EP 338: John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan on Becoming Laurel & Hardy
John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan discuss their childhood love of the Laurel & Hardy movies, stepping into the shoes of the legendary comedy duo for their new film Stan & Ollie, and the transformation that allowed John to step in the famously large pants of Oliver Hardy. They share how Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's 35 year showbiz partnership was a lot like a marriage, what it was like for Steve and John to find that same chemistry (having never worked together before), and h
EP 337: Leon Panetta on Governing by Leadership Instead of by Crisis
Leon Panetta talks about hard decisions, worthy fights, and "governing by leadership instead of by crisis." He recalls growing up in Monterey, California as the first generation of Italian immigrants and warns the Trump Administration’s immigration policies could mean fewer immigrant success stories like his own. He reveals how he started his political career as a Republican until President Richard Nixon fired him for daring to enforce civil rights laws. He shares some ear
EP 336: The Office's Paul Lieberstein Turns Back Pain into Laughs
Paul Lieberstein (THE OFFICE) talks about his 20 year struggle with crippling back pain inspired his funny and moving directorial debut film SONG OF BACK AND NECK. He shares how the king of indie filmmaking Mark Duplass convinced him to make the movie himself rather than selling it to a Hollywood studio, how he made something as seemingly mundane as back pain visually interesting on the screen, and the complications that can arise when you're directing yourself. We talk abo
EP 335: Pete Holmes Talks Fatherhood, Comedy, and Making It Weird
Comedian Pete Holmes talks about his new HBO comedy special PETE HOLMES: DIRTY CLEAN, paying his dues as a comic, and all of life’s weird and wonderful questions. Pete says standup is still his first love, but podcasting is how he makes friends these days, and he believes everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, should start of podcast of their own. He talks about being a brand new father, why his audiences always want him to complain about his baby, and why he’
EP 334: The Fabulous Tina Brown Returns
The legendary Tina Brown returns to talk about growing up in an entertainment family, how she got expelled from three different boarding schools for being a “subversive influence,” and how that same subversiveness served her well as editor of Vanity Fair. Tina talks about her 37 year marriage to the former editor of The Sunday Times Harry Evans, and their morning ritual of having a “news buffet.” She talks about turning around The New Yorker after her successful run at VF,
EP 333: Historian H.W. Brands on Washington in the Age of Compromise
Historian H.W. Brands discusses his new book Heirs of the Founders: The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants. Professor Brands talks about how these three political giants crafted the Compromise of 1850 which barely held the Union together, why none of these three men was ever elected President, and how compromise went from being politics at its finest to a dirty word in today’s Washington. He discusses John C
EP 332: The Daily Show's Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah talks about his new standup special TREVOR NOAH: SON OF PATRICIA and why he dedicated it to his mom, who he calls “the first comedian that he ever saw” and “most gangster human being you’ll ever meet in your life.” He discusses growing up in South Africa during Apartheid, the power of humor to fight oppression, and why he believes that hateful words aren’t nearly as important as addressing with the hate itself. He shares how the 2016 election affected his own vi
