Podcasts by Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso is a weekly series of intimate conversations with artists, activists, and politicians. Where people sound like people. Hosted by Sam Fragoso. New episodes every Sunday.

Further podcasts by Sam Fragoso

Podcast on the topic Philosophie

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The Transformations of Actor Willem Dafoe from 2023-12-10T09:00

Willem Dafoe has built a career out of shapeshifting. His latest role in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things demonstrates exactly that.

To...

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Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa Fights for the Protection of Journalists from 2023-12-03T09:00

Nobel Peace Prize-winner Maria Ressa has spent the past decade advocating for the protection of journalists. Today, we return to our urgent conversation with the trailblazing author and activist...

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Actor and Director Benny Safdie Does It All from 2023-11-26T09:00

Throughout his fifteen-year moviemaking career, director and actor Benny Safdie has been drawn to naturalism and first-time performers. Fittingly, his recent collaboration with comedian Nathan F...

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The Futurist Vision of Actor and Filmmaker Brit Marling from 2023-11-19T09:00

For more than a decade, actor and writer Brit Marling has made futuristic work that reveals truths about our disquieting present. Her latest endeavor, Listen

The Ziwe Interview from 2023-11-12T09:00

Writer and comedian Ziwe has made a career out of conducting charged and satirical interviews. She joins us this week to discuss her debut essay collection, Listen

Marina Abramović Creates Art from Pain from 2023-11-05T08:00

Marina Abramović is a pioneer in the field of performance art, using her body as both the subject and the medium. Today, we return to our special conversation with the legendary performer from h...
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The Rise and Fall of Crypto Billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried (with Writer Michael Lewis) from 2023-10-29T08:00

Upon taking a walk with crypto billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried, writer Michael Lewis had a sense that there might be a story here. In the intervening two years, that story has taken a series of tw...
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Singer-Songwriter Weyes Blood Gives Us ‘Something to Believe’ from 2023-10-22T12:26:39

Singer-songwriter Weyes Blood is one of the most inventive musicians working today. One year ago, she released her prescient album Listen

A Human Conversation with Writer George Saunders from 2023-10-15T08:00

Last fall, George Saunders published Liberation Day, his first short-story collection in...
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Author and Critic Hua Hsu (The New Yorker) ‘Stays True’ from 2023-10-08T08:00

One year ago, The New Yorker staff writer and critic Hua Hsu published his singular memoir entitled S...
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The Transformations of Novelist Zadie Smith from 2023-10-01T08:00

Novelist Zadie Smith is one of the most acclaimed and beloved writers of her generation. Editor David Remnick has called her “a blessing not merely to The New Yorker but to language itself.” Aut...
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Writer Sandra Cisneros Finds the Poetry of the World from 2023-09-27T08:00

Writer Sandra Cisneros has been making sense of the world on the page since 1984’s The ...
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Legend David Byrne (‘Stop Making Sense’) is Still Burning Down the House from 2023-09-24T08:15

For the better part of a decade, David Byrne was the front-man of Talking Heads. To celebrate the revival of Jonathan Demme’s concert film, Listen

The State of Hollywood with Matt Belloni (‘The Town’) from 2023-09-17T08:45

For nearly two decades, Matt Belloni (The Town) has been observing and writing about Hollywood. He joins us...
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Jazz Singer Laufey is Bringing the Past to the Present from 2023-09-10T08:00

Jazz singer Laufey wants to bridge the gap between the past and the present.

Today, she joins us upon the debut of her latest album, Bewitche...
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The Summer in Review (with Culture Critic Sam Sanders) from 2023-09-03T08:00

Sam Sanders is the host of Into It, a twice-weekly podcast surveying all things pop culture. Today: he joins us for a review of summer...
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Tracing 'The Steps' of Musician Alana Haim from 2023-08-30T08:30

Today, we return to our conversation with musician and actor Alana Haim!

We first sat with Alana around her on-screen debut in the film Licorice Pizza, directed by Paul Thomas An...
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The Era(s) of Musician Este Haim from 2023-08-27T08:00

Musician and composer Este Haim has had quite the year.

Today, she reflects on HAIM’s eventful summer as part of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour (5:45), her pivot into scoring feature films ...
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Abbi Jacobson is in a League of Her Own from 2023-08-23T08:33:24

Today, our conversation with actor and writer Abbi Jacobson! We sat with Abbi last summer around the release of her latest series, A League of Their Own (5:35), to discuss the legacy of...
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Composer Ludwig Göransson (‘Oppenheimer’) Can Hear the Music from 2023-08-20T08:00

For over a decade, composer and record producer Ludwig Göransson has created some of the defining music of our time. This week, he sits with Sam to discuss his latest work in Oppenheimer. Listen

Beto O'Rourke and the Border from 2023-08-13T08:00

As a fourth generation border resident in El Paso, politician Beto O’Rourke has long been making the case for immigration reform. He’s continued to do so this summer, as the humanitarian crisis ...
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Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter Threads History and the Afrofuture from 2023-08-06T08:00

For over three decades, legendary costume designer Ruth E. Carter has created the looks of our most era-defining films. Today, we're celebrating those pieces chronicled in her new book, Listen

The Revolution Will Be Televised (with 'The Bear' Writer Alex O'Keefe) from 2023-07-30T08:00

In a moment of historic upheaval in Hollywood, screenwriter and labor activist Alex O’Keefe (The Bear) believes he can turn the tide. The Writers Guild of America has been on strike sin...
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Photographer Joel Meyerowitz: The Pleasure of Seeing from 2023-07-23T08:00

Legendary photographer Joel Meyerowitz has been capturing life itself since 1962. Whether on the streets of New York City, the sand dunes of Cape Cod, or in transit across Europe, Meyerowitz has...
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At Home with Writer Joyce Carol Oates from 2023-07-19T08:00

Last summer, we traveled to Princeton, New Jersey to sit with legendary writer Joyce Carol Oates. The talk begins with her daily routine, from writing to revision (6:34), the real-life events th...
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The Summer of Our Discontent with Reporter Astead Herndon (The New York Times) from 2023-07-16T08:00

With the closing of the latest season of The Run-Up, political reporter Astead Herndon (The New York Times) returns ...
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The Making of Tom Hanks from 2023-07-09T08:00

Today, on his 67th birthday, we’re joined by actor Tom Hanks! We begin by discussing his debut novel, Listen

Every Second Counts with Actor Jon Bernthal (‘The Bear’) from 2023-07-02T08:00

Over the long holiday weekend, we’re returning to our conversation with actor Jon Bernthal! To begin, we discuss his performance on HBO’s We Own This City (6:00), policing and gun cultu...
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The Era of Actor Michael Shannon from 2023-06-25T08:00

Today, we’re joined by actor Michael Shannon! We begin by discussing his recent turn as notorious country singer George Jones in George & Tammy (6:16) and his longstanding...
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Model and Activist Geena Rocero Lives Her Story from 2023-06-21T08:00

Today, we sit with model, writer, and activist Geena Rocero! At the top, we discuss transgender visibility in the US (3:40), her ‘magical’ upbringing in the Philippines (5:52), and a ceremony th...
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A Father’s Day Special with Sarah Silverman from 2023-06-18T08:30

Today, we’re joined by comedian Sarah Silverman! At the top, we reflect on loss (7:16), her new special, Sarah Silverman...
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A Sunday Matinee with Actor Oscar Isaac from 2023-06-11T08:00

Today, we're joined by Oscar Isaac in New York City! At the top, we discuss the past six months of his performance in The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s W...
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Comedian and Actor Ramy Youssef Tells a Muslim American Story from 2023-06-04T08:00

Today, we sit with comedian, actor, and director Ramy Youssef! At the top, he reflects on his experience during Ramadan (5:36) before diving into the third season of his Hulu show Listen

The Elements of Singer-Songwriter Arlo Parks from 2023-05-31T08:30

Today, we sit with singer-songwriter Arlo Parks! At the top, we discuss the arrival of her new record Listen

Director Nicole Holofcener’s Art Imitates Life from 2023-05-28T08:00

Today, we sit with filmmaker Nicole Holofcener! We discuss the making of her new A24 film You Hurt My Feelings (5:44), her creative upbringing in the ‘70s (15:00), and the Jim Jarmusch ...
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Bill Hader Says Goodbye to ‘Barry’ from 2023-05-24T09:06:05

As we approach the series finale of Barry, we return to our talk with actor and director Bill Hader. We discuss the thematic evolution of his hit HBO series (7:02), and how it draws fro...
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Actor Alan Ruck’s Road to ‘Succession’ from 2023-05-21T08:00

Today, we’re joined by actor Alan Ruck! At the top, we dive into the Election Day episode of Succession (4:00), the ensemble’s first table read during the 2016 presidential race (7:23),...
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Mother’s Day with ‘Top Chef’ Padma Lakshmi from 2023-05-14T08:00

Today, we sit with writer and television host Padma Lakshmi! At the top, we discuss the return of her Hulu docuseries Taste the Nation (6:40), a formative episode in El Paso, Texas (10:...
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Introducing So Many Steves: Afternoons with Steve Martin from 2023-05-10T14:13:44

Today, we're sharing a preview of an original new audiobook produced by our colleagues at Pushkin Industries. It’s entitled So Many Steves: Afternoons with Steve Martin. The book is an ...
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Jay Jordan Was Incarcerated At 18. Now, He’s Transforming the Criminal Justice System. from 2023-05-07T08:00

Today, CEO and activist Jay Jordan tells his story. We begin in Stockton, California (13:31), where he came of age on the heels of the 1994 Clinton Crime Bill (16:33) before being arrested at ei...
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All the Women in Actor Betty Gilpin’s Brain from 2023-04-30T08:00

Today, we sit with actor Betty Gilpin! We talk about her role in the prescient new Peacock series Mrs. Davis (6:35), her relationship to technology and social media (8:54), and growing ...
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Carol Burnett Turns 90 from 2023-04-26T08:00

Today, on her 90th birthday, a celebration of Carol Burnett! After seven decades in the industry, Burnett sat down with Sam to discuss her upbringing in the Hollywood Arms Apartments (4:25), a m...
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Alison Roman’s Imperfect Approach to Cooking from 2023-04-23T08:00

Today, we’re joined by cook and food writer Alison Roman! We discuss her new dessert cookbook Sweet Enough (4:55), her early years as a restaurant pastry chef (12:24), and the chaotic c...
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A Portrait of Actor Michelle Williams from 2023-04-16T08:00

Today, we sit with brilliant actor Michelle Williams! At the top, we walk through the making of Showing Up (6:05), Williams’ fifteen-year partnership with director Kelly Reichardt (8:10...
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Actor Steven Yeun Tells a New Story from 2023-04-09T08:00

Today, we sit with actor Steven Yeun! At the top, we discuss his new Netflix series Beef (3:40), a powerful church scene from the show (12:10), and his personal experience immigrating t...
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How Author Jenny Odell Discovered a Life Beyond the Clock from 2023-04-02T08:00

Today, we’re joined by writer and artist Jenny Odell! At the top, we discuss the recent legislation regulating social media in Utah (4:02), how these platforms affect our perception of daily lif...
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Actor Bob Odenkirk: The King of (Dark) Comedy from 2023-03-26T08:00

Today, we sit with legendary actor and comedian Bob Odenkirk! At the top, we discuss his new AMC series Lucky Hank (6:10), the parallels between his character Hank Devereaux and Saul Go...
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The Stories of Writer Margaret Atwood from 2023-03-22T08:00

Margaret Atwood is the author of over 50 books of poetry, critical essays, graphic novels, and fiction. Her latest short story collection, Listen

Live from New York with Author Min Jin Lee from 2023-03-19T08:00

Live from On Air Fest in Brooklyn, our talk with award-winning author Min Jin Lee! At the top, we discuss the roadmap to her upcoming third novel, Am...
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Oscar Sunday with Actor Ke Huy Quan from 2023-03-12T09:00

To celebrate Oscar Sunday, we return to our talk with actor Ke Huy Quan!

At the top, he reflects on the making of A24’s Everything Everywhere All At Once (3:35), growing up in Vi...
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Actor Ram Charan and the RRRevolution from 2023-03-08T09:00

Ahead of this year’s Academy Awards, we sit with “RRR” actor Ram Charan! At the top, he reflects on his experience observing Ayyappa Deeksha (3:09 and what it meant to join forces with actor NTR...
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Actor and Director Natasha Lyonne Plays Her Hand from 2023-03-05T09:00

Today, we sit with brilliant actor, director, writer, and producer, Natasha Lyonne. At the top, we walk through the inspiration behind her hit Peacock series Poker Face (6:30), includin...
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Mr. Frost Goes to Washington from 2023-02-26T09:00

Today, we sit with Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10). At the top, we discuss the five-year aftermath of the horrific shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida (2:29...
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The Year of Actor Pedro Pascal from 2023-02-19T09:00

For the long weekend, we return to one of our favorite talks with actor Pedro Pascal! At the top, we discuss his role in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (5:02), working with chi...
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The Makings of Writer Hilton Als from 2023-02-12T09:00

Today, we’re joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and critic Hilton Als! To begin, we unpack his approach to writing profiles (5:50), inspired by the words of photographer Diane Arbus (6:10),...
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Actor and Activist Nazanin Nour Wants to Tell a New Story of Iran from 2023-02-05T11:10:12

Today, we sit with actor and activist Nazanin Nour. At the top, we discuss the ongoing protests against the Islamic Republic (3:35), her transformative work in meetings with the UN (7:10), and s...
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Opening Night with Artist Kehinde Wiley from 2023-01-29T09:00

Today, we sit with renowned artist Kehinde Wiley on the opening night of Colorful Realm, his new exhibition at Rob...
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50 Years After Roe v. Wade: A Conversation With a Texas Abortion Provider from 2023-01-22T09:00

On January 22nd, 1973, the Supreme Court passed Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision preserving the right to abortion across the country. Today, we sit with Dr. Ghazaleh Moayedi, a board-certified O...
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The Road to Actor Ke Huy Quan’s Second Act from 2023-01-15T09:00

Today, we sit with actor Ke Huy Quan! At the top, he reflects on the making of A24’s Everything Everywhere All At Once (5:40), growing up in Vietnam (9:10), and his family’s perilous jo...
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Actor Claire Foy Observes the Unobserved from 2023-01-08T09:00

This week, we’re joined by actor Claire Foy! We discuss her compelling performance in Sarah Polley’s Women Talking (5:10), the painful journey of her character, Salome (7:50), and a Listen

The 2022 Talk Easy Holiday Special from 2022-12-25T09:00

Happy holidays! For our sixth annual Talk Easy holiday special, we've partnered with the Audre Lorde Project to celebrate.

Named a...
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Nobel Peace Prize Journalist Maria Ressa Holds the Line from 2022-12-18T09:00

As we near the end of 2022, we sit with trailblazing journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa. We begin by unpacking the fragmenting effects of social media (5:08), how the Internet i...
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Actor Lake Bell: 'The Voice is a Roadmap of Your History' from 2022-12-14T09:30

Today, we sit with actor, writer, and director Lake Bell! With the release of the her new audiobook (“Inside Voice: My Obsession with How We Sound”) we pinpoint the origin of this passion: growi...
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An Interlude with Musician Dev Hynes from 2022-12-11T09:00

Today, we sit with musician Dev Hynes (Blood Orange)! We start by discussing his new EP (3:15), performing at Madison Square Garden with Harry Styles this fall (4:40), and the process that guide...
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Performer Kumail Nanjiani: A New Act from 2022-12-04T09:00

Today, we’re joined by actor, writer, and comedian, Kumail Nanjiani! We discuss his new series, Welcome to Chippendales, playing real-life entrepreneur Steve Banerjee (4:39), ...
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Actor Jonathan Majors: ‘Everything Happens To Me’ from 2022-11-27T09:00

To close the holiday weekend, we sit with actor Jonathan Majors! At the top, we discuss how he embodied real-life US Navy pilot Jesse Brown in the new film “Devotion” (6:50) and what a dream rev...
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An Afternoon at Judd Apatow’s Office from 2022-11-20T09:00

Today, a visit to the office of legendary director and producer Judd Apatow! We talk about his upbringing in Long Island (5:20), conducting interviews with Jerry Seinfeld and Steve All...
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Journalist Kara Swisher Believes in the Future from 2022-11-13T09:00

Today we’re joined by journalist and podcast host, Kara Swisher. At the top, we unpack the midterms (4:22), the state of the GOP (7:28), and the role of social media in politics (11:52). Then, w...
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Writer George Saunders, Moment by Moment from 2022-11-06T08:00

Today, George Saunders returns! We discuss Liberation Day, his first short-story collection in nine years (3:40), the influence of Chekhov and Gogol (4:56), and a timely passage on demo...
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The Homecoming of Director James Gray from 2022-10-30T08:00

Today, director James Gray is back! We start by diving into the aftermath of Ad Astra (7:25), returning home to Queens with Armageddon Time (12:00) and the historical context o...
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Comedian Nick Kroll is Going Through Changes from 2022-10-26T08:00

Today, we’re joined by comedian Nick Kroll! To begin, we dive into the origin of Little Big Boy, his first stand-up special in ten years (4:40), his pivot toward more personal comedy (7...
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The Transformation of Actor Eddie Redmayne from 2022-10-23T08:00

Today we’re joined by Oscar-winning actor, Eddie Redmayne! We discuss how he embodied serial killer Charles Cullen in The Good Nurse (8:12), playing opposite Jessica Chastain (9:35), an...
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How Congresswoman Cori Bush Reimagines Politics from 2022-10-16T08:00

Today we’re joined by Congresswoman Cori Bush! Back in 2020, Bush made history as the first Black woman elected to represent Missouri’s First Congressional District.

With the upcoming mid...
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Back to School with Quinta Brunson (‘Abbott Elementary’) from 2022-10-09T08:00

Today we’re joined by “Abbott Elementary” creator and star, Quinta Brunson! On the heels of its two historic wins at this year’s Emmys, we discuss the guiding principles behind its second season...
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Writer Sandra Cisneros is a ‘Woman Without Shame’ from 2022-10-02T08:00

Today we’re joined by beloved author Sandra Cisneros! We discuss her first poetry collection in 28 years, Woman Without Shame (4:40), why she chooses to write ‘dangerous’ pieces (6:18),...
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Understanding the Midterms with Reporter Astead Herndon (The New York Times) from 2022-09-28T08:00

With the US midterms approaching, we’re joined by New York Times political reporter and host of The Run-Up, Astead Herndon. We start by examining this “relentlessly disorientin...
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Comedian Billy Eichner, Street to Screen from 2022-09-25T08:00

Today we’re joined by Billy Eichner! We discuss the release of his groundbreaking rom-com Listen

Storytelling with ‘Atlanta’ Director Hiro Murai from 2022-09-18T08:00

Today, we’re joined by director Hiro Murai! With the return of Atlanta (5:06), we discuss the homecoming of this final season (7:14), Murai’s connection to the character Earn (10:04), t...
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Bill Hader Finds His Story from 2022-05-01T08:00

This week, legendary actor and comedian Bill Hader! We discuss the return of Barry (4:57), the thematic evolution of the series (7:02), and how it draws from films like Taxi Driver and Goodfellas (...
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Poet Rupi Kaur is Here to Stay from 2022-04-24T08:00

This week, our guest is poet Rupi Kaur. Ahead of her international tour (4:44), we sat to discuss her childhood in Canada (13:05), how she processes trauma through writing (22:13), her college phot...
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Play It Again: Ocean Vuong from 2022-04-20T08:00

Today we’re revisiting a favorite conversation with poet and author Ocean Vuong, following the release of his new book, Time Is a Mother. He first joined us in June of 2021. We discuss reckoning w...
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Love Songs with Syd (The Internet, Odd Future) from 2022-04-17T08:00

This week we’re joined by musician and founding member of The Internet, Syd! With the release of her new solo record, Broken Hearts Club (3:15), we discuss the origin of the album (5:45), how she h...
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Let’s Talk About Sex (At the Movies) from 2022-04-10T08:15

Film historian Karina Longworth is the host of You Must Remember This, a podcast exploring the forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century. This week she joins us to discuss her new series, ...
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Anita Hill is Getting Even. We Believe Her. from 2022-04-03T08:00

This week we’re joined by Professor Anita Hill. She’s an author, lawyer, and host of the new podcast, Getting Even with Anita Hill. We begin by discussing her excellent new program (5:24), whi...
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Oscar Sunday with Questlove from 2022-03-27T08:00

To celebrate Oscar Sunday, we’re returning to our talk with legendary bandleader of The Roots and director of Summer of Soul, Questlove! We discuss his winding road to making the documentary: from...
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Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present from 2022-03-20T08:15

Marina Abramović is a pioneer in the field of performance art, using her body as both the subject and the medium. This week, we sit with the legendary performer in her New York City apartment. To f...
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The Pieces of David Byrne from 2022-03-13T09:00

This week we head to New York City to sit with the legendary David Byrne (Talking Heads). We discuss how he’s processed the pandemic (3:29), finding creativity in unlikely places (4:23), the evolut...
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Author Margaret Atwood’s Burning Questions from 2022-03-06T09:00

Today we are joined by legendary writer Margaret Atwood! We begin with her new collection of essays, Burning Questions (4:18), which wrestle with catastrophe (4:59), growing up in the wilderness (7...
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W. Kamau Bell: How Do We Talk About Cosby? from 2022-02-23T09:00

Comedian and documentary host W. Kamau Bell has built a career out of having difficult conversations. Today, he returns to the show with his latest project, the four-part docuseries We Need to Talk...
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A Texas Principal Said Black Lives Matter. His Community Didn’t Agree. from 2022-02-20T09:00

On this special episode, educator Dr. James Whitfield tells his remarkable story. Whitfield made headlines recently after being fired as Principal of Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas. The ...
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How Glory Edim (Well-Read Black Girl) Gives Space from 2022-02-16T09:00

Glory Edim, founder of Well-Read Black Girl, joins us today for a special episode! In 2015, she founded the Brooklyn-based book club and online community. Two years later, a literary festival emerg...
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Questlove: A Celebration of Soul from 2022-02-06T09:00

This week we sit with legendary bandleader of The Roots, Questlove! On the heels of his directorial debut, Summer of Soul, we discuss his winding road to making the documentary: from a trip to Japa...
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Actor Tessa Thompson is Boundless from 2022-01-30T09:00

This week we’re joined by actor and producer Tessa Thompson! To begin, we talk about Thompson’s entry point into her new film Passing (7:56), a pivotal scene starring Bill Camp (11:08), the groundb...
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Ezra Klein (The New York Times) On The Year Ahead from 2022-01-23T09:00

Ezra Klein is a columnist for The New York Times, the host of The Ezra Klein Show, and the author of Why We’re Polarized. He joins us this week to unpack the debate around school closures in the wa...
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Alana Haim: 13 Going on 30 from 2022-01-16T09:00

We’re back! This week we sit with musician Alana Haim, star of the film from director Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza. Making her acting debut, Alana shares the serendipitous backstory that le...
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Activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham: How Did We Get Here? from 2022-01-09T09:00

This week one year ago, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election. For some perspective on the other side of this moment, we return to our epi...
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Activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham: How Did We Get Here? from 2022-01-09T09:00

This week one year ago, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election. For some perspective on the other side of this moment, we return to our epi...
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Activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham: How Did We Get Here? from 2022-01-09T09:00

This week one year ago, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election. For some perspective on the other side of this moment, we return to our epi...
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Sunday on the Podcast with George Saunders from 2022-01-02T09:00

As we begin the new year, we turn to writer George Saunders. He first joined us upon the release of his latest book, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain. He’s recently launched a new newsletter called "St...
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How We Continue (with Noam Chomsky) from 2021-12-12T09:00

As we near the end of 2021, we turn to Noam Chomsky. The renowned linguist, historian, and social critic helps us unpack President Biden’s response to the Omicron variant (2:17), our distorted view...
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Michael Tubbs: The Deeper the Roots from 2021-12-05T09:00

At age 26, Michael Tubbs became the youngest mayor of a major city in American history. He joins us this week around the release of his breathtaking new memoir, The Deeper the Roots. Born and rais...
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Play It Again: Author Jhumpa Lahiri from 2021-11-28T09:05

On this holiday weekend we're revisiting a special episode with Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jhumpa Lahiri (“Interpreter of Maladies”, “The Namesake”). In vivid, writerly detail Lahiri describes...
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Musician Buffy Sainte-Marie’s Path to Home from 2021-11-21T09:00

This week, we’re joined by legendary singer-songwriter, Indigenous activist, and educator Buffy Sainte-Marie. She reflects on growing up to adoptive parents in Massachusetts (4:00), the value of en...
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A Double Feature: Vicky Krieps and Melanie Lynskey from 2021-11-14T09:00

This week we present a double feature with actors Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread) and Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets)! To begin, Krieps shares the story behind making Bergman Island (6:00), what it m...
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A Sunday Sermon with Janaya Future Khan from 2021-11-07T08:34

As we mark the one-year anniversary of the 2020 election, activist and educator Janaya Future Khan returns for a state of the union (3:00). We begin with the trillion dollar infrastructure bill (4:...
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Comedian Jeff Garlin is Young at Heart from 2021-10-31T08:00

With the return of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Jeff Garlin is back on the show! Our talk with the Chicago-born comedian opens with a song (4:16) and a spirited exchange over cancel culture (8:10). Then, ...
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Nick Offerman: Out of the Woods from 2021-10-24T10:00

Actor, author, and woodworker Nick Offerman joins us in the studio! We begin with his new book, Where the Deer and the Antelope Play (5:05), which was inspired by Nick’s upbringing in rural Minooka...
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How to Reconnect to Earth (with Author Richard Powers) from 2021-10-17T10:00

This week we have a soulful (and long overdue) conversation around climate change and the restorative power of nature with Pulitzer-prize winning author Richard Powers. We begin by defining the the...
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Actor Noomi Rapace’s Homecoming from 2021-10-10T10:00

Upon the release of her new film Lamb, we sit with actor Noomi Rapace. We begin with how she explained the project to her son (4:24), after two decades of fearless performances (6:18) ignited by he...
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Poet Nikki Giovanni: Life is a Good Idea from 2021-10-03T10:00

For the past 50 years, Nikki Giovanni has been one of our preeminent poets. She joins this week, reflecting on how her childhood led to a life of writing (4:28), the enduring impact of a televised ...
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Julie Delpy: Just Passing Through from 2021-09-26T10:00

For nearly four decades, artist Julie Delpy has been creating in front of the camera and behind it. She joins us this week to discuss her emotional investment in the work (4:05), the seed of truth ...
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A Portrait of Artist Toyin Ojih Odutola from 2021-09-19T10:00

Toyin Ojih Odutola is one of our finest visual artists working today. Her art has been featured in the Whitney, MOMA, and the Smithsonian. She joins us, in studio, on the heels of her revelatory mo...
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The Aftermath of 9/11 from 2021-09-11T11:00

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11, we turned to the work of photographer Joel Meyerowitz. In the aftermath of that fateful day, Joel spent nine months at Ground Zero, capturing images of ...
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Play It Again: Holland Taylor from 2021-09-05T10:00

This week, we’re revisiting a favorite of ours with American actress and playwright, Holland Taylor. She’s best known for her television roles on The Practice and Hollywood, and films like Legally ...
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Lorde: Through the Years from 2021-08-29T10:00

Lorde joins us in the studio this week following the release of her third album, Solar Power! We begin with a prologue to her new record (3:40), the story of her first performance in America at age...
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The Makings of Actor Poorna Jagannathan from 2021-08-22T10:00

This week, we return to our studio with actor Poorna Jagannathan! She reflects on the making of Never Have I Ever (5:16), a realization at thirty that changed the trajectory of her career (6:54), a...
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Off the Court with Candace Parker from 2021-08-15T10:00

WNBA superstar Candace Parker is one of the most decorated female basketball players to ever play the game. Off the court, she joins us to discuss the pay gap between men and women athletes (3:05),...
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Dr. Jha on the State of the Pandemic from 2021-08-08T10:00

This week, Dr. Ashish Jha returns to the show with a hopeful pandemic update. He helps us understand the Delta variant surge (4:04), how to better engage with the unvaccinated (7:30), school reopen...
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Director Brian De Palma: A Retrospective from 2021-08-01T10:00

Legendary filmmaker Brian De Palma joins us this week! In celebrating the 40th anniversary of Blow Out, we discuss how the project came to be (4:17), the casting of John Travolta (7:49), a post-pro...
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A Zola Roundtable with Janicza Bravo and Joi McMillon from 2021-07-25T10:00

This week, director Janicza Bravo and editor Joi McMillon join us for a special roundtable episode around their film, Zola (4:42). We begin with listener questions (7:30) before diving into when th...
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On Air with Larry Wilmore from 2021-07-18T10:00

Emmy-award winning comedian Larry Wilmore sits with us this week! We discuss his upbringing in Pomona (8:15), discovering the profound nature of empathy (14:49), a clarifying summer working as an e...
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Vince Staples by Vince Staples from 2021-07-11T10:00

Rapper Vince Staples joins us this week upon the release of his latest album! In-between listening to his work, we discuss music as “product management” (7:30), the virtue of Russell Westbrook (8:4...
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Play It Again: Ts Madison from 2021-07-04T10:00

This week we revisit our episode with performer Ts Madison! She’s excellent in the new film, ZOLA, now out in theaters across the country. Get your tickets here: https://tickets.zola.movie/ A trail...
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Steven Soderbergh: Making Movies from 2021-06-27T10:00

Since 1989 (Sex, Lies&Videotape), filmmaker Steven Soderbergh has been a pioneering voice in American cinema. Part free-wheeling iconoclast, part exacting technician. He joins us this week with the...
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Uzo Aduba: The Road is Good from 2021-06-20T10:00

Emmy award-winning performer Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black, Mrs. America) joins us on the heels of her leading role on In Treatment. Filmed during the pandemic, Aduba plays clinical psychologi...
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A Phone Call with Author Dave Eggers from 2021-06-16T10:00

Author Dave Eggers joins us for a bonus episode! We discuss his new novella, The Museum of Rain (5:26), our tendency to mythologize creation (13:57), and why the best art often comes from the subco...
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Sleater-Kinney's Path of Wellness from 2021-06-13T10:00

Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney) join us upon the release of their 10th album, Path of Wellness! Created in the summer of 2020, we discuss how the group self-produced a record in...
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On Earth with Ocean Vuong from 2021-06-06T10:00

Poet and author Ocean Vuong joins us this week following the re-release of his debut novel, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous. We discuss reckoning with one’s work from a distance (5:08), why he wrot...
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One on One with CNN's Jake Tapper from 2021-05-30T10:00

Anchorman and author Jake Tapper (CNN) joins us this week! We discuss his approach to challenging politicians on air (3:15), the danger of “both sides-ism” (5:55), the mental instability he’s come ...
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Anna Sale: Death, Sex&Money from 2021-05-23T10:00

Anna Sale (host, Death, Sex&Money) returns this week! We unpack her debut book, Let’s Talk About Hard Things (4:38), the origins of Death, Sex&Money (7:08), and how a divorce (8:27) prompted her to...
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The Michael Lewis Story from 2021-05-16T10:00

Best-selling author Michael Lewis (“Moneyball,” “The Big Short”) joins us this week! His latest book, “The Premonition” (2:40), reveals how the U.S. mishandled the pandemic (5:05) and why the 2009 ...
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Mother’s Day with Writer Jhumpa Lahiri from 2021-05-09T10:00

Pulitzer-prize winning novelist Jhumpa Lahiri (“Interpreter of Maladies”, “The Namesake”) joins us this week for a special episode. In vivid, writerly detail Lahiri describes being raised in a fami...
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The Freedom Riders Turn 60 (with Dr. Bernard Lafayette) from 2021-05-02T10:00

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Riders, we sit with Civil Rights activist Dr. Bernard Lafayette. In May of 1961, black and white students made history, riding interstate buses into...
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Joel Meyerowitz: A Life in Photos from 2021-04-25T11:50

Legendary photographer Joel Meyerowitz has been capturing life itself since 1962. Whether on the streets of New York City, the sand dunes of Cape Cod, or in transit across Europe, Meyerowitz has do...
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Kevin Abstract: New Light, New Machine from 2021-04-21T10:00

Musician Kevin Abstract (founding member of BROCKHAMPTON) joins us today! With the release of “Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine,” we unpack how Kevin and the group arrived at this new record. Und...
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Songs For You from 2021-04-18T11:00

A mixtape for you and yours. These are the songs getting us through this painful, unending week. May they do the same for you. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ExjvDZJxv0o1S8SyqCnFY?...
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Kathrine Switzer: Marathon Woman from 2021-04-15T10:00

Kathrine Switzer made history in 1967 when she became the first woman to register and run in the Boston Marathon. She was 20 years old. Today, at age 74, she shares the story behind the story: the ...
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The Ts Madison Experience from 2021-04-11T10:00

Entertainer, activist, and author Ts Madison joins us this week! A trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community, Ts shares the stories that made her Ts: flipping through a Playgirl magazine at age three (6:...
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We Turn Five from 2021-04-04T12:45

This Sunday Talk Easy turns five years old! To mark the anniversary, we’re revisiting some of our favorite passages from the past 220 episodes: Errol Morris on creativity and curiosity (3:05), a sh...
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Nathaniel Rich: Stories from a World Remade from 2021-03-31T10:00

Journalist Nathaniel Rich (writer-at-large, New York Times Magazine) believes we can do “great good” with nature. But how? In his brilliantly reported new book, “Second Nature”, he explores the pot...
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Sunday School with Author Anne Lamott from 2021-03-28T10:00

Best-selling author Anne Lamott joins us this week! With the release of her new book Dusk, Night, Dawn, we discuss how to move forward from the pain of the pandemic (5:53), a life-changing night in...
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Black Futures with Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham from 2021-03-21T10:00

Following the recent release of their anthology, Black Futures, curator Kimberly Drew and journalist Jenna Wortham join us this week. We discuss their hopes for 2021 (7:33), interrogating instituti...
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The Golden Age of Amanda Seyfried from 2021-03-14T10:00

From Mean Girls to Mamma Mia! to First Reformed, actor Amanda Seyfried has repeatedly displayed her versatility as a performer. She does so again in David Fincher’s Mank, playing 1920s and '30s scr...
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Winnie Byanyima's Lifelong Fight for Equality from 2021-03-07T11:00

Winnie Byanyima has devoted her life to public service, fighting for gender equality and racial justice. She joins us this week to discuss growing up in Uganda under a brutal dictatorship (2:30), e...
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At 74, Actor Glynn Turman Keeps On from 2021-02-28T11:00

At age 74, Emmy award-winning actor Glynn Turman “keeps on keepin’ on.” This week on the show, he tells us how. We discuss his first role in Broadway’s original production of A Raisin in the Sun (5...
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Rest and Rebuild with Brittany Packnett Cunningham from 2021-02-21T11:00

As we find our footing in 2021, activist and educator Brittany Packnett Cunningham is focused on the work ahead. She joins us this week to unpack the aftermath of the Capitol riots (4:11), her entr...
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Alone but Never Lonely: Johnny Mathis at 85 from 2021-02-14T11:00

For 65 years, Johnny Mathis has been hailed as the voice of romance. In the most unusual of Valentine’s Days, we call up the legendary singer to look back on his early days in San Francisco (8:13),...
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Short Stories with George Saunders from 2021-02-07T11:00

George Saunders (“Tenth of December”, “Lincoln in the Bardo”) is one of the finest American writers working today. With the release of his new book, “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain“, we talk about co...
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Julián Castro: In 2021, How Do We Prosper? from 2021-01-31T11:00

We're back! To help unpack this political moment, we sit with former Mayor of San Antonio and 2020 Presidential candidate, Julián Castro. We discuss Trump’s impeachment (4:30), the filibuster as an...
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A Talk Easy Holiday Special: Goodbye 2020 from 2020-12-27T12:00

As we say goodbye to 2020, we turn to our guests from this historic year. After some year-end reflections from Sam, we hear from performer Alison Pill (4:35), comedian Hasan Minhaj (9:15), activist...
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A Talk Easy Holiday Special (pt. 1) from 2020-12-20T11:00

Our annual holiday special is here! To celebrate, we've released some special Talk Easy-themed mugs, available in navy and cream. Visit www.talkeasypod.com/shop for more info. Today on part 1 of ou...
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Janaya Future Khan: The Work of Being Alive from 2020-12-13T11:00

Activist, social-justice educator, and Black Lives Matter co-founder Janaya Future Khan joins us in conversation this week. We discuss the therapeutic value of boxing (10:40), the racial biases emb...
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The AIDS Memorial: Stories of Love, Loss, and Remembrance from 2020-12-06T11:02

In collaboration with The AIDS Memorial, we present this special episode of Talk Easy. Five stories of love, loss, and remembrance from those impacted by the AIDS epidemic. We thank Aaron (2:36), J...
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Fran Lebowitz on Vinyl from 2020-11-29T11:00

Our conversation with Fran Lebowitz is now available on vinyl! Visit www.talkeasypod.com/shop for more info. Fran is the author of books like Metropolitan Life (1978) and Social Studies (1981). She...
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Matthew McConaughey: Just Keep Livin from 2020-11-22T11:00

Matthew McConaughey just keeps livin. In his new memoir, Greenlights, you hear how. Through the trials and tribulations, speed-bumps and roadblocks, the Oscar-winning actor has remained unwaveringl...
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How Do We Heal? (with Resmaa Menakem) from 2020-11-15T11:00

Resmaa Menakem is a trauma specialist and New York Times best-selling author. His latest book, “My Grandmother’s Hands”, focuses on the historical and racialized trauma carried in our bodies and so...
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Health&Science with Dr. Jha and Justin Rosenstein from 2020-10-29T10:00

On today's show: two dispatches from inside the medical community and Silicon valley, respectively. First we're joined by Justin Rosenstein, the man who led the team behind the Facebook like button...
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A Case for Human Decency (by Rutger Bregman) from 2020-10-25T10:00

Dutch historian and philosopher Rutger Bregman joins us this week to unpack his latest book, “Humankind: A Hopeful History”. We discuss his radical idea that “most people are decent” (4:30), the tr...
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Antwaun Sargent: Young, Gifted and Black from 2020-10-22T10:00

With the art world in flux, writer and critic Antwaun Sargent (The New Yorker, NY Times) joins us this weeks. We discuss the turbulence inside museums across the country (3:20), the potential (crea...
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State of the Union with Cornel West from 2020-10-18T10:00

As election day approaches, philosopher, public intellectual, and Harvard professor Cornel West joins us for a state of the union. We discuss the challenges of 2020 (06:42), our neofascist gangster...
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Radha Blank: The Forty-Year-Old Version from 2020-10-15T10:00

Writer/director Radha Blank joins us! We talk about taking back control of her voice in her debut film, now available via Netflix, The 40-Year-Old Version (6:04), the catharsis of rapping under the...
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Rep. Ilhan Omar: What Can America Look Like? from 2020-10-11T10:00

Growing up Black in this country, Angela Davis taught Rep. Ilhan Omar that you must be “internally liberated to fight for external liberation”. As the first Somali-American elected to Congress, Oma...
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Claudia Rankine: Just Us from 2020-10-04T10:00

The illustrious author, poet, and playwright, Claudia Rankine, joins us with the release of her latest book, Just Us: An American Conversation. We discuss the conversations (3:12) and relationships...
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Me and You and Miranda July from 2020-09-27T10:00

In a world yearning for connection, Miranda July’s latest film, Kajillionaire, may be just what we need right now. This week, the multi-hyphenate artist processes personal milestones amidst this pa...
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Mythmaking with Jena Malone from 2020-09-23T10:00

In the search for radical honestly, Jena Malone is a true, multi-hyphenate artist: actor, musician, writer, dancer. Today she joins us to discuss her need to grow outside of acting (1:50), a reloca...
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Play It Again: Gloria Steinem from 2020-09-20T10:00

Rest in peace to the estimable Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We begin with a moment to reflect on Ginsburg's enduring legacy, and how it must continue in her absence. Then, we turn to Gloria Steinem. A cont...
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Carrie Coon / Cat Solen from 2020-09-16T10:00

A bonus episode! First up we sit with actor Carrie Coon (Fargo, The Leftovers) to discuss living a double life in her twenties (5:19), how acting serves as an outlet for honesty (7:39), the marital...
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Janelle Monáe, Past and Present from 2020-09-13T10:00

Janelle Monáe believes she's “connected to the future”. And I believe her. But right now she (like all of us) is forced to confront the present. This week we sit with the visionary artist to discus...
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Brittany Howard is a “Living Miracle” from 2020-09-06T10:00

Growing up in the Athens, Alabama, singer-songwriter Brittany Howard acutely understands this moment in America. We talk about how Trump preys on the low-income communities she grew up in (6:48), t...
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The Carol Burnett Show from 2020-08-30T10:00

Legendary actress, comedian, singer, and writer Carol Burnett joins us this week! After seven decades in the industry, she sits down to discuss her upbringing in the Hollywood Arms Apartments (3:30...
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Tyler Mitchell's “Black Utopia” from 2020-08-26T10:00

Tyler Mitchell is a photographer and filmmaker based in Brooklyn. His anticipated debut book, I Can Make You Feel Good, is a timely and unabashedly optimistic celebration of Black life. His photos ...
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Unbreakable Tituss Burgess from 2020-08-23T10:00

Emmy-nominated actor/singer Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) joins us this week! We start with a recent afternoon in his gazebo (4:16), where he reminded himself that the pandemic is a ma...
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Leah Remini vs. The Church of Scientology from 2020-08-19T10:10

A bonus episode! On the heels of her recent Emmy nomination for Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, the dazzling actress sits with us today. As a child, Leah found herself in the throws of ...
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Jenny Slate in 2020 from 2020-08-09T10:00

Three years ago Jenny and Sam promised to reconvene in 2020 (if only they knew what 2020 would look like). Nevertheless, today they make good on that promise. In the intervening years, Jenny wrote ...
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Malcolm Gladwell Returns from 2020-08-02T10:00

Malcolm Gladwell is back! This week, the renowned writer/podcaster talks authorship (2:18), life as a rebellious teenager in peaceful Canada (6:47), his take on “A Letter on Justice and Open Debate...
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Hannah Gadsby from 2020-07-26T10:00

With the release of her new special, Douglas, Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby sits with us this week. We discuss life after the success Nanette (5:49), how she deals with sensory overload on stag...
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Fran Lebowitz from 2020-07-19T10:00

Legendary American author and public speaker Fran Lebowitz joins us via landline. In conversation, there's nothing off-the-table for the famously persnickety sexagenarian. We discuss how she's weat...
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Run the Jewels from 2020-07-12T10:00

Run The Jewels is an American hip-hop super duo that features the talents of Brooklyn rapper/producer El-P and Atlanta emcee Killer Mike. This week, they sit down with us to talk about the labels t...
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Hasan Minhaj from 2020-07-05T09:00

Hasan Minhaj is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor, and television host. Best known for his Netflix show, “Patriot Act”, he sits down with us this week to discuss the difference between ...
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A COVID-19 Checkup with Dr. Ashish Jha from 2020-06-28T10:30

Dr. Ashish Jha (Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute) joins us this week to give us science-based updates on the global pandemic. We discuss the federal government’s inconsistent approac...
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A COVID-19 Checkup with Dr. Ashish Jha from 2020-06-28T10:30

Dr. Ashish Jha (Director of the Harvard Global Health Institute) joins us this week to give us science-based updates on the global pandemic. We discuss the federal government’s inconsistent approac...
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Bonus Episode: Radnor&Lee from 2020-06-24T09:00

A bonus episode! And a personal one at that. Back in February I directed a music video for Radnor&Lee, the folk duo created by artists Josh Radnor and Ben Lee. Today we discuss using their platform...
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Episode 176 - Dolores Huerta from 2020-06-21T10:00

Today we celebrate Father's Day with the great Dolores Huerta! An icon within in my Latino family, she's a trailblazing labor leader, civil rights activist, and community organizer. At age 90, she ...
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Episode 175 - Holland Taylor from 2020-06-14T10:45

Holland Taylor is an American playwright and actress best known for her television roles on The Practice and Hollywood; films like Legally Blonde, Romancing the Stone, and The Truman Show. This wee...
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Episode 174 - Hank Willis Thomas from 2020-06-07T12:00

Hank Willis Thomas believes the past is the present. Now more than ever. As a conceptual artist, he focuses on race, identity, and popular culture. His work (sculptures, photography, installations)...
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Episode 172 - Brooke Gladstone (On the Media, NPR) from 2020-05-24T11:00

For the last 20 years, journalist Brooke Gladstone has been making sense of the news. Her Peabody-winning show, On the Media, says to examine the “myths and media narratives that shape our worldvie...
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Episode 171 - Ted Danson from 2020-05-17T11:05

A self-described “contract player”, Ted Danson has been a staple on television for the past 40 years. Cheers. Becker. Bored to Death. Damages. Curb Your Enthusiasm. In that time he's been, at least...
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Episode 170 - Roxane Gay from 2020-05-03T12:00

Roxane Gay may be a self-described introvert, but she's not one to shy away from a public fight. As a contributing writer for The New York Times, Gay has taken aim at President Trump, modern misogy...
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Introducing: “The Last Dance Aftershow” from 2020-04-30T13:00

For the next month I'm co-hosting a new podcast! It's called “The Last Dance Aftershow”, a weekly program on the 10-part documentary of Michael Jordan and the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls.
Upcoming ...
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Episode 169 - Elizabeth Gilbert from 2020-04-26T12:00

Four years ago Sam stumbled upon a book called “Big Magic”. From it, Talk Easy was born. Today we come full circle in sitting with beloved writer Elizabeth Gilbert. Both in her fiction and non-fict...
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Episode 167 - Noam Chomsky (plus Dr. Ashish Jha of the Harvard Global Health Institute) from 2020-04-12T13:00

Who better to guide us through this darkness than Noam Chomsky? The esteemed linguist, author, and political activist joins us this week to provide a historical perspective to the pandemic (44:02)....
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Episode 167 - Noam Chomsky (plus Dr. Ashish Jha of the Harvard Global Health Institute) from 2020-04-12T13:00

Who better to guide us through this darkness than Noam Chomsky? The esteemed linguist, author, and political activist joins us this week to provide a historical perspective to the pandemic (44:02)....
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Episode 166 - Beto O'Rourke from 2020-04-05T13:00

Beto O'Rourke entered politics because of people. He believes in their capacity for goodness and decency. He believes in their potential. And yet– what if his political brand is not exactly what th...
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Episode 165 - Naomi Klein from 2020-03-29T13:00

Naomi Klein is an author, filmmaker and climate activist. But above all– she is a journalist. She joins us to reflect on her natural instinct to run toward crisis; her decades long research of disa...
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Episode 164 - Juliette Lewis from 2020-03-22T13:00

Actress Juliette Lewis “lost her anonymity” with the movies. Movies you've probably seen. Cape Fear, Natural Born Killers, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, From Dusk Till Dawn. She's a visceral, singul...
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Episode 163 - Dr. Ashish Jha (Director of Harvard Global Health Institute) from 2020-03-15T16:00

Dr. Ashish Jha is the Director of Harvard Global Health Institute and a Professor at Harvard T. H. Chan school of public health. If you've turned on your TV over the past few days, you've likely se...
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Episode 162 - Sam Waterston from 2020-03-08T13:00

Actor Sam Waterston doesn't do many of these. In fact, this is his first podcast. To mark the special occasion the stage and screen performer reflects on his 60-year career, from his days at Yale i...
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Episode 161 - Alison Pill from 2020-03-01T13:00

If it weren't for her singular acting abilities, Alison Pill would be best known for her boisterous laugh. (That is only kinda a joke.) The chameleonic actress–Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Midnight...
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Episode 160 - Haley Bennett from 2020-02-23T15:45

Actress Haley Bennett joins us this week for a reflective look at her life as an actress, starting with her role as a pop-star in Music and Lyrics to her newest film, the disturbing domestic thrill...
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Episode 159 - Morgan Parker from 2020-02-16T17:45

Welcome back! This week, celebrated poet, author, and essayist Morgan Parker sits with Sam to discuss her latest book, Magical Negro. They talk about what poetry can look (and sound) like in the In...
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A Talk Easy Holiday Special! from 2019-12-23T03:14

From the Talk Easy team to you, happy holidays! We're closing out the year with our third annual holiday special, featuring a special group of guests who sat with us over the past twelve months. Th...
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Episode 158 - Gloria Steinem from 2019-12-16T01:19

The trajectory of Gloria Steinem’s life and work is unparalleled. Her cultural and political impact, incalculable. With the release of “The Truth Will Set You Free, But First It Will Piss You Off”,...
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Episode 157 - Laura Dern from 2019-12-09T03:17

From Wild at Heart to Marriage Story, legendary actress Laura Dern has impacted decades of storytelling with her work on screen. For the next hour, we discuss her early memories of Martin Scorsese,...
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Episode 156 - Tracy Letts from 2019-11-25T00:24

Before a string of successful plays (August: Osage County, Bug) and brilliant performances on screen (Homeland, Lady Bird, Ford v Ferrari), Tracy Letts was acting on-stage, with his father, in Tish...
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Episode 155 - Errol Morris from 2019-11-17T21:48

Director Errol Morris—with his brief history as a private detective and door-to-door salesman—has transformed the world with his boundless curiosity. In this hour, we discuss the hostile reaction t...
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Episode 154 - Alma Har'el from 2019-11-10T15:29

This week, Sam sits down with Honey Boy director Alma Har’el. She discusses the sacrificial act of independent filmmaking, the synchronicity of her art and experiences, how making Love True healed ...
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Episode 153 - Randall Park from 2019-11-03T14:01

This week on the show is actor, writer, and comedian Randall Park! He reflects on his strikingly diverse childhood friend group, becoming ‘the entertainment’ at parties, founding the still-active A...
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Episode 152 - Edward Norton from 2019-10-28T03:30

Edward Norton has built a career out of shape-shifting. Just look at his beginning in film: The People vs. Larry Flynt, Primal Fear, Everyone Says I Love You, American History X, Rounders, Fight Cl...
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Play It Again: Robert Forster (1941-2019) from 2019-10-20T11:49

In 2016 Robert invited me to sit with him at his home away from home: Marco’s in West Hollywood. At his corner table next to the window, he ate there every morning for thirty years. This is one of ...
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Episode 151 - Gary Gulman from 2019-10-13T20:00

Episode 151 - Gary Gulman by Sam Fragoso Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
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Episode 150 - Sam from 2019-10-07T04:28

Well, let's give this a go. 150. Hosted by my pal, Harrison Cameron. For more info: www.talkeasypod.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
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Bonus Episode: Trace Lysette from 2019-09-30T02:56

This week, “Hustlers” actress Trace Lysette joins us on the show! She reflects on “giving birth to herself” in New York (8:30), developing “Tribe“ with Devere Rogers (10:30), manifesting an abundan...
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Episode 149 - Scott Aukerman from 2019-09-22T19:00

This week we're joined by podcaster/filmmaker/writer Scott Aukerman! He talks about his his first TV appearances back in high school (01:40), his affinity for David Letterman (05:20), how he used h...
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Episode 148 - Karley Sciortino from 2019-09-15T20:38

Karley Sciortino is on this week! She reflects on her childhood, growing up Catholic in the age of Britney Spears, and sexual awakenings, her parents' steadfast relationship, her first sexual exper...
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Episode 147 - Peter Bogdanovich from 2019-09-08T20:00

This week, Sam sits down with renowned writer, director, and former film critic, Peter Bogdanovich. They discuss the fragmentation of the old Hollywood studio system (00:42), Peter’s pivot from jou...
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Episode 146 - Justin Simien from 2019-09-01T20:00

This one has been long over-due... Justin Simien, friends! The sensible mind behind Dear White People talks about his high school days, pointing out how this chapter in his life formed a deep love ...
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Episode 145 - Whitney Cummings from 2019-08-25T18:00

We're back, with Whitney Cummings! She starts off with some personal thoughts about love, then discusses her self-perception, being so-called "mainstream", seeking validation as a comedian and pers...
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Talk Easy Throwback: Mom from 2019-08-18T20:00

To celebrate the fiftieth episode of Talk Easy we decided to do something a little different, which ended up being Sam sitting down with his mother for an interview. This episode is not only specia...
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Talk Easy Throwback: Mom from 2019-08-18T20:00

To celebrate the fiftieth episode of Talk Easy we decided to do something a little different, which ended up being Sam sitting down with his mother for an interview. This episode is not only specia...
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Talk Easy Throwback: Malcolm Gladwell from 2019-07-22T06:42

A throwback to one of my favourite episodes, with Malcom Gladwell... Malcolm Gladwell is a writer best known for his books Blink, The Tipping Point, and David and Goliath. While what he writes abou...
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Talk Easy Throwback: Norman Lear from 2019-07-14T18:29

A throwback to one of my favorite episodes, with Norman Lear. - TV titan Norman Lear joins Sam on the show this week. The 95-year-old is chiefly responsible for changing television. His shows—All i...
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Talk Easy Throwback: Norman Lear from 2019-07-14T18:29

A throwback to one of my favorite episodes, with Norman Lear. - TV titan Norman Lear joins Sam on the show this week. The 95-year-old is chiefly responsible for changing television. His shows—All i...
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Episode 144 - Ron Perlman from 2019-06-30T20:00

Ron Perlman! We talk standouts from this week's Democratic debates, the state of independent film, finding a love for acting at 19, the impact his father's death had on him, how he managed ego as s...
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Episode 143 - Jeff Garlin from 2019-06-23T20:00

Comedy icon Jeff Garlin is on this week! We get into texting/technology woes (07:54), getting divorced after 25 years (11:29), being single again at 57 (13:45), choosing raw honesty in life (17:39)...
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Episode 142 - Raphael Bob-Waksberg from 2019-06-16T21:00

The brain behind BoJack Horseman, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, is with us this week. He dives right in, talking about the privilege of being a white man in today's entertainment industry, his “professiona...
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Episode 141 - Michael Kelly from 2019-06-09T20:00

“I feel like I always get asked the same questions," says actor Michael Kelly. Well, hopefully, not today. Kelly joins us on the show to talk his beachy college years in South Carolina (06:40), cho...
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Episode 140 - Jacki Weaver from 2019-06-02T15:00

Gin Queen, Mates! Jacki Weaver is on this week, reflecting on her childhood in Sydney (07:54), an early and undying devotion to acting (09:34), never becoming a social worker (14:09), being a roman...
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Episode 139 - Kenneth Branagh from 2019-05-26T20:00

Sir Kenneth Branagh, friends! Sam and Kenneth discuss the process of making his new film, All Is True, (5:07), the recurring themes throughout his work (10:10), performing Hamlet in front of Queen ...
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Episode 138 - Pam Grier from 2019-05-19T19:54

On the brink of 70, legend Pam Grier sits down to reflect on a series of pivotal moments from her inimitable life. For example: moving to Los Angeles at 18 in 1967, becoming a trailblazer through i...
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Episode 137 - Werner Herzog from 2019-05-12T19:47

Werner Herzog is 76 years old with three films coming out in 2019. I don't know how he does it, but I try to find out in this conversation. From a childhood encounter with god in the Bavarian mount...
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Episode 136 - Wyatt Cenac from 2019-05-05T20:59

Wyatt Cenac is the host of Problem Areas on HBO. It's a new kind of program– think Last Week Tonight meets Frontline, except hosted by someone whose comedy is dryer than the Sahara desert. On the p...
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Episode 135 - Chaz Ebert from 2019-04-29T03:42

“Chaz is a strong woman, sure of herself. I'd never met anyone like her,” wrote her late husband, Roger Ebert. Truth be told: neither have I. Chaz Ebert is a singular soul. Wise, kind, and extremel...
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Episode 134 - Live From Ebertfest! (With Richard Roeper, Rita Coburn Whack, And More) from 2019-04-21T21:09

A very special episode for you live from Ebertfest 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. Rita Coburn Whack talks of her film "Maya Angelou, Still I Rise" and lets us in on the words of wisdom she learned fr...
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Episode 133 - Tayarisha Poe from 2019-04-15T01:04

Tayarisha Poe is an emerging filmmaker from West Philly. Her debut feature, Selah and the Spades, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year. Our conversation took place at the Park City fes...
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Episode 132 - Sean Kingston from 2019-04-08T05:07

It's Sean Kingston! He's a Jamaican-American singer-songwriter with a handful of billboard hits you've probably danced to: Beautiful Girls, Take You There, Fire Burning, Colors. We talk growing up ...
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Episode 131 - Alex Ross Perry from 2019-04-01T05:43

Alex Ross Perry is a New York born and bred filmmaker. In shows in his movies, too: The Color Wheel, Listen Up Philip, Queen of Earth, Golden Exits. A staple in contemporary independent cinema his ...
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Episode 130 - Bill Pullman from 2019-03-25T01:27

Spaceballs! Independence Day! Lost Highway! Bill Pullman is an actor you've seen on screen for the past four decades of film and television. Now he's here, at my house, working through the memories...
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Episode 129 - Brit Marling from 2019-03-18T02:51

Brit Marling has spent the past five years co-creating The OA, a mystical, spellbinding show that defies one sentence log-lines. (So best not to try.) After mysteriously premiering on Netflix in 20...
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Episode 128 - Vincent D'Onofrio from 2019-03-14T04:09

Three days tardy but we got Vincent D'onofrio. After some explaining in the intro, we get into it. Working with Kubrick and Altman. His tenure on Law&Order. The worst performance he ever delivered ...
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Episode 127 - Mary Holland from 2019-03-03T23:00

Multi-talented comedian and actress Mary Holland stopped by today to talk about performing in UCB Improv shows, her performance tendencies and where they come from, and reflecting on past periods o...
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Episode 126 - Keith David from 2019-02-24T15:50

Friends. Keith David has been in, wait for it, over 300 films and television programs. Somehow that is not a fictitious number. With his booming, commanding voice you've seen him in The Thing! They...
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Episode 125 - Matt Walsh from 2019-02-19T23:38

Matt Walsh is a staple in contemporary comedy. We talk UCB, being a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, his recurring role on Veep, and making people laugh for the past thirty years. ...
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Episode 124 - Dulé Hill from 2019-02-11T00:33

Dulé Hill has done it all. The West Wing! Psych! Ballers! She’s All That! His most recent acting challenge is playing Nat King Cole in “Lights Out”, a play co-written by Talk Easy alum Colman Domin...
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Episode 123 - Minhal Baig from 2019-02-04T06:37

Welcome back! We're excited to return with the multi-hyphenate talent Minhal Baig. She’s a story editor on “BoJack Horseman”, a writer on the forthcoming A24 show “Ramy”, and, above all, a director...
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Episode 122 - Jeremy O. Harris from 2018-12-24T06:43

Jeremy O. Harris has managed to be a playwright, actor, and screenwriter all while still being a student at the Yale School of Drama. His latest piece, “Slave Play”, is currently at the New York Th...
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Episode 121 - Jacqueline Bisset from 2018-12-17T06:35

Jacqueline Bisset ladies and gentleman. Bullitt, Casino Royale, Murder on the Orient Express, Day for Night. The list is endless. And then there are her collaborators: John Huston, Sidney Lumet, Fr...
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Episode 120 - Chris Elliott from 2018-12-10T06:41

Chris Elliott has made a living out of making us laugh. Whether that be through writing and performing on Late Night with David Letterman, support parts in Groundhog Day and There's Something About...
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Episode 119 - Patrick Wang from 2018-12-03T02:24

Filmmaker Patrick Wang joined Sam today to discuss how drawing on his experiences growing up in Houston, TX, being an exchange student in Argentina, studying at MIT, and how he perceives other peop...
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Episode 118 - Zoë Ligon from 2018-11-19T05:26

This week’s episode was a first for the show, as Sam has on sex educator and visual artist Zoë Ligon. They dive into what it's like to write about sex on the Internet in 2018, carnal desires in the...
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Episode 117 - Viggo Mortensen from 2018-11-12T06:30

This week, Sam sits down with artist Viggo Mortensen ahead of the release of his new film, Green Book. They talk about his (very supportive) cinephile mother, his on-screen debut (Witness), how he ...
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Episode 116 - Jonny Sun from 2018-11-05T05:58

Jonny Sun is a writer known, primarily, for his words on Twitter.com. His quick wit and life-affirming tweets has garnered the attention of many online, including former Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Mi...
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Episode 115 - Adam Bhala Lough from 2018-10-29T04:57

Adam Bhala Lough is a documentarian best known for his films “The Carter” and “The New Radical”. His most recent project, Alt-Right: Age of Rage, is a look inside the first year of Donald Trump’s p...
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Episode 114 - DeRay Mckesson from 2018-10-22T03:59

The death of Michael Brown changed DeRay Mckesson's life (9:21). It changed all of our lives. But it was the unjust murder of the 18-year-old Brown that propelled Mckesson into protest. With the re...
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Episode 113 - Paul Dano from 2018-10-14T18:09

For 20 years Paul Dano has been a revelation in front of the camera. He began in L.I.E., evolved in Little Miss Sunshine, emerged in There Will be Blood, and transmuted in 12 Years a Slave. (There ...
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Episode 112 - Nathaniel Rich from 2018-10-08T01:20

Nathaniel Rich is a writer-at-large for the New York Times Magazine whose latest piece, "Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change", is a landmark investigation into our current cli...
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Episode 111 - Kamasi Washington from 2018-10-01T03:18

Multi-talented jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington stopped by this week to discuss growing up as a "closeted nerd" in South Central Los Angeles, playing gigs at bars and clubs as a teenager, touring...
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Episode 110 - Judy Greer from 2018-09-24T04:12

Judy Greer! You’ve seen her in...everything? Her directorial debut, “A happening of monumental proportions”, is out in theaters now. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastn...
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Episode 109 - Amma Asante from 2018-09-17T09:27

Amma Asante stopped by this week to discuss her latest film Where Hands Touch, her immersive life as a young actress, writing and selling her first script, how she dealt with "looking different" th...
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Lessons Learned (or how I turned 24 today) from 2018-09-09T23:20

Today is my birthday friends. To celebrate I've put together a collection of excerpts from some of my favorite episodes of the show. Each of these tidbits contain some piece of advice or wisdom tha...
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Episode 107 - Colman Domingo from 2018-09-03T05:53

This week Sam talks to multi-hyphenate talent Colman Domingo about his family values growing up, his entry point into acting, his experience coming out to his family, his early acting days in San F...
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Episode 106 - Ione Skye from 2018-08-27T05:07

Ione Skye needs no introduction. She's Ione Skye. You've seen her in plenty of film and television. Like many, I first saw her as Valedictorian Diane Court in Cameron Crowe's iconic Say Anything. W...
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Episode 105 - Jerrika Hinton from 2018-08-20T08:56

This week, Jerrika Hinton stopped by to talk about growing up in Texas, actors supporting themselves through "parallel careers", when she felt she had made it as an actor, her experience on Grey's ...
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Episode 104 - Sheila Vand from 2018-08-06T01:03

Sheila Vand joined us this week to talk about her California childhood(1:57), how she got her start as a performer(6:46), her continued growth as a person in the world (15:59), her relationship wit...
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Episode 103 - Lauren Miller Rogen from 2018-07-30T05:37

For the past 15 years Lauren Miller Rogen has had one dream: to write and direct a movie. With Like Father out this Friday (August 5th) on Netflix, she's done it. We run through her journey from La...
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Episode 102 - Alan Alda from 2018-07-22T23:23

Alan Alda ladies and gentleman. We talk M*A*S*H, joke thievery, his childhood in Burlesque, his ongoing battle with face blindness (that's not a joke), and how a brush with death gave him a new lea...
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Episode 102 - Alan Alda from 2018-07-22T23:23

Alan Alda ladies and gentleman. We talk M*A*S*H, joke thievery, his childhood in Burlesque, his ongoing battle with face blindness (that's not a joke), and how a brush with death gave him a new lea...
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Episode 101 - Rob Reiner from 2018-07-15T22:07

Legendary writer/director/actor Rob Reiner joins us on the show this week. You remember his American staples: This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Fe...
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Episode 100 - Dad from 2018-07-02T06:43

For our special 100th episode, Sam’s Dad reluctantly comes on the show. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
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Episode 99 - John Cho from 2018-06-24T16:07

John Cho's career has undergone several transformations in the past two decades, each of them more interesting and impressive than the last. John appeared in several roles in smaller films before b...
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Episode 99 - John Cho from 2018-06-24T16:07

John Cho's career has undergone several transformations in the past two decades, each of them more interesting and impressive than the last. John appeared in several roles in smaller films before b...
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Episode 98 - Chas Allen (Real-life subject of "American Animals") from 2018-06-17T18:19

Six years out of prison, Chas Allen joins the show to talk about the time him and his three college friends attempted to steal 12 million dollars worth of rare artwork from their campus library.(Ye...
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Episode 97 - Dawn Porter from 2018-06-11T03:28

Lawyer-turned-documentarian Dawn Porter has a lot on her mind. From the cultural and professional impact of the #MeToo movement, to her late father's habit of handing her cameras starting at the ag...
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Episode 96 - Touré from 2018-06-04T14:12

Two interviewers walk into a podcast recording session, and this unmissable episode is the result. Easily the most meta outing in Talk Easy history, this conversation between Sam and writer and cul...
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Episode 95 - Nina Collins from 2018-05-23T01:39

Sam's car was broken into and his laptop was stolen... so here we are, two days late. This week on the show is Nina Lorez Collins, who is most recently the author "What Would Virginia Woolf Do?". S...
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Episode 94 - Gillian Jacobs from 2018-05-14T06:07

Episode 94 - Gillian Jacobs by Sam Fragoso Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
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Episode 93 - Laia Costa from 2018-05-07T01:38

This week, Sam sits down with Spanish actress Laia Costa, star of several indie films including the tech-based love story Newness and Victoria, which earned her a BAFTA nomination. Laia has four mo...
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Episode 92 - Julie Dash from 2018-04-30T04:47

This week iconic filmmaker Julie Dash joins Sam from Ebertfest! The pioneering director entered the public consciousness in 1991, when her debut film - "Daughters of the Dust" - became the first fe...
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Episode 91 - Kogonada from 2018-04-22T23:00

Profound and formally audacious, Kogonada’s feature debut Columbus captured the eyes and hearts of countless indie film fans upon its premiere last year. The former video essayist’s story of life, ...
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Episode 90 - Chloé Zhao from 2018-04-16T08:45

After making the rounds on the festival circuit for nearly a year, director Chloé Zhao's sophomore feature, The Rider, is finally in theaters. Shot on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, th...
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Episode 89 - The Lost Episode from 2018-04-09T16:34

So look: I lost an interview. This doesn't normally happen. In fact, in my nine years of recording conversations...it never has. The talk in question with the wonderful Heather Christian, a musicia...
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Episode 88 - Michael Imperioli from 2018-04-03T06:13

According to Michael Imperioli, acting is all about showing up prepared and positive. Lucky for us, that's something he's been doing on-screen for close to thirty years. Raised in New York by suppo...
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Episode 87 - Jay Duplass from 2018-03-26T03:31

Jay Duplass is a busy guy. Often alongside his younger brother Mark, Jay has left his distinct signature on dozens of projects over the past two decades, proving through his prolific yet singular w...
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Episode 86 - Josh Radnor from 2018-03-19T06:55

Unless you've lived without a TV for the past decade or so, you probably recognize Josh Radnor. The actor--who is also a skilled writer, director, and musician--has been immortalized in the eyes of...
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Episode 85 - Alia Shawkat from 2018-03-12T09:34

Talk Easy returns! Actress Alia Shawkat is on the show this week. We talk growing up on the television, the success of Search Party, and how the #MeToo movement is getting increasingly complex. htt...
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Episode 83 - Sean Baker from 2017-12-18T12:35

Sean Baker is a writer/director known primarily for the Prince of Broadway, Tangerine, and, most recently, The Florida Project. In this week’s episode, Sam and Sean dive into his upbringing in New ...
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Episode 82 - Lois Smith from 2017-12-11T10:31

The inimitable Lois Smith has lived a full and exciting life, beginning in Kansas in 1930 and leading her to where she is today, acting in films like Marjorie Prime and Lady Bird at the age of 87. ...
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Episode 81 - Paul F. Tompkins from 2017-12-05T07:15

This week, Sam sits down with comedian, actor, and TV writer Paul F. Tompkins. Paul is a longtime standup comic who has appeared in everything from Mr. Show with Bob and David to two Paul Thomas An...
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Episode 80 - Rory Scovel from 2017-11-20T03:31

Rory Scovel has been on the stand-up scene for more than ten years, from his early days spent doubling as a “desktop support specialist” in Washington D.C., to this year’s Netflix special, Rory Sco...
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Episode 79 - Joachim Trier from 2017-11-13T08:47

Joachim Trier is a Norweigan filmmaker who has so far directed four feature films, including the English language family drama Louder than Bombs and his newest project, Thelma, an intense thriller ...
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Episode 78 - Noël Wells from 2017-11-06T11:38

Early this year, Sam and actress Noël Wells recorded an episode of Talk Easy at Sundance. Days after the presidential inauguration and in the midst of festival chaos, it was a strange time for both...
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Episode 77 - Miguel Arteta from 2017-10-31T08:28

Since the late '90s, director Miguel Arteta has worked in film and television to bring us multilayered comedic movies like Chuck&Buck and Youth in Revolt, as well as episodes of acclaimed shows lik...
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Episode 76 - Shea Serrano from 2017-10-25T05:26

His whole adult life, Shea Serrano's worked hard. Not just at one thing, but at everything he's done, from chronic pool-playing and highly-calculated games of Texas hold 'em in college, to teaching...
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Episode 75 - Jen Yamato from 2017-10-16T12:04

Jen Yamato is an internet-era journalist working at one of the last print news institutions in America, The LA Times. That in itself is interesting, but it's only the latest step in a career that's...
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Episode 74 - Jon Daly from 2017-10-09T12:08

This week, Sam sits down with friend, comedian, and writer Jon Daly. Along with appearing as a regular at the improv institution Upright Citizens Brigade, Jon's taken on comedic roles in dozens of ...
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Episode 73 - Willem Dafoe from 2017-10-02T06:33

For over thirty years, Willem Dafoe has been putting in hard work on stage and screen, and it’s paid off. Starting in 1980 with Heaven’s Gate, a movie that he was mostly cut from during editing, he...
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Episode 72 - Erica Chidi Cohen from 2017-09-25T06:19

This week, CEO, author, and nationally recognized doula Erica Chidi Cohen joins Sam on the show. Erica is known for taking a whole-self, support-based approach to pregnancy and parenting, first thr...
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Episode 71 - Giancarlo Esposito from 2017-09-19T05:37:39

Giancarlo Esposito started performing at age 8. Now nearing 60, the signature character actor is reflecting on a lifetime of work. From his collaborations with Spike Lee (“School Daze”, “Do the Rig...
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Episode 70 - Heather Havrilesky from 2017-09-12T07:43

Heather Havrilesky is the author of “How to Be a Person in the World”, a collection of essays from her hit Ask Polly column in New York Magazine. In her writing, Heather has an ability to hear and ...
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Episode 69 - Norman Lear from 2017-08-28T07:08

TV titan Norman Lear joins Sam on the show this week. The 95-year-old is chiefly responsible for changing television. His shows—All in the Family, Maude, The Jeffersons, Good Times—were unlike anyt...
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Episode 68 - Fred Melamed from 2017-08-21T09:37

For over thirty years, Fred Melamed has been a true Character Actor. He’s starred in seven Woody Allen movies, played Sy Ableman in the Coen Brothers’ “A Serious Man”, and has made appearances on C...
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Episode 67 - Amber Navran from 2017-08-14T08:19

Amber Navran is the lead vocalist of "Moonchild", a neo-soul group out of Los Angeles. With their third record out in stores, Amber came on the show to discuss her musical influences, performing wi...
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Episode 66 - Rostam Batmanglij from 2017-08-06T22:30:30

Rostam Batmanglij was first introduced to us through his band Vampire Weekend. The music was infectious and seemed to be the soundtrack of every New England college campus for the many following ye...
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Episode 65 - Doreen St. Félix from 2017-07-30T22:16

Doreen St. Félix is only 25 but she has made a name for herself in the New York media scene. After graduating from Brown she started her career at "Lenny Letter", Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner's dig...
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Episode 64 - Robert Downey Sr. from 2017-07-23T23:47

Robert Downey Sr. (also known as "The Prince") is known for giving a candid response. Throughout all of the films he has directed he has never been afraid to poke fun at the establishment--little i...
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Episode 63 - Jelani Cobb from 2017-07-17T07:18

Jelani Cobb has a clarity about his life and what he intends to do with it--combine journalism and history. Known for his writing on America and its relationship to race, Jelani's work is crucial t...
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Episode 63 - Jelani Cobb from 2017-07-17T07:18

Jelani Cobb has a clarity about his life and what he intends to do with it--combine journalism and history. Known for his writing on America and its relationship to race, Jelani's work is crucial t...
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Episode 62 - Jenny Slate from 2017-07-11T02:55

Jenny Slate exudes honesty and feeling, her deep self knowledge is captivating. And this honesty comes through in the work that she does. Whether it's a film about a unexpected pregnancy or feeling...
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Episode 61 - A.O. Scott from 2017-07-03T03:29

A.O. Scott--also known by his nickname, Tony--is one of the two chief film critics for New York Times. However, he is also a journalist, author, and former television show host. In this interview h...
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Episode 60 - Malcolm Gladwell from 2017-06-25T23:13

Malcolm Gladwell is a writer best known for his books Blink, The Tipping Point, and David and Goliath. While what he writes about can at points stir up controversy for oversimplification and grandi...
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Episode 59 - Patricia Lockwood from 2017-06-18T23:25

Patricia Lockwood is a fearless writer and poet. In 2013 she gained popular attention with her piece in The Awl entitled "The Rape Joke." Since then she has established a name for herself, especial...
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Episode 58 - Lena Waithe from 2017-06-12T00:15

Lena Waithe has been making waves in Hollywood since she arrived in 2006 from Chicago — you just didn’t know it. Although a writer at heart, Waithe has also learned how to do just about everything ...
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Episode 58 - Lena Waithe from 2017-06-12T00:15

Lena Waithe has been making waves in Hollywood since she arrived in 2006 from Chicago — you just didn’t know it. Although a writer at heart, Waithe has also learned how to do just about everything ...
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Episode 57 - Sudan Archives (Stones Throw Series) from 2017-05-31T04:01

For the last week of Talk Easy's spotlight on Stone's Throw Records, Sam sits down with up-and-coming musician Sudan Archives, whose real name is Brittany Parks. 22-year-old Sudan is a largely self...
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Episode 56 - Mild High Club (Stones Throw Series) from 2017-05-23T23:13

In a continuation of the May series spotlighting Stones Throw Records, Sam sits down this week with Alexander Brettin, also known as Mild High Club. With two albums under his belt, 2015's Timeline ...
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Episode 55 - J Rocc (Stones Throw Series) from 2017-05-17T03:17

This week, Sam continues the May spotlight on Stones Throw Records by sitting down with DJ J Rocc. J Rocc is the founding member of the The World Famous Beat Junkies, an influential west coast DJ c...
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Episode 54 - Peanut Butter Wolf (Stones Throw Series) from 2017-05-10T00:23

This week Sam sits down with DJ and music producer Chris Manak, also known as Peanut Butter Wolf. Chris has been active in the music industry since the late '80s, and founded the LA-based independe...
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Episode 53 - Corinne Bailey Rae from 2017-05-03T23:30

This week Sam sits down with singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae. Many will remember Corinne from her 2006 break-out hit "Put Your Records On" which earned her three Grammy nominations. Both in he...
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Episode 52 - Martin Starr from 2017-04-26T04:40

This week Sam sits down with actor Martin Starr. Starr got an early start to acting with his role as Bill Haverchuck on the cult-classic, Freaks and Geeks. After this he went on to star in Judd Apa...
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Episode 51 - Anna Sale from 2017-04-19T01:49

This week Sam sits down with fellow podcaster, Anna Sale. Anna is the host of the superb podcast Death, Sex&Money which, in her words, is a show about, "things we think about a lot and need to talk...
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Episode 50 - Mom from 2017-04-11T23:51

To celebrate the fiftieth episode of Talk Easy we decided to do something a little different, which ended up being Sam sitting down with his mother for an interview. This episode is not only specia...
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Episode 49 - James Gray from 2017-04-04T22:21

In this episode Sam sits down with director James Gray, and they dive deep into all aspects of the film industry. They start with the difficulty financing films (5:00). Then, they move onto how dir...
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Episode 48 - Andy Daly from 2017-03-28T23:31

This week Sam sits down with comedian Andy Daly. Best known for his critically acclaimed show "Review," Andy's work is centered around a dark portrayal of earnestness. There is a disconnect between...
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Episode 47 - Alice Lowe from 2017-03-22T04:02

This week Sam sits down with director and actor, Alice Lowe. Known for going outside of the norm, Alice does not let people stand in her way--most noticeably, this can be seen in the fact that she ...
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Live From SXSW: Janicza Bravo from 2017-03-14T23:48

This week's episode was recorded live at South by Southwest with emerging filmmaker, Janicza Bravo. Janicza's work has been described as "unpredictable" and "bizarre," however these descriptions ov...
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Episode 45 - Brenton Wood from 2017-03-08T01:54

This week Sam sits down with singer-songwriter Brenton Wood. Throughout most of is career, Wood was cheated out of the money and rights to the songs he wrote. In this interview, he and Sam talk abo...
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Episode 44 - Philip Baker Hall from 2017-03-02T00:28

This week Sam sits down with renowned actor, Philip Baker Hall. Best known for his work with director Paul Thomas Anderson, Hall is a captivating presence on and off the screen. Sam and Philip talk...
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Episode 43 - Andrea Silenzi from 2017-02-22T04:58

This week Sam sits down with fellow podcaster, Andrea Silenzi. She is the host of the electrifying Panoply show “Why Oh Why,” which explores the intricate worlds of love, relationships, and feminis...
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Episode 42 - Roger Ross Williams from 2017-02-14T20:58

This week Sam sits down with director Roger Ross Williams. Williams started out by directing and producing for networks such as NBC, ABC, and CNN, then moved on to directing his own films. As you w...
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Episode 41 - Andy Greenwald from 2017-02-08T02:22

This week Sam sits down with cult-critic Andy Greenwald. Andy is best known for his writing at Grantland--however he has done a plethora of work outside of this, including his writing for Spin and ...
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Episode 40 - Kate Berlant from 2017-01-31T23:38

This week Sam sits down with stand-up comedian, actress, and writer Kate Berlant. The New York Times profiled her as a "magnetic improvisational comic" and this could not be more true. Kate and Sam...
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Episode 39 - Noël Wells from 2017-01-25T06:20

This week Sam sits down with actress, director, and writer Noël Wells—who is best known for her character Rachel on the hit Netflix show, Master of None—at the Sundance Film Festival. Wonderfully f...
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Episode 38 - Brett Gelman from 2017-01-18T08:58

We're back! This week, Sam sits down with comedian Brett Gelman. You probably recognize him from films such as The Other Guys and 30 Minutes or Less and television shows like Man Seeking Woman, Ano...
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Bonus Christmas Special 2016! from 2016-12-26T03:42

Merry Christmas, everybody! We're closing out 2016 with a very special bonus episode of Talk Easy looking back on the year that was in cultural, politics, and art. To help us work it all out, we've...
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Episode 37 - Reggie Watts from 2016-12-14T05:13

On this week's show, comedian Reggie Watts joins Sam to talk about finding comedy and music in improvisation, keeping those creative juices flowing, and finding the space to be creative at all. Plu...
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Episode 36 - Jay Caspian Kang from 2016-12-07T02:56

This week on Talk Easy, journalist Jay Caspian King joins the show to talk about his career writing and editing at noteworthy publications like Grantland, The New Yorker, New York Times Magazine, a...
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Episode 35 - Matt Zoller Seitz from 2016-11-30T03:59

This week on Talk Easy, NY Magazine TV critic and RogerEbert.com EIC Matt Zoller Seitz joins Sam to talk about the state of film criticism. They also discuss director Oliver Stone, whose the subjec...
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Episode 34 - Mackenzie Davis from 2016-11-23T03:01

This week on Talk Easy, emerging actress Mackenzie Davis ("Halt and Catch Fire") joins Sam to talk about...well, yeah, the election. At least for a little bit. After working through some grief and ...
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Episode 33 - Zoe Kazan from 2016-11-16T00:24

On this week's show, actress Zoe Kazan joins Sam for a conversation about growing up with screenwriter parents, going off to be an actress, finding the right therapist, the stress of making the fil...
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Episode 32 - Max Linsky from 2016-11-01T23:37

On this week's show, our guest is one of the inspirations for this very podcast. Max Linsky, co-host of the 'Longform' podcast, which features excellent in-depth interviews with many of the best jo...
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Episode 31 - Zazie Beetz from 2016-10-26T00:23

Zazie Beetz is a great rising young actress, who has recently gained rightful attention for her fantastic work in the FX series "Atlanta" and her role in Joe Swanberg's Netflix anthology series "Ea...
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Episode 30 - W. Kamau Bell Returns! from 2016-10-21T20:13

He's back! W. Kamau Bell, the second ever guest on Talk Easy, makes his triumphant return to talk about this crazy election, the madness of Donald Trump, doing those crazy panels on CNN, and mainta...
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Episode 30 - W. Kamau Bell Returns! from 2016-10-21T20:13

He's back! W. Kamau Bell, the second ever guest on Talk Easy, makes his triumphant return to talk about this crazy election, the madness of Donald Trump, doing those crazy panels on CNN, and mainta...
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Episode 29 - Margaret Brown from 2016-10-20T01:32

Margaret Brown is the talented documentarian behind "Never Trump," a short doc from the New York Times, about hardcore conservatives who have come out against Donald Trump. In a wide-ranging conver...
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Episode 28 - Kelly Reichardt from 2016-10-11T22:19

This week on the show, "Certain Women" director Kelly Reichardt joins Sam for a conversation about her unique and beautiful filmmaking, the loneliness of directing, the subtle sentimentality at the...
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Episode 27 - Mndsgn from 2016-10-04T21:53

This week on Talk Easy, Sam talks with hip hop artist/musician/producer extraordinaire, Ringgo Ancheta, aka @Mndsgn. In their conversation, Mndsgn shares how he landed on his distinct musical style...
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Episode 26 - Esperanza Spalding from 2016-09-27T21:15

Multi-hyphenate jazz star Esperanza Spalding stops by Talk Easy to talk about her career, being an inconsistent person, developing that into creative energy, and the artistic value of being attenti...
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Episode 25 - Steve James from 2016-09-20T21:31

Legendary documentary filmmaker Steve James joins the show to talk with Sam about his extraordinary career, his masterpiece "Hoop Dreams," his film about the late Roger Ebert, his new film, "Abacus...
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Episode 24 - Michael Phillips from 2016-09-13T18:18

This week on a special TIFF 2016 edition of Talk Easy, Sam sits down with Chicago Tribune film critic Michael Phillips at the Toronto International Film Festival to trade friendly barbs over sushi ...
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Episode 23 - Lauren Lapkus from 2016-09-07T21:34

This week's guest, comedian Lauren Lapkus is known to most people from her roles in 'Orange is the New Black' and 'Jurassic World', but she made her name as an outstanding impressionist and improvi...
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Episode 22 - Ben Schwartz from 2016-08-30T23:37

Think of any great comedy project in the last decade and Ben Schwartz probably had something to do with it. Jean-Ralphio on Parks and Recreation, Clyde on House of Lies, Rutabaga Rabitowitz on BoJa...
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Episode 21 - Melanie Lynskey from 2016-08-23T19:28

On this week's show, Sam is joined by the great and talented actress Melanie Lynskey. Hailing from New Zealand, Lynskey got her start at 15 in Peter Jackson's 'Heavenly Creatures', co-starring a yo...
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Episode 20 - Charlene deGuzman from 2016-08-17T00:22

Charlene deGuzman made waves on the internet three years when her short film, "I Forgot My Phone," which she wrote and starred in, went viral. Now she's back with a new, much bigger project, trying...
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Episode 19 - Ira Sachs from 2016-08-09T22:06

Ira Sachs is the acclaimed director of films like 'Love is Strange' and 'Keep the Lights On'. Now he's back with the beautiful film, 'Little Men', inspired in part by his own youth. Ira sat down wi...
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Episode 18 - Kate Micucci from 2016-08-02T18:41

You probably know Kate Micucci from somewhere, whether it was her role in 'Scrubs,' or 'How I Met Your Mother,' or 'The Big Bang Theory,' or 'When in Rome,' or 'Rules of Engagement,' or countless o...
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Episode 17 - Alan Arkin from 2016-07-27T03:05

Alan Arkin has been acting in movies since the 1960s, delivering decades worth of great and memorable performances, including indelible turns in 'The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming', ...
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Episode 16 - Donnie Trumpet from 2016-07-19T21:37

Nico Segal, aka @DonnieTrumpet, is a musician out of Chicago whose work with Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa has gained him notoriety in the worlds of hip-hop and jazz. His most recent album, 2015'...
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Episode 15 - Eric André from 2016-07-13T19:42

Eric André is the host of the bizarre, surreal, insane 'The Eric André Show' on Adult Swim. His style of comedy can be described as erratic, insane, surreal, and, of course, utterly hilarious. Andr...
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Episode 14 - Alex Gibney from 2016-07-05T14:20

Alex Gibney is one of the most successful and prolific documentary filmmakers in the business. His films have covered controversial figures like Elliott Spitzer and Lance Armstrong, and topics as i...
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Episode 13 - Alissa Wilkinson from 2016-06-28T20:32

Alissa Wilkinson, chief film critic at Christianity Today, joins Sam to talk about growing up Evangelical, being homeschooled, moving to "godless" New York and working as a film critic with a disti...
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Episode 12 - Robert Forster from 2016-06-21T21:48

Legendary Oscar-nominated actor Robert Forster invited Sam to his favourite breakfast spot for a wide ranging chat about his life and career. Back to his early days growing up in freezing cold Roch...
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Episode 12 - Robert Forster from 2016-06-21T21:48

Legendary Oscar-nominated actor Robert Forster invited Sam to his favourite breakfast spot for a wide ranging chat about his life and career. Back to his early days growing up in freezing cold Roch...
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Episode 11 - Amy Nicholson from 2016-06-14T21:42

Sam sits down with Amy Nicholson, the new Chief Film Critic for MTV News, to talk about her experiences growing up in San Antonio, her college life, the nightmare August that set her on the path to...
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Episode 10 - Sherman Alexie from 2016-06-07T17:45

Author, poet, filmmaker Sherman Alexie has been an articulate, outspoken artistic voice in the Native American community for over 20 years. His collections of poetry and novels have received wide a...
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Episode 9 - Spencer Haywood from 2016-05-31T20:14

NBA Hall of Famer Spencer Haywood, featured in the new documentary "Full Court: The Spencer Haywood Story," joins Sam to talk about his amazing career in basketball, fighting against the system and...
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Episode 8 - Mac DeMarco from 2016-05-24T20:34

Canadian-born indie musician Mac DeMarco joins Sam to discuss going to school in Montreal, touring with his band, his happy relationship, fans show up at his house in the middle of the night, and e...
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Episode 7 - The Ross Brothers from 2016-05-17T20:27

The Ross Brothers, Bill and Turner, have made a name for themselves in the film scene, putting together documentaries with the quality of atmosphere, composition, experimentation, and editing usual...
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Episode 7 - The Ross Brothers from 2016-05-17T20:27

The Ross Brothers, Bill and Turner, have made a name for themselves in the film scene, putting together documentaries with the quality of atmosphere, composition, experimentation, and editing usual...
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Episode 6 - Lamorne Morris from 2016-05-10T14:34

This week, Lamorne Morris, actor, comedian and star of 'New Girl', sits down to talk about everything from his early start at Second City and hosting a show on BET, to his dating life as a successf...
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Episode 5 - Wesley Morris from 2016-05-03T11:48

Wesley Morris, fresh from delivering a keynote address at the San Francisco International Film Festival, and only a few months into his new job as Critic-at-Large at The New York Times, sits down w...
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Episode 4 - David Oyelowo from 2016-04-26T11:22

Actor David Oyelowo sits down with Sam to talk about his new film 'Five Nights in Maine', his experience making 'Selma', the controversy surrounding the upcoming Nina Simone biopic, and being an "a...
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Episode 3 - Amy Seimetz from 2016-04-19T12:23

Sam talks with writer-director-actress Amy Seimetz about her new Starz series, The Girlfriend Experience, working as a woman in Hollywood, suffering personal loss and professional success at the sa...
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Episode 2 - W. Kamau Bell from 2016-04-12T17:39

Sam sits down with comedian W. Kamau Bell to talk about his new CNN series, "United Shades of America," his upcoming Showtime stand-up special, being a person of color in show business, and having ...
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Episode 1 - Don Cheadle from 2016-04-07T14:23

Don Cheadle joins Sam to talk about his directorial debut, 'Miles Ahead', the music of Miles Davis, and the allure of becoming a plumber. Music provided by Vanilla. https://soundcloud.com/vanilla ...
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Episode 0 - Announcement from 2016-04-06T03:16

Introducing a new longform interview podcast, hosted by writer Sam Fragoso. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
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Episode 0 - Announcement from 2016-04-06T03:16

Introducing a new longform interview podcast, hosted by writer Sam Fragoso.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Listen