Marc Maron has disclosed that he paid $50,000 to include a Taylor Swift song in his upcoming HBO comedy special. The 61-year-old comedian detailed this during a recent interview, revealing the challenges involved in licensing the Grammy-winning artist’s track Bigger Than the Whole Sky for his show Marc Maron: Panicked.
How Maron Navigated Music Licensing for His Special
During the July 25 episode of Vulture’s Good One podcast, Marc explained how he contacted Jack Antonoff, the co-writer of the song, to discuss the licensing process.
“I know Jack Antonoff enough to text him — and he’s the co-writer on that song,”
Marc shared.
“I said, ‘I don’t know what’s proper or how to do this, but we’re running out of money on this thing. It’s probably going to come out of my pocket. Is there anything you can do about this song or talk to Taylor?’”
Following Jack’s advice, Marc went through official music licensing channels, which ultimately led to the $50,000 fee for using one minute of the song.
Reflecting on the cost, Maron said the price was steep but manageable.
“I would have gone over the minute, [but] it would have been more money.”
The Importance of Permission from Taylor Swift
Obtaining Swift’s approval was crucial for Maron, who emphasized that not having the rights would have affected his performance material.
“It had to happen. The real fear [was], like, [if] she doesn’t let you use it, and then what do you do? You can’t do the bit on the special,”
he noted, though he did not disclose the specific segment tied to the song.
Special Premiere and Related Taylor Swift Licensing Story
Marc Maron: Panicked is scheduled to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on August 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. The special’s licensing story joins other recent Taylor Swift music moments in media, such as Elisabeth Moss’s account of how she secured permission for Swift’s Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor’s Version) to debut within The Handmaid’s Tale.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Marc Maron still sober?
A. Maron has shared his experiences with alcohol and drug abuse during the 1990s in his performances and on his podcast. He has been sober since August 9, 1999. However, he has also faced challenges with an eating disorder that began in his childhood.
