Alex Fernie (Children's Hospital, Do You Wanna See a Dead Body) had six different pilots in eight years fall through. We chat about his blind spots as a director, the frustration of seeing projects he's directed sit in purgatory, and how listening to loud music when he works is the only way that he can get out of his head. Of course we nerd out over some improv at the end. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli A...
Jun 18, 2019•1 hr 20 min•Season 5Ep. 96
Mitra Jouhari (Big Mouth, High Maintenance) felt herself tanking her producer's session mid-audition for a big pilot. We chat about how her bad days are filled with a sense of desperation, the genesis of Three Busy Debras, and how putting on a staged reading of some previously passed on material helped to prove that she could write solo. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FO...
Jun 11, 2019•1 hr 17 min•Season 5Ep. 95
James Adomian (Trump vs. Bernie, BoJack Horseman) tells his biggest bomb story - opening for Joan Rivers. We chat about how he approaches his impressions, why he likes mistakes and not over-polishing anything, and how he would have never have tried standup if things had worked out for him earlier in his career. 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...
Jun 04, 2019•1 hr 23 min•Season 5Ep. 94
Jonathan Braylock (Black Men Can't Jump pod, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) takes us through a series of setbacks - from thinking he booked a pilot to realizing his sketch duo was over when his partner booked a tv show to getting lines cut from a movie after inviting a bunch of his friends to go see it. We chat about how giving himself space and reevaluating where he is at every year helps keep him focused and on track. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/th...
May 28, 2019•1 hr 20 min•Season 5Ep. 93
Blair Socci (Ladylike, Just for Laughs) lived nine lives before trying to pursue comedy as a career. We talk about seeing her costars' careers skyrocket after her show was cancelled, the endless jobs she's had to keep her afloat, and how some rough relationships led her to Al-Anon which completely changed her life. 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:...
May 21, 2019•1 hr 14 min•Season 5Ep. 92
Michael Hartney (School of Rock, Throwing Shade, Current AD of UCB) talks about crushing it at Just for Laughs but failing to be seen for SNL. We chat about oscillating between self-confidence and delusion after being dropped by an agent, the amazing journey to School of Rock and some subsequent performance oopsies, and how he develops a character. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON...
May 14, 2019•1 hr 22 min•Season 5Ep. 91
Brandon Scott Jones (Isn't It Romantic, The Good Place) had a pilot he wrote and shot passed on by a network. We chat about how his competitiveness as an adult is waning due to a childhood of intense athletics, the plethora of odd jobs he's had over the years (from Chuck-E-Cheese to AI at Microsoft), and the serendipitous moment that pushed him to sign up for classes at UCB. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli...
May 07, 2019•1 hr 16 min•Season 5Ep. 90
Eva Anderson ( You're the Worst , Briarpatch ) had three projects fall through last year. We talk about how not having an agent when everyone else on her sketch team did put her in her head, the productiveness of getting to her writer's room early and meditating, and we take a deep dive into her creative rituals and how she uses Capes Coaching methods to break down her goals. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanell...
Apr 30, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 89
Joanna Bradley ( SNL , The Break with Michele Wolf )took a really long time to process the feeling of not being asked back to SNL. We chat about the pros and cons of not having a brand, feeling emotionally unsafe in the entertainment industry, her deep fear of the suburbs and why writing is like watching yourself throw up. 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 &am...
Apr 23, 2019•1 hr 44 min•Season 5Ep. 88
Jackie Johnson ( Natch Beaut , Fresh Off the Boat ) regales us with hilarious stories from her time as a background actress. From staring into the camera to squirting grease on her cocktail dress to accidentally tripping down a flight of stairs in a packed arena to uproarious laughter. We also chat about the crossroads she faced as an actress and comedian, the bleakness of commercial auditioning, and the many jobs and rejections that led to her creating her Natch Beaut podcast. CONNECT W/ THE NE...
Apr 16, 2019•1 hr 15 min•Season 5Ep. 87
Joel Kim Booster ( The Other Two, Shrill ) performs on gay cruises and doesn't give a shit what you think about it. We chat about the difficulty of being an earnest person in this industry, how he started doing standup because he was a failing as an actor, and how he dealt with working on the pilot he sold for over two years only for it to get passed on. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT T...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Season 5Ep. 86
Sean Clements ( Hollywood Handbook , Workaholics ) opens up about his battle with addiction, some of his rock bottom moments, how he got sober, and how he found his purpose. We also chat about not working for a year and having a huge swing and miss interview for a writing job, trying to sell the thing you think is really goodvs. trying to sell the thing you think will sell, and how Minnie Driver gave him some encouraging words after his UCB 101 class show. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON F...
Apr 02, 2019•1 hr 42 min•Season 5Ep. 85
Zach Cherry ( Crashing , You ) was dropped off at the wrong gate and walked for an hour through a studio lot, sweating profusely, to get to his callback. He booked it. We talk about the oddness of seeing your competition at a network test, why he enjoys having a bad audition every so often, and how over-preparing for an audition makes it difficult to adjust to feedback in the room. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/don...
Mar 26, 2019•51 min•Season 5Ep. 84
Eugene Cordero (Tacoma FD, The Good Place) talks about the important advice he got after he did not book MadTV. He also chats about pushing past that disheartening feeling about not being represented more on screen, feeling broken about the coldness he felt in the audition room, and the sobering realities of getting recognized for a show he longed to be a part of. Also my sleep deprived, borderline incoherent intro and birth story of my daughter! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON ...
Mar 19, 2019•1 hr 20 min•Season 5Ep. 83
Emily Heller ( Barry , Ice Thickeners ) talks about the difficulties of selling her stand up special. We chat about hosting a "comedy shabbat" for friends to develop new material, how she deals with feeling the lack of control in her life, and how it's important to update the old ideas that once consumed you. Check out Emily's new special Ice Thickeners! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5n0hOM0Bm8 CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https:/...
Mar 12, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 82
Sudi Green ( SNL , Golden Globes ) talks about what she's learned in her first couple of years writing for SNL. We talk about how her definition of success has changed, the difficulties of giving yourself a whole day to write, and the importance of staying in the giggle zone to help push through the lows and churn out creative work. 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 BON...
Mar 05, 2019•53 min•Season 5Ep. 81
Brian Huskey ( Mr. Neighbor's House , Veep ) takes an introspective look at his personal and professional battles and shares the lessons he's learned along the way. We chat about his awkward interview for The Office, how the definition of success and failure is contingent on what his priorities are, and the time he was let go from a national commercial campaign and was left a with a new house, a new baby, and the writer's strike. Check out Brian in Mr. Neighbor's House on Adult Swim: http://www....
Feb 26, 2019•1 hr 19 min•Season 5Ep. 80
Emma Willmann ( Crazy Ex-Girlfriend , Secret Keepers Club ) was stuck in a leaky airport hotel and had an awful ten hours where multiple projects fell through. But those setbacks opened the door to multiple successes. We chat about how her rocky childhood helps her to scale back and deal with her current problems, performing after someone kills it on stage or in a room, and what drove her to the edge and made her Google "yurts in Thailand." CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTE...
Feb 19, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Season 5Ep. 79
Keiko Agena ( Better Call Saul , Gilmore Girls ) talks about what led her to write her book, No Mistakes, which embraces and encourages failure. We chat about how she keeps her anxiety under control, what she would change about her Gilmore Girls experience, and the unfortunate time she couldn't remember her lines on set. 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 &...
Feb 12, 2019•56 min•Season 5Ep. 78
Jessica Harper ( Suspiria , It's Garry Shandling's Show ) experienced her first taste of failure while taking summer classes at a high school known for its theater department. We also chat about bombing off-broadway with Richard Gere, how professional unpredictability inspired her to write many children's books and albums, and her writing strategy while balancing work and motherhood. LISTEN TO JESSICA HARPER'S PODCAST WINNETKA: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/winnetka-a-memoir CONNECT W/ THE...
Feb 05, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 77
Jon Glaser ( Jon Glaser Loves Gear , Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter ) talks about how not getting SNL helped put his career on track. We also chat about what helped him deal with writers room adversities, the jealousy of hearing Mr. Show film next door while on a not particularly fulfilling job, what he learned from his daughter's recital and the important advice he shared with his son. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/don...
Jan 29, 2019•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 76
Julie Klausner ( Difficult People , How Was Your Week ) chose to pursue a solo project instead of joining a soon-to-be-popular TV show writing staff and things don't quite pan out. She also chats about dealing with the cancellation of Difficult People, the importance of finding your tribe, and how being in a writers room is an incredibly social job for the least socially comfortable people. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitte...
Jan 22, 2019•49 min•Season 5Ep. 75
Lennon Parham ( Playing House , Veep ) talks about how she rocked her SNL showcase, bringing her one step closer to her dream, but was never asked to officially audition. We chat about using visualizations to help with pre-performance jitters, getting in trouble on a Batman tie-in commercial set, running a writers room as a new mom, and how things started to pick up when she finally allowed herself to say the things she wanted out loud. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: h...
Jan 15, 2019•1 hr 16 min•Season 5Ep. 74
In our Season 5 premiere, guest Tami Sagher talks about depression, shame, and the fear of doing this podcast. We chat about her extensive experience with The Artist's Way and the group she checks in with weekly, the time she got "Housed" by Hugh Laurie, and how she believes that success and failure is not based on one decision, but the million little decisions we make on a daily basis. Tami also opens up about her experience showrunning Season 1 of Broad City and how she dealt with not being as...
Jan 08, 2019•2 hr 2 min•Season 5Ep. 73
Thank you for listening to Forever Dog podcasts this year and please enjoy this year-in-review clips show! Listen to find a new favorite podcast to subscribe to in 2019 or just a killer back catalog to binge during your holiday travels. And please follow Forever Dog @ForeverDogTeam on Twitter and Instagram for the latest network news and updates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 25, 2018•2 hr 55 min
Our Season 4 finale ends with a resonating yet jovial bang from guest Arthur Meyer ( The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon , High Maintenance ). Arthur takes us through the myriad setbacks throughout his career; everything from not being able to get onto sketch teams in high school and college to his failed SNL screentest. He chats about his time working a side-gig as a nude model, the swiftness in which he received an email back from the knowledge-dropping Brian Stack, and how he dealt with it...
Dec 18, 2018•1 hr 54 min•Season 4Ep. 72
Kate Spencer ( Forever35 Podcast , The Dead Moms Club ) takes us through many years of setbacks. She chats about her early doubts on the UCB Stage, trying to cope with the death of her mother, and what happened when she gave up on selling her book after numerous rejections. 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 SUB...
Dec 11, 2018•1 hr 51 min•Season 4Ep. 71
Eliot Glazer ( Broad City , New Girl ) chats about the difficulties being a multi-hyphenate (actor/writer/producer) in this current comedic climate. He also talks about the mini-breakdown he had while editing his book, his love of 2010's Howard Stern, and how he had to go back and get an anonymous job when a TV show he sold fell through. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FO...
Dec 04, 2018•1 hr 28 min•Season 4Ep. 70
Singer/Songwriter Rayland Baxter ( Wide Awake , Imaginary Man ) tells us the story of how getting arrested in college and losing his scholarship led him, in his darkest of hours, to discover his life's passion. We chat about how he changed his expectations when they weren't being met, how his confrontationinspired the song "Hey Larocco" off his new album,and how simple it can be to find joy in living. The song "Hey Larocco" played in this episode and was given permission for use by ATO Records. ...
Nov 27, 2018•1 hr 18 min•Season 4Ep. 69
Craig Rowin ( Search Party , Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later) opens up for the first time publicly about an extremely scary, three day long manic episode that landed him in a hospital for a week. We talk about the perfect storm of events that led to it, how he got through it, and what he learned from it. 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: ht...
Nov 20, 2018•1 hr 16 min•Season 4Ep. 68
