After not passing an improv class, Sasheer Zamata ( SNL, I Feel Pretty ) is motivated to create her own group, which gets a run at the theater a couple of months later. We chat about a standup meltdown, the fear of not having enough money to continue pursuing her goals, and the importance of self care. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www....
Apr 10, 2018•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 37
Dru Johnston ( The Chris Gethard Show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ) was living off a daily supply of coffee, pizza and beer his first three months of living in New York, as he slowly drained his savings and put all of his effort into winning a short play competition. He lost. We chat about how his anger over early rejections eventually led to a creatively satisfying year long project and we go into depth about the setbacks with our old sketch show, Sketches From an Italian Restaurant: A Billy Joe...
Apr 03, 2018•1 hr 34 min•Season 3Ep. 36
Adam Conover ( Adam Ruins Everything, BoJack Horseman ) talks about his most humiliating time on stage and the practical ways he moved past it. We also chat about how he develops his standup, how he has moved past quantifying his performances and how he pushed through his insecurities in his early sketch group, Olde English. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS &...
Mar 27, 2018•1 hr 23 min•Season 3Ep. 35
Jamie Lee ( Crashing, GirlCode ) shares a story about two stand up sets that got her in her head and caused her to reevaluate things. We chat about having a calendar as a companion, the most important tip she's gotten from her acting coach, the importance of self care and what it means to find your expanders . CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: http...
Mar 20, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 34
Dr. Samuel West (The Museum of Failure) talks about the failures associated with launching his Museum of Failure. He also cuts through the crap and chats about the realities of productivity, yearning for the relatable, some of his favorite products in the museum, and the concept of goal free living. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.pat...
Mar 13, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 33
Josh Gondelman ( Last Week Tonight, Physical Whisper ) talks about a pretty tumultuous week doing standup at a casino in Atlantic City, NJ. We also chat about various ego blows, how being genuinely positive has given him an advantage in comedy, and some tips on how he breaks through his creative blocks. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www...
Mar 06, 2018•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 32
Jo Firestone ( The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Search Party ) has put on her fair share of live shows in New York. Many did not go according to plan. We talk about failed shows that led to fist fights, lost money, and fourteen cases of expired, pickle flavored potato chips. We also learn why she thinks about giving up about once a year and how at her lowest moments, she gets her best ideas. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://tw...
Feb 27, 2018•52 min•Season 3Ep. 31
Zhubin Parang ( Head Writer of The Daily Show ) joins the podcast to talk about the hallmarks of a failure spiral. We also chat about balancing law and comedy, the failure culture in a writers room, tips on submitting a packet, and how Zhubin thought he was going to get fired on his first day at The Daily Show. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: htt...
Feb 20, 2018•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 30
On a very special Valentine's Day episode, Don's brilliant, beautiful, incomparable, caring, fantastic, amazing wife, Laura Willcox ( The Jim Jefferies Show, I Am Bride ) joins the podcast and talks about failing a pivotal improv class, a particularly tearful sketch rehearsal, and how her first major acting gig was cut short by a more popular, parallel show. Don and Laura also get candid about their ups and downs during their seven year relationship and how their love GROWS STRONGER EVERYDAY. CO...
Feb 13, 2018•1 hr 23 min•Season 3Ep. 29
In our Season 3 premiere, renegade comedian Chris Gethard (The Chris Gethard Show, Beautiful/Anonymous) explains why failure has been his greatest ally and how he kept moving forward after so much rejection. We talk about panic attacks, his delicate dance with ego, a live Career Suicide show that almost spurred a fist fight, and how a shift in perspective helped him cope with harsh public criticism after a cancelled sitcom. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitte...
Feb 06, 2018•1 hr 28 min•Season 3Ep. 28
Anthony King ( Search Party, Silicon Valley ) was one of the most influential figures to come through the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, acting as Artistic Director for almost a decade, helping to launch the careers of many writers and performers working today. In this interview Anthony reflects on his time as AD, addresses his insecurities, and gives us insight into his approach to writing. He also shares a story about an inspiring speech to high schoolers that totally backfired. CONNECT W/ ...
Dec 19, 2017•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Mary Holland (Veep, The Good Place) has been steadily employed for the last three years here in LA. But the first 7 years were a much different story. We talk about the point when she realized her dreams might not come true and why she started to question her instincts and sanity. We also talk about how a job working with one of her heroes was cut short, how she failed at using her excessive perspiration at an audition, and Gandalf the Great Inspirer. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELL...
Dec 12, 2017•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Mike Castle (Action #1, Clipped) takes us on an honest and self-reflective journey through personal and professional loss. In a six month span, Mike loses his father, his dog, and two pilots he was excited to act in, so he leaves the country to work on a farm in Ireland for a couple of months. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.c...
Dec 05, 2017•1 hr 28 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Shaun Diston ( Wrecked, Playing House ) had to reevaluate his life after getting arrested at age 22 in Florida. We chat about what kept him motivated after getting cut from a UCB Harold Team, how long showers and smoking are part of his creative routines, and what happens when you are forced to be completely honest with yourself. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS ...
Nov 28, 2017•1 hr 31 min•Season 2Ep. 24
Nate Dern ( Funny or Die, Not Quite A Genius ) talks about the tumultuous two months after graduating as a teacher for Teach for America. We also chat about his oopsies as Artistic Director for the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, the one major regret he had as a contestant on reality show Beauty and The Geek, and the multiple rejections he had to withstand from publishers and agents before his book was published. Nate also kindly allows me to read the list of 47 television shows he has been re...
Nov 21, 2017•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Paul Briganti (SNL) makes the difficult decision to transfer colleges and attempts to find his creative people. We talk about directing at Saturday Night Live, his love of editing, and the ongoing, seven year struggle to land a manager. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podca...
Nov 14, 2017•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Adam Newman (Silicon Valley, Letterman) talks about how he honed his stand-up for over a year preparing for his one hour special, only to have the network that was hosting it, shut down. We talk about his fitful journey towards Letterman, panic attacks, and drawing inspiration from 90's basketball. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patr...
Nov 07, 2017•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Fran Gillespie (SNL, Wet Hot American Summer) performed at the highest level in NY in both sketch and improv for over 10 years, but did not make the cut when she auditioned out in LA. We talk about the realities of a backup plan, the etiquette of asking for help, specificity in goal setting, and the shared procrastination experience. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BO...
Oct 31, 2017•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Nick Kocher (SNL, BriTANick) had a pilot passed on by Comedy Central at the same time that his roommate had one green-lit. We chat about early BriTANick video blunders, going a little too "method" for his NYU audition, and why he believes doing the work is more important than asking for help. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.co...
Oct 24, 2017•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 19
D'arcy Carden (The Good Place, Broad City) had a creative purge and accepted the fact that acting was just not going to work out for her... then she booked The Good Place one month later. We share audition tips, talk about the success/failure pattern in her life, and how a flub in her network test for The Good Place could have been the deciding factor in booking the role. Also, Don embarrassingly shares his ideal breakfast. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitte...
Oct 17, 2017•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Doug Mand (How I Met Your Mother, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) gives a sobering account of the realities of being a professional writer. We talk about what it's like to sell scripts but never see them get made, the qualities of a good writers room, and what caused him to take a break from writing network pilots. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://ww...
Oct 10, 2017•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Emily Altman (Kimmy Schmidt, Big Mouth) knew it was going to be difficult transitioning from an Italian professor to a comedy writer. She just didn't know it would be as soul crushing. We talk about what it was like getting some bad news in front of her students, paying it forward, and the deep satisfaction that can only come from playing video games. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F...
Oct 03, 2017•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 16
John Milhiser (SNL, The Guest Book) talks about his early struggles to get on a UCB sketch team, his ups and downs at Saturday Night Live, and why he stopped using wigs for his characters. We also chat about goal setting and how it's important to see the goals you write down. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail S...
Sep 26, 2017•56 min•Season 2Ep. 15
A few years after Kassia Miller (Last Man on Earth, Trial & Error) quits her job as a lawyer to pursue comedy full time, she is sat down by her father and asked to reconsider her goals. She also talks about being motivated by fear, books on creativity, and how she wishes on eye lashes. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/t...
Sep 19, 2017•56 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Andrew Law (Silicon Valley, The Good Place) knew he hit a financial low, when he discovered moths in his rice. He talks about why he briefly quit performing and how he found a surprising mentor who gave him the opportunity to face his fear and pursue his goals. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/R...
Sep 12, 2017•1 hr 30 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Alison Bennett (You're The Worst, LA > Vegas) talks about how she quit her job to take her first professional TV writing gig, only to be put through the ringer and not asked back. We discuss how that opportunity led to forming lasting friendships and how she tries to "organize her brain to silence." CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www....
Sep 05, 2017•48 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Alison Rich (The Goldbergs, SNL) discusses the pressures of working at Saturday Night Live and what she took away from the experience. She also talks about the humbling experience of interning again at UCBLA after she had been regularly performing on house teams at UCBNY. Alison is candid, hilarious and packs this show with little nuggets of wisdom. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F O...
Aug 29, 2017•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Phil Jackson (Key & Peele, Brooklyn 99), follows the mantra "onward and upward" which helps him push through different failures and setbacks. We talk about testing for his first major television show as an actor, booking a role on a cancelled show, and how a miscommunication led to an eleventh hour edit on a sketch that would eventually land him a gig at Key and Peele. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli A...
Aug 22, 2017•59 min•Season 2Ep. 10
I sit down and chat with Long Island's #1 Comedian/Sandwich expert, Jon Gabrus (High & Mighty, Workaholics), about how he was almost cast in TBS's Wrecked, why he did so well auditioning for roles that he knew he would never get, and other personal road blocks this insane business has caused. We also talk about setting goals and I sharemy methods for doing so. Oh, and the Ice Cream Man passes by during my intro and I am horrified at what I see. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI O...
Aug 15, 2017•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Actress/Comedian Nicole Byer (Nailed It, Why Won't You Date Me) tells a heartbreaking story about being fired on set at one of her first gigs. We also go into the trials and tribulations of auditioning, how to get over a show being cancelled, and why Columbus, OH is such a difficult place to do standup. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www...
Aug 08, 2017•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 8
