Don't Ask Tig

American Public Media

Need advice? Comedian Tig Notaro doesn’t have all the answers, but that won't stop her from fielding your questions on life's many challenges. With the help of her friends and the occasional expert, Tig gives her best inexpert guidance on everything from lost love to giving yourself a haircut with toddler scissors. We're warning you now: Don't Ask Tig. read less

Our Editor's Take

Don't Ask Tig is a podcast where listeners write in asking for help with everyday problems. It airs weekly, and every episode lasts about 45 minutes.

The host is comedian Tig Notaro. Notaro has had a long and distinguished career in standup comedy. She is best known for her 2012 album, Live which earned her a Grammy nomination. In Live, Notaro talked about her cancer diagnosis and subsequent journey. Her brand of humor is unique, blending quirkiness with a generosity of spirit. The Don't Ask Tig title indicates the self-deprecating sense of humor of this podcast.

Every week, Notaro invites a guest cohost to the podcast. Their chats revolve around the guest's latest projects, interests, and quirks. In one episode, she discusses terrible gifts with essayist David Sedaris. In another, she and Lucy Lawless (better known as Xena) compare experiences as lesbian icons. In yet another episode, Oscar Nuñez of The Office advises Notaro on office romances. The conversations between her and her guests don't feel like interviews. Rather, the listener feels like they're sitting on a cozy couch, having a chat between friends.

Notaro and her guest spend most of their time answering listeners' questions. What to do when the neighbors' lack of window shades results in witnessing intimacy? How does one prepare a vegan Thanksgiving dinner? Which place is better to live: Texas or the UK? Notaro's positive, sunny outlook infuses all her answers, which are always well-considered. Don't Ask Tig, like its namesake, focuses on mental health, self-care, and personal growth. Notaro's genuine kindness comes through with every episode.

Listeners looking for a lighthearted, uplifting listen may appreciate the show. The podcast is a great companion for doing chores or running errands.

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ComedyComedy

Start Here

[encore] Stephanie Allynne

[encore] Stephanie Allynne

This episode originally aired April 19, 2023.This Don’t Ask Tig episode is a first — the first time a guest returns and it’s none other than actor and comedian Stephanie Allynne — Tig’s wife! Stephanie and Tig share hilarious moments from their visits to Tig’s hometown in Mississippi — all centered around a cemetery. The couple gives advice to a listener who wonders if a person can have too many cats, help a woman pick out a hairstyle to change her life and give a fan some zinger retorts to people who mistake her partner for a man. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy), Rakuten (go to rakuten.com to download the app for free), and Indeed (go to indeed.com/TIG to start hiring now).Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

Episodes

[encore] Stephanie Allynne

[encore] Stephanie Allynne

This episode originally aired April 19, 2023.This Don’t Ask Tig episode is a first — the first time a guest returns and it’s none other than actor and comedian Stephanie Allynne — Tig’s wife! Stephanie and Tig share hilarious moments from their visits to Tig’s hometown in Mississippi — all centered around a cemetery. The couple gives advice to a listener who wonders if a person can have too many cats, help a woman pick out a hairstyle to change her life and give a fan some zinger retorts to people who mistake her partner for a man. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy), Rakuten (go to rakuten.com to download the app for free), and Indeed (go to indeed.com/TIG to start hiring now).Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

[encore] Phoebe Bridgers

[encore] Phoebe Bridgers

This episode originally aired April 20, 2022.Indie pop rock sensation and Grammy nominee Phoebe Bridgers talks about life as the child of a standup comedian, the origins of her ghoul-inspired style and the worst advice she recently gave a friend. Then Phoebe and Tig help a listener who feels guilty about a past romantic affair and counsel a father who doesn’t like to punish his young daughter who can’t seem to stop misbehaving.This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy), Netsuite (go to Netsuite.com/TIG for a one-of-a-kind financing offer), Zocdoc (go to Zocdoc.com/TIG to download the app for free), and Wealthfront (go to Wealthfront.com/TIG to get $5,000 managed for free when opening an investment account). Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

[encore] Nicole Byer

[encore] Nicole Byer

This episode originally aired August 12, 2020.Emmy nominee Nicole Byer thinks you should get a hobby! Nicole and Tig dispense advice on how to make friends as an adult and whether you should take that big risk you’ve been dreaming about. Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @DontAskTig.

[encore] Sanjay Gupta

[encore] Sanjay Gupta

This episode originally aired September 22, 2021.This is your chance to hear advice on careers, love and COVID from one of America's best-known doctors, Sanjay Gupta! Dr. Gupta is not only an Emmy-award winning CNN medical correspondent, he's also a neurosurgeon and was once listed on People Magazine's sexiest people alive. So, it's safe to say, he's overqualified to join Tig as they offer guidance to a high school student on how to break it to her mother that she wants to be a TV journalist instead of a doctor. They also help a listener decide whether to stay in their marriage or pursue a crush. And he and Tig discuss the pros and cons about being considered a sex symbol.OUR SPONSORS:Betterhelp - betterhelp.com/tig Wealthfront - wealthfront.com/tigNutrafol - nutrafol.com and use code “TIG”Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

[encore] Kristen Bell

[encore] Kristen Bell

This episode originally aired October 12, 2022.Tig is back! She kicks off season 3 with one of her BFFs, actress Kristen Bell, acclaimed for so many roles on TV (The Good Place, Veronica Mars and more) and in movies (Anna in Frozen, Forgetting Sarah Marshall). Kristen talks about road-tripping with her famous actor/podcast host husband, Dax Shepard, and their kids. Tig and Kristen also offer some hilarious advice about neighborhood party invitations, dealing with jealous wives and how to get a colleague to stop playing the song “Let It Go.”This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy), Shopify (go to Shopify.com/TIG for a free trial), Rocket Money (Go to RocketMoney.com/tig and start canceling unwanted subscriptions today), and WealthFront (go to WealthFront.com/TIG to get your first $5,000 managed for free).Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

[encore] Ron Funches

[encore] Ron Funches

This episode originally aired Oct 13, 2021.Need some insider tourist tips about where to visit on a trip to L.A.? Tig and actor/comedian Ron Funches have some off-the-beaten-path ideas you won't find in any guidebooks. Ron, the voice behind Cooper on the animated hit Trolls and on Bob’s Burgers and Adventure Time, also talks about his online dating experiences, why Lucille Ball is his inspiration and he and Tig offer advice to a jokester whose friends are offended by his humor.This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month) and Indeed (go to Indeed.com/tig for a $75 sponsored job credit). Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

[encore] Lucy Lawless

[encore] Lucy Lawless

This episode originally aired Feb 2, 2022.Kiwi actor and singer Lucy Lawless stars in Acorn TV's My Life Is Murder and is beloved as Xena: Warrior Princess from the 90's TV series and more. She and Tig reminisce about their history that goes way back and their shared experience as lesbian icons. They give advice to a mom annoyed by her daughter's cell phone addiction and counsel a woman on how to fend off a family of huggers.This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy), and EthosLife.com. Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

[encore] Jameela Jamil

[encore] Jameela Jamil

Jameela Jamil has the advice you need in the new year, whether you’re facing your nemesis or your own insecurities. Jameela and Tig talk bad kissers, loud roommates, and how to stand up for yourself in all situations.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp Online Counseling (betterhelp.com/Tig) and by Sakara (sakara.com/DontAsk).Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @DontAskTig.

[encore] Conan O'Brien

[encore] Conan O'Brien

Tig's old pal, the one and only Conan O'Brien, discusses the people he turns to for advice and why the storied prankster himself doesn't actually like pranks. The legendary late-night host helps Tig counsel a grandmother magician on how to handle six-year-old hecklers, criticizes an overzealous office whistleblower and reflects on advice he's given to college graduates in commencement speeches he delivered over the past two decades. This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy), Indeed (go to Indeed.com/TIG for a $75 sponsored job credit), Headspace (go to headspace.com/TIG for one month of free access to their entire mindfulness library), Ethos (go to Ethoslife.com – to get your free personalized quote today) and Netsuite (go to Netsuite.com/TIG for a one-of-a-kind financing offer). Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

[encore] Aparna Nancherla

[encore] Aparna Nancherla

The delightful and hilarious actor Aparna Nancherla reunites with her good friend Tig on Zoom. Who can forget Aparna from shows like Netflix's BoJack Horseman, Comedy Central's Corporate, and Fox's The Great North? In this episode, Tig and Aparna talk about how the pandemic has us all dropping longtime friends, but maybe not forever. Aparna asks for Tig's advice on the daunting task of writing her first book. Together they give guidance to a woman who wants to give her partner the best Christmas ever before he deploys for military service and try to help a son whose senior-citizen mom keeps falling for online dating scammers. This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month) and Sakara (go to sakara.com/dontask for 20% off your first order).Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

[encore] Gary Gulman

[encore] Gary Gulman

This episode was originally broadcast on December 8, 2021.Standup comedian Gary Gulman has been in the comedy biz for over 20 years. He’s a regular on the late night circuit and has his own HBO special called “The Great Depresh.” In this episode of Don't Ask Tig, Tig and Gary break down some myths surrounding the relationship between comedians and depression. Gary offers a strategy for battling procrastination that he derives from a Jewish tradition, and shares what his college therapist taught him about understanding the opposite sex. He and Tig help a college athlete struggling to maintain good grades and they advise a concerned mom whose young child is bullied by her friend’s daughter.This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy) and Indeed (go to Indeed.com/TIG for a $75 sponsored job credit).Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

[encore] Taylor Dayne

[encore] Taylor Dayne

This episode was originally broadcast on November 3, 2021.Who better to be Tig's guest on her 50th episode than actress Taylor Dayne — one of her favorite singers — with the real story behind how their fun and serendipitous friendship got started. Taylor also reveals her reaction to being the subject of one of Tig's popular standup stories. Together they share parenting advice, offer guidance on how to not get nervous if you're invited to sing at a best friend's wedding. And together they help a caller decide if she should contact the biological father she never knew, but has discovered on an ancestry website.This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy) and Sakara (go to Sakara.com/dontask for 20% off your first order).Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

[encore] Samantha Bee

[encore] Samantha Bee

This episode was originally broadcast on September 15, 2021.No one speaks their mind quite like comedian and TV host Samantha Bee, and this time she's upfront and personal with Tig. Together they advise a listener on how to snap out of a crush on their therapist and tackle the tough issue of figuring out if someone actually likes you or is just being polite. Then Tig and Samantha bond over how and when they each had that "birds and bees talk" with their own kids and also how they personally cope with grieving a lost loved one. This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp Online Counseling (betterhelp.com/tig) and Indeed (indeed.com/tig). Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact

[encore] Deon Cole

[encore] Deon Cole

This episode was originally broadcast on February 16, 2022Actor and comedian Deon Cole, a regular on Black-ish and Grown-ish, stops by Don't Ask Tig to talk privacy, positivity and how to be uniquely yourself. He and Tig give advice to a mom who can't get her smelly teenager to shower, and they can't stop laughing about Dear Abby's suggestions to a newlywed husband who's bothered that his wife sleeps, eats and even cooks in the nude! This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy), Shopify (go to Shopify.com/TIG for a free 14 day trial and full access to Shopify’s suite of features), and Zocdoc (go to Zocdoc.com/TIG to download the app for free).Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Everybody knows actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus for her iconic roles as Elaine in “Seinfeld” and Vice President Selina Meyer in “Veep.” In this Season 3 finale of Don’t Ask Tig, Julia talks about her childhood dreams of acting and what she’s learning from guests on her new Lemonada Media podcast “Wiser Than Me” (link.chtbl.com/wiserthanmepodcast). Tig and Julia can’t stop laughing over their advice to a woman who needs help getting sexy with her husband, what to do about a mom with a raunchy sense of humor and a listener who has a crush on her boss’s boss.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy), Greenlight (go to greenlight.com/million to get $10 when you sign up today for a Greenlight account) and Indeed (visit indeed.com/TIG for a $75 sponsored job credit).Don't Ask Tig is supported by listeners like you. Donate today: https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/dontasktig-podcastNeed advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

Fortune Feimster & Mae Martin LIVE

Fortune Feimster & Mae Martin LIVE

Taken from a special live event, Tig is joined by her good friends, comedians Fortune Feimster and Mae Martin, in this hilarious episode of Don’t Ask Tig. The trio give advice on talking to eight-year-olds, understanding the North Carolina accent, gay dating for the first time, and deciding when it’s the right time to move in with someone. Fortune Feimster’s credits include the hit Netflix show “FUBAR” and “The Mindy Project,” “Chelsea Lately,” NBC’s “Kenan,” and “Champions.” Mae Martin is the star of their own award-winning Netflix series “Feel Good,” and the Netflix special, “SAP,” as well as HBO’s “The Flight Attendant.”This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy) and Indeed (visit indeed.com/TIG for a $75 sponsored job credit).Don't Ask Tig is supported by listeners like you. Donate today: https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/dontasktig-podcast Need advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

Bob & Erin Odenkirk

Bob & Erin Odenkirk

Tig’s guests are actor Bob Odenkirk, star of “Better Call Saul,” and his daughter, artist and illustrator Erin Odenkirk. The duo talk about what inspired them to write their new children’s book, “Zilot & Other Important Rhymes.” Bob opens up about how difficult it was for him starting out in comedy and the lessons that taught him. Then the three advise a mother who is concerned about her eight-year-old using sarcasm in school, and assign penance to a listener who confessed to stealing a tomatillo plant from a neighbor’s garden.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy), Greenlight (go to greenlight.com/million to get $10 when you sign up today for a Greenlight account) and Indeed (visit indeed.com/TIG for a $75 sponsored job credit).Good, bad, or questionable… keep the advice going with a gift to Don’t Ask Tig: https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/dontasktig-podcastNeed advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

Comedian, writer, producer, and actor Sabrina Jalees stars in the CBS TV show “Carol’s Second Act,” Netflix’s “The Comedy Lineup,” and hosts the hit Canadian dating show “Farming for Love.” Sabrina talks about how to be a great wingman or wingwoman, shares surefire tips with listeners looking for love, and how she finds affordable first-class travel. Tig and Sabrina help a listener debating whether to tell a friend that her hair looks awful, and advise a woman worried that her twin sister resents her romantic partner.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (go to Betterhelp.com/TIG for 10% off the first month of online therapy) and Indeed (visit indeed.com/TIG for a $75 sponsored job credit).Generous listeners make Don't Ask Tig possible. Donate today to support the show: https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/dontasktig-podcastNeed advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.

Listen Now: Tiny Huge Decisions

Listen Now: Tiny Huge Decisions

Tig is off this week but will be back with a new episode next Wednesday. In the meantime, we’re excited to share “Tiny Huge Decisions” – a new podcast from APM Studios and Chalk and Blade about two best friends, Mohsin and Dalia, as they make a life-changing decision: will she be the gestational surrogate for Mohsin and his husband? It’s emotional, intimate, and more than a little complicated. Listen to the first episode now and find “Tiny Huge Decisions” wherever you get your podcasts!

Actor, Emmy and Peabody award winning writer, creator, and producer Jessi Klein is this week’s guest. She voices Jessi in “Big Mouth” and has written for shows like “Dead to Me” and “Transparent.” Tig and Jessi’s conversation takes a surprising turn as they talk about swooning over big strong men and the worst advice they’ve ever gotten and given. Together they counsel a woman with writer’s block and suggest how to help kids approach big life transitions. OUR SPONSORS:BetterHelp - betterhelp.com/tig Indeed - indeed.com/tigRakuten - rakuten.comSimple Green - simplegreen.comDonate to Don't Ask Tig today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift: https://support.americanpublicmedia.org/dontasktig-podcastNeed advice? Submit your question for Tig at dontasktig.org/contact.