Whistling in the Dark

This week my guest is tv comedy writer/show runner Ben Wexler, whose illustrious credits include - among others - Arrested Development, Community, and most recently two sadly canceled shows - The Comedians starring Billy Crystal and Josh Gad - as well as the Rob Lowe vehicle The Grinder.  Though both shows were brilliantly executed and critically acclaimed, neither found a big enough audience to fill the network coffers and thus, were unceremoniously axed. Such is the business of show. It seems few comedies are working anywhere on television these days, and Wexler is right in the trenches of battling that weird and often unwarranted war.  Though I was dying to pick his brain about the current state of our industry, the craft of writing (because who doesn’t love listening to two writers talk about their process) and other such self-indulgent, insider baseball-y, type fare, we talked about pretty much everything but. OK there’s a little industry stuff but it’s appetizer size so suck it.  Fresh off a breakfast w

I Honestly Can’t Think Of A Better Way To Usher In A Brand Spanking New Year Than With This Week’s Guest - Actress/Director/Activist Rose Mcgowan. Not Only Has She Recently Made The Transition From Actor To Director With The Stunning, Heart Breaking And Critically Acclaimed Short Film “Dawn”, Mcgowan Has Also Taken A Decidedly Brave And Brazen Stance Against The Industry She’s Been A Part Of For Nearly Two And A Half Decades. More Specifically She's Been Publicly Speaking Out Against The Rampant Sexism, Misogyny, And Predatory Abuse She And Many Of Her Female Colleagues Have Suffered At The Hands Of The Men Who - As They Say - Run Shit. She Has Also Spent Much Of Her Time And Energy Of Late Illuminating Other Important Issues Such As The Embarrassing Lack Of Opportunities For Female Directors, And Of Course Gender Inequality - Disrupting The Status Quo With Her Truthful And Cutting Indictments Of Hollywood. Point Is She’s Not Afraid To Make You Uncomfortable. The Truth Is Hard And Not Always Easy To Talk Abou

This week’s guest is tv writer Mike Royce. The native Syracuse NYer burst on to the small screen nearly 20 years ago, writing for such shows as "SNL" and "Spin City".  But it wasn't until he joined the writing staff of a little known sitcom called "Everybody Loves Raymond" that things really took off.  6 years and 7 emmy nominations (including 2 wins) later, Royce went on to write on the short lived HBO Louis CK sitcom "Lucky Louie" and then partnered with Ray Romano to co-create the critically acclaimed "Men of a Certain Age".  Which oddly, is where I enter the picture.  The Peabody award-winning series was a smart, thoughtful, comedy-drama that followed three 40-something friends going through - you guessed it - a  mid life crisis. And though I was neither middle aged nor a man when it aired back in 2009 through 2011 - it nevertheless provided a surprisingly accessible entry point from which I could settle in, and emotionally invest in characters I had no real business investing in, as they painstakingly ma

There’s something about Jessica St Clair and Lennon Parham. Ever since discovering their awesome but sadly, short-lived, 2012 NBC sitcom - Best Friends Forever - this bonafide comedy nerd has been hooked on their unique, and oddly soulful brand of comedy which can currently be seen on their most recent creation - USA’s critical darling Playing House.   Both ventures dip their toes into similar thematic territory - namely the nuances and complexities of the female friendship. Not surprising given the duo are real life besties. But that’s where the similarities end, and the two sitcoms veer off in vastly different directions. BFF is more grounded and subtle while Playing House isn’t afraid to go big by offering an abundance of physical comedy, and broader, dare I say more absurdist sensibilities. Magically, both shows work - largely due to the writing and performances of its creators/stars but also because they manage to tackle big themes and meaty subject matter without hitting their audience over the head wit

This week’s guest Marti Noxon - is having a moment - as they say. This tv veteran whose credits include Greys Anatomy, Prison Break, and Glee most recently created and oversees 2 shows, Unreal on Lifetime and Bravo’s The Girlfriends Guide to Divorce - both of which have garnered second season pick ups - and rave reviews. I went into our chat thinking much of our time together would be mostly comprised of shop talk, namely topics like writing, producing, the business of tv, being a woman in a male dominated industry, her experiences writing on 2 of my fave shows of all time -  Mad Men and Buffy and.. well you get the picture. After all we work in the same world. We know a lot of the same people. And honestly… As a bonafide tv dork I always want the goods on life in the trenches of the shows I devour. And since Mad Men and Buffy fall into that category, well I couldn’t help but draw up a rather healthy list of questions for her to tackle. However, Noxon had other ideas.  Instead she enthusiastically and generou

It’s amazing how many universal themes and strategies come up again and again no matter whom I’m talking or listening to. It doesn’t matter whether they’re a nurse, a stay-at-home mum, an architect or actor - if something works it works.  For instance, It doesn’t matter whether you have any intentions of ever becoming a comedy tv director like this week’s guest Richie Keen. What matters is that you glean something useful from our conversation and that it adds value to your life in some small way. That’s why I do the podcast. And that’s why I pick the guests I do. Richie has a cool job there’s no doubt. But what’s even cooler is the road he took to get there. As far as I’m concerned, the more we share our journeys - what has and hasn’t worked - the more we all evolve. And isn’t that sort of the point? Why else are we here but to keep growing, evolving and expanding our definitions of success, and happiness?  I first met Richie Keen nearly 4 years ago after hiring him to direct a comedy pilot during my stint at

To have kids or not to have kids. Now THAT is the real question. And its one that has plagued many women for decades, particularly in the modern age where we are constantly being told “we can have it all”. Some of us who bought in - myself included - are trying to cram an awful lot of stuff in before popping out a kid or two, if we pop one out at all. There’s big careers to build, and traveling the world, not to mention enjoying our hard earned money and the freedoms that affords us. We’re endlessly self-reflecting and knuckle deep in analysis, seeking deeper meaning and newly forged paths much different from those of our mothers. We’re prioritizing friendships over men while still enjoying the occasional dalliance and love affair - we’re holding out for a hero - as long as it doesn’t interfere with our professional and spiritual trajectories. It’s not that men aren’t relevant anymore; they absolutely are. It’s just that they’re being forced to share our attention with new and shiny things. Which means more t

In 2011 my then MTV colleague Christy Spitzer walked into my office, and happily pronounced  her lengthy, self-imposed dating sabbatical - one we had discussed at length over the course of the past year - was finally over.  And it was over because of Kassie Thornton - a sensational woman she had recently met through mutual friends. Though it was only a few weeks in, she had a hunch this was the real deal, that this one was somehow different from the rest. She was right. Not because she had never been with a woman before - no that was not the only life changing part of the story, not even close. No the real hum dinger was that shortly after that conversation, a random, fleeting moment in the back of a NYC cab would change the course of their lives. What happened next and what they did about it helped create case law so that others who find themselves the unfortunate target of discrimination, will now have legal precedent. They became a face for the LGBT community in Hilary Clinton’s presidential campaign and t

If you’re a regular listener to this podcast you will know that your lanky, Canadian host is a big fan of two things… 1 - therapy, self help. Not as a crutch but as one of many valuable tools available to help navigate life’s often murky waters. And 2 - books. I’ve had some big authors on the show including James Frey and Jon Ronson and there’s more on the way. Now combine those two things with a subject matter whose organizing principal illuminates a part of the human experience so succinctly, so profoundly, and yet still manages to make it palatable to you and me - and I am in.  There have been a few along the way - A New Earth, The Four Agreements, A Course in Miracles. Though these tomes have had a profound effect on the quality of my life, it wasn’t until recently I came across a book that not only captured the microscopic specifics of my family dynamics, but articulated it in a way that elevated my understanding of my parents, the choices they made in raising me, and the  subsequent, adverse affects it

Fashion designer Rachel Pally's dresses have been worn from everyone from Angelina Jolie to Kim K and Dita Von Teese  - most notably her famous jersey cotton dresses and kick ass kaftans -  but it’s you and me and everyone in between she really relishes dressing. Budding entrepreneurs you’re gonna wanna pay particular attention. Because you’re gonna learn some things about building your brand and business you probably haven’t heard before. This conversation is more than just the practical, a to z mechanics of her journey - though we talk about that too. No. Rather it’s the surprising, seemingly unrelated things Rachel directly attributes to her success that I found really interesting; including being raised by parents who were early educators, giving herself permission to follow her bliss, dressing for other women and not men, and the realization that she was never going to be someone who would thrive in a 9 to 5/heavily structured work environment. How she connects all those seemingly disparate dots with cre

She's baaackkk. By popular demand. My therapist, Karen! For those of you who didn’t catch her first visit to Whistling In the Dark, our aim was to break down and demystify therapy - what it is, kind of how it works (even though its a very individual experience) and to prove - by virtue of our patient/client relationship - that it isn’t nearly as scary as one might think. In fact, in the hands of the right person it can be a truly life changing experience.  This journey with Karen has been exactly that for me and I thought, wouldn’t it be grand if it was that for you too, dear listener should you be pondering the notion of seeking help in organizing the pain and chaos in your own life but afraid to take that first step into the abyss known as THERAPY. ANALYSIS. HEAD SHRINKING.  It’s not that the episode - nor the one you’re about to hear - are representative of an actual session. Sure we dip in and out of that sort of territory, but by and large, these are authentic conversations that dive into the big questio

This is an episode featuring two of the funniest people I know; comedians Cathy Ladman and Sue Kolinsky. Both started their careers in the 80’s in NYC with the likes of Seinfeld, Louis, Maron, Larry David and every other seminal comic from that time. Ladman is still at it, with a one woman show on the way, while Kolinsky has transitioned into tv writing. Her credits include Sex and the City, Ellen and most recently Last Comic Standing.  Oh and she has a kick ass sports blog too.   Our conversation tackles everything from aging to balancing career and family, relationships, work ethic and of course comedy - complete with plenty of anecdotal moments featuring some of the famous faces I just mentioned.  And though we touch briefly on the annoying, misogynistic topic of whether women are in fact funny or not - it is by no means the crux of the chat.  So without further ado, I introduce the first in a series of episodes featuring selected peeps from the comedy world. Enjoy Cathy Ladman and Sue Kolinsky!  Check out

I hang with the Co-founders and CEO's of the Who What Wear/Clique Media empire - Katherine Power and Hillary Kerr -  the popular fashion, decor and beauty on line portals where we dissect their 8-year road from print journalism to digital dominance. For those fledgling entrepreneurs who want inside scoop, tips and takeaways on start up culture and what it takes to get one on its feet, you’re gonna want to tune in. The girls cover everything from what you really need to succeed - and its not what you think - and things you don’t - also not what you think. We cover the fake it til you make/imposter syndrome ethos, why baking and taking a shower are Hillary’s go to activities for inspiration, the importance of daily rituals, what traits they look for when hiring interns and staff, the important of playing and having fun, and how a successful business partnership mirrors that of a healthy marriage. Katherine breaks down why gut and common sense may be the two must under-rated traits, and Hillary divulges her curr

Author James Frey and I go back to the influences that started it all for both of us; getting tattoos in the 80’s, punk rock, seminal bands and a shared love of English football and hooligan culture. But its not all rebellion and vitriol. Frey talks about his transition into adulthood that includes moving from NYC to Connecticut with his wife and 3 kids, and how he is convinced the waning energy levels that come with middle age means he only has 2 or 3 books left in him before he retires. There’s lots of deep dives and analytical discussion including failure, spirituality, the Serial podcast and whether we think Adnan did it or not, what makes top athletes like Lionel Messi and Wayne Gretzky so damn great, and his unique writing process. This episode is sponsored by The Podcasters' Studio. The official Whistling In the Dark app is now available at iTunes and Amazon.com. Finally - if you enjoyed the show or even if you didn’t, we’d like to know. Please rate and review the show in iTunes or Stitcher. It helps u

This episode is for Friends fanatics, aspiring tv writers, comedy nerds and pop culture nuts. It’s also a fascinating look into the evolution of a pop culture phenomenon and the way the people inside it think, feel and navigate the very tricky business of not only making a hit but keeping it there. This conversation with two of the show’s long standing writers and producers - Adam Chase and Ira Ungerleider - who were there from the very beginning offer inside scoop on it all - the cast, the writers room, and amazing anecdotes featuring some very famous guest stars including Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and George Clooney. The guys discuss why Monica was the hardest character to develop, Matt Leblanc’s secret to getting an extra laugh on every joke and witnessing the cast’s meteoric rise to fame that included death threats.  Adam recalls how working with Bruce Willis was an out of body experience and Ira’s ballsy move on Julia Roberts.    They give examples of how the writers took things from their own lives and w

Emmy-nominated actor Clifton Collins Jr and I chill out on the floor of his San Fernando Valley house where we shoot the breeze about his 20-year plus decade in the movie/tv biz and a whole lot more. He shares personal anecdotes about the directing greats he’s worked with including JJ Abrams, Guillermo DelToro, and Steven Soderbergh and I get some very thought provoking insight into his Capote co-star, the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman. We discuss his recent bromance with Chewitel Ejiofor, Shia LeBeuf’s top notch work ethic, and what it’s like having Samuel Jackson as your mentor. But it’s not all shop talk. Cliff shares his experiences as a teen runaway and the surprising cast of characters who helped him through it, how he overcame a broken heart after the dissolution of his engagement, and the compelling rags to rices story of his grandfather Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez, an Mexican-American character actor who broke barriers in the 50’s after appearing in a number of John Wayne movies and tv shows such as

This episode is a rather special one. And by special I mean not like the others. My guest is not in the public eye. She hasn't written a best selling book. She doesn’t have a tv show or movie coming out. And she’s never played professional sports. So… who is she? Her name is Karen. And she’s my therapist. Therapy and in particular my therapist Karen has changed my life in words that are hard to describe. There has been no one magical moment, no wand waving or bumper sticker platitude that flipped a  very stubborn switch stuck somewhere in a childhood filled with violence, chaos, affairs, serious boundary issues and more rotting dysfunction than this or any other podcast has time for. NO, instead it has been a 3 year process of digging down deep, deprogramming, slowly changing my perspective to encompass newer healthier ones, bringing consciousness to old, destructive patterns and god damn it, doing the work tasked to me by someone who has gently, and lovingly guided me through some truly painful and heart wre

My chat with long time Editor-in-Chief of 17 Magazine Ann Shoket covered many things I expected it to; the work/life balance debate most high-powered, career women are saddled with, her path as a journalist (how she got and stays there), why she waited until her late 30’s to get married and have babies, breast cancer (mine), and the excitement we both share over the new wave of feminism that is emerging in the generations coming up behind us. What I didn’t expect was that the majority of the conversation would turn into our shared love letter to those very generations; Y and Z - also known (respectively) as millennials and those born after 1989. We discuss at length their positive use of social media, including how Twitter and the likes are enabling them to create cutting edge businesses - many of which are making the world a better place. Shoket believes social media and the “instafame” pioneers who are leading the charge are also pin pointing serious issues like body image (Beyonce’s thigh gap/Instagram deb

Heather Parry and I hang out on the Sony lot, where we reminisce about our days as MTV executives, an experience she describes as a cross between Almost Famous and Bridget Jones Diary. She tells me how her stint at the Viacom behemoth helped her overcome shyness and the long, weird road she took to convince a reclusive Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam to give her a post-Kurt Cobain suicide interview.  Parry recounts her inability to get the Twilight books made during her stint at MTV Films and how a casting decision involving 50 Cent and Nelly inadvertently played a role in landing her the Head of Film job at Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison. Heather talks at length about the importance of loyalty and why friend Demi Moore and Sandler epitomize it in every aspect of their lives.  Courtney Love, former MTV chief Tom Freston, Matthew Broderick, the imposter syndrome, vulnerability, why it’s important to ask for help, as well as why she thinks she’ll be the first her friends would eat if they survived a plane crash in the

If you think this chat with former Chelsea/Wigan/Birmingham, Ajax and Dutch International footballer Mario Melchiot is just for sports fans, think again….  Though it’s a classic rags to riches tale comprised of all the things one would expect - poverty, hardship, perseverance, growing up in the projects of Amsterdam, unspeakable tragedy, and family secrets - it also holds plenty of surprises. Like how one simple couch became the symbol of ultimate success, why p, b and j sandwiches are still his favorite meal despite being able to buy anything, and the prophetic message Mario received from beyond his brother’s grave that changed everything. For fans of the beautiful game, Melchiot talks at length about what it’s like to have Louie Van Gaal on speed dial and how he thinks he’ll fare at Manchester United. He waxes philosophical on the one skill he believes makes top tier, players like Bale, Messi, and Fabregas so great and gives rare insight into what he considers to be the biggest mistakes athletes make when s