Episodes
Take 109 - Writer and Showrunner David Slack - Person of Interest, Law and Order, Teen Titans
Nov. 16, 2023
We speak to the excellent David Slack. We talk about how an independent movie failure led him to Hollywood, the path from animation to live action and getting fired from Law and Order. David tells us about the shows that did…
Take 108 - Producer, director, songwriter, writer Adam Anders, Glee, Rock of Ages, Journey to Bethlehem
Nov. 9, 2023
The day before his new movie hits 3000 theaters in 38 countries, we talk to the talented Adam Anders. He tells us about his transition from a very successful music career with shows like Glee to his 17 year journey to writi…
Take 107 - Producer, Writer, Illustrator David Kirschner, Hocus Pocus, An American Tail, Frailty, Chucky
Nov. 1, 2023
Must. Listen. Episode. We have the legend that it David Kirschner. He talks getting his break designing an album cover for Neil Diamond, pitching Steven Spielberg at his July 4th party and Hocus Pocus going from abject failu…
Take 106 - Writer and producer Jeremy Adams, Supernatural, Lego Scooby-Doo
Oct. 26, 2023
We talk to Jeremy Adams about his life in animation. He tells us about the difficulties animated writers face, how they are treated compared to TV writers and how hard it is to break out of the mould. Jeremy tells us about h…
Take 105 - Writer, actor, showrunner, director Deborah Pratt, Airwolf, Quantum Leap
Oct. 19, 2023
We talk to the extraordinary Deborah Pratt. She tells us about how she got her break in Hollywood, her period of homelessness even after Quantum Leap and what she did to get her career back on track. Amazingly, we also cover…
Take 104 - EVP IP Management Jordan Moblo, Universal Studio Group
Oct. 12, 2023
This season we seek to explore failure and rejection in different parts of Hollywood. We have Jordan Moblo, EVP IP Management and Creative Acquisitions of Universal Studio Group. He talks why he is plans to be an agent didn'…
Take 103 - Executive, writer and showrunner Lisa Morales, Shameless, Two Sentence Horror Stories
Oct. 5, 2023
We talk to the fantastic Lisa Morales. She tells us about crashing James Cameron's Hummer, her role as an executive and then giving that up to become a writer. She walks us through being fired for not being confident enough,…
Take 102 - Writers Aaron and Jordan Kandell, Moana, Adrift
Sept. 28, 2023
We have the the amazing ‘Jewaiian’ twins who tell us about writing Moana, their early failures and why poetry didn’t pay the bills. They talk about representation in native Hawaiian storytelling, being down to their last 12 …
Take 101 - Showrunner Mike Scully, The Simpsons
Sept. 21, 2023
Season 3 Premiere We have legendary Simpsons showrunner Mike Scully on the show. He talks about being pigeon-holed as ‘Cartoon Boy’, losing out on an Emmy to the Rugrats Passover special and writing jokes for $25 for Yakov S…
Prologue - Season 3
Sept. 14, 2023
After a season break and, not withstanding the strike, the podcast returns. In this pre-season show, we talk about the strike, what people can expect this season and how much Noah surfs. We talk writers, execs and who you ca…
Burn it Down Special - Author Mo Ryan
Aug. 3, 2023
We temporarily return from our mid-season break to hear from Burn It Down author Mo Ryan. She talks about writing her book, what she tried to achieve and her hopes for the industry. On her second podcast appearance she descr…
Take 100, Producer Erica Huggins, The Dark Tower, Ted and President of Fuzzy Door Productions
March 30, 2023
Our 100th guest is the amazing Erica Huggins, President of Fuzzy Door Productions. She talks about her early days as a film editor, being fired and told she will never work in this town again and her subsequent successful ca…
Take 99 - Former soldier, TV host Chef Andre Rush, Kitchen Commando
March 23, 2023
We talk to the extraordinary Chef Andre Rush in a slightly different episode of the podcast. The former solider and White House Chef talks about his transition into television, the 'sharks' he found there and why he chose to…
Take 98 - Writer, Producer and Showrunner Brannon Braga, Star Trek: The Next Generation, 24, The Orville
March 16, 2023
We talk to the excellent Brannon Braga. He talks about the pressure of working on the Star Trek franchise, understanding when he was, and wasn't, 'in peril', and we walk through his failures. Brannon tells us about which sho…
Take 97 - Writer and entrepreneur Steve Vitolo, Black-Ish, co-founder Scriptation
March 9, 2023
We talk to Steve Vitolo, aspiring writer and now a tech leader. He tells us his story of writing in rooms, getting his show cancelled and developing his app on the side. He talks not taking advantage of his new found access,…
Take 96 - Writer and Showrunner Diane Ruggiero-Wright, Veronica Mars, iZombie
March 2, 2023
We talk to the amazing Diane Ruggiero-Wright. She talks passionately about early success, a big cancellation and nearly returning to waitressing. She tells us why she regrets not completing her education, the huge fall-out s…
Take 95 - Writer, Showrunner Diane Ademu-John, Crossing Jordan, Medium, Dune: The Sisterhood
Feb. 23, 2023
We talk to the amazing Diane Ademu-John. She talks about her first writing room, being afraid to speak and then getting fired from Crossing Jordan. She talks about leadership, co-showrunning and learning and growing even fro…
Take 94 - Showrunner Luke Tunnecliffe, Making their Mark, Fearless
Feb. 16, 2023
We talk to Australian showrunner Luke Tunnecliffe. He tells us about trying to run a sports documentary during a global pandemic, bringing an LA production to Australia only to get locked down and moving from sports document…
Take 93 - Comedian, actor, showrunner Gina Yashere, Bob Hearts Abishola
Feb. 9, 2023
We speak to the extraordinary Gina Yashere about her journey from British comedian to American sitcom actress and showrunner. She talks about her dream to play a best friend in a sitcom, the lack of pressure because she neve…
Take 92 - Actor, producer, showrunner Jim Piddock, Tooth Fairy, Mascots
Feb. 2, 2023
Two Englishmen talk Hollywood rejection as we managed to lose Noah for the episode. Veteran Jim Piddock tells us about his fight for fair pay for Tooth Fairy, what a nice man the Rock is and his huge problems with a high pro…
Take 91 - Dan Rutstein, former journalist and diplomat and podcast co-host
Jan. 26, 2023
We turn the microphone round and have host Dan Rutstein as guest. Friend of the podcast Paul Bae asks the questions with Noah as Dan talks through unsuccessfully applying for 100 jobs, getting laid off during the pandemic an…
Take 90 - Showrunner Eric Guggenheim, Miracle and Magnum P.I.
Jan. 19, 2023
We talk to the fascinating Eric Guggenheim. We talk early career success, serious imposter syndrome and working with his brothers (one of whom has already been on the podcast). He tells us about his good years, his fallow ye…
Take 89 - Writer and showrunner Simran Baidwan, Manifest, Clean Slate
Jan. 12, 2023
We talk to the extraordinary Simran Baidwan. She tells us about her best and worst rooms, the transition from criminal prosecutor to Hollywood and the importance of grace in leadership. We cover inclusion, telling a good sto…
Take 88 - Showrunner Jeffrey Lieber, Lost, Charmed
Jan. 5, 2023
We talk to the amazing Jeffrey Lieber - for the second time. We take a deep dive into the world of failure, rejection and adversity in Hollywood. We talk ill-fitting jobs, managing and leading teams and shit sandwiches. Jeff…