The Need to Fail with Don Fanelli

In our series finale, we check back in with Chris Gethard (Beautiful/Anonymous, Space Force) who recently came close to committing himself for the first time in almost a decade. We talk about being on the downslope of success, where he fucked up along the way, the surprising success of his podcast, and what he thinks supersedes the failure/success conversation. FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST: https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final episodes of The Need to Fail, I will be checking back in with my original guests from seven years ago. Next up: Lauren Lapkus (The Wrong Missy, Big Bang Theory) who talks about not booking 90% of the roles she goes out for, how her true humor came through in The Wrong Missy and how she thought she would suck in the audition, getting written off of Orange is the New Black, her current vision board usage, and the myth that things fall into place after getting to a certain point in your career.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final episodes of The Need to Fail, I will be checking back in with my original guests from seven years ago. Next up: Abbi Jacobson (Broad City, Disenchantment) who talks about ending Broad City and the pressures of adapting an iconic movie to the small screen. We also chat about how success hasn't stopped the doubts from creeping in, the missteps with Broad City and how audience feedback helped grow the show, the difficulties writing her book, and what happens with goals when you reach them.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final six episodes of The Need to Fail, I will be checking back in with my original guests from seven years ago. Next up: Josh Patten (SNL) who talks about how things have changed over his eight seasons at SNL. We talk about craft related setbacks & trying to get better at his job, how it took time and experience to look past his analytical approach, not getting any jokes on an episode where his mother came to watch, and balancing the buckets of life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final six episodes of The Need to Fail, I will be checking back in with my original guests from seven years ago. Next up: Josh Ruben (Scare Me, Werewolves Within) who talks about his frustrating journey auditioning for SNL, the star-studded pilot he was cast in that didn't get picked up, his reflections on Sundance, and how his necessity with adapting and being in survival mode in the past is helping him cope with the pandemic today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final six episodes of The Need to Fail, I will be checking back in with my original guests from seven years ago. First up: Benjamin Apple (The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, The Onion) who talks about how a year after our original conversation, he was let go from Jimmy Fallon. We talk about how the sketch that got him hired on the show did not fare well on national TV, the shame associated with publicly failing, being thankful for the obstacles that made him grow and how he is finally ready to tell his story about growing up in a super religious family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edgar Momplaisir (Culture Kings, What Just Happened) gets candid, opening up about his personal demons, regrets, and rock bottom moments. We talk about not fully processing his best friends death, his frustrating audition process for the Daily Show, and not getting onto Maude Night at UCB while writing for a sketch show series. We also chat about funny funerals, religion, suicide and how humans will do pretty much anything to avoid pain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Salinas (badcomixbyanna, Sugar & Toys) went from a kindergarten art teacher to an assistant in the Reality TV department of a big agency working with someone who no one wanted to work with. We talk about the origins of her comic, badcomixbyanna, and how she communicated her anxiety and depression for many years but never really confronted it until recently. We also chat about how The Artist Way was a game changer pushing her creativity, helping her to find her voice, and getting her past getting cut from Harold Night at UCB. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joey Greer (Good Night, Alchemy This) got screwed up taking on the business side of Hollywood. We chat about how he applied his degree in theology to his creative pursuits, being sick and tired of feeling like he needed the industry's help to create something, and how he spent 16 hour nights trying to craft his comedy album.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James T. Robilotta (Leading Imperfectly, TEDx) is now a life coach and public speaker, but it took a lot of ups and downs to get there. We talk about how writing his book was the most polarizing thing he has done in his life, why the brain always feels stupid for letting the heart steer, chewing on his own words about authenticity and vulnerability as his marriage was crumbling, starting the first hip hop improv team in NY - North Coast, and how his whole life he was taught to be kind to other people, but it took 32 years to be kind to himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ellen Haun (How to Get Away with Murder, Cinderella & The Glass Ceiling) was never cast in a show in all four years at USC. An accidentally dropped headshot ruined her final chance. We also chat about how she moved to NY after two agencies were interested and wound up not getting signed by either, how her riffed monologue wound up in the How to Get Away with Murder pilot, and the importance of garbage drafts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Cruz Kayne (Late Night with Seth Meyers, High Maintenance) booked an off-broadway Stomp-like show called Hoopz, produced by Disney, and it was quickly cancelled after Michael Eisner saw it. We chat about testing for SNL, searching for validation in the UCB system, and dealing with the loss of his son. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Pixar IRL) tried for years to get Improv Everywhere on TV with lots of ups and downs along the way. We talk about how he wound up in handcuffs after an Improv Everywhere prank gone awry, seeing a network steal and produce one of his show ideas a year after he pitched it, being told by an agent how his show was a used car that he could not sell, and how this pandemic has been a gut check moment for a company that thrives on live human interaction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robyn Schneider (The Beginning of Everything, You Don't Live Here) sold her first book at 18. It was the best and worst day of her life. Straddling a life between writing and medical school, Robyn overcomes trauma, book flops, book cancellations, theft, and a slew of other setbacks on the road to becoming a best selling author. Robyn talks about how she got through it all, shares some writing tips and tricks, and reveals the latest leap of faith she took during the pandemic.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 2 of our conversation, Jordan Klepper (The Daily Show, Klepper) talks about filling in as host of The Daily Show when Trevor Noah was sick, the joys of getting your own TV show and the gut-punch of it being taken away, and the life changing experience of being arrested. Jordan also takes us behind the scenes of life as a Daily Show correspondent, what he learned about mindset from The School of Life, and talks about the time his boat capsized in the gator-filled bayou while covering a story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 1 of our conversation, Jordan Klepper (The Daily Show, The Opposition) talks about his decade of ups and downs in Chicago, what led him to NY, and auditioning for The Daily Show. We chat about how frustrations led to Jordan creating his own popular sketch show in Chicago, how after a failed audition, he wound up eating at the Universal CityWalk Food Court overlooking the red carpet of a Fast & Furious premier, and why getting the Daily Show was the best and worst day of his life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Julie Buxbaum's (Tell Me Three Things, Admission) worked on her third novel for over two years, after giving birth to her first child, and made the painful decision to shelve it because it was capable but not exciting. We talk about her transition from attending Harvard Law School to becoming an author, her continuing self doubts, her routines that make writing less precious, and the importance of recognizing the difference between procrastination and frustration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Pancake (A Million Little Things, Arrested Development) got the dream call that he was getting his own TV show - but the deal was so bad he had to walk away, which actually opened up unforeseen acting opportunities. We talk about battling his addictions, his rock bottom moments, and his road to rehab and recovery, as well as what he learned about auditioning while working in commercial casting. FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST: https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy Spalding (We Used to Be Friends, The Summer of Jordi Perez) secured a literary agent, but it took another three years to get her first book published. We talk about the benefits of having a day job she excels at, burning her childhood novels in a family bonfire, the dangers of only participating in things you are good at, and why boredom is important for creativity and how the modern world is robbing us of it. FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST: https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark McConville (SuperEgo, Talking Tom & Friends) went to college to study music and was denied after his audition freshmen year. We talk about the formation of SuperEgo, the value of intention, landing a job at Disney after working 16 hour days at Starbucks and a retail store, and the importance of creating your own work. FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST: https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paige Weldon (Heathers, The Late Late Show with James Corden) had a humor website she co-created hacked and destroyed. Five years of writing and artwork from herself and her friends went down the drain overnight. We chat about how messing up in her Heathers audition probably helped book her the role, the difficulty of working meditation into her routine, being sick and having two days notice for her Late Night stand-up debut, and how agreeing to perform at a Laffy Taffy joke contest helped her get booked for James Corden. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BLUE CHEW! Try BlueChew for FREE just go to bluechew.com and enter promo code: FAIL FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST: https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hal Lublin (The Thrilling Adventure Hour, The Venture Bros.) flew himself out to NY to audition for Boom Amsterdam, positive he was going to get hired. He did not. We talk about how he wanted to quit the industry after his mother passed away and what brought him back, how he heard the possible worse thing you can hear from a casting director when he auditioned for Disney, and he shares some very helpful advice for people looking to break into the world of Voice Over. FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aaron Abrams (Lovebirds, Blindspot) had a panic attack in an audition after he thought the casting director had mistaken him for someone else. We chat about the role he didn't think he was going to book because he accidentally ate tacks in front of the casting directors, booking his first series regular role after being told he no shot at getting the part, and the two big things he learned from becoming a reader for auditions. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Atsuko Okatsuka (Room 104, Let's Go, Atsuko!) was new to stand up and flown down to audition for America's Got Talent. She was X-ed by Howard Stern during her set and booed by the audience. We chat about how being an immigrant influenced her early comedic style, why she works her standup routine out on a tree first, and how getting organized over the last couple of years has inspired her now more than ever. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BLUE CHEW! Try BlueChew for FREE just go to bluechew.com and enter promo code: FAIL THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY HONEYBOOK! Get 50% your FIRST YEAR when you got to TryHoneybook.com/Fail FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI:: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todd Masterson (Gay Fat Friend, Fashion Police) got his dream job working for Joan Rivers and then it was all taken away. We talk about the origins of his GayFatFriend instagram account, almost getting to work at Family Guy, and how watching restoration and makeup tutorial videos helps him get over setbacks. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our first crossover episode, Don joins the boys of You're the Man Dog Podcast, Dan Lippert and Ryan Rosenberg to chat about personal setbacks and reflexions on their sketch/improv team Big Grande. We talk about how Ryan dealt with his three friends/teammates getting onto the same Harold team without him, how Dan was cut from his college acting program, and how Big Grande wrote a pilot that they sold but weren't proud of. The second half of our conversation can be found on You're the Man Now Dog's Patreon page. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Bill Posley's (The Day I Became Black, Survivor) family filed for bankruptcy and his house was foreclosed on, he didn't have money for college. So he joined the Army after high school and graduated from basic training... on 9/11. He talks about how the army prepared him for failure, how he was escorted out of Sunset Gower Studios because he thought Matchbox 20's Rob Thomas had stollen a TV show idea of his, and getting lured into a sham production company which ended with him driving on the Scientology Celebrity Center lawn after Tom Cruise and John Travolta refused to see his boss. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY HONEYBOOK! Go to TryHoneyBook.com/FAIL for 50% off your first year! THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Shar (Scraps, The Onion) published an article called "You Miss 87% You Do Take if You Are Me in 2019" in which he documents over a thousand attempts at making money and furthering his career last year and breaks down all of the results. We talk about weighing his findings and his big takeaways, how he wrote three movies in 90 days, an embarrassing moment while directing his first film, and his failed attempts at being a background actor ina porno. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Morgan Evans (Netflix, Disney+) had the worst year of his life when he moved to LA, after the movie he wrote was optioned. We chat about the struggles of drought years and money management, the frustration with not being able to transfer from the digital world to linear television, and how he learned a ton about directing from watching Adam McKay and Judd Apatow DVD bonus features. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Achilles Stamatelaky (Broad City, UCB) is in his head. He's been getting to the final round interviews for a ton of writing jobs and not landing any. We chat about why he thinks this is, his UCB journey, writing hacks, the struggles with having to be your own assistant, and how after overhearing a conversation between two veteran improvisors was the moment he knew he should focus on writing. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY HONEYBOOK! Go to TryHoneyBook.com/FAIL for 50% off your first year! THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celeste Ballard (Wrecked, Sweet/Vicious) had a couple of dark creative periods in the last year which made her pass at an initial invitation to be on the show. Now she opens up about failed pitches and pilots, a personal setback that she used to jolt her career forward, the value in being Lorne Michaels' assistant, the importance of stating what you want, and shares a step by step process on how she pitches a show. This episode is brought to you by Better Help! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

YA author, Lance Rubin (Crying Laughing, Denton Little's Deathdate) was dropped by his acting agent and manager on the same day... which led him towards a career he did not plan for. We talk about the internal and external struggles that made the business side of acting difficult, how being on the other side of casting helped him realize why he sucked at auditioning, and the tools he uses to stay focused to write while raising two kids.  This episode is brought to you by Better Help! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brett Davis (The Podcast for Laundry, The National Lampoon Radio Hour) takes us through many performance failures over his career, one which lead to a full on fist fight between his writing partner and some drunk audience members. We chat about the only episode of The Special he decided not to air, why he decided to end his public access show, feeling like a home-schooled comic and not going the traditional route, and the amount of pressure he puts on himself before every show. This episode is brought to you by Honeybook! Go to TryHoneybook.com/fail for 50% off your first year! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Larry Owens (A Strange Loop, High Maintenance) got rejected from his top three acting school choices and as a playwright from Yale. We talk about the daily setbacks during his Steppenwolf training, how you must fail during a monologue in order to perform it correctly, and why he turned down the chance to star in television show to perform as the lead in an Off-Broadway musical. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 2 of our conversation with Jocelyn DeBoer & Dawn Luebbe (Greener Grass, Adam Ruins Everything) we cover all things film festivals. We chat about getting rejected from Sundance four times before getting in, the ceremonious turned unceremonious conference call when they learned their pilot was a no go, and how they tackled filming 17 locations in 19 days for their Greener Grass feature.  THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY HELIX! Get up to 125 dollars off at HelixSleep.com/FAIL CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jocelyn DeBoer & Dawn Luebbe (Greener Grass, Buzz) were going through a dry spell in Los Angeles, so they walked on a treadmill next to each other at the gym, simultaneously watching Twin Peaks. In Part 1 of our conversation we talk about how Jocelyn helped create her own team and indie show after not getting onto a UCB Harold Team which eventually worked out to her advantage and how Dawn had one foot out the comedy door and was going to move to San Francisco before getting an opportune phone call from two of her future teammates. We chat about what it was like to start over in Los Angeles after crushing it in New York, what motivated them to create their Greener Grass short and why they eventually decided to start directing their own projects. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Welsh (Brooklyn99, Crazy-Ex Girlfriend) was flown out back out to NY after he moved to LA and crushed his Daily Show audition - and didn't get it. We chat about why it took him multiple attempts to get onto a UCB Harold Team, how he dealt with a failed pilot he co-wrote, and how a short film he made, whose script got him his agent, got into zero festivals. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our final One Year Project, guest Dan Black (Comedians of Wrestling Podcast, Adam Ruins Everything) feels like he goes backwards in his career some years. Like when he had to go back to work as a temp CPA and participate in a company wide intro to improv workshop after having improvised for years. The first part, recorded in 2018, Dan talks about how the barriers of working a corporate CPA job for many years turned him off to the business side of showbiz, how he manages his expectations, and how it felt watching Jimmy Fallon leave during the opening of his one man show. Part 2 (1:31:47) covers the unexpected opportunity that popped up, that put his 2019 goals on hold. j THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY HELIX! Get up to 125 dollars off at HelixSleep.com/FAIL CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Langan Kingsley was one job away from having to temp again. In Part 1, recorded in 2018, Langan had written on two shows and filmed an Adam Sandler movie, but was looking into the abyss of 2019 with nothing on the horizon. We chat about how her failures are related to fear, the cosmic promise she made if she ran into Amy Poehler, and how things usually happen for her when she loses all hope. Part 2 (47:43) covers her journey through 2019, where the job she thought she interviewed well for she didn't get and the job she didn't interview well for, she got. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our second installment of the One Year Project follows James III's (Astronomy Club, All That) into the unknown of 2019. Part 1 was recorded in December of 2018, where James was coming off of a good year but had nothing on the horizon. We talk about his imposter syndrome, the fear of getting into comedy, the genesis of the Black Men Can't Jump in Hollywood podcast, and the difficulty of balancing individual goals with group goals. Part 2 (58:30) picks up in 2019 where things were slow for a bit but rapidly picked up all at once. We talk about pitching, selling, writing, and acting in Astronomy Club's new Netflix series, being rejected from a writing job he was perfect for, and why he thinks he should go to therapy. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brandon Gardner is in the trenches as he a journeys through fatherhood, conflicting script notes, and the search for representation. In the first of our One Year Projects (inspired by Gardner himself), Part 1 was recorded in the fall of 2018 and covers Brandon's quick ascension through the ranks of UCB NY, the anticipation of becoming a father, and the struggles with trying to get representation over the years. Part 2 (1:29:40) recorded one year later, follows up on his movie script, state of representation, and what it is like trying to juggle the daily responsibilities of fatherhood with an uncertain career. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lauren Ashley Smith (Black Lady Sketch Show, The Rundown) failed to get into a top MFA acting program two years in a row. But she never would have started writing if she did. We talk about how her day job as a producer helped prepare her to be a head writer, why it is a pleasure and privilege to fail, and the last minute packet change she made that got her hired at The Rundown (without having an agent or manager). CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jack Dolgen (Emmy winning writer/songwriter for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) was striving for something that was externally motivated instead of internally driven. So when there wasn't immediate interest from record executives in his first solo album, he quit music altogether. He chats about how his need to be great crippled him into multiple failures, the serendipitous moment that got him back into music, and the creative environment, philosophies, and songwriting process for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Nate Fernald (The Late Late Show, The Pete Holmes Show) developed a name for himself in Chicago but ate shit for years after moving to New York. We talk about his praised SNL packet that led to nothing, deflating meetings with managers, his creative nighttime routine, and what it was like to spend years designing book covers for romance novels. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Geoff Garlock (Orchid, Panthers, UCB) talks about the ups and downs of his multiple bands, from touring nightmares to record label drops. We talk about his journey into comedy, how therapy and Capes Coaching challenged his punk way of doing things, and how his songwriting and sketch writing methods have changed over the years. This episode is brought to you by Helix Sleep. Go to helixsleep.com/fail for up to $125 off your next mattress with promo code: FAIL CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcy Jarreau (Brooklyn 99, A Funny Feeling Podcast) spent over a decade improvising but just couldn't gain any traction professionally and was ready to quit. We talk about how she dealt with being cut from house teams, flying in from her grandfather's funeral for a callback, and how she finally managed her personal demons. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charles Rogers (Search Party, Fort Tilden) had a short film that was for sure going to get into a ton of festivals... until it didn't. We chat about how Season 2 of Search Party was the hardest creative experience of his life, the source of the characters he writes, and of course we talk about a Lisa Kudrow manifestation fail. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Mantzoukas (Big Mouth, John Wick 3) talks about all the gut-wrenching ups and downs of an NBC show he created that was never released and the silver lining postscript. We chat about what it was like to get positive performance feedback from peers and audiences but not from the industry, the point in his career where he decided to stop acting and auditioning, the importance of being allowed to perform in a bad show for a year, and how grateful he was to the casting director who told him he would not work for a long time. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Aukerman (Comedy Bang Bang, Between Two Ferns) felt like the golden boy of comedy in his early years but quickly got a showbiz education. We chat about how it took him over three years to get hired on Mr. Show, how producing his live show Comedy Death Ray helped sustain years of countless TV shows and movies he had written never being picked up, and how he was so broke at one point that his car was repossessed twice, he was on the brink of foreclosure and he was being denied an overall script deal because he was so behind on union dues. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noah Segan (Looper, Knives Out) regrets being a little too picky early on in his acting career. He chat about the pilot he didn't book, the first time he made up reasons why he shouldn't get a job, how finding the desperation in his characters can make them the most dangerous, and how he looks at every major setback as an opportunity to come back. CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/theneedtofailhttps://twitter.com/donfanelli AND PLEASE SUPPORT TN2F ON PATREON FOR BONUS EPS & MORE: https://www.patreon.com/theneedtofail SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW TN2F on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST http://foreverdogproductions.com/fdpn/podcasts/the-need-to-fail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices