The Hilarious World of Depression
A show about clinical depression...with laughs? Well, yeah. Depression is an incredibly common and isolating disease experienced by millions, yet often stigmatized by society. The Hilarious World of Depression is a series of frank, moving, and, yes, funny conversations with top comedians who have dealt with this disease, hosted by veteran humorist and public radio host John Moe. Join guests such as Maria Bamford, Paul F. Tompkins, Andy Richter, and Jen Kirkman to learn how they’ve dealt with depression and managed to laugh along the way. If you have not met the disease personally, it’s almost certain that someone you know has, whether it’s a friend, family member, colleague, or neighbor. Depression is a vicious cycle of solitude and stigma that leaves people miserable and sometimes dead. Frankly, we’re not going to put up with that anymore. The Hilarious World of Depression is not medical treatment and should not be seen as a substitute for therapy or medication. But it is a chance to gain some insight, have a few laughs, and realize that people with depression are not alone and that together, we can all feel a bit better. American Public Media and HealthPartners’ Make It Okay campaign are committed to breaking the stigma around mental health.
- Update frequency
- every 8 days
- Average duration
- 41 minutes
- Episodes
- 97
- Years Active
- 2016 - 2021
Episode #PLACEBO: Listeners’ Favorite Coping Songs
We asked our listeners to tell us about the songs they use when depression is hitting hard. Take a listen to some of the responses, both the songs themselves and the stories behind them in this highl…
Episode #PLACEBO: Coping Ideas From a Real Live Sad Clown
More ideas from listeners for unusual methods they used to address their depression that actually worked. We’ve heard a wide variety of ideas from all over the world, including Jonna Nummela of Helsi…
Episode #PLACEBO: A Conversation with Ana Marie Cox
It’s a crossover conversation between The Hilarious World of Depression's John Moe and Ana Marie Cox, host of the podcast With Friends Like These. Both shows traffic in the idea of having more conver…
Episode #PLACEBO: Therapeutic Ukuleles, Therapeutic Penguins, Therapeutic Yarn
We asked listeners for the strangest ways they’ve tried to treat their depression that actually worked. And boy, did they ever come through. We hear musical solutions, efforts to enumerate animals, a…
Episode #PLACEBO: The Return of Peter Sagal
Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! was our guest on the very first episode of our podcast. He used the occasion to break a long silence and tell the world that he’s struggled with de…
Episode #PLACEBO: Bonus Episode of Terrible, Thanks for Asking to Celebrate #trypod
March is #trypod time all over the podcast world and we’re getting in the spirit by offering an episode of another American Public Media program. Terrible, Thanks for Asking explores the sometimes di…
Episode #PLACEBO: Billy Joel, Intrusive Thoughts Named Steve, and Nocturnal Carpentry
THWoD stops by to say hello with a mini-episode. A not-really-an-episode. A placebo. Instead of talking to professional comedians, host John Moe talks to some listeners of the show about their surpri…
Episode #9: Paul F. Tompkins Sees Dead Grass and Has Screwed Up Relationships
Comedian and actor Paul F. Tompkins is known for being friendly and delightful both on stage and off. And that’s pretty surprising given that he grew up in a home where his parents slept in separate …
Episode #8: Baron Vaughn and His Inadvisable All-Cheerio Diet
The life of a professional comedian and actor can be glamorous at times. You get recognized, go to the occasional celebrity party, maybe have a lot of strangers know your name. But it didn’t feel all…
Episode #7: Jen Kirkman, Bad Therapy, Good Therapy, and Nuclear Invasion
Before she was a successful LA comic with a new Netflix special, Jen Kirkman was a somewhat confused kid growing up in Boston. Hear how she got screwed up by nuclear war anxiety, found her calling in…
Episode #6: Supershow! Eight Comedians! One Chronic Mental Illness!
When it comes to struggles with depression, everyone’s story is different. But a lot of the time, the stories can be pretty similar. In this episode, we point out some common themes that seem to rise…
Episode #5: Andy Richter on Youthful Melancholy and Twisted Entertainers
It’s not exactly normal for a 5-year-old kid to listen to Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” over and over and over, but Andy Richter didn’t know that. It felt natural to him. The actor…
Episode #4: Dick Cavett Tells Tales of Hollywood’s Secret Shame
Just about everyone who mattered in the '60s and '70s hung out with Dick Cavett. His talk shows were hilarious, candid, and culturally vital. They were snarky before David Letterman ever hit the air,…
Episode #3: Sam Grittner Finds a Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Suicide
It was an otherwise ordinary May morning when Sam decided it was the right time to die. In some ways it was a surprising decision. He had managed to kick most of the substance abuse problems that he …
Episode #2: Maria Bamford Talks Bipolar II While Her Pugs Eat Nilla Wafers
For some people, treating depression is a matter of going to a doctor or therapist, maybe getting some meds, and then feeling better. For comedian and actress Maria Bamford, the path to doing better …
Episode #1: Peter Sagal Opens Up
The longtime host of NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me has battled depression for much of his life but has never gone public with that struggle until now. Sagal recently went through what was for him a v…
Episode #0: The Hilarious World of Depression — coming soon!
A sneak preview of some of the voices you’ll hear on the upcoming season of The Hilarious World of Depression. Host John Moe talks to some of the top names in comedy, who share candid conversations a…