Patton Oswalt: ‘No Shame in the Medication Game’

Comedian shares mental health advice, how his comedy has changed with age

Linda Childers,

AARP

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Published June 05, 2024

Patton Oswalt against blue ombre background

AARP (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

Actor-comedian Patton Oswalt, 55, knows how to make people smile. He’s been a stand-up comedian for more than 35 years and is currently on a nationwide comedy tour. But Oswalt’s life hasn’t been all laughs. He lost his wife, author Michelle McNamara, suddenly in 2016, and he has shared publicly about his battles with depression. AARP spoke to Oswalt about how he’s dealing with grief, prioritizing his mental health and working to live life to the fullest.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You’re hosting a new game show. What made you want to do that? [The 1% Club is streaming on Prime Video and premiered June 3 on FOX.]

I was ambivalent at first. And then they sent me the first season of the BBC version [of the show] and I loved the format. I love that it’s more about logic and how you use your brain rather than just the dry facts that are stored up there. [Players answer a series of logic-based questions to ultimately see who can correctly answer a question that, statistically, only 1 percent of the population would be able to.] When we say anyone can win this game, anyone can win this game.

Patton Oswalt leaning against podium, group of people sitting behind him, the words The 1 percent club, will you make it to the 1 percent club are above him

Oswalt is hosting the game show "The 1% Club," which premiered June 3 on FOX and is also streaming on Prime Video.

Amazon MGM Studios

How do you think you’d fare as a contestant on The 1% Club?

I wouldn’t get beyond the six finalists. If there was a show called Useless Facts That in No Way Benefit You or Your Life, that’s the show I would excel at — that’s what my brain is full of. But common sense and logic? No, I’m completely at sea.

Did you watch game shows when you were growing up?

I enjoyed watching The Price Is Right and $20,000 Pyramid. I loved Family Feud with Richard Dawson. For me, that was the gold standard.

You’re currently on your “Effervescent” comedy tour. How has your comedy changed over the years?

My tour features a whole new hour of material. As you grow and experience different facets and angles of life, everything in your act is constantly going to change. If it doesn’t change, you’re definitely not growing as an artist. Being a dad in my 50s [Oswalt has a 15-year-old daughter, Alice, from his marriage with McNamara], being an author, everything I do in life affects my comedy.

You lost Michelle in 2016. What advice do you have for others who are grieving a loved one?

The most important thing is to deal with grief in your own way. Don’t compare your process with anyone else’s. If for a long time you merely just exist, don’t feel guilty. You’re doing what you need to do to survive. So, wake up in the morning, go to bed at night, try to live during the day and be OK with that rhythm for a while. You don’t have to immediately bounce back; you need to take care of yourself first.

You’ve also spoken publicly about dealing with depression. How do you prioritize your mental health? 

I try to take care of myself physically, because I think physical and mental health go hand in hand. I walk a lot, I get a lot of sleep and a lot of water. I meditate, I talk to a therapist and take medication. There’s no shame in the medication game.

What advice do you have for others who might be struggling with depression?

Deal with it in the way that works for you. Find a therapist that works with you and the specific medication that works for you. Don’t worry if the first thing out of the gate isn’t the thing that helps you. Sometimes you have to try different techniques to find the right one.

What do you enjoy doing when you have a day off from work?

I love having daddy-daughter time with my daughter, Alice. My wife, Meredith [Salenger], travels a lot, so Alice and I will go vinyl shopping or see a movie. Sometimes she’ll go on walks with me. I just enjoy hanging out with her and even playing taxi, taking her and her friends wherever they need to go.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t get too high on the highs and don’t get too low on the lows. Not to sound cliché, but this is a marathon, not a foot race. It’s got to be about doing stuff that you’re happy with.

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Linda Childers has written for a number of media outlets including Costco Connection, O, U.S. News and World Report, The Washington Post and Woman’s Day. She lives in California with her family and rescue dog.

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