In 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.
Episode 72: Alyssa Milano
In 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.
Episode 71: Eileen Myles
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.
Episode 70: Taran Killiam
The former Saturday Night Live cast member talks family life, creating celebrity impressions, and the day he learned his contract wasn’t being renewed. Killam opens 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.
Episode 69: DeRay Mckesson
Michael 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.
Episode 68: Laurie Metcalf
Episode 68: Laurie Metcalf
Widely 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 Award for best actress.
Episode 67: Ina Garten
In 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 about the challenges she faced along the road to becoming a bestselling cookbook author and TV star.
Episode 66: Doug Stanhope
Doug 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 openly drank throughout this interview).
Episode 65: Cecile Richards
The 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.
Episode 64: Pamela Paul
In 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 current life as a mother, wife and the editor as arguably one of the most important book reviews in the world.