An aspiring comic finds himself without a home after he catches his wife in a compromising position; Pete attempts to find solace at a New York comedy club, where he befriends cynical comedy legend Artie Lange.

Pete wallows in his new reality, but Artie Lange snaps him out of it with an offer: In exchange for a ride to Albany, Pete can be Artie’s opening act. Pete meets co-headliner T.J. Miller and attempts to save Artie from breaking his sobriety by getting between him and the temptations of an ardent fan.

While staying at T.J. Miller’s place, Pete has the unsettling experience of witnessing a comic who can’t “turn it off.” Hearing from his wife, Jessica, Pete and T.J. travel upstate to her yard sale, where Pete unexpectedly teams up with Jess’ new boyfriend, Leif, to get back a prized possession. After Jess voices her true feelings to Pete, the sale comes to a dramatic end.

In an effort to get stage time, Pete spends the night handing out fliers for a comedy club; while on the streets of New York, Pete encounters disinterested locals, befriends up-and-coming comics, engages in a turf war and gets a pep talk.

When Pete's parents decide to come to New York for his mother's birthday, Pete begs Jess to come along and keep up the charade of their marriage; Pete faces a turning point.

Artie Lange invites Pete to be a guest on his podcast; Pete meets Sarah Silverman, who takes pity on him and invites him to stay with her and her collection of stray comedians; Pete is presented with a job opportunity.