Author Elizabeth Gilbert wrote one of Mike?s favorite books about creativity, Big Magic. She also wrote a book that, to her surprise, become a cultural phenomenon: Eat, Pray, Love. Mike and Liz discuss the unexpected impact of Eat, Pray, Love, and what it was like for Liz to watch Julia Roberts portray her on the big screen. Liz gets candid about the ups and downs of a creative life, including the reasoning behind the cancellation of a novel she wrote that took place in Russia. Plus, some bawdy jokes and stories care of Liz?s uncles and grandfather, and the surprising reason why Liz was stopped at airport security. 

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In this Working It Out Q&A Mike breaks down the development of the New York City finale of his show The Good Life. He explains the evolution from Please Stop The Ride to The Good Life. Plus, he answers your questions about embarrassment, fear, jealousy, and inspiration.

Get tickets to The Good Life at the Beacon Theatre

 In the 90s, Michael Ian Black?s college sketch group The State got a show on MTV, spawned another iconic group, Stella, and led to the classic movie Wet Hot American Summer. Now Michael sits down with Mike to talk about how all 11 members of The State have remained friends through the ups and downs of show business. Michael shares his advice on how to keep a comedy group together as well as a marriage, as he and his wife just celebrated 26 years. Plus, jokes and stories about truth or dare, the pros and cons of leaving New York City, and behind the scenes of Michael?s love scene with Bradley Cooper.

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Bridget Everett, star of the hit HBO series ?Somebody Somewhere,? joins Mike on the podcast this week to discuss creative risks and processing grief and loss through their work. Plus, that time Bridget and Patti LuPone performed together at Carnegie Hall. Also, Bridget describes the most outrageous audience reactions she has received in response to performing her songs like ?Titties? and ?What I Gotta Do to Get That Dick.?

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In celebration of his new album, Warriors, Lin-Manuel Miranda sits down with Mike for a wide ranging talk about writing musicals, riding the subway, and taking big creative risks. Lin explains why you need so many ideas to write a musical, and he shares the important lessons he learns from writing and performing in school plays as a student. Plus, Lin recalls the origins of Hamilton and some of the more chaotic performances in the show?s run.

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Get tickets for Mike?s shows at the Beacon Theatre in New York here.

Hannah Gadsby joins Mike in the studio for the first time. The two talk Hannah?s new solo show ?Woof!?, a painful celebrity encounter with Anna Kendrick, and how to keep track of multiple contradictory ideas in the creative process. Plus, a robust Working it Out session solves the mystery of if that dingo ate a baby.

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This week Mike answers listener questions. Does improv help your stand-up? What was your most nightmarish stand-up set? How do you convince yourself to keep going when it?s not going well? Plus, Mike reads a piece he wrote about his complicated but ultimately rewarding experience at the Emmys. 

11-time Grammy winner, celebrated rock star, and noted Working It Out theme song composer Jack Antonoff returns to the podcast. Mike and Jack discuss Jack?s performing with Taylor Swift and collaborating with Sabrina Carpenter, why cynicism can?t exist in a live performance, and the joys of Tim Robinson?s sketch show ?I Think You Should Leave.? Plus, Mike reads excerpts from his wedding speech/roast of Jack, and a musical working it out session in which a new theme for the show is born.

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This week Matteo Lane joins Mike for an episode that has something for everyone. From Matteo?s hilariously scorching takes on modern pop stars to tales of secret families to insight about what Matteo did when he hit a wall in his comedy career. Plus, Mike and Matteo work out jokes about Mike meeting the Pope in Rome and Matteo gets serious about his Liza Minelli impression.

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Comedian Jon Laster returns for his third appearance on Working It Out. Longtime friends from the Comedy Cellar, Mike and Jon catch up on Jon?s app Blapp, which highlights black-owned businesses, Jon?s more personal comedy material about his struggles with alcoholism, and why Jon calls his company ?Thanks Mom.? Plus, Mike and Jon ponder how it is that Mike, despite working in nightclubs, has never even seen cocaine.

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This week filmmaker and actor Zach Braff joins Mike to talk everything from Garden State to Ted Lasso to what it?s like to direct Morgan Freeman. Zach discusses the story of his ex once following him through Europe and Mike  and Zach discuss the possibility that a story like that could be the starting point for a one person show. Plus, the time Zach got too drunk and excused himself from a Rush concert to take New Jersey Transit home.

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Please Don't Destroy: SNL's Three Sad Virgins

(Recorded February 2024) Mike welcomes Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, aka Please Don?t Destroy, known for their wildly popular shorts on SNL. Mike is determined to get Martin to talk more than he did on Pete Holmes?s podcast. The group shares what they like and dislike about each other, and break down what it?s like to be both sketch writers and filmmakers on SNL. Plus, what it?s like to work with Bad Bunny in a Shrek costume.

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Beloved Irish comedian Aisling Bea returns to Working It Out. Mike and Aisling discuss how to find your people, Catholic school health class, and dating app fails. Plus, new jokes about what Mike?s dad was doing while his family went to church and the most obvious and best thing about pregnancy sex.

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Click here to purchase signed print of ?The Old Man & the Pool? joke cards to raise money for the YMCA New York.

Mike welcomes fellow comedian and podcaster (Giggly Sqaud, Berner Phone) Hannah Berner to the pod. Known for her ?Han on the Street? videos, Hannah discusses her journey from college tennis champ to stand-up sensation. Hannah also teaches Mike the meaning of the term ?zaddy.? Plus, an athlete at heart, Hannah comes to the notebook section ready to work, bringing a bunch of new bits and stories to work out.

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This week living legend and giant human Stephen Merchant joins Mike for an all-time great episode of Working It Out. Stephen and Mike talk about actionable advice for creatives starting out, the behind-the-scenes politics of co-creating ?The Office" and ?Extras? with Ricky Gervais, and how Stephen could turn his story about interviewing a pornstar into stand-up. Plus, the time Stephen walked through a glass door at Sarah Silverman?s Hollywood party.

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Gary Gulman Returns: Work Friends or Friend Friends?

(Recorded September 2023) Mike and Gary Gulman have been friends for a long time, but what kind of friends? Real friends or just work friends? Gary returns to the podcast and he and Mike evaluate the true level of their friendship. Plus they discuss vulnerability in comedy, unhappiness vs. depression, and the advice that Gary got from Larry David.

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Mike welcomes the multi-talented Catherine Cohen to the podcast to discuss making doctors laugh, lessons learned from the Ashley Madison documentary, and the medical ordeal that Cat went through last summer. She and Mike break down the best ways to work out a long story in small increments and how to ease an audience to heavy subject matter. Plus, jokes and stories about 1980s parachute pants, and falling down drunk on a candle.

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Mike welcomes back old friend and Working It Out hall of famer Tig Notaro. They discuss the inevitability of finding your own comedic voice, how Tig had to come out as gay to her own children, and the time her brother fell into her stepfather?s grave. All that, plus tales from Tig?s lesbian party bus with Sarah Paulson and Allison Janney.

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This week Neal Brennan returns to Working It Out in celebration of his new Netflix special, ?Crazy Good.? Neal and Mike go deep on what to do when friendship isn?t reciprocated, what all comics have in common with Seinfeld, and the irrelevance of the question ?Is Kevin Hart humble?? All that, plus the listener email Mike received in response to his joke about joining a cult.

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Hasan Minhaj Returns: Good Boy Syndrome

(Recorded August 2023) Hasan Minhaj was one of the first guests on Working It Out back in 2020 and it remains one of the most popular episodes because of Hasan?s natural inclination to work out bits. Off-air Mike and Hasan often trade notes and ideas and today it spills into the podcast. Hasan compares comedy craft to Steph Curry?s approach to basketball, explains what it?s like to interview Barack Obama, and confesses to the guilty pleasure of watching couples argue in public.

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Jesse David Fox is one of the definitive voices in comedy history and analysis. He?s written for Vulture and New York Magazine and now he sits down with Mike to discuss his new book Comedy Book, which covers among other things the comedy boom of the past 20 or so years. Mike and Jesse break down what it?s like to write *about* comedy, and why Mike trusted Jesse to document his creative process in the Peacock documentary Good One, based on Jesse?s podcast. Plus, Mike holds Jesse?s feet to the fire on a controversial piece Jesse wrote about John Mulaney.

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In celebration of his new special ?Terrified,? the Impractical Jokers star Sal Vulcano joins Mike for what starts as a normal interview and then turns into a podcast full of stories stranger than the last: Sal?s prank on an overbearing TV executive, how Sal ended up with *multiple* photorealistic tattoos of Jaden Smith, Sal?s never-ending eBay dispute, and how Sal put his foot in his mouth irrevocably with Rachel McAdams. All that, plus a few more stories that have Mike ending the podcast with the statement: ?You shouldn?t even be allowed to be here.?

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Comedian Janine Harouni and Mike have a lot in common. They both survived severe car accidents, they have similar relationships with their parents, and they both value the quality of being vulnerable on stage. Mike and Janine discuss the process of turning a traumatic experience into a comedic story, and how Janine?s recovery from her car accident helped her better connect with her parents and inspired her to start doing comedy. Plus, jokes and stories about what it?s like being married to another comedian, Janine?s experience working at a mob-run restaurant, and why her dad wears serial killer gloves.

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From the studio of Pete?s podcast, You Made It Weird, Pete and Mike record an all new episode of Working It Out. Pete brings new and improved roasts of Mike while retroactively responding to Mike?s roasts of Pete from their previous episode. Plus the two comics have one of the most pure Working It Out sessions of all time as they create jokes in real time about their complex relationships with their dads. Through the jokes and the burns Mike and Pete ultimately attempt to answer life?s big questions: Does God exist? Does Mike get residuals from tumbleweeds in Westerns? Does John Mulaney live in Los Angeles? Plus candid conversations about jealousy, cheating on tests in 9th grade, and Mike getting bullied while writing an article for the school paper about the aviation club.

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Working It Out hall-of-famer Rachel Feinstein returns to the podcast on the heels of her hit Netflix special Big Guy. Rachel explains why her firefighter husband loves being roasted in her special and why he pronounces the word ?cash? like ?quiche.? Rachel shares an absurd road story featuring Kevin Hart and Keith Robinson and discusses why you should never ask a comic how *they* felt about their show. Plus, new material about God getting sober, normalizing spa days, and Rachel attempting to cuddle with a boyfriend at the scariest hotel she?s ever stayed at.

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For this very special episode of Working It out, Mike welcomes John August, the screenwriter behind Charlie?s Angels with Drew Barrymore, Tim Burton?s Big Fish, and his breakthrough film Go, which is celebrating its 25 year anniversary. John co-hosts the screenwriting podcast Scriptnotes with Craig Mazin (The Last of Us), which is not only Mike?s favorite screenwriting podcast, but his favorite podcast about the creative process (not counting Working It Out). John shares direct, practical screenwriting advice that you?ll actually use, whether you?re an aspiring screenwriter or you want to pursue creative work of any kind.

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This week the legendary Judd Apatow returns to Working It Out for his fourth and best appearance yet. Judd tells behind-the-scenes stories from Bridesmaids and Funny People, as well as the most helpful filmmaking advice he?s gotten from other greats along the way. Judd and Mike also break apart the story of Judd?s first ayahuasca trip?and what that experience might have to do with both his parents? divorce and his first sexual experience. Plus, jokes about how Judd somehow gained weight on Ozempic.

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In Chris Fleming?s recent Peacock stand-up special Hell, he calls out some audience members who are married and shouts, ?This show is not for people who have wives. You have a wife?! Go see Mike Birbiglia!? Fleming is fearless about dragging the names of other comedians into his bits: from Bo Burham to Nikki Glaser to Bert Kreischer and more. Chris is a Massachusetts theater kid turned comedian and it manifests in stand-up comedy that is simultaneously avant-garde but also crowd pleasing. Mike and Chris sit down for a truly productive session of working out new material and they break down why Massachusetts is so darn repressed. Plus, they do no-holds-barred impressions of each other in what is one of the most unhinged episodes of Working it Out of all time.

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Mike welcomes Rory Scovel, whose special made Mike laugh so hard he spit water all over himself. Rory talks about how telling the truth and being vulnerable on stage led him to his best bits, how his taking up abstract painting is similar to comedy, and how a week of fully improvised stand-up shows gave Rory a new perspective on his career. Plus, the best and most off-the-rails ?Working It Out? section the podcast has had yet.

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Mike welcomes back the poet J. Hope Stein, aka Jenny, aka Clo, aka Mike?s wife of fifteen years. A frequent collaborator on Mike?s comedy specials and movies, Jenny describes her favorite type of creative feedback and why she?s most impressed by poetry that crosses over to audiences who don?t always understand poetry. The couple shares candid and embrassing stories from the early days of their romance including two stories that might make it into Mike?s new live show. Plus, Jen reads two new poems in celebration of Earth Day and announces the audiobook of her poetry collection ?Little Astronaut.?

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Chicago improv performer and teacher Liz Allen taught a workshop for Mike?s college improv group almost 25 years ago. Since then, Mike and Liz have found numerous ways to reunite and collaborate, most notably on Mike?s film Don?t Think Twice. Now Mike sits down for an in-depth chat with one of his favorite improvisers about the unique roots of Chicago improv, Liz?s (in)famous teacher Del Close, and the one-in-a-million coincidence that connected Liz and Gillian Jacobs.

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Check out https://www.lizallenimprov.com for more info about improv coaching by Liz

On the heels of the release of his new special ?Just For Us? on Max, Alex Edelman returns to the podcast for the fourth and best time yet. Mike and Alex break apart the story of the time Alex?s bank lost all his money, how a protestor recently disrupted his show, and what it feels like to be releasing his special after the death of his beloved director, Adam Brace. Plus, Alex?s recent and very strange run-in with Bill Gates.

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Mike sits down with comedian, actor, and writer Esther Povitsky to discuss her special Hot For My Name. Mike has a lot of questions about the time Esther crashed her fiancée's bachelor party in Vegas. Plus, Esther figures out Mike?s attachment style, and they discuss the differences between the LA and New York comedy scenes. All this, and jokes about adults dressed as babies, watching OnlyFans with your partner, and being outed as a comedian on the subway.

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Mike sits down with the legendary comedian and writer Seth Meyers for a conversation that reveals who is secretly the funniest of the funniest at SNL behind-the-scenes and who was the most popular Strike Force Five host. Then, Mike and Seth work out new material about serial killers, the D.A.R.E. program, and dropping acid in Amsterdam. Plus: who will take over for Lorne Michaels after he leaves SNL?

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Mike became an instant super-fan of Ilana Glazer in 2014 when her hit series Broad City premiered on Comedy Central. This week on the podcast Mike and Ilana go deep on the origins of Broad City, Mike?s cameo on the show, honest takes on parenting, the development of Ilana?s new hour of stand-up comedy, and how *Broad City* Ilana is different from *real life* Ilana. Plus, jokes and stories about weed-induced anxiety and saying hello to strangers.

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This week Mike responds to listener questions. How many of your stories are true?  Who is your dream guest? What is your greatest piece of comedy advice? All these and more.

This week Mike welcomes Comedy Cellar friend and comedy star Chris Distefano. Chris?s shares important lessons in failure: how a bad set got him booked on Letterman, and the advice his wife gave him about not listening to studio executives. Mike and Chris also dissect Chris?s famous 9/11 story, and why Chris? ?worst gig? story involves an actual knife at his throat.

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Mike welcomes Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, aka Please Don?t Destroy, known for their wildly popular shorts on SNL. Mike is determined to get Martin to talk more than he did on Pete Holmes?s podcast. The group shares what they like and dislike about each other, and break down what it?s like to be both sketch writers and filmmakers on SNL. Plus, what it?s like to work with Bad Bunny in a Shrek costume and get roasted by Taylor Swift.

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Roy Wood Jr makes a triumphant return to the podcast and he and Mike pick up right where they left off. The two old friends discuss the evolution of unconnected jokes into a more cohesive whole hour of stand-up. They discuss why Mike, Neal Brennan, and Chris Rock are all pressuring Roy to go even deeper with his new material about his dad. Mike and Roy break down the best bits from Roy?s new special Imperfect Messenger, and Roy shares two all-timer stories in the slow round. Plus, Roy gets candid on exactly why he may or may not be hosting The Daily Show.

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Maddie Wiener started performing stand-up at age 16. Now, at age 25, she headlines clubs, is a fixture at the Comedy Cellar, and  she was recently a special guest on Mike?s shows at The Wilbur in Boston. Now Maddie and Mike sit down for a chat about the relationship between anxiety and comedy, and Mike helps Maddie develop a story about a panic attack. Plus, the wisdom Maddie learned from Nikki Glaser, and why ?Hey, can we talk?? is the scariest text you can get.

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Ronny Chieng, one of the earliest and most popular Working It Out guests, makes a triumphant return. Ronny and Mike discuss the significance of Ronny?s chic onstage wardrobe, the similarities between practicing law and performing comedy, and whether or not it was Ronny who planted the Hasan Minhaj New Yorker story after all. Plus, why Ronny absolutely refuses to reveal his actual birthday.

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Rosebud Baker?s first appearance on Working It Out was in 2021. Since then she?s become a writer on SNL, written for That Damn Michael Che, and become a parent. Now Rosebud returns to talk with Mike about how being a parent affects comedy, and they dispel certain attitudes about filming a comedy special while pregnant. Plus, the art of pitching ideas for different types of sketch shows, and why Rosebud?s daughter has to call her grandfather ?Mr. Baker.?

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John Early, recently nominated for an Emmy and a Critics Choice Award, sits down with Mike for the first time since the two of them appeared as brothers in Taylor Swift?s, ?Anti-Hero? music video. The two discuss avant-garde comedy, Brittany Spears impressions, and what it means to express earnest despair in John?s new Max special, ?Now More Than Ever.? Plus, the time John ran away after coming out to his best friend.

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We?ve created an episode for all of you making long car trips or taking long jogs or stretching out on your long beloved couch. It?s our best moments of 2023 episode! It includes Ray Romano?s take on marriage, a joke from Ramy Youssef?s funniest uncle, Rachel Feinstein?s pitch perfect impression of her husband, and deep confessional moments about Mike?s friendships with Tom Papa and Gary Gulman. Plus, Ira Glass?s diagnosis to not just work out Mike?s jokes but to work out Mike?s life.

Mike welcomes back to the podcast comedian Beth Stelling, whose Netflix special If You Didn?t Want Me Then is on seemingly everyone?s best of year lists, including Mike?s. Mike and Beth discuss touring together, Beth?s desire to be authentic on stage, and Beth?s dad feeding raccoons out of a trough. Plus, they explore the parallels between stand-up comedy and Beth?s new venture: professional field hockey.

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Jimmy Carr is one of the most successful comedians in the entire world. On the heels of playing Carnegie Hall and heading out to hundreds of concert dates across many continents, Jimmy Carr returns for another episode of Working it Out. Jimmy and Mike discuss the benefits and pitfalls of dark humor, what Jimmy discovered from several public cancellations, and why sometimes the goal is simply to get better than you were last year. Plus, what ever happened to ordering just a slice of pizza?

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Mike welcomes back three-peat guest Joe Birbiglia to celebrate the premiere of Mike?s new Netflix comedy special The Old Man and the Pool. Mike and Joe discuss the four year development of the show, share memories about the Worcester, Massachusetts YMCA pool, and share the funniest jokes that didn?t make it into the special. *Should* they have made it into the special? Joe thinks so. You be the judge. Plus, Mike answers listeners? questions about the special.

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Mike?s new special, ?The Old Man & The Pool? is finally on Netflix and he brings on an all-timer to celebrate. Pete Holmes returns for a third Working it Out, and he and Mike roast each other as hard as only old friends can. Mike and Pete discuss Pete?s new Netflix special ?I Am Not For Everyone,? the problem with Micheal Jackson?s nickname ?Wacko Jacko,? and what secrets Pete has in store for his next hour of comedy. Plus, Pete literally won?t stop doing impressions: Bill Burr, Jerry Seinfeld, John Mulaney, and of course, Mike.

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Jo Firestone joins Mike for her second appearance on Working it Out. In addition to just being named the head writer of the newest late night show on network TV, Jo just published a comedic murder mystery called ?Murder on Sex Island? and proclaims she is *nothing* like the book?s protagonist even though the similarities are striking. Jo also explains why there?s so much dust in her purse, and posits that the scariest part of haunted houses aren?t actually the jump scares, but rather the promise of nudity.

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On the heels of the release of his new special ?Domestic Shorthair,? Todd Barry sits down with Mike this week for a conversation about his 35 years in comedy. The two talk about whether or not Todd invented crowd work, if Bill Burr was right when he said Mike was ?doing? Todd when Mike was first starting out, and why Todd can never do another prom show. Plus, Todd reveals the problem he has with Mike?s cat, Mr. Moustache.

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