Want to finally find out what's going on inside those cool-sounding books people claim to have read? Well, good news! Comedy writer Tyler Eaton is interrogating those people and getting you all the details you need to pretend to have read them at your next party. Finally, a podcast with an agenda.
This week I talk to comedy writer Helen Burak (The Salmon Pages, Lights Out podcast) about "Mistakes Were Made (but Not By Me)" by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson. We dive into the book's main topic -- how most people are utterly determined to avoid admitting their mistakes. We also talk about the importance of failure, the debunked science of repressed memories being recalled through hypnosis, and taking improv classes at UCB. Many things! You should follow Helen on Twitter @helenburak and check out her articles on The Salmon Pages (on Medium and Facebook) if you like laughing at Hollywood. As always, all of my stuff is on TylerEaton.net
This week Taylor Williams takes us back to the horrors of high school bullying and sexual awakenings with Frank Portman's "King Dork". We talk a bit about our own days in high school, wrestle with whether or not the book has a reliable narrator, and how it deals with the oftentimes horrible ways that real teenagers speak and how these young men and women are portrayed in the story. You can find Taylor on Twitter @FilmMajorRegret or IG @TDubbInDaClub and all of my stuff at TylerEaton.net
John Warder (Rhett and Link, You Thought This Was A Game?) takes us through the early career of Steve Martin in his autobiographical memoir "Born Standing Up". We talk about our own early days at the University of Texas, his work as a short form producer at Rhett and Link, and Martin's transition from the biggest stand up comic in the world to movie star. You can follow John on Twitter or IG @biscuitpancakes and find my stuff at TylerEaton.net
Writer/Comedian Michael Ornelas (Michael's Spin On Things) came across a rare children's book series called "Mr. T and Me" in which Mr. T pops into the lives of children and gives them brilliant life advice. Michael knew he had to make the purchase of a lifetime. We read through both "Phony Baloney and the Counterfeit Kid" and "The Best Bike Ever". But to find out about these "foolproof" life lessons, you'll have to take a listen. You can follow Michael on Twitter @TouchButtPro or check out his Youtube series "Michael's Spin On Things". You can find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net
Writer Olga Lexell delves into Michelle McNamara's "I'll Be Gone In The Dark", one woman's search for the Golden State Killer. It's an incredible book that led to an actual arrest. Follow Olga on Twitter @runolgarun and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Cooking, comedy, finding your thing -- this was a great talk with Mike Glazer (Glazed, Weed + Grub) about Bill Buford's book "Heat" which is about an acclaimed editor at the New Yorker abandoning his career to pursue cooking in a high-end restaurant. We discuss Mike's love of cooking, how it connects to his stand up and writing, about what a monster Mario Batali is, and our not-so-great experiences waiting tables in the past. You can follow Mike on either Twitter or IG @glazerboohoohoo and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Matthew Scott Kane (Stitchers) has read three books about Charles Manson and his "Family" and is here to tell us all about their crimes and the dark series of events that led up to them. ***Please note that some of the material we cover is quite graphic*** The books we discuss are "Helter Skelter" by Vincent Bugliosi, "Manson In His Own Words" by Charles Manson, and "Member of the Family" by Dianne Lake. You can follow Matthew on Instagram @kanematthewscott and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Comedy writer Nick Watson (Final Space) joins me to get real nerdy about the Star Wars Expanded Universe (now relabeled as Legends), specifically the Thrawn Trilogy. We go over just how enormous the Expanded Universe of books, TV shows, and video games really is. Like, did you know that there's a whole book about the band from the cantina on Tatooine? Or what genre of music they play? The answer will astound you. Also, do Sith get unemployment benefits? We cover that too. Give Nick a follow @_njwatson on Twitter, listen to his podcast "Paper Team", or read some of our Hollywood satire at The Salmon Pages on Medium. You can also find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
The sequel to my conversation about The Dark Tower Series with Scott Root! We cover books 5 - 7 as well as the recent film adaptation starring Idris Elba and how we might approach adapting the series to television (as will inevitably happen). Give Scott a follow on IG or Twitter @notablyscott and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Writer-friend-collaborator Scott Root takes us to Mid-World in our conversation about the entire Dark Tower series by Stephen King. We've got stoic gunslingers, we've got doors to alternate dimensions, we've got giant lobsters that'll tear your fingers off! The series is so enormous that it had to be broken into two episodes, so here's part one which covers the first four books: "The Gunslinger", "The Drawing of the Three", "The Wastelands", and "Wizard and Glass". Follow Scott on Twitter and Instagram @NotablyScott and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Comedy writer-performer Carl Tart (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Comedy Bang Bang) has been enthusiastically following the career of basketball superstar LeBron James for a long, long time and he's on the podcast this week to tell us all about him. More specifically, he dives into Brian Windhorst's book "Return of the King" about James' move from the Miami Heat to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Also discussed: Kobe Bryant's ugly shoes, the relationship between athletes and their fans, and Carl's dream cast for Space Jam 2. Follow Carl on Instagram @dammitcarl and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Boom-Pow-Blammo! Christian Wolf (writer, host of Dope Fades) chats with me all about Chuck Palahniuk's 1996 novel, Fight Club which would kinda sorta help shape (or mishape) a whole generation of young men's idea of what masculinity should look like. We talk about our first "fights" as kids, the toxic environment of college fraternities, and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DIDS). Give Christian a follow on Twitter @christianwolf26 or IG @cwolf26 and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Actor Alex Rogers takes us to the deteriorating world of Ubik, written by one of the greatest science fiction authors ever, Philip K. Dick. Psychic powers, a tragic journey to the moon, PKD's belief that a higher power was communicating to him through a pink beam -- this is a weird one. You can find Alex on Twitter or Instagram @castawayclown and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Writer-Actor Julian Vargas talks all about the toxic masculinity at the heart of Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. We also reflect on Julian's upbringing at a Catholic high school and the pressure to "become a man", how ridiculous the opening scene in Back to the Future is, and how silly certain types of porn can be. It really runs the gamut. Very serious, life-changing conversation. Follow Julian @iamjulianvargas on Twitter and/or @problematic_julian on Instagram and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Expecto patronum, y'all. This is a really fun chat about all things Harry Potter with fellow writer-former coworker-current pal Cruz Quinonez. We delve into things like being raised in a conservative household, spending a lot of time in the hospital as a kid, and the merits of the classic hero's journey story model. Many things. Give Cruz a follow on Twitter or Instagram @schoolboycruz. He's a hoot. And find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Kelsey Amentt tells us all about the bizarre and paradoxical rules of living on a WWII military base detailed in one of her favorite books, Joseph Heller's Catch-22. It's a fun conversation about one of the best satires ever written. Follow Kelsey on Twitter and Instagram: @acrazylilflower and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Writer-Actor Rebecca Usoro takes us to the truly bizarre world of L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz series (1900). We talk about how the series inspired her more recent writing, its influence on the next century of storytelling, and about why seemingly every childhood story involves an orphan with a tragic past. Follow Rebecca on Twitter @rebecusoro and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
Friend and collaborator Kim Bentley tells us all about Pride & Prejudice (1813) by Jane Austen and boy oh boy were things not great back in those times. The conversation ranges from topics like the struggle for women to get their books published in the 1800s to the virtues of starting your day with a bowl of ice cream. All sorts of stuff. Enjoy the first episode! Follow Kim on Twitter @KimTheBentley or watch our web series "Bottles" on Youtube and find all of my stuff on TylerEaton.net!
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
