Attention all WTFers, WTF buddies, WTFineers, WTFniks, and WTFericans. Soon, you'll be able to buy a two-disc compilation documenting the first 100 episodes of of Marc Maron's groundbreaking podcast. AST Records will release the 2-CD set, which will include all of the early episodes of "WTF with Marc Maron" as well as a video of Maron doing a live podcast taping.
But those who want to keep their Cat Ranch broadcasts for posterity will need to act quickly. Only 1,000 copies of the die-cast packaged box set will be released, and the limited edition release is sure to become a collector's item. Pre-orders will begin April 17 and the set will officially go on sale April 24. The set costs fifty bucks, and can be ordered on AST Records' website.
The first 100 episodes of the biweekly WTF, spanning from September 2009 to August 2010, include a number of the comedian interviews that made an impression with listeners thanks to Maron's salty, neurotic interviewing style. Conversations with notables such as Ben Stiller, Zach Galifianakis, Patton Oswalt, Robin Williams, Sarah Silverman and more are included, as well as now-infamous, no-holds-barred interviews with Dane Cook and Carlos Mencia.
The video included is a live version from a Fall 2011 show taped at the Bell House in Brooklyn, and includes interviews with Ira Glass, Morgan Spurlock, Joe Mande, Nick DiPaolo, Artie Lange, Elna Baker, Nick Griffin and Wayne Koestenbaum.
Longtime listeners of the show will also be reminded that Maron used to regularly feature comedy bits on "WTF" alongside straight interviews (remember the chat with the "lost" member of The State that accompanied the David Wain interview?), which eventually disappeared from the show. That's understandable, as the veteran comic has a lot less free time these days -- he's preparing to release a book as well as star in an IFC show based on his life, tentatively entitled "Maron."
Independent label AST Records has made a name for itself releasing comedy albums from mostly L.A. based, so-called "alternative" comics such as Doug Benson, Paul F. Tompkins, Jen Kirkman and Kyle Kinane. The "WTF" release will be their second podcast compilation, after the best-of "Never Not Funny" album from 2007. The label was co-founded by Matt Belknap, who also started the influential "comedy nerd" message board Aspecialthing.com.
Maron also released a CD of his stand-up last fall, entitled "This Has To Be Funny." HuffPost Comedy named it one of our favorite comedy albums of the year.