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One of the world's greatest storytellers is on board Alan Air! David Sedaris joins Alan to celebrate his brilliant new essay collection "The Land and Its People", and shares stories from his travels to 74 countries.From his unforgettable first trip to Greece, the holiday romance that could have changed his life forever, and why Japan completely changed him, to meeting the Pope, travelling with his wonderfully mischievous sister Amy, getting bitten by a dog, and the tiny travel annoyances that drive him mad, this is David Sedaris at his hilarious best.Packed with razor-sharp observations, outrageous stories and laugh-out-loud moments, this is one journey you won't want to miss.00:00 Welcome aboard, David Sedaris01:30 Dressing like you're in a cult02:10 The Land and Its People and the art of oversharing04:10 Visiting 74 countries and why South America keeps calling05:20 The famous "You're trash!" airline story06:20 David's unforgettable first trip to Greece08:20 The holiday romance that might have changed his life09:45 Hugh, love stories and handsome husbands13:50 Does David write for the page or the stage?15:40 Getting bitten by a dog... and blamed for it19:45 Why Japan completely changed him21:20 Adventurous eating abroad22:50 His growing list of life's biggest irritations25:30 Amy Sedaris' holiday pranks28:20 David's hidden gem in West Sussex30:20 Meeting the Pope inside the Vatican32:10 Who has real star quality?33:15 Quick Fire, making our descent#LifesABeachPodcast #DavidSedaris #AlanCarr #TheLandAndItsPeople #TravelPodcast #ComedyPodcast #TravelStories #Japan #Greece #Books #Author #Humour #Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on Sinica, a rare treat: an in-person recording from Beijing with two dear friends who happen to be two of the very best in the business on technology and China — Samm Sacks and Paul Triolo, fresh off the exhibition floor of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. We dig into Xi Jinping's first in-person WAIC appearance and his most extensive statement on AI to date, the launch of the World AI Cooperation Organization, Moonshot's release of Kimi K3, the Trump administration's reported push to shut Chinese open-weight models out of the U.S. market, the coming age of agents, the untranslatable problem of ānquán, and what to expect from the first U.S.-China AI dialogue in September.8:51 – The view from the floor: heat, humidity, robot boxing grandmas, WeChat-gated free water, and the "AI+" vibe — why WAIC 2026 felt less like an AI conference than a sector-by-sector snapshot of China's entire economy being supercharged with AI, with attendance swelling to some 200,000 tickets16:32 – Why Xi showed up: what the leader's first in-person WAIC appearance and his most extensive AI statement to date signal, and why domestic drivers matter as much as geopolitics18:01 – Chapter and verse: which phrases from the speech will be put to work in the system — "secure and orderly development" and the governance of agents, and Xi's strikingly extensive language on AI safety after China was frozen out of the Paris process22:26 – The ānquán problem: one word meaning both "safety" and "security," the three buckets of AI risk, and how China's safety community has moved from bias and deepfakes toward CBRN and loss-of-control concerns — Black Mirror versus Star Trek28:14 – Shanghai's baby: how WAIC's ownership structure differs from the CAC-run World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Chen Jining's very visible host duties, and whether the center of gravity in AI policy is shifting to the Yangtze River Delta30:05 – WAICO: what the new World AI Cooperation Organization with its 29 founding members is actually for, Xi's concrete deliverables for the Global South — 5,000 AI training slots, regional cooperation centers, the MAZU early-warning system — and healthy skepticism about follow-through34:39 – Kimi K3: what's technically significant in Moonshot's big new model, why it's the fourth arguably frontier-class Chinese release in a single month, the two-way traffic in distillation accusations, and what it all says about the state of the frontier gap four years into export controls40:33 – Washington reacts: the reported menu of options for shutting Chinese open-weight models out of the U.S. — entity listings, a draft executive order, supply-chain security authorities — and why none of the tools actually fit the problem49:36 – Strange bedfellows: David Sacks versus the "closed lab duopoly," the FUD strategy, why some 80% of Andreessen Horowitz portfolio companies reportedly run on Chinese open models, and how gating U.S. frontier models while Chinese weights flow freely supercharges the AI sovereignty argument worldwide54:55 – The model is infrastructure, the agent is the product: the ByteDance–ZTE agentic phone, the CAC's new initiative on agent trust and interoperability, and why agents fused into operating systems upend both super-app walled gardens and China's data protection regime1:02:27 – An exegesis of kěkòng: the many meanings of "controllable," the long history of ānquán kěkòng in Chinese tech policy, and the unanswered question of who — CAC, NDRC, or somebody new — actually owns AI safety in either system1:08:54 – The road to September: what to expect from the first U.S.-China AI dialogue, why Mythos tops the Chinese grievance list, the securitization feedback loop that starves trust-and-safety advocates of resources on both sides, and why recursive self-improvement makes this feel like a last, best chancePaying It ForwardPaul nominates Tony Peng, whose Substack RecodeChinaAI offers sharp, well-written analysis of the application side of China's AI industry — part of an impressive new generation of independent China tech writers. Samm gives a shout-out to Professor Zhu Yue of Tongji University Law School, published in Science and doing pioneering work at the intersection of disability law and AI law.RecommendationsSamm: The Land and Its People by David Sedaris — laugh-out-loud funny, especially the "Enough is Enough" chapter; Transcription by Ben Lerner, a perfect small novel about fathers, sons, memory, and technology as enabler or disabler of connection; and Didion and Babitz, on Joan Didion and Eve Babitz and the 1970s California rock scene.Paul: The Party's Interests Come First by Joseph Torigian — dense but beautifully written, and essential for understanding the current Chinese leadership.Kaiser: A fiction-only summer! Stoner by John Williams, a small life told most grandly in some of the most beautiful sentence-level writing anywhere; Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, an epistolary novel dense with distilled wisdom from a dying Iowa minister; and Wang Xiaobo's The Golden Age (黄金时代) in Yan Yan's excellent new translation — bawdy, hilarious, and super Beijing-y despite its Cultural Revolution setting.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
One of the world's greatest storytellers is on board Alan Air! David Sedaris joins Alan to celebrate his brilliant new essay collection "The Land and Its People", and shares stories from his travels to 74 countries.From his unforgettable first trip to Greece, the holiday romance that could have changed his life forever, and why Japan completely changed him, to meeting the Pope, travelling with his wonderfully mischievous sister Amy, getting bitten by a dog, and the tiny travel annoyances that drive him mad, this is David Sedaris at his hilarious best.Packed with razor-sharp observations, outrageous stories and laugh-out-loud moments, this is one journey you won't want to miss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Give us about fifteen minutes a day, and we will give you all the local news, sports, weather, and events you can handle. SPONSORS: Many thanks to our sponsors… Annapolis Subaru, the SPCA of Anne Arundel County, MacMedics, Covington Alsina, and Hospice of the Chesapeake. A homicide investigation is underway in Odenton, Anne Arundel County continues recovering from a weekend of severe storms and widespread power outages, David Sedaris is headed to Maryland Hall for a night of laughs, and Homestead Gardens has rebranded its popular Davidsonville event venue. Those stories and more are coming up on today's DNB. DAILY NEWS EMAIL LINK: https://forms.aweber.com/form/87/493412887.htm Ann Covington from CovingtonAlsina is also here with her Monday Money Report! The Eye On Annapolis Daily News Brief is produced every Monday through Friday at 6:00 am and available wherever you get your podcasts and also on our social media platforms--All Annapolis and Eye On Annapolis (FB) and @eyeonannapolis (X) NOTE: For hearing-impaired subscribers, a full transcript is available on Eye On Annapolis.
With the 4th of July in the rearview mirror, we are nearing (or past, depending on how you measure it) the midpoint of summer and for many of us, that means a little extra time to catch up on all the books, movies, and music that is being released this year. To break down the summer culture standouts, Chloe was joined in the studio by Vogue's Deputy Editor Taylor Antrim and Senior Fashion Writer Hannah Jackson. The trio began by discussing the major sports moment that seems to be happening even more this summer than ever before. There's no shortage of sports to watch—the recent Knicks victory, the WNBA season, Wimbledon and the US Open, the World Cup, and the Tour de France. Taylor, who has been following the cycling, is most closely watching Tadej Pogačar (who apparently looks uncannily like his son) and Jonas Vingegaard, whose beautiful love story was covered in our I.W.W.T.H. column. They then moved onto cinema. Taylor, as the resident horror watcher, shouted out the two big horror films that have stormed the summer box offices: Backrooms and Obsession, both directed by up and comers. Honorable mentions also went out to The Invite, a film they all saw and loved from Olivia Wilde, and Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma from indie darling Jane Schoenbrun. The movie with perhaps the most buzz at Vogue this summer is Christopher Nolan's upcoming remake of The Odyssey. “It's a thinking person's blockbuster,” Taylor joked. Though the panelists couldn't reach consensus on Oppenheimer, they are all jazzed about this pick (though Hannah is a little skeptical of Matt Damon as Odysseus). In keeping with the theme of Odyssey Summer, Chloe's been reading Greek myths to her children for bedtime stories and listening to the podcast Greeking Out. When not reading children's books, Chloe is excited about this summer's literary offerings, especially those featured in our beach reads story for the summer issue. Some of the picks they have previewed or are looking forward to include Pool House by Mary H.K. Choi, Contrapposto by Dave Eggers, Freedom Essays by Zinzi Clemmons, The Land and Its People by David Sedaris, The Palm House by Gwendolyn Riley, and Book of Hours by Ellen O'Connell Whittet. It's also no secret that this has been yet another summer for the pop girls. Olivia Rodrigo's you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love is Hannah's favorite Olivia album yet. And the whole team is counting down the days until we get Gracie Abrams ,Charli XCX, and Phoebe Bridgers' new albums. And before they signed off, co-host Nicole Phelps shared a brief dispatch from the Fendi couture show in Rome! The Run-Through with Vogue is your go-to podcast where fashion meets culture. Hosted by Chloe Malle, Head of Editorial Content, Vogue U.S.; Chioma Nnadi, Head of British Vogue; and Nicole Phelps, Director of Vogue Runway, each episode features the latest fashion news and exclusive designer and celebrity interviews. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
When you have the natural curiosity of David Sedaris, ordinary observations turn into moments of humor and humanity. The best-selling author joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his latest book of essays that lays out life in in the 21st Century, from his walking habit that garnered him a garbage truck, his souvenir from meeting the Pope, and what he thinks of life, death and even our love of dogs. His newest book is “The Land and Its People.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Gwen & Kate catch up on the Southbank ahead of seeing David Sedaris live at the Royal Festival Hall. In a quick chat with margaritas to a buzzing London backdrop, we talk about a Anish Kapoor's brand-new shade of black, the height of petty artists' feuds and the amazing influencer and brand expert who was before her time: Frida Kahlo! Plus Pride and getting your bum felt on public transport. Find out more!For all RUMP info in one place: visit our linkt.reeGet a shout-out:Want a mention on the next RUMPette? Tell us your feedback or what you do to make yourself feel good: rightupmypodcast@gmail.comSupport RUMP: If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe, share with your friends and leave a review. It takes less than 60 seconds and really makes a difference in helping people discover the podcast. Thank you!Join the RUMP Club! Support the team and access exclusive content from as little as £3 p/month at: Right Up My Podcast | PatreonOr, if you'd like to make a one-off donation, you can buy us a virtual coffee from Buy Me a Coffee!Be social with us:Instagram Facebook TikTokThank you to our team:Music – Andrew GrimesArtwork – Erica Frances GeorgeSocial Media – Kate BallsRUMPette Voiceover – Dave Jones
Sarah Velk joined the Salt Lake Dirt podcast to discuss her literary journey, moving from Los Angeles to New York, where she co-founded the reading series Punisher. Alongside co-founder Kennedy Wright, Velk established the series to challenge the rigid, academic tropes often associated with traditional literary events, opting instead for an energetic, inclusive atmosphere that features both established and emerging writers. The conversation also touched upon her publication in Hobart, and an early childhood encounter with David Sedaris.Beyond her event organizing, Velk maintains an active writing profile, sharing cultural commentary and fiction through her portfolio and digital platforms. The full interview is available across major audio distribution networks. ---Episode Links:Substack: @svelkaIG: @sareiouslySarahVelk.comIG: @punisher.nyc
In THIS stunning stunner of an episode: Peter Brings: The Shining by Stephen King: https://hpld.na4.iiivega.com/search/card?id=f96ddded-791c-5425-9d5c-36f620e9d31c&entityType=FormatGroup Paradox Twins by Joshua Chaplinsky Event Horizon: Dark Descent by Christian Ward https://hpld.na4.iiivega.com/search/card?id=d1baf8a0-02a1-5d27-b7e1-9e8b744ad0b6&entityType=FormatGroup The Land and Its People by David Sedaris https://hpld.na4.iiivega.com/search/card?id=aa553fe6-aff4-59a6-a572-443fda9ba1e1&entityType=FormatGroup Meagan Brings: How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse by K. Eason https://hpld.na4.iiivega.com/search/card?id=0af2c5b6-5b89-5a91-880b-2810f27cd09b&entityType=FormatGroup Aliens vs. Avengers by Jonathan Hickman (Author), Esad Ribic (Illustrator, Cover Art) https://hpld.na4.iiivega.com/search/card?id=51f6dac3-3d06-55a0-92ff-720e541d3460&entityType=FormatGroup I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney https://hpld.na4.iiivega.com/search/card?id=4c667ee0-b23d-5a12-ae7a-476e327e37c6&entityType=FormatGroup Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert https://hpld.na4.iiivega.com/search/card?id=148ace67-f1e4-5564-8631-eed84645e824&entityType=FormatGroup
Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues David Sedaris, Humorist, author of “The Land and Its People” David Sedaris, author of the new essay collection, “The Land and Its People,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Originally known for his commentaries on “This American Life” on NPR, David Sedaris has now written 14 books, all of which have become best-sellers, including the early “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” and later “Calypso,” “Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls,” and collections of his diaries. He has a home in North Carolina, and lives in England. In this wide-ranging interview he discusses a wide variety of topics, including his relationship with his family, how he puts together an essay, his views on small talk and finding connections, and how growing old has affected his writing. Recorded June 9, 2026 at Book Passage bookstore in Corte Madera. California. Photo by Richard Wolinsky. Edmund White (1940-2025), “The Married Man,” 2000 Edmund White (1940-2025) discusses his novel “The Married Man” in a newly digitized interview conducted in the KPFA studios on June 10, 2000 with host Richard Wolinsky. Digitized, remastered and edited on June 20, 2026 and heard for the first time in over a quarter century. Edmund White wrote novels, memoirs, plays, essays, biographies, and various hybrids. He was the co-author of The Joy of Gay Sex, and worked extensively in the gay community during the AIDS crisis and later.By the time of his death, he'd published sixteen novels, one play, six works of non-fiction, three biographies, and six volumes of memoirs. The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – June 25, 2026: David Sedaris, “The Land and Its People” appeared first on KPFA.
Episode 314 of Irritable Dad Syndrome features movie theater annoyances, aging milestones, suspicious pizza shop activity, and an important lesson in proper yard work technique: first you whack, then you blow.This week includes:The guys just finished Episode 313 and they weren't sure how good it was, so they're concerned about what lies ahead for Episode 314Red Robin ain't what it used to beMike saw Backrooms again and there were a lot of annoying people in the theaterDarin started using one of them pill of the day boxesMike signed up for AARPFirst you whack then you blowSneek peek at the waffle story in Episode 315Potatoes are realHow does everybody know what liminal space means?The Hey Google lady transitioned into Sam ElliottSuspicious people outside the pizza placeMore about David Sedaris and his new bookBad high school teachersBloopersFrom getting older and embracing pill organizers to debating liminal spaces, movie theater etiquette, and the proper order of lawn care equipment, the guys somehow manage to make everything more complicated than it needs to be.#IrritableDadSyndrome #ComedyPodcast #DadHumor #FunnyPodcast #PodcastComedy #Backrooms #LiminalSpace #AARP #DavidSedaris #MovieTheater #GenX #MiddleAge #StorytellingPodcast #RedRobin #EverydayLife #RelatableHumorSupport the showThank you so much for listening to this episode! If you like what we do, please check out our other content! Follow our socials for announcements when we go LIVE and to become part of the show!All episode, videos, and more can be found on our website at: https://www.irritabledadsyndrome.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrritableDadSyndromeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@irritabledadsyndromeTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@irritabledadsyndromeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/irritabledadsyndrome/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@irritabledadsyndromeTwitter / X: https://x.com/DadIrritableTons of bonus and premium content (including archived, uncensored videos of episode recordings, unique merch, and more!) is all on our Patreon page! Join our Patrons today and support our show!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/irritabledadsyndrome
David Sedaris, author of the new essay collection, “The Land and Its People,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Originally known for his commentaries on “This American Life” on NPR, David Sedaris has now written 14 books, all of which have become best-sellers, including the early “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” and later “Calypso,” “Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls,” and collections of his diaries. He has a home in North Carolina, and lives in England. In this wide-ranging interview he discusses a wide variety of topics, including his relationship with his family, how he puts together an essay, his views on small talk and finding connections, and how growing old has affected his writing. Recorded June 9, 2026 at Book Passage bookstore in Corte Madera. California. Photo by Richard Wolinsky. The post David Sedaris, New Collection of Essays “The Land and Its People,” 2026 appeared first on KPFA.
Writer David Sedaris tells Rachel he doesn't mind being humiliated, because he knows it will wind up as great material. David's new book, “The Land and Its People,” is full of such material. In their conversation, David talks about his latest humiliations as well as the benefits of cleaning while angry and how a British radio soap opera reminds him of how lucky he is.To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcardSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Bill Maher and his guests answer viewer questions after the show. (Originally aired 6/12/26) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Legendary humorist David Sedaris stops by the studio to talk to Lovett about his new book of essays, "The Land and Its People," his father's support for Trump, and what he learned about liberals when he was bitten by a dog. They also unpack Sedaris's frustration with being labeled "queer," his nonnegotiable rule about what not to discuss in a relationship, and his unique approach to growing older.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here . For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast, episode title, and episode date.
Bill's guests are David Sedaris, Ian Bremmer, Hagar Chemali (Originally aired 6/12/26) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week on Irritable Dad Syndrome, the guys remind everyone to get their skin checked—and don't forget to get your ass checked too. Mike and Darin discuss a high school graduation where just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong, Darin's adventures meeting groovy people in Indianapolis, and the mystery of why Collective Soul never became even bigger than they were.Also this week: a brand-new Dave Lay Heating and Cooling commercial, Mike's fascination with The Backrooms, why Peggy is somehow short for Margaret, a Dunkin' Donuts employee who didn't know what a jelly doughnut was, David Sedaris' hilarious new book, and plenty more random nonsense.Topics Include:The Guys Want You To Get Your Skin Checked And Don't Forget To Get Your Ass Checked Too!How Many Things Can Go Wrong At A High School Graduation?Dave Lay Heating And Cooling - New CommercialDarin Met A Ton Of Groovy People In IndianapolisWhy Aren't Collective Soul More Popular?Stephen Colbert And Genevieve Were Fire On Public Access TelevisionMike Loved The BackroomsWhy Is Peggy Short For Margaret?Darin Has Started Full Naming ThingsLady At Dunkin Donuts Didn't Know What A Jelly Doughnut WasDavid Sedaris' New Book Is Really Really FunnyBloopers#IrritableDadSyndrome #ComedyPodcast #FunnyPodcast #PodcastLife #DadHumor #StandupComedy #CollectiveSoul #DavidSedaris #TheBackrooms #StephenColbert #GraduationStories #Indianapolis #JellyDoughnut #ComedyShow #PodcastRecommendationsSupport the showThank you so much for listening to this episode! If you like what we do, please check out our other content! Follow our socials for announcements when we go LIVE and to become part of the show!All episode, videos, and more can be found on our website at: https://www.irritabledadsyndrome.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrritableDadSyndromeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@irritabledadsyndromeTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@irritabledadsyndromeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/irritabledadsyndrome/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@irritabledadsyndromeTwitter / X: https://x.com/DadIrritableTons of bonus and premium content (including archived, uncensored videos of episode recordings, unique merch, and more!) is all on our Patreon page! Join our Patrons today and support our show!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/irritabledadsyndrome
Amy Sedaris & David Sedaris join host Andy Cohen. Listen to lively debates on everything from the latest drama surrounding your favorite Bravolebrities to what celebrity is making headlines that week live from the WWHL clubhouse.Aired on 06/04/26See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
David Sedaris talks about his latest essay collection The Land and Its People. He reveals the news he'd kept from his family, that he secretly married his long-time boyfriend Hugh in 2016, and he reflects on his Duolingo obsession, his visit with Pope Francis, the aging process, and more.
At a live performance at Joe's Pub in New York City, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan shares a chapter from her recent novel The Candy House. NYU's Dr. Chris Barrie speaks about AI, and tries to disentangle its potential as a threat to, or a savior of, humanity. Songwriter Rhett Miller (The Old 97s), who is an old friend and an admirer of Jennifer's, performs a brand new song in response.Chapters05:46Jennifer Egan reads a chapter of The Candy House16:28A conversation about AI with Dr. Christopher Barrie50:22"Near Eureka" performed live by Rhett MillerSongWriterPodcast.comInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcastYouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcastSongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
Subscribe to Throwing Fits on Patreon. On our weekly mini ep, the boyz are diving deep on this week's guest and touching on a variety of things we might have missed or simply must know more about, including but not limited to: A live reading of David Sedaris' all-time inscription for Chef's girlfriend, David's many Paris recommendations for us, and, yes, David Sedaris apparently owns A.PRESSE jeans.
Subscribe to Throwing Fits on Patreon. Our interview with David Sedaris is sardonic. David—best-selling author whose new book, The Land and Its People, is out now—was kind enough to join us in studio to chat losing Comme des Garçons in his hotel and how he gives his clothing away, his step count for the day and the current state of his disgusting feet, replacing the meth addiction from your 20s, Rei Kawakubo's impending retirement, if he walks into a store and bros try to talk to him he's walking out immediately, his many gripes with retail, weird gifts from weird fans and how he has learned to correct their behavior, living abroad and what he misses about America, as a gay man he's been rebranded a few times, meeting your husband because you needed to borrow a ladder, going to black movie theaters on Christmas, his thoughts on AI, the audience is his editor, executive orders if he was mayor of NYC, and much more on David Sedaris' interview with The Only Podcast That Matters™.
We want to believe our lives can be changed by the ideas contained in a book. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: When Alexa was seven, she started going through her grandfather's books. Her grandfather was a playwright and teacher, and through the books—and especially through his notes in the margins—she entered the world of 1930's American theater. And she found a book that changed her life: writer Moss Hart's autobiography Act One. (5 minutes)Act One: More of Alexa Junge and how Moss Hart's autobiography changed her life. She followed his path, learned specific lessons, and had a vision of him that was absolutely clear—until she met his widow. (10 minutes)Act Two: A book that changed a family's life—temporarily, and not for the better. David Sedaris on what happened when he found a dirty book in the woods and passed it along to his sisters. (9 minutes)Act Three: Reporter Jeremy Goldstein tells the story of a man who had many books change his life, even though he'd never read them. (14 minutes)Act Four: Writer Meghan Daum travels to De Smet, South Dakota—where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived and set most of her Little House books. What surprises her is how much it matches what she'd imagined. The people there seem to be genuinely living by the values Laura wrote about. (15 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.
Humorist and essayist David Sedaris has spent decades turning everyday awkwardness or family disfunction and travel disasters to some of the sharpest comedy in American letters. From ‘Me Talk Pretty One Day' to his longtime contributions to ‘The New Yorker' and ‘This American Life.' Sedaris has mastered the art of sounding both brutally honest and hilariously off hand. His brand-new book and collection is ‘The Land and its People.' David Sedaris will be at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck on 5/27, the speaking event is sold out. However, the singing line tickets are available.
Humorist David Sedaris says the best part of reading his work to an audience is earning the laughs — or the groans. "A collective groan is fine with me," he says. Sedaris reflects on his Duolingo obsession, AI, and why he'll continue writing and touring as long as he possibly can. His new book of essays is ‘The Land and Its People.' He spoke with guest interviewer Sam Fragoso, host of the podcast ‘Talk Easy.' Also, John Powers reviews two new mystery novels: ‘The End of the Sahara,' by the Algerian writer Saïd Khatibi, and ‘An Enigma by the Sea,' by Italian authors Carlo Fruttero and Franco Lucentini. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Humorist David Sedaris says the best part of reading his work to an audience is earning the laughs — or the groans. "A collective groan is fine with me," he says. Sedaris reflects on his Duolingo obsession, AI, and why he'll continue writing and touring as long as he possibly can. His new book of essays is ‘The Land and Its People.' He spoke with guest interviewer Sam Fragoso, host of the podcast ‘Talk Easy.' Also, John Powers reviews two new mystery novels: ‘The End of the Sahara,' by the Algerian writer Saïd Khatibi, and ‘An Enigma by the Sea,' by Italian authors Carlo Fruttero and Franco Lucentini. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about going through almost a decade of conversion therapy, dismantling the dogma of pseudo science with its added layer of spiritual discipline, feeling desperate to change, yearning for a place to belong, keeping faith without losing soul, holding onto journals with the sense of using them someday, the difficulty of having to revisit traumatic experiences, weaving in dark humor, being a present-day witness to the past and honoring the more innocent, naive version of ourselves, getting sober and writing from a place of peace, making discoveries in the memoir-writing process, the importance of platform for nonfiction authors, being present and active on social media before our memoirs come out, being a queer person of faith, loving the present day person we've become, and his new memoir Conversion Therapy Dropout: A Queer Story of Faith and Belonging. Also in this episode: -finding a writing community -the generosity of other writers -having a therapist on speed dial Books mentioned in this episode: -Boy Erased by Garrard Conley -All Down Darkness Wide by Sean Hewitt -Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott -How to Write an AUtobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee -books by David Sedaris -books by Augusten Burroughs Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez spent almost a decade in gay conversion therapy—all while working behind the scenes at some of the most influential Evangelical Christian megachurches. After embracing his identity as a gay Christian and stepping away from church work, he co-founded Church Clarity, an organization that helps queer people find affirming faith communities. His story and work have been featured by BBC Newshour, TIME, NBC, VICE, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, and Religion News Service. Born in the Midwest, he now calls New York City home, where he continues his work as a writer, digital strategist, and advocate for queer people of faith. His first book is Conversion Therapy Dropout: A Queer Story of Faith and Belonging. Connect with Timothy: Website: https://www.conversiontherapydropoutbook.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timothy.s.rodriguez Threads: https://www.threads.com/@timothy.s.rodriguez Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@timothy.s.rodriguez Substack: https://timothysrodriguez.substack.com – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories. She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social
Married couple Sonia Khan and Ian Lovatt tell the story of a near-death experience and the long journey of recovery. Caregiving researcher Dr. Brianna Morgan speaks about ageism and giving a voice to people living with compromised communication abilities through poetry. Composer and drummer Tom Marsh remembers life-altering advice Ian gave him, and shares a new song called "Illuminate."Chapters:01:02Sonia begins the story28:39Dr. Brianna Marsh speaks about caregiving48:57Tom Marsh debuts "Illuminate"SongWriterPodcast.comInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcastYouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcastSongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: even more adaptations and reading hangovers Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: Kaytee and Meredith do a mid year reading check-in Before We Go: our new segment featuring a bookish friend post and Kaytee brings something she is currently curious about Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site). . . . 1:45 - Bookish Moments of the Week 1:54: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 4:14 - Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe 5:34 - Books & Books 6:42 - Current Reads 6:49 - Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi (Kaytee) 9:10 - Book Talk, Etc 9:14 - Thoughts From A Page 10:28 - The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon (Meredith) 10:46 - The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon 12:45 - The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon 15:21 - Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz (Kaytee) 15:34 - The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz 19:10 - Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn (Meredith) 21:00 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live 23:56 - The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) by Rabih Alameddine (Kaytee) 27:25 - An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine 29:08 - Dissolution by Nicholas Binge (Meredith) 30:23 - Ascension by Nicholas Binge 30:54 - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 31:04 - Recursion by Blake Crouch 34:42 - Deep Dive: Mid-Year Reading Check-In 37:07 - The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower 40:57 - The Once and Future Queen by Paula Lafferty 41:55 - The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley 42:16 - Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being In Love by isthisselfcare 43:57 - The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer 44:01 - We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer 44:53 - Book Talk, Etc 47:03 - Vigil by George Saunders 47:18 - Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn 50:31 - Before We Go Meredith highlights a bookish friend post Kaytee brings something she's curious about 54:31 - The Land and Its People by David Sedaris 55:57 - Caleb Bouchard on Instagram Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. May's IPL is brought to us from a new to us bookstore, Book & Books in Coral Gables, Florida Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads | Substack | Youtube The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
[Don't let the length of this podcast be daunting. You won't want to miss any of it!]Kathy talks with Joana P.R. Neves, writer, visual arts curator, and host of Exhibitionistas podcast, about the art of sarcasm and how sarcasm is portrayed through art. They dive deep into their own sarcastic nature - why and when they are sarcastic, how others are affected by sarcasm, and the difference between irony and sarcasm. Joana shares how she unknowingly experienced British sarcasm and educates Kathy on what the word polymath means. Tune in and learn how sarcasm is social activism, people who are sarcastic don't emote much, and how sarcastic people are comfortable being in discomfort.The conversation goes from sarcasm as art to art being sarcastic. Kathy and Joana discuss whether art needs to be understood and what the saying "steal like an artist" means to them. Be sure to listen to the end of the episode to learn how Joana is going to become an influencer because of a word she created during the conversation!This is one conversation you don't want to miss (and you may want to take water breaks throughout to stay hydrated from laughing so much)!Listen to Exhibitionistas and follow Joana P.R. Neves on Instagram.Follow Women Who Sarcast podcast on IG @womenwhosarcast and Women Who Podcast magazine @womenwhopodcastmagazine. Get the current issue of Women Who Podcast magazine at womenwhopodcastmag.com.Show music provided by Drrrakhan.All content © 2026 Women Who Sarcast and WWS Productions.
Filmmaker and actress Isabella Rossellini describes the night she went to see Temple Grandin speak at Hunter College, and ended up enrolling in graduate school to study animal behavior at the age of 60. Isabella's friend and professor Dr. Diana Reiss speaks about her research work with animals, and the importance of seeing them not just as species, but as individuals. Rock star Sharon Van Etten explains why this project meant the world to her, and performs a new song titled "for Isabella."Chapters:09:30Isabella Rossellini describes how Darwin decoded animal intelligence using photography24:11Dr. Diana Reiss tells a story about a dolphin who turned her training methods back on her38:39Sharon Van Etten speaks about the catharsis of writing about intensity and darknessSongWriterPodcast.comInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcastYouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcastSongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
SCREEN QUEENS: "Running Point," "Should I Marry a Murderer," "Wuthering Heights," and more! David Sedaris on "CBS Mornings" on why dogs are everywhere, and Chonkers the sea lion takes over San Francisco's Pier 39See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On this episode of Currently Reading, we are revisiting an episode from season 1! On episode 8, Meredith and Kaytee discussed reading slumps and how to get through them. Kaytee is bopping around the world, so we hope you enjoy this blast to the past. (head on over to the original show notes HERE to see the photos Meredith references in her bookish moment) Bookish Moments: lovely neighbors and bucket list trips with friends Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: reading slumps, how we deal with them, and some book recs to help get you through them Books We Want To Press Into Your Hands: each host brings a book they want everyone to read Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site). . . . 5:12 - Moonlight in Vermont AirBnB in Stowe, VT 6:54 - Bear Pond Books in Stowe, Vermont 7:45 - The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg (Kaytee) 7:58 - Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin 10:22 - A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (Meredith) 10:30 - Notes From a Small Island by Bill Bryson 13:00 - Siblings without Rivalry by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish (Kaytee) 13:25 - How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish 13:30 - How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish 15:51 - Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman 17:24 - Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips (Meredith) 20:12 - A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult (Kaytee) 21:40 - Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult 25:36 - Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman (Meredith) 27:13 - The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin 28:00 - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 28:42 - The Vanderbeeker's of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser 33:28 - To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee 34:11 - Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi 39:40 - Calypso by David Sedaris 40:39 - Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris 41:13 - Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002 by David Sedaris 43:47 -Max: Best Friend. Hero. Marine. by Jennifer Li Shotz 43:53 - Hero by Jennifer Li Shotz 46:15 - And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. April's IPL is brought to us from a new to us bookstore, Two Friends Books in Bentonville, Arkansas Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads | Substack | Youtube The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
In this episode Niyonagira Laurence recounts her experience of the Rwandan genocide. She talks about the process of forgiving Mutiribambe Aloys – a neighbor who killed members of her family – after he returned to the village from prison. Aloys speaks how terrifying it was to return to the village, and what happened when his son fell in love with Laurence's daughter. Dr. Valentine Ngalim speaks about his research on forgiveness in Kenya. Laurence's daughter Uwizeyimana Solange remembers processing her understanding of the genocide as a child, and how she decided to marry Aloys's son, Uwizeyimana Vedaste. Vedaste describes the song he wrote about their story, “Imboni Y'ibyiza.” To read an English translation of the song, you can go to the SongWriter episode page.Chapters:00:02:25Laurence and Aloys' story00:21:48Dr. Valentin Ngalim's perspective on forgiveness00:38:52Solange and Vedaste's storySongWriterPodcast.comInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcastYouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcastSongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
What happens when a white Jewish woman asks a black Christian woman to “get together and talk about race”? For authors Asha Youmans and Alli Frank, it was the beginning of a bestselling writing partnership. In this episode of Every Soul Has a Story, host Dara Levan sits down with this dynamic duo to discuss their fifth book, Run for Your Life, Callie Kingman, and their mission to tackle hard topics—like race, religion, and privilege—through humor and joy. They reveal the surprising pushback they've faced from publishers who feared their partnership was “exploitative,” the hilarious rejection of a controversial book title, and how their decades in education gave them the thick skin needed to navigate the publishing industry. Listeners will learn about their unique writing process, how they navigate disagreements, and why they believe everyone is just trying to do their best.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro0:53 - How they decide what's funny2:30 - David Sedaris quote: “Everything is funny eventually”4:09 - How Asha and Alli first met6:43 - The coffee date to “talk about race”8:45 - The mission: using humor and joy13:45 - Learning through laughter15:50 - The one-star review about veganism17:30 - Dealing with feedback from cultural readers20:14 - How they handle disagreements21:26 - Parsing out personal reactions from the scene24:08 - The common thread: everyone is doing their best28:59 - Who gets to write which characters?34:55 - The truth about trigger warnings in publishing39:40 - Publishers' concerns about exploitation44:08 - Their tight editing process52:09 - Their creative process: Ally Lane and the green lightRESOURCES:https://alliandasha.com/Dara Levan / Every Soul Has a Story:• https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/• Website: daralevan.com
At a live performance at The Guild in Charlottesville, Virginia, bestselling novelist and professor Bruce Holsinger reads a short story he wrote about a troublesome cat. Dr. Jennifer McQuiston speaks about the connections between animal welfare and human flourishing, her time at CDC, and her current work as a veterinarian. Super group The Golden Hours (which combines Lowland Hum and David Wax Museum) performs a brand new song in response called "One More Photo," and talks about developing their mission and sound.Chapters:02:42Bruce reads "River Cat"28:06Dr. McQuiston talks about her work 48:30"One More Photo" by The Golden HoursSongWriterPodcast.comInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcastYouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcastSongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, Joyce Carol Oates, David Sedaris, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
The Buddies crack open David Sedaris's "Me Talk Pretty One Day," a collection of essays about his childhood, being an artist, and speaking French. Or as the Buddies characterized it, ‘Bohemian Bill Simmons without the basketball references.' The Buddies navigate through stories about terrible dads, fancy French dinners, and the eternal struggle of learning adjectives in Paris while desperately missing going to the movies. They got to talking about judging people, the Walkman, and debate the merits of crystal meth addiction. Want a quick read, and fun book to open up while at your in-laws (or on the toilet), well look no further, join the Buddies as we also try and talk pretty one day. Intro/Book Report (0:00-2:01)Stock Up/Down (2:02-35:45)Favorite Store (35:46-38:37)Love/Hate/Reviews (38:38-46:22)Conclusion (46:23-49:06) NEXT BOOK: 1984 by George Orwell
An unhinged moment.
Filmmaker and director Ali Selim shares a story about his father, and the complicated weight of forgiveness without reconcilliation. Dr. Emily Gaarder talks about her work in restorative justice, and explains why she sometimes refers to forgiveness as “the F-word.” Songwriter Carla Kihlstedt recalls her long relationship with Ali and his work, and shares a brand new song. Special thanks to FilmNorth for hosting the live event, and to New England Conservatory's Department of Recording and Performance Technology Services, and to audio engineer Collin Register.Chapters:00:02:38Ali Selim's story00:16:28Dr. Emily Gaarder's perspective00:42:29Carla Kihlstedt's "I Am a Fish"SongWriterPodcast.comInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcastYouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcastSongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, David Sedaris, Joyce Carol Oates, and George Saunders. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
More from Naked, and lots of writing talk.
Actors Jesse Eisenberg, Rosie Perez, and David Patrick Kelly performed a reading of “Cash and Carry,” a personal essay written by David Sedaris for The New Yorker, to kick off a conversation with listeners about the challenges and joys of being neighbors, our duty to strangers, and the unique possibility of connection and disconnection in New York City. Join WNYC and Theater Of War for a series of programs hosted by Kai Wright and TOW artistic director Bryan Doerries that re-imagine works of journalism in innovative and engaging ways, including performances by acclaimed actors. Listeners called in to share stories of neighbors helping neighbors, or deciding not to, and reflected on the particular character of New Yorkers' approach to those who need help.
The Buddies dive into Tana French's "The Searcher”, a book that proves the worst midlife crisis decision isn't buying a Ferrari, it's moving to a shack in rural Ireland to escape your problems. This one had all the elements of a Western noir transplanted to the Irish countryside. The Buddies got into discussing a few topics around cookie-stealing neighbors , what phrases start fights (add "Sunny Jim" to the list), living by a code (Omar from The Wire style), and if you should automatically assume a character a figment of the main characters imagination in any thriller. So pour yourself a nice Irish whisky, practice your Irish brogue, and join the other Buddies who cozy up by the fire to read The Searcher. Intro/Book Report (0:00-3:36)Stock Up/Down (3:37-30:17)Favorite Scene/Character (30:18-35:27)Love/Hate/Casting the Movie (35:28-43:06)Conclusion (43:07-45:10) NEXT BOOK: Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Brazilian poet and film editor Maria Rezende reads a poem about a man who could not forgive her. Dr. Rita de Cacia Oenning da Silva and Kurt Shaw speak about how the poem made them think about national issues of reconciliation and justice. Songwriter Pedro Mann speaks about a difficult relationship with his father, and shares a song on forgiveness called "Perdoa."SongWriterPodcast.comInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcastYouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcastSongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, David Sedaris, George Saunders, and many more. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
Brothers J and Eric talk about the 2025 film "Relay," starring Riz Ahmed, Lily James, and Sam Worthington. It's a great little thriller, reminiscent of the Hitchcock films of old. Eric liked it more than J but both recommend it. Housekeeping starts at 37:08 during they talk about a new dishwasher, a new mesh WiFi router system, the movie "Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die," AI attached to one's Blink doorbell camera, virtual voices, and voice replicants. Drew drops in at 59:20 to weigh in on Relay. J talks about the documentary series "I Bid You Peace," about Frugal Gourmet Jeff Smith which leads to memories of Justin Wilson and Martin Yan. This lead to memories of Robert Fulghum, Spalding Gray, David Sedaris, and Mike Daisey. This lead to Bill Maher and Keith Olbermann. File length 1:20:17 File Size 56.0 MB Theme by Jul Big Green via SongFinch Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts Listen to us on Stitcher Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Send your comments to show@notinacreepyway.com Visit the show website at Not In A Creepy Way
Director Helen Cho shares a story that she wrote for SongWriter about learning to appreciate her mother's perspective on caregiving and life. Dr. Komal Patel Murali talks about the burdens and challenges of first generation immigrants, especially in their relationships with their parents. Songwriter Alison Mosshart of The Kills talks about her long friendship with Helen, and how she wrote a rocker about rebellion and joy.SongWriterPodcast.comInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcastYouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcastSongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, David Sedaris, George Saunders, and many more. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
Filmmaker and director Silas Howard reads a story about caring for his mother in the years before her death. Dr. Fayron Epps speaks about her research in caregiving, and about caregivers who struggle with complicated and often painful family memories. Songwriter and performer Dorian Wood speaks about rejecting “chrono-normativity,” and shares a song called “Winooski (Time-Shifting Waltz).”Chapters00:05:31Silas Howard reads a piece about his mother's struggle with addiction and dementia00:21:12Dr. Epps speaks about her work in the faith community and with the families struggling with the challenges of caring for people experiencing dementia00:30:05Dorian Wood talks about her work and practiceSongWriterPodcast.comInstagram.com/SongWriterPodcastFacebook.com/SongWriterPodcastTikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcastYouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcastSongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, David Sedaris, George Saunders, and many more. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com. Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation
Luke heard back from David Sedaris after emailing him yesterday about a detail from a recent essay. Luke and Andrew also discuss the absolutely bonkers Thursday Night Football game last night, and how Jay-Z helped the Seahawks win. And they hear from a former banker who has some intel on bad pennies.
Luke is trying to reach David Sedaris in order to save his own sanity, but he's worried his email won't get through. He and Andrew also discuss Luke's rewatch of When Harry Met Sally and Andrew's discovery of Nick and Nora in The Thin Man.
When a dog bite becomes a social experiment… in Portland.
Travel nightmares, cocktail jazz, & laughing gas…oh my! This week, JVN is joined by comedian and certified delight, Heather McMahan (host, Absolutely Not) They're talking: baths vs. showers, jazz scatting, preferred quesadilla orders, comedy in 2025, mid-flight medical emergencies, eyelashes, meeting people where they're at, finding rituals that ground you, healthcare in the UK, The Golden Bachelor, and much much more! Heather McMahan is an actress, comedian, and podcaster whose sharp humor and self-deprecating storytelling have made her one of the most beloved voices in comedy today. Her Netflix special Son I Never Had! debuted in 2023 to widespread acclaim, holding a Top 10 position for a full week. Known for her candor, relatability, and ability to find humor in chaos, Heather has toured internationally, selling out iconic venues including Radio City Music Hall during her Comeback Tour. She's been called “an auditory David Sedaris for the millennial set” by The Hollywood Reporter and continues to connect with fans across stand-up, television, and her hit podcast: Absolutely Not Catch her in The Bamboozled Tour continuing this spring. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube. Follow Heather McMahan on Instagram @heatherkmcmahan Follow Getting Better on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices