past few days, Maron will announce the presidential visit on Thursday’s podcast, which hits the Internet very early this AM.
Oh, also, you’ll want to listen to tomorrow’s @wtfpod first thing in the morning. Unless you like things being spoiled.
— marc maron (@marcmaron) June 17, 2015
One of the most popular podcasts around, WTF With Marc Maron has been downloaded 
well over 100 million times from iTunes and other platforms since the stand-up comic launched it with producing partner Brendan McDonald in 2009. Past WTF guests include Lena Dunham, Louie C.K., Transparent creator Jill Soloway, Chris Rock, Bob Odenkirk, Mindy Kaling, author Nick Tosches, and Zach Galifianakis.
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In many ways the interview on WTF seems similar to when Obama appeared on The Hangover star’s Funny or Die mock talk show Between Two Ferns in early 2014 – an unconventional outlet for a President to reach a younger demographic. The intentionally awkward chat between Obama and Galifianakis was a direct and ultimately successful way of promoting enrollment among young adults in his signature Obamacare program. No word on what Maron or the president will be chatting about on WTF.
Also no word when Hillary Clinton, who is in town herself again for a trio fundraising events on Friday, will be making her inaugural WTF appearance. Maybe WTF could become for the 2016 presidential campaign what Larry King on CNN was to the 1992 race. You in, Jeb? Trump?
I suppose this is a step up from GloZell, but our president is a bigger attention whore than Bruce Jenner and Rachel Dolezal combined.
It doesn’t seem like the author is familiar with Marc Maron’s work. WTF isn’t an ironically self conscious parody of a low budget talk show, it’s an incisive in-depth conversation between two people that gets at the heart of what drives their own emotional engines.
Blahahahaha. and SNL is a breaking news show.
Exactly which makes him starring in a badly done Louie clone on teevee so sad. If WTF were filmed he’d truly be recognized as the best interviewer in the pack. Howard Stern still reminds us on Sirius that he can get people to say things they hadn’t planned to.
Ho. Lee. Sheet. I became a huge WTF fan about 3 or 4 years ago this in an unbelievable moment. Congratulations to Maron on his successful arc from distraught comedian misanthrope to getting POTUS in his garage for a Marc Maron interview!!
I didn’t vote for him but I’m curious to see what he has to say!
Why? He hasn’t seen fit to go anywhere near the truth in 30 years.
He hasn’t been in politics for 30 years.
Well, yeah, I mean, he’s funny but who would vote for Marc Maron?
Marc is a great interviewer not a great actor. Gave up on his tv show but still listen to the podcast. He’s become too fawny now, but I hope he really gets into whats happening in the world with the prez as it could be historic.
Yeah,. who’s the clown now ? POTUS?
You make Donald Trump look very presidential
That’s hilarious
Funny and true
Go take your meds.
Exactly suited to this fake president. Please just keep the county safe till he’s gobe
Really? Because we haven’t been safe at all since he took office? Maybe you just woke up from a coma and think that other guy is still the prez. You know, when 9/11 happened. And the Iraq War. And Katrina. And the financial collapse, etc, etc, etc
All Presidents are fake. They are there to earn votes and then protect special interest groups – but unless you are in one of the special interest groups, your life will not change no matter who is president. My life is no different under Bush or under Obama or Clinton. I pay taxes, no idea where they go – not to schools, education, health care, streets, old folks homes – no idea (well, I do, the war machine) – but either way, my life doesn’t change. It’s all a game.
Similar to Game of Thrones in terms of small groups that are in control – but the rest of the population see no changes.
It’s safe! He’s gobe!
Hopefully more safe than GWB did. Or how GWB ran the economy to the brink of the end of the U.S. Yes, don’t we all miss those days. Good times. Damn, Mr, Obama for fixing all that,
Maron’s interviews are nothing but real, often hilarious, and sometimes incredibly moving. My favorites are the ones with Robin Williams, Jon Glaser, Danny McBride, Bill Hader, Jason Isbell, Wayne Coyne, Louis CK – just look at the list of guests! http://www.wtfpod.com/guide. He’s had guests walk out of the conversation, come out as gay, fess up to or accuse other people of transgressions, and tell sordid details of addiction- and generally you get an in-depth look that you would not hear anywhere else, because no interview, let alone any conversation in life, is usually as long-form and engaging as these talks.
Why are we paying for this fool to fly around the country for no good reason?
Exactly! Why?
You’d prefer your president to spend 8 years in a cheap 1950s backyard nuclear fallout shelter and save the country a few bucks?
I’m glad he’s going to Highland Park.
I’d prefer all federal leaders use tax payer money wisely, not running around trashing the United States and making fools of us all. Since we are trillions in debt, maybe a stay in the bunker is whats needed.
This makes the Trump / Oprah 2016 ticket look like a serious contender.
… our grifter in chief, Barry Soetoro, has no class …
The greatest joke in American history. SCROTUS – Scrotum sack of the United States.
Actually, SCROTUS is the official acronym of the Supreme Court (Republican) Of The United States. Try again, honey.
yeah team democrat, can always count on them to throw in some bigotry.
I wonder how much Marc Maron had to donate to get him. And you know he’s going to play softball.
The entire Mideast is in a firestorm of hellish violence, The BRIC Alliance leaders of China, Russia, Brazil, India & more refer to Obama as “The Clown”, the trade agreement he’s pushing hands US rule to a handful of UN selected Marxists… and he’s doing comedy podcasts. Lovely.
Maron is the most personal interviewer I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening too. Consistently getting to a real human understanding of his subjects on an extremely personal level. There’s a reason you can only go on the show once… you can only live one life. Here is hoping he can get to that point of understanding and openness with one of the most famous politicians of the last century. His show is a complete contrast to political spin.
Of all the serious problems needing attention – he’s eager to appear on WTF? Really?
What self respecting President would go on a show called WTF?
The Obama’s like being on TV so much they will do a reality tv show once they leave DC