Podcast appearances and mentions of cord jefferson

It's Miriam Shor, y'all! You Might Know Her From Younger, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Magic Hour, GCB, Shortbus, Swingtown, Maestro, American Fiction, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. Miriam gave us all the scoop on grounding the zaniness of Diana Trout on Darren Star's Younger, leading the indie comedy Magic Hour, and appearing in "brilliant but canceled" series like GCB and Swingtown. All that, plus Miriam talked to us about being one of John Cameron Mitchell's "players," appearing in Shortbus and, of course, originating the role of Yitzhak in the Hedwig universe; popping up in prestige Oscar films; her musical theatre roots; New York City history; and dying by way of a paintbrush in The Americans. We just LOVED Miriam. Patreon: www.patreon.com/youmightknowherfrom Follow us on social media: @youmightknowherfrom || @damianbellino || @rodemanne Discussed this episode: Genesis' “Land of Confusion” + Garbage Pail Kids + Whoopi Goldberg latex mask Realistic latex masks on TikTok Eddie Fisher was married to Debbie Reynolds but cheated on Debbie with Elizabeth Taylor when her husband (their friend), Mike Todd died  Christina Milian and The Dream; Little Wayne and Nivea swapped Damian loves a sexy network drama and also HBO's Real Sex, Taxicab Confessions People raising hyper realistic fake babies Lars and the Real Girl ; Companion MIriam's first leading film role is in Magic Hour Dons a bald cap in Guardians of the Galaxy III American Fiction had a $5M budget Cord Jefferson's Oscar speech Played Diana Trout on Darren Star's Younger for 6 seasons Darren Star also made Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, Sex and the City, Emily in Paris, Good Christian Bitches Robert Harling wrote Steel Magnolias Cricket Caruth Reilly Met her husband doing karaoke - also with Bridget Everett Marie's Crisis got a resurgence thanks to Younger St Marks Is Dead by Ada Calhoun Il Posto Accanto (thanks to Debi Mazar); Supper; Gnocco Swingtown was championed by Nina Tassler but killed by Les Moonves Hedwig and the Angry Inch was Miriam's first audition and show in New York Met Lou Reed, Joey Ramone, Elliot Smith, Pete Townsend because of Hedwig Anne saw Debbie Does Dallas in the Jane Street Theatre but didn't get to see Hedwig Shortbus with John Cameron Mitchell Did Fiddler on the Roof tour in 1994 with Theodore Bikel (Captain Von Trapp in Original Broadway cast of The Sound of Music). “Edelweiss” was written for him by Rodgers & Hammerstein  Appeared at Public Theatre's production Lynn Nottage's Sweat (it later won the Pulitzer Prize)  Wants to do Shakespeare in the Park Was Mary in Kennedy Center Production of Merrily We Roll Along (A GREAT DRUNK in a FAT SUIT, her big scene at 15:40) Was a waitress in Todd Haynes' Mildred Pierce miniseries  Was directed by Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro Appeared as lesbian in The Wild Party with Sutton at Encores, played gay in And Just Like That Season 2; and was Yitzak in Hedwig Anne's obsessed with this portrait Morgan Freeman is supposed to have painted of a nude Diane Keaton in Five Flights Up (see right)  Friends with Cynthia Nixon and her wife Christine Played an artist in The Americans (“I'm pulling the drawing OUT of the paper”) Adam Scott and Carol Burnett are great drunks; we love a pilled out Samatha Mathis in American Psycho “Room Tone” is when Sound Dept records sound of the room to lay under the scene if necessary “Corpsing” is when you break character (Peter Hermann is worst) Miriam is Directing a documentary about NDAs Quincy Jones said that Richard Pryor had sex with Marlon Brando We hope Amanda Bynes gets a comeback. Faye Dunaway, Tatyana Ali, Leanna Creel and her triplets. Not Millie Bobby Brown Matlock cast on Jennifer Hudson runway  

This one's a long-time-coming! We finally have our buddy, Cord Jefferson, on the pod. We know Cord from our NY days when he was at Gawker but you might know him from winning an Oscar for adapted screenplay for American Fiction, which he also directed and which was based on Perceival Everett's Erasure. Cord also won an Emmy for writing that really good episode of The Watchmen about the Tulsa Massacre. We talk to him about possibly winning an E-G-O, desert noir, how much of a badass Perceival Everett is and much more. Books and Authors Mentioned in this Episode:Dave Eggers - A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering GeniusDave Eggers - You Shall Know Our VelocityDave Eggers - What is the WhatChristina Rivera Garza - Death Takes MeAllegra Goodman - IsolaCharlotte McConaghy - Wild Dark ShoreChimamanda Ngozi Adichie- Dream Count Tory Peters - Stag DanceTory Peters - Detransition, BabyLeila Lalami - Dream HotelLeila Lalami - The Other AmericansPercival Everett - ErasureAlan Moore - WatchmenEmily St. John Mandel - Station Eleven Walter Van Tilburg Clark - The Ox-Bow IncidentPercival Everett - God's CountryPercival Everett - James Samantha Harvey - OrbitalMaxim Luskatoff - Old King Lion Feuchtwanger - The OppermannsSebastian Haffner - Defying HitlerJames Baldwin - Giovanni's RoomPhilip Roth - The Human Stain James McBride - The Good Lord BirdColson Whitehead - Nickel BoysRobert Jones Jr - The Prophets Isaac Asimov - FoundationTed Chiang - ExhalationKurt VonnegutFollow Cord: @cordjeffersonFollow Us: @youshouldprobablyreadmore

What makes a blockbuster, or a box office bomb? The truth is, as famed screenwriter William Goldman put it, “Nobody knows anything.” Join us each week as we put your favorite actors, directors, and writers through the wringer (aka through a series of games) to see if they’ve got what it takes to make it in this wild town.This episode is all about coming-of-age stories — movies and TV shows about first loves, schoolyard scrapes, and the realization that the world is far bigger than the block you live on.Guests: Actor, writer and director Natasha Lyonne (“Poker Face,” “Russian Doll”); actor and comedian Sherry Cola (“Joy Ride,” “Nobody Wants This”); director and Oscar-winning screenwriter Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”). “NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING” is a production of The Black List and LAist Studios, in partnership with The Ankler. This episode is presented by FX.Support for this podcast is also brought to you by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes L.A. a better place to live.New episodes premiere Tuesdays and you can listen to the show on the radio at LAist 89.3 on weekends. The premiere episode is supported by presenting sponsor FX.

What makes a blockbuster, or a box office bomb? The truth is, as famed screenwriter William Goldman put it, “Nobody knows anything.” Join us each week as we put your favorite actors, directors, and writers through the wringer (aka through a series of games) to see if they’ve got what it takes to make it in this wild town.This episode is all about coming-of-age stories — movies and TV shows about first loves, schoolyard scrapes, and the realization that the world is far bigger than the block you live on.Guests: Actor, writer and director Natasha Lyonne (“Poker Face,” “Russian Doll”); actor and comedian Sherry Cola (“Joy Ride,” “Nobody Wants This”); director and Oscar-winning screenwriter Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”). “NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING” is a production of The Black List and LAist Studios, in partnership with The Ankler. This episode is presented by FX.Support for this podcast is also brought to you by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes L.A. a better place to live.New episodes premiere Tuesdays and you can listen to the show on the radio at LAist 89.3 on weekends. The premiere episode is supported by presenting sponsor FX.

What makes a blockbuster, or a box office bomb? The truth is, as famed screenwriter William Goldman put it, “Nobody knows anything.” Join us each week as we put your favorite actors, directors, and writers through the wringer (aka through a series of games) to see if they’ve got what it takes to make it in this wild town.This episode is all about coming-of-age stories — movies and TV shows about first loves, schoolyard scrapes, and the realization that the world is far bigger than the block you live on.Guests: Actor, writer and director Natasha Lyonne (“Poker Face,” “Russian Doll”); actor and comedian Sherry Cola (“Joy Ride,” “Nobody Wants This”); director and Oscar-winning screenwriter Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”). “NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING” is a production of The Black List and LAist Studios, in partnership with The Ankler. This episode is presented by FX.Support for this podcast is also brought to you by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes L.A. a better place to live.New episodes premiere Tuesdays and you can listen to the show on the radio at LAist 89.3 on weekends. The premiere episode is supported by presenting sponsor FX.

What makes a blockbuster, or a box office bomb? The truth is, as famed screenwriter William Goldman put it, “Nobody knows anything.” Join us each week as we put your favorite actors, directors, and writers through the wringer (aka through a series of games) to see if they’ve got what it takes to make it in this wild town.This episode is all about coming-of-age stories — movies and TV shows about first loves, schoolyard scrapes, and the realization that the world is far bigger than the block you live on.Guests: Actor, writer and director Natasha Lyonne (“Poker Face,” “Russian Doll”); actor and comedian Sherry Cola (“Joy Ride,” “Nobody Wants This”); director and Oscar-winning screenwriter Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”). “NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING” is a production of The Black List and LAist Studios, in partnership with The Ankler. This episode is presented by FX.Support for this podcast is also brought to you by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes L.A. a better place to live.New episodes premiere Tuesdays and you can listen to the show on the radio at LAist 89.3 on weekends. The premiere episode is supported by presenting sponsor FX.

What makes a blockbuster, or a box office bomb? The truth is, as famed screenwriter William Goldman put it, “Nobody knows anything.” Join us each week as we put your favorite actors, directors, and writers through the wringer (aka through a series of games) to see if they’ve got what it takes to make it in this wild town.This episode is all about coming-of-age stories — movies and TV shows about first loves, schoolyard scrapes, and the realization that the world is far bigger than the block you live on.Guests: Actor, writer and director Natasha Lyonne (“Poker Face,” “Russian Doll”); actor and comedian Sherry Cola (“Joy Ride,” “Nobody Wants This”); director and Oscar-winning screenwriter Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”). “NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING” is a production of The Black List and LAist Studios, in partnership with The Ankler. This episode is presented by FX.Support for this podcast is also brought to you by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes L.A. a better place to live.New episodes premiere Tuesdays and you can listen to the show on the radio at LAist 89.3 on weekends. The premiere episode is supported by presenting sponsor FX.Support the show: https://laist.com

What makes a blockbuster, or a box office bomb? The truth is, as famed screenwriter William Goldman put it, “Nobody knows anything.” Join us each week as we put your favorite actors, directors, and writers through the wringer (aka through a series of games) to see if they’ve got what it takes to make it in this wild town.This episode is all about coming-of-age stories — movies and TV shows about first loves, schoolyard scrapes, and the realization that the world is far bigger than the block you live on.Guests: Actor, writer and director Natasha Lyonne (“Poker Face,” “Russian Doll”); actor and comedian Sherry Cola (“Joy Ride,” “Nobody Wants This”); director and Oscar-winning screenwriter Cord Jefferson (“American Fiction”). “NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING” is a production of The Black List and LAist Studios, in partnership with The Ankler. This episode is presented by FX.Support for this podcast is also brought to you by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes L.A. a better place to live.New episodes premiere Tuesdays and you can listen to the show on the radio at LAist 89.3 on weekends. The premiere episode is supported by presenting sponsor FX.

Gay homosexuals Nick and Joseph discuss ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Godfather Part II is a 1974 American epic crime film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Morgana King, John Cazale, Marianna Hill and Lee Strasberg.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional topics include: -The 4th Annual Rubber Duckies -Don Lemon x Amanda Seales -⁠⁠⁠⁠Octopus Burger -Black filmmakers who are not Tyler Perry: Barry Jenkins, Radha Blank, Amma Asante, Cord Jefferson, and Raoul Peck -The death of Voletta Wallace and Peter JasonJoin us on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/FishJellyFilmReviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to send them stuff? Fish Jelly PO Box 461752 Los Angeles, CA 90046Find merch here: https://fishjellyfilmreviews.myspreadshop.com/allVenmo @fishjellyVisit their website at www.fishjellyfilms.comFind their podcast at the following: Anchor: https://anchor.fm/fish-jelly Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/388hcJA50qkMsrTfu04peH Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fish-jelly/id1564138767Find them on Instagram: Nick (@ragingbells) Joseph (@joroyolo) Fish Jelly (@fishjellyfilms)Find them on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/ragingbells/ https://letterboxd.com/joroyolo/Nick and Joseph are both Tomatometer-approved critics at Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/critics/nicholas-bell https://www.rottentomatoes.com/critics/joseph-robinson

Writer and director Cord Jefferson charts his journey from being a rule-following kid to an angry teenager to an adult with depression. After a lifetime of rejection, Cord shares what helped him finally make "American Fiction," the Oscar-winning film that was always in him. Here are his songs. Flamenco Sketches - Miles Davis The What - Notorious B.I.G. (Feat. Method Man) Boxcar - Jawbreaker My Old School - Steely Dan This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) - Talking Heads If It Makes You Happy - Sheryl Crow  Ben's My Friend - Sun Kil Moon Listen to Cord Jefferson's full playlist on Spotify. Find the transcript of this episode at lifeinsevensongs.com. Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at lifeinsevensongs@sfstandard.com.

Before his novel Erasure was adapted into the hit film American Fiction, Percival Everett was already one of the literary world's most acclaimed talents, appreciated for his inimitable characters and storylines, as well as his uncommon variety of genres. Since Everett's first novel in 1983, he has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, for Telephone, and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, for The Trees. His newest novel, James, is a reimagining of Huckleberry Finn, and has already been touted as “a canon-shattering great book.” Cord Jefferson made his feature writing and directorial debut with American Fiction, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. His television credits include Watchmen, The Good Place, Succession, Station Eleven, Master of None, and The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore. On June 3, 2024, Cord Jefferson and Percival Everett came to the Sydney Goldstein Theater in San Francisco to be interviewed by Jelani Cobb. This program was originally heard in June of 2024. 

Novelist Jacinda Townsend and writer James Bernard Short join co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about the movie American Fiction, which is based on the novel Erasure by Percival Everett. Townsend and Short discuss how the film addresses race in the publishing industry via its central character, Black author Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, who tries to make an ironic point by writing a book exploiting Black stereotypes and finds, to his dismay, that it's received in earnest and a bestseller. Townsend and Short analyze director Cord Jefferson's approach and the film's themes of family dysfunction, freedom in storytelling, and the importance of portraying the complexity of Black lives.  To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/ This episode of the podcast was produced by Anne Kniggendorf. Jacinda Townsend Mother Country Saint Monkey James Bernard Short “Aqua Boogie” | Blood Orange Review “Rootwork” | Blood Orange Review “Flash, Back: Langston Hughes' The Simple Shorts” | SmokeLong Quarterly Others: American Fiction (movie) | Official Trailer Erasure by Percival Everett An American Marriage by Tayari Jones Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward The Color Purple by Alice Walker Thelonious Monk Ralph Ellison Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison “The Little Man at Chehaw Station” by Ralph Ellison | The American Scholar, 1978 The Tuskegee Institute White Negroes by Lauren Michele Jackson “The White Negro” by Norman Mailer | Dissent, 1957 “Dragon Slayers” by Jerald Walker | The Iowa Review, 2006 “The Hidden Lesson of ‘American Fiction'” by John McWhorter | The New York Times Origin (movie) | Official Trailer Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 1, Episode 11, “Annihilation, Adaptation: What's It Really Like to Have Your Book Made Into a Movie” Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 2, Episode 11, “Brit Bennett and Emily Halpern on Screenwriting's Tips for Fiction” Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 6, Episode 33, “The Stakes of the Writers' Strike: Benjamin Percy on the WGA Walkout, Streaming, and the Survival of Screenwriting” Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 6, Episode 38, “Jacinda Townsend on Why Democrats Are Skeptical of President Biden—and How He Can Win Them Back” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author James Everett and director Cord Jefferson sat down live to discuss Book of the Year, James. Everett and Jefferson join us to talk about adapting novels for film, finding humanity in serious stories, the power of art and storytelling and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app   Featured Books (Episode): James by Percival Everett Erasure by Percival Everett Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain God's Country by Percival Everett

American Fiction is a 2023 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Cord Jefferson, in his feature directorial debut. Based on the 2001 novel Erasure by Percival Everett, it follows a frustrated novelist-professor who writes an outlandish satire of stereotypical "black" books, only for it to be mistaken by the liberal elite for serious literature and published to both high sales and critical praise. It stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, and Keith David.

A few spoilers for the 2023 film American Fiction. Inspired by a recent viewing of American Fiction, Dr. Jemar Tisby is joined with EP Beau York to discuss the pitfalls that progressive white liberals fall into when attempting to separate themselves from racism. American Fiction is a 2023 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Cord Jefferson in his feature directorial debut. Based on the 2001 novel Erasure by Percival Everett, it follows a frustrated novelist-professor who writes an outlandish satire of stereotypical "Black" books, only for it to be mistaken for serious literature and published to high sales and critical praise. The film stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody and Keith David. Support this podcast at patreon.com/passthemic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nate and Ryan talk about 2023’s American Fiction, written and directed by Cord Jefferson and starring Jeffrey Wright. Both Nate and Ryan are big fans of author Percival Everett and his novel Erasure, which American Fiction is adapted from. For that reason, expectations were high for this Academy-Award winning movie. Critics all loved it,… Continue reading

A new summer series bringing you the best of Irish Radio Arts during the Olympics. Sean talks to Wim Wenders, Viggo Mortensen and this year's Oscar winner for Best Adapted Screenplay, Cord Jefferson.

Welcome to Episode 213! BookTuber Shawn Breathes Books joins us to celebrate Jenny Colvin and “I'll Have What You're Reading,” the memorial buddy read we jointly hosted with him the last few months. We also discuss Andrea Robbin Skinner's recent revelation about her mother, Alice Munro, and how it has impacted us as readers. Some other highlights: In #CurrentlyReading, we are each reading another chunkster for Sue Jackson's #BigBookSummer: Emily is cooling off with THE SNOW CHILD by Eowyn Ivey, and Chris is going back in time with MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS by Antonia Fraser. We have a spoiler-free conversation about FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliot Dark which we both enjoyed. Short stories read since the last episode: “Janus” by Ann Beattie and “In the Gloaming” by Alice Elliott Dark both from the collection THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES OF THE CENTURY edited by John Updike and Katrina Kenison. “A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You” by Amy Bloom from the collection A BLIND MAN COULD SEE HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU: STORIES. “Uncle Valentine” by Willa Cather in UNCLE VALENTINE AND OTHER STORIES, edited by Bernice Slote “The Birds” by Daphne du Maurier from the collection THE BIRDS AND OTHER STORIES [This collection was first published in the UK in 1952 with the title, THE APPLE TREE: A SHORT NOVEL AND SEVERAL LONG STORIES] In Biblio Adventures, we recap the great day we had on Long Island, NY We took a ferry from New London, CT, to Orient Point, NY, then drove south to the Barnes and Noble in Bridgehampton to check out their new store layout. Then we headed north to Sag Harbor, where we were delighted by a John Steinbeck and Charley sculpture (“Assistant Editor” by Seward Johnson) and explored Sag Harbor Books. Other stops included Black Cat Books on Shelter Island and the Floyd Memorial Library in Greenport. Check out our vlog of the day on our YouTube channel Emily had a Couch Biblio Adventure, thanks to our listener Kathy who told us about a conversation with Percival Everett, Cord Jefferson, and Jelani Cobb via City Arts & Lectures Chris watched LETTERS TO JULIET, a rom-com inspired by the book of the same name by Eve Friedman and Ceil Jann Friedman. She also went on a quick shopping spree at McNally Jackson Books at Rockefeller Center. A reminder that our third quarter readalong is ENVY, by Sandra Brown. There are a few spots left for our Zoom discussion on Sunday, 9/15, at 7 pm ET. Email us if you'd like to join us. bookcougars at gmail dot com. Thanks for listening, and Happy Reading! https://www.bookcougars.com/blog-1/2024/episode213

Before his novel Erasure was adapted into the hit film American Fiction, Percival Everett was already one of the literary world's most acclaimed talents, appreciated for his inimitable characters and storylines, as well as his uncommon variety of genres. Since Everett's first novel in 1983, he has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, for Telephone, and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, for The Trees. His newest novel, James, is a reimagining of Huckleberry Finn, and has already been touted as “a canon-shattering great book.” Cord Jefferson made his feature writing and directorial debut with American Fiction, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. His television credits include Watchmen, The Good Place, Succession, Station Eleven, Master of None, and The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore. On June 3, 2024, Cord Jefferson and Percival Everett came to the Sydney Goldstein Theater in San Francisco to be interviewed by Jelani Cobb.

American Fiction is more of a dramedy or a clever satire than a true comedy, but few movies in recent years have been funnier than this is. Writer/director Cord Jefferson crafted a remarkable film, even though he balances maybe a few too many plots in his big-screen debut (racial strife, white guilt, difficult family issues, money troubles, inability to connect with people). The actors are always terrific in American Fiction though. Jeffrey Wright is especially wonderful in the leading role and he has chemistry with the entire cast, particularly with Tracee Ellis Ross. We really like this laugh-generator filled with secrets and lies, so take just a few days to write an entire book called "My Pafology" (then later call it...something else) and then settle in with the 596th edition of Have You Ever Seen. You can get Sparkplug Coffee sent to your Boston-area beach house...or to any part of the U.S. and Canada. Use our "HYES" promo code and get a onetime 20% discount. Go to "sparkplug.coffee/hyes". Let us know what you think by emailing us (haveyoueverseenpodcast@gmail.com) or with a hello on Twi-X (@moviefiend51 and @bevellisellis). We also post all our shows on YouTube (@hyesellis in your browser), where you can comment, like and subscribe. Rate and review our podcast on your app as well.

This is a bestseller in our hearts! 2023's “American Fiction” earned writer/director Cord Jefferson's screenplay a much deserved Oscar, Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K Brown underdog nominations for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, and introduced us to Queen Coraline, Ten Perfect Minutes of screen time from Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae in that conference room scene, THE Leslie Uggams, and of course Best Supporting LORRAINE. To say nothing of a stacked featured ensemble, including Miriam Shor's perfectly panicked Paula, a Keith David cameo, the gays in the kitchen, the lip reader from that episode of “Veep” and the finest of men, Officer Maynard. (And speaking of fine—Jeffrey Wright is Jeffrey RIGHT in this and we need to be celebrating that more as a community.) Join us for The Best Supporting Aftershow and early access to main episodes on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bsapod Email: thebsapod@gmail.com Instagram: @bsapod Colin Drucker - Instagram: @colindrucker_ Nick Kochanov - Instagram: @nickkochanov

Kevin is joined by Writer and Director of the Oscar Award Winning movie American Fiction, Cord Jefferson. Cord's story is a prime example of the power of saying "yes". Even when the opportunity isn't a guarantee.Like Gold Minds? SiriusXM subscribers get it a day early, plus Kevin Hart's Laugh Out Loud Radio, his 24/7 comedy channel, with great talk shows and stand-up. 

On the occasion of Cord Jefferson's Best Adapted Screenplay win, Jeff and Rebecca talk about their favorite books, movies, and TV shows set in the world of books before talking about Erasure by Percival Everett and American Fiction. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter! Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We'll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we'll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: First Edition! The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Elf Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding Seven Days in June by Tia Williams Luster by Raven Leilani Hothouse by Boris Kachka Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Erasure by Percival Everett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mamileiros e mamiletes, no Mamilos Cultura dessa semana, Ju Wallauer recebe Marcel Isidoro para uma conversa inspirada no filme “Ficção Americana”, do diretor estreante Cord Jefferson, disponível no Prime Video. Em “Ficção Americana”, Monk é um escritor negro brilhante, mas seus livros não são populares já que ele se recusa a retratar negros de forma estereotipada em seu trabalho. Ele é pressionado por seu editor a criar uma obra comercial e escreve uma história carregada de preconceitos como piada. Só que o livro se torna um best-seller da noite para o dia. Com o dinheiro caindo em sua conta, mas com a consciência pesada, Monk é obrigado a encarnar um personagem do gueto para manter a farsa. Dá o play e vem com a gente! _____ FALE CONOSCO . Email: mamilos@mamilos.me _____ CONTRIBUA COM O MAMILOS Quem apoia o Mamilos ajuda a manter o podcast no ar e ainda participa do nosso grupo especial no Telegram. É só R$9,90 por mês! Quem assina não abre mão. https://www.catarse.me/mamilos _____ Equipe Mamilos Mamilos é uma produção do B9 A apresentação é de Cris Bartis e Ju Wallauer. Pra ouvir todos episódios, assine nosso feed ou acesse mamilos.b9.com.br Quem coordenou essa produção foi Beatriz Souza. Com a estrutura de pauta e roteiro escrito por Cris Bartis e Ju Wallauer. A edição foi de Mariana Leão e as trilhas sonoras, de Angie Lopez. A coordenação digital é feita por Agê Barros. O B9 tem direção executiva de Cris Bartis, Ju Wallauer e Carlos Merigo. O atendimento e negócios é feito por Telma Zennaro.

Michael Cyril Creighton is currently seen as “Howard Morris" on Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building” opposite Steve Martin, Martin Short & Selena Gomez. Other TV credits include the final season of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Dexter: New Blood,” “A League of Their Own,” "Dash & Lily," "High Maintenance," "Bob's Burgers,” "AJ & the Queen," "2 Broke Girls," "New Amsterdam," "Graves," "Blue Bloods," "Nurse Jackie," "Orange is the New Black," "30 Rock,” and more. Creighton played abuse survivor "Joe Crowley" in "Spotlight," the 2016 Academy Award Winner for Best Picture and won the Robert Altman Award at the Indie Spirit Awards as part of the film's ensemble. Other Film credits include Cord Jefferson's "American Fiction," Steven Spielberg's "The Post," "Game Night," "Paper Spiders," and "The Outside Story." On stage he has been seen in Sarah Ruhl's Stage Kiss (Playwrights Horizons), Jordan Harrison's The Amateurs (The Vineyard Theatre) and four World Premieres by The Debate Society (Cape Disappointment, You're Welcome, Buddy Cop 2 and Blood Play.) He wrote, created and starred in the WGA Award winning web series "Jack in a Box”, which was inspired by working in a theatre box office for 12+ years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Written and directed by former Gawker editor Cord Jefferson in his feature directorial debut, “American Fiction” tells the story of a frustrated writer whose satire of modern black books gets taken seriously by liberal white people. It has a 94 on Rotten Tomatoes with an audience score of 96, and runs one hour and 57 minutes.  “American Fiction” sits eighth in betting odds among Best Picture nominees at +8000. It is nominated for five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actor - Jeffrey Wright, Best Supporting Actor - Sterling K. Brown, Best Adapted Screenplay - Cord Jefferson and Best Original Score - Laura Karpman.

It's not often that the Academy Awards give the publishing world any gristle to chew on. But at this year's Oscars ceremony — taking place on Sunday evening — one of the Best Picture contenders is all about book publishing: Cord Jefferson's “American Fiction” is adapted from the 2001 novel “Erasure,” by Percival Everett, and it amounts to a scathing, satirical indictment of publishers, readers and the insidious biases that the marketplace can impose in determining who tells what stories.Obviously, we recommend the movie. But even more, we recommend Everett's novel. In this week's episode, the Book Review's MJ Franklin discusses the book with his colleagues Joumana Khatib, also from the Book Review, and Reggie Ugwu, a pop culture reporter at The Times. Caution: Spoilers abound for both the book and the movie.Have you read “Erasure” or seen “American Fiction,” or both? We'd love to know what you thought. Share your reactions in the comments and we'll try to join the conversation.We'll get you started:Joumana Khatib: “I'd read Percival Everett before. I love watching his mind on the page. He's funny, he's irreverent, he's sarcastic. There's nobody that writes like him. And I have to tell you that ‘Erasure' totally blew me away, just because of the sheer number of textures in this book. … It's obviously a parodical novel. It's obviously unbelievably satirical and it's just outrageous enough that it keeps the momentum without feeling schlocky or shticky.” …Reggie Ugwu: “He has a great sense of pace, like he never wastes time. … You can tell that it's the work of a very sophisticated and mature writer who knows exactly what to leave on the page and exactly what he can cut. There are some moments where I marveled when he would just leap the plot forward in a few lines.”Send your feedback about this episode, and about the Book Review's podcast in general, to books@nytimes.com.

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock this episode and our entire premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast    Succession/The Good Place/Watchmen writer Cord Jefferson's adaptation of Percival Everett's novel Erasure is getting Oscar buzz, but does American Fiction deserve the hype? Writers Jason England and Bertrand Cooper join director/actor/writer Mtume Gant to discuss. Do meaningful departures from the book indicate a disinterest in working class politics that cut to the heart of what Everett was trying to say in his novel? Or are they good cuts in service of the economy of film? Is the basis of satire in the 20-year-old book -- the interest of white audiences in Black "struggle" literature -- still current now that more middle class Black authors have access to publishing houses? Did the movie miss an opportunity to pick a new target -- say, the BLM protest to hype-house grift? Or does it capture a still-relevant critique of Black elites and the stories that make them rich? Subscribe to Bad Faith on YouTube to access our full video library. Find Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod). Produced by Armand Aviram.   Theme by Nick Thorburn (@nickfromislands)    

Kim Masters and Matt Belloni break down the latest executive hires at Netflix and Disney. They also take a look at Kevin Costner's ambitious plans to theatrically release a four-part film saga set in the Old West.  Plus, NPR contributor Jeff Lunden speaks to composer Laura Karpman about her work on two vastly different 2023 films: the Disney juggernaut The Marvels, and Cord Jefferson's sharp comedy-drama, American Fiction, which led to her first Academy Award nomination.

An Alabama Supreme Court ruling on frozen embryos threatens fertility treatments across the state. On this week's On the Media, hear how a particular branch of Christian nationalism influenced one justice's decision. Plus, how film adaptations of books have come to dominate our screens. 1. Matthew D. Taylor [@TaylorMatthewD], senior scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian, & Jewish Studies, on how a particular strain of Christian Nationalism, once on the fringe of America's religious landscape, is slowly emerging as a political force. Listen.  2. Alexander Manshel [@XanderManshel], assistant professor of English at McGill University and author of Writing Backwards: Historical Fiction and the Reshaping of the American Canon, on how literary prizes have changed over the last few decades, and how much they actually matter. Listen.  3. Cord Jefferson [@cordjefferson], writer and director of the new film American Fiction, on his movie's critique of Hollywood and the process of adapting a novel for the screen. Listen.   

An Alabama Supreme Court ruling on frozen embryos threatens fertility treatments across the state. On this week's On the Media, hear how a particular branch of Christian nationalism influenced one justice's decision. Plus, how film adaptations of books have come to dominate our screens. 1. Matthew D. Taylor [@TaylorMatthewD], senior scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian, & Jewish Studies, on how a particular strain of Christian Nationalism, once on the fringe of America's religious landscape, is slowly emerging as a political force. Listen.  2. Alexander Manshel [@XanderManshel], assistant professor of English at McGill University and author of Writing Backwards: Historical Fiction and the Reshaping of the American Canon, on how literary prizes have changed over the last few decades, and how much they actually matter. Listen.  3. Cord Jefferson [@cordjefferson], writer and director of the new film American Fiction, on his movie's critique of Hollywood and the process of adapting a novel for the screen. Listen.   

Host Jordan Klepper chats with rapper Killer Mike about his recent sweep at the 2024 Grammys for his album "Michael," how working on this project brought him closer to God, and his efforts to encourage activists to take action in their communities. Plus, writer and director Cord Jefferson joins Klepper to discuss the success of his film, "American Fiction," and the power of leaning into art that makes us uncomfortable. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordan Klepper highlights why the recent Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting is a case for firmer gun control in terms a football fan can understand. Plus, Trump could get off for election interference because of District Attorney Fani Willis's romance with prosecutor Nathan Wade. Grace Kuhlenschmidt takes us through the romantic gestures of past presidents whose mistress stories are straight out of a rom-com. And Cord Jefferson, writer and director of the Academy Award-nominated film, “American Fiction,” shares how his experiences in Hollywood contributed to his desire to expand any limited ideas of Black stories or Black characters, why he thinks it's good that his movie makes some people feel uncomfortable, and how the film's success is feeling very meta.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer and director Cord Jefferson's first feature film, American Fiction, has been nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. Jefferson was once a journalist, but shifted into TV and film a decade ago, working on shows including Succession, The Good Place, and Watchmen, for which he won an Emmy for his writing. Kara and Cord discuss why Percival Everett's book Erasure spoke to him so personally, how satire helped him break out of the “race beat,” and what projects he's got in the pipeline. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on social media. We're on Instagram/Threads as @karaswisher and @nayeemaraza Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First, Kara Warner talks to the Oscar-nominated star of Poor Things, who says his comic blowhard performance could be the first of many funny roles if anyone wants to cast him in one. Then American Fiction writer-director Cord Jefferson tells Katey Rich about how he had to get talked into witnessing his film's blockbuster Toronto Film Festival premiere, and what gives him hope for the future of Hollywood.Join our first ever Oscar Pool! Email us at littlegoldmen@vf.com, and please put "Oscar Pool" in the subject line to register.(Subject to availability)Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @vfawardsinsiderFollow our hosts: @kateyrich, @rilaws, @beccamford, @davidcanfield97Our editor and producer is Brett Fuchs

Larry is joined by Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer and director Cord Jefferson to discuss his newest film ‘American Fiction'. They begin their conversation by reminiscing about their time together on ‘The Nightly Show' and marvel at the amazing journey that Cord's career has taken up to this moment. They then shift to ‘American Fiction' and discuss the myriads of genres the movie attempts to encompass and how its main character Monk, played by Jeffrey Wright, reflects the real limitations put on Black writers in Hollywood (5:10). This leads to a discussion on the process of adapting a screenplay from an original book, in this case ‘Erasure' by Percival Everett, and how Cord used his journalism "superpower" to navigate his transition from TV to cinema storytelling (13:38). After the break, Cord talks about the diverse reactions he's received from people who have seen ‘American Fiction' and shares an educational showbiz story passed along by legendary actress and member of the film's cast, Leslie Uggams (41:22). Host: Larry Wilmore Guest: Cord Jefferson Associate Producer: Chris Sutton Additional Production: Kyle Williams Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We catch up with Cord Jefferson's Oscar-nominated comedy that's about more than you might have guessed. Then, we've got new nominees for the Hall of Excellence: Best Fictional Books!What's GoodAlonso - Barbara Streisand's memoirDrea - Mom's Dave confusionEllie - new season of True DetectiveIfy - clear spheres/foggy balls ITIDICGodzilla Minus One Inching Towards a Near-Record Box Office RunSundance Concluded With Some Big SalesOscar Nominations Came out Last Week…Staff PicksAlonso - Household SaintsDrea - Plus OneEllie - The Zone of InterestIfy - Beetlejuice [also showing at Vidiots on 2/3/24]Follow Ellie Foumbi on InstagramLeave a message for the Hotline!  Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, or InstagramWithDrea ClarkAlonso DuraldeIfy NwadiweProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

On this week's show, Slate culture writer Nadira Goffe and Sam Sanders, host of Vibe Check fill in for Dana Stevens and Julia Turner. The hosts begin with a subversively brilliant Oscar contender, American Fiction, which is Cord Jefferson's adaptation of Percival Everett's 2001 novel Erasure. The filmmaker's debut racked up five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and stars Jeffrey Wright as Thelonius “Monk” Ellis, a frustrated writer, in this heartfelt family melodrama encased in biting satire. (Catch Sam's conversation with Cord Jefferson here.) Then, the three tread into familiar territory and dissect In the Know, Mike Judge's (Beavis and Butthead, Silicon Valley, King of the Hill) latest show on Peacock which satirizes the world of public radio, specifically NPR, through the stop-motion animated lens of its third most-popular host, Lauren Caspian (voiced by Zach Woods). Finally, Oscar season is officially upon us, and with Oscar nominations, comes invariably, Oscar snubs. The panel explores this year's nominees, and who may or may not have gotten the short end of the stick.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, the panel discusses a fun interactive from The New York Times, “The Menu Trends That Define Dining Right Now.”  Email us at culturefest@slate.com.  Outro music: “Bloody Hunter” by Paisley Pink Endorsements: Sam: An album he loves and owns on vinyl, Chameleon (1976) by the American singing trio Labelle. It's pure R&B funk dazzle.  Nadira: A threefold music endorsement: Midnight Dancer (1979) by the Philly soul group Silk, Spotify's “create radio” function, and a compilation of Barbara Ackland's greatest hits.  Steve: A gorgeous, lofi home recording of Sandy Denny singing her classic, “Who Knows Where the Time Goes.”  Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by Kat Hong.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows. You'll also be supporting the work we do here on the Culture Gabfest. Sign up now at Slate.com/cultureplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The writer and director Cord Jefferson has struck gold with his first feature film, “American Fiction.” Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Jefferson, the film is winning praise for portraying a broader spectrum of the Black experience than most Hollywood movies. It's based on the 2001 novel “Erasure,” by Percival Everett, a satire of the literary world.  And Jefferson, who began his career as a journalist before branching out into entertainment, has long seen up close how rigid attitudes about what constitutes “Blackness” can be. “Three months before I found ‘Erasure,' I got a note back on a script from an executive” on another script, Jefferson tells his friend Jelani Cobb, “that said, ‘We want you to make this character blacker.' ” (He demanded that the note be explained in person, and it was quickly dropped.) Jefferson hopes that his film sheds some light on what he calls the “absurdity” of race as a construct. He finds race “a fertile target for laughter. … On the one hand, race is not real and insignificant and [on the other hand] very real and incredibly important. Sometimes life or death depends on race. And to me that inherent tension and absurdity is perfect for comedy.”

The writer and director Cord Jefferson has struck gold with his first feature film, “American Fiction.” Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Jefferson, the film is winning praise for portraying a broader spectrum of the Black experience than most Hollywood movies. It's based on the 2001 novel “Erasure,” by Percival Everett, a satire of the literary world.  And Jefferson, who began his career as a journalist before branching out into entertainment, has long seen up close how rigid attitudes about what constitutes “Blackness” can be. “Three months before I found ‘Erasure,' I got a note back on a script from an executive” on another script, Jefferson tells his friend Jelani Cobb, “that said, ‘We want you to make this character blacker.' ” (He demanded that the note be explained in person, and it was quickly dropped.) Jefferson hopes that his film sheds some light on what he calls the “absurdity” of race as a construct. He finds race “a fertile target for laughter. … On the one hand, race is not real and insignificant and [on the other hand] very real and incredibly important. Sometimes life or death depends on race. And to me that inherent tension and absurdity is perfect for comedy.”

Cord Jefferson knows what if feels like to watch a project die. Recently, he had a greenlit show that was so close to shooting that the production office for the show had an physical address. And then, it died. In a creative funk, Cord discovered Percival Everett's novel Erasure which immediately reignited a passion in Cord, and eventually became his debut feature film AMERICAN FICITION. Today, Cord discusses the process of adapting the novel. JOIN OUR PATREON: www.patreon.com/thescreenwritinglife

This year, Emmy-winning screenwriter Cord Jefferson (Watchmen, Succession, The Good Place, Master of None) has become a major Oscar contender for his directorial debut movie, American Fiction. So we wanted to ask Cord the truth about awards, competitiveness, race, external validation, and happiness. Also, the Men In Black soundtrack. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4O3jaJ1TN94 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sean and Amanda open the show by talking about their five favorite scenes of the 2023 movie year (1:00), before digging into one of the most exciting directorial debuts of the year: Cord Jefferson's ‘American Fiction' (24:00). They talk about the state of family dramas and satires as genres and how ‘American Fiction' succeeds as a refreshing mix of the two. Then, Sean is joined by Jefferson to talk about the expected and unexpected challenges of directing a film when you have a background as a writer, the movie's deep and wonderful cast, what kinds of things he's gravitating toward working on next, and more (38:00). Hosts: Sean Fennessey and Amanda Dobbins Guest: Cord Jefferson Senior Producer: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the After Dark, Jordan Minor joins us to discuss their approach to new year's resolutions. Then it's time to dive into Cord Jefferson's new film, American Fiction. Be sure to check out Jordan's book, Video Game of the Year. To get After Dark episodes like this become a Patron at Patreon.com/filmpodcast

In American Fiction, Jeffrey Wright stars as an author who finds that the books he loves to write aren't selling. What is selling is books by Black authors that he finds reductive and drowning in stereotypes. So, he sets out to write the ultimate Black novel under a pseudonym, with all the tropes and simplifications he thinks publishers expect. But his life gets very complicated when it turns out that he's right. The cast includes Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, and Tracee Ellis Ross. It's the directorial debut of Cord Jefferson, a writer whose credits for television include Watchmen, The Good Place and Station Eleven.

Colman Domingo stars in the biopic Rustin as Bayard Rustin, the civil rights leader responsible for organizing the 1963 March on Washington. Rustin was forced into the background because he was gay. Domingo is also starring in The Color Purple, as Mister, the abusive husband. Maureen Corrigan shares her picks for the 10 best books of the year.Also, writer and director Cord Jefferson talks about his new satirical film American Fiction. It's about a Black writer who can't get his novel published because it's not considered "Black enough." Under a pseudonym, he writes the kind of Black novel publishers seem to want.

The Ringer's Bill Simmons wonders, "Is Golden State dead?" after watching the Warriors fall to the Clippers live at Crypto.com Arena (2:07). Then, Bill is joined by Nora Princiotti for a Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift check-in and a Bill Belichick hot-seat temperature check (28:25), before running through their favorite NFL Week 15 games (57:47). Next, Bill makes the Million-Dollar Picks for NFL Week 15 (1:23:02). Finally, Bill is joined by writer/director Cord Jefferson to talk about his directorial debut film, 'American Fiction', the state of TV and film, as well as an incredible pitch to bring back HBO's 'Entourage', and more (1:28:50). Host: Bill Simmons Guests: Nora Princiotti and Cord Jefferson Producer: Kyle Crichton The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming, please checkout theringer.com/RG to find out more or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The movie American Fiction is a satire about a Black writer who can't get his latest book published because it's not "Black" enough. He decides to write a book with every offensive Black stereotype he can think of — and gets a $1 million book deal. Screenwriter/director Cord Jefferson says he experienced something similar as a writer in Hollywood. Also, jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a new album from tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi.

This fall, Emmy-winning screenwriter Cord Jefferson (Watchmen, Succession, The Good Place, Master of None) has become a major Oscar contender for his directorial debut movie, the forthcoming (and deeply funny) American Fiction. So we wanted to ask Cord the truth about awards, competitiveness, race, external validation, and happiness. Also, the Men In Black soundtrack. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4O3jaJ1TN94 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sad news for all of us: producer Rachael Cusick— who brought us soul-stirring stories rethinking grief (https://zpr.io/GZ6xEvpzsbHU) and solitude (https://zpr.io/eT5tAX6JtYra), as well as colorful musings on airplane farts (https://zpr.io/CNpgUijZiuZ4) and belly flops (https://zpr.io/uZrEz27z63CB) and Blueberry Earths (https://zpr.io/EzxgtdTRGVzz)— is leaving the show. So we thought it perfect timing to sit down with her and revisit another brainchild of hers, The Cataclysm Sentence, a collection of advice for The End. To explain: one day in 1961, the famous physicist Richard Feynman stepped in front of a Caltech lecture hall and posed this question to a group of undergraduate students: “If, in some cataclysm, all of scientific knowledge were to be destroyed, and only one sentence was passed on to the next generation of creatures, what statement would contain the most information in the fewest words?” Now, Feynman had an answer to his own question—a good one. But his question got the entire team at Radiolab wondering, what did his sentence leave out? So we posed Feynman's cataclysm question to some of our favorite writers, artists, historians, futurists—all kinds of great thinkers. We asked them “What's the one sentence you would want to pass on to the next generation that would contain the most information in the fewest words?” What came back was an explosive collage of what it means to be alive right here and now, and what we want to say before we go. Featuring: Richard Feynman, physicist - The Pleasure of Finding Things Out (https://zpr.io/5KngTGibPVDw) Caitlin Doughty, mortician - Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs (https://zpr.io/Wn4bQgHzDRDB) Esperanza Spalding, musician - 12 Little Spells (https://zpr.io/KMjYrkwrz9dy)  Cord Jefferson, writer - Watchmen (https://zpr.io/ruqKDQGy5Rv8)  Merrill Garbus, musician - I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life (https://zpr.io/HmrqFX8RKuFq) Jenny Odell, writer - How to do Nothing (https://zpr.io/JrUHu8dviFqc) Maria Popova, writer - Brainpickings (https://zpr.io/vsHXphrqbHiN) Alison Gopnik, developmental psychologist - The Gardener and the Carpenter (https://zpr.io/ewtJpUYxpYqh) Rebecca Sugar, animator - Steven Universe (https://zpr.io/KTtSrdsBtXB7) Nicholson Baker, writer - Substitute (https://zpr.io/QAh2d7J9QJf2) James Gleick, writer - Time Travel (https://zpr.io/9CWX9q3KmZj8) Lady Pink, artist - too many amazing works to pick just one (https://zpr.io/FkJh6edDBgRL) Jenny Hollwell, writer - Everything Lovely, Effortless, Safe (https://zpr.io/MjP5UJb3mMYP) Jaron Lanier, futurist - Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now (https://zpr.io/bxWiHLhPyuEK) Missy Mazzoli, composer - Proving Up (https://zpr.io/hTwGcHGk93Ty)   Special Thanks to: Ella Frances Sanders, and her book, "Eating the Sun" (https://zpr.io/KSX6DruwRaYL), for inspiring this whole episode. Caltech for letting us use original audio of The Feynman Lectures on Physics. The entirety of the lectures are available to read for free online at www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu.All the musicians who helped make the Primordial Chord, including: Siavash Kamkar (https://zpr.io/2ZT46XsMRdhg), from Iran  Koosha Pashangpour (https://zpr.io/etWDXuCctrzE), from Iran Curtis MacDonald (https://zpr.io/HQ8uskA44BUh), from Canada Meade Bernard (https://zpr.io/gbxDPPzHFvme), from US Barnaby Rea (https://zpr.io/9ULsQh5iGUPa), from UK Liav Kerbel (https://zpr.io/BA4DBwMhwZDU), from Belgium Sam Crittenden (https://zpr.io/EtQZmAk2XrCQ), from US Saskia Lankhoorn (https://zpr.io/YiH6QWJreR7p), from Netherlands Bryan Harris (https://zpr.io/HMiyy2TGcuwE), from US Amelia Watkins (https://zpr.io/6pWEw3y754me), from Canada Claire James (https://zpr.io/HFpHTUwkQ2ss), from US Ilario Morciano (https://zpr.io/zXvM7cvnLHW6), from Italy Matthias Kowalczyk, from Germany (https://zpr.io/ANkRQMp6NtHR) Solmaz Badri (https://zpr.io/MQ5VAaKieuyN), from IranAll the wonderful people we interviewed for sentences but weren't able to fit in this episode, including: Daniel Abrahm, Julia Alvarez, Aimee Bender, Sandra Cisneros, Stanley Chen, Lewis Dartnell, Ann Druyan, Rose Eveleth, Ty Frank, Julia Galef, Ross Gay, Gary Green, Cesar Harada, Dolores Huerta, Robin Hunicke, Brittany Kamai, Priya Krishna, Ken Liu, Carmen Maria Machado, James Martin, Judith Matloff, Ryan McMahon, Hasan Minhaj, Lorrie Moore, Priya Natarajan, Larry Owens, Sunni Patterson, Amy Pearl, Alison Roman, Domee Shi, Will Shortz, Sam Stein, Sohaib Sultan, Kara Swisher, Jill Tarter, Olive Watkins, Reggie Watts, Deborah Waxman, Alex Wellerstein, Caveh Zahedi.EPISODE CREDITS Reported by - Rachael Cusick (https://www.rachaelcusick.com/)Our newsletter comes out every Wednesday. It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)! Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today. Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org Leadership support for Radiolab's science programming is provided by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Science Sandbox, a Simons Foundation Initiative, and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.