About this episode
Tig Notaro is a comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer, and co-host of the podcast Handsome. This conversation explores Tig's legendary 2012 set—delivered days after her cancer diagnosis—and how loss became her greatest teacher. We discuss her wild upbringing, choosing presence over performance, the napkin-based writing process, what's going on in the comedy scene, and producing "Come See Me in the Good Light," the Sundance-winning doc about poet Andrea Gibson. Oh, and we bond over spinal fusion surgery recovery. Tig is great—and I really enjoyed our time together. Enjoy! Show notes + MORE Watch on YouTube Newsletter Sign-Up Today’s Sponsors: Squarespace: Use code RichRoll to save 10% off your first order of a website or domain👉🏼http://www.squarespace.com/RichRoll On: High-performance shoes & apparel crafted for comfort and style👉🏼https://www.on.com/richroll AG1: Get their best offer ever – Welcome Kit, D3+K2, Flavor Sampler, plus a FREE bonus gift ($126 in value!)https://www.drinkAG1.com/richroll BetterHelp: Get 10% OFF the first month👉🏼https://www.betterhelp.com/richroll Pique: Get up to 20% OFF plus a FREE rechargeable frother and glass beaker with your first subscription👉🏼https://www.piquelife.com/richroll WHOOP: The all-new WHOOP 5.0 is here! Get your first month FREE👉🏼https://www.join.whoop.com/Roll Roka: Unlock 20% OFF your order with code RICHROLL👉🏼https://www.ROKA.com/RICHROLL Check out all of the amazing discounts from our Sponsors👉🏼https://www.richroll.com/sponsors Find out more about Voicing Change Media at https://www.voicingchange.media and follow us @voicingchange
Listen to this episode in English to learn English
Podcast episodes are one of the highest-density ways to absorb English at native pace. Tig Notaro Is Treading Water from The Rich Roll Podcast gives you natural dialogue, unscripted speech, and vocabulary that actually appears in real conversations.
In the Clue app, every word in the transcript is tappable. Tap an unknown word, see the translation in your language instantly, and keep listening without breaking flow.
Episodes to Learn English
- Rachel Entrekin Runs On Joy: How She Won The Cocodona 250 Outright By Letting Go Of The Outcome Jun 15, 2026
- Touch Grass: Andrew Yang Returns To Talk Phone Addiction, AI's Cognitive Toll, & The Fight For Your Attention Jun 8, 2026
- ROLL ON: Enhanced Games Jun 4, 2026
- Paul Rosolie Met An Uncontacted Tribe & Is Trying To Protect Them: On Preserving The Amazon To Save All Life On Earth Jun 1, 2026
- How to Stop Sabotaging Your Own Life With Joe Hudson May 25, 2026
- Inside My 72-Hour Psychedelic Iboga Therapy With Julie Piatt May 21, 2026
- Smile, Or You're Doing It Wrong: Andy Glaze On Relentless Positivity, PTSD, & The Healing Power Of Movement May 18, 2026
- What's Going Right: Dr. Paul Conti On Self-Sabotage, Trauma & Why Being Hard On Yourself Is Slowing You Down May 11, 2026
- Pay Now, Love It Later: Why I Work Out at 4 AM & The Mindset That Wins The Long Game May 7, 2026
- David Epstein On Why Constraints Drive Creativity, The Myth Of Productive Freedom, & How Limits Make Us Better May 4, 2026
- What We're Still Getting Wrong About Women's Health & Fitness: Dr. Stacy Sims Live Apr 27, 2026
- ROLL ON: Stop Optimizing Your Life & Start Living It, Seeking Depth Over Algorithms, The Future of Podcasting, Artemis II, Media Diet & More Apr 23, 2026
- In Waves & War: Marcus & Amber Capone On Psychedelic Treatment For Veteran PTSD, Rebuilding Life After War & The Mission To Heal A Generation Apr 20, 2026
- Everything Is A Story: Journalist Nick Bilton Thinks AI Might End Humanity & How Stories Could Save Us Apr 13, 2026
- Rebuilding My Body & Starting Over After Spinal Fusion Surgery Apr 9, 2026
- The King of Moab: Ultrarunner Max Jolliffe On Winning Moab 240, Recovery From Heroin Addiction & Why Suffering Is His Greatest Teacher Apr 6, 2026
- Rich Speaks On Tiger Woods, Addiction & The Wounds That Fame Can't Heal Apr 2, 2026
- Arthur Brooks On The Crisis Of Meaning & How To Actually Find It Mar 30, 2026
- Decoding the New U.S. Dietary Guidelines with Simon Hill: What They Got Right, Wrong & Why It Matters Mar 26, 2026
- Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia & The Lifestyle Levers That Keep You Sharp with Neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood Mar 23, 2026
- Stanford Professors Bill Burnett & Dave Evans On How To Design A Meaningful Life Mar 16, 2026
- Sobriety, Relapse & Redemption: Rich Speaks On Shia Labeouf & What True Accountability Looks Like Mar 12, 2026
- Ken Rideout On Why Everything You Want Is On The Other Side Of Hard Mar 9, 2026
- The Handyman of High Art: Tom Sachs On Why Creativity Is The Enemy, Why Talent Is Overrated, & The Disciplines That Define A Life Mar 2, 2026
- Decoding Looksmaxxing: The Crisis Consuming Young Men & The Real Path To Self-Worth Feb 26, 2026
- Walk With Weight: Michael Easter On The Evolutionary Case For Rucking, Building Real Resilience & How To Stay Adventure-Ready For Life Feb 23, 2026
- From Death To Life: Dr. Dawn Mussallem On Surviving Cancer Twice, Running A Marathon Post Heart Transplant, & Why Mindset Matters More Than Medicine Feb 16, 2026
- AMA: Alex Pretti, Alex Honnold, Peter Attia, & Finding Hope In Dark Times Feb 12, 2026
- RRP LIVE: Alex Honnold On Climbing the Taipei 101 Skyscraper Feb 9, 2026
- The New Science Of Breath: James Nestor On Why Most People Are Breathing Wrong Feb 2, 2026