When I found out that Marc Maron had a new stand-up comedy special coming to HBO, I made sure to add it to my watchlist and check it out as soon as humanly possible. Shortly after the special hit the 2025 TV schedule, I fired up my HBO Max subscription and prepared myself to take in the WTF Podcast host’s observations, complaints, and anecdotes from his wild and neurotic life. While the whole 70-minute Panicked routine was outstanding and some of the best comedy I’ve seen in a long time, there was one bit that hit me the hardest.
No, it wasn’t Maron’s critique of politics, celebrity, or relationships that got me. Instead, it was when the Stick star started sharing anecdotes about living with anxiety, or his “intrusive catastrophic thinking,” that both hit me like a ton of bricks and a warm pillow. Let me explain.
Marc Maron Opening Up His 'Intrusive Catastrophic Thinking' Was So Honest
Like a lot of movies that get honest about mental illness, no punches are pulled in Marc Maron: Panicked, even when the comedian/podcaster/actor is hitting himself in the face. As someone who has dealt with anxiety for much of his life, it was both hilarious and relatable watching Maron talk about his “intrusive catastrophic thinking” that never really seems to stop and allow him to take a break. One of my favorite lines from this bit follows:
If my brain rests for even three seconds, another part of my brain is like 'You Want Me To Open The Worry Folder? Got a big list here. Let's do it. What do you want to think about all day long?’
I know stand-up comedy has long been an avenue for people to open up about their problems, but the way Maron talked about that “worry folder” in his brain, and how his anxiety doesn’t give him a break, was just so damn raw!
I've Never Heard A Comedy Bit That Was So Relatable, Especially When He Started Talking About Anxiety And Depression
There are so many thoughtful movies about depression, and the same can be said for stand-up specials. Like so many others living with anxiety, I’ve long battled depression, but the way that Marc Maron talked about the two disorders in his Panicked special made me feel a little less alone when he said:
The weird thing about anxiety and depression is that I thought I was depressed in my life, but then I realized that if you're really anxious, eventually -- there's an arc to it -- your anxiety will exhaust you and your brain will be like ‘Let's just be sad.’ That's like the comfort zone at the arc of anxiety.
I don’t know, but seeing depression as your brain’s response to days, weeks, or months of living through anxiety attacks gives me a new perspective on life, and I have Maron to thank for that.
I'm Not Going To Lie, Hearing The Comedian Talk About Mental Health Was Incredibly Moving
I have been going to therapy for years, I’ve had honest conversations with friends and family about mental health, and I’ve read countless books trying to make sense of it all. That said, hearing a comedian like Marc Maron be open about the day-in and day-out battles with anxiety and depression was incredibly moving. Every personal and revealing story is followed by a punchline of some kind, but honestly, that’s my favorite way of handling serious topics. It’s important to find the humor in it. Otherwise, it’s so easy to get bogged down by it.
Also, I love the fact that Marc Maron: Panicked premiered on HBO the same day his The Bad Guys 2 (a kids film with a killer fart joke) landed on the 2025 movie schedule. Talk about great timing.
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