How To Be Amazing with Michael Ian Black
105 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 2K ratingsIn this in-depth interview show, Black takes listeners into the minds of some of today’s most fascinating celebrities and newsmakers to discuss the process of how they became, well, amazing. Brought to you by PRX.
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Episodes
News for 2019
January 16, 2019 20:33 - 3 minutes - 3.27 MBA short message from host Michael Ian Black.
#102 Kathy Griffin
January 09, 2019 11:32 - 56 minutes - 52 MBDespite having endured a terrible year in the aftermath of her Trump photo controversy, the hilarious comedian kept everyone in the studio laughing. Kathy Griffin is without a doubt a survivor. She talks to Michael about her long road to success and hitting it big, how she became so driven (including her fears about being broke), and how her tough exterior masks her sensitive side.
#101 Bill Nye
December 26, 2018 11:00 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBBest known as the host of Emmy Award-winning show Bill Nye the Science Guy, and current host of the Netflix show *Bill Nye Saves the World, *he has been the public face of science and discovery for more than twenty years. In this nerdy and uproarious conversation, the author and CEO of the Planetary Society talks everything from his love of NASA to current science headlines including Crispr, life on Mars, climate change, and LightSales.
#100 Terry Gross
December 12, 2018 11:21 - 1 hour - 65.6 MBFor our 100th episode, Michael turns the tables on "the greatest interviewer of our time," a guest who we've had at the top of our wish list since the beginning. Terry Gross is the iconic host of the public radio show* Fresh Air,* where for over 40 years she has interviewed over 13,000 guests. In this engrossing interview, she and Michael cover a huge range of topics about her life and the show, allowing us to get to know a bit about a voice we're used to hearing ask all the questio...
#99 Jose Antonio Vargas
November 28, 2018 11:46 - 42 minutes - 39 MBPulitzer-Prize winning journalist, and filmmaker Jose Antonio Vargas, called “the most famous undocumented immigrant in America,” shares his story of discovering his status at age 16 and his journey in the decades that followed including his coming out to the world as undocumented in The New York Times Magazine. In this poignant interview, the immigration rights activist discusses misconceptions about immigrants, his definition of "American," and his memoir Dear America: Notes of an...
#98 Lynsey Addario
November 14, 2018 12:08 - 46 minutes - 42.4 MBShe’s one of this generation’s pre-eminent photojournalists, who covers wars and conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Darfur, among others; during which she’s been kidnapped twice. In this riveting conversation, the winner of a MacArthur Genius grant and a Pulitzer for her photos gives a behind-the-scenes her recent photography book simply titled, Love and War.
#97 Kevin Allison
October 31, 2018 10:34 - 1 hour - 55.5 MBMichael sits down with friend and fellow member of The State for a nostalgic, hilarious, and honest conversation about their time together in the iconic sketch group. For more than a decade after the tv show ended, the comedian and storyteller struggled to find his voice trying his hand at numerous jobs (including a stint as a porn author). It wasn’t until he decided to be himself on stage that he discovered his true calling and the Risk! Podcast and live show were born.
#96 Maeve Higgins
October 17, 2018 10:40 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBThe delightful and hilarious Irish-born comedian and writer sits down with Michael to discuss her passion for using her comedic voice to start conversations about immigration, environmental issues, and social justice. A star in her native Ireland, she left fame behind to come to the US to continue her comedy career but also began chronicling the lives of immigrants in her podcast and book of the same name Maeve in America.
#95 Hank Green
October 03, 2018 09:00 - 46 minutes - 42.5 MBIn 2007, Hank Green along with his brother John, tried a Youtube experiment - for an entire year they made a video a day together - which they thought was a dumb idea. To their surprise, these videos quickly led to millions of fans. Eleven years later Green has harnessed his popularity to focus on what's important to him and now oversees a video company that produces popular Youtube educational content, has raised millions of dollars for charity, founded the world's largest conferen...
#94 Zachary R. Wood
September 19, 2018 09:00 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBAs president of his college group "Uncomfortable Learning," Zachary R. Wood attempted to bridge the gap between dissenting views by inviting controversial speakers to campus and was shut down by student protests. Now a recent graduate, and a new author of the memoir, Uncensored, he opens up about his abusive childhood with a schizophrenic mother, and the pressure he felt to constantly strive for perfection as a son, student, and black man.
#93 Tina M. Tchen
September 05, 2018 09:30 - 46 minutes - 53.6 MBThe former Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama and leader of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund talks about her time at the White House and her childhood growing up in 1960s Ohio as the daughter of Chinese refugees. With a sense of humor and positively Tchen gives her take on the current administration, the importance of diversity of thought and representation in politics, as well as her lifetime commitment to tackling issues related to corporate compliance, ethics, and equali...
#92 Jay and Mark Duplass
August 22, 2018 10:00 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBIn a very funny, touching, and creatively inspiring interview, the filmmakers discuss their incredibly close brotherly bond, how they never doubted success would happen, even though it took almost two decades to achieve, and how they had to learn how to quit each other in order to find the space to have their own lives. Recorded live in New York City.
#91 Carl Zimmer
August 08, 2018 09:56 - 59 minutes - 54.4 MBThe author of 13 books about evolution, neuroscience, biology, and most recently heredity, as well as the weekly “Matter” science column in the New York Times, discusses his accessible style of science storytelling, answering Michael’s burning questions on his recent book She Has Her Mother’s Laugh, science in schools, genomes, and whether there is a gene to make you a successful podcaster.
#90 Saru Jayaraman
July 25, 2018 10:25 - 39 minutes - 54.1 MBThe co-founder and president of ROC, Restaurant Opportunities Center United, Saru Jayaraman has devoted her career to improving the lives of restaurant workers. Her activism through legislation, initiatives, and conversation as well as her two books, have raised the awareness and made significant improvements, of some of the appalling conditions of the workers who make and serve the food in the places millions of Americans like to eat.
#89 Dan Pfeiffer
July 11, 2018 11:17 - 1 hour - 90.3 MBOne of President Obama’s longest-serving staffers, first as Communications Director then as Senior Advisor, and present co-host of the wildly popular Pod Save America, Dan Pfeiffer discusses present-day politics through the unique lens of his experience, which he also details in his new book, “Yes, We (Still) Can.” From what motivates Mitch McConnell, to his work as a pundit on CNN, Pfeiffer is one of the few who might be able to answer Michael’s question, “What the fuck is happenin...
#88 Giada De Laurentiis
June 27, 2018 09:00 - 46 minutes - 64.5 MBThe Food Network star, bestselling cookbook author and now restaurateur tells Michael how her success all grew organically from her passion for cooking and not from a great ambition to be famous. But famous she is, and she now finds her life is a push and pull struggle when it comes to taking new risks, like deciding to open her first restaurant after years of being a television star, and what those risks cost her.
#87 David Cross
June 13, 2018 10:42 - 1 hour - 90.2 MBThe multi-talented actor, comedian, writer, and director sits down with Michael to discuss his journey from his first stand up performance as a teenager in Atlanta to his many memorable roles on Arrested Development, Mr. Show with Bob and David, and more. The two colleagues dive into a heartfelt conversation about the unsteadiness of working in Hollywood, the ways in which men can support #MeToo and #TimesUp, and navigating the volatile world of Twitter.
Introducing Obscure - Michael's new podcast
June 08, 2018 10:00 - 3 minutes - 2.93 MBThis is probably a terrible idea.” So begins the new podcast, “Obscure,” where comedian, actor, and writer Michael Ian Back reads the Thomas Hardy classic,Jude the Obscure,out loud and comments on it as he goes. Why is he doing this? Because his wife’s old paperback copy of the book has been sitting on their bookshelf for years, mocking him, judging him for never having read it. Well, now he is. Join Michael, some of his famous (and non-famous) friends and experts as he discovers Ju...
#86 Michael Pollan
May 30, 2018 09:30 - 52 minutes - 59.9 MBThe author of many bestselling books about food including, among others, The Omnivore's Dilemma and* In Defense Of Food hasturned his attention to a new kind of consumption - psychedelic drugs. In this fun and informative interview, Pollan talks about how writing about these drugs was a natural progression from his earlier work, and what he discovered about himself when, in the service of research for his new book *How to Change Your Mind, he decided to test psychedelics for himself...
#85 Nell Scovell
May 16, 2018 09:48 - 56 minutes - 64.3 MBFor more than thirty years, writer, producer, and director Nell Scovell worked behind the scenes of iconic TV shows such as Murphy Brown, The Simpsons, and Coach. In this lively and timely interview, she shares stories from her memoir Just the Funny Parts *about working in the male-dominated entertainment field, her time writing on *Late Night with David Letterman, and crafting jokes for everyone from Obama to Miss Piggy.
#84 George C. Wolfe
May 02, 2018 10:27 - 43 minutes - 50 MBOne of the greatest theater directors of all time, the gregarious and razor-sharp George C. Wolfe joins Michael in an in-depth and moving conversation about how his positive approach to life informs his work. For anyone who has struggled, been daunted by circumstances, or dared to dream big, Wolfe’s direction on saying yes in his own life will inspire and motivate.
#83 Maira Kalman
April 18, 2018 10:00 - 1 hour - 68.9 MBThe charming and hilarious illustrator, author, and designer Maira Kalman sits down for an inspiring conversation about how she follows her curiosity to create everything from books and *New Yorker *covers to illustrated blogs, purses, and set design. Her unique perspective on creativity, daydreaming and trusting your instincts is refreshing for passionate creators of all types.
#82 Renée Fleming
April 04, 2018 10:00 - 49 minutes - 56.4 MBThe opera superstar, and “People’s Diva,” discusses how her constant need to learn and challenge herself has taken her from the biggest opera houses in the world, to her current role singing in Carousel on Broadway, and to working behind the scenes to share her passion for the arts with new audiences by helping to create groundbreaking and exciting new work.
#81 David Roberts
March 21, 2018 10:00 - 55 minutes - 63 MBOne of the best Alaskan alpinists of his generation and most prolific American climbing authors with over 28 books to his name, David Roberts discusses the lure of adventure, the incredible risks that come with alpine climbing (including death), and how being grounded by stage 4 cancer has led him to new discoveries.
#80 Tara Westover
March 07, 2018 11:36 - 1 hour - 80.2 MBIn this heartbreaking yet hopeful episode, the author of the stunning new memoir Educated, opens up about growing up in a family of radical Mormon survivalists whose parents were opposed to traditional medical care and formal schooling. She broke free by teaching herself enough to pass a high school equivalency test and going to college, eventually earning a PhD from Cambridge University.
#79 David Frum
February 21, 2018 05:00 - 1 hour - 71.3 MBThe pundit, former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, and author of several books, including the new bestseller Trumpocracy, discusses how he came to be a prominent voice for the conservative movement after growing up the son of a famous Canadian liberal. And while he is still firmly a conservative Republican, he explains why Trump is so dangerous, how his views have evolved over time and acknowledges mistakes made.
#78 Tig Notaro
February 07, 2018 11:45 - 1 hour - 83 MBIn 2012, comedian Tig Notaro’s stand-up set, in which she boldly began with the line “Hello. Good evening. I have Cancer,” catapulted her into the national spotlight and led to numerous late show appearances, book and film deals. In this hilarious and candid interview, she explains why her belief in her own voice has never wavered, her unusual family, and how she tackled tough subjects such as sexual assault, loss, and love on her semi-autobiographical television show *One Mississip...
#77 Chris Thile
January 24, 2018 10:49 - 50 minutes - 58 MBWidely recognized as one of the greatest mandolinists of all-time (which he amply demonstrated when he offered to play in studio), Chris Thile joins Michael for a fascinating conversation about how he blurs musical genres to create his unique style of music. The Live From Here host also shares stories from his early days as a child prodigy, growing up in a conservative family and the challenges and controversy surrounding his takeover of the iconic radio show, A Prairie Home Compani...
#76 Reza Aslan
January 10, 2018 13:00 - 55 minutes - 63.2 MBWhat is God? What is faith? In this thought-provoking episode, Michael and one of today’s most renown religious thinkers and authors tackle some of the big questions and make us look hard at our own beliefs. Reza Aslan is the author of several best-selling books on faith and religion including his most recent, God: A Human History, and is considered to be an author in possession of that rare gift of distilling complex material into a compulsively readable narrative. Sponsored by: ...
#75 The Lumineers: Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites
December 27, 2017 11:00 - 1 hour - 69.7 MBWesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites, the two founding members of the band The Lumineers, talk about their years hustling to make it as a band and what happened after their song, “Ho Hey,” blew up making them international stars. They also discuss how much crafting goes into every song they write (it’s a lot) and how they deal with life on extended tour.
#74 Margaret Cho
December 13, 2017 14:46 - 54 minutes - 62 MBThe outspoken comedian, activist, and actress sits down with Michael for an honest and thought-provoking episode, which dives into topics ranging from her history with addiction, sexual abuse and racism to lighter topics like working together in the New York alternative comedy scene early in their careers, tattoos and her upcoming television show, Highland. **
#73 Malcolm Nance
November 29, 2017 11:55 - 1 hour - 69.3 MBIn a conversation Michael said he could have continued all day, he talks to the delightful American author and media commentator on terrorism, intelligence, insurgency and torture about his years in service, how he learned to speak multiple languages including Russian and Arabic, being a spy, and his fears about the current state of our country.
#72 Alyssa Milano
November 15, 2017 10:40 - 1 hour - 72.3 MBIn her podcast debut, the Charmed actress, philanthropist and entrepreneur opens up about the up and downs of navigating Hollywood after growing up on the hit TV show, Who’s The Boss. The two Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later co-stars talk everything from using social media for to help educate her fans to baseball, parenting, and politics.
#71 Eileen Myles
November 01, 2017 09:00 - 1 hour - 77 MB**The effortlessly cool author/poet and Michael have a candid, fascinating, emotionally raw discussion ranging from Eileen’s life growing up in a religious home in Cambridge, MA, Myles’ approach to gender (including eschewing the pronoun “she” for “they”), and, of course, their work including the new book, *Afterglow, *a real and fantastic account of Eileen’s beloved pit bull Rosie’s life and death. **
#70 Taran Killam
October 19, 2017 00:11 - 56 minutes - 64.8 MBThe former Saturday Night Live cast member talks family life, creating celebrity impressions, and the day he learned his contract wasn’t being renewed. Killamopens up about his life after leaving the iconic sketch show from his delightful turn as King George in the smash musical Hamilton to his challenging new role as writer and director of the feature film, Killing Gunther starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
#69 DeRay Mckesson
October 04, 2017 09:00 - 1 hour - 70.8 MBMichael talks social justice and activism with the former teacher and current civil rights activist and organizer who has become among the best-known faces and voices and vests of the Black Lives Matter movement. He’s one of the architects of Campaign Zero, a policy prescriptive designed to greatly reduce police violence and is also the host of the popular podcast “Pod Save the People." Recorded live at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
#68 Laurie Metcalf
September 20, 2017 12:39 - 49 minutes - 56.4 MBWidely recognized as one of America’s best actresses, the Emmy Award-winning star of Rosanne delves into a fascinating conversation about her genuine passion for the stage, creating characters and bringing a script to life. In this engaging episode, the Steppenwolf alum talks about her celebrated career as a leading lady--from the first time she made an audience laugh to her mesmerizing performances in Horace and Pete and *A Doll’s House Part 2, *for which she recently won a Tony A...
#67 Ina Garten
September 06, 2017 10:00 - 44 minutes - 50.7 MBIn 1978, Ina Garten took a huge risk and left her job as a budget analyst in the White House to pursue her dream working with food. She packed her bags, moved to the Hamptons, bought a specialty food store and "The Barefoot Contessa" was born. In this enlightening and charming episode, the down-to-earth Food Network star shares her story of “jumping into the pond” by teaching herself to cook and run a business with no experience, when she knew it was time to leave, and she dishes ab...
#66 Doug Stanhope
August 24, 2017 15:46 - 1 hour - 73.3 MBDoug Stanhope is considered the comedian’s comedian for his precise writing and insightful, often cynical, and controversial social and political comedy. He’s also known for his use of drugs and alcohol. In this episode he talks to Michael about his work, fans, and they get into a fascinating conversation on how he uses booze and pills to help him through his crippling social anxiety – it’s so bad he can’t be around people or perform on stage without self medicating (and yes, he op...
#65 Cecile Richards
August 09, 2017 20:12 - 51 minutes - 58.9 MBThe president of Planned Parenthood talks to Michael about how she got started in activism and organizing and what it was like growing up in conservative Texas as the daughter of two outspoken liberals. She also delves into the important work Planned Parenthood is doing today for women’s health in spite of the opposition from those who oppose birth control and abortion, just two of the many services they offer, and how she deals with people who disagree.
#64 Pamela Paul
July 26, 2017 10:28 - 50 minutes - 57.3 MBIn a must listen episode for any person who loves to read, the editor of The New York Times Book Review is talking with Michael about writing, criticism and most of all, reading. Her new book, the memoir My Life with Bob: Flawed Heroine Keeps Book of Books, Plot Ensues chronicles her life through all the books she’s read, tracing her life through high school and college, in her travels from Paris to London to Thailand, from job to job, through her failed first marriage and her curr...
#63 Andy Borowitz
July 12, 2017 10:14 - 1 hour - 70.4 MBThe political satirist traces his route from failed sitcom writer to creating and writing the popular New Yorker column, The Borowitz Report, where his made-up musings on politics often go viral, and sometimes, even get taken seriously, especially in China. In a special live episode in front of a packed, New York audience, Borowitz talks to guest host Dean Obeidallah about how he created his own success, making fun of Trump, and the difference between “fake news” and satire.
#62 Katy Perry
June 28, 2017 22:57 - 39 minutes - 45.4 MBOne of pop music’s biggest stars – over the last ten years, she’s had 9 #1 hits, sold millions of albums, racked up billions of video views, and is the most followed person on Twitter – sits down with Michael to discuss growing up the daughter of ultra conservative Christian ministers, navigating her relationship with fame, and the struggle to be taken seriously.
#61 Dean Karnazes
June 14, 2017 15:34 - 1 hour - 73.4 MBThe man who ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days, among many other incredible feats, Dean Karnazes has pushed his body and mind to inconceivable limits. In this inspiring conversation he tells Michael how he discovered his love for endurance running, what life on the run is like, and how he handles pain. They also discuss his new book, The Road To Sparta, where recounts his participation in the 153-mile race from Athens to Sparta while recounting the Ancient Greek story of the ...
#60 Al Franken
May 31, 2017 10:18 - 1 hour - 70 MBThe Senator from the great state of Minnesota discusses his new memoir, Al Franken, Giant of the Senate, which traces his unlikely path from a 30 year career as a comedian, writing and starring at Saturday Night Live, to diving into politics after being a passionate follower on the sidelines. In this emotionally honest conversation he shares with Michael why he cares so much, and even dishes a bit on his fellow senators.
#59 W. Kamau Bell
May 24, 2017 17:33 - 55 minutes - 63 MBThe comedian, writer and host of the hit CNN docu-series United Shades of America has an often hilarious, frequently serious conversation with Michael about his years determined to break into comedy, what he needed to realize to finally achieve success, and they go deep into the topic of how to talk about racism.
#58 Charles Limb
May 10, 2017 10:35 - 1 hour - 69.6 MBDr. Charles Limb has married his passion for music with his day job as a surgeon and neuroscientist and is studying the science of creativity. In his research Limb has started gathering some tantalizing clues about the mind’s activity during jazz and rap improvisation discovering that the creative brain is functioning very differently than the memorizing brain. He’s talking to Michael about what this all means and why it’s important, especially in this current political environment ...
#57 Annie Duke
April 26, 2017 11:00 - 43 minutes - 49.8 MBMichael sits down with one of the world’s best known poker players to discuss her big wins and losses both at the table and in life, as well as her struggles being a woman in a male dominated profession. Of equal importance, Duke’s shares how she successfully used the skills and strategies she gained at the card table to create a second career teaching, speaking and advocating.
#56 Judd Apatow
April 20, 2017 14:12 - 1 hour - 76.2 MBJudd Apatow is one of the most important influencers of comedy today. In this jam-packed episode, the writer, director and producer of such blockbusters as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up and This Is 40 traces the roots of his love of comedy, from working with giants like Jim Carrey and Gary Shandling who helped him along the way to why he now pays it forward to help launch the careers of so many others like Lena Dunham and Pete Holmes, and how he recently returned to the stand-u...
#55 Josh Groban
April 12, 2017 09:36 - 1 hour - 69.4 MBAt the age of 17 a shy young man walked onto a stage to sing with Celine Dion and a star was born. In the almost 20 years since that moment, Josh Groban has gone on to sell over 25 million records and tour giant arenas all over the world. But while that’s amazing enough, in this interview Michael learns how Groban has taken control of his career and is trying new things (including a run on Broadway), and how despite all his massive success at such a young age, he is a remarkably w...