Marc Maron Discusses Robin Williams’ Apology About ‘Mr. Happy’

LOS ANGELES, California — Comedian Marc Maron, known for his unique interviews on his podcast ‘WTF,’ recently appeared on the ‘Fly on the Wall’ podcast hosted by Dana Carvey and David Spade. During the episode aired on March 5, 2025, Maron humorously inquired about how he landed a spot on the show, noting his absence from ‘Saturday Night Live’ as a cast member or host.

While Maron did not delve into his past audition for ‘SNL,’ he reflected on a treasured conversation with legendary comedian Robin Williams, which took on greater depth following Williams’ death in 2014. Maron recalled that their intimate interview at Williams’ home had a profound impact on both his podcast and the fans who listened. ‘It was everywhere because he never talked like that (in interviews),’ Maron mentioned, emphasizing the candid nature of their discussion.

Maron attributed the openness of the interview to the absence of anyone else, saying, ‘It was just me and Robin. If there had been one other person there, they would’ve had the Carnegie Hall set.’ This lack of distraction allowed for a moment of sincerity in which Williams revealed his struggles with joke theft.

During their conversation, Williams acknowledged the habit of borrowing jokes from fellow comedians. ‘I paid shitloads of cash to comedians who had accidentally been plagiarized,’ he confessed. This revelation highlighted Williams’ genuine respect for the craft of comedy and his willingness to make amends when necessary.

Carvey also shared a personal story, recalling that Williams once apologized to him for allegedly stealing a line that Carvey claimed he never actually told. ‘He had made amends to me in Mill Valley on a sidewalk just after a show. And I didn’t know why,’ Carvey explained. The two comedians had a complicated relationship, with Carvey finding inspiration in Williams’ work throughout his career. ‘I said, “I tried to do you. You don’t understand, I had a trunk of props, I worshipped you,”’ he added.

Carvey offered a theory that the apology could have been part of Williams’ recovery process, possibly stemming from Alcoholics Anonymous. He mentioned the origins of the nickname ‘Mr. Happy,’ which Williams famously used in his routines to refer to his private parts. ‘There’s a whole track on his 1983 album ‘Throbbing Python of Love’ titled “Shake Hands with Mr. Happy,”’ Carvey said.

However, the acknowledgment surrounding the nickname raised further questions. Carvey clarified, ‘He thought I had a thing where I named my dick ‘Mr. Happy’ and that he took that from me. I know that’s not true; I never did ‘Mr. Happy.’

‘That was the amends?’ Maron responded. ‘It wasn’t even like some deep personal affront. It’s like, “I know you might’ve called your dick Mr. Happy.”’ Carvey agreed that their joking exchanges about ‘Mr. Happy’ were a source of confusion, revealing that Williams had previously mentioned the nickname at Dennis Miller’s wedding years prior. ‘He said it to me 20 years earlier at Dennis Miller’s wedding. We were at the same table and he said, “Oh, I wonder, perhaps I got Mr. Happy from you.” And I go “No!” And it tortured him.’

Although the origins of the nickname may remain ambiguous, Maron and Carvey reflected on the profound influence of Williams both in their lives and the comedy world. Ultimately, they hope that Williams found pride in his own comedic legacy.