Podcast appearances and mentions of Ira Glass

Stories of high drama from America's workplaces — surprising, emotional places full of the greed, jealousy, and ambition of real politics. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: We hear three stories of how conflicts are resolved in offices. Two of those stories come from sociologist Calvin Morrill, who studied the executive suites at a number of large companies in his book The Executive Way: Conflict Management in Corporations. The last story comes from host Ira Glass, who talks about how he ended up punching his own boss in the stomach in front of all his co-workers. (12 minutes)Act One: Starlee Kine with the story of a company in turmoil. A young employee gets in a jam and discovers that in times of trouble, when all else has failed, companies in her industry turn to one woman in a suburban home in Long Island, who solves their corporate problems while the TV plays in the background. (12 minutes)Act Two: David Rakoff discusses the world of birthdays and other holidays, as they're celebrated on the job... and what happens when you call yourself an editorial assistant but the editor you're assisting calls you a secretary. He read this story before a live audience at Town Hall in New York City, during a This American Life live show. (15 minutes)Act Three: Julie Snyder explains the office politics of street vendors on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Eighth Street in New York City. With her is sociologist Mitch Duneier, who spent years working with the vendors and writing about them for his book Sidewalk. (14 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

How to Fix Boring Brand Podcasts If we're going to be perfectly honest, many branded podcasts are either boring or they sound just like a recycled commercial. To win the hearts and minds of your B2B target audience, you must move beyond generic corporate messaging and create high-quality content that addresses your listeners' needs. So how can brands produce engaging content that will resonate with their audiences, and what strategic role does B2B storytelling play?That's why we're talking to Jen Moss (Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, JAR Podcast Solutions), who shared her expertise and strategic insights on how to fix boring brand podcasts. During our conversation, Jen discussed the importance of creating engaging brand podcasts that build trust and loyalty. She explained why B2B podcasts should go beyond product promotion and focus on deeper stories and societal issues. Jen also highlighted the need for creative courage, proper planning, rigorous pre-production, and engagement with the audience. She advised against rushing into production without proper ideation and marketing budget. Jen also underscored the power of authentic B2B storytelling and cautioned against relying too heavily on AI for content creation. https://youtu.be/sVlsvotzFEE Topics discussed in episode: [02:22] The definition of a successful brand podcast: It shouldn’t just be a CEO talking about products, but rather a way to facilitate deeper conversations on industry issues.  [05:12] Why brands need “creative courage” to stand out in a saturated market, including experimenting with fiction or narrative formats.  [08:32] How to tell a good B2B story by focusing on “beats,” high stakes, and the transparent struggle rather than just the solution.  [17:28] The top pitfalls in podcasting: Failing to budget for marketing, ignoring audience analytics, and drop-off rates.  [29:25] A real-world example of how Genome BC used human storytelling to make complex scientific topics accessible and engaging.  [37:40] Why using AI purely for speed and volume is a mistake, and why the mission of podcasting should be connection, not efficiency. Companies and links mentioned: Jen Moss on LinkedIn  JAR Podcast Solution  Genome BC Bumper Ira Glass Cory Doctorow Nice Genes! Podcast Another Round Podcast Hot Ones Podcast Transcript Christian Klepp, Jen Moss Jen Moss  00:00 Podcasting, especially audio podcasting, I will say, is a sacred space between the ears. You are literally whispering in people’s ears if they don’t like what they’re hearing, if they start to feel like you’re shilling to them, they will yank out the earbuds and it’s game over for you. Christian Klepp  00:17 If we’re going to be perfectly honest, many brand podcasts are either boring or they just sound like a commercial. To win the hearts and minds of your target audience, you need to create content that serves your listeners and is something they actually want to hear. So how can you achieve that? And what role does B2B Marketing play in producing successful brand podcasts? Welcome to this episode of the B2B Marketers in the Mission podcast, and I’m your host, Christian Klepp, today I’ll be talking to Jen Moss, who will be answering that question. She is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of JAR Podcast Solutions, which helps create quality podcasts that earn trust. Tune in to find out more about what this B2B Marketers Mission is, okay, and I’m gonna say, Jen Moss, welcome to the show. Jen Moss  01:05 Thank you so much for having me. Christian Klepp  01:07 Great to have you on. We’ve had such a fantastic conversation before. I hit record. I probably should have recorded this earlier, but in any case, Jen Moss  01:14 Yes, if anyone needs any parenting tips, we got your back. Christian Klepp  01:18 Absolutely, absolutely that that book is coming out soon on Amazon. I’m just kidding, But Jen, really looking forward to this conversation, because, man, we are going to cover a topic which, you know, might rock the boat a little bit, but it’s all, you know, constructive, and you know, it’s all for the sake of growing in a positive way, right? Jen Moss  01:35 I think so, Christian Klepp  01:36 At least I like to think so. Jen Moss  01:38 That is the goal. Christian Klepp  01:39 Absolutely, absolutely, all right, so here it comes. So Jen, you’re on a mission to help brands craft story first, podcasts that earn trust, build loyalty and connect deeply with the audiences that matter most. So for today’s conversation, I’d like to zero in on the following topic. Here comes how to fix boring brand podcasts. I know we’ve got a ton to talk about, but let’s kick off this conversation with two questions, and I’m happy to repeat them. So what is it about brand podcasting that you wish more people understood? And number two is, where do most brand podcasts go wrong. Jen Moss  02:22 Okay, so those are both great questions, so that what is a branded podcast is probably a good place to start. A lot of people might think that it’s, you know, the CEO of a company talking about their products and services ad nauseam. And if you happen to want to buy those products and services, maybe you would listen to it, because you could get more information, like, kind of an informational, almost transactional thing. I think that’s what a lot of people imagine when they hear the words branded podcast. However, that there’s a lot more to branded podcasting than that, and a lot of the smarter sort of, I would say, savvy brands, the ones with kind of sophisticated marketing campaigns that are multifaceted, are looking at podcasting as a way to tell deeper stories, engage with conversations that are ongoing in society that really matter so, sort of a chance for the brand to show its stripes a little bit, and an opportunity to offer something to a target audience that is sort of like a kind of a gift. You know, like we’re going to give you something of value that you actually will benefit from or enjoy, learn something from, be emotionally moved by, you know, hear a good story, and it’ll be in an area that the brand cares about, that that kind of ticks the boxes in terms of, like, what are the brand’s values, but is not specifically, and this is very important, is not specifically related to the brand’s products and services, per se. So it’s more like, okay, the brand maybe exists in a certain wider industry, and there’s an issue in that industry that keeps coming up, or a new technology that’s affecting everything, something like that, something that needs to be talked about. And so they’ll, they’ll set out to kind of facilitate those kinds of conversations through their podcasts. And a branded podcast doesn’t need to be just a one on one interview. It could be, it could be a fiction podcast if you were feeling extra frisky and creative that day, you know, if you wanted to do something fun, like I had a conversation with a solar company not that long ago, and we actually pitched them a fiction podcast about a world powered by sun. And because we thought the opportunity for a solar panel company to sponsor a fiction podcast about a world powered by sun like sci-fi would be, would be exciting and different. Christian Klepp  05:11 How did that go? Jen Moss  05:12 Yeah, well, we didn’t end up getting that job because they didn’t have the creative courage to do it. And so this is, this is the kind of conversation that I’m always on with brands is like, have the creative courage to do something that’s a little out of the ordinary because there’s 500 million podcasts or whatever, so you’ve got to stand out. And so you’ve got to think about how to stand out, and one of the best ways to do that is to do something different that hasn’t been done before. For example, there is a great branded fiction podcast called Murder in HR, and it’s by an online HR platform company. And, you know, like, it’s just a scripted fiction true, true crime. It’s not really true because it’s scripted fiction podcast. But, you know, it’s kind of different and fun. So, so there’s stuff like that. There’s, you know what we would call narrative podcasting, which is a mixture of script and clip, where you’re kind of combining on scene recordings with interview tape, with narration, and kind of thoughtfully braiding all those things together, like an NPR (National Public Radio) storytelling experience or a CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) storytelling experience. So there’s all of that that can be part of branded podcasting, and so I just frankly think it’s kind of lazy when brands just decide that they’re going to talk about themselves indefinitely in a podcast. If I want to learn about a brand, I and buy something from them, I’ll go to their website. But if the brand wants to win hearts and minds and raise awareness and build trust and kind of operate on that deeper level to widen their impact. That’s where a podcast, and sponsoring a podcast, or getting behind the production of a podcast can really help. So that’s, I mean, I guess that kind of answers your second question, where do brands go wrong? And it’s usually with just doing the obvious, doing the thing that they think is the most direct route to a customer. And with podcasting, I try to remind people there is a difference between a customer and an audience. A customer is someone who already, at least wants to know more about your product and is thinking of buying maybe they’ve bought from you before. An audience may include those customers, but it may include other people as well who have a wider array of interests and are not yet, do not yet know that they need to buy a new pair of running shoes, but then the next time they need a new pair of running shoes, they may think of you because of that excellent podcast they listen to where you had all those celebrities on talking about the things that motivate them to push harder and go faster, right? So it’s just sort of, it’s a little bit of a roundabout way of winning customers by winning hearts and minds is how I would describe it. Christian Klepp  08:03 Yeah, winning hearts and minds. I like that. Now. That was a great way to open up this conversation. And thanks for sharing that I had two follow up questions for you. So let’s start with, you know, people loving to hear a good story, so let’s, let’s, let’s take a step back, because remember, the audience of this podcast. They’re mostly B2B Marketers. So from a B2B context, what would you how would you define what a good story is? Jen Moss  08:32 Yeah, that’s a great question. So I mean, a good story is told beat by beat, this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened. And here’s the lesson we took from it. Is one of the ways that it has been boiled down, I believe, by Ira Glass, you know, icon of podcasting. So I think you know thinking about even with B2B storytelling, if you’re telling a story that’s based in your industry, and you’re trying to position yourselves as thought leaders in that space. And let’s say you’re interviewing someone who is another company that sells a particular product, and you’re talking to them about a case study, instead of saying, like, what is the product and how does it work, try saying, tell us a story about a problem that someone was having. Start with the stakes, like, what would have happened if they didn’t solve that problem, what was at stake, then build to like how that problem got solved, and perhaps the product or service was involved, right, right? But build to how the problem was solved, so that there’s a bit of an arc from A to B to C to D, so that you start with a problem, work towards a solution. And and make sure to take the time to identify the stakes, like, what would have happened if it didn’t work. Where did it go wrong along the way? Where were the points where you thought, this is not going to work worse? We’re we’re hooped, you know, make sure that when you are telling stories, you’re actually telling the whole story, not just the win, not like we solved it this way, this way and this way. And aren’t we great? Nobody cares. That’s just bragging, and it comes across very badly in podcasting, podcasting, especially audio podcasting, I will say, is a sacred space between the ears. You are literally whispering in people’s ears. If they don’t like what they’re hearing, if they start to feel like you’re shilling to them, they will yank out the earbuds and it’s game over for you, right? They’ll go look at something else or go walk their dog, right? So you really have to just really focus in on the beat by beat. How are you going to hold attention throughout? You can also use sound design to support the tension arc of the story. And don’t be afraid to show the tough stuff, the hard stuff, the stuff that didn’t work, the stuff that even makes you look a bit foolish. We tried this as a brand. It didn’t work. We failed, but what we learned from that was this, right, if you can be a little bit transparent and a little bit more real, you will win hearts and minds, like I said, and if you want, if you can’t do that, people have a nose for BS, and they will smell it, and they will not take you as seriously. So it’s like a sacred duty to tell the truth, which is, which is challenging in a branded space where it’s all about spin and messaging and stuff like that. But the more you can do that, the more credible your content will be. Christian Klepp  11:56 Absolutely, absolutely. Yeah, on that topic, the ones I love the most, of the guys that say, like, you know, I, um, I lost my job and I moved to my parents basement, and now I’m making multiple six figures, all within the span of 12 months. Jen Moss  12:10 I mean, amazing, amazing. Not true, but also, at least they understand the tension arc. Christian Klepp  12:17 Yes, that’s certainly one way of looking at it, yeah, second follow up question. And I love this, like, creative courage, right? Jen Moss  12:28 Yeah. Christian Klepp  12:29 Not many people have it, if we’re going to be perfectly honest, right? Jen Moss  12:32 Yeah, I’m realizing that. I’m realizing that the older I get, the more I realize how rare it actually is creative courage. Yeah. Christian Klepp  12:40 Here’s the thing, like, Why do you think that that’s so prevalent, even in in the podcast space? Is it because it’s it because it’s it’s the unknown that people are worried about, like, what if it doesn’t work? Jen Moss  12:50 Yeah, if you think about podcasting, especially in a branded space, but really in any space, yeah, it’s a vulnerable act. You’re putting yourself out there, you’re putting your brand out there, you’re putting your stories out there, you’re putting your company out there. You’re putting, in some cases, your job on the line, right, by spending budget on this thing, right? So the so the stakes are real for the people involved, and it’s tricky, because striving for perfection right out of the gate is possibly a mistake. I think that podcasting has always been kind of an organic form where it evolves over time. You’ve got to study the audience data and see whether what you’re doing is actually resonating with your audience, and if it’s not, you’ve got to be prepared to pivot and change and adapt the storytelling, the timing, the pacing, the music, all of those things have to be a little bit up for grabs if the audience isn’t resonating. So I do think, I do think there’s that to consider, yeah. Christian Klepp  13:53 And I suppose people’s tastes very right, like, what people find is creative is very can be very subjective. Jen Moss  14:01 The creative bravery thing is tricky because of all the reasons I listed, but also because you’re right. It means different things to different people, like for a bank or some sort of finance institution or a pharma company in a very heavily regulated industry, to be like creatively brave in their storytelling is pretty difficult. It’s been, it’s been compared to putting up a tent in the rain, right? Trying to be creative in a corporate environment, putting up a tent in the rain with your spouse is one way to think about Christian Klepp  14:34 Putting up a tent in the rain with your spouse. And there’s a T-Rex sitting… Jen Moss  14:38 Graded by a bunch of Russian judges, yeah. Christian Klepp  14:42 Absolutely. Jen Moss  14:43 Yeah. It’s tricky, and so to maintain the principles of creativity within that environment is hard. So the principles of creativity include brainstorming, ideation, adaptation, experimentation, so trial and trial and error a little bit, and eventually, you through that process, that iterative process, you arrive at a really great finished work of art, hopefully. But those people who have not been through the creative process and trusted a bunch of you know flaky writers with their with their goals before, and I say that as a flaky writer, it’s it can be hard to trust the creative process if you’re not used to going through it. So if you are working in an industry where everything is about quarterly planning, everything is planned down to the minutia. List, list, list, bullet point, bullet point, bullet point, check, check, check, box. And then somebody’s coming in and saying, Well, what about if we explored this? And let’s discuss, Let’s hypothetically explore this topic. You know, there are personality types out there, and a lot of them are working in corporate jobs who are just like, No, I don’t know how to do that. I don’t trust it, and it totally freaks me out. So that kind of I would call it, like floating the creative balloon and batting it around for a while before you make a decision. Trying to create room for that process to happen before you launch your podcast is quite important, and giving proper space and time to that creative process is something that I think the more corporate and kind of button down podcasting becomes, the more I’m seeing that we have to fight that, because we have to be accountable with our timelines. We have to be accountable with our messaging. We have to be accountable with all this stuff. So that’s all very important. Brand safety matters. But if you don’t allow space for that creative ideation phase, and I would, I would argue, frankly, ongoing space within your process, then you will not rise the balloon as high as you could. You could probably still do something that is regularly released and has decent sound quality. So check, check, but is it going to win hearts and minds of audiences? Is it going to stand out 500 million other podcasts? No, it is not. Yeah. So that’s why it matters. Christian Klepp  17:17 Absolutely, absolutely. Moving on to key pitfalls to avoid. What are they and what should folks be doing instead? Jen Moss  17:28 I mean, there’s so there’s so many pitfalls. I don’t know where to start … Christian Klepp  17:32 Try to condense them into like, maybe, like the five, the top five that you’ve seen. Jen Moss  17:36 Well, let’s look at maybe, let’s look at the phases of doing a podcast, pre-production, production and post-production. So in pre-production, I think the big pitfalls are failing to allow time and space for creative ideation, rushing into it without proper consideration. I think failing to set aside budget to market your podcast can be a mistake, and I think budget for marketing is quite important because, well, we’ll get into that in post production, but one of the important ways for people to find podcasts is through ads on other podcasts, and that costs money. So there’s a little aspect of a pay to play nature that kind of creeps into podcasting. I think it’s important to be realistic about that. It’s not the only way to promote a podcast. There’s many good, organic ways, but if you can reserve some budget for marketing, I think it’s a good idea to do so. And yeah, I would say in pre-production, failure to think big and kind of have embraced blue sky thinking early on, what could this podcast be? Who is it for? Right? Those are very important questions. So at JAR, we have a system. We call the JAR system. It’s job, audience, result, and in pre production, that’s where we really focus on job and audience. What is the job of the podcast? Why are you doing it? Who is the audience? Who is it for? What do they need? Where do they hang out? Are they on audio platforms? Are they on video platforms? Are they YouTubers? Like, what you know? Who are you talking to, and why? Is very important. So job and audience, and then with production, once you get into that big phase. That’s where I think, I sort of say it’s like, point your skis and go, but also bend your knees, because things are going to come up and so, for example, I always recommend having three or four possible guests lined up to service an episode. Because if the first one that you’re going after falls through due to timing and unavailability in your production timeline, an amateur podcaster would just be like, well, that’s okay. I’ll wait till October, when you’re free, whereas I’m saying, no, no. So if you want to do a podcast on this topic, and it’s important to do it now because timeliness matters, then you need to have a couple of other options that are backup options for that guest if they’re unavailable, so things like that. So prepping backups to your backups for your guests is a really good idea so that you can keep your production moving forward and stay focused on the ideas that you’re you’ve determined to explore. So making a plan and then doing your best to stick to it, I think, but keeping your knees bent critically within that plan. Some people have said, Well, is it kind of like you write like a podcast Bible? And I’m like, No, it’s more of a pirate code, but you do need to have a code like there needs to be a plan going forward, but it can change. And then post production, I think the biggest thing is people fail to study their analytics, or fail to understand and interpret their analytics. So if you’re not looking at your audience data, then you’re not getting the most out of that those analytics platforms. So you should be looking at your Spotify data. You should be looking at your apple, podcast data, your YouTube data, the data from your hosting platform. At JAR, we use a company called Bumper. They’re a Canadian company that does a really nice job of pulling together a dashboard which shares a lot of valuable information about about how your podcast is performing. So you can actually see things like, Oh, I made a 30 minute podcast, but everyone’s dropping off at 21 minutes. I wonder why. So either make it really much more interesting at the 21 minute mark, or make a shorter podcast. That’s what the audience data is telling you, right? So being receptive and flexible, keeping your knees bent throughout is very important, and then using that data to feed back into the creative cycle, so that it becomes this circular process of testing and learning, studying the results, making changes, and you’re gradually honing your podcast into something that your audience really, really responds to. So that’s those are the pitfalls that we try to steer people through and around. Christian Klepp  22:08 That is a great list. And you probably, for those that are listening to the audio version of this, I was, I was nodding the whole time, but, um, one of the things that I would add in there, which I’ve seen happen, and it’s happened to me, and I’m not gonna say who it is, but like, you know, one of the things that they immediately did after having me as a guest on is they pushed me into a follow up call, which big surprise was a was a sales pitch. It’s like, Thank you for being on our show. By the way. Would you like to buy some advertising space in our magazine? Would you like to exhibit in our, you know, upcoming event. You know, for small business, you know, we only charge $10,000 you know, it’s not that much. It’s like, Jen Moss  22:47 For a lot of small businesses, that is a lot, right? Christian Klepp  22:50 Exactly. Jen Moss  22:50 It’s kind of like, to me, if you think of it like dating, you want to play a little bit cool, like, it’s great. You can think of a podcast as a networking tool, absolutely, but it’s you have to just not be like Johnny obvious about it, like, maybe, maybe wait a few months and then reach out and say, Hey, we’re having a special promotion, and we’re you people who have been on our show get a reduced rate or something like that. Sure. Christian Klepp  23:19 Yeah, exactly. Jen Moss  23:20 Or just trust the universe. You could also try that, which would be, I had a great you like you and I had a great connection on this podcast. We chat very well. We even talked before the recording about parenting. So, like, we kind of click. So like, if there were ever anything that we could help each other with, I’m sure we would at least be somewhat amenable to it, and maybe that’s enough. Maybe that’s enough, right? Christian Klepp  23:45 Yeah, probably, probably. Jen Moss  23:46 Yeah. So I think yes, it’s an opportunity to network, but it is also in the same way that yeah, between people’s ears is a sacred space. Also when someone comes on your show as an unpaid guest, which most podcasts? I think it’s worth pointing out that most podcast guests are unpaid, so they’re doing that out of the sort of the free desire of exchange of ideas, right? And so respecting that in and of itself is very important. And this is why podcasting has risen to such heights is because it is really grounded in that kind of authentic communication, where people are really trying to figure stuff out together, that’s it, and it’s wonderful, and it’s amazing. And so you got to respect that. You got to let that be enough sometimes Christian Klepp  24:36 Absolutely, absolutely, wow. So you’ve kind of touched on this already, but in our previous conversation, you mentioned that in podcasting, and this does this is not unique to just the B2B space alone, but like in podcasting in general, the story comes first, not the product or the promo. So please elaborate on that. Jen Moss  24:58 No one is going to listen a 30 minute ad, right? It’s just not gonna happen. As soon as they detect the fact that you’re selling, they’re gone. If you want to have some follow up product information in your show notes, or, you know, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that, but you could, I suppose, or on your website, great. But the purpose of a podcast is not necessarily that sort of bottom of funnel sales. The purpose of a podcast is, is, it’s a top of funnel engagement opportunity, right? So you’re really, you’re you can build trust, you can build awareness, you can reach new people, and the way you do that is by being relevant and authentic and telling good stories in a way that holds attention. So my own background is from, you know, years of working in radio, documentary storytelling and things like that, I really learned how every, every piece of the story matters. You really have to break down the story arc. Like I said. You got to examine the stakes. You got to think about pacing. All of these things are critical and a funny thing too that I’ve learned I also teach creative writing, and one of the things that one of the lessons that I share with my students, is that the more specific you are in your storytelling, the more it will resonate universally. So through the specific example comes the universal ‘aha' moment. Whereas if you go in with a bunch of like, I’m like, I’m doing right now, if you go in with a bunch of principles, like, here’s what you got to do, and here’s, here’s the rules, and you should follow these rules, 10 Steps to heaven. Kind of, kind of formulas that might work in a, in a sort of, like a bullet point list on the internet, but in podcasting, that doesn’t really work. It’s, it’s more of a, it’s more of a like, I mean, they say the devil is in the details, but I actually think so are the angels like you really like, if I were to tell you a story about a time I worked with a client, let me think of a real example, Like, okay, Genome, BC (Bristish Columbia) is a client of ours. They are a non-profit here in British Columbia in Canada, and they are dedicated to promoting Genomic Science, and specifically they’re promoting the ability of Genomic Science to solve big problems that the world is facing, okay, like global warming type level problems, right? So that’s great. So how do we tell that story? How do we tell that specifically, we could have a bunch of egg heads on to talk about their research, and we do, we have, it’s a science podcast. We have lots of eggheads, and they’re great, you know, but we have to balance that with like people who are impacted by the issues that the science is trying to address. So we did a piece recently about an episode about genetic testing for, you know, heart problems and things like that, and how we with the study of the human genome, we know with the study of the human genome, we now know so much more about about how to spot those problems almost before they happen, because of your genetic predisposition to certain problems. So we told that story by finding a high schooler who had had a heart attack because of a genetic problem that he didn’t know about. And we told that story beat by beat. I was on the field. This happened. My parents got a call. We talked to his parents, we interviewed everybody. They all told the story about the time the son had the heart attack. They all told it separately in their own way, and we intercut it into this really tense, like, you know, exciting, really piece of storytelling. Then we brought on the scientists to talk about the power of genomic testing and genetic testing and genetic awareness around these health issues, but we first establish why it matters, and it matters because it affects people’s lives. So if you’re doing storytelling and you can connect your ideas to something that’s real, then you’re going to you kind of, you win, you win the storytelling day. Christian Klepp  29:27 Oh, that’s an that’s an excellent example. And, and I hear you, the easier path would have been to just invite the scientists on, or whoever it was, and they go on and talk about all of their research, and Jen Moss  29:39 Which is amazing stuff. But I don’t know if you’ve interviewed any scientists. Lately. They can be a little dry, they can be a little dense and hard to listen to. Christian Klepp  29:47 I’ve interviewed I’m associate professors. Does that count? Jen Moss  29:52 Yeah, it does. Yeah. People get very granular, right when they’re studying a very specific interest, like that, and that’s what makes them so incredible at their jobs, and I have huge respect for these scientists and and for our host, who is a scientist, credibility also matters with with your core target audience. So it’s not like we de emphasize the science, we just frame the science with important storytelling that helps the wider audience understand why this matters. So if you think about your core target audience, and then you think about people who are just adjacent to that, what would it take those people, the ones who are kind of peering over the fence at your brand, you know, or at your topic? So we say that that particular show for Genome BC, it’s for scientists and for the science curious sort of thing. And so we try to remember the science curious folk when we’re doing our storytelling. It doesn’t mean that we dumb it down. It means that we open our arms and we try to write it in a way that’s inclusive to a slightly wider audience, while still delivering excellent, groundbreaking, scientific insight that is timely and relevant. It’s a hard line to walk. Actually. Christian Klepp  31:07 It is. Jen Moss  31:07 It takes a lot of skill and it takes a lot of attention, but if you get it right, you know that show, that show, is winning every award we enter. Christian Klepp  31:17 Wow, yeah, remind me what the name of the show was again. Jen Moss  31:20 Oh, it’s called Nice Genes, like G-E-N-E-S yes, yeah. And then they have a short form one called Genes Shorts. Christian Klepp  31:27 Genes shorts, okay? Because why not? All right, Jen Moss  31:30 Because why not. Trying to have a little fun. So what’s gonna stand out? Right? We thought, you know, Nice Genes!, exclamation mark. That’ll stand out. Christian Klepp  31:38 Yeah, absolutely, absolutely, Jen, you’ve given us plenty of insights already and some actionable tips, but just imagine that there’s somebody out there that’s listening to the show and they’re like, gosh, you know what we are exactly in this situation right now. What advice would you give them? Like, maybe, like, three to five things they can take action on right now that they can help launch a podcast that is not boring and that doesn’t sound like PR (Public Relations). Jen Moss  32:06 So probably the best thing you could do is do a little bit of like light competitive research. So have a look at what other podcasts are in your space, in your topic area, right? And check out this. This is going to sound mean, but check out what’s wrong with them. Like, actually go and listen to as many of them as you can. Maybe give yourself a week to do that and make make a point of listening to five a day for a week. And then you’ll start to see, okay, the vast majority of these, they don’t have good sound quality, like the host doesn’t have a proper microphone. Or the vast majority of these, the lighting is terrible, or the vast majority of these, they’re asking the same questions over and over again, and, oh, I saw that guest on three different podcasts, right? So if that’s happening, then ask yourself the next logical question, which is, how can we be different? How can we find our own kind of quadrant to step into? How can we rewrite the book here and do something unexpected that still meets our values, that still targets the right audience, but does it in a way that is going to just shake things up a little bit and challenge people’s expectations of us and and our own expectations of ourselves. So don’t take the lowest hanging fruit, at least until you’ve considered some of the other options. And it may be that you’re like, No, I actually really want to do a straight interview podcast, because I really want to have deep conversations with people like this, like this podcast does, and that’s great, but then you know, like you’ve chosen that for a reason, like you’ve you’ve given it due consideration. And then within that, even within a if you’re planning to do a straight ahead interview podcast, is there’s no shame in that. But even thinking about, like, what would make your interview podcast different? So it’s the it. Could you describe it at a cocktail party as, like, it’s the one where they blank, blank, blank, right? Could you describe it in one sentence, and is it going to be memorable that sentence? There was a show I used to watch years ago and listen to where, what was it called? It was called Another Round, and it was one of the first shows where they would drink and podcast, but they would do a ton of Political Research, these two journalists, and then they would interview someone, while getting increasingly sloshed, the guest and the two hosts, and they would get increasingly sloshed, and the questions would become more and more but, I mean, they were very successful. They had, they were on WNYC. They had Hillary Clinton on when she was running for president. So, like, it this, this is the kind of thing I’m saying. Like, I’m not saying everyone should drink in podcasts. Us. No, let’s be clear. That’s not my message. Yeah, my message is, what makes your podcast, what makes you distinct in the way you’re delivering your podcast? What is your framing device? What is the lens that you’re bringing to it? Christian Klepp  35:12 Yeah, right, yeah. No, no, I hear you. I hear you. Jen Moss  35:15 Yeah. So I think those would be my biggest pieces of advice. Is just to spend the time trying to, trying to position yourself differently. Christian Klepp  35:25 No, fantastic, fantastic. It reminds me of, I think the show was called in the Hot Seat, and it was by a cyber security firm, and they were, they were bringing in somebody that was, and I didn’t actually realize there was such a role, but this is the person that’s actually responsible for negotiating with cyber criminals. Jen Moss  35:45 Whoa, that’s I’m immediately interested. Christian Klepp  35:48 That’s a pretty intense job, right? So, yeah, when they have all that ransomware and what have you right? So this is the guy that negotiates like, release all our release all our data, right? So anyways, the host asks him the questions, and with every question, they’re basically eating chicken wings with a different type of hot sauce. Jen Moss  36:10 Oh, yeah, yeah. Christian Klepp  36:11 And the more intense question, yeah, Jen Moss  36:14 Hot ones, yeah, yeah, yeah. Christian Klepp  36:15 The more intense the question gets, the hotter the sauce becomes. Jen Moss  36:19 Yes. That’s a great show. It’s they have all kinds of interesting people on it, and it’s interesting to watch people’s reactions shift as they get more and more overwhelmed by heat. Yeah. So that’s another super example of a framing device. I mean, arguably, that one’s a bit of a gimmick. Christian Klepp  36:36 Sure. Jen Moss  36:37 You don’t necessarily need to do something that obvious. It might be something like, on this show, we always ask a certain question, or we’re always trying to get at sort of, I would call it like, the the underlying idea of this show is we’re always trying to expose this concept, like, maybe you’re trying to prove that work life balance is important, and that’s your overarching goal, and that’s the lens that you bring to your to your all of your conversations that you have. So every time you’re able to, you bring up that theme in some way and explore it with a new guest. So just whatever it is, whatever the lens is, or the device that you’re framing with, it’s just important to be intentional about that? Christian Klepp  37:21 Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. All right, Jen, I have a feeling that you’ve been on your soapbox this whole time, but please just stay up there a while longer, while I ask you this question. All right, and a status quo in your area of expertise that you passionately disagree with and why? Jen Moss  37:40 Okay, well, right now there’s, am I allowed to mention the AI (Artificial Intelligence) please? Christian Klepp  37:49 Absolutely. Jen Moss  37:49 Okay. Well, right now there’s a lot of discussion around AI driven content, and one of the ways that it’s being sort of sold to people in the industry is that it will allow you to put out more content quicker. And I can see lots of advantages to AI in the production pipeline. For example, it can be helpful with research if you’re as long as you double fact check it. It can be helpful with correcting certain things in editing. You know, if a host mispronounces a word, or you need to do like, you need to remove some background noise. AI tools can be really, really helpful. So I’m not knocking ai i i teach it. For example, I teach creative writing for new media, and I’m very interested. I’m currently building an AI VR (Virtual Reality) poetry machine with some students. So, you know, I spent a lot of time thinking about AI, and I like it and hate it. It’s a double edged sword. But what I don’t agree with is that we should be measuring the efficacy of a tool based on how fast and how often it allows us to put out content. I just don’t think that an onslaught of mediocre content is what people want. I think it’s killing the internet. Corey Doctorow would say he would call it the in shittification of the internet. And it is already, it is already happening, right? He got check it out. He’s got a book out. Christian Klepp  39:22 Okay. Jen Moss  39:22 And so that’s, you know, that’s what I worry about, is that it’s becoming like a big content hose. And so then I actually believe that the way forward, in order to actually have your message heard and received by your intended audience is to really hold on to that authenticity piece. I would rather see people do things less often, but do them better and remember that quality matters. And if we can’t remember that, then the internet is just going to be a bunch of bots talking to each other, and it’s just stupid. I just think it’s stupid. So that’s the that’s, that’s, if you know, not to put too fine a point on it, podcasting is, is not about efficiency. It’s about communication. It’s about connection. It’s about contact. It’s about humans talking to humans. And if it’s, if you fail to recognize that it’s sort of at your peril, you know, Christian Klepp  40:23 Absolutely, absolutely. And I mean, it goes back to the point you were making at the beginning of this conversation. I mean, if you want to create a show that stands out and that’s different, right, then you probably shouldn’t be churning out vanilla content, right? Using AI. Jen Moss  40:39 Doesn’t work. Christian Klepp  40:39 That’s not the way to do it, right? Jen Moss  40:41 Go ahead, but no one will listen to it. So you’ll be able to be like, Look, I I tick, tick, tick. I put out this many episodes, or this many social media clips, or whatever it is. But what’s what are your consumption rates like? Are the right? Are the right people finding your content? Are they engaging with you? Is it moving the needle for you in terms of your goals, the job of the podcast? Like these are all the things that people really need to consider before they sort of hop on the AI bus, I think. And again, I’m not a Luddite, yeah. I use AI daily despite its rather terrifying environmental impact, yeah, yeah, but it’s become almost a ubiquitous tool that’s difficult to avoid in our line of work. But I do think that some people are really taking it too far, and it’s because they’re misunderstood. They’re misunderstanding the mission. The mission is not volume and efficiency. The mission is connection. Christian Klepp  41:41 Absolutely, absolutely Jen, wow. What a conversation. Well, at the very least this episode is not boring, right? Jen Moss  41:50 Like, I mean, I don’t know, ask my ask my 20 something daughter. Christian Klepp  41:58 Different strokes are different folks, I’m gonna say, but thank thank you so much for coming on and for sharing your expertise and experience with the listeners. So please, a quick introduction to yourself and how folks out there can get in touch. Jen Moss  42:09 with you. Oh, so the best way to get in touch with me would probably be through the JAR podcasts website, jarpodcasts.com and I’m also just Jen@jarpodcasts.com. Christian Klepp  42:22 Fantastic, fantastic. Once again. Jen Moss, thank you for your time. Take care, stay safe and talk to you soon. Jen Moss  42:29 Awesome. Thank you. Okay. Christian Klepp  42:30 Bye, for now. Jen Moss  42:31 Bye.

For over 30 years (since 1995) Ira Glass has been one of, if not THE voice of public radio. His show, This American Life, has won Peabody awards, the first ever audio journalism Pulitzer. And it’s also shaped generations of listeners and audio makers. As an early adopter of podcasting (2006), the show was for many a first foray into digital listening. It spawned major hits like Serial, which led to a boom in documentary podcasting. But the world of audio has changed a lot in recent years. Ira Glass shares his thoughts with Soundside. And he’s coming to the Mount Baker Theater in Bellingham this weekend (Saturday, January 24th) to share some of his secrets: the show is called “An Evening with Ira Glass: Seven Things I've Learned” Guest: Host and executive producer of This American Life, Ira Glass Related Links: Mount Baker Theatre Presents An Evening with Ira Glass: Seven Things I've Learned Ira Glass Explains Why I’m Listening to Podcasts Wrong | SubwayTakes Uncut - Youtube Ira Glass plays a nicer version of himself on the radio - NPR Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KGMI's Dianna Hawryluk and Emma Toscani talk to Ira Glass about his work in radio and broadcasting, and his upcoming show at the Mount Baker Theatre.

For this week's episode of Enterprise Security Weekly, there wasn't a lot of time to prepare. I had to do 5 podcasts in about 8 days leading up to the holiday break, so I decided to just roll with a general chat and see how it went. Also, apologies, for any audio quality issues, as the meal I promised to make for dinner this day required a lot of prep, so I was in the kitchen for the whole episode! For reference, I made the recipe for morisqueta michoacana from Rick Martinez's cookbook, Mi Cocina. I used the wrong peppers (availability issue), so it came out green instead of red, but was VERY delicious. As for the episode, we discuss what we've been up to, with Jackie sharing her experiences fighting against Meta (allegedly, through some shell companies) building an AI datacenter in her town. We then get into discussing the limitations of AI, the potential of the AI bubble popping, and general limitations of AI that are becoming obvious. One of the key limitations is AI's inability to apply personal experience, have strong opinions, or any sense of 'taste'. I think I shared my observation that AI is becoming a sort of 'digital junk food'. "NO AI" has become a common phrase used by creators - a source of pride that media consumers seem to be celebrating and seeking out. Segment Resources: Kagi absolutely did NOT sponsor this episode. I have become a big fan of paying for search so that I am not the product. There are other players in this market, but I've settled on Kagi. We mention Ira Glass's bit on taste, which is a small bit of a longer talk he did on storytelling. The shorter bit is here, and is less than 2 minutes long. The full talk is split into 4 parts and posted on a YouTube channel called "War Photography" for some reason. Part 1: https://youtu.be/5pFI9UuC_fc Part 2: https://youtu.be/dx2cI-2FJRs Part 3: https://youtu.be/X2wLP0izeJE Part 4: https://youtu.be/sp8pwkgR8 Finally, we also bring up a talk we also discussed on episode 437, Benedict Evans' AI Eats the World Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/esw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-439

For this week's episode of Enterprise Security Weekly, there wasn't a lot of time to prepare. I had to do 5 podcasts in about 8 days leading up to the holiday break, so I decided to just roll with a general chat and see how it went. Also, apologies, for any audio quality issues, as the meal I promised to make for dinner this day required a lot of prep, so I was in the kitchen for the whole episode! For reference, I made the recipe for morisqueta michoacana from Rick Martinez's cookbook, Mi Cocina. I used the wrong peppers (availability issue), so it came out green instead of red, but was VERY delicious. As for the episode, we discuss what we've been up to, with Jackie sharing her experiences fighting against Meta (allegedly, through some shell companies) building an AI datacenter in her town. We then get into discussing the limitations of AI, the potential of the AI bubble popping, and general limitations of AI that are becoming obvious. One of the key limitations is AI's inability to apply personal experience, have strong opinions, or any sense of 'taste'. I think I shared my observation that AI is becoming a sort of 'digital junk food'. "NO AI" has become a common phrase used by creators - a source of pride that media consumers seem to be celebrating and seeking out. Segment Resources: Kagi absolutely did NOT sponsor this episode. I have become a big fan of paying for search so that I am not the product. There are other players in this market, but I've settled on Kagi. We mention Ira Glass's bit on taste, which is a small bit of a longer talk he did on storytelling. The shorter bit is here, and is less than 2 minutes long. The full talk is split into 4 parts and posted on a YouTube channel called "War Photography" for some reason. Part 1: https://youtu.be/5pFI9UuC_fc Part 2: https://youtu.be/dx2cI-2FJRs Part 3: https://youtu.be/X2wLP0izeJE Part 4: https://youtu.be/sp8pwkgR8 Finally, we also bring up a talk we also discussed on episode 437, Benedict Evans' AI Eats the World Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/esw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-439

For this week's episode of Enterprise Security Weekly, there wasn't a lot of time to prepare. I had to do 5 podcasts in about 8 days leading up to the holiday break, so I decided to just roll with a general chat and see how it went. Also, apologies, for any audio quality issues, as the meal I promised to make for dinner this day required a lot of prep, so I was in the kitchen for the whole episode! For reference, I made the recipe for morisqueta michoacana from Rick Martinez's cookbook, Mi Cocina. I used the wrong peppers (availability issue), so it came out green instead of red, but was VERY delicious. As for the episode, we discuss what we've been up to, with Jackie sharing her experiences fighting against Meta (allegedly, through some shell companies) building an AI datacenter in her town. We then get into discussing the limitations of AI, the potential of the AI bubble popping, and general limitations of AI that are becoming obvious. One of the key limitations is AI's inability to apply personal experience, have strong opinions, or any sense of 'taste'. I think I shared my observation that AI is becoming a sort of 'digital junk food'. "NO AI" has become a common phrase used by creators - a source of pride that media consumers seem to be celebrating and seeking out. Segment Resources: Kagi absolutely did NOT sponsor this episode. I have become a big fan of paying for search so that I am not the product. There are other players in this market, but I've settled on Kagi. We mention Ira Glass's bit on taste, which is a small bit of a longer talk he did on storytelling. The shorter bit is here, and is less than 2 minutes long. The full talk is split into 4 parts and posted on a YouTube channel called "War Photography" for some reason. Part 1: https://youtu.be/5pFI9UuC_fc Part 2: https://youtu.be/dx2cI-2FJRs Part 3: https://youtu.be/X2wLP0izeJE Part 4: https://youtu.be/sp8pwkgR8 Finally, we also bring up a talk we also discussed on episode 437, Benedict Evans' AI Eats the World Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-439

For this week's episode of Enterprise Security Weekly, there wasn't a lot of time to prepare. I had to do 5 podcasts in about 8 days leading up to the holiday break, so I decided to just roll with a general chat and see how it went. Also, apologies, for any audio quality issues, as the meal I promised to make for dinner this day required a lot of prep, so I was in the kitchen for the whole episode! For reference, I made the recipe for morisqueta michoacana from Rick Martinez's cookbook, Mi Cocina. I used the wrong peppers (availability issue), so it came out green instead of red, but was VERY delicious. As for the episode, we discuss what we've been up to, with Jackie sharing her experiences fighting against Meta (allegedly, through some shell companies) building an AI datacenter in her town. We then get into discussing the limitations of AI, the potential of the AI bubble popping, and general limitations of AI that are becoming obvious. One of the key limitations is AI's inability to apply personal experience, have strong opinions, or any sense of 'taste'. I think I shared my observation that AI is becoming a sort of 'digital junk food'. "NO AI" has become a common phrase used by creators - a source of pride that media consumers seem to be celebrating and seeking out. Segment Resources: Kagi absolutely did NOT sponsor this episode. I have become a big fan of paying for search so that I am not the product. There are other players in this market, but I've settled on Kagi. We mention Ira Glass's bit on taste, which is a small bit of a longer talk he did on storytelling. The shorter bit is here, and is less than 2 minutes long. The full talk is split into 4 parts and posted on a YouTube channel called "War Photography" for some reason. Part 1: https://youtu.be/5pFI9UuC_fc Part 2: https://youtu.be/dx2cI-2FJRs Part 3: https://youtu.be/X2wLP0izeJE Part 4: https://youtu.be/sp8pwkgR8 Finally, we also bring up a talk we also discussed on episode 437, Benedict Evans' AI Eats the World Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-439

Symphony Space was thrilled to host an evening with Israeli writer Etgar Keret, whose stories we've featured many times on Selected Shorts. He was interviewed by his longtime friend, and host of This American Life, Ira Glass. In this condensed version of their talk, they playfully challenge each other on a wide range of topics, some political, some creative, but mainly about what it's like to live in these uncertain times. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Answering your questions about pitching UGC to social media management clients, imposter syndrome, and what my future life and business plans are.Thanks to Melio for sponsoring today's episode: https://go.melio.com/latashaJoin my free community, DOWN TO BUSINESS, to connect with me and other viewers: https://www.skool.com/down-to-business-with-latasha-5593/Mentioned - The Gap by Ira Glass:https://vimeo.com/85040589TIME STAMPS:0:00 - What we'll be covering today0:33 - Melio (ad)2:05 - The case for UGC4:50 - What younger me would be surprised about5:52 - Business and life advice I hate8:58 - When to start charging as a content creator10:32 - I'm going back to school14:00 - How AI is impacting online business16:59 - My background and upbringing19:04 - What I've learned about myself through entrepreneurship21:07 - Separating my personal life from my online presence 22:26 - Something people misunderstand about my job23:46 - Will I ever move out of Michigan?24:50 - Do I want to get married again?26:33 - Is it harder to grow online nowadays?28:45 - What's been bringing me joy lately29:29 - What I'd do if not marketing30:44 - Imposter syndrome31:39 - Final thoughts

To celebrate two decades of Design Matters, Debbie Millman gathers favorite moments from past interviews with podcast hosts Krista Tippett, Ira Glass, Hrishikesh Hirway, Kara Swisher, and Jad Abumrad. These excerpts trace how each host found their voice, shaped a format, and learned to listen, revealing the craft and conviction behind the shows that shaped podcasting.Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an effort to juice sales, Apple is rumored to be reworking its in-store Vision Pro demo to swap out Encounter Dinosaurs for Immersive LeBron. This week: cookie dunking with Pauly H., first class luggage warranties at coach prices, and Ryan tries and fails to pick Ira Glass out of a police lineup.

Ottawa is giving new and shockingly long wait time estimates for immigration applications to be processed -- and to those waiting, it feels like Canada is rolling out the unwelcome mat. The man behind "Operation Inflation" shares the very serious reasons he has for dressing up American protesters in very silly inflatable costumes. A Connecticut museum celebrates the omnipresent, underappreciated ant. Not thrilled? Our guest insists they're the ant-tithesis of dull. Work has begun on Donald Trump's new White House ballroom -- and one historian says it's not just an offense to the Presidential residence, but to the intentions of the Founding Fathers. A Blue Jays fan had the night of his life last night when he caught the pivotal home run ball. He says the ball came down, but he sure hasn't.Radio legend Ira Glass reveals that he listens to other podcasts at twice the usual speed -- and believes we should all put our best foot fast-forward.As It Happens, the Tuesday Edition. Radio that would never engage in double-talk.

Get practical tips for having a good time in Isla Vista, while avoiding citations and other run-ins with law enforcement. Listen to our new KCSB News legal feature, "From Where I Sit" with with Associated Students UCSB legal advisor Robin Unander. This week's episode is hosted by KCSB's Mavis Holley and also features stories about the new university librarian and a conversation with public media personality Ira Glass.

Ira Glass shares some news about This American Life To sign up as a Life Partner, visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners

Ira Glass, the creator, producer and host of "This American Life," will share lessons from his life and career in storytelling at Paramount Hudson Valley Theater on 10/25.

On Saturday, October 4th, broadcast journalist Ira Glass visited UCSB for a talk with students in the media. Later, Glass had a conversation with author Pico Iyer held by UC Santa Barbara Arts and Lectures. Glass is most known for creating and hosting the narrative-based, broadcast news program This American Life. Mavis Holley has the story.

For nearly three decades, he's crafted cinematic narratives on public radio that are unapologetically performative and decidedly high-brow. But Ira Glass, in real life, is not some vegetarian sandwich. Pablo seeks kindred wisdom on activating a third ear, basking in the flow of Lin-Manuel Miranda, covering Donald Trump, growing jealous of The Daily, fact-checking Joe Rogan and opting out of being in touch... with The Rizzler.• Become a Life Partner of "This American Life" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Morris https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2730235/ joins Carlyn Hudson - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3972277 https://www.instagram.com/carlynhudson to talk about their views on making that signature feature film that everyone dreams of, one that is an iconic piece of IP that launches a Jordan Peele-career.And Oren and Matt dive into what that means when you start wanting to own a house, have kids, and think about college -- not your college tuition, but your kids! On the one hand, a successful freelance career in commercials, can make it all happen. And over 10 years, 15 years or more, it can elevate your directing chops beyond what you could have imagined. On the other hand, it can be the very reason why chasing that feature, the one that finally shows your full skill set and ability, is a financial fantasy. Like, why risk losing work while spending 2, 3, or 10 years to make that feature?Ira Glass preached about how you have to stick it out until your talent matches your taste. But is that even possible in a future with AI?And Tom gets into how, after having several features under his belt, what would get him noticed by influential showrunners, was making another short.This is what adulting is like as a filmmaker. And it comes at a time when what you do next matters more than ever.---Help our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/JustShootItPod*** MIXER !!! PARTY ***Join Matt & Oren at the Just Shoot It mixer! You don't even have to shower!Free tickets! Wednesday, October 8 · 7 - 10pm PDTLawless Brewing Co.5275 Craner Avenue Los Angeles, CA 91601RSVP and info at https://events.justshootitpod.com or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/just-shoot-it-october-meetup-tickets-1665676596539Matt's Endorsement: Weleda Skin Food https://www.weleda.com/product/skin-food-light-nourishing-cream-g007756Oren's Endorsement: How to be a human fly swatter using the Alan Gwizdowski method https://www.instagram.com/alangwiz/ . Tom's Endorsement: the medical staff at Cedar's Sinai HospitalCarlyn's Endorsement: "The Battered Bastard of Baseball" documentary on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/70299904 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're still sitting on a podcast idea because you're waiting for the “right” time, let me stop you. What you're actually doing is waiting for perfect. And perfect is just procrastination with better branding. While you're busy “getting ready,” somebody else is already publishing and getting in front of your clients.I've put out 689 episodes of this show. Do I think they're all good? Nope. Do I think any of them are perfect? Absolutely not. But they exist. They work. They connect with people. And that matters way more than the drafts collecting dust in Google Drive.In this episode of The More Profitable Podcast, I'm talking about how perfectionism shows up for podcasters, why it costs you visibility and clients, and what you can do to get your first episodes out even if they're messy. Because messy works. Perfect doesn't.00:39 — Why perfectionism feels safe but actually keeps me stuck04:20 — The Ira Glass “taste vs. skill” gap and how I see it play out with podcasters07:56 — Why I'd rather improve than be perfect (and how 689 episodes prove it)10:22 — The cost of hiding — lost visibility, lost trust, lost clients12:32 — Why my crummy first episode was better than every draft I never published13:56 — How I coach clients to experiment without the pressure of perfect14:44 — How the Podcast Launch Accelerator helps me keep perfectionists movingMentioned in Perfection Is What's Keeping You From Launching Your PodcastPodcast Launch AcceleratorThe Podcast NewsroomRate and review the show Stop Waiting for Perfect → Start PublishingIf perfectionism has been holding you back, it's time to let your first season be the experiment it's meant to be. Inside the Podcast Launch Accelerator, you'll get the strategy (and if you choose, the production support) to finally publish your show without letting “perfect” stall you out. Let's build your first season together.Send us a textSupport the show

There are 2 books I recommend most often to others who say they want to be a stronger storyteller: one is from a world-famous legend, and the other is from our guest today. It's Jessica Abel, author of Out on the Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio. This exceptional book just celebrated its ten-year anniversary.This book takes you inside the storytelling processes of the makers of This American Life, Serial, Radiolab, The Moth, Planet Money, and Snap Judgment, and the two voices taking you through the book (in cartoon narrator forms) are Jessica and ... Ira Glass!Today, Jessica operates under the brand the Autonomous Creative, where she offers coaching and education to creative entrepreneurs who need stronger business fundamentals (but delivered in a way appealing to creative minds).In this episode, we talk about:Rejecting the great lie creatives are told their whole lives, which only hurt your entrepreneurial endeavors The tension between creating art, creating a revenue engine, and the relationship between themWhat Jessica really endured (and how it broke her) to create my all-time favorite book about storytelling.Learn more about Jessica on her website or LinkedIn, and be sure to get your copy of Out on the Wire.MY MESSAGE TO YOU:Don't market more. Matter more. (

Join acclaimed comedian and New York Times-bestselling author Zarna Garg for a special conversation with Ira Glass (This American Life) about her new Hulu stand-up special, Practical People Win. The conversation was recorded on July 18th, 2025, at The 92nd Street Y, New York.

Welcome back to Snafu w/ Robin Zander.  In this episode, I'm joined by Brian Elliott, former Slack executive and co-founder of Future Forum. We discuss the common mistakes leaders make about AI and why trust and transparency are more crucial than ever. Brian shares lessons from building high-performing teams, what makes good leadership, and how to foster real collaboration. He also reflects on raising values-driven kids, the breakdown of institutional trust, and why purpose matters. We touch on the early research behind Future Forum and what he'd do differently today. Brian will also be joining us live at Responsive Conference 2025, and I'm excited to continue the conversation there. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, get them here. What Do Most People Get Wrong About AI? (1:53) “Senior leaders sit on polar ends of the spectrum on this stuff. Very, very infrequently, sit in the middle, which is kind of where I find myself too often.”  Robin notes Brian will be co-leading an active session on AI at Responsive Conference with longtime collaborator Helen Kupp. He tees up the conversation by saying Brian holds “a lot of controversial opinions” on AI, not that it's insignificant, but that there's a lot of “idealization.” Brian says most senior leaders fall into one of two camps: Camp A: “Oh my God, this changes everything.” These are the fear-mongers shouting: “If you don't adopt now, your career is over.” Camp B: “This will blow over.” They treat AI as just another productivity fad, like others before it. Brian positions himself somewhere in the middle but is frustrated by both ends of the spectrum. He points out that the loudest voices (Mark Benioff, Andy Jassy, Zuckerberg, Sam Altman) are “arms merchants” – they're pushing AI tools because they've invested billions. These tools are massively expensive to build and run, and unless they displace labor, it's unclear how they generate ROI. believe in AI's potential and  aggressively push adoption inside their companies. So, naturally, these execs have to: But “nothing ever changes that fast,” and both the hype and the dismissal are off-base. Why Playing with AI Matters More Than Training (3:29) AI is materially different from past tech, but what's missing is attention to how adoption happens. “The organizational craft of driving adoption is not about handing out tools. It's all emotional.” Adoption depends on whether people respond with fear or aspiration, not whether they have the software. Frontline managers are key: it's their job to create the time and space for teams to experiment with AI. Brian credits Helen Kupp for being great at facilitating this kind of low-stakes experimentation. Suggests teams should “play with AI tools” in a way totally unrelated to their actual job. Example: take a look at your fridge, list the ingredients you have, and have AI suggest a recipe. “Well, that's a sucky recipe, but it could do that, right?” The point isn't utility,  it's comfort and conversation: What's OK to use AI for? Is it acceptable to draft your self-assessment for performance reviews with AI? Should you tell your boss or hide it? The Purpose of Doing the Thing (5:30) Robin brings up Ezra Klein's podcast in The New York Times, where Ezra asks: “What's the purpose of writing an essay in college?” AI can now do better research than a student, faster and maybe more accurately. But Robin argues that the act of writing is what matters, not just the output. Says: “I'm much better at writing that letter than ChatGPT can ever be, because only Robin Zander can write that letter.” Example: Robin and his partner are in contract on a house and wrote a letter to the seller – the usual “sob story” to win favor. All the writing he's done over the past two years prepared him to write that one letter better. “The utility of doing the thing is not the thing itself – it's what it trains.” Learning How to Learn (6:35) Robin's fascinated by “skills that train skills” – a lifelong theme in both work and athletics. He brings up Josh Waitzkin (from Searching for Bobby Fischer), who went from chess prodigy to big wave surfer to foil board rider. Josh trained his surfing skills by riding a OneWheel through NYC, practicing balance in a different context. Robin is drawn to that kind of transfer learning and “meta-learning” – especially since it's so hard to measure or study. He asks: What might AI be training in us that isn't the thing itself? We don't yet know the cognitive effects of using generative AI daily, but we should be asking. Cognitive Risk vs. Capability Boost (8:00) Brian brings up early research suggesting AI could make us “dumber.” Outsourcing thinking to AI reduces sharpness over time. But also: the “10,000 repetitions” idea still holds weight – doing the thing builds skill. There's a tension between “performance mode” (getting the thing done) and “growth mode” (learning). He relates it to writing: Says he's a decent writer, not a great one, but wants to keep getting better. Has a “quad project” with an editor who helps refine tone and clarity but doesn't do the writing. The setup: he provides 80% drafts, guidelines, tone notes, and past writing samples. The AI/editor cleans things up, but Brian still reviews: “I want that colloquialism back in.” “I want that specific example back in.” “That's clunky, I don't want to keep it.” Writing is iterative, and tools can help, but shouldn't replace his voice. On Em Dashes & Detecting Human Writing (9:30) Robin shares a trick: he used em dashes long before ChatGPT and does them with a space on either side. He says that ChatGPT's em dashes are double-length and don't have spaces. If you want to prove ChatGPT didn't write something, “just add the space.” Brian agrees and jokes that his editors often remove the spaces, but he puts them back in. Reiterates that professional human editors like the ones he works with at Charter and Sloan are still better than AI. Closing the Gap Takes More Than Practice (10:31) Robin references The Gap by Ira Glass, a 2014 video that explores the disconnect between a creator's vision and their current ability to execute on that vision. He highlights Glass's core advice: the only way to close that gap is through consistent repetition – what Glass calls “the reps.” Brian agrees, noting that putting in the reps is exactly what creators must do, even when their output doesn't yet meet their standards. Brian also brings up his recent conversation with Nick Petrie, whose work focuses not only on what causes burnout but also on what actually resolves it. He notes research showing that people stuck in repetitive performance mode – like doctors doing the same task for decades – eventually see a decline in performance. Brian recommends mixing in growth opportunities alongside mastery work. “exploit” mode (doing what you're already good at) and  “explore” mode (trying something new that pushes you) He says doing things that stretch your boundaries builds muscle that strengthens your core skills and breaks stagnation. He emphasizes the value of alternating between  He adds that this applies just as much to personal growth, especially when people begin to question their deeper purpose and ask hard questions like, “Is this all there is to my life or career? Brian observes that stepping back for self-reflection is often necessary, either by choice or because burnout forces a hard stop. He suggests that sustainable performance requires not just consistency but also intentional space for growth, purpose, and honest self-evaluation. Why Taste And Soft Skills Now Matter More Than Ever (12:30) On AI, Brian argues that most people get it wrong. “I do think it's augmentation.” The tools are evolving rapidly, and so are the ways we use them. They view it as a way to speed up work, especially for engineers, but that's missing the bigger picture. Brian stresses that EQ is becoming more important than IQ. Companies still need people with developer mindsets – hypothesis-driven, structured thinkers. But now, communication, empathy, and adaptability are no longer optional; they are critical. “Human communication skills just went from ‘they kind of suck at it but it's okay' to ‘that's not acceptable.'” As AI takes over more specialist tasks, the value of generalists is rising. People who can generate ideas, anticipate consequences, and rally others around a vision will be most valuable. “Tools can handle the specialized knowledge – but only humans can connect it to purpose.” Brian warns that traditional job descriptions and org charts are becoming obsolete. Instead of looking for ways to rush employees into doing more work, “rethink the roles. What can a small group do when aligned around a common purpose?” The future lies in small, aligned teams with shared goals. Vision Is Not a Strategy (15:56) Robin reflects on durable human traits through Steve Jobs' bio by Isaac Walterson. Jobs succeeded not just with tech, but with taste, persuasion, charisma, and vision. “He was less technologist, more storyteller.” They discuss Sam Altman, the subject of Empire of AI. Whether or not the book is fully accurate, Robin argues that Altman's defining trait is deal-making. Robin shares his experience using ChatGPT in real estate. It changed how he researched topics like redwood root systems on foundational structure and mosquito mitigation. Despite the tech, both agree that human connection is more important than ever. “We need humans now more than ever.” Brian references data from Kelly Monahan showing AI power users are highly productive but deeply burned out. 40% more productive than their peers. 88% are completely burnt out. Many don't believe their company's AI strategy, even while using the tools daily. There's a growing disconnect between executive AI hype and on-the-ground experience. But internal tests by top engineers showed only 10% improvement, mostly in simple tasks. “You've got to get into the tools yourself to be fluent on this.” One CTO believed AI would produce 30% efficiency gains. Brian urges leaders to personally engage with the tools before making sweeping decisions. He warns against blindly accepting optimistic vendor promises or trends. Leaders pushing AI without firsthand experience risk overburdening their teams. “You're bringing the Kool-Aid and then you're shoving it down your team's throat.” This results in burnout, not productivity. “You're cranking up the demands. You're cranking up the burnout, too.” “That's not going to lead to what you want either.” If You Want Control, Just Say That (20:47) Robin raises the topic of returning to the office, which has been a long-standing area of interest for him. “I interviewed Joel Gascoyne on stage in 2016… the largest fully distributed company in the world at the time.” He's tracked distributed work since Responsive 2016. Also mentions Shelby Wolpa (ex-Envision), who scaled thousands remotely. Robin notes the shift post-COVID: companies are mandating returns without adjusting for today's realities.” Example: “Intel just did a mandatory 4 days a week return to office… and now people live hours away.” He acknowledges the benefits of in-person collaboration, especially in creative or physical industries. “There is an undeniable utility.”, especially as they met in Robin's Cafe to talk about Responsive, despite a commute, because it was worth it. But he challenges blanket return-to-office mandates, especially when the rationale is unclear. According to Brian, any company uses RTO as a veiled soft layoff tactic. Cites Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy openly stating RTO is meant to encourage attrition. He says policies without clarity are ineffective. “If you quit, I don't have to pay you severance.” Robin notes that the Responsive Manifesto isn't about providing answers but outlining tensions to balance. Before enforcing an RTO policy, leaders should ask: “What problem are we trying to solve – and do we have evidence of it?” Before You Mandate, Check the Data (24:50) Performance data should guide decisions, not executive assumptions. For instance, junior salespeople may benefit from in-person mentorship, but… That may only apply to certain teams, and doesn't justify full mandates. “I've seen situations where productivity has fallen – well-defined productivity.” The decision-making process should be decentralized and nuanced. Different teams have different needs — orgs must avoid one-size-fits-all policies, especially in large, distributed orgs. “Should your CEO be making that decision? Or should your head of sales?” Brian offers a two-part test for leaders to assess their RTO logic: Are you trying to attract and retain the best talent? Are your teams co-located or distributed? If the answer to #1 is yes: People will be less engaged, not more. High performers will quietly leave or disengage while staying. Forcing long commutes will hurt retention and morale. If the answer to #2 is “distributed”: Brian then tells a story about a JPMorgan IT manager who asks Jamie Dimon for flexibility. “It's freaking stupid… it actually made it harder to do their core work.” Instead, teams need to define shared norms and operating agreements. “Teams have to have norms to be effective.” RTO makes even less sense. His team spanned time zones and offices, forcing them into daily hurt collaboration. He argues most RTO mandates are driven by fear and a desire for control. More important than office days are questions like: What hours are we available for meetings? What tools do we use and why? How do we make decisions? Who owns which roles and responsibilities? The Bottom Line: The policy must match the structure. If teams are remote by design, dragging them into an office is counterproductive. How to Be a Leader in Chaotic Times (28:34) “We're living in a more chaotic time than any in my lifetime.” Robin asks how leaders should guide their organizations through uncertainty. He reflects on his early work years during the 2008 crash and the unpredictability he's seen since. Observes current instability like the UCSF and NIH funding and hiring freezes disrupting universities, rising political violence, and murders of public officials from the McKnight Foundation, and more may persist for years without relief. “I was bussing tables for two weeks, quit, became a personal trainer… my old client jumped out a window because he lost his fortune as a banker.” Brian says what's needed now is: Resilience – a mindset of positive realism: acknowledging the issues, while focusing on agency and possibility, and supporting one another. Trust – not just psychological safety, but deep belief in leadership clarity and honesty. His definition of resilience includes: “What options do we have?” “What can we do as a team?” “What's the opportunity in this?” What Builds Trust (and What Breaks It) (31:00) Brian recalls laying off more people than he hired during the dot-com bust – and what helped his team endure: “Here's what we need to do. If you're all in, we'll get through this together.” He believes trust is built when: Leaders communicate clearly and early. They acknowledge difficulty, without sugarcoating. They create clarity about what matters most right now. They involve their team in solutions. He critiques companies that delay communication until they're in PR cleanup mode: Like Target's CEO, who responded to backlash months too late – and with vague platitudes. “Of course, he got backlash,” Brian says. “He wasn't present.” According to him, “Trust isn't just psychological safety. It's also honesty.” Trust Makes Work Faster, Better, and More Fun (34:10) “When trust is there, the work is more fun, and the results are better.” Robin offers a Zander Media story: Longtime collaborator Jonathan Kofahl lives in Austin. Despite being remote, they prep for shoots with 3-minute calls instead of hour-long meetings. The relationship is fast, fluid, and joyful, and the end product reflects that. He explains the ripple effects of trust: Faster workflows Higher-quality output More fun and less burnout Better client experience Fewer miscommunications or dropped balls He also likens it to acrobatics: “If trust isn't there, you land on your head.” Seldom Wrong, Never in Doubt (35:45) “Seldom wrong, never in doubt – that bit me in the butt.” Brian reflects on a toxic early-career mantra: As a young consultant, he was taught to project confidence at all times. It was said that “if you show doubt, you lose credibility,” especially with older clients. Why that backfired: It made him arrogant. It discouraged honest questions or collaborative problem-solving. It modeled bad leadership for others. Brian critiques the startup world's hero culture: Tech glorifies mavericks and contrarians, people who bet against the grain and win. But we rarely see the 95% who bet big and failed, and the survivors become models, often with toxic effects. The real danger: Leaders try to imitate success without understanding the context. Contrarianism becomes a virtue in itself – even when it's wrong. Now, he models something else: “I can point to the mountain, but I don't know the exact path.” Leaders should admit they don't have all the answers. Inviting the team to figure it out together builds alignment and ownership. That's how you lead through uncertainty, by trusting your team to co-create. Slack, Remote Work, and the Birth of Future Forum (37:40) Brian recalls the early days of Future Forum: Slack was deeply office-centric pre-pandemic. He worked 5 days a week in SF, and even interns were expected to show up regularly. Slack's leadership, especially CTO Cal Henderson, was hesitant to go remote, not because they were anti-remote, but because they didn't know how. But when COVID hit, Slack, like everyone else, had to figure out remote work in real time. Brian had long-standing relationships with Slack's internal research team: He pitched Stewart Butterfield (Slack's CEO) on the idea of a think tank, where he was then joined by Helen Kupp and Sheela Subramanian, who became his co-founders in the venture. Thus, Future Forum was born. Christina Janzer, Lucas Puente, and others. Their research was excellent, but mostly internal-facing, used for product and marketing. Brian, self-described as a “data geek,” saw an opportunity: Remote Work Increased Belonging, But Not for Everyone (40:56) In mid-2020, Future Forum launched its first major study. Expected finding: employee belonging would drop due to isolation. Reality: it did, but not equally across all demographics. For Black office workers, a sense of belonging actually increased. Future Forum brought in Dr. Brian Lowery, a Black professor at Stanford, to help interpret the results. Lowery explained: “I'm a Black professor at Stanford. Whatever you think of it as a liberal school, if I have to walk on that campus five days a week and be on and not be Black five days a week, 9 to 5 – it's taxing. It's exhausting. If I can dial in and out of that situation, it's a release.” A Philosophy Disguised as a Playbook (42:00) Brian, Helen, and Sheela co-authored a book that distilled lessons from: Slack's research Hundreds of executive conversations Real-world trials during the remote work shift One editor even commented on how the book is “more like a philosophy book disguised as a playbook.” The key principles are: “Start with what matters to us as an organization. Then ask: What's safe to try?” Policies don't work. Principles do. Norms > mandates. Team-level agreements matter more than companywide rules. Focus on outcomes, not activity.  Train your managers. Clarity, trust, and support start there. Safe-to-try experiments. Iterate fast and test what works for your team. Co-create team norms. Define how decisions get made, what tools get used, and when people are available. What's great with the book is that no matter where you are, this same set of rules still applies.  When Leadership Means Letting Go (43:54) “My job was to model the kind of presence I wanted my team to show.” Robin recalls a defining moment at Robin's Café: Employees were chatting behind the counter while a banana peel sat on the floor, surrounded by dirty dishes. It was a lawsuit waiting to happen. His first impulse was to berate them, a habit from his small business upbringing. But in that moment, he reframed his role. “I'm here to inspire, model, and demonstrate the behavior I want to see.” He realized: Hovering behind the counter = surveillance, not leadership. True leadership = empowering your team to care, even when you're not around. You train your manager to create a culture, not compliance. Brian and Robin agree: Rules only go so far. Teams thrive when they believe in the ‘why' behind the work. Robin draws a link between strong workplace culture and… The global rise of authoritarianism The erosion of trust in institutions If trust makes Zander Media better, and helps VC-backed companies scale — “Why do our political systems seem to be rewarding the exact opposite?” Populism, Charisma & Bullshit (45:20) According to Robin, “We're in a world where trust is in very short supply.” Brian reflects on why authoritarianism is thriving globally: The media is fragmented. Everyone's in different pocket universes. People now get news from YouTube or TikTok, not trusted institutions. Truth is no longer shared, and without shared truth, trust collapses. “Walter Cronkite doesn't exist anymore.” He references Andor, where the character, Mon Mothma, says: People no longer trust journalism, government, universities, science, or even business. Edelman's Trust Barometer dipped for business leaders for the first time in 25 years. CEOs who once declared strong values are now going silent, which damages trust even more. “The death of truth is really the problem that's at work here.” Robin points out: Trump and Elon, both charismatic, populist figures, continue to gain power despite low trust. Why? Because their clarity and simplicity still outperform thoughtful leadership. He also calls Trump a “marketing genius.” Brian's frustration: Case in point: Trump-era officials who spread conspiracy theories now can't walk them back. Populists manufacture distrust, then struggle to govern once in power. He shares a recent example: Result: Their base turned on them. Right-wing pundits (Pam Bondi, Dan Bongino) fanned Jeffrey Epstein conspiracies. But in power, they had to admit: “There's no client list publicly.” Brian then suggests that trust should be rebuilt locally. He points to leaders like Zohran Mamdani (NY): “I may not agree with all his positions, but he can articulate a populist vision that isn't exploitative.” Where Are the Leaders? (51:19) Brian expresses frustration at the silence from people in power: “I'm disappointed, highly disappointed, in the number of leaders in positions of power and authority who could lend their voice to something as basic as: science is real.” He calls for a return to shared facts: “Let's just start with: vaccines do not cause autism. Let's start there.” He draws a line between public health and trust: We've had over a century of scientific evidence backing vaccines But misinformation is eroding communal health Brian clarifies: this isn't about wedge issues like guns or Roe v. Wade The problem is that scientists lack public authority, but CEOs don't CEOs of major institutions could shift the narrative, especially those with massive employee bases. And yet, most say nothing: “They know it's going to bite them… and still, no one's saying it.” He warns: ignoring this will hurt businesses, frontline workers, and society at large. 89 Seconds from Midnight (52:45) Robin brings up the Doomsday Clock: Historically, it was 2–4 minutes to midnight “We are 89 seconds to midnight.” (as of January 2025) This was issued by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, a symbol of how close humanity is to destroying itself. Despite that, he remains hopeful: “I might be the most energetic person in any room – and yet, I'm a prepper.” Robin shared that: And in a real emergency? You might not make it. He grew up in the wilderness, where ambulances don't arrive, and CPR is a ritual of death. He frequently visits Vieques, an island off Puerto Rico with no hospital, where a car crash likely means you won't survive. As there is a saying there that goes, ‘No Hay Hospital', meaning ‘there is no hospital'. If something serious happens, you're likely a few hours' drive or even a flight away from medical care. That shapes his worldview: “We've forgotten how precious life is in privileged countries.” Despite his joy and optimism, Robin is also: Deeply aware of fragility – of systems, bodies, institutions. Committed to preparation, not paranoia. Focused on teaching resilience, care, and responsibility. How to Raise Men with Heart and Backbone (55:00) Robin asks: “How do you counsel your boys to show up as protectors and earners, especially in a capitalist world, while also taking care of people, especially when we're facing the potential end of humanity in our lifetimes?” Brian responds: His sons are now 25 and 23, and he's incredibly proud of who they're becoming. Credits both parenting and luck but he also acknowledges many friends who've had harder parenting experiences. His sons are: Sharp and thoughtful In healthy relationships Focused on values over achievements Educational path: “They think deeply about what are now called ‘social justice' issues in a very real way.” Example: In 4th grade, their class did a homelessness simulation – replicating the fragmented, frustrating process of accessing services. Preschool at the Jewish Community Center Elementary at a Quaker school in San Francisco He jokes that they needed a Buddhist high school to complete the loop Not religious, but values-based, non-dogmatic education had a real impact That hands-on empathy helped them see systemic problems early on, especially in San Francisco, where it's worse. What Is Actually Enough? (56:54) “We were terrified our kids would take their comfort for granted.” Brian's kids: Lived modestly, but comfortably in San Francisco. Took vacations, had more than he and his wife did growing up. Worried their sons would chase status over substance. But what he taught them instead: Family matters. Friendships matter. Being dependable matters. Not just being good, but being someone others can count on. He also cautioned against: “We too often push kids toward something unattainable, and we act surprised when they burn out in the pursuit of that.” The “gold ring” mentality is like chasing elite schools, careers, and accolades. In sports and academics, he and his wife aimed for balance, not obsession. Brian on Parenting, Purpose, and Perspective (59:15) Brian sees promise in his kids' generation: But also more: Purpose-driven Skeptical of false promises Less obsessed with traditional success markers Yes, they're more stressed and overamped on social media. Gen Z has been labeled just like every generation before: “I'm Gen X. They literally made a movie about us called Slackers.” He believes the best thing we can do is: Model what matters Spend time reflecting: What really does matter? Help the next generation define enough for themselves, earlier than we did. The Real Measure of Success (1:00:07) Brian references Clay Christensen, famed author of The Innovator's Dilemma and How Will You Measure Your Life? Clay's insight: “Success isn't what you thought it was.” Early reunions are full of bravado – titles, accomplishments, money. Later reunions reveal divorce, estrangement, and regret. The longer you go, the more you see: Brian's takeaway: Even for Elon, it might be about Mars. But for most of us, it's not about how many projects we shipped. It's about: Family Friends Presence Meaning “If you can realize that earlier, you give yourself the chance to adjust – and find your way back.” Where to Find Brian (01:02:05) LinkedIn WorkForward.com Newsletter: The Work Forward on Substack “Some weeks it's lame, some weeks it's great. But there's a lot of community and feedback.” And of course, join us at Responsive Conference this September 17-18, 2025. Books Mentioned How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen Responsive Manifesto Empire of AI by Karen Hao Podcasts Mentioned The Gap by Ira Glass The Ezra Klein Show Movies Mentioned Andor Slackers Organizations Mentioned: Bulletin of Atomic Scientists McKnight Foundation National Institutes of Health (NIH) Responsive.org University of California, San Francisco

Ira Glass talks with longtime producer Nancy Updike about the most personal stories they have put on the radio. This is a sample of the bonus episodes we regularly release to our This American Life Partners. To gain access to all the bonus episodes AND help us keep making This American Life, join at thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners.

Host: Michael FanningGuest: Posey Gruener, Windermere Summit Agent & Former Public Radio JournalistPosey Gruener brings unique journalism expertise to real estate:Public Radio Journalist (2008-2022) at WMYC (NY) and KOW/KNKX (Seattle)Trained under Ira Glass, Studs Terkel, and Terry GrossInspired by StoryCorps project - recording meaningful conversationsNow applies these skills as a Windermere Summit agentHow recording everyday conversations between people shaped Posey's 15-year career approach.Moving past surface-level Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams to genuine engagement.Examples: "What brought you here today?" vs. "Are you looking to buy?"Listen for tone, tempo, and pace changes that signal meaningful topics.David Kow's concept: One person describes territory ahead, the other steers direction.Universal question: "What's the timeline for that?"The 6-second rule: Count to six in silence - someone will fill itPermission-based questioning: "Is it okay if I ask questions?"Deep listening helped client discover her true needs, resulting in successful purchase with $15K seller credit.The Power of Silence: Count to 6 seconds internally - clients will naturally fill pauses with meaningful information.Story-Based Listening: Listen for characters, scenes, timelines in client stories.Permission-Based Approach: Get buy-in before diving deeper creates trust."How to Talk to Anyone" by Leil LowndesStoryCorps Project (NPR)Email: posey.gruener@windermere.comInstagram: @gruenerHelp us grow: Rate, review, and share this episode! Comment with your conversation techniques. Have guest ideas? Contact Michael Fanning.Remember: The goal isn't perfection - it's authentic curiosity and listening.Be awesome, help somebody, and have a great day!

Send us a textRewind to 26 June 2005 to 2 July 2005

In honor of Father's Day, stories of sons and daughters finding out the one thing they've always wanted to know about their father. The answers aren't always what they'd hoped for. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: As a kid, Aric Knuth sent cassette tapes to his dad, a merchant marine gone for months at a time. He'd leave one side blank and ask for a reply—but none ever came. Aric talks to Ira Glass about what it was like to finally ask his dad why. (7 minutes)Act One: Lennard Davis was always told to avoid his no-good Uncle Abie. After his father died, Abie claimed he was actually Lenny's biological father via artificial insemination. At first, the story seemed possible, then doubtful. It took Lenny more than 20 years to sort out whether it was true, and he finds out the answer—definitively—as tape is rolling. (31 minutes)Act Two: Paul Tough's father was a mild-mannered professor—until he suddenly left the family to pursue a lifelong quest: making contact with extraterrestrial life. For the first time, Paul joins him and asks the questions he's long kept to himself about his father's alien pursuits. (18 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

Founded in 1970, NPR is America's most powerful broadcast news network. Despite being overshadowed by the larger and more glamorous PBS, public radio has long been home to shows such as All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and This American Life that captivate millions of listeners in homes, cars, and workplaces across the nation. In On Air, a book fourteen years in the making, journalist Steve Oney tells the history of this institution, tracing the comings and goings of legendary on-air talents (Bob Edwards, Susan Stamberg, Ira Glass, Cokie Roberts, and many others) and the rise and fall and occasional rise again of brilliant and sometimes venal executives. Oney depicts how NPR created a medium for extraordinary journalism—in which reporters and producers use microphones as paintbrushes and the voices of people around the world as the soundtrack of stories both global and local. Featuring details on the controversial firing of Juan Williams, the sloppy dismissal of Bob Edwards, and a $235 million bequest by Joan B. Kroc, widow of the founder of McDonald's, On Air also chronicles NPR's shift into the digital world and its early embrace of podcasting formats, establishing the network as a formidable media empire. Steve Oney is a longtime journalist who worked for many years as a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Magazine and Los Angeles magazine. He has also contributed articles to many national publications, including Esquire, The Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, GQ, and The New York Times Magazine. His history of the lynching of Leo Frank, And the Dead Shall Rise, won the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award and the National Jewish Book Award. Oney was educated at the University of Georgia and at Harvard, where he was a Nieman Fellow. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Madeline Stuart. Steve Scher is a writer, broadcaster, and interviewer. His children's book, The Moon Bear, came out in 2022. Over his 28 years on local public radio, he won awards for his incisive coverage of public affairs, breaking news and his beyond-the-headlines approach to issues. His in-depth interviews with award-winning authors, political leaders, scientists, artists and active citizens are noted for their intelligence and sensitivity. Most summers since 2009, he has taught a Communications Department class on interviewing at the University of Washington. Buy the Book On Air: The Triumph and Tumult of NPR Third Place Books

We got a tip about a meat plant selling pig intestines as fake calamari, wondered if it could be true, and decided to investigate. Doppelgängers, doubles, evil twins and not-so-evil twins, this week. Fred Armisen co-hosts with Ira Glass. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Fred Armisen worked up an imitation of Ira and put it into a sketch on Saturday Night Live a couple of years ago. But when they rehearsed it with an audience, there was not a roar of recognition; it seemed like Ira might not be famous enough to be mocked on network TV. Armisen finally gets a go as Ira's doppelgänger in our studios by co-hosting this episode. (4 minutes)Act One: Ben Calhoun tells a story of physical resemblance — not of a person, but of food. A while ago, a farmer walked through a pork processing plant in Oklahoma with a friend who managed it. He came across boxes stacked on the floor with labels that said "artificial calamari." So he asked his friend "What's artificial calamari?" "Bung," his friend replied. "Hog rectum." Have you or I eaten bung dressed up as seafood? Ben investigated. (26 minutes)Act Two: For decades, the writer Alex Kotlowitz has been writing about the inner cities and the toll of violence on young people. So when he heard about a program at Drexel University where guys from the inner city get counseling for PTSD, he wondered if the effect of urban violence was comparable to the trauma that a person experiences from war. Kotlowitz talks to a military vet from Afghanistan and a guy from Philadelphia who's lived in some pretty bad neighborhoods to find out if they are doubles of some sort. (23 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

Hot tip for CAOs: Find a podcaster who believes in 'good promotion' like Ira Glass.Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road & Veritone One) sits down with Audio Legend and Podcast Pioneer Ira Glass (Host, Executive Producer, This American Life) in a new episode of “What's a Podcast? - The Extended Interviews.” This week's episode is sponsored by our friends at Fairing.“ You really have to be very thoughtful and show cunning in the way that you deal with advertising and promotion…. that's where you protect yourself and your right to make whatever you want.“Ira Glass (Host, Executive Producer, This American Life) The team is talking: Promo Power, Blueprints, The Feels, and more. Let's dig in.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey, everyone. Today I wanted to share a special conversation from another Lemonada show: Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso. For those who aren’t already familiar with this great podcast, the show started all the way back in 2016 and airs every Sunday. The episode you’re about to hear is a recent one. It’s a great talk between Sam and the broadcast legend Ira Glass, from May 2025. Thirty years. Over 850 episodes. Nine Peabodys. One Pulitzer. And yet somehow, three decades in, This American Life (and its creator, Ira Glass) remains as innovative and timely as ever. We begin with a week in the life of Ira: a typical Monday at This American Life, the rigorous notes process, and how the team selects the stories it wants to tell that Sunday. Then, we unpack Trump’s ongoing threats to slash government funding for public media, Glass’ formative days as a teenage intern at NPR, and the radio mentors who shaped his ideas around narrative. On the back-half, we discuss how his taste and talent eventually converged, what makes a good interview, the guest he most identifies with, the episode he’s most proud of, and, naturally, the future of This American Life. To learn more about Talk Easy, visit talkeasypod.com and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Find Talk Easy on social: @talkeasypod and @samfragoso Follow David on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A show about people who are suddenly confronted with who they are. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription. Prologue: Guest host Aviva DeKornfeld tells Ira Glass about breaking into a community pool as a kid, and the split-second decision that has haunted her ever since. (4 minutes)Act One: Some people are great in a crisis. Others, not so much. Does that mean anything about who we really are? Tobin Low investigates. (10 minutes)Act Two: Aviva DeKornfeld has the story of Leisha Hailey, who was certain she had the next million-dollar idea. (11 minutes)Act Three: Comedian Mike Birbiglia talks about the questions his daughter asks him and how trying to answer them showed him surprising reflections of himself.  (15 minutes)Act Four: David Kestenbaum tells the story of the suspicious disappearance of multiple shoes and a woman determined to explain it. (8 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

This week Atsuko Okatsuka joins us at the table! It's never a great sign when Ira Glass informs you that you have a story worth telling, which is exactly what happened to Atsuko. She discusses life in Japan, being kidnapped by her grandma and moving to the US. She also shares how she found out she wasn't married to her "husband." Enjoy! Check out Atsuko's upcoming special FATHER on Hulu June 13th. ------------ 0:00:00 Intro 0:00:42 Welcome and second time on podcast 0:01:43 Bread 0:03:00 Atsuko's new special "FATHER" 0:05:20 Japan 0:11:32 Downtown LA 0:14:42 Atsuko did not know she wasn't married for years 0:20:13 Special set design 0:21:39 Atsuko's relationship with her father 0:24:03 Ira Glass 0:26:32 Grandma kidnapping 0:30:40 Japanese 0:31:56 Taiwan to London pipeline 0:35:25 Bad smells 0:36:38 FACTOR Ad 0:38:30 Uncomfortable moment 0:46:00 Scars 0:48:33 Tracking the moon 0:51:10 Atsuko at 80 and finding friends 0:56:02 Celiac 0:58:28 Condiments and masseuses ------------ Tom Papa is a celebrated stand-up comedian with over 20 years in the industry. Watch Tom's new special "Home Free" out NOW on Netflix! Patreon - Patreon.com/BreakingBreadWithTomPapa Radio, Podcasts and more: https://linktr.ee/tompapa/ Website - http://tompapa.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tompapa Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tompapa Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/comediantompapa Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/tompapa #tompapa #breakingbread #comedy #standup #standupcomedy #bread #atsuko #japan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Composer James Allen Roberson has a great quote on his wall by Ira Glass that explains that the gap between our ability and our taste is only bridged by a lot of work. In today's episode, James sits down with us to discuss his own creative development and the hard work that went into it. We talk about maintaining and attitude of humility and learning lessons from unexpected places, living in the studio, how to find the right sound for a project, and mourning the end-of-life of Finale. https://www.robersonsound.com/

Ira Glass has appeared on the Working It Out podcast three times before, and usually it's Mike asking Ira for advice, whether it's about podcasting or storytelling. But now the tables have turned: Ira recently listened to a stand-up set he performed years ago, he has the itch to try it again, so he's come to Mike for comedy advice. On this episode, Mike and Ira listen to Ira's old stand-up set in real time, break down what worked and what didn't, and brainstorm ideas for Ira's next set.Please consider donating to your local public radio or television station.

Stan's guest is award-winning author and GHS Dooley Distinguished Fellow Steve Oney, discussing his new book On Air (published by Avid Reader Press) on the history of National Public Radio. From “All Things Considered” to “Car Talk” and “This American Life,” from Bob Edwards to Anne Garrels to Cokie Roberts and Ira Glass, Steve covers ...Continue Reading »

There's an ongoing debate in Washington over whether the federal government should continue funding public news organizations like National Public Radio. President Donald Trump says he would like to strip federal funding from the outlets, calling it a waste of money.  Joining NY1's Errol Louis to discuss NPR and public broadcasting is journalist and author Steve Oney, the author of a new book: “On Air: The Triumph and Tumult of NPR.”  Together, they looked back on NPR's history, including its origins as part of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society program. They also touched on the many star reporters who helped bring NPR to the masses and how Ira Glass' “This American Life” transformed audio storytelling.  Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

Podcasting didn't start with a business plan—it started with rebels, weirdos, and accidental pioneers tinkering in garages. In Episode 1 of What's A Podcast?, we trace the medium's origin story—from the earliest RSS hacks to the moment Steve Jobs brought podcasts to iTunes. Along the way, you'll hear from Adam Carolla and Leo Laporte on bypassing traditional media, and Ira Glass on how public radio helped shape podcasting's storytelling DNA. Featuring firsthand interviews with the people who built podcasting before it had a name—and who are still fighting to define what it is today.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The best way -- sometimes the *only* way -- to describe an element in a story that is disruptive and distracting for listeners is this: chicken bomb. This year, 2025, is the 20th anniversary of "chicken bomb" entering the lexicon of audio storytelling. What exactly is it? With help from Ira Glass, we'll explain. 

On this week's episode: ICE visited Jackson early last month. The news spread quickly across social media but even now, many still have questions. A conversation with Ira Glass, host and creator of the popular public radio program “This American Life,” ahead of a recently announced August show in Jackson. And confirmed cases of Chronic Wasting Disease south of town has one wildlife biologist with Wyoming Game and Fish concerned.Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live-stream Mondays at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and Fridays and Sundays at 12:30 p.m. Support Jackson's only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

On this week's episode: ICE visited Jackson early last month. The news spread quickly across social media but even now, many still have questions. A conversation with Ira Glass, host and creator of the popular public radio program “This American Life,” ahead of a recently announced August show in Jackson. And confirmed cases of Chronic Wasting Disease south of town has one wildlife biologist with Wyoming Game and Fish concerned.   Jackson Unpacked airs locally at 89.1 FM or via live-stream Mondays at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and Fridays and Sundays at 12:30 p.m. Support Jackson's only nonprofit newsroom by becoming a member of KHOL today.

Unnecessary and outrageous lies that make you wonder — why lie about that in the first place? Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.Prologue: Kasey, a woman who prides herself on her truthfulness, tries to help host Ira Glass figure out how to stop lying about one specific thing. (10 minutes)Act One: Producer Dana Chivvis talks to Liz Flock about a strange experience she had in 2011. (21 minutes)Act Two: Host Ira Glass talks with M. Gessen about a lie they've been seeing out in the world a lot recently — the “bully lie.” (15 minutes)Act Three: We find someone brave enough to stand up and make a case FOR lying. That person is producer Ike Sriskandarajah. (8 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.orgThis American Life privacy policy.Learn more about sponsor message choices.

Two decades before the Lindbergh baby became America's most famous missing child, four-year-old Bobby Dunbar, went missing in Opelousas, Louisiana, setting in motion one of the strangest kidnapping stories in the nation's history.In the summer of 1912, the Dunbar family took a trip to Swayze Lake in St. Landry Parish, where Bobby wandered off and disappeared. The boy's disappearance was followed by an eight-month search across the American south, until Bobby was ostensibly found in the company of William Walters, a handyman traveling through the Mississippi. Bobby's parents were elated to have their son back after such a long absence, but the problem was, very few people seem convinced that the boy was in fact Bobby Dunbar.After extensive news coverage of the search, Walters' trial for kidnapping, and the joyful return of Bobby to his family, interest in the case began to fade, but for the Dunbar family, questions remained about Bobby's identity. Had the Dunbars, in their desperation to find their son, unintentionally kidnapped someone else's child? Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!ReferencesCrowley Post-Signal. 1913. "Charges fell to ground." Crowley Post-Signal , April 11: 5.Daily Advertiser. 1914. "Walters' trial at Opelousas." Daild Advertiser (Lafayette, LA), April 21: 1.—. 1914. "Supreme court frees Walters." Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, LA), June 30: 1.McThenia, Tal, and Ira Glass. 2008. "The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar." This American Life. Chicago, IL: Chicago Public Media, March 14.New York Times. 1912. "$6,000 for missing boy." New York Times, November 10: 1.—. 1912. "Kidnapped boy murdered." New York Times, December 15: 14.Ray, S.W. 1914. "Opelousas jury hears life story of other mother." Times-Picayune, April 23: 8.St. Landry Clarion. 1912. "No trace of lost Bob Dunbar." St. Landry Clarion , September 7: 1.—. 1912. "Robert Dunbar, 4 years old, mysteriously disappears." St. Landry Clarion , August 31: 4.—. 1914. "Asks that fair play be given to the accused." St. Landry Clarion, April 18: 1.—. 1914. "Fair play for Walters." St. Landry Clarion, April 18: 1.Times-Democrat. 1913. "Recognizes playmates." Times- Democrat (New Orleans, LA), April 26: 1.—. 1913. "Does not identify boy." Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA), April 22: 1.—. 1913. "Dunbar boy talking." Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA), May 20: 4.—. 1913. "Hunting for kidnappers." Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA), April 27: 1.—. 1913. "Is not Bruce Anderson." Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA), April 26: 1.—. 1913. "Now believes boy hers." Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA), May 3: 1.—. 1912. "Scores search for missing lad." Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA), August 25: 1.—. 1912. "Suspicion turns toward negroes." Times-Democrat (New Orleans, LA), September 2: 1.—. 1913. "Movements of Tinker." Times-Democrat, May 23: 1.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Josh Gad (In Gad We Trust, Frozen, Book of Mormon) is a Grammy Award-winning actor. Josh returns to Armchair Expert to discuss why he believes he would be the Unsinkable Molly Brown on the Titanic, the unthinkable bravery and precision of LA firefighters, and questions whether Dax thinks he would've ended up as an Ira Glass or a Howard Stern. Josh and Dax talk about having permission to send Kumail Nanjiani shirtless pics, growing up without his emerald kingpin father, and how his comedy was born out of the despair from his parents' divorce. Josh explains bombing his audition to Juilliard, how Disney became the salve to soothe loss in his life, and the acknowledgment of being your own worst enemy as long as you come out the other side.Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For our first episode in the new year, a reflection on how we spend our time. What we devote our life to, and the roads we choose not to take. A conversation with Ira Glass. Tickets for the Search Engine live show Support the show To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Shaner and JP McDade join Luis J. Gomez and Zac Amico and they discuss Luis wanting to fight Ira Glass, the US abolishing slavery in 1865, the most friendly slave owners, Luis' most recent incident, Lev Fer leaving the network, what men would most likely give up forever, Murder Dogs - the pitbull shot for going into their neighbor's property, an update on the man who shot down a drone over his home, requirements for getting a gun in New Jersey, the Charlotte Hornets taking a PS5 from a kid, a new LAZ pet - Brodie, a woman having her tiny home stolen, Lucy Phillips sleeping with 100 men, deduct porn sites, the 15 year old school shooter and so much more!(Air Date: December 18th, 2024)Support our sponsors!YoDelta.com - Use promo code: GaS to get 25% off!ShopMando.com - Use promo code: LAZ and new customers will get $5 off our Starter Pack!*Send your video submissions for the Cuntest or the Look-a-Like Contest to LuisAndZac@gmail.com!To advertise your product or service on GaS Digital podcasts please go to TheADSide.com and click on "Advertisers" for more information!Submit your artwork via postal mail to:GaS Digital Networkc/o Luis And Zac151 1st Ave, #311New York, NY 10003You can sign up at GaSDigital.com with promo code: LAZ for a discount of $1.50 on your subscription and access to every Luis and Zac show ever recorded! On top of that you'll also have the same access to ALL the shows that GaS Digital Network has to offer!Follow the whole show on social media!Ryan ShanerTwitter: https://twitter.com/_shaner_comedy_Instagram: https://instagram.com/shanercobbedyPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEndPodJ.P. McDadeTwitter: https://twitter.com/JP_McDadeInstagram: https://instagram.com/McDadeBabyLuis J. GomezTwitter: https://twitter.com/luisjgomezInstagram: https://instagram.com/gomezcomedyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LuisJGomezComedyTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/prrattlesnakeWebsite: https://www.luisofskanks.comZac AmicoTwitter: https://twitter.com/ZASpookShowInstagram: https://instagram.com/zacisnotfunnySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this conversation, recorded the morning after the presidential election, comedy phenom Tig Notaro joins Jen and Amy (donned head to toe in black in mourning) to unpack the events of the day and to help them find their happy place in the world again, which she accomplishes with tactical success. By the end of the show, they've laughed so hard, they've forgotten most of their cares.  In this episode, Tig regales us with her journey as an Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian, the influence of her free-spirited mother, and how her family dynamics (and a few hilarious stories from her boys) have shaped her comedy. She also reflects on her journey of authenticity, what it means to be an icon in the LGBTQ+ community, and the significance of being true to oneself.  In Rant or Rave, Jen and Amy muse about whether or not they have the chops to make it in stand-up, and we learn that Amy definitely has a deep well of material at her disposal. Speaking of which, be sure to listen for Tig's story about the weirdest gig she's ever performed! *** Thought-provoking Quotes:  One of the things my mother told me growing up was to tell everyone to go to hell if they had a problem with me. And I certainly do not walk around telling everyone to go to hell but I think there's this thing in me, whether you know I was told that or not, I think people can tell that I don't have a desperation and I'm not going to do backflips for anybody. – Tig Notaro I didn't bust out of the closet. I went through my own process of figuring things out. I wasn't born knowing I was gay. When I did come out, it was just an authentic feeling and decision of, this is who I am. – Tig Notaro Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Annette Benning - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000906/ John Travolta - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000237 Cher - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000333 Olivia Coleman - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1469236/ Broadchurch - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2249364/ Wicked Little Letters - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20234774/ Taika Waititi - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0169806/ Ryan Reynolds - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005351 Denzel Washington - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000243 Julia Roberts - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000210 Notting Hill - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0125439 Jason Bateman - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000867 Smartless Docuseries - https://play.max.com/show/f8c800e3-7639-4883-a0f1-8eb5adbb5ced I'm Just a Person by Tig Notaro - https://amzn.to/3ZjlfQY Tig: A Netflix Documentary - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3986532/ One Mississippi TV series - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4947608/ Under a Rock with Tig Notaro - https://www.amazon.com/Under-Rock-Tig-Notaro/dp/B07SJZ4TKM Kevin Nealon - https://www.instagram.com/kevinnealon/ This American Life with Ira Glass - https://www.thisamericanlife.org/ Star Trek: Discovery - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5171438/ Hello Again - https://www.amazon.com/Tig-Notaro-Hello-Again/dp/B0CV4FNJ27 Guest's Links: Tig's website - https://tignation.com/ Tig's Twitter - https://x.com/tignotaro Tig's Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tignotarocomedy/ Tig's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tig+notaro Handsome Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/handsome/id1702258458 Don't Ask Tig Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-ask-tig/id1523507379 Connect with Jen! Jen's website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen's Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmaker Jen's Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen's Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmaker Jen's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy.  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ira Glass has news to share about some things happening here at This American Life. To sign up as a Life Partner, visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners.

For listeners: You can get 20% off your first order. Use code TRASHTUESDAY!Go to https://www.rocketrx.com and enter code: TRASHTUESDAY at checkout for 20% off your first order. Follow the link in the description! See Esther LIVE!  ___________________________________________________________________ This week we have the hilarious Atsuko Okatsuka (the u's are silent!!!) in the stu. She tells us about being the first renter on MTV Cribs, Filipinos' love for family & nutella, the uneasy feeling of Ira Glass asking to profile you for This American Life + much more!!  MORE ATUSKO: Tour Dates: https://atsukocomedy.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/atsukocomedy/ X: https://www.tiktok.com/@atsukocomedy?lang=en Chapters:  00:00 Hide & Hide: Reality vs. The Game 01:28 Atsuko is here & The “u” is silent (twice) 05:00 Who does Esther want to be when she's older?  08:57 Atsuko & her Gma on MTV Cribs 11:36 Atsuko & her Gma on This American Life 14:27 The Filipinos: Love for their country & Nutella 18:52 Boxing Helena: A Filipino RomCom 21:06 Different Jokes in Different Area Codes 24:48 Burying Dead People in Your Yard 33:04 Atsuko on the Sherri Papini story 39:00 The earthquake during Atsuko's set 44:30 Not MomTok, Mom Talk….(nice) 46:28 Slug Q's for Atsuko! _______________________________________________________________ Follow & WATCH More Trash: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrashTuesday Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itstrashtuesday More Esther: TikTok:   / esthermonster   Instagram:   / esthermonster   More Khalyla:  Instagram:   / khalamityk   Tigerbelly Podcast:    / @tigerbelly   Production:  Production Co. Tiny Legends Productions Editor: Case Blackwell

Donald Trump has talked about taking retribution on his enemies since the early days of his 2024 presidential campaign. After his conviction last week in New York, his talk intensified. We try to understand what his retribution might look like by speaking with people who have the most to lose in a second Trump administration: people who believe Trump will be coming for them. Prologue: Donald Trump has talked about taking revenge on his enemies since the early days of his 2024 presidential campaign. Ira Glass talks to reporter Jonathan Karl about how Trump has placed retribution at the center of his run and what we know about how he's thinking about it. (16 minutes)Act One: Reporter Alix Spiegel talks to two people with good reason to fear a second Trump administration. Former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham spent six years with the Trumps but resigned after January 6th and wrote a scathing tell-all book about her experience. Fred Wellman worked for The Lincoln Project - a group of high-profile Republicans who pledged to keep Trump out of office during the 2020 campaign. (22 minutes)Act Two: Alex Vindman became the face of the first Trump impeachment after he reported to his superiors that Trump had asked the President of Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden, the son of his political opponent. At the time, Vindman believed that his Congressional testimony would not jeopardize him; now, he and his wife Rachel are having second thoughts. (14 minutes)Act Three: After hearing from people who dread a possible second Trump term, we hear from those who are excited about it. Reporter Zoe Chace checks into whether his supporters are excited for retribution. (7 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org