Today, we’re joined by actor Michael Shannon! We begin by discussing his recent turn as notorious country singer George Jones in George & Tammy (6:16) and his longstanding creative partnership with co-star Jessica Chastain (8:57). Then, we dive into his childhood in Lexington, Kentucky (10:30), his early theater work in Chicago working with playwright Tracy Letts (20:20), moving out west under the guidance of his (then) manager Lee Daniels (26:10), and the aftermath of his role in Pearl Harbor (30:20). On the back-half, Shannon reflects on the whirlwind year that was 2008 (36:45), the prescience of Take Shelter (41:05), his timely directorial debut, Eric LaRue (45:30), the legacy of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman (51:14), and why he continues to lay it on the line, role after role (55:20).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

The Era of Actor Michael Shannon

Today, we sit with model, writer, and activist Geena Rocero! At the top, we discuss transgender visibility in the US (3:40), her ‘magical’ upbringing in the Philippines (5:52), and a ceremony that helped her find her true self (9:28). Then, she describes the influence of her trans mother Tigerlily (14:50), her rapid ascent in the pageant circuit (20:40), and memories of the fabled transgender bar Divas (21:52). On the back-half, Rocero walks through her pivot to modeling in New York City (30:24), feeling like a James Bond-like spy (35:04), making history on the TED stage (36:34), the power of community (44:24), and to close, a powerful passage from her new memoir Horse Barbie (46:44).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Model and Activist Geena Rocero Lives Her Story

Today, we’re joined by comedian Sarah Silverman! At the top, we reflect on loss (7:16), her new special, Sarah Silverman: Someone You Love (12:35), and coming of age in the ‘80s (18:42). Then, she talks about her early comedic influences (25:35), her path from SNL to Los Angeles (32:30), and the mentorship of Garry Shandling (35:10).  On the back-half, we walk through the evolution of her provocative work, from The Sarah Silverman Program (38:42) to I Love You, America (46:052), the connecting quality of her podcast (49:12), and the legacy of her late father (51:57).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Father’s Day Special with Sarah Silverman

Today, we're joined by Oscar Isaac in New York City! At the top, we discuss the past six months of his performance in The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window (5:10), the play's timeless writing (6:55), and the legacy of the great Lorraine Hansberry (11:27). Then, Isaac reflects on growing up in the early ‘80s (12:47), his punk-rock salad days in high school (18:05) and then Juilliard (27:45), and the inspiration behind his breakout role in Inside Llewyn Davis (30:54). On the back-half, we talk about grieving through Hamlet (36:54), a guiding piece of poetry from Jeremy Strong (39:49), the pre-show ritual he continues today (41:09), a formative Bible passage (45:57), and how he embraces the present moment (50:57).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Sunday Matinee with Actor Oscar Isaac

Today, we sit with comedian, actor, and director Ramy Youssef! At the top, he reflects on his experience during Ramadan (5:36) before diving into the third season of his Hulu show Ramy (7:49), a timely scene about the Israel-Palestine conflict (10:24), and the questions that shaped it (14:34). Then, we walk through his coming of age as a first-generation Egyptian-American Muslim in New Jersey (17:16), his early forays into film (22:07), and the sketch inspired by a life-altering Bell’s palsy diagnosis (24:10). On the back-half, we discuss Youssef's television debut in the sitcom See Dad Run (32:38), how he found his “essence” as a performer (34:12), and the politics of his stand-up comedy (37:02). To close, he describes the influences behind Ramy, from The Carmichael Show to Curb Your Enthusiasm (40:02), a philosophy that guides his work (48:27), and the future of the series (52:20).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedian and Actor Ramy Youssef Tells a Muslim American Story

Today, we sit with singer-songwriter Arlo Parks! At the top, we discuss the arrival of her new record My Soft Machine (4:26), how performing with Harry Styles and Billie Eilish transformed her work in the studio (7:08), and the vivid memory behind her new song “Devotion” (9:50). Then, we talk about her intuitive writing process (11:26), fueled by an affinity for poetry (13:39), and the influences behind her earliest pieces of music (20:05). On the back-half, Parks describes the winding path to her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams (30:12), this profound chapter turn from the first to second record (39:07), returning to her “fifteen minutes of presence” as a writer (41:40), her striking new song “Puppy” (42:17), and her ever-evolving relationship to capturing the past (44:12).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Elements of Singer-Songwriter Arlo Parks

Today, we sit with filmmaker Nicole Holofcener! We discuss the making of her new A24 film You Hurt My Feelings (5:44), her creative upbringing in the ‘70s (15:00), and the Jim Jarmusch film that made her want to become a director (17:25). On the back-half, Holofcener reflects on her early apprenticeship on Hannah and Her Sisters (23:54), her intensely personal collaborations with actors Catherine Keener and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (26:20), and a defining scene from her latest film (32:05). To close, she talks about the importance of supporting writers (36:57), her first day on the set of Walking and Talking (37:33), and why, after three decades, she continues to stay on the “seesaw of art and life” (40:02).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Director Nicole Holofcener’s Art Imitates Life

As we approach the series finale of Barry, we return to our talk with actor and director Bill Hader. We discuss the thematic evolution of his hit HBO series (7:02), and how it draws from films like Taxi Driver and Goodfellas (10:36). Then, Bill reflects on growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma (13:16), the influence of his late grandfather (17:04), his path from community college to his early PA jobs in Hollywood (18:25), landing on Saturday Night Live (21:36), the weekly pressure of the show (26:07), and how he made it through by collaborating with John Mulaney (29:51). On the back-half, Bill shares a piece of advice from Jeff Bridges (35:14), how Barry came to be (37:27), the personal connection he has with the show (40:07), the enduring power of movies (47:52), and how, after some detours, he’s finally where he’s supposed to be (49:57).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bill Hader Says Goodbye to ‘Barry’

Today, we’re joined by actor Alan Ruck! At the top, we dive into the Election Day episode of Succession (4:00), the ensemble’s first table read during the 2016 presidential race (7:23), and how that fateful night shaped the arc of the series (8:59). Then, we walk through Ruck’s iconic role of Cameron Frye in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (9:54), memories on set with Matthew Broderick (12:05), and his winding path that followed (17:19). On the back-half, he describes a mid-90s stretch of performances in Speed, Twister, and Spin City (24:37), a serious medical emergency he endured (26:22), and how it shaped his new perspective on art-making, leading him to Succession (29:48). To close, we discuss Ruck's process crafting the character of Connor Roy (32:27), a pivotal scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (37:50), and his hopes for the years to come (43:04).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Actor Alan Ruck’s Road to ‘Succession’

Today, we sit with writer and television host Padma Lakshmi! At the top, we discuss the return of her Hulu docuseries Taste the Nation (6:40), a formative episode in El Paso, Texas (10:14), and how the show connects to Padma’s personal history (13:59). Then, she reflects on her childhood in New York City (16:07), a heartbreaking event at seven (19:05*), and her unexpected entry to the modeling industry (27:14). On the back-half, we walk through the early years of her trailblazing career (35:52), the patriarchal systems she fought back against (40:58), and her painful essay in The Times in response to the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh (43:16*). To close, Padma talks about her powerful work through EndoFound (48:30), the activist underpinnings of Taste the Nation (51:21), and the stories she hopes to tell in years to come (54:44). *At this time-code, there is a discussion about sexual assault.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mother’s Day with ‘Top Chef’ Padma Lakshmi

Today, we're sharing a preview of an original new audiobook produced by our colleagues at Pushkin Industries. It’s entitled So Many Steves: Afternoons with Steve Martin. The book is an engrossing audio-biography centered around a series of conversations recorded at Martin’s home with his long-time friend and neighbor, New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik. To hear the full audiobook, So Many Steves, visit pushkin.fm/.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing So Many Steves: Afternoons with Steve Martin

Today, CEO and activist Jay Jordan tells his story. We begin in Stockton, California (13:31), where he came of age on the heels of the 1994 Clinton Crime Bill (16:33) before being arrested at eighteen (19:47). In stark contrast to former President Trump’s arraignment (3:17), Jordan then details his experiences navigating the judicial system (24:15), his years in prison (28:30), and stints in solitary confinement (31:55). On the back-half, Jordan reflects on the end of his seven-year sentence (38:28), the limitations of living with a criminal record (47:22), and how he found purpose in advocating for people like himself (54:52). To close, he shares his groundbreaking work with Alliance for Safety and Justice (1:07:46), including a new, transformative California law (1:13:04), and a philosophy by Maya Angelou that guides him today (1:18:24). To learn more and support, visit https://asj.allianceforsafetyandjustice.org/.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jay Jordan Was Incarcerated At 18. Now, He’s Transforming the Criminal Justice System.

Today, we sit with actor Betty Gilpin! We talk about her role in the prescient new Peacock series Mrs. Davis (6:35), her relationship to technology and social media (8:54), and growing up around actor parents (17:25). Then, we discuss her early years studying acting (20:51), under the legendary Dianne Wiest (22:10), and her path from college to off-Broadway theater (26:30). In the back half, we walk through her rapid ascent from Nurse Jackie to GLOW (35:28), the ‘seesaw of acting’ she experienced (39:20), and the weight of her work (41:15). To close, Betty honors the next generation of performers (46:07) and shares a formative passage from her book, All the Women in My Brain (47:48).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All the Women in Actor Betty Gilpin’s Brain

Today, on her 90th birthday, a celebration of Carol Burnett! After seven decades in the industry, Burnett sat down with Sam to discuss her upbringing in the Hollywood Arms Apartments (4:25), a mysterious envelope of money that allowed her to study at UCLA (8:00), a generous loan that catapulted her to New York City (13:06), and her “big break” in 1957 (23:30). Then, we walk through how Julie & Carol at Carnegie Hall came to be (31:40), finding her place in “a man’s game” on network television (40:15), and her fond memories of The Carol Burnett Show and everyone who made it possible (43:56). Finally, before we leave, a conversation on divine intervention (52:00) and what she's grateful for today (56:37).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carol Burnett Turns 90

Today, we’re joined by cook and food writer Alison Roman! We discuss her new dessert cookbook Sweet Enough (4:55), her early years as a restaurant pastry chef (12:24), and the chaotic conditions of working in the service industry (14:50). Then, Roman describes working at the experimental bakery Milk Bar in New York City (18:09), hosting cooking videos at Bon Appétit (22:40), and eventually working as a food columnist at The New York Times (25:18). On the back-half, we talk about the criticism she faced in 2020 (32:20), the subsequent fallout from her remarks (38:52), the personal newsletter that emerged (47:12), the connective power of cooking (55:08), the time capsule of writing (58:30), and what she hopes for in the years to come (1:01:45).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alison Roman’s Imperfect Approach to Cooking

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso is a weekly series of intimate conversations with artists, activists, and politicians. Where people sound like people. Hosted by Sam Fragoso. New episodes every Sunday.

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Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

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