In 1943, psychologist Abraham Maslow revolutionized developmental psychology when he came up with the notion, Hierarchy of Needs. It was a simple theory, but not simplistic. Maslow broke down how humans must first fulfill basic physiological needs, like hunger, before progressing towards safety, and eventually self-actualization. Seth Godin shares Maslow's gift for breaking down human psychology, only his focus is on business. Godin is an entrepreneur, speaker, and author whose best selling book...
Mar 12, 2014•21 min
One of Nellie McKay's many gifts is that her subtle, smart writing is on par with her supple range as a singer and a musician. The result is that she can go high and low, be it in what she sings and how she does so. Just out of school, McKay quickly earned a cult following with her 1st album Get Away From Me. Since then, she dropped four more delightful albums in the span of just six years. She also appeared on Broadway in Three Penny Opera and wrote scores for film and television. McKay has als...
Feb 22, 2014•20 min
After a stint in interior decorating, Daryl Roth decided to change her career and, in doing so, changed theater. Roth became a theater producer when she was 40 years young and quickly became known as a tour-de-force in the theater world. What sets Roth apart is an unusual gift for picking original, riveting and meaningful productions that are ultimately accessible to audiences of all shapes, colors and sizes. As a producer, she does everything from securing financing to reading scripts, casting,...
Feb 22, 2014•15 min
A music composer, Jad Abumrad began freelancing in radio when film scoring wasn't scoring high on either the personal fulfillment or financial fronts. NY's flagship public radio station WNYC saw Jad's potential and enabled him to spend a couple years quietly building a radio show to pose philosophical questions about science and its practical applications (and impractical ones). Robert Krulwich came on as a co-host. NPR entered into a joint partnership. With the resources and time, these great m...
Feb 19, 2014•19 min
Only a playwright would think stand up is a stable career choice. In Lewis Black's case stand up is what pays the bills. Most folks recognize Lewis from The Daily Show's Back in Black segments. When The Daily Show began in 1996, they hired Lewis and he's been there since. The regular TV exposure put him on the map. And when the Hollywood called, he was more than ready. Since 2000, Black has recorded over 10 specials, written 3 best selling books and won two Grammy Awards. Oh, and he still writes...
Feb 10, 2014•33 min
The most famous drummers are known, at least to lay people, for their personas and off stage antics as much as their instrumentation, take Keith Moon, John Bonham or Animal (The Muppet). Whereas drummer Homer Steinweiss is best known for his technical precision and soulful beats. Whether in the studio with Mark Ronson or the late great Amy Winehouse or on stage with Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, Homer delivers old school funk and soul with a minimalist flair. He also produces, composes, and wr...
Feb 07, 2014•33 min
Piper Kerman's memoir Orange is the New Black inspired the Netflix series of the same name. Her best selling book chronicles her time doing time, and sheds light how the prison system fails to provide rehabilitation to inmates who can and want to do better. It's her first book and its popularity led her to a dream job, consulting on the critically acclaimed television series. She also speaks around the country on prison reform. www.piperkerman.com This episode of Employee of the Month was taped ...
Jan 31, 2014•13 min
In this episode, JON RONSON, author of The Psychopath Test, Frankie, and Men Who Stare at Goats, talks about the corrosive effects of diagnosing strangers. We spoke about how reality TV shows, filmmakers and journalists can often oversimplify their subjects and and almost fetishize extreme qualities. Ronson reveals how much he worships celebrities and hangs out on George Clooney's fan sites. Our interview was taped live at UCB, so you'll hear Ronson reference Piper Kerman, who also received her ...
Jan 30, 2014•12 min
KATHLEEN HANNA is a bad ass. As one of the very first women in the punk scene, Hanna led the way and inspired musicians, from Carrie Brownstein to Kurt Cobain. Proudly a feminist, Hanna quickly won a loyal fan base starting when she was the lead singer of Bikini Kill. Smart, fun, and a formidable presence, Hanna has reinvented herself through out her career and currently performs with The Julie Ruin. Hanna is the subject of the documentary The Punk Singer, which is currently out in theaters. I h...
Jan 30, 2014•15 min
Emmy winning writer for The Daily Show and host of the podcast The Writer's Bloc, JR HAVLAN reveals what it really takes to make a career as a comedy writer. You'll hear the real story of how The Daily Show switched hands from Kilborn to Stewart; what a warm-up comic stomachs; just how different it is to write for Bill Maher and Jon Stewart; how to survive pilot season; and the joy of taking your dog to work. If you want to write for TV, this interview will make you funny! It won't, but it will ...
Jan 22, 2014•49 min
MEMO RE: Employee of the Month To Whom It May Concern: Employee of the Month is a talk show, where I ask people about their work. It's where we spend the majority of our time, so why not hear from folks who love what they do? I'm not saying they love doing their taxes or every job they take on or the time they got fired, or the other time they got fired. What's important is how they dealt with these inevitable obstacles, stayed on task, found their North star, or discovered it was actually in th...
Jan 18, 2014•55 min
If you ever want a liberal arts education or wish you could go back to school, BrainPickings provides everything you need, without student loans. I sat down with Maria Popova, who is the creator (and Editor-in-Chief) of BrainPickings.org, and has also contributed to The Atlantic, Wired UK, The New York Times, as well as an MIT Futures of Entertainment Fellow. BrainPickings is a resource for great minds about great minds. If you're interested in creativity, psychology, literature, language, scien...
Jan 08, 2014•47 min
ELLIOTT KALAN is the Head Writer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central and recipient of multiple Emmy Awards. We spoke right before he started as Head Writer and, moreover, became a dad for the first time. He also co-hosts the podcast The Flophouse and, in his spare time, just kidding, he no longer has spare time. We spoke at The Writers Guild of America-East, which is our union, albeit non-conjugal. To subscribe to the podcast, go to www.employeeofthemonthshow.com or come to a li...
Jan 07, 2014•1 hr 10 min
TWO GREAT LIVE TAPINGS OVER THE HOLIDAYS! Start 2014 off right or correct! Employee of the Month is making its DEBUT at the phenomenal Joe’s Pub! 7 pm, Wednesday, January 8th, 2014 @ Joe’s Pub 425 Lafayette Street, NY, NY 10003 www.joespub.com Catie Lazarus honors & interviews January’s EmployeeS of the Month: JAD ABUMRAD, Host (NPR’s RADIOLAB) DARYL ROTH, Producer (Proof, August: Osage County, Kinky Boots, Annie, & Wit) LEWIS BLACK, The Daily Show And a surprise guest PLUS COMEDY MUSIC ...
Dec 13, 2013•4 min
Anthony De Rosa, aka Tumblr's King, aka Twitter's Stallion, helped transform how we consume news. He broke in by writing his own stories and deftly covering news stories on his Tumblr Blog, SoupSoup, and Twitter, @antderosa. His rapid coverage helped set a standard for how reporters provide news updates, corrections, and fact check in a 24/7 news cycle online. De Rosa showed newspapers and television cable channels, which hesitate(d) to switch over to digital platforms, how to do so. They then f...
Dec 09, 2013•43 min
As the music industry struggles to find its footing, singer/songwriter Diane Birch gracefully manages to music she can feel proud of and earn a living. Her debut album BIBLE BELT led to appearances on every major late night comedy show, from Jimmy Kimmel Live! to The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Her song Valentino appeared in the Blockbuster Valentine's Day and she toured as an opening act for Nick Jonas, of the boy band The Jonas Brothers. The popularity ...
Dec 03, 2013•27 min
TV Creator AMY SHERMAN-PALLADINO transformed television’s images of girls by creating “imperfectly perfect” female characters in her beloved TV series GILMORE GIRLS. In depicting independent, flawed, funny women, who weren't self-hating, Sherman-Palladino paved the way for show runners like Lena Dunham, Michael Patrick King, Amy Poehler, Jill Solloway, Jenji Kohan, Mindy Kaling and Tina Fey. Even her teenage characters in her more recent series BUNHEADS carry on apt, insightful, and honest conve...
Nov 26, 2013•20 min
CHRIS GETHARD is such a delight that it's hard to simply describe him by his job title, comedian. Gethard does improv, stand up, acts, teaches at UCB, authored a memoir A BAD IDEA I'm ABOUT TO DO, which IFC optioned, and hosts the critically acclaimed, beloved talk show THE CHRIS GETHARD SHOW, which Comedy Central just green lit for a pilot! Any channel is lucky to have him and the fantabulous talk show. In our conversation, we spoke about how the love of performing is the only reason to do it; ...
Nov 22, 2013•20 min
With the exception of Stephen Moyer, Alan Ball never let another actor direct an episode of TRUE BLOOD, his critically acclaimed series nearing its seventh (and last) season on HBO. Once you hear Stephen Moyer in our interview, you'll know why the brilliant Ball, who also created SIX FEET UNDER and penned AMERICAN BEAUTY, chose the British actor turned director. Moyer is the quintessential director's actor. His humility and humor makes him a joy to be around and his talent enables Moyer to morph...
Nov 20, 2013•19 min
If you only check Jezebel once a day, you are disciplined. Writer ANNA HOLMES created the addictive website, which covers the cultural zeitgeist and considers females multi-dimensional human beings. Jezebel stood out from its get go because it never coddled women or described feminism in safe, lily white, well pink, branding jargon. Holmes created the site for women and men, so it wasn't above skewering women or men who belittle women. She recently published The Book of Jezebel, a fun, clever co...
Nov 08, 2013•44 min
Comedian MARGOT LEITMAN's critically acclaimed memoir “Gawky, Tales of an Extra Long Awkward Phase" reveals why she was born to tell stories and perform. We talked about why storytelling rocks, stand up blows, how to quit a temp job, and win money (and a Prius) instead. www.margotleitman.com CATIE LAZARUS is the host of Employee of the Month Show. Our next live taping is Thursday, November 14th at The Bell House in Brooklyn. Come! www.employeeofthemonthshow.com
Nov 02, 2013•35 min
You don't need to be high to listen to this episode about what it takes to be successful commercial actors; although it make it easier to relate to Mary Crosbie, Moe Rosen and me. None of us were under the influence at the time, but we were/are clearly high on life. The net is if that you can break into commercial acting, do. It seems like all you need to be is as funny and fun as Moe and Mary. EMPLOYEE of the MONTH is a talk show about jobs. Catie Lazarus is a writer, storyteller, and comedian ...
Nov 01, 2013•38 min
LYNN CHEN is an actor, musician, and blogger. She is best known for doing indie films, and has appeared in White on Rice, Lakeview Terrace, NCIS, and Numbers. Chen created the blogs Thick Dumpling Skin and The Actor's Diet, both of which have helped Asian-Americans and actors struggling with eating disorders. She serves as Ambassador for the National Eating Disorders Association and has worked with The National Organization of Women (NOW) on their "Love Your Body Campaign." Marie-Claire recently...
Nov 01, 2013•24 min
JESS WOOD is a stand up comic, actress, and author and our interview is a MUST listen. Probably the only California blond haired, blue eyed Jewess to make her television debut on Def Comedy Jam, Jess Wood's candor and sly wit about her thrilling, painful, fun, and utterly wild childhood is mind blowing. The utterly unique, bad ass who completely raised and then reinvented herself has most recently appeared in HBO's Phil Spector and Netflix's Urban Myth. In our interview, we talk about her writin...
Oct 29, 2013•56 min
TED TRAVELSTEAD is a hoot! He is also a writer, actor & comedian. He is the author of The Petraeus Files and co-authored Sex: Our Bodies, Our Junk. Travelstead got his big break playing the role Mordecai in “Children of the Corn II and has since gone onto doing Vine videos. He also works for Vanity Fair. You can follow him on Twitter @trumpetcake CATIE LAZARUS is the host of Employee of the Month Show and the next live taping is November 14th @ The Bell House in Brooklyn, NY. www.employeeoft...
Oct 22, 2013•44 min
LADY RIZO is a Grammy Award winner and singular cabaret sensation. We spoke about how she is reinventing the wheel. In this episode, you will also enjoy her live performance at Employee of the Month's first live taping at the Bell House. Special thanks to Shockwave, the world's best bandmaster and Yair Evnine as they accompany Ms. Rizo closer to heaven. So tune in to hear how this grande dame of downtown theater pays homage to the late great starlets like Peggy Lee and Nina Simone and collaborat...
Oct 21, 2013•41 min
There is no other opportunity to see, hear and smell Lin-Manuel Miranda, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Robert Smigel, Lady Rizo, and Mo Rocca. Hope you enjoy this live taping which is a Valentine to New York, live theater, and podcasts. Employee of the Month's next live taping is at The Bell House on November 14th. For details go to www.employeeofthemonthshow.com
Oct 18, 2013•1 hr 41 min
MO ROCCA stands out for being as funny as he is smart. He is as adroit at playing a serious journalist on CBS Sunday Morning or spoofing a self-serious correspondent for The Daily Show. Ultimately, his timing, wit, imagination, and intellect enable him to choose his jobs. Mo is currently starring in his own series MY GRANDMOTHER'S RAVIOLI on the Cooking Channel and can frequently be heard on NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. He has done and will continue to do whatever he pleases, because, as Muha...
Oct 11, 2013•22 min
An Emmy, Grammy, Tony, Pulitzer and Employee of the Month winning composer, actor, writer, and hip-hop super star performer, Lin-Manuel Miranda can currently be seen performing in Marry Poppins. He spoke with Catie Lazarus about creating political commercials for Hillary Clinton to Elliot Spitzer, collaborating with Stephen Sondheim on West Side Story, and playing bar-mitzvahs before In the Heights and Hamilton made him a global sensation. Hamilton Mix tapes premiered off-off-Broadway at The Whi...
Oct 10, 2013•22 min
ROBERT SMIGEL is a legendary Emmy, Grammy, and now Employee of the Month award winning comedy writer, comedian and actor. Just to give you some background, as the comic genis has too many credits to list, Smigel and his cohorts, including Louis CK, Conan O'Brien, Adam Sandler, Dana Carvey, Bob Odenkirk, Dino Stamatapoulos, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Will Ferrel, Jon Stewart, and Judd Apatow, transformed the state of comedy. Since he began doing stand up at NYU and improv in Chicago, Smigel i...
Oct 07, 2013•32 min
