Pete Docter: The Inside Out of Pixar's Process

Comedian Jon Rudnitsky returns for another round of questions from listeners, this time about when to give up on a joke, what are the most underrated comedy towns in America, and a question from Meghan Trainor (yes, *the* Meghan Trainor). Mike and Jon talk about Jon’s upcoming special/tour documentary Special Boy, and they share stories from the gig in Nantucket they did together as a result of Jon’s last appearance on the podcast.Please consider donating to the Last Prisoner ProjectText BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updatesFind Mike:Website: https://birbigs.com/Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfansTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbigliaFind Jon:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonrudnitskyHosted and Produced by Mike BirbigliaProducers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary SimonsSound Mixed by Shubh SaranSupervising Engineer: Kate BilinskiVideo Consultant: Graham WilloughbySpecial Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, OonaMusic: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(Recorded June 2025) In 2012, Mike was invited his film Sleepwalk With Me at Pixar and he’s been friends with filmmaker Pete Docter ever since. Known for his directorial feats of greatness with Monsters, Inc., Up, Soul, and Inside Out, Pete Docter is now the Chief Creative Officer at Pixar. Pete walks Mike through the Pixar “draft” process for developing a story, and reveals the ups and downs of being a Pixar director. Pete shares stories of his time spent with Steve Jobs, George Lucas, and some of the original Disney animators. Plus, advice on giving (and receiving) creative notes, and the story of Pete’s Star Wars fan film he made when he was a kid.Please Consider Donating To: International Justice MissionText BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updatesFind Mike:Website: https://birbigs.com/Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfansTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbigliaHosted and Produced by Mike BirbigliaProducers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary SimonsSound Mixed by Shubh SaranSupervising Engineer: Kate BilinskiVideo Consultant: Graham WilloughbySpecial Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, OonaMusic: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Comedian Ariel Elias rose to prominence after a video of her chugging a beer that an angry heckler threw at her went viral. But the real story is more interesting, notably how Ariel drew on the incident for her act. Mike and Ariel talk about how to write jokes about upsetting experiences, and Ariel shares the highs and lows of her experiment writing one joke every day for a whole year. Please consider donating to God's Pantry Food BankText BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updatesFind Mike:Website: https://birbigs.com/Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfansTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbigliaFind Ariel:Website: https://www.arieleliascomedy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariel_comedy/Hosted and Produced by Mike BirbigliaProducers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary SimonsSound Mixed by Shubh SaranSupervising Engineer: Kate BilinskiVideo Consultant: Graham WilloughbySpecial Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, OonaMusic: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Comedian, podcaster, and actor Stavros Halkias is having a moment right now but he’s been doing stand-up since he was 19 years old. Stavros talks with Mike about starting out in Baltimore and hitting rock bottom healthwise just as his career was skyrocketing. Stavros discusses acting in Bugonia and this summer’s Tony, a film that reflected Mike’s own real life experience working in a Cape Cod restaurant. Plus, Mike and Stavros decide which accent is worse—Boston or Baltimore—and what Stavros means when he says he wants to go “Birbiglia mode.”Please consider donating to The Fund For Educational ExcellenceText BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updatesFind Mike:Website: https://birbigs.com/Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfansTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbigliaFind Stavros:Website: https://www.stavvy.bizInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stavvybaby2/Hosted and Produced by Mike BirbigliaProducers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary SimonsSound Mixed by Ben KruseSupervising Engineer: Kate BilinskiVideo Consultant: Graham WilloughbySpecial Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, OonaMusic: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike is joined by comedian and writer Emmy Blotnick, whose new special “What’s Her Secret?” hit YouTube this summer. Emmy, a former writer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, talks about getting more personal in her new special, discussing on stage her challenging relationship with her father, and her brother’s imprisonment for financial crimes. Emmy and Mike also dive deeper in Mike’s “hot people industry” jokes, as Emmy has many thoughts about Sephora. Plus, Emmy recalls a vital piece of advice Mike gave her about a bad show business deal.Please consider donating to 826NYCText BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updatesFind Mike:Website: https://birbigs.com/Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfansTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbigliaFind Emmy:Website: https://www.emmyblotnick.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmyblotnick/Hosted and Produced by Mike BirbigliaProducers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary SimonsSound Mixed by Ben KruseSupervising Engineer: Kate BilinskiVideo Consultant: Graham WilloughbySpecial Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, OonaMusic: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Mike presents a selection of some of the best bits of advice about creativity from some of his favorite episodes. Featuring:Lin-Manuel MirandaJenny SlateKC ShornimaJames AcasterIra GlassElizabeth GilbertJack AntonoffPete DocterBridget EverettJosh JohnsonStephen ColbertText BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updatesFind Mike:Website: https://birbigs.com/Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfansTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbigliaHosted and Produced by Mike BirbigliaProducers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary SimonsSound Mixed by Kate Bilinski, Shubh Saran, and Ben KruseSupervising Engineer: Kate BilinskiVideo Consultant: Graham WilloughbySpecial Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, OonaMusic: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Mike welcomes to the podcast comedian, and fellow Massachusetts native, Joe List. Joe talks about what it’s like to be married to and raise a chid with another working comedian, Sarah Tollemache, and Joe tells a story about how he worked through a panic attack moments before doing stand-up on Conan. Mike and Joe also discuss Joe’s documentary feature that he directed about a comic who dropped out of traditional show business to run a comedy club in Key West, Florida. Plus, they work out new jokes about the military history of M&Ms, strange childhood memories, and the worst thing you could say to a child. Please consider donating to the Holbrook Fire Department Text BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updates Find Mike: Website: https://birbigs.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfans TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbiglia Find Joe: Website: https://www.comedianjoelist.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joelistcomedy/ Hosted and Produced by Mike Birbiglia Producers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary Simons Sound Mixed by Shubh Saran Supervising Engineer: Kate Bilinski Video Consultant: Graham Willoughby Special Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, Oona Music: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(Recorded December 2025) Mike started this podcast so that one day Michael Che would come on. Today is that day. In this all-timer episode, Mike and Che work out tons of jokes and discuss the advice Lorne Michaels gave to Che that he’ll never forget, how Che went from designing and selling t-shirts on the street to being a stand-up comic, and what keeps him coming back to SNL. Plus, the time Che nearly did something to Colin Jost on air that he would really regret. Please consider donating to Food Bank For NYC Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week Ron Funches joins Mike on the podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about finding your comedic voice vs. faking it, Ron’s recent autism diagnosis, and Ron’s stint on the reality show, “Traitors.” Plus, Mike and Ron work out tons of new bits about remaking famous Black movies with all-white casts, death by chocolate, and the problem with a haircut Ron got in Budapest. Please consider donating to The Ed Asner Family Center Text BIRBIGS to 917-444-7150 for updates Find Mike: Website: https://birbigs.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/birbigs/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/birbigfans TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@mikebirbiglia Find Ron:  Website: https://ronfunches.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronfunches/ Hosted and Produced by Mike Birbiglia Producers: Peter Salomone, Joseph Birbiglia, Mabel Lewis, Gary Simons Sound Mixed by Ben Kruse Supervising Engineer: Kate Bilinski Video Consultant: Graham Willoughby Special Thanks: Marissa Hurwitz, Josh Upfal, David Raphael, Nina Cwik, J. Hope Stein, Oona Music: Jack Antonoff and Bleachers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, the hilarious Chloe Troast joins Mike to answer listener-submitted questions. The two discuss what to do when an improv scene goes off the rails, Chloe’s relationship to comedy after SNL, and how being around other talented people makes everyone better. Plus, Chloe shares the “truth “about the Please Don’t Destroy boys. See Chloe in Pepper Slit Live in Her Living Room Please consider donating to Jenni's Rescue Ranch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.