Season 2
Aug. 3, 2023
Burn it Down Special - Author Mo Ryan
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…
March 30, 2023
Take 100, Producer Erica Huggins, The Dark Tower, Ted and President of Fuzzy Door Productions
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…
March 23, 2023
Take 99 - Former soldier, TV host Chef Andre Rush, Kitchen Commando
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…
March 16, 2023
Take 98 - Writer, Producer and Showrunner Brannon Braga, Star Trek: The Next Generation, 24, The Orville
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…
March 9, 2023
Take 97 - Writer and entrepreneur Steve Vitolo, Black-Ish, co-founder Scriptation
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,…
March 2, 2023
Take 96 - Writer and Showrunner Diane Ruggiero-Wright, Veronica Mars, iZombie
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…
Feb. 23, 2023
Take 95 - Writer, Showrunner Diane Ademu-John, Crossing Jordan, Medium, Dune: The Sisterhood
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…
Feb. 16, 2023
Take 94 - Showrunner Luke Tunnecliffe, Making their Mark, Fearless
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…
Feb. 9, 2023
Take 93 - Comedian, actor, showrunner Gina Yashere, Bob Hearts Abishola
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…
Feb. 2, 2023
Take 92 - Actor, producer, showrunner Jim Piddock, Tooth Fairy, Mascots
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…
Jan. 26, 2023
Take 91 - Dan Rutstein, former journalist and diplomat and podcast co-host
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…
Jan. 19, 2023
Take 90 - Showrunner Eric Guggenheim, Miracle and Magnum P.I.
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…
Jan. 12, 2023
Take 89 - Writer and showrunner Simran Baidwan, Manifest, Clean Slate
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…
Jan. 5, 2023
Take 88 - Showrunner Jeffrey Lieber, Lost, Charmed
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…
Dec. 15, 2022
Take 87 - Podcaster, writer Paul Bae, Black Tapes, Big Loop
We talk to the fascinating Paul Bae. The teacher/comedian/podcaster/screenwriter/actor talks us through his journey. We talk failing in screenwriting and acting leading to millions of downloads for his scripted podcasts, get…
Dec. 8, 2022
Take 86 - Showrunner Ildy Modrovich, CSI Miami, Californication, Lucifer
We talk to the extraordinary Ildy Modrovich. She talks about arranged marriages, the importance of two showrunners and the pilot that was guaranteed - until it wasn't. She talks about losing her confidence, making sure other…
Dec. 1, 2022
Take 85 - Writer, Showrunner Chris Sheridan, Family Guy, Resident Alien
We speak to the amazing and hilarious Chris Sheridan. He reads out some of his rejection letters, tells us about making calls from payphones on street corners and why he really didn't want to work on Family Guy. But then he …
Nov. 17, 2022
Take 84 - Writer and Actor Brittani Nichols, Abbott Elementary
We have comedian, actress and writer Brittani Nichols on the show. A fascinating discussion about diversity, inclusive comedy and working on a rocketship of a show like Abbot Elementary. We talk happy and unhappy rooms, frie…
Nov. 10, 2022
Take 83 - Writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, A Quiet Place
We talk to the dynamic duo of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods about gimmicks in scripts, a yes after multiple nos and what happened to their directing dreams. They talk with incredible candor about their Quiet Place journey, what…
Nov. 3, 2022
Take 82 - Daria Polatin, novelist and showrunner Devil in Ohio
We talk to novelist and showrunner Dari Polatin. She talks about getting her book written at 4am and during lunchbreaks, the rarity of being allowed to adapt a novel and the struggles of a junior female writer in a room ful…
Oct. 27, 2022
Take 81 - Writer, Showrunner Andy Siara, Palm Springs, The Resort
We talk to the amazing Andy Siara. He tells us the story behind the time loop in Palm Springs, his fear of never working again and gives the most extraordinary piece of advice about hope. He talks the difficult of showrunnin…
Oct. 20, 2022
Take 80 - Producer, Development Executive Alex Hedlund, Great Wall
We talk to development executive Alex Hedlund. We talk at length about Matt Damon movie The Great Wall, why it failed, how he was involved and when he realised it was going wrong. He tells us what he learned from working on …
Oct. 13, 2022
Take 79 - Actor, Director, Producer John Cameron Mitchell, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Joe Exotic
We talk to the extraordinary John Cameron Mitchell. We talk failure in writing, directing and actor, the risks of coming out and how they decide which projects to work on. John talks Hedwig, passion projects and discriminati…
Oct. 6, 2022
Take 78 - Writer and Director Peter Kosminsky, White Oleander, The Undeclared War
We (by which we actually mean just Dan) talk to writer and director Peter Kosminsky. He tells us about his early firings (of which there were many including lasting only a day as a researcher because they didn't like his ide…