Don't Be Alone with Jay Kogen

“Hacks on Taps” political guru, Mike Murphy, talks about growing up in Detroit, studying ads, becoming a political consultant by being the only one to raise his hand, starting political pacs, being on the outs with the current Republican party, what the Dems should do to win a bigger percentage of the vote, how buying an EV can really help America, being a Republican in Blue Los Angeles, and secret Republicans in Hollywood whispering that they were conservative! Bio: Mike Murphy is one of the Republican Party's most successful political media consultants, having handled strategy and advertising for more than 26 successful gubernatorial and Senatorial campaigns, including 12 wins in “blue” states that have consistently voted Democratic in Presidential elections, running successful gubernatorial campaigns for Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Christie Whitman (NJ), Tommy Thompson (WI), John Engler (MI), Terry Branstad (IA) along with many other GOP Senators and Members of Congress. In 2024 Murphy founded the EV Politics Project, an organization focused on breaking down the growing partisan divide over Electric Vehicles. Murphy has worked on five GOP Presidential campaigns, and in 2000 was a key strategist for Sen John McCain's “Straight Talk Express” campaign. He also advises several Fortune 500 corporations, as well as several Hedge Funds and Trade Associations. In 2020 he served as a key strategist for Republican Voters Against Trump. Murphy is also a widely quoted pundit; he wrote the popular “Murphy's Law” column for TIME and is a longtime senior analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. He also co-hosts the popular podcast “Hacks on Tap” with his longtime friend David Axelrod. He also serves as co-director of the Center for the Political Future at USC and was a longtime senior fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Murphy also works as a writer and producer in the entertainment industry with projects at HBO, CBS and 20th Century Fox Studios. In 2021 he wrote and created the CBS network pilot “Ways & Means” starring Patrick Dempsey. Murphy was born in Detroit, Michigan and attended the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. He lives with his wife Tiffany and daughter Audrey in Los Angeles. He is on Twitter/X at @murphymike.

Writer Rob Kutner talks about being anti-anti-semitic, “The God Gang” cartoon, beards, and a lot of other “Jew talk.” Bio:Rob Kutner is an Emmy-winning writer for TV (The Daily Show, CONAN, Teen Titans Go!) and books (Apocalypse How, Snot Goblins & Other Tasteless Tales, Look Out for the Little Guy), and the head writer of the independent kids' animated series God's Gang. For more info, and to “join the gang,” go to www.godsgang.com.  For more Rob info, go to www.robkutner.com. For a good time, call “SKIFFY" at 555-6969

Writer Peter Murrieta talks about how teachers pushed him to a better life, riding in the car with his grandparents, baseball, creating TV, college training him to be a showman, being a rare latino at Second City, Danny Trejo, collecting baseball cards, loving writing, and becoming a teacher to give back. Bio: Peter Murrieta is a two-time Emmy Award winning producer and writer who has contributed his voice to multiple projects that have expanded and further legitimized the entertainment value of telling stories about diverse cultures. After moving to Los Angeles, Peter was accepted into the esteemed ABC Writing Fellowship. His success during the fellowship led to writing positions on Jesse, Three Sisters and All About the Andersons, before he created the critically acclaimed series Greetings from Tucson, which tells the story of an upwardly mobile bi-racial. The series' Latino cast is a perfect example of how he's been able to bring the lighthearted examination of his culture to the predominantly white television landscape. As a producer, Peter is dedicated to ensuring that diverse and underrepresented persons have opportunities in the industry on both sides of the camera, as evidenced by his work on the Emmy Award winning, Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place.Peter has produced and written on NBC's Welcome to the Family, ABC's Cristela, TV Land's Lopez, Norman Lear's Netflix re-boot of One Day A Time and CBS' Superior Doughnuts. He was an Executive producer and writer on the Imagen Award winning Netflix series, MR. IGLESIAS, starring comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias. And most recently, he is a writer and an Executive Producer on the Amazon FreeVee series, “Primo,” for Universal. And wrote on the staff of the drama for Peacock, “Field of Dreams.” Peter was honored in 2018 with the Imagen Foundation's Norman Lear Writer's Award for his dedication to broadening the diversity of the entertainment industry. He was just named a member of the 2024 Influential Latinos in Media by the Imagen Foundation as well. Having taught at the prestigious American Film Institute, Peter is now a professor of Practice at Arizona State University, and is happy to have a foot back in his home state of Arizona, excited to serve as Deputy Director for The Sidney Poitier New American Film School.

  Writer/Producer Mike Scully talks about being new in a writer's room, Yakav Smirnoff, how he learned empathy from a non empathetic childhood, being a boss, taking over The Simpsons, how 5 daughters run his life, writing with his wife Julie, writing with his brother Brian, doing stand-up, Amy Pohler, Parks & Rec, how Jay ruined Bruce Sprinsteen being on The Simpsons, NRBQ, being a Masshole, getting fired, owing a lot to his mom, writing jokes for the Golden Globes, the WGA, and how Scully costs Jay millions when he unionized Fox Animation Domination. Bio: MIKE SCULLY BIO 2025Emmy,Peabody,and Writers' Guild of America Award winning writer/producer Mike Scully has worked in all genres of TV comedy: animation, single-cam, multi-cam, hidden-cam, award and live performance shows.He joined "The Simpsons" writing staff since 1993 and was promoted to showrunner in 1997 for Seasons 9 through 12 and co-wrote and co-produced "The Simpsons Movie,”released in 2007. In 1998, he organized writing staffs of all the Fox animated shows to win Writers Guild of America union coverage for the writers,which had been underpaid and without healthcare and pension contributions for the first nine seasons of the series. He was a consulting producer on the show until 2021 and continues to write occasional episodes.Scully also served as writer/producer on the Emmy-winning "Everybody Loves Raymond," as well as"Parks & Recreation,” starring Amy Poehler. (He also appeared on the show four times as a disgruntled citizen of Pawnee asking stupid questions at town meetings.) He was a writer/producer on the critically acclaimed “The Carmichael Show” starring comedian Jerrod Carmichael.He has written jokes for Poehler and Tina Fey when they hosted the Golden Globes and for their current liveshow,The Restless Leg Tour.He co-created (with wife Juie Thacker-Scully & Amy Poehler) the animated Fox/Hulu show"Duncanville”starring Poehler, Ty Burrell, and Rashida Jones,which ran three seasons. He also co-created some non-critically acclaimed and very quickly canceled shows such as "The Pitts”, “CompleteSavages", and an animated version of "Napoleon Dynamite.”In 2024, he and Julie produced the ABC pilot Shifting Gears starring Tim Allen and Kat Dennings.The Scullys parted ways with the show after it was ordered to series.  He has five daughters who provide a never-ending financial reason to keep working.

Joely and Tricia Leigh Fisher talk about being the kids of stars, Connie Stevens and Eddie Fisher—the allure of show business, putting on shows in their living room, and deciding at a young age to make performing their career. They share stories of being on the road with their mom, the good and bad lessons they learned, going to Beverly Hills High School while living alone across the street, and what it means to inherit both talent and addictive behaviors. They also open up about being moms, singing, dancing, acting, writing, and becoming beauty entrepreneurs. Joely discusses her stint at SAG, while the sisters reflect on their parents' many relationships, trying to connect with a distant father, and moving forward in a new entertainment landscape. And of course, they share their mom's immortal line: “Once you date Elvis, everyone else is a disappointment.”Bio: Joely Fisher is an American actress and singer, the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens. She is best known for her roles as Paige Clark on the TV series Ellen and Joy Stark on 'Til Death. She is also the younger half-sister of the late actress Carrie Fisher. Her career spans television, film, and Broadway, and she is a political activist currently serving as SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer.Tricia Leigh Fisher is the daughter of legendary crooner Eddie Fisher and iconic actress/singer Connie Stevens. She spent her childhood on sets and in concert venues, then joined the family business as a teenager, playing Burt Reynolds' daughter in the film “Stick.” Tricia has performed on many stages around the world, including entertaining the troops in the Persian Gulf with the legend, Bob Hope and the USO. After years touring as a back up singer, she landed her own deal on ATCO Records and hit the hot 100 billboard charts. She has continued to work, as an actress, in television and film for the past thirty-five years, starring in films such as Book of Love, Pretty Smart, Arizona Dream, Saving Grace B. Jones, Hostile Intentions and CHUD II. Tricia has worked in television for decades, including her role as Heidi in The Heidi Fleiss Story, 911, Criminal Minds, Rizzoli and Isles, The Mentalist, No Ordinary Family, Ellen, Til Death, and many others. A few of her theater roles include a Los Angeles run and tour of Bermuda Avenue Triangle with Joe Bologna, Renee Taylor, and Lainie Kazan and Miracle on South Division Street at the New Theater in Kansas City. Tricia is currently the lead singer of her 70's band with husband, Byron Thames, and plays regularly to sold out shows in Los Angeles.

Actress/writer/activist Amy Benneman talks about creating a TV show, writing plays, the pleasure of performing in front of people. Her kick-ass judge-pioneer mother, lawyer activist dad and how they started her on a journey of trying to fix the world, expectations of what the world thinks is normal and how it messes up the rest of us, parenthood and raising a neurodivergent child and how she taught Amy to accept and embrace who she is and she talks, about how Jeff Bridges can seduce you without ever laying a hand on you. Bio: Amy Brenneman earned a degree from Harvard College in Comparative Religion and studied sacred dance and indigenous ritual in Kathmandu, Nepal. She is a founding member of Cornerstone Theater Company which produces site-specific, community-based theater on themes of social justice. Favorite Cornerstone roles included Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Natasha in Three Sisters and Clytemnestra in The Oresteia.Other theater: CSC Rep, Lincoln Center Theater, Williamstown Theater Festival, Yale Rep and The American Repertory Theater. She starred in the world premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated Rapture Blister Burn (Playwrights Horizons, Geffen Theater) and Power of Sail opposite Bryan Cranston (Geffen Theater.) She played Miriam of Nazareth in the world premiere of Galilee 34 (South Coast Rep) and starred in The Sound Inside (Pasadena Playhouse), which was named one of the years' best performances by the Los Angeles Times. She recently finished the world premiere of Larissa Fasthorse' Fake It Until You Make It at Arena Stage in Washington DC.Amy co-created, wrote, and starred in MOUTH WIDE OPEN (The Yard, American Repertory Theater) and OVERCOME (The Yard, Cotuit Center for The Arts). She has performed her original spoken word pieces at venues such as Spark, Tasty Words and the Martha's Vineyard Playhouse.Amy created, executive produced, and starred in “Judging Amy” (multiple Golden Globe Emmy and SAG nominations) based on the work of her mother, the Honorable Judge Frederica Brenneman. Other television: “NYPD Blue” (multiple Emmy nominations, SAG award) “Frasier,” “Goliath,” “Jane the Virgin,” “VEEP,” “Private Practice,” “The Leftovers,” “Tell Me Your Secrets,” “Shining Girls” and “The Old Man.” Film credits include CASPER, FEAR, DAYLIGHT, HEAT, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB, NINE LIVES, THINGS YOU CAN TELL JUST BY LOOKING AT HER and MOTHER AND CHILD.For her activist work, Amy has been honored by Women in Film, The Brady Center, the League of Women Voters, the National Children's Alliance, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, the Producer's Guild of America, among others. She currently serves on the Creative Council for the Center for Reproductive Rights and on the board of Crimson Goes Blue, an organization dedicated to preserving and strengthening democracy in America. In 2016, she was part of the amicus brief for the Supreme Court case Whole Women's v. Hellerstedt and received the Eleanor Roosevelt Award from The Feminist Majority for her ongoing commitment to reproductive rights. She is married to writer/director Brad Silberling and has two children, Charlotte and Bodhi.

Felipe talks about his new book, coming to the USA under an EXTRAORDINARY ARTIST visa, writing for Colbert, growing up in Columbia, the beauty of curious Americans, the danger of being too comfortable, and losing emmy awards to his wife.Bio: Felipe Torres Medina is a Peabody and Writers Guild of America Award–winning writer from Bogotá, Colombia. His writing for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has earned him five Emmy nominations. His humor has appeared in The New Yorker, McSweeney's, and others. He lives in New York City with his wife and is totally chill when you misspell his birth country's name. (He is not.)

Writing Legend, Arnie Kogen, talks with Jay and Jay's son, Charlie, about his childhood, career, and what it's like to be 91. Three generations of Kogens in one pod! Bio: ARNIE KOGENComedy Writer/ TV ProducerHas written and/or produced for the Carol Burnett Show, The Tonight Show, Newhart, Mary Tyler Moore, Empty Nest, Mad TV, The Dean Martin Show, Sinbad, Donnie & Marie, The Jackson Five, Evening At The Improv, The Bob Newhart Show, Tim Conway, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Candid Camera, Love, American Style, The Love Boat, The Golden Globes and contributed to The Academy Awards.  Has also written comedy material for Phyllis Diller, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, Shelley Berman, Debbie Reynolds, Connie Stevens, Totie Fields, Jackie Vernon, Diana Ross, Flip Wilson, Ann Margret, Sammy Davis, Morty Gunty and Jerry Van Dyke.For over five decades he has been one of the leading contributors to Mad Magazine.  Kogen has won three Emmy Awards (seven nominations) and one Writers Guild Award (three nominations)

Phil Stark talks about writing and learning it wasn't really his dream, telling patients to find their bliss, deciding joy wasn't in the writers room, writing “Dog With A Blog”, treating writers who are panicking about work, writer's block, and where's  the best Tex Mex in Houston. Bio:  Screenwriter (Dude, Where's My Car?) turned therapist (Dude, Where's My Car-tharsis?) Phil Stark sees clients virtually from all over the state of California. He also writes about mental health and personal growth as experienced through talk therapy.

Writer of “Jaws" & "The Jerk" Carl Gottlieb talks about working with Spielberg, Steve Martin, Carl Reiner, David Crosby, Joan Baez, improv group The Committee, performing comedy in the army, how the Smothers Brothers Show was the hippest most popular show at the time and somehow also cancelled. Bio:  Carl Gottlieb is a screenwriter (Jaws, The Jerk), director (Caveman), & actor (Mash). His book, THE JAWS LOG, remains the most popular book about the making of a motion picture ever written.  He also wrote WHICH WAY IS UP with Richard Pryor. He was a member of the classic San Francisco Improv group, The Committee.  And a writer on the controversial Smothers Brothers show. He served on the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America, and was on the faculty of the Film Division of the School of the Arts at Columbia University, the American Film Institute, the University of Miami's School of Communications and the University of Southern California's School of Cinema & Television.

Will Forte talks about almost being a financial advisor, his checkered writing career, SNL MacGruber, Nebraska, The Groundlings, Last Man on Earth, having kids late, seeing shrinks, frats, & Val Kilmner being the weirdest roommate of all time.Bio: Will Forte is a comedian, actor, writer, and improviser best known for his work on Saturday Night Live and his starring role in The Last Man on Earth. Born in Alameda County, California, Forte studied History at UCLA before briefly working as a financial broker. He shifted to comedy in the late '90s, joining the Groundlings and writing for shows like The Jenny McCarthy Show and That '70s Show. His pilot about two clueless brothers led to The Brothers Solomon (2007), which he wrote and starred in. Forte joined Saturday Night Live in 2002, quickly earning a reputation for absurd and surreal comedy. He co-wrote and starred in the cult film MacGruber (2010) before leaving SNL to pursue broader roles. He appeared in comedies like 30 Rock, Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, and That's My Boy, while also branching into drama with Run and Jump and Alexander Payne's Nebraska (2013), earning critical praise. From 2015 to 2018, he created and starred in the acclaimed sitcom The Last Man on Earth. He later portrayed Douglas Kenney in A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018) and appeared in hit films like Booksmart and Good Boys (2019). More recently, he has starred in Netflix's Bodkin, Four Seasons, and the upcoming Coyote vs. Acme.

This week, James L Brooks talked about The Simpsons, Mary Tyler Moore ,Terms of Endearment, having a million lunches to cast parts,  his difficult beginnings and how the fear of survival and women's shoes drove him to his success. We also talk about what an amazing mentor he is, incredible writer, the worst notes he's ever gotten from a network, and now he likes to have drool days.Bio:James L. Brooks is a three-time Academy Award®-winner and eighteen-time Emmy® Award-winner.  He began his television career as a writer who also produced such beloved television hits as Taxi, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Tracy Ullman Show, and The Simpsons. Brooks began working in film in 1979 when he wrote the screenplay for Starting Over which he co-produced with Alan J. Pakula. In 1983, Brooks wrote, produced and directed Terms of Endearment for which he won three Academy Awards. In 1987, he wrote, produced and directed Broadcast News, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards® including Best Screenplay and Best Picture. Brooks then directed I'll Do Anything starring Nick Nolte, Albert Brooks, and Julie Kavner.  In 1997, Brooks co-wrote, produced, and directed As Good As It Gets, starring Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, and Greg Kinnear. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards® including Best Picture, and both Nicholson and Hunt won Oscars® for their performances. In 2004, Brooks wrote and directed the film Spanglish, starring Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni and Paz Vega. In 2010, Brooks wrote and directed the film How Do You Know, starring Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd, and Jack Nicholson.Brooks's company, Gracie Films has produced numerous films and television shows since it was formed in 1990. On the television side, the company produces the long-running hit, The Simpsons, as well as producing the Tracey Ullman Show, What About Joan?, and The Critic. On the feature side – Brooks has executive produced the feature film, Say Anything, produced War of the Roses, and co-produced Big. In 1996, Brooks executive produced the film Bottle Rocket, directed by Wes Anderson, and produced Cameron Crowe's Oscar®-winning Jerry Maguire, starring Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Renee Zellweger. In addition, Brooks produced Penny Marshall's Riding in Cars with Boys, starring Drew Barrymore, and produced the film Edge of Seventeen, written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig for STX Productions. In addition, Brooks co-wrote and produced The Simpsons Movie, the movie version of the Fox hit.

Writer/Activist Steve Skovan talks about his work with Ralph Nader, his substack “Bits and Pieces”, his dad being a comic inspiration, the trouble with politics, Public Citizen a progressive consumer rights group, starting as a stand-up, and how a football coach changed his life without molesting him.Bio:  ​​Steve Skrovan has worked as a stand-up comedian, actor, and TV comedy writer since the early eighties. He has written for many shows, most notably, Seinfeld, Hot in Cleveland, Til Death, Wendell and Vinnie, School of Rock, and the entire nine-year run of Everybody Loves Raymond, a show which he has also adapted internationally in Russia, Israel, and India. He is also co-director/writer/producer of An Unreasonable Man, a documentary about the career of legendary consumer advocate and third-party presidential candidate, Ralph Nader, which was not only an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival but also made the “shortlist” for Academy Award consideration in the documentary category. In 2005, he co-produced the TBS environmental special “Earth to America.”  In addition, Steve co-hosts the weekly radio show Ralph Nader Radio Hour, which runs on the Pacifica network and various other independent radio stations as well as being available on all podcast platforms. He is a board member of the non-partisan public interest organization Public Citizen in Washington DC.

Tom Lennon tells us he's not working that hard on the unbelievably large number of projects he never stops working on. From writing movies (including a “HALL OF PRESIDENTS” SciFi comedy) to acting in 100s of shows to playing in a Smiths tribute band Thomas Lennon doesn't stop. And don't try to stop him. Bio:  Thomas Lennon is an actor, producer and New York Times Best Selling author from Oak Park, Illinois. He attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where he was a member of the influential sketch comedy group The State. The State's hit television series ran on MTV for three seasons and received an Ace Award nomination for Best Comedy Series.  After his work on The State, he created two more popular series: Viva Variety and Reno 911!, on which he also played Lieutenant Jim Dangle. Lennon has also written numerous feature films, including Night at the Museum, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Reno 911!: Miami, The Pacifier, Balls of Fury and Hell Baby. In addition to writing films, Lennon co-authored, Writing Movies for Fun and Profit, a book about the studio system that Anna Kendrick called, “The Best Book about Hollywood… Hilarious and insanely accurate,” in the New York Times. In 2019, Lennon debuted on the New York's Bestseller List with his children's book Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles. In March of 2020, Lennon released the sequel with Ronan Boyle and the Swamp of Certain Death followed by the third installment of the series, Ronan Boyle: Into the Strange Place in 2022. A DreamWorks Animation feature film of the Ronan Boyle series is currently in development.  As an actor, Lennon has appeared in the films Transformers: Age of Extinction, The Dark Knight Rises, Le Divorce, Heights, Conversations with Other Women, Memento, 17 Again, I Love You, Man, Cedar Rapids, Knight of Cups, Bad Teacher, Harold and Kumar 3D and What to Expect When You're Expecting. His other credits include Netflix's A Futile and Stupid Gesture, Half Magic opposite Heather Graham and Clint Eastwood's The 15:57 to Paris. He can be seen in the Russo Brother's film CHERRY, with Tom Holland. In television he has been seen in How I Met Your Mother, Sean Saves the World, The Odd Couple, Drunk History, The Santa Clarita Diet, Supergirl, Lethal Weapon, and The Twilight Zone.  Lennon also recently produced a musical stage adaptation of the beloved 1980's film TRADING PLACES.  Lennon lives in Los Angeles and Wisconsin with his wife, the actress Jenny Robertson, and their son, Oliver.Aired 7-2-25

Film-Makers Justin Graves and Byron Manuel talk about what it takes to make movies in 2025 being young, talented, and black. They talk about finding the dream of movies and giving up the dreams of music and sport.  They talk about doing what it takes on a budget, fundraising, festivals, developing a ton of projects, and getting their movie “Swoon” on Tubi. They also talk about being able to handle the gut punches that the business offers and keeping your spirits high. Bio: Justin Antuan Graves was born Nov 17, 1984. He is an American writer and producer. Born in Beaufort, South Carolina. A military brat his whole life, he moved around a lot and found comfort in watching movies and cartoons all day as a child, especially comedies. Everything from Honey, I Shrunk The Kids to Friday to Superbad and beyond gave him the passion and confidence to begin writing. Justin started his first screenplay in 2016 and in 2018 he made the move from Jacksonville, Florida to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a screenwriter. With no network, he made his own short films and content that eventually led to becoming a writer for comedians and influencers online such as Juhan Jones, Virgil Harris and Kassandra Lee. Justin is best known for What Had Happened Was (2020), Booty Call Chronicles (2019) and  most recently Swoon (2025) and Allure (2025). Justin is Co-President of On Script Pictures and is currently building a Hard R Comedy Film and TV slate with his partner Byron Manuel.Byron Manuel is a Writer, Producer, Director, and Filmmaker from Los Angeles. He expresses his passion for storytelling through a unique lens.  Byron got his start on critically acclaimed shows such as Showtime's "Kidding", HBO's "Euphoria", Disney's "KC Undercover", and "Run The World" on Starz, while simultaneously carving out his own lane as an Indie Filmmaker.

Rachel talks about why people love or hate musicals, Crazy Ex- Girlfriend and how it would never be made today and how unlikely it was to get made back then.  She also talks about growing up in Manhattan Beach, Theater School in NY, not having billionaire friends, enjoying the now, writing her one woman show to get through the death of Adam Schlessenger and the birth of her daughter, how being married to a funny person can help, Hamilton, The Tony Awards, the amazing last year of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, the magic of musical, theater, and having a stand-up comic/Hughes Aircraft Engineer grandpa. Bio:  RACHEL BLOOM is perhaps best known from the CW musical dramedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which she co-created, executive produced, and starred in as ‘Rebecca Bunch.' For her acting work on the show, she was awarded a Golden Globe, Critics' Choice and TCA Award; for her songwriting work, she won an Emmy Award for Original Music and Lyrics along with her songwriting partners Adam Schlesinger and Jack Dolgen. Most recently, Bloom debuted her Drama Desk nominated, sold-out, four-week off Broadway one-woman musical comedy Death, Let Me Do My Show which she originally toured around London and the US. It was then released on Netflix as a comedy special Death, Let Me Do My Special and nominated for a Critic's Choice Award. She also co-starred in the Hulu comedy series Reboot and the second season of the Max series, Julia. Her past stage work includes selling out Radio City Music Hall and the London Palladium performing Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: LIVE. She also starred in her own solo tour, What Am I Going To Do With My Life Now? in 2019, which included a week-long residency at Just For Laughs. In addition, she appeared in a one-night only production of Crazy For You at Lincoln Center directed by Susan Stroman. In addition to her film and television work, in 2020, she published her book “I Want To Be Where The Normal People Are,” a collection of personal essays and poems on the subjects of insecurity, fame, anxiety, and much more.

Kenya Barris talks about his messy childhood, the do's and don'ts of the writer's room, laying low during covid, Larry David making Kenya take the leap to star in a show, raising kids better than our parents, running a writer's room is like conducting music, making podcasts with Malcolm Gladwell, being pals with Jonah Hill, Eddie Murphy putting points on the board, the pleasure and importance of dressing well, and having people around you who can tell you, you suck. Bio: Kenya Barris is an award-winning writer, producer, director and actor, whose innovative approach to comedy has firmly cemented his place as one of Hollywood's great modern storytellers. Best known as the creator behind groundbreaking series like ABC sitcom black-ish and the Netflix original series #blackAF, Barris has built a career telling powerful stories that reflect our culture and fearlessly tackle an array of topics. Most recently, Barris executive produced Diarra From Detroit, a dark comedy about a divorcing schoolteacher who refuses to believe she's been ghosted by her rebound Tinder date; The Vince Staples Show, a scripted series loosely inspired by the life of multi-hyphenate musician Vince Staples; the final season of grown-ish; and produced The Underdoggs, an Amazon original sports comedy starring Snoop Dogg as a youth football team coach. In 2023, Barris and his production company, Khalabo Ink Society, received Emmy nominations for two of their projects: Entergalactic, a first-of-its-kind adult animated music project that featured new music from the Grammy Award-winning musician Kid Cudi and CIVIL, a documentary that offered an intimate portrait of groundbreaking civil rights attorney, Ben Crump. Barris also made his feature directorial debut with Netflix's hit comedy, You People, which he also produced and co-wrote. Barris and Khalabo have multiple high-profile projects in various stages of development. On the television side, projects include: sophomore seasons of Diarra From Detroit and The Vince Staples Show; The Book of Jose, a television series chronicling the life of rapper Fat Joe; Group Chat, a collaboration with Kim Kardashian, based on LaLa Anthony's best-selling book The Love Playbook; a limited series that will offer an intimate look into the life and legacy of the legendary comedian Richard Pryor. On the film side, Barris is developing projects such as: Get Lite starring Storm Reid and marking Teyana Taylor's feature directorial debut; a remake of It's A Wonderful Life; a documentary on the life and career of rapper Chief Keef; Yumanzu, a high concept family adventure movie; Girls Trip 2; and The Man Who Lives Underground. Additionally, Barris and Khalabo have a first-look deal with Audible and in 2023, launched their first podcast, DJ Drama Presents: Gangsta Grillz. Hosted and produced with legendary hip-hop producer, DJ Drama, the popular podcast featured conversations with notable artists such as Tyler, the Creator, Pharrell, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne and more. In 2025, they also launched The Unusual Suspects hosted by Barris and bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell. Barris and Gladwell engage in raw, unfiltered conversations with some of today's most influential figures and titans across a spectrum of professions, including Ava DuVernay, Dr. Dre, Jimmy Kimmel, Sue Bird, and more. 

Jon and Jay talk about having writer dads, the pressure of trying to succeed as a second gen show biz kid, how to direct movies with being a jerk, being right, the value of being lucky, and the why Captain Crunch is better than Peanut Butter Crunch.Bio: Jon Turteltaub has been an elite producer and director of hit movies for the past 30 years.  He is known for directing a series of hit films including 3 Ninjas, Cool Runnings, While You Were Sleeping, Phenomenon, National Treasure, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Last Vegas, The Meg and others that clearly weren't such big hits but did okay. His last film was the worldwide blockbuster The Meg, grossing over $500 million worldwide.  Jon has also produced and directed several television projects, including the smash hit "Jericho" on CBS and “From the Earth to the Moon” for HBO.  Jon was born in New York and raised in Beverly Hills before attending Wesleyan University and USC film school.  His father, Saul Turteltaub, is a legendary television writer and producer known for "The Carol Burnett Show", "That Girl", "Sanford and Son" “Love American Style” and "What's Happening!".  Jon has been married to Amy Eldon since 2006 and together they work extensively with The Creative Visions Foundation, supporting artists and activists.  Jon has also served on the DGA Western Directors Council, as advisor to Represent.Us, and on the board of the Inner-City Filmmakers program.  Jon and Amy have spent considerable time in Africa where they fund an orphanage in Kenya and work to protect and rehabilitate child soldiers in Uganda.  Jon and Amy have three young children and, therefore, no time for anything fun.

Andrea Abbate talks about her amazing tumultuous life, including addiction, bad partners, bad parents, bad relationships, and surviving through comedy to land in a good place.Bio: Andrea Abbate has proven herself to be a powerhouse in the world of comedy. She's found success as a stand-up comedian, television writer, actor/performer and producer. Andrea seamlessly blends sharp, edgy humor with an inviting charm that draws audiences in. Her ability to tackle bold, often controversial topics with a clever, relatable twist sets her apart in the comedy scene. She finds hilarious ways to highlight the absurdities of life and bring people together through laughter. Her talents have earned her opportunities to work with Bill Maher, Bob Saget, Niecy Nash, Earthquake, Paul Rodriguez and Adam Carolla. She's reached a national audience with several performances on “Evening At The Improv” and nine appearances on “Politically Incorrect”, as well as guest starring on many TV shows. Abbate is a favorite guest on Earthquake's SiriusXM radio show, “Quake's House”. The LA Times wrote, “She's as sweet as a perfumed eviction notice or a sugar-coated bullet.” Beyond the stage, Andrea is a successful TV writer and producer,  and is known for her distinctive voice and sharp comedic sensibility. She's created TV shows for Showtime, HBO, NBC, CBS, ABC, Disney+ and Freeform. Whether performing live, writing TV shows, or acting in them, her bold, fearless humor makes her an undeniable talent and a standout force in comedy.

Maggie Baird - Actress/writer/ & mother of superstars Billie Eilish & Finneas gives Jay the recipe for not messing up your kids and letting them flourish.  She also talks about living small, rewarding effort and experience over awards, &  the value of an artist's mindset and working for love vs. money.  And she talks about trying to change the world with her Support + Feed charity she formed to help fight food insecurity.  She also talked about the value of publicists, good people in the music industry, and letting your kids yell at you when they need to. Bio: Maggie Baird is a climate activist committed to building equitable solutions that move all of us to action. Mother of Grammy-Award-winning Artists Billie Eilish and Finneas, she ispassionate about helping the music industry implement comprehensive sustainabilitystrategies. A lifelong vegetarian turned vegan, she engages audiences through her popularweekly Instagram Live streams on the climate impacts of our global food system, and she isa frequent speaker and panelist on food and sustainability within the music, catering, andenvironmental spaces. Baird's passion for the health of our planet, her plant-based cookingtips, and conversations with youth activists, have inspired thousands to change their lives.In 2020, Baird founded Support+Feed, a US nonprofit focused on developing innovative,intersectional strategies to ensure underserved communities have access to nourishingplant-based food while driving systemic change toward a more planet friendly global foodsystem. Under Baird's leadership, S+F has reached 41 cities globally, has a consistentpresence in 11 anchor cities in the US, and is now expanding through partnerships in theEU, UK, and Australia. Since launch, S+F has provided 1.5 million plant-based meals andpantry items and related education in underserved communities through partnerships with190+ community organizations, 100+ local and minority-owned restaurants, and 350Volunteers.Baird is a co-producer of Overheated, a climate summit hosted by Billie Eilish and S+F thatfeatures youth activists from around the world, and in 2024, she was featured in Forbes' 50Over 50 list and was honored as one of Glamour's Women of the Year. She also makes aregular appearance on climate scientist Chris Turney's podcast “Unf*cking the Future”which is dedicated to addressing the climate crisis and exploring potential solutions withleaders in the entertainment, academic, and environmental spaces.

We talk about deciding if you are a writer or a performer, confidence in bad joke, comedy as team sport, Neal being “groupless”, John McEnroe's good sportsmanship, gratitude, the day the Chappelle Show died, ayahuasca & MDMA & how it made him believe in God.Bio: Neal Brennan has been a force in comedy for over three decades with both his own standup performances as well as working behind the scenes as co-creator of Chappelle's Show and writing, producing and directing with other comedians like Chris Rock, Amy Schumer and Seth Meyers. His landmark Netflix specials, 3 Mics, Blocks, & Crazy Good set the standard for comedy.  On his ‘Blocks' podcast, Neal talks in depth with people about their issue. Neal continues to perform comedy around Los Angeles and the world.

Bruce talks about stumbling into writing and finding a home. His feud with Barbra Streisand, writing for Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and Lily Tomlin. He talks about how being your own weird self is the best marketing and he discusses his new book “It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time: The Worst TV Shows in History and Other Things I Wrote”  He talks about t-shirts, Elmo, Hollywood Squares, The Star Wars Holiday Special and surviving as a writer forever no matter what he's asked to write.Bio: Bruce Vilanch is an American comedy writer, songwriter and actor who has won two Emmy Awards for his work on the Annual Academy Awards. He is also known for his appearance as a celebrity participant and head writer on Hollywood Squares for four years. Here are some facts about his life and career: He was born on November 23, 1948, in New York City and was adopted by Jonas and Henne Vilanch, an optometrist and a housewife. He started his career as an entertainment writer for the Chicago Tribune, where he interviewed celebrities and wrote about the industry culture. He moved to Los Angeles and wrote for various shows and artists, such as The Donny & Marie Show, The Star Wars Holiday Special, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, Bette Midler, Robin Williams, Lily Tomlin, Billy Crystal, Roseanne Barr, Rosie O'Donnell, Paul Reiser, Elizabeth Taylor, Steven Tyler and Aerosmith. He wrote the lyrics for the farewell song that Bette Midler sang to Johnny Carson on his final broadcast of The Tonight Show, which won him an Emmy Award. He was a panelist and the head writer for Hollywood Squares from 1998 to 2002, where he sat next to his friend and client Whoopi Goldberg. He was the head writer for the Oscars from 2000 to 2014, after being a co-writer for the previous ten years. He collaborated with hosts such as Whoopi Goldberg, David Letterman, and Billy Crystal. He also acted in several movies and TV shows, such as The Ice Pirates, Law & Order, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, and Celebrity Fit Club. He performed off-Broadway in his self-penned one-man show Bruce Vilanch: Almost Famous in 2000. He played the role of Edna Turnblad in the Broadway musical Hairspray in 2005. Within the last several years, he has written the book for 2 jukebox musicals. He is openly gay and has been involved in various philanthropic causes, such as AIDS awareness, gay rights, and animal welfare

Jim Turner talks about doing one of our first pilots, Monkey World, being friends for 32 years, being the kind of guy who shows up at shows, makes shows, raises money for important causes, The Good Deed Corporation, Harry Styles, poker games, basketball games, Des Moines, Randy of The Redwoods, running for President, and almost talking about almost dying in Italy.Bio: Jim Turner was an actor for many years in teevee shows and movies. He's got an IMDB page and everything (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877642/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) He still does the actorizing now and then but he spends most of his time (and money) working to register young people to vote.  He ran for President twice – once as Zippy the Pinhead in 1980 and then as Randee of the Redwoods in 1988. Neither of these fictional characters were elected – or received any votes. 

Liz Kamlet answers all the music questions the dad of an aspiring musician has from Social Media to publishing to concerts to recording to warnings about the music contest TV shows. We also talk about the old school acts like Stephen Bishop, David Pack, and Michael McDonald! Liz is the smartest voice in music and promotion on the planet!Bio:  Liz Kamlet is an accomplished music industry professional with over a decade of experience collaborating with world-renowned artists, leading record labels, publishers, composers, film studios, and top executives. Her multifaceted expertise encompasses artist management, social media marketing, technology, touring, sync licensing, and consulting. Liz's skill in crafting and executing effective marketing and branding strategies has supported artists at all stages of their careers—from producing sold-out arena performances to securing advantageous record and publishing deals. The artists she has worked with have collectively sold over 100 million records, accumulated 2 billion streams, and amassed a combined social media following of over 50 million. She is currently the CEO of Windsong Entertainment and the host of the podcast "Liz The Music Manager.”   Liz earned a BA in History and Music Technology from the University of Colorado at Boulder, an MA in Music Industry Administration from California State University, Northridge, and an MBA in Management and Digital Media Design from Harvard University. She is also an avid collector of vintage acoustic guitars, owning a personal collection of more than 50 pieces. Liz is married to legendary singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop.

J. Elvis Weinstein was a head writer on many shows so he knows a good joke while Jay just jokes often from character. On this show we sort out the differences. Also J. talks about his funny family. Hobbies like ice cream, bad jokes, bubble gum jokes, fortune cookies, losing money on documentaries, saving your marriage by wasting less money than your wife thinks, Mystery Science Theater,  old credits, and how jokes ruin dramas, hack jokes, improvisations, the perfect punchline, and hating Seinfeld.  Bio: J. Elvis Weinstein began his stand-up comedy career at age 15 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At 17, he was one of the founding writer/performers of "Mystery Science Theater 3000” (MST3K) as the original voice/puppeteer of robots Tom Servo and Gypsy, and the role of Dr. Lawrence Erhardt.Since moving to Los Angeles, he has worked as a writer/producer on a wide range of network TV comedy, including "Freaks and Geeks", "Malcolm and Eddie", "Dead Last", and "My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star.” He was also the Head Writer on "America's Funniest Home Videos" and "Later with Greg Kinnear".  In 2008 he reunited with his MST3K co-stars to form “Cinematic Titanic” which toured U.S. Theaters as a live show and produced 12 DVDs, now available as a box set.J. Elvis has written and directed 3 films - 2 feature documentaries (“I Need You To Kill” & “Michael Des Barres: Who Do You Want Me To Be?”) and a comedy short (“The Mediocre Samaritan”). As a performer, he continues to perform as a stand-up (releasing the album “Chunks” in 2019), co-hosts the podcast “Thought Spiral” with comedian Andy Kindler, and recently co-starred in the feature film “The Fiddling Horse” (2020).

Andy and Jay talk about anger, falling down, therapy, neuropathy, parents, the power of singing, audio books, back aches, Quakers, the State of The Industry, the Thought Spiral podcast, Binghamton University, LSD, The Stump, and Moon Zappa's new book “Earth To Moon”, and running away from Jay Leno.Bio:  Andy Kindler currently recurs on Fox's hit animation, Bob's Burgers and Comedy Central's long-running Tosh.O.  He is also a regular on the critically praised Canadian web series, But I'm Chris Jericho (for which he was nominated as Best Supporting Actor by L.A. Webfest 2018).  Andy was the host of Season 4 and 5 of Hulu's standup series, Coming to the Stage as well as a series judge on the seventh season of NBC's Last Comic Standing, the star of two half-hour Comedy Central Presents specials and was a frequent guest and correspondent on The Late Show with David Letterman with over 40 appearances.  He has previously recurred on Everybody Loves Raymond, Showtime's I'm Dying Up Here, Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place, IFC's Maron and Comedy Central's The Daily Show.  Other noteworthy credits include Portlandia, the HBO Young Comedians Special, Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist, Home Movies and The Larry Sanders Show.  In July 2022, Andy became the first comedian to perform as a hologram, delivering his notorious State of the Industry Address from the relative safety of Van Nuys, CA. while appearing 3-dimensionally live at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.

Screenwriting legend Zak Penn talks about how he got so savvy in the business of show.  We talk about how coming to LA and scouting out the city geared him up for his big move after college and his sale of “The Last Action Hero” started him on a 35 year journey of being one of Hollywood's most sought after writers. We talk about the good times with Speilberg, JJ Abrams, Shawn Levy, Ryan Reynolds, & Dwayne Johnson and we talk about the bad times with others. Bio: Zak Penn's career began as a screenwriter when he sold his first script, LAST ACTION HERO, at the age of twenty-three. Since then, Penn has become known for his work on numerous films based on Marvel comics, including X-MEN 2 and X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, ELEKTRA, THE INCREDIBLE HULK and THE AVENGERS. He has also dabbled in other genres, writing scripts for disparate films such as P.C.U., BEHIND ENEMY LINES and SUSPECT ZERO.Penn's shift into independent cinema began when he collaborated with his idol, Werner Herzog, on the script for RESCUE DAWN. Penn directed and co-starred with Herzog in INCIDENT AT LOCH NESS, his award-winning “hoax” documentary about the legendary director's attempts to make a film about the equally legendary monster. THE GRAND, Penn's second completely improvised film, was his third film with Herzog, and featured an eclectic cast including Woody Harrelson, David Cross, Ray Romano, Cheryl Hines, Dennis Farina and Gabe Kaplan.In addition, Penn co-wrote the original story for ANTZ and produced the animated film OSMOSIS JONES. He has also acted in a number of independent films, including STAR MAPS and CHUCK & BUCK. His first foray into television was the critically acclaimed original series ALPHAS starring David Strathairn. Penn directed the documentary ATARI: GAME OVER for Xbox Entertainment Studios.More recently, Penn adapted the New York Times bestselling novel READY PLAYER ONE for Warner Bros. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film was released in 2018. Penn also co-wrote the script for the action comedy FREE GUY, starring Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer. The film is directed by Shawn Levy and was released in August of 2021.

Comic/writer/cartoonist Mo Welch talks about her journey to find her dad and the Hulu special that came out of it called, “Dad Jokes”. She also dives into how she came fun humble beginnings to become a headlining comic who isn't so famous she gets hassled all the time. She talks about improv and drawing cartoons for the new yorker and being a mom and the difference between her upbringing and her wife's. She also talks about scolding her audiences and answers a few questions as basketball legend, Larry birdBio:  Mo Welch is a stand up comedian and cartoonist originally from Normal, Illinois. She appeared on CONAN in January of 2018 and in February of 2019. Her 10 part animated series BLAIR debuted on TBS Digital in January 2018. She was selected to be part of the CBS SHOWCASE in 2014 and 2024. Her comics have been published in The New Yorker, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Vice, and more. Welch is the author of How to Die Alone, published in 2019 by Workman Publishing. Her Audible series Come Out, Come Out, featuring guests like Roxanne Gay and Mae Martin debuted in 2020. Mo co-directed her own special DAD JOKES as well as Beth Stelling's special, If You Didn't Want Me Then on Netflix. Mo is currently on the road opening for Brett Goldstein. Mo lives in Los Angeles.

Writer/Producer Andy Gordon loves writing. He talks about writing for pleasure after all these years. He talks about how the characters can make him laugh or cry in the car. He also talks about breaking into show business on the day he arrived in Hollywood, Jon Landis, Tom Lynch, Chuck Lorre, sending messages to his daughters through his shows, working on Big Bang and Modern Family, and the joys of arrest videos. Bio: Andy Gordon is a writer/producer who worked on KIDS INC, DREAM ON, MAD ABOUT YOU, NEWSRADIO, FOXWORTHY, JUST SHOOT ME (2 pilots + 4 years), DAG, WHAT ABOUT JOAN in Chicago, COMPLETE SAVAGES with the Scullys, BACK TO YOU, TRUE JACKSON, LAST MAN STANDING, FRIEND ME, MYSTERY GIRLS, MODERN FAMILY, BIG BANG THEORY, US OF AL and CALL ME KAT.  Also the movie FIRED UP.

Meredith Salenger talks about fighting for justice, making peace, mediating, falling in love over text, growing up in Malibu, being picked to be a star by John Houston, being a good stepmother, having a dentist dad, Patton Oswalt, Natty Gann, sunsets, and wolves. Bio: Meredith Salenger is an actress, writer, producer from Malibu, CA who began her professional acting career at the age of 10, playing an orphan in 1982's “Annie,” directed by John Huston. She is perhaps best known for her starring role performances in “The Journey of Natty Gann” with John Cusack, “Dream a little Dream,” and “A Night in Life of Jimmy Reardon” opposite River Phoenix. Meredith graduated cum laude from Harvard with a degree in psychology, before resuming her focus on acting to star in “H.U.D” with Steve Carell, and “Chicks” from the writers of “Seinfeld.”  Her varied additional credits from film and television include the likes of “Will & Grace,” “Anger Management,” “24,” “Dawson's Creek,” “Grey's Anatomy,” “Daredevil,” “Damages,” David Kelley's “Lake Placid” and John Carpenter's “Village of the Damned.” You can also hear her voiceover work in a trio of “Star Wars” vehicles – “The Clone Wars,” “Rebels,” and “The Force Awakens,” along with such projects as “The Secret Life of Pets 2,”  “My Little Pony,” “Teen Titans Go! to the Movies,” “Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!,” “Robot Chicken,” “Lego DC Super Hero Girls,” and Marvel's latest, “M.O.D.O.K” on Hulu.  She is currently in development for an animated show with her writing and producing partner, Matt Boren, and also  produces and hosts a hilarious podcast with her husband, Patton Oswalt, called “Did you get my text?”Her most recent film “the prank”starring Rita Moreno is streaming now and she has a soon to be released dark comedy called “I hate myself and want to die.”

Marianne helps Jay try to find his spirituality. She talks about how we need to step into our own power. We talk about finding truths of the universe, faith in the people, and trouble at the bagel store.  Bio: For more than four decades, Marianne Williamson has been a leader of spiritually progressive circles. She is the author of 16 books, four of which have been #1 New York Times best sellers. A quote from the mega-bestseller A Return to Love, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…” is considered an anthem for a contemporary generation of seekers.Her other bestsellers have included A Woman's Worth, The Law of Divine Compensation, Tears to Triumph, THE MYSTIC JESUS: The Mind of Love and The Gift of Change. With her books and online classes she has taught millions of people the universal spiritual principles at the heart of miracle-minded thinking.Williamson founded Project Angel Food, a non-profit organization that has delivered more than 18 million meals to ill and dying homebound patients in the Los Angeles area since 1989. The group was created to help people suffering from the ravages of HIV/AIDS. She has also worked throughout her career on poverty, anti-hunger and racial reconciliation issues. In 2004, she co-founded The Peace Alliance and supported the creation of a U.S. Department of Peace.Instagram: @MarianneWilliamsonWebsite: Marianne.comSubstack: MarianneWilliamson.Substack.com

Writer Dan Ewen talks about his new show which was the last from Norman Lear, Dear Santa, growing up across the street from the good side of town, loving Athens. Bio:Dan Ewen is a writer/producer from Athens, Georgia. On the series front, he has written for Disney, USA Network and Amazon, where he serves as Executive Producer, co-creator and co-showrunner of "Clean Slate", Norman Lear's final comedy, starring Laverne Cox and George Wallace, He also created Paramount's feature, PLAYING WITH FIRE, starring John Cena, and the recent Jack Black vehicle, DEAR SANTA. Ewen has been doing improv for far too long, and owns two lovely cats.

David Silverman explores the history of The Simpsons from before it existed until now. He talks about animating the hard stuff and making it look easy as well as his love of Burning Man & the tuba.Bio: After graduating from UCLA in 1983, David Silverman worked as a freelance illustrator and animator until, in 1987, he landed a job animating on The Tracey Ullman Show — where The Simpsons began. Animating on all 48 shorts led to David directing the first shows of The Simpsons. Starting with the Christmas Special in December 1989, and then the premiere episode the following month, David soon became Supervising Animation Director and a producer on The Simpsons. All told, he has directed 24 episodes and has won 4 Emmys along the way.  When no one was looking, David snuck away from The Simpsons to work at DreamWorks (The Road to El Dorado – co-director), Pixar (Monsters, Inc. – co-director), and Blue Sky (Ice Age, Robots – writing and boarding). But, he came back to the show full-time at the end of 2003 and directed The Simpsons Movie. In 2012, David directed and co-wrote the short film The Longest Daycare about Maggie Simpson, which earned him an Academy Award nomination.And since the Disney acquisition of The Simpsons (via the purchase of Fox), David has directed 10 Simpsons shorts especially for Disney+, as well as several promotional pieces.

Patton Oswalt and I finish our discussion in this first ever two part DBAWJK! You can never get enough Oswalt. He has been one of the most original minds out there for the last 30 years and a touch stone for quality who seems to be committed to art, laughter, ideas, and making the world slighty less shity. Bio: Patton Oswalt is a comic/actor/writer, but in alphabetical order.

Patton Oswalt talks about life, love, parenting, fandom, art and comedy in an episode so great it had to be two!  We talk about putting in the work to be an actor, and how comedy bits form on stage, and how dismissing bands for not being cool is a dangerous game since cool changes on a dime, we talk about the need to bring marketing into everything we do, we talk about blow hards demanding audiences, and the brutal give and take of Hollywood on all levels. We also talk “King of Queens”, “AP Bio”, Black Sabbath, sci-fi, finding your place in the world, coming up in the golden age of stand-up and much much more in this super-sized two part DBAWJK podcast. Bio:Patton Oswalt is a comic/actor/writer, but in alphabetical order.

Screenwriter and actor Jim Rash and I talk about what makes him an empathetic and responsive friend, growing up in Charlotte, NC, being adopted, the Groundlings, winning an Oscar, Allison Janney, his dream of being on Friends coming true, Community, turning off your cell phone, directing his new movie,  playing Snoopy, and singing and dancing in the kitchen to feel good. Bio:  JIM RASH is best known for playing “Dean Pelton” on NBC's Community. Most recently, he starred opposite Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in Fly Me To The Moon. He won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Descendants alongside Nat Faxon & Alexander Payne. Rash and Faxon also co-wrote and co-directed The Way, Way Back. Rash recently finished post-production on Miss You, Love You, an independent movie that he wrote and will mark his solo directing debut. It stars Allison Janney and Andrew Rannells. Rash hopes to take it to film festivals next year.

Annie and Mindy talk about what it takes to have a deep and lasting friendship. They discuss what brought them together, how they are alike and how they are not. They also talk about a divorce workbook, pets, kids, the trauma of ex-husbands, the difference between growing up in Detroit vs Miami, having parents who asked you to perform and parents who didn't, asking your teacher to “hang out”, Groundlings, tums, having no emergency contact, boundaries, and how Jim Rash is the center of the universe.  Bios:  Annie Sertich wanted to be a lawyer - instead ended up playing one opposite Denzel Washington. She wanted to be in the Super Bowl -instead she has sold tires, accepted M&M's, and recently appeared as Tina, the Geico caveman's wife during the commercial breaks. She is an actor, writer, and alumni of the famed Groundings Theatre where she also performs a one woman show called ‘How To Not Kill Yourself for 30 days…and the next 330.'  You'll hear her voice on various animated shows and see her on shows such as: “Grey's Anatomy/Station 19,” “Superstore,” “Silicon Valley,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Roar,” to name a few. Mindy Sterling is a 2017 two time Emmy Nominee for Best Actress in Short Form Comedy or Drama for her work on Con Man and Secs and Execs. She is probably best known for her character portrayal of Frau Farbissina, Dr. Evil's German henchwoman and lover in all three Austin Powers Films. Other films are The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and Drop Dead Gorgeous. She currently recurs as Linda Schwartz on The Goldbergs and has guest starred on Grace and Frankie, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Legit, iCarly. Her voice over career consists of Legend of Korra, The Great North , American Dad, Family Guy, Loud House, Scooby Doo, Chowder to name a few. She is an alumni of The Groundlings and occasionally still directs and performs there.

On this episode we talk about the energy and commitment to be funny in everyday life with famed actor, writer, and improviser, Adam Pally who thinks it's just a way of hiding yourself.  We talk about being less funny and more authentic. We also discuss Mr. Throwback, Happy Endings, adulting, fatherhood, why New York is better than Los Angeles, parents who sing, deciding UCB was something Adam had to do, the artistic tribe he joined, why he thinks old show business is dead, and how his kid can't believe Adam knows Childish Gamino. Bio: Hailing from Livingston, New Jersey, Adam Pally has quickly found his place as an actor and comedian in Hollywood. Pally is most known for Happy Endings, The Mindy Project, Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2, the live-action spinoff series Knuckles, the Peacock mockumentary series Mr. Throwback, which stars NBA All-Star Stephen Curry, Pally will next be seen in the sci-fi dramedy O Horizon, & HBO Max's 101 Places to Party Before You Die. Pally has been a member of the Upright Citizens Brigade since 2003 and continues to write and perform sketch comedy. Pally is a graduate of the New School in New York and currently resides in New York.

Writer/Comic/Director Lew Schneider talks about how he copes with his house burning down in the L.A. firesand. How to manage the feelings of loss and gratitude, how his wife Liz is feeling, the kindness of people, what he'll miss, the french horn, and how he no longer needs his signed Bobby Orr poster. Bio: Lew Schneider is a youthful 62 year old manCalifornia Community FoundationProject HOPE

On this episode Jay's former writing partner, Wallace Wolodarsky and Wally's new writing partner, his wife, Maya Forbes talk about partnership – the joys and the pitfalls including having your partner pretend to be shot in the head on film. We also discuss trying to make movies vs TV, the difficult current writing landscape, being pals with the Coppolas and Wes Anderson, Maya at the Harvard Lampoon, writing books, and long distance swimming.Maya Forbes began her career writing for The Larry Sanders Show. She has since written numerous television episodes and feature films. She made her directorial debut with Infinitely Polar Bear, starring Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana. With her husband Wally Wolodarsky, Maya co-wrote and co-directed The Polka King, starring Jack Black, Jenny Slate and Jason Schwartzman and The Good House, starring Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline.Wally Wolodarsky began his career as a writer on The Tracey Ullman Show. Writing with Jay Kogen, he received an Emmy. Wally was a writer and producer on The Simpsons for the first four seasons, where he won his second Emmy. With his wife Maya Forbes he has written several features and television shows including Monsters vs. Aliens, A Dog's Purpose and The People vs. O.J. Simpson. Wally produced Infinitely Polar Bear starring Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana. Together, Maya and Wally wrote and directed The Polka King starring Jack Black and The Good House starring Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline

Nicole and Jerry talk about Friendship, iCarly, MadTV, “Wendell & Vinnie”, electric shock collars, escape rooms, snowboarding, keeping in touch, drinking, LA tour buses, kids, and playing a grandmother at 40.Nicole Sullivan - As a native New Yorker, Nicole has been acting since she was seven years old. Nicole studied the drama classics at Northwestern University. Sullivan was an original cast member of FOX's smash hit “MADtv” and was their youngest member. She left “MADtv” to join the hit series “King of Queens.” Nicole was a series regular on “Hot Properties,” “Raines,” “Rita Rocks,” “Sh** My Dad Says,” and “Disjointed.” She has appeared in “17 Again,” “Guess Who,” “Scrubs,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Boston Legal,” “Monk,” “My Boys,” “Grey's Anatomy,” “Will & Grace,” “The Mindy Project,” “All Rise,” “Good Girls,” “Mom,” “Bob Hearts Abishola,” and “Blackish” for 6 seasons. As a comedic voice actor, Sullivan has lent her voice to numerous animated hits including “Family-Jerry Trainor - Jerry Trainor's first television role was in the MTV series Undressed as Eric. Some of his other television credits include Law & Order True Crime, Angel,  Malcolm in the Middle & Crossing Jordan. He has had several small roles in films such as the science fiction drama Donnie Darko and Bring It On Again. Trainor had a recurring role on Drake & Josh as "Crazy Steve”, He starred in iCarly as Spencer Shay, the older brother and guardian of Miranda Cosgrove's title character from 2007 to 2012. He completed the 2008 music-themed comedy Wreckless Epic, in which he stars. Trainor starred in the animated series T.U.F.F. Puppy as the voice of Dudley Puppy, for which he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program.In 2013, Trainor starred in the short-lived series Wendell & Vinnie as Vinnie, the uncle and guardian of Buddy Handleson's character Wendell. He played Commander Michael Sullivan for both seasons of the Halo in-universe podcast Hunt the Truth. In 2017, Trainor voiced the recurring role of Commander Cone on Bunsen Is a Beast. Since 2018, Trainor and Mike O'Gorman have starred in a comedy Web series called The Porch, which can be found on YouTube. In 2018, Trainor starred in the film Cover Versions written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Todd Berger. The film premiered at the 2018 Palm Springs Film Festival and was acquired for distribution by Sony Pictures. Parts of the film were shot on location during the KAABOO Del Mar music festival (in coastal northern San Diego County). Trainor's performance was heralded as being edgy and thought-provoking.In March 2021, it was announced that iCarly was being revived. The series premiered on Paramount+ in June of that year, with Trainor reprising his role as Spencer Shay.

Blurb: Matt Selman talks about keeping The Simpsons afloat and still funny after all these years, being the rare writer who stayed in one place, Terry Jones being the smart Python, innovating the show each week, what's too silly, looking back with pride, how we are more judgy when we are younger, Ghost, Matt's says he's not a sociopath, and we discuss if Jay regrets leaving The Simpsons after 5 seasons? We also talk about Matt's chance to leave that he left behind and working out on chest day.Bio: Emmy Award-winning writer/producer, Matt Selman, has worked on THE SIMPSONS for 27 seasons and counting. Selman has written or co-written 30 SIMPSONS episodes and was one of the writers on THE SIMPSONS MOVIE.  He has won six Emmys, a Writer's Guild of America Award and a Peabody Award. He currently serves as Show Runner and Executive Producer. Selman grew up in Watertown, Massachusetts, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was the Editor-in-chief of 34th Street Magazine. Before starting at THE SIMPSONS, he wrote on SEINFELD, and has written comedy for many animated movies. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two daughters.12/30/24