Marc Maron opens up in heartbreaking podcast about the sudden death of partner Lynn Shelton

In a gut-wrenching new episode of his podcast WTF, comedian Marc Maron reflected on the death of his partner, the beloved director Lynn Shelton.

Shelton, known for directing films like Humpday and Your Sister's Sister as well as episodes of shows from Mad Men to GLOW, died suddenly over the weekend from a blood disorder at 54. Maron opened up on Monday about the shocking loss that left the film and television community reeling.

"I loved her," Maron said. "I loved her a lot. And she loved me, and I knew that. And I don't know that I'd ever felt what I felt with her before. I do know, actually, I did not. I have not."

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Maron said that he and Shelton both thought she had strep throat and that she made an appointment to see a doctor after her fever wouldn't go down; she had tested negative for COVID-19. Shelton collapsed in the middle of the night prior to the appointment and was rushed to the hospital, and although doctors "tried everything they could," she was taken off life support, Maron said.

"I've never felt grief like this, or this bad," Maron said. "Lynn Shelton was an amazing person, an amazing artist. Powerful woman, powerful, charismatic, joyful presence in the world, and she's gone. It's a horrendous loss for a lot of people."

Tributes poured in for the Little Fires Everywhere director over the weekend, from everyone from Reese Witherspoon to Mindy Kaling, and Maron said it's "really helping" that so many have reached out. The bulk of the podcast episode consisted of a conversation recorded between Maron and Shelton in 2015, when they first met; Maron reflected that after she left, he immediately called his producer to say, "There is an alternate reality where I'm with that person." Listen to the full, emotional episode here.