EP 379: Neil Gaiman Brings Good Omens to the Screen
Neil Gaiman talks about adapting his book Good Omens for television, the book’s long journey to the screen, and how he took the reins as show-runner in a promise to his late co-author Terry Pratchett. Neil recalls the origins of their book as a fable about nature versus nurture and opens up about the on screen cameo that was just too painful for him to film. He discusses his writing process, how he manages to avoid distractions, and why he chooses to write across many diffe
EP 378: Liam Cunningham Fights White Walkers, Ebola, and Snakes!
Liam Cunningham discusses his 7 epic seasons as Sir Davos Seaworth on Game of Thrones and going from fighting "White Walkers" to fighting Ebola in National Geographic Channel's limited series The Hot Zone. We also talk about his original audition for Game of Thrones, why he first thought he got the polite brush off from the series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and what it's like when he encounters hard-core GoT fans in person. Then Liam discusses the true story of
EP 377: Jared Cohen on America's Accidental Presidents
Jared Cohen talks about the eight men who succeeded to the presidency without being elected to it and how they changed our history for better or worse. He reveals that presidential succession wasn’t clearly defined for most of America’s history and that most Vice-Presidents come to the Oval Office with great reluctance and a serious inferiority complex. We talk about the best and worst accidental presidents, the one who assumed the office with the heaviest burden and the le
EP 376: David McCullough on the Pioneers Who Defined America
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough discusses his latest book The Pioneers, how it fulfilled his lifelong dream to write a nonfiction version of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, and why he wants his book to serve as reminder of fundamental American values. He tells the story of the New England minister who played an instrumental role in the creation of the Ohio Settlement, how he fought to outlaw slavery in the territory, and how his son carried on his fight for abo
EP 375: Bill Hader's Long Road to Directing
Bill Hader (SNL, Trainwreck, Barry) talks about his childhood love of film, his early days as a struggling production assistant in Hollywood, and how he's finally getting back to his cinematic roots with his dark comedy series Barry. He discusses directing the much talked about episode 5 this season, how he staged an epic 30 minute fight scene, and why he had to hire a construction crew to build him the perfect tree. Hader recalls his original audition for Saturday Night Li
EP 374: Jordan Klepper Goes on the Frontlines of Change
Jordan Klepper returns to the podcast to talk about getting out of the studio and getting out in the real world again for his new Comedy Central docu-series Klepper. He tells the story of a wrestling club in Texas that is helping veterans body slam their way through PTSD, what it says about how vets get treated by the VA and by their fellow Americans, and how Jordan faired when he donned a cape and got in the ring with them. Then Jordan recalls sleeping in the swamp for two
EP 373: Sir Kenneth Branagh Becomes the Bard
Oscar-nominated actor/director Sir Kenneth Branagh is the greatest living interpreter of the works of William Shakespeare, and today he talks about stepping into the shoes of his hero for his new film All Is True. Branagh discusses why he chose to focus on the three years following Shakespeare’s retirement and why he wasn’t afraid to deviate from the accepted biography and embrace the mystery around the man. He talks about teaming up with writer Ben Elton, forgoing digital
EP 372: Jared Diamond on Nations in Crisis
Pulitzer Prize-winning author, scientist, and renowned polymath Jared Diamond reveals that many of the same factors in how individuals cope with a personal crises can also predict how countries survive national crises. He profiles six nations in transition in his new book Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis and shares his personal experiences and observations about those countries including why one should never utter the word "Finlandization" in Finland, how Chile
EP 371: For Newt Gingrich, Collusion Makes Great Fiction
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich talks about his new political thriller Collusion: A Novel and how writing fiction has given him a chance to let his imagination run wild about the darker side of Washington. He discusses why it’s almost impossible to make up a fictional super-villain like Russian President Vladimir Putin, his fascination with Putin’s deadly penchant for high profile poisonings, and why he believes that Putin doesn’t mind taking the blame for those mu
