Two Writers Slinging Yang

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Jeff Pearlman's weekly in-depth, no-holds-barred conversation with a writer on writing. Available here and on iTunes

Jeff Pearlman


    • Jun 3, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 49m AVG DURATION
    • 421 EPISODES

    4.8 from 297 ratings Listeners of Two Writers Slinging Yang that love the show mention: pearlman, usfl, climer, slinging, sportswriters, great writers, craft of writing, writing process, love jeff, thanks jeff, kindred, yang, walker, journalists, talents, mommy, worthwhile, journalism, best one, favorite episode.


    Ivy Insights

    The Two Writers Slinging Yang podcast is a fantastic listen for anyone interested in writing, journalism, and sports. Jeff Pearlman, the host and interviewer, does an excellent job of engaging with his guests and delving into their writing processes and careers. The podcast stands out from others in its genre because it is not dominated by advertising like many others. This allows listeners to fully immerse themselves in the conversations without constant interruptions. Overall, it is a refreshing podcast that offers valuable insights into the world of writing.

    One of the best aspects of The Two Writers Slinging Yang podcast is the diverse array of guests that Jeff Pearlman brings on each episode. From journalists to authors to sports personalities, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Pearlman's skill as a conversationalist shines through as he guides his guests through thought-provoking discussions about their craft. Listeners are treated to intimate glimpses into the writing process and gain valuable insights into various aspects of the field.

    The lack of advertising dominance in this podcast is another standout aspect. Many podcasts today are overrun with advertisements that disrupt the flow of conversations and can be quite annoying for listeners. However, The Two Writers Slinging Yang avoids this pitfall by keeping advertisements to a minimum or excluding them altogether. This allows for uninterrupted listening and makes for a much more enjoyable experience overall.

    While there aren't many negative aspects to this podcast, one possible drawback could be that it might not appeal to those who are not interested in writing or journalism. The topics discussed are heavily centered around these subjects, so listeners looking for more general sports or entertainment content may find themselves less engaged. However, for those with an interest in the writing process or a desire to learn from accomplished writers, this podcast is an absolute treasure trove.

    In conclusion, The Two Writers Slinging Yang podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in writing or journalism. Jeff Pearlman's skills as an interviewer and his genuine enthusiasm for the craft shine through in each episode. The lack of advertising dominance is a breath of fresh air, allowing listeners to fully immerse themselves in the conversations. Whether you're a seasoned writer or simply curious about the world of writing, this podcast offers valuable insights and engaging discussions that will leave you wanting more.



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    Latest episodes from Two Writers Slinging Yang

    Jonathan Eig: Author of the Pulitzer-winning, "King: A Life"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025 39:18


    On how one wins a Pulitzer Prize. On the moment he learned of the victory. On the impact the Pulitzer has on a career.

    Bob Ley: Legendary ESPN SportsCenter, Outside the Lines host

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 66:29


    On what he misses (and doesn't miss) from life in sports television. On Chris Berman and Stuart Scott and Rich Eisen. On how media has changed and what he thinks of 2025 journalism. On the highs of the World Cup and lows of a terrifying flight.

    Langston Collin Wilkins: University of Wisconsin folklore professor and author, "Welcome 2 Houston: Hip Hop Heritage in Hustle Town"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 44:36


    On the rise of Houston as a hip-hop powerhouse. On the impact of a rapper writing about his home turf. On whether students in 2025 feel the music they listen to. On teaching ... folklore.

    Dean Van Nguyen: Author: "Words for my Comrades: A Political History of Tupac Shakur."

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 60:33


    On being based in Dublin and digging into American hip-hop. On how Tupac's world view was impacted by the Black Panthers. On the value of "Juice" and "Poetic Justice." On the greatness of Tupac's music.

    B.J. Schecter: Former Sports Illustrated editor and executive director of Seton Hall's Center for Sports Media

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 63:31


    On the glory days of Sports Illustrated. On the rise and legacy of Grant Wahl. On when he began to see the magazine business change for the worse. On running a college media program and giving students hope.

    Justin Kanew: Founder of The Tennessee Holler

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 52:00


    On fighting back even after the heartbreak of 2024. On why local politicians fear him. On the highs and lows of being confrontational. On running a long-shot campaign for congress.

    Sarah Todd: Utah Jazz beat writer for the (Salt Lake City) Deseret News

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025 61:11


    On enduring a full season of unfathomably bad basketball played by an organization aspiring to lose. On the nightmarish hell of covering Ben Simmons, the sadness of watching a young Markelle Fultz and the joy of speaking with Lauri Markkanen. On never cowering from confrontation.

    Gabbie Watts: Stand-up comedian

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 55:32


    On how to know what works on stage vs. what might bomb. On writing a full stand-up routine and having it flow. On the process of creating material and feeling confident in the content. On bombing.

    Marcus Lattimore: Poet (and former football superstar)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 58:54


    On discovering his voice via the beauty of poetry. On how the end of a football career brought him to a splendid turning point. On how the words enter his mind, then land on paper. On looking back at the sports machine.

    John Gonzalez: NBA host and analyst, CBS Sports and former Philly Inquirer, SI and Ringer writer

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 49:42


    On hanging out far, far away with Rick Pitino; on coming up as a print guy and watching the paper and ink fade away; on life at a union-antagonistic The Ringer and a not-what-was-promised Sports Illustrated; on being part of a two-sports-journalist marriage.

    Mollie Edsell: New York City-based singer/songwriter

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 52:42


    On trying to make it in the music biz in 2025. On driving 2 1/2 hours to play a gig in front of 10 people. On how a song goes from idea to reality. On the difference between good songwriting and epic songwriting.

    Dick "Hoops" Weiss: Former Philly Daily News and New York Daily News college basketball writer

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 62:04


    On the glorious days and nights of old-school Philadelphia basketball. On whether money has killed the joy of covering the game. On Villanova and Georgetown and Temple and St. John's and ... Delaware.

    Cassidy Randall: Award-winning adventure writer and author of, "Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women's Ascent of Denali"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 56:09


    On the audacious attempt by a group of female adventurers to climb Denali. On why the topic moved an author. On why ones covers those who climb, dive, scale, crawl, attack the elements.

    A.J. Jacobs: Experiential author of "The Year of Living Biblically" and "Drop Dead Healthy"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 60:11


    On throwing yourself into a subject and refusing to let go. On whether living biblically resulted in biblical living. On the high of a TV show made from your book and the low of it sucking. On surviving the magazine apocalypse.

    Chris Kluwe: Former Minnesota Vikings punter, writer and activist

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 48:14


    On last week's arrest at a Huntington Beach City Council meeting. On standing up for democracy and being unafraid of the word "Nazi." On taking a stand for LGBTQ rights while playing in the NFL. On how we survive this hellscape.

    Kevin Damask: Writer-Editor, Department of Veterans Affairs

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 54:33


    On receiving the dreaded Elon Musk notice that his job might no longer be his job. On the importance of helping veterans tell their stories. On interviewing men and women who went through hell—and giving them to space to speak freely. On the highs and lows of the written word.

    Aaron Portzline: The Athletic's Columbus Blue Jackets beat writer

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 56:37


    On covering the tragic death of Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau; on receiving a kidney from a team employee; on witnessing decades upon decades of mediocre hockey; on the good ol' days of Jeff Juden and minor league baseball.

    Lindsey Adler, former baseball writer for the Wall Street Journal and The Athletic

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 57:33


    On why she left the Wall Street Journal and why journalism is testing her patience. On the need and use of beat writers in 2025. On life at Deadspin. On surviving.

    Hamilton Nolan: Terrific political and labor writer; author of "The Hammer: Power, Inequality, and the Struggle for the Soul of Labor"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2025 51:24


    On what it was like covering Donald Trump's recent inauguration. On why fools continue to believe Trump cares about them. On whether American democracy can survive. On his early journalism days at Gawker.

    Gene Wojciechowski: Former ESPN, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune writer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 65:37


    On the jerkiness of Reggie Jackson and the trash talk of Michael Jordan. On rising from Tennessee Vols walk-on wide receiver to ESPN superstar. On joining ESPN The Magazine. On teaching journalism in 2025.

    Joanna Cohen, "Days of Our Lives" script writer and former SI staffer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 49:04


    On the leap from sports journalism to soap operas. On the importance of soaps in American pop culture. On bringing characters back from the dead.

    Jonathan Feigen: Recently retired Houston Chronicle Rockets beat writer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2025 58:40


    On why one spends 27 years on an NBA beat—and why one retires from the gig. On the joys of Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming and Steve Francis and Tracy McGrady. On the worst uniforms in NBA history. On a small Delaware gym and Ralph Sampson.

    Ted Spiker: University of Florida Journalism Department chair

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 53:03


    On what we, America's journalism professors, should be teaching in 2024. On how to respond to the anti-media onslaught. On the power of surprise classroom guests. On watching a classmate pee in a urinal and receiving an A for the experience.

    america department chair university of florida journalism department ted spiker
    Agnes Lee: The children's book author whose very sad unattended book signing went viral

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 42:09


    On what it is to do a Barnes & Noble signing and have no one attend. On what it feels like to follow that up with a viral video shot by a store employee. On the highs and lows of self publishing.

    Andy Lee: Former WBO Middleweight Champion and author of, "Fighter."

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 48:12


    On why he decided to write a book that delves into his life and career; on how a boxer knows when it's time to retire; on the strange phenomenon of people knowing about his highs and lows; on whether being an author is worth the trouble.

    Sam Hollander: All-time great American songwriter

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024 71:26


    On working with Def Leppard and Gym Class Heroes and Ringo Starr and Carole King; on the birth—and death—of Bad Ronald; on how one fights to sustain a career in music.

    David Aldridge: All-time great basketball journalist

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 53:11


    On writing and deciding upon "The Basketball 100." On covering John Thompson's Hoyas and the crappy Washington Redskins. On his love of roundball and why journalism celebrity is nonsense.

    Megan Stoltz: On-the-rise dark romantasy author

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2024 44:38


    On using TikTok to try and establish oneself in the writing universe. On the joy of creating Gods and breaking out metaphors. On writing through anxiety, the North Dakota winters and four children. On the efforts to try and find a literary agent.

    Bill Higgins, former Cape Cod Times sports editor

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 45:40


    On arriving at a newspaper in 1973 and remaining until (gasp) 2016. On the bliss of covering Marvelous Marvin Hagler. On visiting his father's grave after the Red Sox won the World Series. On arriving in the typewriter age of journalism and now being on social media.

    Chris Stone: Co-Founder, Off-Ball and former Sports Illustrated editor in chief

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024 54:40


    On starting up a new sports media platform in 2024; on the reinvention of a veteran journalist; on the glory days of Sports Illustrated; on the misguided anger of a legendary Pittsburgh Penguin.

    Kalyn Kahler: Senior NFL writer, ESPN

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 70:40


    On the crazy religious cult that gobbled up NFL players. On Jerry Jones' weird tours of the Cowboys facility. On starting out as Peter King's assistant and working her way up. On the joy of dance.

    Sam Pausman: Writer/Photographer, The Wrangell (Alaska) Sentinel

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2024 47:22


    On relocating 4,284 miles to take his first journalism job. On working for a weekly paper in a town of 2,000 people. On making connections with folks he doesn't know in a community he doesn't know. On the joys of salmon and shrimp.

    Louis Moore: Author, "The Great Black Hope: Doug Williams, Vince Evans, and the Making of the Black Quarterback"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 49:20


    On the importance of Doug Williams and Vince Evans in the rise of the Black quarterback. On why sports history unfairly overlooks Vince Evans. On the scores of unknown Black QBs lost to history. On why Colin Kaepernick should be a Miami Dolphin.

    Spencer Paysinger: Writer and producer, “All American" and former NFL linebacker

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 41:46


    On what it's like to have your life story inspire a hit TV show. On how one sheds his reputation as (solely) an athlete. On the highs and lows of Hollywood. On whether it's all worth it.

    Mirin Fader: Author, "Dream: The Life and Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2024 56:50


    On the highs and lows and mental anguish of writing a biography. On trying to convince Hakeem to sit down for a chat. On Ralph Sampson and Pete Chilcutt and basketball glory. On how one selects a subject.

    Michael Namikas: Author, "The Tupac Encyclopedia: Vol. 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2024 61:23


    On self-publishing a 794-page opus. On how a love of Tupac Shakur drove him to a monumentally ambitious task. On how to sell an Amazon-printed book. On the legacy of a legendary artist.

    Keri Blakinger: Los Angeles Times reporter and TikTik wizard

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2024 39:45


    On how TikTok works for journalists. On how to use the platform to expand readership. On the dos and don'ts of it all. On whether wearing makeup matters.

    Kyle Bandujo: Author, "Movies with Balls: The Greatest Sports Films of All Time."

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 50:00


    On what makes a great sports movie v. an all-time great sports movie; On whether "Field of Dreams" is excellent or trash. On "Teen Wolf" and "Bull Durham" and Gary Coleman as the San Diego Padres manager.

    Ian O'Connor: Author, "Out of the Darkness: The Mystery of Aaron Rodgers"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 61:00


    On what to do when a subject agrees to talk to you after your biography is complete. On why we're fascinated by Aaron Rodgers. On whether people want to read about those they dislike. On having your flight experience a bomb threat.

    Baxter Holmes: ESPN.com senior writer

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 55:35


    On the deep, deep, deep dive into a subject. On being a small-town Oklahoma kid and making it big. On winning a James Beard Award. On surviving in a strange business.

    Gabrielle Starr: Boston Herald Red Sox beat writer

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 57:24


    On transitioning from self-starting blogged to Red Sox beat writer. On the wild and wayward path to this career. On the sadness of David Ortiz's departure. On earning respect in a rough field.

    Rick Jervis: USA Today reporter and author of "The Devil Behind The Badge"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2024 47:55


    On thinking a book would take one year to complete—then having to go much, much longer. On having sex workers open up to you and your questions. On plopping down in a sink-stained motel. On the dreams/nightmares that come with crime reporting.

    Jeff Pearlman: On Tupac and having a book due in a month

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 35:24


    I talk all things book deadline hell and Tupac hell with special host, my wife—Dr. Catherine Pearlman

    Mike Curtis: Dallas Morning News Mavs beat writer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 41:15


    On jumping onto the Mavs beat late in their chase for a title. On life with the lowly Pistons. On his amazing LinkedIn page. On the dreams of a young scribe

    Scott Agness: Indiana Fever and Pacers beat writer, Fieldhouse Files

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 52:29


    On the crazy joy of covering Caitlin Clark. On the highs of an Athletic gig and the lows of losing an Athletic gig. On serving as the Indiana Fever ballboy back in the day. On what keeps him writing.

    Ron Filipowski: Editor-in Chief, MeidasTouch.com

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2024 51:20


    On how he went from being a hard-core Republican to the editor of an anti-Trump website. On what has to happen for Joe Biden to save his presidency. On what it is to think and write and write and think politics 24/7.

    Donnell Suggs: Atlanta Voice editor in chief

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2024 47:24


    On life running Atlanta's largest (and only) Black newspaper. On the lengths political campaigns will go to woo Black voters. On the furious sheriff who wanted his daughter on a softball team. On the beauty of Waffle House.

    Larry Keith: Former Sports Illustrated writer, editor

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 48:56


    On writing a book with Digger Phelps and projecting the greatness of Clint Hurdle; on the golden era of print magazines; on Dan Jenkins and Frank Deford and Mark Kram; on watching his beloved publication morph and change; on the legendary editor who smelled of body odor.

    writer editor clint hurdle dan jenkins frank deford digger phelps former sports illustrated larry keith
    Annie Costabile: Chicago Sun-Times' Chicago Sky beat writer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024 50:25


    On the rise of the WNBA; on covering Angel Reese as she blooms into a League star; on the complications of Caitlin Clark; on where women's basketball is heading.

    Eli Saslow: Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times writer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 53:58


    On the intricacies of his latest article, "A Republican Election Clerk vs. Trump Die-Hards in a World of Lies." On how to convince subjects to open up to a media outlet they don't trust. On working with a photographer.

    Morgan Jerkins: New York Times bestselling author and two-time National Magazine Award winner

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2024 43:18


    On Kendrick, Drake and a fool's opinion of their beef; on a beautiful piece between Black-Italian cinematic ties; on Don Lemon as a voice for inspiration; on teaching those who can't write how to write.

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