Marc Maron Announces End of Influential Podcast ‘WTF’

LOS ANGELES, CA — Marc Maron has announced that he and producer Brendan McDonald will end their influential podcast, “WTF With Marc Maron,” after more than 16 years. Maron shared the news during the latest episode, revealing that the decision was mutual and reflected a natural conclusion to their work.

“‘WTF’ is coming to an end, and it’s our decision,” Maron said. The final episode is set to air in the fall, coinciding with the show’s 16th anniversary on September 1.

Since its launch in 2009, “WTF” has become one of the most significant shows in podcasting, featuring over 1,600 episodes with notable guests like Barack Obama, Keith Richards, and Carol Burnett. In 2014, Maron’s interview with Robin Williams made history by being the first one-on-one podcast episode to enter America’s National Recording Registry.

Maron described the end of the podcast as not a difficult choice, explaining, “we both realized together that we were done.” He recalled starting the show in his garage, saying, “I was coming out of a horrendous divorce. I was wanting to figure out how to continue living my life.”

The duo maintained creative independence throughout the show’s duration, with Maron recording in his garage studio in Los Angeles and McDonald producing from Brooklyn. They consistently released episodes every Monday and Thursday for nearly 16 years.

“We’re tired, we’re burnt out, and we are utterly satisfied with the work we’ve done,” Maron added, noting their commitment to quality over numerous years. He reassured fans that the end of the podcast does not signify his retirement from similar projects, stating, “This doesn’t mean I’m never going to do something like this again.”

As they approach the end, Maron promised to feature a variety of guests during the show’s final months, saying, “It’s okay for things to end. We started the show on our terms, we grew it on our terms, and we’ll end it on our terms.” The news was first reported by Deadline.