Employee of the Month
287 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 5 years ago - ★★★★ - 129 ratingsWe spend most of our time working, so what does it take to (mainly) love what you do? How do even the most gifted, talented, intelligent, ambitious, disciplined, imaginative, inventive, and lucky people develop their point of view, find meaning, serve a greater good, deal with work place politics, rejection, finances, boredom, red tape, logistics, and creative roadblocks? What are the perks or enjoyable about forging your own path? Catie Lazarus and her guests delve into beauty, banality and absurdity of work, jobs, and labor.
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Episodes
Alyssa Mastromonaco and Peter Grosz on what makes President Obama, Stephen Colbert, and Seth Meyers great bosses
March 30, 2019 04:00 - 1 hourIn this episode Catie Lazarus talks to Obama’s former Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations Alyssa Mastromonaco and comedy writer Peter Grosz.
Tim Blake Nelson and Jill Sobule
March 23, 2019 04:00 - 1 hourIn this episode Catie Lazarus talks to acclaimed actor, writer, and director Tim Blake Nelson and singer songwriter Jill Sobule.
Adam Gopnik on Sibling Rivalry, Stand Up, and Liberalism
March 16, 2019 04:00 - 55 minutesAdam Gopnik has held many dream jobs, all in the same office. After almost forty years (and counting) at The New Yorker, Gopnik has served as a food, art, and music critic, and he’s written his own novels, children’s books, musicals, and solo shows. His latest (and first) political book A Thousand Small Sanities delves into how liberals can save Democracy. In this interview Gopnik talks to Catie Lazarus about the infighting between liberals and progressives, his upcoming solo show at The Red ...
Aparna Nancherla On Learning to Saying No and Avoiding Brain Trolls
March 09, 2019 05:00 - 40 minutesAfter making her stand-up debut in Washington, D.C., Aparna Nancherla quickly became a comedy darling in Los Angeles and New York, writing for FX’s Totally Biased with Kamau Bell and Late Night with Seth Meyers. She also became a welcome fixture in New York’s competitive stand-up scene thanks to her smart and self-aware one-liners. When she opened up about her own anxiety and depression, more fans flocked. As a writer and actor, she has worked on HBO’s Crashing, Comedy’s Central’s Corporate, ...
Adrienne Truscott and Alysia Reiner
March 02, 2019 05:00 - 1 hourAdrienne Truscott reveals what comedians mean by “funny is funny.” Her debut solo show transformed #MeToo, #TimesUp and still manages to be hilarious, as she proves just how funny feminsists can be. Plus, Pamela Adlon’s Better Things on FX starts up again, while Orange is the New Black reaches its final season. What do they share in common? Actor Alysia Reiner. The actor speaks about the two hit series and her film EGG, which co-stars Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks, and cracks into motherhood ...
Nick Hornby on His New TV Project and Knowing Whether His Writing is Any Good
February 23, 2019 05:00 - 49 minutesWith Fever Pitch, About a Boy and High Fidelity, Nick Hornby created a niche penning romantic comedies from the male perspective and launching the crush worthy careers of Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Jon Cusack on both sides of the pond. Then he went on to prove that he can deftly embody a female lens with the box office hits Wild and Brooklyn and the critically acclaimed Education. Now, Hornby has teamed up with Stephen Frears to tackle marriage from both male and female perspective in their ...
Lisa Kron and Desiree Akhavan on Finding Your Voice When Directing Sex Scenes and Protesting
February 16, 2019 11:00 - 39 minutesTiming is how the ever so humble Lisa Kron explains how she revolutionized theater, first with Well, and then with Fun Home. Both of these plays went to Broadway and re-invented how we think about what qualifies as a “Broadway show.” Since Donald Trump was elected, Kron has become involved in activism. She discovered that protests require better chants, and what the right sound can offer. Then, Catie Lazarus speaks with Director Desiree Akhavan about shooting sex scenes in The Miseducation of...
Reggie Watts on Creating Virtual Reality and How it Increases Empathy, and on Keeping His Night Job
February 09, 2019 11:00 - 34 minutesThree-time Employee of the Month winner, Reggie Watts, returns to discuss his latest, greatest project Runnin’, which expands the cathartically original, prolific, and mischievously wry comedian, musician, and dancer’s oeuvre. Catie Lazarus spoke with Watts about burn out, why he can’t quit his night job, and his recent foray into VR with Runnin’, which premiered at Sundance. The Film Festival is known for launching acting and directing careers, and given the breadth of VR experiences on disp...
Utkarsh Ambudkar and Nisha Ganatra Reveal What Has (and Hasn’t) Changed in Hollywood
February 02, 2019 11:00 - 45 minutesUtkarsh Ambudkar didn’t give away his shot when he turned down Hamilton. The rapper and star of Brittany Runs a Marathon, who currently can be seen in Freestyle Love Supreme’s sold out off-Broadway run, talks about how Hollywood is finally casting more men of color as romantic leads. Ambudkar is joined by Mindy Project alum and director Nisha Ganatra, who spoke with Catie Lazarus about what role a Vedic astrologer played in her meteoric rise. Ganatra and Mindy Kaling’s feature film Late Night...
RISK!’s Kevin Allison and Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan Reveal the Fun (and Not So Fun) of Comedy Troupes
January 26, 2019 11:00 - 1 hourAfter Kevin Allison broke into comedy on the cult classic sketch show MTV’s The State; he struggled for years, until he risked everything and shared stories from his life. Since then he has helped thousands of people tell their tales as host of the hit podcast and live storytelling show RISK! Then Catie Lazarus sits down with her Employee of the Month co-host, beatboxer Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan, who shares how he melds music, hip-hop, and comedy.
The Moth’s Catherine Burns on Grief and Burning Man, and Jo Firestone on Writing Jokes on Stage
January 19, 2019 11:00 - 57 minutesThe Moth’s artistic director, Catherine Burns, talks to Catie Lazarus about grief at work and what makes the perfect story. Then Lazarus chats with comedian Jo Firestone about writing for other comedians like Jimmy Fallon, Joe Pera, and Chris Gethard, and for her own shows.
Ezra Klein on Tribalism, Fan Fiction, and the Data on Dry Humping, and Sasheer Zamata Talks About Writing Animation and Tokyo Disney
January 12, 2019 11:00 - 45 minutesEzra Klein, co-founder of Vox and host of the podcast “The Ezra Klein Show,” talks to Catie Lazarus about tribalism, fan fiction to the data on dry humping. Plus, after leaving Saturday Night Live, Sasheer Zamata’s stand up career continues to flourish, from her special Pizza Mind to performing with Nicole Byer, and how she and Amy Schumer met. Zamata is not just a writer, actor and stand-up. The superstar joins FreeStyle Love Supreme’s Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan, Andrew “Jelly D. Bancroft” a...
Peter Sagal on His Journey From Theater to Public Radio
January 05, 2019 11:00 - 43 minutesKicking off 2019 with NPR’s “Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!” host, Peter Sagal. Sagal got his start with screenwriting, penning Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. Writing the sequel to Dirty Dancing was a natural transition to hosting a public radio show. Sagal talks to Catie Lazarus about how he wound up hosting National Public Radio’s most popular show, his new book “The Incomplete Book of Running”, and why to get off the grid.
Patton Oswalt and Tig Notaro on being fired to finding love
December 29, 2018 11:00 - 53 minutesAs 2018 comes to a close, Catie Lazarus shares a super duper special episode of Employee of the Month, which was recorded live at Largo in Los Angeles with comedians and Employee of the Month winners Patton Oswalt and Tig Notaro. You can catch Patton Oswalt’s most recent comedy special ANNIHILATION on Netflix, as the prolific stand up, actor and writer is currently balancing multiple writing projects and prepping for his next special. Oswalt talks to Catie Lazarus about the three challenges h...
Wyatt Cenac on Casual Acting and Negin Farsad on Blackout Boning
December 22, 2018 11:00 - 58 minutesOn this episode of Employee of the Month, Catie Lazarus interviews and honors comedians Wyatt Cenac and Negin Farsad. It is possible to be funny and make a difference as they both reveal. Cenac currently hosts HBO’s Problem Areas, which is the only political comedy show to consistently shed light on activists to policy wonks and how we can better deal with issues like prison reform to homelessness. He also talks about leaving The Daily Show and mentor Colin Quinn at SNL. Negin Farsad who is ...
Jeffrey Wright and Brian Lehrer on Brett Kavanaugh, Jack Daniel's and Manspreading
December 15, 2018 19:55 - 1 hourAs suicide rate rises amongst the military, Republicans are slashing government funding for mental health care. So, when military struggling with PTSD wanted to stage a performance to help cope with PTSD, Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright volunteered to direct them. HBO’s riveting new documentary We are Not Done Yet chronicles their process and how the military trains artists. The Tony and Emmy winner also shares his love for Jack Daniels and how he guarded Brett Kavanaugh in football. Plus, Lazaru...
Hannibal Buress & Marina Franklin Talk Consensual Sex, Chicago, and Stand Up
December 08, 2018 21:10 - 1 hourCatie Lazarus, Hannibal Buress and Marina Franklin, talk about sex, stand up, consensual sex, podcasting, code-switching and Chicago and New York’s comedy scenes. Buress reveals his secret to acting and Marina reveals how Amy Schumer inspired her to come into her own.
Emily Mortimer and Dolly Wells on Wanking Off, Merkins, and Therapy
November 24, 2018 11:00 - 40 minutesEmily Mortimer, star of Mary Poppins Returns and Lovely & Amazing, talks to Catie Lazarus about merkins, The Sex Pistols, work wife Dolly Wells and babysitter/husband Alessandro Nivola. Dolly Wells, best known for Bridget Jones Diary and HBO’s Doll and Em, offer a sneak peak of what they’re working on next.
Chris Jackson’s Daytime Emmy is Still an Emmy, Dammit
November 10, 2018 11:00 - 48 minutesCatie Lazarus talks with Emmy Award winner Chris Jackson, best known for originating the role of George Washington in Hamilton. He was also a lead in In The Heights and composed music for Sesame Street penning the music for a Will.I.Am hit “What I Am,” which is addictive, no matter how old you are. Plus, Catie sits down in the studio with CUNY Professor and Poet Celina Su to discuss how to avoid burnout as a political activist, refugees, and prose.
Fred Armisen Says Dreams Are a Waste of Time and Anthony Atamanuik on Empathy for Trump
October 27, 2018 10:00 - 31 minutesCatie Lazarus talks with comedian Fred Armisen who did prank videos before Youtube, which launched his career, beginning with Saturday Night Live and later on IFC’s Portlandia and Documentary Now!. His latest series is Amazon Prime’s Forever, in which he co-stars with Employee of the Month alumna Maya Rudolph. Then Catie chats with comedian and author of American Tantrum Anthony Atamanuik on what it takes to have compassion for Donald Trump.
Martha Plimpton and Masha Gessen on Putin, Abortion, and Modeling
October 13, 2018 10:00 - 41 minutesOnce a muse for Calvin Klein, actor Martha Plimpton had ample training before becoming a role model to destigmatizes abortion. Today, Plimpton, who continues to be a prolific actor on and off Broadway, as well as in hit TV shows like The Black List, Younger, and Raising Hope, works with A Is For. A breadwinner from a young age, Plimpton talks to Catie Lazarus about how she coped with burnout. Then Lazarus speaks with National Book Award-winner and New Yorker columnist Masha Gessen about invit...
Alex Lacamoire on Hamilton, Hollywood and his hearing impairment, plus the Resistance Revival Chorus
September 26, 2018 10:00 - 49 minutesBetween ensuring Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen's global tours are as magnetic off-Broadway as they are on it, to scoring feature films, musical maestro Alex Lacamoire’s schedule is relentless. The 43-year-old Cuban-American hasn't stopped making music since he began dazzling audiences at piano recitals at age four. But much like Alexander Hamilton, Lacamoire struggled. The prolific polymath reveals to Catie Lazarus how he grapples with his own hearing impairment to the harsh reality of breaki...
Employee of The Month is Back!
September 25, 2018 20:43 - 4 minutesNew episodes coming fall 2018, now from Slate Magazine.
REBECCA TRAISTER on Sexism, Class & Jared Kushner Destroying The Observer
November 21, 2017 18:25 - 50 minutesREBECCA TRAISTER reveals the price of elitism within journalism and publishing, and how it decides who and what gets published. Today, most journalists, writer and reporters earn less than minimum wage which determines who can afford to do this critical job. Now, she is one of New York Magazine's star columnists and talking head on Real Time with Bill Maher, but she got her start as a reporter. Her experience shows. Her self-awareness and research contextualizes the nuances of sexism, racism,...
Playwright ANNA ZIEGLER on Nicole Kidman, Roger Federer & Broadway
November 16, 2017 20:16 - 45 minutesSexual assault, sexism and harassment in the work place is getting its due in the news, but in ACTUALLY, currently on Broadway at the Manhattan Theater Club, playwright Anna Ziegler examines whether colleges are any more objective than our criminal system. It is nearly impossible for women of all races seeking justice for rape and sexual harassment in our criminal system. Men of color are also considered "guilty until proven innocent." What happens when these two issues collide? And on a col...
Nicole Holofcener on celebrity, money, & being a "female" director in Hollywood
October 16, 2017 17:27 - 47 minutesAfter getting her start as a PA for Woody Allen, director and writer Nicole Holofcener gave stars like Jennifer Aniston in FRIENDS WITH MONEY, Julia Louis Dreyfus in ENOUGH SAID, Jake Gyllenhaal and Catherine Keener in LOVELY & AMAZING their meatiest, roles. With her new Netflix film THE LAND of STEADY HABITS, starring Ben Mendelsohn, Edie Falco, Elizabeth Marvel, and Thomas Mann, Holofcener will focus for first time from the perspective of a male protagonist. On this episode off Employee of ...
STEPHEN WRIGHT the one and only Oscar award winning comedian
September 20, 2017 05:00 - 33 minutesEMPLOYEE of the MONTH is a talk (and awards) show about what it truly means to have a dreamy job. CATIE LAZARUS, who created and hosts Employee of the Month, only selects good eggs for the prestigious EMPLOYEE of the MONTH award, so no wonder she picked Steven Wright. He is utterly hilarious, thoroughly original, and hope you will enjoy our interview. You're welcome. PS Please excuse the AMAZING sound quality. Can't do anything about my voice, but you can donate if you want to help us improv...
CYNTHIA NIXON talks about casting when you're non-white, hetero male and political activism
September 13, 2017 05:00 - 42 minutesThere are actors who anoint themselves activists, without considering that most activists don't suddenly claim they are actors, simply because they bought movie tickets. That said, there are consummate professionals, like Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award winner CYNTHIA NIXON, who will consciously support causes. Nixon has her plate full with upcoming films, like LIFE ITSELF, JAMES WHITE, and STOKHOLM, PENNSYLVNIA; directing a one woman show, and prepping to play Emily Dickinson, among other gigs,...
TITUSS BURGESS talks Tina Fey, Patti LuPone & reveals new Pinot Noirs
September 06, 2017 05:00 - 25 minutesPeeno Noir is Expanding! Actor Tituss Burgess’s real wine company Pinot Noir, inspired by his Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s character viral music video, will unveil a new wine for Pride Week and a rosé. Whether your celebrating the LGBTQ or can’t get enough of the nimble actor and deliriously delightful singer, you’ll feel better about splurging on Pinot Noir after seeing how Burgess does in a blind taste test. Catie Lazarus, host of Employee of the Month, wanted to see if the 37 years old, Geo...
Mad Magazine's AL JAFFEE
August 23, 2017 05:00 - 34 minutesThis October marks Al Jaffee reign as Mad Magazine’s longest running contributor, clocking in 59 years and over 479 issues. Since 1952, the comic book turned magazine infused a childish silliness with biting political depth and orignal artwork. By engaging readers to add their own “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions,” and even mangling the magazine to solve the “Fold-In” picture riddle, Mad was one of the first enterprises to treat consumers as co-conspirators. The result was an entirely new ...
DAVEED DIGGS, talks about why he hates Pier 1 and how he snagged a starring role in Hamilton
August 16, 2017 05:00 - 13 minutesDAVEED DIGGS, a rapper, actor, and now Broadway star in Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton, stopped by Employee of the Month at Joe's Pub to reveal why Diggs hated working at Pier 1. You'll get to hear him freestyle rapwith Jelly D. and Shockwave, who are both the MC's for Employee of the Month Show's house band, and bandmates of Daveed's in Freestyle Love Supreme. In this episode, which was taped live, you will also here Jelly D. and Daveed rap and Shockwave beatbox the Employee of the Month rap ...
Comedian Wayne Federman on Gary Shandling Judd Apatow, Jimmy Fallon and composing music
August 02, 2017 05:00 - 31 minutesIf you looked up the phrase "comic's comic," Wayne Federman's name should appear. For decades after the late great Gary Shandling cast Wayne as his brother in Larry Sanders Show, Shandling remained close friends with Wayne. While Federman is presently touring with Judd Apatow and has done so with Jimmy Fallon, and writes for both comics as well, he has started to compose theme music. After appearing in and on over fifty hit movies and television shows, including Legally Blonde, Knocked Up, X-...
KIDS in the HALL's Kevin McDonald on Jerry Seinfeld, Beatles, and love, loneliness, and finances now that he's adult(ish)
July 28, 2017 06:00 - 32 minutes"Bobcat Goldthwait came to the show with the same fear I did," On this episode of Employee of the Month, comedian Kevin McDonald shares what it is like to be judged both about how you write about your life and lived it. We spoke about his one man show as well as the love of being part of a group and loneliness of no longer being one of the cool kids. In their twenties, Kevin McDonalds and Dave Foley, darlings of the sketch comedy world, described themselves as "punk rock," as Kids in the Hall...
Michael Patrick King on being king to princess Sarah Jessica Parker, Bridget Everett, and Lisa Kudrow
July 24, 2017 05:00 - 38 minutesBest known for HBO's iconic Sex-And-The-City, CBS's Two Broke Girls and HBO's The Comeback with Lisa Kudrow Michael Patrick King talks about being Catholic to how Hollywood's corporate maze is more like feudal system, and his new show with cabaret star and Employee of the Month alumni Bridget Everett, of Inside Amy Schumer fame. If you have ever wanted to work in Hollywood, listen to Michael Patrick King as he reveals the discipline, passion, and politics of the entertainment industry. This...
SETH HERZOG on Jimmy Fallon, Vh1's Best Week Ever, Wonder Woman, and Mark Rothko
July 12, 2017 05:00 - 37 minutesSeth Herzog became nationally known for his wry one liners on Vh1's Best Week Ever. He spoke to Catie Lazarus about what he discovered at camp Stagedoor Manor to Zog's Place to acting in New York City with Ethan Hawke, Live Schrieber, Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain. Herzog's early jobs, including painting, performing as Wonder Woman, and his initial hesitation about being a warm-up comic for Jimmy Fallon, who he frequently tours with and often appears alongside of and w...
Shonali Bhowmik on growing up Indian in Nashville, leaving Sony and touring with David Cross.
July 01, 2017 20:21 - 47 minutesThe word multi-tasked doesn't begin to describe Shonali Bhowmik, who somehow juggles, law, music, and comedy. It would've been harder to grow up tone deaf in Nashville than Indian-American, and Shonali describes how progressive her immigrant parents were when raising Shonali and her sister Ruchi, who went on to serve as former Deputy Assistant to President Barack Obama. Shonali was no slouch either. She juggled law school while touring with her band ULTRABABYFAT. After opening for comedian Da...
Bradley Whitford on why he hates David Mamet & loves Bill Clinton & Barack Obama
June 21, 2017 10:32 - 43 minutesIf you didn't have a crush on Josh Lyman, you will after hearing the Emmy Award-winning star of West Wing sing. In our Employee of the Month interview, Bradley Whitford discusses starting out in theater to whether he gets the irony of his fabulous portrayal of well-meaning white liberal in Jordan Peele's hit horror film Get Out, as the actor would have voted for former President Barack Obama for a third term. Whitford tells a very funny story about Bill Clinton, why he finally did Law & Orde...
Edie Falco on acting classes, Law & Order, and a surprise Nurse Jackie reunion
June 14, 2017 21:50 - 33 minutesA beloved actor, Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe winner Edie Falco, will star in Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders. I spoke with her on Employee of the Month, about her marriage and off-screen relationship with James Gandolfini on The Sopranos, shifting priorities, and challenges single parents face. She talked about making money, her rise early on as an indie film queen after SUNY Purchase, and theater ticket prices. Edie mentions Brad, as in The West Wing's Bradley Whitford, as we dis...
Keegan-Michael Key schools President Barack Obama, sings, and preps for Hamlet
June 09, 2017 20:48 - 34 minutesWilliam Shakespeare shed light on humans’ hypocrisy, absurdity, and complexity with unparalleled acuity. It’s obvious why Keegan-Michael Key, who with his gifted partner-in-crime Jordan Peele, chartered new waters with their hilariously subversive sketch comedy series Key & Peele, has always felt an affinity for the bard. But it is a dream come true, one he'd spoken of for decades, for the Emmy and Peabody winning actor to be in Hamlet at The Public Theater in New York. Directed by Tony winne...
Big Thief's Adrianne Lenker sings and talks songwriting
June 02, 2017 16:35 - 14 minutesThis week on Employee of the Month, I spoke between songs with indie darling Adrianne Lenker. In our interview, which was recorded live at Joe's Pub, the singer, guitarist and front woman of Big Thief performed the heralded Masterpiece and a new surprise from their second album Capacity. She also spoke about her early forays performing at open mic nights in Minnesota as a kid and the craft of storytelling. In addition to Lenker, Big Thief features her longtime partner Buck Meek (guitar) as we...
Astrophysicist Priya Natarajan on black holes to Carl Sagan
May 24, 2017 11:00 - 21 minutesPriya Natarajan, a world-renowned theoretical astrophysicist, is making dark matter maps of clusters of galaxies, the largest known repositories of dark matter in the universe. Her accessible, fascinating book Mapping the Heavens: The Radical Scientific Ideas That Reveal the Cosmos (Yale University Press) chronicles her journey, as well as that of the field of astrophysics which has undergone astronomical changes in recent years. In our interview, which was recorded live at Joe’s Pub at The P...
John Roberts on Bob's Burgers, Blondie, and a Trump Tribute
May 17, 2017 11:37 - 22 minutesJohn Roberts is a musician and comedian, who got his start when his hilarious Youtube videos inspired by his own mother went viral. He perfectly captured the spirit of his Italian, suburban, Catholic, New Jersey mom. His career as a comedian took off and he has toured doing comedy with Margaret Cho and gained national fame as the voice of Linda Belcher on Fox's hit animated series Bob's Burgers. Roberts, who is also a musician, also performs with Blondie, Gregory Brothers and as a solo act. A...
RACHEL FEINSTEIN on living and working with Amy Schumer & myths about comedians
May 10, 2017 18:42 - 47 minutesRACHEL FEINSTEIN is best known for her stand up, and we spoke about how she started acting, be it in her roommate's INSIDE AMY SCHUMER on Comedy Central, RED OAKS on AMAZON or Judd Apatow and Pete Homes new HBO series, CRASHING. We spoke about how she embodies characters, living with comedians, like Amy Schumer and Sherrod Small, and the myth that all comedians are broken. Her own comedy special ONLY WHORES WEAR PURPLE is out and she performs stand-up all over the world. Catch her @rachelfein...
Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards on economics of sexism
May 02, 2017 06:00 - 34 minutes"Don't ask for instructions " Cecile Richards, who serves as President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, explains what it takes to be a labor. She has been involved in helping women fight for basic healthcare and economic equality since she was only a teenager in Texas. Before 2006, Ms. Richards served as deputy chief of staff for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, founded the NGO America Votes, and began her career organizing low-wage workers....
Oskar Eustis reveals The Public Theater's plans to hit Trump country
April 19, 2017 16:45 - 39 minutesIn a city overpopulated with ambitious, brilliant misfits, Oskar Eustis holds his own. The Artistic Director of the legendary Public Theater is somehow directing Julius Caesar with a star-studded cast including Oscar Isaac and Keegan-Michael Key for Shakespeare in the Park, while teaching at NYU, developing new works as far as Hong Kong, and as far, at least politically, as rural and Midwest, Trump voting counties go, while overseeing the mothership with a 120-person staff and at least 4 prod...
Grammy winner Lady Rizo on embezzling money, sex, and her new album.
April 13, 2017 03:22 - 26 minutesAfter winning a Grammy with Yo-Yo Ma (Songs of Joy and Peace), the inaugural Edinburgh Fringe Cabaret Award and the London Cabaret Award for best vocal act, Lady Rizo is touring with a whole new album Indigo. In 2004, her cabaret act was born. We spoke about her time before then from Princess Cruiselines, finding her own voice after flirting with the improv scene at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, and loves, old and new. Our interview was recorded live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater. Y...
John Benjamin Hickey on winning a Tony and reuniting with Allison Janney
April 05, 2017 06:00 - 46 minutesJohn Benjamin Hickey, who won a Tony for his role in “The Normal Heart,” isn't a stranger to the grueling schedule of theater. He started hosting his own radio show on Sirius. But the Julliard-trained thespian was itching to be on Broadway, and is enjoying being in the revival of John Guare’s 1990 Tony- and Pulitzer-nominated play, “Six Degrees of Separation.” For starters, it means being reunited with Allison Janney. We spoke about contrived intimacy, dating within your profession, and why ...
Judy Gold talks Holocaust jokes, Louie C.K., and sexism
March 29, 2017 17:09 - 31 minutesWhile Steve Martin and Ricky Gervais dove into stand-up after they’d made a name for themselves and enough money for their great-great grandchildren’s grandchildren to never need to work, Judy Gold got her start in stand-up. It wasn’t easy to miss the 6’3, religious Jewish lesbian on the line-up, but it was her fearlessness and hilarity which won crowds over. She made a name for herself in theater, starting with her two one-woman shows 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother and The Judy Show, but ...
Zadie Smith on pot, Prince, plotlessness, and plagiarism
March 23, 2017 04:00 - 35 minutesI selfishly don't want Zadie Smith to quit her day job, but the famed novelist could easily moonlight as a singer. The author of the critically acclaimed, best-selling novels White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty, NW, and, most recently, Swing Time shared her insight on plagiarism, plots, outlines, and publishing. A regular contributor to The New Yorker and The New York Review of Books, she has written about everything from Brexit to Key & Peele to her late father. She once flirted with b...
Zadie Smith on pot, Prince, plotlessness, and plagiarism
March 23, 2017 04:00 - 35 minutesI selfishly don't want Zadie Smith to quit her day job, but the famed novelist could easily moonlight as a singer. The author of the critically acclaimed, best-selling novels White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty, NW, and, most recently, Swing Time shared her insight on plagiarism, plots, outlines, and publishing. A regular contributor to The New Yorker and The New York Review of Books, she has written about everything from Brexit to Key & Peele to her late father. She once flirted with b...