Don?t cry because it?s over, smile because it happened. On the heels of CR month coming to a close on The Rewatchables, we?re joined this week by The Ringer?s beloved editorial director, Chris Ryan.

He?s been hailed as the Shohei Ohtani of podcasting, the basketball bard of Bob & Barbara's bar, the face of The Ringer, the Joe Rogan of the left, and perhaps most aptly, by Bill Simmons himself, ?the Prince of Philadelphia.?

We begin with a roundup of today?s television, featuring The Pitt (6:38), DTF St. Louis (9:45), The Madison (11:25), and more (12:30). Then, we get into Chris? Philly upbringing (14:22), the influence of his film critic father, the late Desmond Ryan (22:50), and what first inspired him to become a writer (34:53).

On the back-half, Ryan reflects on the ?Meet Me in the Bathroom? era of New York City (41:45), finding his voice through his blog Gabe Said ?We?re Into Movements? (44:40), the halcyon days of Grantland (55:30), his legendary impressions (58:50), and what he wants for the next chapter, on and off the mic (1:21:20).

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To mark the beginning of Talk Easy?s 10-year anniversary, Sam called up Terry Gross.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Then, we turn to their conversation from Philadelphia last fall. They discuss Terry?s half century hosting Fresh Air (8:00), early memories of writing (13:00), and her improbable road to public radio (29:38). Terry walks us through the formative years of Fresh Air (33:37) and its seminal conversations with Kurt Vonnegut (40:21), John Updike (46:30), Monica Lewinsky (49:30), Joan Didion (1:00:55), and more.

On the back-half, Gross reflects on forty-seven years of partnership with her late husband, jazz writer Francis Davis (1:03:24), their shared affinity for reading and music (1:05:57), the future of public media (1:19:16), and why she continues to have faith in (and love for) the long-form interview (1:31:35).

Original air date: September 14, 2025

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??I got calls from people inside of some of the AI labs,? says technology ethicist Tristan Harris. ?And it felt like getting a call from Robert Oppenheimer before the atomic bomb.? 

Harris (a former Google insider and AI expert) has spent more than a decade sounding the alarm about the effects of technology on our wellbeing. He?s currently the co-founder of Center for Humane Technology, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to align technology with humanity?s best interests.

He joins us this week to discuss his new film, The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist (6:30), how AI has developed over the past ten years (10:12), and why the most powerful figures in tech are preparing for doomsday scenarios (13:15). Then, we unpack why the AI arms race is being driven by the wrong incentives (15:45), the ?balance sheet of benefits? that shapes their thinking about AGI (24:30), and the unsettling lack of control they exercise over their own nascent systems (33:55).

On the back-half, we talk about Chat GPT?s role in the devastating death of teenager Adam Raine (40:30) [content warning], Tristan?s early ethical concerns about technology as a Stanford graduate working at Google (48:34), and the rewiring he attempted as part of the widely-seen 2020 documentary The Social Dilemma (53:00). To close, Harris outlines his tech safety practices to protect our future on the planet (1:08:05), top leaders? prognostications of (p)doom at the hands of AI (1:10:43), and, as a counter, the ?human movement? that he believes can lead us to a narrow path toward a better future (1:17:30).

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A year after the attack on the Governor?s residence, Josh Shapiro says he and his family are ?not afraid.? Their spirit, not broken but strengthened by the firebombing.

Watch this conversation on YouTube

We begin with the anniversary of the arson attack, his Pennsylvania upbringing as depicted in Where We Keep the Light, his childhood dream to become an NBA player, and how he pulled a Lloyd Dobler to win back his high school sweetheart and future wife, Lori. Then, we unpack the evolution of his views on Israel-Palestine, why the Governor opposed calls to defund the police after the murder of George Floyd, and how his guiding principle?to get shit done?shapes his leadership.

On the back-half, we talk about the emotional toll of public office, the parallels between his work as Attorney General, prosecuting clergy sexual-abuse cases, and the Epstein cover-ups today, the VP vetting process that catapulted him onto the national stage, and the future of the Democratic party. To close, we talk about his relationship to Senator Fetterman, the influence of President Obama, and the Governor?s campaign for re-election this November.

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To celebrate Oscar Sunday, we return to our talk with writer-director Joachim Trier!

We begin with guiding words from writer Philip Roth (7:20), how Trier arrived at his intimate new film Sentimental Value (8:40), and why he was drawn to father-daughter dynamics (his own, and others) in making this new project (10:00). Then, we talk about Joachim?s early observations growing up in Norway (25:00), why he prefers to be present with performers on set, rather than watching from a far-off monitor (32:00), and how he parlayed skating into his early work as a filmmaker (35:00).

On the back-half, Trier reflects on meeting longtime collaborator, screenwriter and director Eskil Vogt (37:00), the essayistic qualities of his sophomore film, Oslo, August 31st (40:00), and how that style fully solidified in Louder Than Bombs and The Worst Person in the World (42:00). To close, we revisit a recurring monologue in Sentimental Value (48:00), his last day on set with actor Renate Reinsve (50:00), and how director Martin Scorsese has inspired Trier to continue ?stirring the sauce? (56:00).

Original air date: November 30, 2025

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Rose Byrne has taken many forms on-screen. In Mary Bronstein?s film If I Had Legs I?d Kick You, she delivers a career-defining performance as a Long Island therapist and mother slowly unraveling under the weight of her child?s mysterious illness.

Watch our conversation on YouTube.

In the lead-up to Oscar Sunday, we return to our talk with Byrne, discussing the maternal madness at the heart of this film (6:30), the long, collaborative road to shaping the character (10:00), and what it was like to have Conan O?Brien as a scene partner (13:30). Then, Byrne reflects on her debut performance in Dallas Doll (19:45), the plays and poems that inspired her as a teenager (22:30), and a formative role in the cult classic Two Hands, opposite the late Heath Ledger (26:00).

 In the back half, we unpack the sexism she faced in Hollywood in the aughts (32:40), her unexpected comedic breakthrough in Bridesmaids and Neighbors (37:15), and the fruitful collaborations with Seth Rogen that followed (39:50). To close, Byrne pays tribute to two of her enduring artistic influences?filmmaker David Lynch (45:00) and playwright Arthur Miller (47:00).

Original air date: October 12, 2025

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When it comes to the theatrical experience, director Ryan Coogler is in rarified air these days. From Creed to Black Panther to Wakanda Forever, his movies arrive as seismic commercial and cultural events. His latest, Sinners, was no exception when it came out in IMAX last spring. And with 16 Oscar nominations, Coogler?s blues-steeped vampire epic has now become the most-nominated film in Academy history.

Watch this conversation on YouTube.

Together, we trace how the seeds of Sinners were planted during the making of Wakanda Forever (5:36), the family history interwoven throughout the movie (9:00), and a formative memory seeing John Singleton?s Boyz n the Hood with his father (15:20). Then, we talk about his pivot from football to filmmaking (17:30), the early belief and partnership of his wife, Zinzi (22:00), and why his debut Fruitvale Station stands the test of time (26:07).

On the back-half, Coogler reflects on a piece of advice that shaped how he leads a set (31:18), the ?Faustian bargain? he confronted as an artist (34:00), and the uncle whose encouragement carried him through moments of doubt (35:50). To close, a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman (37:30), Coogler?s thoughts on AI and the future of Hollywood (42:00), and a love letter to moviegoing (48:36).

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Journalist and author Jacob Soboroff (MS Now) has spent the better part of a decade reporting from inside America?s fractured immigration system. He joins us this week, fresh off the plane from Minneapolis, where he?s been on the ground covering the ICE raids that continue to sweep across the city (and the nation).

We discuss the evolving operations (3:00) and protests on the ground (6:00), the gulf between conservative media?s portrayals of unrest and the reality he?s witnessed (14:00), and the potential for accountability in the shootings of Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti (23:00).

Soboroff then offers an abridged history of immigration enforcement (31:00), dispatches from his 2018 visit to a family separation facility in Texas (38:00), and insights on ICE?s online recruitment campaign (46:00). To close, we unpack the next phase of ICE (1:01:00), Jacob?s reporting on the LA wildfires in his new book Firestorm (1:05:00), and whether Bad Bunny?s call for unity will be heard (1:11:00).

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Musician Anderson .Paak has always marched to the beat of his own drum. Whether he?s on the church circuit in Oxnard, center stage at the Grammys, or as one half of groups like NxWorries and Silk Sonic, Anderson is joyfully, defiantly, himself.

Watch this conversation on YouTube.

The versatile singer-songwriter joins us this week to discuss his directorial debut, K-Pops! (3:31), the music?Frankie Beverly & Maze, Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder?that shaped his upbringing in Oxnard, CA (14:05), and the life-changing afternoon that eventually inspired the track ?Battlefield? (16:00). Then, Anderson reflects on discovering the drums in middle school (21:15), his winding road to becoming a professional musician (27:35), and how his SoundCloud hit ?Suede? stopped Dr. Dre in his tracks (42:20).

On the back-half, we dive into the whirlwind decade following the release of ?Malibu?: featuring a lesson in presence from Snoop Dogg (58:00), tour life (1:00:15), the spirit of James Brown (1:02:08), collaborating with Smokey Robinson on the instant classic ?Make it Better? (1:07:15), his next record (1:16:00), and how he hopes the music continues to evolve in the years ahead (1:19:00).

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George Saunders has long been hailed as one of the great short story writers of our time. Of his 1996 debut CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, Zadie Smith called Saunders ?a prophecy and the voice of the American berserk.? Thirty years later, Saunders is still turning to the page in search of answers.

Watch this conversation on YouTube.

We sit today to discuss his latest novel, Vigil (6:25), why he felt drawn to this story circling the afterlife (9:55), and his own brush with death in the early 2000s (12:40). Then, Saunders reflects on a life-changing moment in Singapore (20:45), his instinct toward peacemaking (25:00), and what he makes of this fraught moment in America (27:00).

On the back-half, we talk about his 2016 reporting for The New Yorker (40:00), the formation of Saunders? signature literary style (43:00), and the idea of inevitable occurrences (52:00). To close, Saunders revisits his 2020 short story ?Love Letter? (1:11:00), looks toward the future (1:15:00), and shares a tribute to his wife, Paula (1:17:00).

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Today, we revisit our 2023 conversation with performer and director Ramy Youssef, one of the singular voices of the past decade.

We begin with his reflections on Ramadan, before diving into the third season of his Hulu show Ramy and the questions that shaped it. Then, we walk through his coming of age as a first-generation Egyptian-American Muslim in New Jersey, his early forays into film, and the sketch inspired by a life-altering Bell?s palsy diagnosis.

On the back-half, we discuss Youssef's television debut in the sitcom See Dad Run, how he found his ?essence? as a performer, and the politics of his stand-up comedy. To close, he describes the influences behind Ramy, from The Carmichael Show to Curb Your Enthusiasm, a philosophy that guides his work, and what he wants to create in the future.

Original air date: June 4, 2023

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From BoJack to Batman, Will Arnett has made a name for himself with his signature baritone voice. This week the beloved ?SmartLess? co-host joins us to talk easy.

Watch this conversation on YouTube.

We begin with his latest role in Bradley Cooper?s Is This Thing On? (6:35), the real-life story that inspired the personal project (10:53), and how making it reconnected Arnett to his early years as a young, jobbing actor in New York City (13:24). Then, we discuss Arnett?s first voiceover gigs (18:16), finding his way in his early 30s (22:50), and the thrill of collaborating with creator Mitch Hurwitz on Arrested Development (27:08). 

On the back-half, he shares some lessons in failure (38:19), coming to terms with criticism (41:00), his family?s heartfelt reaction to the new film (50:00), the joys of co-hosting SmartLess alongside Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes (53:00), and the kind of work he plans to make next (55:54).

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Patti Smith has been hailed as the Godmother of Punk, the people?s poet, a defining voice of her generation. She?s been inducted into the Rock & Roll of Fame. She won a National Book Award for her memoir, Just Kids. Last fall, she published her most intimate book yet: Bread of Angels.

Act I: In Sickness and In Health

We discuss Patti?s early creative awakenings in South Jersey (7:50), discovering Bob Dylan at sixteen (18:00), and the summer job that inspired her infamous poem, Piss Factory (21:20). 

Act II: Coming to New York

Then, we walk through her nomadic years with Robert Mapplethorpe in-and-out-of the Chelsea Hotel (32:30), her run-in with the Rolling Thunder Revue (39:58), the whirlwind of making her debut album Horses (45:28), and why she left it all behind (50:24).

Act III: Curtain Call

To close, she talks about giving voice to those whose time was cut short (53:00), her tireless desire and commitment to evolve as an artist (59:23), and the protests and politics that have shaped some of her best and most urgent work to date (1:01:37).

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Gwyneth Paltrow, now and forever, reigns supreme.

Watch this conversation on YouTube.

We discuss her return to acting in Josh Safdie?s Marty Supreme (7:45), the personal parallels that shaped her portrayal of 1930s movie star Kay Stone (8:00), and memories of her early years at the Williamstown Theatre Festival (12:14). Then, Paltrow reflects on the ?fast-moving train? that followed her breakout roles in Se7en, Hard Eight, and Emma (30:05), the sexism she encountered in Hollywood (32:35), and how her sense of self shifted after winning the Academy Award for Shakespeare in Love at just twenty-six (35:00).

On the back-half, we revisit the making of The Royal Tenenbaums (41:40), her decision to step away from acting to build Goop (49:30), why she continues to advocate for wellness practices today (57:30), and what she imagines the next chapter of her life and work might hold (1:00:18).

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Before Viola Davis (How to Get Away with Murder) became an EGOT-winning actor, she was an observer. Her work takes the human experience and transmutes it, offering a mirror and a window into ourselves.

You can watch this conversation on YouTube.

As we (gradually) move into 2026, we revisit our sit-down with Davis. We unpack her liberating projects in The Woman King (4:24) and G20 (4:50), the formative years she spent growing up in Rhode Island (13:52), and how she captured those familial memories in her 2022 memoir Finding Me (17:12). Then, we talk about Viola?s start as a performer (23:40), what she learned attending Juilliard (31:57), and the quagmire she faced as a Black actor emerging on Broadway and in Hollywood post-graduation (35:10).

On the back-half, Davis reflects on a scene from August Wilson?s play Seven Guitars (37:50), her singular experience acting alongside Meryl Streep in Doubt (47:25), and the ways her life transformed during Shonda Rhymes? How to Get Away with Murder and Steve McQueen?s Widows (53:00). To close, Viola shares her views on legacy (1:01:05) and how she finds her way back home, each and every day (1:05:20).

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Original air date: April 27, 2025

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We?re closing out 2025 with the person who made us laugh the most this year: comedian Robby Hoffman.

[You can watch this conversation on YouTube.]

At the top, we unpack the joys of her new Netflix special Wake Up (4:00), her views on Sunday football (9:00), and the state of masculinity (15:00). Then, Robby walks us through her Orthodox upbringing (19:00), leaving America for Canada (21:00), and how she started to find herself in high school (32:00).

On the back-half, we talk her first night doing stand-up (39:00), some candid thoughts on her community (47:00), how she landed her break writing for The Chris Gethard Show (51:40), the conditions she fought to improve during the WGA strikes (53:00), a tribute to the late Rob Reiner (1:07:30), and the systemic change she wants to see in 2026 (1:10:00).

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For over thirty years, Kate Winslet has been one of the most beloved performers on screen.

We discuss her directorial debut in Goodbye June (5:00), the loss that inspired this personal screenplay (10:00), and how her experiences in Hollywood shaped her approach to directing (20:00). Then, Winslet reflects on her vivid upbringing in Reading, England (23:00), landing her breakout role in Peter Jackson?s Heavenly Creatures (30:00), and the encouragement of her artistic father (33:00).

On the back-half, we walk through how she crafted her performance in Sense and Sensibility (35:00), her Titanic audition (38:00), the scrutiny she endured in the film?s aftermath (40:00), and the body of work she ultimately made as a refutation of the industry that tried to define her: namely, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (48:00) and Mare of Easttown (52:00).

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In the first 100 years of The New Yorker, only five have edited the magazine. Since 1998, it?s been David Remnick at the helm, shepherding the publication into the 21st century. 

We discuss Zohran Mamdani?s mayoral win in New York City (3:24), the new documentary, The New Yorker at 100, chronicling the magazine?s evolution (11:00), how comedian Jon Stewart understands the rising influence of the podcast Manosphere (26:20), and the future of media (47:00).

Then, we turn to our first talk with Remnick from 2023, reflecting on the art that influenced him growing up in New Jersey (54:00) to his pathway to journalism at Princeton University (1:03:30) and his start at The Washington Post under the tutelage of legendary editor Ben Bradlee (1:09:00). We close with lessons from his early days running The New Yorker (1:14:30), why he cautions against despair (1:26:20), and a tribute to the creative longevity of musician Joni Mitchell (1:34:00).

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What happens when a house is not a home? It's the question pulsating at the heart of the new film, Sentimental Value, and one that actor Renate Reinsve reckons with in the lead role of Nora.

We discuss her process connecting the ?puzzle? of each character (7:00), how she balances dark and light themes in this new film (8:20), and her creative childhood in Norway (12:00). Then, Renate describes how David Lynch?s Mulholland Drive impacted her as a young performer (20:20), her liberating teen years in Edinburgh (22:00), and how her longtime collaboration with writer-director Joachim Trier came to be?beginning with her supporting role in Oslo, August 31st (25:00).

On the back-half, she reflects on her early years in the theatre (36:20), how she recalibrated herself from stage to screen (39:15), and her spiritual tribute to the late Diane Keaton in The Worst Person in the World (42:53). To close, we talk about the final day on the set of Sentimental Value (49:40), her desires for the years ahead (55:00), and what it meant to bring her family to the film?s premiere at Cannes (58:39).

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Following the success of The Worst Person in the World, writer-director Joachim Trier returns this fall with a candid family story in Sentimental Value.

We begin with the guiding words from writer Philip Roth (7:20), how Trier arrived at this intimate new film (8:40), and why he was drawn to father-daughter dynamics (his own, and others) in making this new project (10:00). Then, we talk about Joachim?s early observations growing up in Norway (25:00), why he prefers to be present with performers on set, rather than watching from a far-off monitor (32:00), and how he parlayed skating into his early work as a filmmaker (35:00).

On the back-half, Trier reflects on meeting longtime collaborator, screenwriter and director Eskil Vogt (37:00), the essayistic qualities of his sophomore film, Oslo, August 31st (40:00), and how that style fully solidified in Louder Than Bombs and The Worst Person in the World (42:00). To close, we revisit a recurring monologue in Sentimental Value (48:00), his last day on set with actor Renate Reinsve (50:00), and how director Martin Scorsese has inspired Trier to continue ?stirring the sauce? (56:00).

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Filmmaker Noah Baumbach has spent the past three decades transmuting his experiences into cinema, culminating in his latest film, Jay Kelly, his love letter to movies (and the memories they evoke).

We begin with the ?quiet crisis? Baumbach found himself in on the heels of releasing White Noise (5:30), finding his way back to the page, with co-writer Emily Mortimer, to create Jay Kelly for George Clooney (10:20), the films that defined his early years (15:00), and the week that Mike Nichols? production of Heartburn took over his Park Slope childhood home (22:45). Then, we walk through his early, funny work in Kicking and Screaming (29:00) and Mr. Jealousy (30:45), how art imitated life in The Squid and the Whale (32:00), and the start of his lasting collaboration with Greta Gerwig in Greenberg (43:00).

On the back-half, Baumbach talks about his love of working with actors (45:30), setting the stage for the infamous Marriage Story fight scene (47:00), his process of writing personal stories (51:30), and how his subconscious seems to always be one step ahead of him (52:00). To close, the influence of Noah?s Hollywood mentor, the late Peter Bogdanovich (58:45) and a prescient essay from Baumbach?s mother, former film critic of The Village Voice, Georgia Brown (1:05:00).

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For your Thanksgiving inspiration: a favorite episode from Wiser Than Me, where Julia sits down with legendary cook and author Ina Garten.

Over the course of her 76 years, Ina has lived a few lives: she worked on nuclear policy at the White House, ran the beloved food store Barefoot Contessa, and went on to write best-selling cookbooks and host her own hit TV shows. But what?s always defined her isn?t just the food?it?s the way she brings people together around it. In this conversation, Ina reflects on how aging has reshaped her taste, the art of simplicity, and what she?s learned about handling those quietly difficult, passive-aggressive types we all know too well.

To hear more episode of Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, follow wherever you get your podcasts or head to: https://lemonada.lnk.to/wiserthanmefd

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This week, cook and writer Alison Roman published her fourth cookbook, Something from Nothing?a collection of over one hundred simple, timeless recipes inspired by the items you may already have in your pantry.

On the heels of its release, we return to our conversation with the culinary force. We discuss her dessert cookbook Sweet Enough (4:55), her early years as a restaurant pastry chef (12:24), and the chaotic conditions of working in the service industry (14:50). Then, Roman describes working at the experimental bakery Milk Bar in New York City (18:09), hosting cooking videos at Bon Appétit (22:40), and eventually working as a food columnist at The New York Times (25:18).

On the back-half, we walk through the criticism she faced in 2020 (32:20), the subsequent fallout from her remarks (38:52), the personal newsletter that emerged (47:12), the connective power of cooking (55:08), the time capsule of writing (58:30), and what she hopes for in the years to come (1:01:45).

Original air date: April 23, 2023.

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Today, we?re sharing an episode from Fail Better with David Duchovny, featuring filmmaker and writer Judd Apatow. Together, they trace the arc of Judd?s career, from Anchorman and Bridesmaids to Superbad and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, before diving into his new visual memoir, Comedy Nerd: A Lifelong Obsession in Stories and Pictures.

Throughout their conversation, Judd reflects on what?s driven him all these years?not the need to prove he?s funny, but the desire to understand if he has anything to say in the first place. It?s something David relates to as a writer, and it runs through the pages of Judd?s new book: a collection of everything he?s made and gathered while trying to make sense of this life he?s made.

They also talk about the sting of bad reviews, why they?ve both stopped Googling themselves, and how Judd?s documentary on Garry Shandling became a final act of friendship and legacy.

Hear more episodes of Fail Better with David Duchovny wherever you get your podcasts, or head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/failbetterfd 

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Director Edgar Wright hit the ground running. For most filmmakers it takes many years (and many films) to find their voice, but Wright?s seemed to be fully formed upon arrival, with 2004?s Shaun of the Dead.

The beloved British filmmaker joins us this week to discuss his new adaptation of Stephen King?s The Running Man (5:38), the inspiration he took from director Sam Raimi?s career path (17:30), and Wright?s moviegoing childhood in Somerset, England (20:24). Then, we dive into Wright?s own movies: the start of his collaboration with Simon Pegg (25:42), their breakout with Shaun of the Dead (28:17), and the local lore that informed Hot Fuzz (39:59).

On the back-half, Edgar recounts the unlikely origin story of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World?which began in Quentin Tarantino?s guest house (46:46)?his ups and downs inside the studio system (43:00), including his brief foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Ant-Man (42:53), and how art ultimately imitated life in The World?s End (58:20). To close, we talk about how he sees the future of filmmaking and artificial intelligence (1:06:11) and why, after all these years, Edgar still believes in the magic of going to the cinema (1:13:55).

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For more than three decades, author Salman Rushdie has lived under threat. In 1989, a fatwa forced him into hiding. In 2022, he was stabbed more than a dozen times while speaking on stage?and nearly killed.

Less than two years later, he recounted the attack (and remarkable recovery) in his memoir Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder. Now, at seventy-eight, Rushdie returns to fiction with The Eleventh Hour, a collection of five interlinked stories that explore anger, peace, mortality, and legacy.

We begin with the inspirations behind the new quintet (5:52), Rushdie?s formative, bookish years in Bombay (14:20), and the tumultuous family life that shaped his early writing (21:20). Then, he reflects on his time at Cambridge (29:30), his stint as a copywriter (35:32), and the lightbulb moment that led to his breakout novel, Midnight?s Children (39:40).

On the back half, we discuss the fatwa (50:15) and book burning of The Satanic Verses (53:30), threats to free speech (56:36), and the slippery slope of political censorship (1:04:30). We also talk about Rushdie?s recovery and return to the page (1:14:10), his meta Curb Your Enthusiasm appearance (1:08:37), and the lasting power of literature (1:24:00).

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Director Richard Linklater has made a career out of telling personal stories with universal appeal. Dazed and Confused, Waking Life, the Before trilogy, Boyhood. No matter the genre or form, Linklater?s human touch remains.

To mark the arrival of his latest films, Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague, we return to our talk last summer with Linklater. We begin with Hit Man (6:36), his action-packed neo-noir (8:15) that also explores the malleability of identity (11:00). Then, Linklater reflects on his athletic career in college (17:20), the health scare that ushered in a period of creative exploration (18:48), and the renegade spirit that drove his first two feature films, It?s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books and Slacker (28:12).

On the back-half, Linklater describes a formative Sundance memory with director Robert Altman (34:00), his first experience at the helm of a major motion picture (37:48), and the lived serendipity that inspired his Before films (52:22). To close: a Hollywood state of the union (1:00:54), why Richard continues to create art from the fabric of his life (1:08:00), and whether Sam should return to directing himself (1:17:36).

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Original air date: June 9, 2024.

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Is it possible the rumors of the death of print magazines (and masculinity) have been greatly exaggerated?

 We sit this week with GQ's Global Editorial Director Will Welch to discuss the magazine?s 2025 Special Issue on American Masculinity (3:53), its revealing survey of nearly two thousand men across the US (5:00), the absence of ?low-stakes mischief? in today?s surveillance age (9:40), the widespread obsession with Gen Z (12:00), and the ?125 Rules for Modern Gentlemen? featured in the issue (17:30).

 In Act II, we turn to Welch?s own story: his Atlanta upbringing (21:00), the music of OutKast and D?Angelo that shaped him (24:00), and his early years as an editor at The Fader (28:00). He also shares the call that brought him to GQ (33:00), his road to recovery (42:00), and how spiritual leader Ram Dass reshaped his life (48:00).

 In Act III, Welch reflects on the ?when the going was good? era of GQ (55:00), the magazine?s unparalleled access to its subjects (1:00:00), and how magazines (and men) can fit into the ever-changing cultural landscape (1:15:26).

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Gabriela Hearst is one of the rare figures in fashion with an unwavering commitment to sustainability.

 At the top, we discuss her luminous Spring Summer 2026 collection at Paris Fashion Week (4:08), her childhood herding cattle on a 17,000-acre ranch in Uruguay (6:55), and the gaucho traditions that shaped her philosophy around art-making (10:35). Then, Gabriela reflects on the manifestation practice that?s guided her since adolescence (17:15), how love and heartbreak fueled her creatively (21:18), and what she took from a detour into acting (21:50).

 On the back-half, Hearst talks about motherhood (24:30), founding her first label, Candela (31:00), and breaking free from the vicious cycle of fast fashion (38:00). To close, we walk through the past decade of Gabriela Hearst (40:28), the long-term vision for the namesake brand (50:00), and the affirmation that keeps her grounded (58:10).

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Rose Byrne has taken many forms on-screen. In Mary Bronstein?s new film If I Had Legs I?d Kick You, she delivers a career-defining performance as a Long Island therapist and mother slowly unraveling under the weight of her child?s mysterious illness.

We begin by discussing the maternal madness at the heart of this new film from A24 (6:30), the long, collaborative road to shaping the character (10:00), and what it was like to have Conan O?Brien as a scene partner (13:30). Then, Byrne reflects on her debut performance in Dallas Doll (19:45), the plays and poems that inspired her as a teenager (22:30), and a formative role in the cult classic Two Hands, opposite the late Heath Ledger (26:00).

 In the back half, we unpack the sexism she faced in Hollywood in the aughts (32:40), her unexpected comedic breakthrough in Bridesmaids and Neighbors (37:15), and the fruitful collaborations with Seth Rogen that followed (39:50). To close, Byrne pays tribute to two of her enduring artistic influences?filmmaker David Lynch (45:00) and playwright Arthur Miller (47:00).

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Director, writer, and actor Benny Safdie stops by Sam?s home this week to discuss his new film, The Smashing Machine (1:30)?an unflinching portrait of mixed martial arts icon Mark Kerr (7:00), played by Dwayne ?The Rock? Johnson (9:00).

In the second half, we revisit our conversation from 2023. There, Safdie unpacks his collaboration with comedian Nathan Fielder on their television series The Curse (44:30), the timely premise that inspired the show (47:20), and his history of capturing real-life personalities on film (51:20). Then, he describes his early connection to the 1979 movie Kramer v Kramer (54:20), a New York encounter with photographer Robert Frank (59:20), and how directors Robert Bresson (1:03:20) and Frederick Wiseman (1:03:50) opened his eyes to the possibilities of street casting.

We also dive into Benny?s co-directing work alongside his brother, Josh Safdie (1:05:15), a heartbreaking scene from their debut feature Daddy Longlegs (1:09:26), and the projects that followed (1:14:15): Good Time, Lenny Cooke, and Uncut Gems. To close, Safdie talks about why he worked as a boom operator while directing (1:20:00), his recent pivot to acting (1:21:23), and his full circle moment of playing an astrophysicist in Oppenheimer (1:33:20).

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Few writers have examined the tension between history and morality more urgently than Ta-Nehisi Coates.

 Last fall, on the heels of his new book The Message, Coates joined Sam for a conversation live in Los Angeles. At the top, they discuss how his Atlantic piece The Case for Reparations guided these three new essays (6:10), Coates? early education growing up in West Baltimore (14:57), and his powerful dispatches from South Carolina (22:00) and the Middle East (29:30).

 On the back-half, Coates unpacks why he believes the mainstream media prioritizes ?factual complexity over self-evident morality? (37:47), his advocacy for Palestinian journalists (39:20), and his reflections about the U.S. election (47:28). To close, a formative passage from James Baldwin's The Lost Generation (52:38) and a story about love and writing (57:45).

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?Sometimes I feel that I?m not going to write again,? says Arundhati Roy, ?but then it becomes harder to keep quiet than to write it.?

 Few writers have bridged the personal and political as powerfully as Arundhati Roy. With her first memoir, fittingly titled Mother Mary Comes to Me, she turns to her turbulent relationship with her late mother, Mary Roy, a pioneering feminist who reshaped Indian law.

 Act I: Let It Be

 We begin with the imagery that animates the new book (4:10), her tumultuous household growing up (10:00), and how she sifted through those memories while writing The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (15:40).

 Act II: She?s Leaving Home

 Roy reflects on her mother?s impact as a teacher (22:00), navigating her severe asthma as a child (24:30), and the moment she ultimately left home (27:20) for architecture school where she worked on film sets (30:00) and discovered The Beatles. 

 Act III: Revolution 

 Then, finally, how her writing sprung from her past (32:00), the political attacks that followed the success of her debut novel (35:00), bearing witness in the age of authoritarianism (41:00), and the timeliness of her 1998 essay The End of Imagination (1:01:00).

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Director Francis Ford Coppola doesn?t just want to make movies. He wants to change them. This was true in 1969 when he co-founded Zoetrope Studios with George Lucas, and it remains true today.

Watch the video of our conversation on YouTube.

We return to our talk with Coppola upon the anniversary of his modern-day Roman epic fable Megalopolis, discussing his decades-long process developing the film (6:16) and the inspiration he?s taken from Georges Méliès (17:00) and Jacques Tati (19:07). Then, he reflects on the origin of how he became ?Francis Ford Coppola? (23:07), the irrepressible spirit he forged in childhood (26:34), and where he sees himself in films like The Godfather (33:17), Apocalypse Now (35:51), and Gardens of Stone (36:10).

On the back-half, we unpack the parallels between the titular city of Megalopolis and Zoetrope Studios (42:35), his capacity to keep dreaming, even in the face of financial ruin (43:30), where he believes America is headed (49:04), and the lasting memory of his late wife, Eleanor (58:08).

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At this year?s Primetime Emmys, Seth Rogen took home four major awards for The Studio, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

We sat with Rogen around the show?s release back in the spring to discuss his key influences (6:15), from Robert Altman?s The Player to The Larry Sanders Show (13:25), the evolving state of ?show business? (15:36), and a life-changing piece of advice from director and producer Judd Apatow (25:00).

On the back-half, we dive into his early years writing comedy in Vancouver (25:57), formative memories making Freaks and Geeks (33:19), and how This Is the End, the meta-comedy from 2013, was a precursor to this latest project (43:18) and solidified his enduring creative partnership with Evan Goldberg (58:30).

Watch this episode on YouTube. Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at [email protected].

Original air date: March 30, 2025

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This month marks 50 years of Terry Gross as the host of Fresh Air. What began in 1975 as a local experiment at WHYY in Philadelphia has since grown into a national institution?one that not only transformed public radio, but laid the groundwork for the world of podcasting.

To commemorate a half-century on the air, Terry Gross joins us for a rare appearance in the interview seat. At the top, we discuss her Brooklyn upbringing (10:26), early memories of writing (13:00), and her improbable road to public radio (29:38). Then, Terry walks us through the formative years of Fresh Air (33:37) and its seminal conversations with Kurt Vonnegut (40:21), John Updike (46:30), Monica Lewinsky (49:30), Joan Didion (1:00:55), and more.

On the back-half, Gross reflects on forty-seven years of partnership with her late husband, jazz writer Francis Davis (1:03:24), their shared affinity for reading and music (1:05:57), the future of public media (1:19:16), and why she continues to have faith in (and love for) the long-form interview (1:31:35).

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Eight years ago, cook and writer Samin Nosrat created a kitchen staple with Salt Fat Acid Heat: a New York Times bestseller that later became a hit Netflix series. Nosrat returns with Good Things, a collection of personal recipes straight from her dining table.

We discuss the influences that shaped the book (8:30), the ephemerality (and pleasure) of produce (9:30), her complicated San Diego childhood growing up with Iranian parents (17:30), the high expectations placed before her (22:40), and how she eventually found her way to Chez Panisse in Berkeley (32:00).

On the back-half, Samin talks about her salad days working in restaurants (46:00), grand openings and closings (42:30), the origins of Salt Fat Acid Heat (47:00), what The Bear gets right about cooking (1:00:25), and how she thinks about time (1:03:00) and ritual (1:07:40).

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Over the long holiday weekend, Dev Hynes (Blood Orange) released his latest album, Essex Honey. To celebrate, we return to our 2022 conversation with the visionary musician.

At the top, we dive into his EP Four Songs (3:15), performing at Madison Square Garden with Harry Styles (4:40), and the process that guides much of his music (6:39). Then, Dev describes growing up in Essex, England (7:04), falling in love with music at his sister?s piano lessons (11:00), his dreams of entering the New York punk culture of Please Kill Me (20:30), early performances with the band Test Icicles (22:08), and how he?s been inspired by the late Octavia Saint Laurent (30:10).

In the back half, we unpack Dev?s gift for collaboration (34:22), the 2013 night that changed everything (38:50), a surreal, full-circle performance of Delancey at the Apollo Theater (46:17), music?s unique ability to express emotions (49:50), and where he hopes to go in his art next (54:20).

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We?re excited to share a new show from Lemonada Media: The Dan Buettner Podcast. Today?s episode features the incomparable Laura Dern.

In his groundbreaking Blue Zones research, National Geographic explorer and bestselling author Dan Buettner uncovered the secrets to longevity and happiness from the world?s longest-lived populations. Now, on the podcast, he?s sharing the practical habits, mindsets, and wisdom that can set the stage for a longer, more fulfilling life?at any age. Dan sits down with extraordinary doctors, explorers, thought leaders, and actors from around the world.

In this talk, Laura Dern shares how she lives with purpose, the surprising study that suggests winning an Academy Award can add years to your life, and lessons from her actor parents, Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd.

Listen to The Dan Buettner Podcast wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube. To learn more, head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/TheDanBuettnerPodcastfd

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It?s been a year in Los Angeles. Between the historic wildfires, rapid recovery efforts, and the ICE raids over the summer, Mayor Karen Bass has been tasked with moving at a breakneck speed to meet the demands of a city in peril.

Watch this conversation on our new YouTube channel.

The Mayor joins us this week to reflect on her office?s response to ICE in Los Angeles (7:00), the federalization of thousands of National Guard troops by the Trump administration (11:20), and the ongoing legal battle now being waged in court (15:00). We also discuss the city?s ?rapid rebuilding efforts? in the aftermath of the January wildfires (21:45), lessons learned from the historic catastrophe (25:50), and why she cut through ?federal red tape? (28:48) to push forth her Inside Safe program designed to reduce homelessness (30:20).

On the back-half, we get into some of Bass? personal story: coming of age in the Venice/Fairfax area of Los Angeles (36:30), working in emergency rooms during the crack epidemic of the 1980s (46:00), and her six terms in Congress representing various Los Angeles districts (58:00), all while navigating unimaginable personal loss (54:00). To close, the Mayor discusses her ongoing mission to end homelessness (1:00:00), the promise and potential of the 2028 Olympics (1:04:00), and where she finds the strength to continue fighting for the city that raised her (1:04:45).

This episode was recorded at Spotify Studios. Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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With the arrival of Weapons in theaters, we return to our conversation with actor Josh Brolin.

Since the turn of the century, Brolin has had quite a run. From No Country for Old Men and Hail, Caesar! from the Coen Brothers, to Inherent Vice from Paul Thomas Anderson, to Sicario and the Dune films from Denis Villeneuve.

His memoir, From Under the Truck, contains stories about the life in between. We discuss his upbringing bouncing from Paso Robles to Santa Barbara (8:49), the influence of his mother (10:05), and his entry to writing (19:40). Then, Brolin reflects on his vivid early adulthood in the 80s (26:14), the power of a story (32:30), and what actor Anthony Hopkins illuminated about sobriety (34:35).

On the back-half, we get into his collaborations with the Coen Brothers (38:48), his challenging relationship to drinking (50:50), and why finally, after three decades of playing characters on screen, it was time to fill in some of the backstory (1:07:13).

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Actor Julia Garner (Ozark) has built a career out of shapeshifting. This summer, the Emmy-winning performer lands on the silver (surfer) screen with two major projects?The Fantastic Four: First Steps and the highly-anticipated horror film, Weapons.

At the top, we walk through the spine-tingling world of Zach Cregger?s new film (6:45), the Moleskine character journals she keeps for each role (9:22), and some lessons from her time in clown school (14:01). Then, she reflects on her ?Noah Baumbach-like? upbringing (22:27) and the influence of legendary actors Bette Davis, Gena Rowlands, and Sharon Stone (23:15), who she credits for opening the doors in Hollywood that she has walked through (23:50).

On the back-half, Garner describes her transformative years making Ozark (30:03), the whirlwind three-week prep period to portray Anna Delvey in Inventing Anna (35:59), her comfort with discomfort (43:05), and how she remains open to growth in this next chapter (44:17).

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David Mamet is one of the most celebrated American playwrights of the last century: Sexual Perversity in Chicago, Speed-the-Plow, American Buffalo, and Glengarry Glen Ross? which won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1983 and remains timely today. Our conversation unfolds, fittingly, in three acts. 

Act I: the inspiration behind his new novel about education, Some Recollections of St. Ives (5:38), weathering the ?emotional hurricane? of his childhood in Chicago (18:22), and how the drama of those early years materialized in his 1994 play The Cryptogram and beyond (27:00).

In Act II, Mamet talks writing dialogue for the stage and screen (29:16), his disdain for psychoanalysis and the Actors Studio (32:32), and the philosophy that guided both his first theatre company (33:24) and subsequent plays (38:01).

In the closing act, we wrestle with Mamet?s rightward shift: his views on DEI (41:48), late-stage capitalism (51:33), ?Constitutional Conservatism? as it relates to the 2020 election (1:01:48), his latest book The Disenlightenment: Politics, Horror, and Entertainment (1:07:06), and what he believes a ?peaceful and patriotic? protest should look like (1:10:12).

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Long before Celine Song was nominated for an Academy Award for her feature directorial debut, Past Lives, she was a struggling playwright in New York City with an unusual side hustle: matchmaking.

In this special episode presented by Death, Sex & Money, host Anna Sale sits with Celine to unpack how this personal experience inspired the plot of her new A24 movie, Materialists, starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal.

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After nearly four decades of working in Hollywood, actor Patricia Clarkson (The Station Agent, Pieces of April) says her portrayal of women?s rights activist Lilly Ledbetter is ?the greatest privilege? in her storied career.

We sat with the legendary actress as part of this year?s Aspen Ideas Festival to discuss her powerful turn in Lilly (4:10), her colorful New Orleans upbringing (10:17), and the educator who first recognized Patricia?s talent (13:25). Then, she reflects on her life-changing move from Louisiana to New York City (18:40), years of training at the Yale School of Drama (22:08), and her early film roles opposite Kevin Costner in The Untouchables and Clint Eastwood in The Dead Pool (26:21).

On the back-half, we discuss her transformation in the groundbreaking 1998 film High Art (28:08), her process of ?total immersion? on set (33:26), and how that commitment led to a call from director Martin Scorsese and a pivotal part in Shutter Island (39:33). To close, we talk through Patricia?s raucous role in Easy A (40:50), her ongoing fight for equal pay in Hollywood (42:30), and her lifelong love of Thornton Wilder?s Our Town (52:30).

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?I wanted to be good, but I completely burned up the morning,? said Joaquin Phoenix on day 1 of Eddington. ?Ari and I stayed on set when everyone left for lunch?and, slowly, something emerged. I don?t know if it?s any good, but it didn?t make me want to end everything.?

With the film?s arrival in theaters, we return to our candid, long-form talk with Phoenix. At the top, we unpack his transformation in Joker: Folie à Deux (7:10), his free-wheeling collaborations with director Todd Phillips (9:32), and the nomadic upbringing that marked his early years (13:00). Then, he reflects on his childhood television debut in Hill Street Blues (20:27), the brilliance of Robert De Niro (25:53), and his formative performances in To Die For and Parenthood (32:45).

On the back-half, we discuss how the polarizing mockumentary, I?m Still Here (45:15), inspired his singular collaborations with directors Spike Jonze, Paul Thomas Anderson, James Gray, and Lynne Ramsay (49:30). We also talk about the evolution of his acting process (50:47), the impassioned Oscars speech he delivered accepting Best Actor for Joker (56:15), and whether he?ll ever turn in what he believes is a ?great? performance (1:00:40).

Hear our episode with Ari Aster and watch on YouTube.

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?Eddington is a film about a bunch of people who know that something is wrong,? says writer-director Ari Aster. ?It?s just that nobody can agree on what that thing is.?

Aster joins us this week to unpack his controversial, COVID-era western: his time back home in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he wrote through lockdown (9:30), the works of Robert Altman (18:00) and Oliver Stone (19:15) that served as sources of inspiration, and how Beau Is Afraid (5:54) cleared the path for Eddington. Aster also shares his early adventures in moviegoing: including Brian De Palma?s Carrie (22:10), Peter Greenaway?s The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (23:45), Stanley Kubrick?s Full Metal Jacket (23:47), and David Lynch?s Blue Velvet (24:50).

On the back-half, we talk about how he found his voice in film school (30:28), his divisive AFI senior thesis film The Strange Thing About the Johnsons (31:16), the seven years, post-college, that it took to break through with Hereditary (34:18), followed by his breakdown on Midsommar (38:30), and his ?novelistic? approach to screenwriting (40:30). To close, we read from Paul Schrader?s infamous Facebook post (45:48) on how AI will change moviemaking (46:05) and a Nietzsche quote that Ari says helps explain this moment in American life (52:45).

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Writer/director Lena Dunham is the voice of my generation. Or at the very least, a voice of a generation. Her new show, Too Much, is now available to stream on Netflix.

We start by discussing her 2022 film Sharp Stick (6:20), the 1970s cinema that inspired it (9:50), and how it offers a ?three-way mirror? to the female experience (12:41). Then, Lena reflects on meeting Judd Apatow on the heels of Tiny Furniture (15:39), her rapid ascension following Girls (17:39), the pain and power of grappling with OCD on the show (23:11), the genius of season five?s ?The Panic in Central Park? (29:35), and how she?s continued to learn from public criticisms (35:27).

On the back-half, we sit with the end of Girls (43:59), the aftermath of that decade (49:57), the new creative path Lena had to forge (55:46), the prophetic presence of her father (1:00:27), the inspiration that is her mother (1:01:47), and the dreams she has for the years ahead?on the screen, and off (1:06:54).

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From the opinion pages of The New York Times to his popular TikTok feed, Jamelle Bouie is a leading voice in American politics.

This week, Bouie helps us sift through the inner workings of Trump?s ?Big Beautiful Bill? (4:38): its promise of prosperity for the middle class (8:44), the ?moral economy? guiding the legislation (13:00), the projected losses in healthcare coverage across the country (18:07), particularly in right-leaning, rural communities (23:50), the GOP?s vision for the future (33:30), and how strict reporting requirements will put SNAP benefits at risk for millions (36:46).

On the back-half, Bouie reflects on the ghost of Democrats past (43:35), campaign lessons from Zohran Mamdani?s bid for New York City mayor (46:18), the recent ICE raids sweeping Los Angeles (1:03:54), and the historical antecedents that help put this moment in American life in perspective (1:08:08).

This episode was recorded at Spotify Studios. Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at [email protected].

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To celebrate the fourth season of The Bear, we return to our conversation with Emmy-winning actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

At the top, we dive into the making of the hit series (9:22), his unforgettable collaboration with Jeremy Allen White (11:20), and how Moss-Bachrach manages to keep adding layers to his portrayal of Cousin Richie (14:26). Then, he describes the mounting pressures around this new season (19:23), the day he knew he wanted to be an actor (27:35), and his work through the years with actor Jon Bernthal (30:26).

On the back-half, Ebon reflects on a formative role as a jazz musician in Warren Leight?s play Side Man (35:34), his ideas about success and living a more balanced life (38:19), his experience playing Desi in Girls (43:33), a philosophy depicted in The Bear (47:35), and the art he hopes to continue making in years to come (50:38).

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Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at [email protected].

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.