The Hilarious World of Depression

The acclaimed and very funny author Jenny Lawson is doing much better in 2026 than she was in our first interview in 2017. Back then, she wondered if she should be talking at all because her depression and anxiety were spiking, but she went ahead with it, offering an honest look at life inside the mind of someone in a deep struggle with their mental health. Because it’s Jenny Lawson, number one NYT best-selling author, that struggle is legit hilarious, tremendously moving, and actually heart-breaking. We hear from both current Jenny and past Jenny in this episode. She says she’s learned a lot about saying no to things when they could maybe benefit others but definitely harm her in the process. So often, life with a chronic mental health condition isn’t about getting rid of it, that’s not always an option, but it is about learning to manage it and manage yourself so a better life - and one with a lot of earned wisdom - is possible.

Oh! And! Please take TWO DANG MINUTES of your time to fill out our listener survey. It’s part of making the new version of The Hilarious World of Depression the best and most useful show we can make.

Actor, podcaster, and all-around nerd superhero Wil Wheaton has achieved something he never could reach throughout his storied career: peace and understanding. He has a grip on complex post-traumatic stress disorder, understands the effects of abuse he had received from his parents as a child star, and has cut them out of his life. That wasn’t the case when he first joined our show in 2017 and we hear that interview as well. He talks about loving acting but hating the professional experience of being an actor at a very early age, especially because it robbed him of a childhood. He was also miserable from the constant rejection of the industry. Today, in 2026, we make some connections between the pain he was in back then and the better life he has today. We explore how he looked to Hollywood for the comfort and support he never received and how, aside from a Star Trek cast full of truly wonderful friends, the industry couldn’t provide it. Wil has cut off contact from his mom and dad. And that’s worked out really well.

After six years, The Hilarious World of Depression is back and under new ownership. John Moe, host of the program during it's initial run, has acquired the show and steps back into the chair as host and owner. In this solo episode, John talks about the history of the show, why it isn't just any normal podcast, and why he decided to buy it. We'd love to hear from you with your thoughts or ideas or just if you want to say hi. hilariousworldpod@gmail.com.

It's tempting to try to look for a reason why Joel Kim Booster, ordinarily a very funny and engaging person, feels dead inside, trapped in a persistent depressive state. His father recently died of COVID. The two hadn't been very close (Joel's dad was a conservative Christian, Joel is a gay Hollywood star) but were beginning to reconnect. You could point to the pandemic, which left Joel in an apartment he doesn't like for extended periods.

But it's just as easy to point to things that aren't especially depressing about Joel's situation. He's got movie and TV deals, he's taping an hour-long Netflix special, he has recently fallen in love, and he's doing well enough that he's about to buy a house.

The truth is that any of those factors might influence Joel's mood and behavior but depression isn't simple enough to be routinely caused or prevented by one's fortune in the rest of life.

Depresh Mode host John Moe says this interview is the strongest representation of what depression is like that he's done in all his years of interviewing people on the subject.

Visit Joel Kim Booster's website at www.ihatejoelkim.com. For tour dates, visit his Linktree at linktr.ee/ihatejoelkim. Follow Joel Kim Booster on Twitter @ihatejoelkim and on Instagram @ihatejoelkim. Watch his Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents special here.

Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun.

Hey, remember, you're part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at depreshmode@maximumfun.org.

Help is available right away.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALK

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.

International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

The Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/

John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here. https://read.macmillan.com/lp/the-hilarious-world-of-depression/

Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.

John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

It’s easy for movies to get depression wrong, portraying a clinical disorder as equivalent to just being bummed out and, in the case of romantic comedies, curable with a magical kiss. People with actual depression know better and appreciate films that show the truth. In this episode, our listeners, the beloved THWoD-balls, give their picks, ranging from sci-fi to historical drama to comedy. We got moon men, bridesmaids, a couple of hobbits, and even a Babadook. Fill out your watch list!

You can order John's book on Amazon (http://www.amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (http://www.bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit https://makeitok.org/ to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

As co-founder and co-frontman for the band Barenaked Ladies, Steven Page belted out a lot of up-tempo pop hits. But if you look at the lyrics to songs like "One Week" or "Pinch Me," you can see a lot of darkness and that's an approach that has continued with his solo work. We hear about his bipolar diagnosis, his drug arrest, and his penchant for creating multi-layered music.

You can order John's book on Amazon (http://www.amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (http://www.bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit https://makeitok.org/ to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Monologist and comedian Mike Birbiglia has always had a mile-long dark streak. Even if he’s never been diagnosed with clinical depression, he’s recognized his own lack of capacity to feel joy and is constantly aware of a kind of existential dread that haunts him. But rather than shy away from all that, he picks at it. Mike fills us in on how he deals with that darkness and the inner meaning of a lot of his work.

You can order John's book on Amazon (http://www.amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (http://www.bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit https://makeitok.org/ to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

To celebrate the release of our book we are excited to offer you a sneak preview of the audio version, read by author and THWoD host John Moe. Hear how he started to unlock his own mental mysteries with the help of a productive relationship with a therapist, a lot of time with dogs, and some key decisions. The book is available on all platforms as of May 5, 2020. Check it out on Amazon (http://www.amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (http://www.bit.ly/IndieTHWoD).

Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit https://makeitok.org/ to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Standup comedian and writer Emmy Blotnick is a rising star in the comedy world. But along the path to success, she’s had to navigate a depression that manifested in some pretty unexpected ways, including culinary disasters involving pumpkin puree, kidney beans, and butternut squash soup. Thanks to some hard work, EMDR therapy, and more nutritious choices, she’s on the right track.

You can pre-order John's book on Amazon (http://www.amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (http://www.bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit https://makeitok.org/ to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Public radio and podcast audiences have been listening to Lulu Miller’s storytelling for years on Radiolab and on Invisibilia, a show she co-founded. Her work is generally about other people but on this episode, she shares her own story, which is by turns harrowing and triumphant. Lulu’s new book is “Why Fish Don’t Exist” (Link: https://bit.ly/2XNTnq4) and it’s about her history with depression, the scientific curiosity that helped get her back on track, and, yeah, why fish don’t exist.

You can pre-order John's book on Amazon (http://www.amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (http://www.bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit https://makeitok.org/ to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Some people don’t have short job titles. Dave Holmes is, among other things, a writer, MTV VJ (despite losing the contest that landed him the job), TV host, actor, and even a former advertising executive. He has dealt with anxiety, depression, and a thorny time coming out as a gay man. Just before our conversation, he received a new diagnosis of ADHD and suddenly a lot of things made a lot more sense.

You can pre-order John's book on Amazon (http://www.amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (http://www.bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit https://makeitok.org/ to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

During this long stretch of just staying home, we decided to reach out to some friends of THWoD, hear their voices, and find out how they're holding up. Writer Ana Marie Cox is drawing strength from her sobriety, actor John Ross Bowie is balancing work and fatherhood, and comedian Solomon Georgio has found a soothing new hobby of driving to the airport and then turning around and going home again.

You can pre-order John's book on Amazon (http://www.amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (http://www.bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit https://makeitok.org/ to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Having experienced therapy as a patient, a student, and an actual therapist, Lori Gottlieb has a lot of insight into what therapy is, what it isn't, and how to get the most out of it. We hear how she ended up in the profession after repeatedly putting a UPS guy in an uncomfortable spot and how, years later, she needed more therapy herself when her world fell out from under her.

You can pre-order John's book on Amazon (http://www.amzn.to/THWoDBook) or IndieBound (http://www.bit.ly/IndieTHWoD). Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit https://makeitok.org/ to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

She was one of the stars of NBC’s The Good Place, a tv and radio host in England, and she’s created a popular movement aimed at celebrating body positivity, all within the past few years. But Jameela Jamil has been through enough trauma, eating disorders, depression, and other calamities that she can’t feel much of anything. She’s working to change that.

You can pre-order John's book on Amazon or IndieBound. Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Visit https://makeitok.org/ to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Hi, it’s John, and I’m sending you this recording from my makeshift office about what’s going on for us THWoD-balls during COVID-19, and ideas about how to get through it as best we can.

You can pre-order John's book at http://bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook. Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting the word HOME to 741-741, or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

Theo Fleury hit the ice at age five. He was a hockey phenom at 14, a Stanley Cup champion at 20 and an Olympic gold medalist at 33. He was also keeping a terrible secret. As a teen, he was sexually assaulted by one of his coaches. Hockey became an escape, but it couldn’t fix everything; he faced addiction and suicidal thoughts. Today, Theo is sober, and he talks with host Chamique Holdsclaw about what it took to get there.

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

A special episode of our new sister program from the makers of THWoD. Tremendous Upside is a bit like THWoD, but instead of John Moe talking to artists, host and basketball icon Chamique Holdsclaw talks to big-name athletes about their struggles with mental illnesses. On the premiere episode, she interviews Metta World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest. He had a long and storied NBA career but is still best known for his involvement in a violent incident that spilled into the stands during a game. He grew up in Queensbridge, the largest housing project in the US. His home life was unstable and from an early age, he struggled with his anger. Hear how he turned things around with therapy, breathing, and meditation.

Subscribe to the podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

We are delighted to announce a brand new show coming your way from the THWoD team. Tremendous Upside is a series of interviews with athletes who have been at the top of their game and struggled with mental illness. In this mini-THWoD episode, John Moe talks with Tremendous Upside host Chamique Holdsclaw, winner of national championships, player of the year awards, and an Olympic gold medal. Hear how athletes like Metta World Peace, Briana Scurry, Suzy Favor Hamilton, Theo Fleury, and more open up to Chamique about the struggles off the field of play that don’t get talked about much at all. You can check out the Tremendous Upside trailer and subscribe here.

It's helpful to know that depression lies to you, that it presents the world in a way that is false just to mess you up. It's even more helpful to know exactly what whoppers it tries to pull off. We enlisted our team of world-class investigative reporters, aka our listeners, aka The THWoD-balls, to blow the lid off lies about love, hard work, ignorance, staying alive, and even cookies. We can't stop you from lying, depression, but we can know a lie when we hear it. Also, hey, we have new stuff available for donors! Act now to get your very own THWoD pill-shaped stress ball. It's pill-shaped but not pill-sized because that would be ridiculous.

Visit http://www.hilariousworld.org/donate to see all our available thank you gifts.

You can pre-order John's book at http://bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook. Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod.

Check out our sponsors this week:

DoorDash - Download the app and use promo code WORLD

Native - http://nativedeodorant.com/ with code WORLD

Calm - http://calm.com/WORLD

Stitch Fix - http://stitchfix.com/hilarious

Quip Oral Care - http://getquip.com/HILARIOUS

Bark Box - http://barkbox.com/WORLD

Run-DMC was about as successful as recording artists could be. Packed concerts, multi-platinum selling albums, MTV, fame, fortune, the whole thing. But Darryl McDaniels, the DMC of the group's name, was a mess. He was drinking, using drugs, and not dealing with mental health issues that he thinks had plagued him since birth. With the help of some tough love therapy in a rehab facility he was able to face his problems and get to the bottom of what was really going on. Hear about his introverted childhood, his meteoric rise, and how he chose to listen to one song for a year instead of killing himself.

You can pre-order John's book at http://bit.ly/HilariousWorldBook. Follow us on Twitter: @THWofD. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/thwod. Support our show today: http://hilariousworld.org/donate

Check out our sponsors this week:

DoorDash - Download the app and use promo code WORLD

Native - http://nativedeodorant.com/ with code WORLD

Calm - http://calm.com/WORLD

Stitch Fix - http://stitchfix.com/hilarious

Quip Oral Care - http://getquip.com/HILARIOUS

Bark Box - http://barkbox.com/WORLD