As you enjoy your Thanksgiving vacation or are traveling back from it, you will be grateful to hear from fascinating, fun, and formidably talented illustrator and writer Al Jaffee. We met at his studio, where his MAD mind is as creative as ever, even if he says he's not as insanely prolific at age 93. (Uh, he's doing more than most folks at any age.) Jaffee is working on his fantastically detailed and vibrant illustrations for Sponge Bob Square Pants to MAD Magazine to his long running cartoon f...
Nov 29, 2014•36 min
In our interview Anthony Bregman breaks down what exactly a good producer does, since everyone and their mother seems to call themselves a producer these days. Bregman is one of the rare film producers who is as dexterous at developing smart scripts as he is at securing investors and delivering hits. He is also one of the last few producers left in New York who transformed what it meant to make independent films with (and without) studios. Before founding Likely Story, Bregman was a partner at T...
Nov 19, 2014•22 min
Wesley Morris writes about film, pop culture, sports, fashion, and politics. Currently at ESPN's Grantland, Morris previously wrote for The Boston Globe, where he received a Pulitzer for his film reviews. Wesley's love for film is palpable in his writing, but he also examines films in the context of what's going on in society. His reviews have been tremendously helpful, if not cathartic, in synthesizing what is going on on screen and off. Our interview was taped live at Joe's Pub. If you enjoyed...
Nov 14, 2014•23 min
When they were in their early twenties, Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson met in improv class, loathed how hard it was to get on an improv team at UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade), and started their own. In November 2009, they began writing the web series Broad City and asked Amy Poehler, who had founded UCB, to do a cameo. She did, and then ended up signing on to Executive Produce Broad City as a television series. FX bought it and then let it go, so they went to Comedy Central, and the rest is hers...
Nov 12, 2014•28 min
Interviewing Alex Borstein means hearing her sing live and surprising her with never released footage of her first big break on stage. (Special thanks to the Los Angeles Unified School District). Actor and writer Alex Borstein is in the prime of her career. She is one of the rare comedians who successfully crossed over to act and write in dramas and, what Hollywood cloyingly refers to as, dramedies. Oh, and she hasn't quit her day job either.... Since 1999, Borstein has served as a writer, produ...
Nov 06, 2014•25 min
Considering Simon Rich published his first two books before graduating from college, where he also served as President of The Harvard Lampoon, it's not surprising that he became the youngest writer hired by Saturday Night Live. Veteran SNL writer Paula Pell, who has also been on Employee of the Month, joked that she'd nestle Rich in her objectively sizable bosom, gently teasing him for being so young. Even now at the ripe old age of 30, Rich maintains a "Doogie Howser" youthful appearance, which...
Oct 22, 2014•16 min
Tom Colicchio keeps adding to his impressive, albeit daunting, schedule as a father, husband, chef, restauranteur, entrepreneur, TV personality, pitchman, guitar afficianado, film producer and policy wonk. He takes all of his multi-hyphenates seriously, especially food activism. Tomorrow, Thursday, October 16th, Colicchio will spend World Hunger Day, as co-founder of Food Policy Action, reminding (read: lobbying) Congress to help the 14.3 percent of American homes which are “food insecure.” The ...
Oct 15, 2014•37 min
This October marks Al Jaffee reign as Mad Magazine’s longest running contributor, clocking in 59 years and over 479 issues. Since 1952, the comic book turned magazine infused a childish silliness with biting political depth and orignal artwork. By engaging readers to add their own “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions,” and even mangling the magazine to solve the “Fold-In” picture riddle, Mad was one of the first enterprises to treat consumers as co-conspirators. The result was an entirely new for...
Oct 07, 2014•35 min
James Monroe Iglehart won his first Tony and Drama Desk Awards for his role of the Genie is Disney’s Aladdin. Considering Iglehart had only appeared on Broadway in Memphis and The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, Aladdin is now permanently etched in stone, well gold, as a defining career role for the wildly talented singer. Iglehart also performs with the hip hop improv groupl Freestyle Love Supreme (FLS), who can be currently seen on the television channel Pivot. After you hear our interview an...
Aug 25, 2014•21 min
While it's easier for musicians to self produce these days, it's also easier to get lost in the shuffle of the faceless internet. Still singers, like David Berkeley, have figured out how to live the dream. Berkeley, who lives with his family in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is currently mixing his latest album, which he recorded with fellow musicians like trumpeter Jordan Katz, who has appeared on American Idol, and Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek. Berkeley raised the financing on Kickstarter. He's also ma...
Aug 25, 2014•21 min
Josh Charles’s longest day job was that of Will Gardner on The Good Wife, and he’s been nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor for his role. Even though his character was brutally murdered this past season, Josh hasn't been sitting shiva long. He's appearing in several upcoming films and will direct future episodes of The Good Wife. He had to audition twice for two different directors for his role in Dead Poets Society, revealing how grueling acting, especially as a kid, can be. Still, ...
Aug 14, 2014•25 min
I interviewed Matt Zoller Seitz live at Joe's Pub. You can hear our interview by clicking HERE . Seitz is a journalist and film and television critic. He writes well, sometimes better than the actual shows and films he covers. His encyclopedic knowledge of both film and television, palpable love for the medium, have endeared him to his peers, including the late great Roger Ebert. Like Ebert, Seitz is also a prolific writer and editor, and is currently both the Editor-in-Chief of RogerEbert.com a...
Jul 29, 2014•17 min
Martha Plimpton is genuinely curious about others, a rare trait in actors, despite the importance of being so for their jobs. Wait an actor who isn’t narcissistic? It happens! That said, acting means many different things. Some folks are lucky enough to be paid to act and manage to fail upwards. Others shine in a particular genre, say Shakespearean regional theater or as a “nosy neighbor” roles on sitcoms or as a walking STD in PSA’s. But it is rare for even great actors to truly embody a slew o...
Jul 29, 2014•24 min
As President of HBO’s Documentary Films, Sheila Nevins has received more Emmy awards than anyone ever, across genres in entertainment. Her talent, insatiable appetite for work, and chutzpah proved instrumental in making HBO a mecca for innovative, non-fiction storytelling. Funny, smart and captivating, Nevins started out acting. After a stint at USIA, Nevins worked in production at CBS and Children’s Television Workshop. But when asked if she knew someone for a gig at a fledging cable channel, N...
Jul 11, 2014•26 min
On the eve of Russ & Daughters expanding their appetizing empire to include a sit down restaurant, co-owner Josh Russ Tupper talked about his beautiful, utterly original, undeniably physically taxing, and fun career path on Employee of the Month. Despite having been born on Ananda (pro vegan & vegetarian) Ashram, Tupper quickly earned a reputation as one of the greatest lox slicers, not to be confused with shmearers. After hearing rumors of his steady left hand, I put Tupper to the test,...
Jul 04, 2014•24 min
If Nora Ephron and Martin Short had a blond, blue eyed Southern love child, she'd be Paula Pell. A writer and performer, Paula Pell's been making you laugh for decades, and she's finally getting duly deserved public recognition. Since 1995, Paula Pell has written for SNL, where she is best known for being able to punch up any joke, sketch or script no matter how short a commercial break. Along the way, she's also written her own NBC TV show (Thick and Thin), web series (Hudson City Ballers), and...
Jun 18, 2014•30 min
The Tony's rarely celebrate solo performance art, cabaret, or truly experimental, independent theater, but it's never stopped audiences from loving the artists who reinvent the wheel. Take Taylor Mac, who often goes by Judy, and has long been heralded for imaginative, poignantly funny and original performers. When Mac appeared in Brecht's "Good Person of Szechwan," The New Yorker called it, "One of contemporary theater’s more unforgettable performances.” Mac is equally known for solo performance...
Jun 07, 2014•30 min
Today, you can't walk into a coffee shop without meeting some who is a comedian, and, yes, I am including the barista who messed up your order. But there are fewer folks who earn their living as stand up comedians for decades on end. I am not insinuating that Dave Attell is 194 years old. I am just saying that he is a beloved comedian by fans, friends, and anyone who has seen him perform in the last 194 years. In our interview, Attell explains why working at The Daily Show wasn't the best fit an...
Jun 06, 2014•40 min
Rosie Perez has had nine lives. As a choreographer, she redefined television's variety shows by seamlessly weaving the fabulous Fly Girls into In Living Color's vibrant fabric. Perez's fun, bold numbers brought an elegance to a hilarious, subversive comedy show, that would take sketch comedy to new heights. The phenomenal show launched J Lo's career and put hip-hop on the map. Perez also choreographed pieces for Bobby Brown to L.L. Cool J, before giving acting a whirl. On screen, Perez revealed ...
May 24, 2014•29 min
What do Bono and Nancy Pelosi have in common? They both gave Barney Frank memorable wedding gifts. Considering Frank was the first gay Congressman to marry his partner while in office, Bono and Pelosi were probably thrilled to make the cut for the guest list. Frank's journey is nothing short of remarkable. A nice Jewish boy from New Jersey, with a bit of a lisp and a lot of chutzpah, Frank became one of the most vocal, witty, passionate, and persuasive progressive political leaders. A recent doc...
May 21, 2014•33 min
It's conceivable that Wally Shawn's fans enjoy his serious plays, such as Grasses of a Thousand Colors and The Fever, as much as his comedic turns in films like Pixar's Toy and The Princess Bride. Of course, there may be some folks who are only be familiar with Shawn's essays, which are often featured in The Nation. Shawn compiled many of politically progressive essays in a book called, shockingly enough, Essays. While he works in a range of genres and mediums, Shawn is consistently thoughtful i...
May 08, 2014•39 min
Mother's Day is coming up and I can't help thinking of how perfectly Adira Amram's MOM SONG music video captures an ideal mother-daughter relationship while simultaneously tweaking our culture's expectation that mothers and daughters also be besties. Directed by Jim Turner, Adira and her mom are genuinely having fun, without shopping, beautifying themselves, or kvetching about men. Granted the duo are high. Amram doesn't take herself too seriously, although, in our interview, the actress and per...
May 08, 2014•33 min
If you work at The New York Times, your boss is a bad ass. Whether she's more of a bad ass than you are depends on whether you.... 1) Decorated your body with 5 or more tats. 2) Took 14 Senators to task. 3) Sustained injuries in both urban and natural environments. (*Brownie points if you were hit by a truck while falling down a mountain.) 4) Hired a cop to train your dog. 5) Oversees the most respected, beloved, lambasted, and loathed newspaper in the nation. I am not implying that Jill Abramso...
Apr 14, 2014•31 min
Rebecca Soffer's passion is palpable, be it for Latin culture, community building, Olympic level table tennis, or pop culture. In a world which often rewards narrowly focused expertise, Soffer found the best way to quench her diverse interests was journalism. But just as Soffer entered the work world, journalism was going through its own identity crisis. Luckily, her intellect and openness to change enabled Soffer to enjoy a rich career from the get go. Soffer started out covering the Olympics i...
Apr 08, 2014•46 min
For years, animator Scott Bateman was best known for his left leaning political cartoons and animations featured on Salon and The Daily Kos. Frustrated by the state of politics, not to mention journalism, Bateman invented Disalmanac, that now spans a blog, Twitter, podcast, and book "Disalmanac: A Compendium of Fact-Like Facts." He also directed his first animated film Atom Age Vampire and a trailer for a Dinosaur Jr's album. In 2014, Bateman had the joy of winning enough money on Who Wants to B...
Mar 27, 2014•29 min
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 25, 2014•21 min
When Martin Scorsese wanted to audition Danny Burstein for the roll of Lolly Steinman in Boardwalk Empire, rumor has it Scorsese sent Danny a Vine. Well, Danny was joking, and his humor, accessibility and range as an actor is palpable. He's a quintessential character actor, which means most people don't recognize him as Burstein morphs into whatever the role requires. His remarkable range is evident in the breadth of productions he takes on, be it Broadway musicals, indie films, opera at the Met...
Mar 16, 2014•20 min
These days UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade Theater) receives duly deserved praise for nurturing so many truly funny writers and performers, but the utterly hilarious Andrew Rannells honed his comedy chops in musical theater. His early turns in Hedwig, Avenue Q, Jersey Boys, and, of course, Pokemon Live! prepared Rannells for the rigors of performing six to eight shows a week. So when the brilliant brains behind South Park decided to stage a show on Broadway, they knew to cast Rannells for a lead r...
Mar 14, 2014•24 min
If you want to know what it's really like to write for groundbreaking TV shows like Sex and the City and Modern Family, pen a memoir (or two), or just marry a hot stud, this interview is for you. Few writers are as dexterous across mediums or as prolific as Cindy Chupack. Her ability to be as heartfelt as she is hilarious is evident in her essays in The New York Times Modern Love section, storytelling at The Moth, and episodes of Sex and the City and Modern Family. Her writing is prescient witho...
Mar 13, 2014•43 min
As soon as you hear therapist Esther Perel, you'll wish she was your shrink. My diagnosis? 1) Listen to our interview, as her humor, insight, is empathy is palpable. 2) Read her book Mating in Captivity which analyzes love, monogamy, and sex. 3) Live happily ever after, well, relatively speaking. Whether you're Flemish or Peruvian, hetero or LGBTQ, single or coupled off, Perel addresses our universal challenges, joys, frustrations, and hunger for love, sexual freedom, and connection. Her meditat...
Mar 13, 2014•17 min
