What Comedy Taught Me About My Cancer (& the other way around)

Rich Roll

Nov 10, 2025

Episode description

Tig Notaro is a comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer known for her deadpan delivery. We dig into her wild upbringing, the legendary 2012 cancer set, her napkin-based creative process, creativity without pushing, what's going on in the comedy scene, and more. READ MORE👉🏼http://bit.ly/richroll948
✌🏼🌱 - Rich

This Episode Is Brought To You By…
Roka: Unlock 20% OFF your order with code RICHROLL👉🏼https://bit.ly/ROKA2025
BetterHelp: Get 10% OFF the first month👉🏼https://bit.ly/betterhelp2025rrp
Squarespace: Use code RichRoll to save 10% off👉🏼https://bit.ly/squarespace2025
WHOOP: The all-new WHOOP 5.0 is here! Get your first month FREE👉🏼https://www.join.whoop.com/Roll

Check out all of the amazing discounts from our Sponsors 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/rrpsponsors

LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST
Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/rrpitunes
Spotify: http://bit.ly/rrpspotify
Google: http://bit.ly/rrpgooglepods

Meal Planner: http://meals.richroll.com
Voicing Change Book: http://richroll.com/vc
Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RichRollPodcastClips
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/rollcallemail

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:21 Rainstorm Arrival & Whole Foods Encounter
00:03:31 Work-Life Balance & Star Trek Filming
00:04:51 Podcasting & 'Handsome'
00:07:05 Public Perception & Online Authenticity
00:11:47 Career Choices & Family Priorities
00:20:31 Early Life, School Struggles & Family Background
00:24:17 Stepfather Relationship & Parental Acceptance
00:37:08 Sponsor Break
00:39:45 Loss, Illness, and Personal Transformation
00:52:22 Tig's Dedication to Eating Plant-Based
01:03:18 Sponsor Break
01:05:51 Vulnerability, Comedy, and the 2012 Largo Set
01:15:42 Largo’s Unique Culture
01:20:54 Mental Health and Challenges of Life
01:23:31 Writing Process & Creative Collaboration
01:48:02 Comedy Community & Industry Changes
01:53:21 Career Evolution & Trying New Things
02:00:26 Directing vs. Performing
02:02:57 Andrea Gibson Documentary
02:19:36 Spinal Fusion Surgery & Recovery
02:26:00 Endurance, Cycling, and Life Lessons
02:39:15 Documentary Release & Closing Remarks


CONNECT WITH RICH
✩ Website - http://richroll.com​
✩ Rich Roll Podcast - https://richroll.com/all-episodes/
✩ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richroll/
✩ Twitter - https://twitter.com/richroll
✩ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/richrollfans
✩ Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/14443?oq=rich
✩ Memoir: Finding Ultra - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/finding-ultra/
✩ Meals - http://meals.richroll.com​
✩ Cook - The Plantpower Way - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/the-plantpower-way-signed/
✩ Italian! - The Plantpower Way: Italia - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/the-plantpower-way-italia-signed/
✩ Support - https://www.patreon.com/richroll

Thanks To The Team: Jason Camiolo, Dan Drake, Morgan McRae, Blake Curtis, Desmond Loh

* * * * *

NEW TO RICH?
Hi I'm Rich Roll. I'm a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, author, podcaster, public speaker & wellness evangelist. But mainly I'm a dad of four. If you want to know more, visit my website or check out these two the NY Times articles:
http://bit.ly/otillonyt
http://bit.ly/vegansglam

I LOVE MAIL! SEND IT HERE:
2630 Conejo Spectrum St.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320

#richroll #richrollpodcast

Episode description

Tig Notaro is a comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer known for her deadpan delivery. We dig into her wild upbringing, the legendary 2012 cancer set, her napkin-based creative process, creativity without pushing, what's going on in the comedy scene, and more. READ MORE👉🏼http://bit.ly/richroll948
✌🏼🌱 - Rich

This Episode Is Brought To You By…
Roka: Unlock 20% OFF your order with code RICHROLL👉🏼https://bit.ly/ROKA2025
BetterHelp: Get 10% OFF the first month👉🏼https://bit.ly/betterhelp2025rrp
Squarespace: Use code RichRoll to save 10% off👉🏼https://bit.ly/squarespace2025
WHOOP: The all-new WHOOP 5.0 is here! Get your first month FREE👉🏼https://www.join.whoop.com/Roll

Check out all of the amazing discounts from our Sponsors 👉🏾 https://bit.ly/rrpsponsors

LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST
Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/rrpitunes
Spotify: http://bit.ly/rrpspotify
Google: http://bit.ly/rrpgooglepods

Meal Planner: http://meals.richroll.com
Voicing Change Book: http://richroll.com/vc
Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RichRollPodcastClips
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/rollcallemail

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:21 Rainstorm Arrival & Whole Foods Encounter
00:03:31 Work-Life Balance & Star Trek Filming
00:04:51 Podcasting & 'Handsome'
00:07:05 Public Perception & Online Authenticity
00:11:47 Career Choices & Family Priorities
00:20:31 Early Life, School Struggles & Family Background
00:24:17 Stepfather Relationship & Parental Acceptance
00:37:08 Sponsor Break
00:39:45 Loss, Illness, and Personal Transformation
00:52:22 Tig's Dedication to Eating Plant-Based
01:03:18 Sponsor Break
01:05:51 Vulnerability, Comedy, and the 2012 Largo Set
01:15:42 Largo’s Unique Culture
01:20:54 Mental Health and Challenges of Life
01:23:31 Writing Process & Creative Collaboration
01:48:02 Comedy Community & Industry Changes
01:53:21 Career Evolution & Trying New Things
02:00:26 Directing vs. Performing
02:02:57 Andrea Gibson Documentary
02:19:36 Spinal Fusion Surgery & Recovery
02:26:00 Endurance, Cycling, and Life Lessons
02:39:15 Documentary Release & Closing Remarks


CONNECT WITH RICH
✩ Website - http://richroll.com​
✩ Rich Roll Podcast - https://richroll.com/all-episodes/
✩ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richroll/
✩ Twitter - https://twitter.com/richroll
✩ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/richrollfans
✩ Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/14443?oq=rich
✩ Memoir: Finding Ultra - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/finding-ultra/
✩ Meals - http://meals.richroll.com​
✩ Cook - The Plantpower Way - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/the-plantpower-way-signed/
✩ Italian! - The Plantpower Way: Italia - https://www.richroll.com/shop/books/the-plantpower-way-italia-signed/
✩ Support - https://www.patreon.com/richroll

Thanks To The Team: Jason Camiolo, Dan Drake, Morgan McRae, Blake Curtis, Desmond Loh

* * * * *

NEW TO RICH?
Hi I'm Rich Roll. I'm a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, author, podcaster, public speaker & wellness evangelist. But mainly I'm a dad of four. If you want to know more, visit my website or check out these two the NY Times articles:
http://bit.ly/otillonyt
http://bit.ly/vegansglam

I LOVE MAIL! SEND IT HERE:
2630 Conejo Spectrum St.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320

#richroll #richrollpodcast

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Establish your 'North Star' to maintain a plant-based diet

To successfully maintain a specific diet like being plant-based, you must have a 'North Star'—a deep-seated reason like health or animal welfare—to keep you aligned.

Learn your child’s true identity instead of projecting expectations

A parent's responsibility is not to project their own life expectations, but to learn who their child truly is.

Embrace health crises to cultivate presence in life

A series of health crises can serve as a 'wake-up call' that forces you to understand the preciousness of health, life, and relationships, leading to a more present way of living.

Prevent C. Diff by managing antibiotic use

The intestinal disease C. Diff can be triggered when antibiotics for another illness, like pneumonia, clear out your gut bacteria, leaving the C. Diff superbug alone to thrive.

Complete plant-based nutrition certification for health insights

To better understand the health benefits she was feeling, Tig Notaro completed the rigorous plant-based nutrition certification from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.

Leverage endurance sports to enhance mental resilience

The mental fortitude gained from endurance sports, like cycling an eight-mile uphill climb without stopping, can directly translate into the resilience needed to push through major life challenges.

Tread water for spinal recovery and strength

After spinal fusion surgery, treading water for up to an hour was a self-prescribed, full-body exercise that helped strengthen the body without putting pressure on the spine.

Take action for true work-life balance

Achieving work-life balance required moving beyond just talking about it and taking concrete action, such as downgrading from a series regular to a recurring guest star to prioritize family time.

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