When he was an acting student at NYU, “I didn’t hear word one about faith,” he says, but he and his fellow students found an almost religious meaning in theater. Making a spiritual life through work, religion, and political engagement – a conversation at the NY Baha’i Center. With music from Kevin Nathaniel Hylton. … Continue reading »
Category Archives: Television
Episode 204: Rainn Wilson, part one
Beloved as Dwight Schrute in The Office, he was raised a Baha’i but abandoned those teachings at a moment of spiritual crisis. “The main reason I left the Baha’i faith,” he says “ was ‘cause I wanted to have sex with my girlfriend and not feel guilty about it.” Eventually the prodigal son returned. A very funny … Continue reading »
Episode 203: Michael Rauch & Ian Olympio
Mentor and mentee in a Writers Guild program that pairs veteran and novice TV writers, they agree that Annie Hall is not a “manic pixie dreamgirl” (although Michael is not sure what that is) and that it would be a horrible idea to remake the movie that bears her name. Unless the new Annie … Continue reading »
Movies / Television / Theater
Episode 198: F. Murray Abraham
This fine actor was first admired by many people my age as Salieri in Amadeus and those my daughter’s age as Dar Adal in Homeland. We spoke at the Friars Club about his childhood in El Paso – El Paso! – his passionate devotion to our immigrant nation, and his suprising friendship with Louis C.K. … Continue reading »
Episode 186: Bill Persky
Does a sense of humor make you a better person? Bill Persky thinks it might, and he should know. He wrote for the Dick Van Dyke Show, co-created That Girl for Marlo Thomas, and directed 100 episodes of Kate and Allie. He says this about the president: “Nobody’s ever seen him laugh. He sneers, … Continue reading »
Episode 10: Samantha Bee
We spoke a few years ago for one of our first episodes, when she was a correspondent for The Daily Show, before she created her own show, Full Frontal, and before we could even imagine a President Trump, who makes us so desperately need Full Frontal and powerful mind-numbing drugs. Smart, funny, and humane, she … Continue reading »
Episode 141: Paul Giamatti and Maggie Siff
When we spoke at Wave Hill, these fine actors, colleagues on the TV series Billions, suggested that Sadaharu Oh is the Vanessa Redgrave of Japanese baseball. Or is Redgrave the Oh of actors? Either way, why are we inspired by such titans rather than intimidated by their inimitable brilliance? Plus a few jokes about Ibsen … Continue reading »
Episode 121: Danai Gurira
TV fans know her as an actor – Mochinne on The Walking Dead. Theater goers know her as a playwright: her Eclipsed, starring Lupita Nyong’o, is on Broadway. Moose hunters know her as… no! They don’t know her at all. She hunts no moose. But she spoke with wit and insight when we met … Continue reading »
Episode 117: Warren Leight and Julie Martin
The writer-producers of Law and Order SVU describe the pains and pleasures of shooting in New York – mostly pleasures… no, pains… no, pleasures derives from pains – and make this astute observation: it’s not just that an actor shapes a character but that playing a character transforms the actor herself. In this case it … Continue reading »
Episode 100: Gerard Mulligan & Steve Young
As we enter the post-Letterman era, two of his long-time writers reflect on their decades with the show. Gerry started writing for him in 1978 when Dave guest-hosted the Tonight Show. Steve started on the NBC show in 1990 and soldiered on through the final broadcast at CBS. I worked with – and admire – … Continue reading »
Episode 98: Hank Azaria
The voice of every Simpsons character – OK, many Simpsons characters: Moe, Apu, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Carl Carlson and more – he is admired as an actor in movies (Night at the Museum), television (Mad About You) and theater (Spamalot). PERSON: Roy London PLACE: the NICU THING: his first TV RANDY’S PLACE: concert hall, … Continue reading »
Episode 84: Jonathan Ames
He is the author of nine books including Wake Up, Sir and The Extra Man, and the creator of the HBO series Bored to Death. We spoke on stage at the Brooklyn Historical Society, joined by the delightful musician Walter Hawkes. Crowded? Not at all. Cozy. PERSON: his great aunt, Doris Klein PLACE: … Continue reading »