Marc Maron

This is an exercise in futility. No one can review Marc Maron better than he reviews himself — he's made a career out of it — and it's not mere minutes before his renowned introspection bleeds into the comedian and podcast host's Brisbane show. We begin steeped in the famed Maron self-deprecation as he takes a swipe at the 400-seat "conference room" venue with its recently removed podium. "We all know why we're in here," he says, referring to the gig's original plan for the 1500-seat main auditorium, stymied by slack sales. It's at once humble and wry, and a great way to begin building camaraderie with this roomful of discerning thinkers and misfits — "all the fans there are" in Brisbane. Ranting about a backhanded compliment he received in a review of the previous night's show in Melbourne, he checks himself — and, he bows, drawling in the third person about how the show's not going well, and wondering if there's anyone on the room who knows him from his days slogging through stand-up rather than from the recent and exploding WTF podcast. "I heard he's doing stand-up... I don't know if he'll be able to do it. We should be there to support him."

But the show is going well, and he can work the stage. No one here expects "a show" from Marc Maron. Fans of his stand-up know him for his intimate, personal stories. Fans of his podcast know him for his organically-flowing conversations and observations. That's precisely what's on offer tonight. Topics seemingly plucked from the air speak to traits of Maron's that have passed into comedy lore: he's the grouchy guy with the anger issues who adopts feral cats and hosts icons like Barack Obama and Louis CK in his garage. It's a glorious two hours of just watching one of the finest conversationalists in the world talk with an audience in which our part is gales of laughter. This reviewer is torn: may he return soon, and may the "show go well" once more, but maybe it'd be best if he didn't play the big room. It's selfish, but maybe it'd be best if we, the faithful, could keep this gem all to ourselves.