Liberal comic details why he’s retiring popular podcast, says format has acquired ‘cultural malignancy’
Stand-up comedian and podcast host Marc Maron told CNN on Thursday why he’s retiring his popular podcast.
Maron, an outspoken liberal and host of the "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast, told CNN anchors John Berman and Kate Bolduan that he’s just over the medium and noted that the podcast space has become oversaturated and has a negative edge to it.
"I don’t want to chase the cultural conversation through clickbait and garbage. You know, I don’t want to be tethered," Maron said.
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"And now you’re getting out just when everyone’s 100% convinced that podcasts are deciding American elections and the future of mankind. Right? So why get out just when everyone catches up to you?" Berman asked.
Maron, who announced he was retiring his podcast in June after 16 years, told the anchor that he never intended for the show to be about politics, and felt that it had run its course.
"And we really chose not to do politics and just do kind of profiles and sort of candid conversation," he said, describing how he originally set up the show. "And we were audio, and we remained audio because we believe that‘s the most intimate, you know, form."
He continued, noting that he’s satisfied with how much content the show has produced and that he wants to get out with so many other podcasters competing on the scene.
"And also, if we stop and at this point, you know, we have a body of work that stands on its own. And in terms of, yeah, podcasts being the new medium, that means there‘s 10,000 podcasts. Everyone’s doing one, and it’s just, the environment is a little cluttered and oversaturated."
"We did what we set out to do. It was never really about money. It was about creating a unique and interesting show. And there‘s no reason to keep plugging along just because you can," Maron added.
Bolduan followed up by asking what he thinks about podcasting today. Maron replied by saying it has allowed many podcasters to set up their own "little showbusiness empires" and has given people freedom to use them for "evil."
"So, I mean, like any medium, it can be used for bad or evil," he said. "So, I mean, you know, what are you going to do? But it is the way the media landscape is working."
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Maron added, "Look, there‘s a sort of cultural malignancy to it in some ways and – but in some areas people are doing really interesting stuff."
Though Maron didn’t specify what this "cultural malignancy" is, in the past he has called out podcasters who have supported right-wing causes and President Donald Trump.
Three days after podcast host Joe Rogan had Trump on his show just ahead of the 2024 election, Maron shared a blog post in which he wrote, "Popular podcasts became tribal and divisive years ago. Now they may be in the position to become part of the media oligarchy under the new anti-democratic government."
Representatives for Marc Maron did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's request for comment.