The Great Creators with Guy Raz

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt spends a lot of time thinking about creativity, technology, and how the two collide. In this episode, Joseph shares his thoughts on a not-too-distant future in which AI-generated content will be able to “make people laugh, make people cry, and win all the likes and awards”. He also talks about theater programs in school, why he used to worry that Hollywood would “infect” him, which of his characters he personally identifies with, and why his toughest day as an actor came on the set of a Pop Tarts commercial.

Joseph’s latest film is “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F”. 

Links from the Show: 

• TED Talk: How craving attention makes you less creative
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt breaks down his career (Vanity Fair) 
• That Pop Tarts commercial from 1991
• Joseph’s filmography

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – scroll down in this feed or go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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Ben Gibbard is the voice of the bands Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service. He talks about Death Cab’s scrappy start, recording their classic album Transatlanticism, how the band learned to defuse internal tensions, and how he approaches songwriting in middle age. This episode was recorded in 2023.

Links from the Show: 

• Ben's Tiny Desk Concert
• Ben breaks down his song "Black Sun"
• Death Cab for Cutie video for "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"
• Death Cab for Cutie video for "Soul Meets Body"
• The Postal Service video for "Such Great Heights" 

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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Phil Elverum has recorded more than 40 albums and documented decades of his life in song – first as “The Microphones” and then as “Mount Eerie”. In this episode, Phil talks with Guy about his musical beginnings playing the tuba, the 40-minute song that tells his life story, and the album he wrote about his wife's death – a project that resonated strongly with countless people experiencing grief.

Check out Phil’s latest album, Microphones in 2020, here: https://www.pwelverumandsun.com/products/microphones-in-2020-cd

Links from the Show: 

• Interview with young Phil about Nirvana
• Phil's Website
• The Glow Pt. 2
• Microphones in 2020
• Seaweed by Mount Eerie
• A Crow Looked at Me
• Geneviève Castrée: complete works

Connect with Phil:

• 💻Website: https://www.pwelverumandsun.com/

• 📺Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PWElverumandSun

• 📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flutelistener/

Connect with us:

•💻Website: TheGreatCreators.com

•📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegreatcreatorspodcast and https://www.instagram.com/guy.raz

• 🎵TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@guyraz

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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Michael Lewis is one of the most successful authors in recent memory. And in this episode, he dives deep into exactly how he tells unforgettable stories… from “Moneyball”, “The Big Short”, and “The Blind Side” – all adopted into feature films – to his newest bestseller, “Going Infinite” (about Sam Bankman-Fried). 

You’ll learn how to “surf the world” for ideas like Michael; how to bring stories to life; how Michael structures narratives using a notecard system; and how he blocks out distractions and conquers procrastination. Whether your goal is to become a better writer or a more persuasive communicator in general, this is an opportunity to learn from a master.

Want to go deeper? Michael has a new MasterClass on how to tell a great story. You can find it here: https://www.masterclass.com/series/tell-a-great-story

Links from the Show: 

• Liar’s Poker
• The Blind Side
• The Big Short 
• Moneyball 
• Moneyball Player Value scene
• Going Infinite 
• The Premonition
• Michael’s MasterClass: Tell a Great Story 

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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Ben Platt is an actor, singer, and songwriter who’s quickly become one of the most decorated performers of his generation. He sits down with Guy to talk about his first professional acting role at age 9, breaking out in “Pitch Perfect” and the runaway success of “Dear Evan Hansen,” finding his voice as an “authentically” queer artist, and the secret ingredient behind his success: “sacrifice”. 

Buy Ben’s new album, “Honeymind”, here: https://interscope.com/collections/ben-platt/products/honeymind-cd

Ben’s current residency at the Palace Theatre on Broadway: https://www.broadway.org/shows/details/ben-platt-live-at-the-palace,842

Links from the Show: 

• Ben performing “I’ve Got the Magic in Me” in Pitch Perfect

• Ben singing “You Will Be Found” (from “Dear Evan Hansen”) on America’s Got Talent

• “The Politician” on Netflix

• Ben’s duet with Lin-Manuel Miranda

• “Cherry on Top” Official Music video (from “Honeymind”)

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Audra McDonald to David Duchovny, Jason Sudeikis, and Tom Hanks – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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Seth Meyers was a key player in creating some of the best seasons of Saturday Night Live. Now he's hosting Late Night in the very same building. In this classic episode from 2023, you’ll hear how his two-person comedy show in Chicago randomly landed him in front of just the right person to get him an audition at SNL. 

Seth also opens up about the anxiety he felt competing with his extremely funny co-stars. And he explains some of the ways he has managed to lead Late Night to new heights. 

Links from the show:

• Seth in Northwestern's improv troupe in 1992
• Seth and his brother Josh on Late Night
• Seth at the 2011 White House Correspondent's Dinner
• Seth as David Zinger
• Compilation of Seth and Stefon
• A Closer Look from Late Night
• Seth doing standup
• Seth's Instagram
• Seth's Twitter

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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Michael McDonald brought his legendary singing voice and songwriting talent to not one but two legendary bands: Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers, the latter of which earned him a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Michael sits down with Guy to talk about writing classic songs on envelopes and forgetting about them for years; feeling self-conscious on stage as a frontman; his solo career; what he thinks of the term “yacht rock”; and how getting sober saved his life.

Michael’s memoir is called “What a Fool Believes”. You can buy it here.

Links from the show: 

• I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near) music video
• Warren G: Regulate music video
• What a Fool Believes music video
• Sweet Freedom (1986)
• Michael talking about singing on Steely Dan’s “Peg” 
• Rick Moranis SCTV sketch about Michael
• Three Michael McDonalds Sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” (w/ Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake): Tonight Show
• Family Guy having fun with Michael’s famous backing vocals
• Michael’s Instagram
• Michael’s Facebook page
• Michael’s memoir, “What a Fool Believes”

See all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.

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T Bone Burnett is one of the most accomplished music producers of the past 50 years. He sits down with Guy to talk about buying a recording studio at age 17; being pushed out of his creative comfort zone by Bob Dylan on the Rolling Thunder Revue tour; building soundtracks for the Coen Brothers and True Detective; and why, at age 76, he’s the happiest and most creative he’s ever been.

T Bone’s new album, The Other Side, is available here: https://shop.tboneburnett.com/

Links from the Show: 

• Rolling Thunder Revue documentary on Netflix
• True Detective Season 1 soundtrack
• Big Lebowski soundtrack
• Inside Llewyn Davis soundtrack
• George Clooney performing I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow in O Brother Where Art Thou? 
• Los Lobos: How Will the Wolf Survive? Album
• T Bone’s Instagram

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Diplo to Jewel to Andy Garcia to Tom Hanks – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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David Duchovny sits down with Guy to talk about his wide-ranging creative life. He describes the “gut instinct” that led him to drop out of a Yale literature program and pursue acting; his iconic roles as Agent Mulder in The X-Files and Hank Moody in Californication; why he writes novels and makes music; and embracing failure as a critical learning experience in life and work.

David’s new podcast is called “Fail Better”, and his film Bucky F*cking Dent comes out in June 2024.

Links from the Show: 

• David’s new podcast, “Fail Better”
• IMDb: Bucky F*cking Dent
• David’s books
• Live performance of his song Layin’ on the Tracks
• David’s music on Spotify
• David Duchovny Breaks Down His Career, from 'The X-Files' to 'Californication' | Vanity Fair
• Malice, the show David was shooting in London at the time of this recording:

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Hilary Swank to Diplo – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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Lainey Wilson burst onto the country music scene in 2022 with her album Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’. But for seven years before that, she struggled to make it in the high-pressure Nashville music scene. And before that, she was a kid from a tiny town in rural Louisiana with a dream of being a country star.

In this encore episode from 2023, Lainey joins Guy to talk about how she handled the hard times, what she’s learned about the art of collaboration during the making of two acclaimed albums, and what defines her unique style – which she calls “Bell Bottom Country”.

Links from the Show: 

• Lainey Wins the 2023 CMA Award for Entertainer of the Year 
• Tougher Music Video
• Things A Man Oughta Know Music Video
• Lainey’s French Bulldog Hippie Mae’s Instagram 
• Hillbilly Hippie Official Lyrics Video
• Lainey’s Female Vocalist of the Year (2022) Acceptance Speech
• Lainey’s New Artist of the Year (2022) Acceptance Speech 
• Tougher album (2016)
• Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ (2021) 
• Bell Bottom Country (2022)

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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One of the first – and biggest – stars of the MTV era, Billy Idol is nothing short of a rock icon. He sits down with Guy Raz to share how the Sex Pistols inspired him to start a band instead of working for his dad; the stories behind the songs “Dancing with Myself” and “Rebel Yell”; his famously edgy image and lifestyle; and the workout routine that allows him to tour internationally into his late 60s.

Buy the 40th anniversary expanded edition of Billy’s album “Rebel Yell” here: https://billyidol.lnk.to/RebelYellExpanded

Links from the Show: 

• Sex Pistols swearing on TV with Bill Grundy
• Generation X: Kiss Me Deadly
• Dancing with Myself music video
• Rebel Yell
• White Wedding
• Eyes Without a Face
• Hot in the City
• Billy’s Instagram
• His YouTube channel

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oskar Eustis is the Artistic Director at the Public Theater in New York City. He sits down with Guy to talk about “falling into the avant-garde rat hole” early in his career; convincing Lin-Manuel Miranda that Hamilton was more than a concept album; bringing theater to senior centers, women’s shelters, and prisons; and why he believes performing arts are essential to democracy.

See what the Public theater has playing here: https://publictheater.org/

Links from the Show: 

• Lin-Manuel Miranda debuts Hamilton at the White House in 2009
• Oskar’s TED Talk
• Brief profile of the Public Theater’s Public Works program
• Shakespeare in the Park

For more conversations like this – including interviews with theater legends like Audra McDonald and Nathan Lane – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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Sam Harris is the frontman for X Ambassadors, a multi-platinum pop rock trio from Ithaca, New York. Sam sits down with Guy to talk about his bond with his brother and bandmate Casey, who was born blind; how X Ambassadors felt “so not cool” and faced lots of rejection while trying to make it in the Brooklyn indie rock scene of the late 2000s; and how getting tricked into writing the song “Renegades” for a Jeep commercial turned into a big break.

Sam also shares the story behind getting discovered by Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds; his daily routine and habits; the two recent, emotional events that inspired the band’s new Ithaca-focused album; and much more.

You can buy X Ambassadors’ latest album, Townie, here: https://shop.xambassadors.com/

Links from the Show: 

• Litost
• Jungle music video
• Renegades
• Unsteady
• Your Town (Todd Peterson tribute from Townie)
• No Strings (from Townie)
• Blinding Lights (The Weeknd Cover)
• Sam Nelson - when love has gone (Sam solo)

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant shot to fame as the lead vocalist for the indie-folk band 10,000 Maniacs, then left the band at the height of their popularity to build a successful solo career. She sits down with Guy to talk about the political concerns that animate her work; what a dinner with Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass taught her about creativity; how a degenerative spinal disease almost ended her artistic career; and her newest project honoring a late Italian poet who’s been nearly erased from history. 

Natalie’s ninth studio album is called Keep Your Courage.

Links from the Show: 

• These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs
• Carnival by Natalie Merchant
• It’s A-Coming, the song Natalie sings in this episode
• Buy Keep Your Courage

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Actor Rainn Wilson is best known for playing Dwight on "The Office," but in recent years he has become a mental health and spirituality advocate through his books and production company, SoulPancake. He joins Guy to talk about auditioning for the role of Michael Scott, the deep anxiety he faced as a young actor, his ensuing search for inner peace, and why he believes performing can be a spiritual act.

Rainn’s book is called “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution”.

This episode originally aired in April 2023.

Links from the show:

• Rainn and Steve Carell give a tour of the set of "The Office"
• The documentary "Laughing Matters," produced by Rainn's production company with comedians talking about mental health
• Rainn quizzes Billie Eilesh ("The Office's biggest fan")
• Rainn on the difference between The Office and Saturday Night Live
• Rainn and Steve Carell talk about pandemic-related stress and give advice on how to overcome it
• Rainn and chess master Magnus Carlsen talk chess and metaphysics

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Stephen Colbert to Ice Cube to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Singer-songwriter Cody Jinks shares his journey from heavy metal frontman and part-time bouncer and forklift driver to country music’s top independent artist. He talks about enduring years of poverty in order to keep 100% ownership over his publishing (“it was worth it”); how he wrote the 2x-platinum track “Loud & Heavy”; finding sobriety; and evolving his sound into his 40s.

Cody’s new album is called “Change the Game”.

Links from the Show: 

• “Loud & Heavy” ​
• “Sober Thing”
• Cody’s website
• Cody’s Instagram

For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Lainey Wilson and Shania Twain to Jeff Tweedy and The Smiths’ Johnny Marr – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.

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Every weeknight, Louis Cato performs live in front of a few million people as the band leader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He arranges the tunes, sets the tone, and plays multiple instruments himself; Colbert calls him a “musical genius”. Today, Louis talks about the multi-decade journey that led him here – from listening to “only Jesus music” in his youth and then having his mind blown by the Rolling Stones, to dropping out of the Berklee College of Music and touring the world, to a near-fatal accident that still affects him to this day. He even sings us a few beautiful bars. Louis’ most recent solo album is called “Reflections”.

Links from the show: 

• Louis being introduced by Stephen as the new Late Show band leader in 2022 Introducing Louis Cato and The Late Show Band!
• Louis’ NPR Tiny Desk Concert Louis Cato: Tiny Desk Concert
• Louis performing “Reflections” on the Late Show
• Buy Louis’ album “Reflections”
• Louis’ Instagram

See all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.

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Jacob Collier has been called the “Mozart of Gen Z” by the New York Times. As a teen, his one-man-band performances went viral and led to a cold email from (and friendship with) music legend Quincy Jones – something he discusses in this episode. 

He also talks about his childhood, where he gets his ideas, why doesn’t make pop hits, and his most recent album, Djesse, Vol. 4. The album features an eclectic range of collaborators, from T-Pain to Chris Martin of Coldplay… plus, 100,000 other voices. Really!

Get Jacob’s album Djesse Vol. 4 here: https://shop.jacobcollier.com/

More links from the show: 

• Jacob’s rendition of Pure Imagination and 
• Jacob directing an audience choir Jacob Collier - The Audience Choir (Live at O2 Academy Brixton, London)
• Jacob’s Tiny Desk Concert (2019)
• Jacob’s YouTube channel
• His Instagram
• TikTok

See all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ryan Tedder is the lead singer of OneRepublic and the producer and songwriter behind countless hits including Adele’s Rumor Has It and Beyonce’s Halo. Tedder even sold his own catalog for a reported $200 million. He joins Guy to talk about growing up in a religious family, tackling his stagefright (“I was shaking backstage”), using personal experiences to write hits, working with star musicians, and how to choose singles in the TikTok age. This episode was originally released in 2023.

Links from the Show

• Ryan Tedder performing “Apologize” solo for BBC Music
• OneRepublic’s music video for “I Ain’t Worried” featured on Top Gun: Maverick 
• Music video for Adele’s “Rumor Has It” co-written by Ryan Tedder
• Music video for Beyonce’s “Halo” co-written by Ryan Tedder
• Music video for Paul McCartney’s “Fuh You” co-written by Ryan Tedder
• Ryan’s Instagram
• His TikTok
• His Hit-Making Course

See all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.

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Hilary Swank is one of just 14 women to win not one but two Academy Awards for Best Actress (Boys Don’t Cry, Million Dollar Baby). And as you’ll learn today, her life story just as remarkable as her career: from growing up in a trailer park (“it was no big deal”) to moving to L.A. as a teenager and living with her mom in their car for a time while chasing her dreams, to her breakthrough role as Brandon Teena in the indie film “Boys Don’t Cry” – a performance that earned Hilary an Oscar, and just $3,000. She also reflects on playing a transgender character as a cisgender woman; which movie she feels doesn’t get nearly the credit it deserves; and how she envisions the next chapter of her career after becoming a mother last year.

Hilary’s newest film is called Ordinary Angels.

Links from the show: 

• Oscars acceptance speech for Best Actress in Boys Don’t Cry
• Acceptance speech for Best Actress in Million Dollar Baby
• Boys Don’t Cry Memorable Moments
• Freedom Writers (2007)
• Ordinary Angels (Feb 22, 2024)

See all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.

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Regina Spektor is one of the most critically-acclaimed and respected singer-songwriters of the past 25 years. She’s also one of the most thoughtful and open guests we’ve had on this show. 

Today, you’ll learn how Regina went from medical receptionist writing lyrics on post-it notes to rising star in the NYC music scene; how she overcame her fear that record labels would meddle with her art; why “invisibility” has been her greatest creative asset; the songwriting process behind beloved songs like “Samson”; and her thoughts on finding fresh ideas while handling “adult” responsibilities and raising her two young children.

Links from the show: 

• “Samson” official music video
• “Fidelity” music video
• Her Tiny Desk Concert
• Dan Smith of Bastille talking about Regina with Guy
• Orange is the New Black opening credits
• Her new album: Home, Before and After

Listen to, or watch, all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.

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David Chang is the founder of Momofuku, a culinary brand that grew from a single 600-square-foot location to include a Michelin-starred restaurant, a bakery and dessert chain, and a line of consumer packaged goods. David joins Guy to talk about opening his first restaurant after his epiphany about ramen on a trip to Japan; the panic and anxiety he felt in those early days; and how he’s learned to become a better leader and reject the toxic elements of “kitchen culture”.

Links from the show: 

• Bon Appetit on Momofuku Inc.
• Jimmy Fallon and David Chang have a hot wing eating contest
• David shows how to make chili-crunch carbonara
• David explaining the mystery of his pork buns to Vice
• David makes leftover fried rice
• David’s Shiitake and Swiss Chard Soup with Hand-Cut Noodles Recipe
• Momofuku website
• David’s podcast
• David’s Instagram

See all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.

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Dan Aykroyd was the youngest cast member on a brand new comedy show called Saturday Night Live when it premiered in 1975. In addition to iconic performances as Julia Child and a Conehead, Dan also created a real blues band called The Blues Brothers with fellow cast mate John Belushi. In this episode, Dan talks with Guy about playing drums behind Muddy Waters, his fascination with paranormal science that led him to create Ghostbusters, what he thinks of the female-led Ghostbusters reboot he helped produce, and the reason he thinks he's done with acting.

Links from the show: 

• Coneheads sketch
• Bass-O-matic sketch
• Ask President Carter sketch
• The Blues Brothers on SNL
• Soul Man
• Crystal Head Vodka
• Zombie Town Trailer

See all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.

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Jake Johnson is an actor, comedian, writer, and director who is best-known for playing Nick Miller on the sitcom New Girl. He’s also one of the voices of Spiderman in the animated movies and he wrote, directed, and stars in the new comedic thriller Self Reliance.

In this episode, Jake shares a life story filled with hilarious and poignant moments – from struggling with dyslexia and dropping out of high school, to finding his calling in the arts, to his complicated and ultimately close relationship with his late father. 

Plus: Jake’s highs and lows on the set of New Girl, dealing with occasional performance anxiety that “physically hurts”, his chemistry with co-stars Max Greenfield and Anna Kendrick, keeping his addictive personality under control, and how the inspiration for “Self Reliance” came from a Japanese game show.

Links from the show: 

• Jake's film, Self Reliance, on Hulu
• Nick’s advice podcast, We’re Here to Help
• Jake on Drunk History, a show he’s credited with inspiring
• Nick Miller Being Relatable for Four Minutes Straight: Youtube
• Minx on Starz
• Stumptown

See all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.

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Jesse Tyler Ferguson played one of the most important TV characters of the past 25 years. The role of Mitchell Pritchett – the openly gay lawyer and father on Modern Family – brought Jesse fame; praise; a deep sense of meaning; and as you'll hear in this episode, some criticism, too.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Jesse talks about trusting his intuition and going all-in on acting despite financial struggles; the powerful influence of a mentor early in his career; stereotypes and the perils of representing an entire group of people on TV; his one-man show on Broadway; and where he's taking his career next.

Jesse's podcast is called Dinner's On Me.

Links:

• Modern Family "Lion King" scene
• Trailer for Jesse's one-man Broadway show, Fully Committed
• Jesse's podcast, Dinner's On Me
• Jesse's Instagram

See all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.

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Singer-songwriter Jewel shares her incredible life story, from yodeling in bars as a kid to becoming homeless as a teenager and shortly thereafter becoming one of the most sought-after musicians in the world. She tells Guy about the mental exercises and Stoic philosophy she relied on as she climbed out of homelessness; why she declined a $1 million signing bonus; her "business plan" for her career and happiness; the conversation with Bob Dylan that may have saved her career; and why she's still making music but choosing not to publish it.

Links from the show:

• Discovery show about Jewel's family's Alaska homestead
• Writers who inspired Jewel: Anais Nin, Flannery O'Connor, Anton Chekhov, Charles Bukowski, Immanuel Kant, Plato, Socrates
• Her debut album, Pieces of You
• "Who Will Save Your Soul" video
• "You Were Meant for Me" video
• New 25th-anniversary edition of Spirit, Jewel's sophomore album
• Innerworld, Jewel's online platform connecting people to mental health counseling anonymously

Photo credits: Dana Trippe, Brendan Walter

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Bobby Hall -- better known by his stage name Logic -- first started making waves in the rap scene with his 2010 mixtape "Young, Broke, and Infamous". In 2018, he blew up and received two Grammy nominations for a song he titled 1-800-273-8255, which is the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. But just a couple years later, he announced his retirement and moved to rural Oregon to focus on his family. In this episode, Guy and Bobby talk about the methods he’s been using to cope with his persistent anxiety, and why he’s gearing up to release what he's calling his last "rap" album ever.

Links from the show:

Guy's How I Built This interview with Logic

Logic: Young, Broke, and Infamous

Logic: 1-800-273-8255

Logic's edited Instagram photo that fooled everyone

John Cleese on Open and Closed Creativity

Interview with Andre 3000 about why he stopped rapping

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Andy J. Pizza is the best-selling author-illustrator of Invisible Things and the host of Creative Pep Talk, his long-running podcast about building a creative career. In this episode, Andy talks about growing up as a hyper-creative but unfocused kid; his rocky journey to developing a unique artistic style; a medical diagnosis that changed his life and work forever; the neuroscience behind artistic taste; what he does when he feels stuck; and the epiphany that led to his biggest creative breakthrough.

Links from this Episode:

• Andy's "Giant Markers" Exhibit
• His newest book, Invisible Things
• Creative Pep Talk podcast
• Andy interviewing Guy on Creative Pep Talk
• The ADHD talk that hit Andy like a ton of bricks
• How I Built This
• Andy's next book, A Sundae with Everything On It

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DJ Shadow, aka Josh Davis, was and is a famous crate digger. He could spend hours in a record store collecting obscure albums, looking for interesting melodies and beats to sample and mix together on his turntables. And in 1996, Josh used this encyclopedic knowledge of music to create the first ever completely sampled album as DJ Shadow. The album, "Endtroducing", became one of the most important albums in experimental hip-hop, and you can still hear its influence today. In this episode, Guy talks with Josh about how he discovered hip-hop on his college radio station, his love of putting people on to new music, and how curiosity became his biggest superpower.

Links from the show:

Endtroducing - DJ Shadow

Action Adventure - DJ Shadow

Licensed to Ill - The Beastie Boys

Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa

Jam-Master-Jay - RUN DMC

One for the Treble - Davy DMX

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Brian Grazer is the award-winning producer of many iconic and successful films and TV shows, like Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code, A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon, Friday Night Lights, 24, and Arrested Development. More than 40 years ago he co-founded Imagine Entertainment with director Ron Howard. Together their films have made more than 15 billion dollars. In his conversation with Guy, Brain talks about his accidental start in Hollywood, what it was like working there in the early 70s, and the steps he took that helped him advance in the movie industry. He talks about meeting and working with Ron Howard, and what makes their collaboration so successful and enduring four decades later. And he talks about the power of curiosity, a quality he ultimately credits for his creative success, and explores in his best-selling book A Curious Mind.

Links from the show:

Night Shift (1982) Movie Trailer

Splash (1984) Movie Trailer

Bowfinger (1999) Movie Trailer

Frost/Nixon (2008) Movie Trailer

Brian's book A Curious Mind

Brian's and Ron Howard's production company Imagine Entertainment

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Sir Patrick Stewart is beloved for his portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Next Generation and its spinoff films. But Patrick was 47 years old when he took that life-changing role... and he almost turned it down! He sits down with Guy to talk about the extraordinary life that led to Picard: his working-class upbringing, how he learned to tame perfectionism on stage and embrace his own dark side when playing "horrible" men, and why he wants to focus on comedy in the final chapter of his career. Sir Patrick has written a memoir about his life and career called "Making It So".

Links from this episode:

• Star Trek: Next Generation - Picard's best speeches
• Shakespeare play The Winter's Tale
• Patrick playing Macbeth
• Picard memes (CNET)
• Patrick's Instagram
• Patrick's memoir, 'Making It So'

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When James Blunt released "You're Beautiful" in 2004, it quickly became the most popular song in the world. The album it was on, Back to Bedlam, became the best selling album of the 2000s in the UK. But James was already in his 30s when that song broke, and before that he lived a completely different life. In this episode, you'll hear about James' time in the British army leading NATO troops in Kosovo, his stint as one of Queen Elizabeth's ceremonial bodyguards, and how he randomly became roommates with Carrie Fisher while recording his first album.

Links from the show:

James in Kosovo in 1999

You're Beautiful

Goodbye My Lover

James' new album Who We Used To Be

Dark Thought

The Girl That Never Was

Loosely Based on a Made-Up Story

James' Pub The Fox and Pheasant

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Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and Uncle Tupelo is an iconic indie musician and songwriter. He joins Guy to talk about Uncle Tupelo's unexpected breakup, how that inspired him to explore new musical territories, and the story behind the classic album that cost Wilco their record deal -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Jeff has a new book out, it's called "World Within A Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music".

Links from the show:

Wilco playing "New Madrid" Live

Trailer for "I am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco"

Wilco at NPR's Tiny Desk

Wilco performs "California Stars" live on KEXP

Jeff on "Late Night with Seth Meyers"

Jeff's new book "World Within A Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music"

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Gavin Rossdale and his band Bush were at the forefront of the grunge movement in the 90s. Their debut album Sixteen Stone was a huge success, selling over 6 million copies. Almost overnight, Bush went from playing pubs in London to headlining arenas across the US. But before that, during a time when Britpop was dominating the British airwaves, Rossdale struggled for years to find success. In this episode, Gavin talks with Guy about being bullied while growing up in England, and how learning how to channel his anger into music helped him create one of the most commercially successful bands of the 90s.

Links from the show:

Gavin Rossdale in Midnight

Sixteen Stone

Man on the Run

Tickets for Bush's Tour

Loaded - The Greatest Hits

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Rob Thomas is best known as the frontman and songwriter for rock band Matchbox Twenty. He initially dropped out of high school and considered joining the army before forming Matchbox Twenty with some friends in Orlando, Florida. They quickly were offered a record deal, but the very day they released their debut album, the label went bust and they only sold 600 copies. In this episode, Rob talks with Guy about the marketing tactic that made them global superstars, writing Matchbox Twenty's hit song "3AM", and joining forces with Carlos Santana on the smash hit "Smooth."

Links from the show:

Push by Matchbox Twenty

3AM by Matchbox Twenty

3AM original recording by Tabitha's Secret

America by Simon and Garfunkel

Smooth by Santana (feat. Rob Thomas)

Rob and his wife Marisol

Where the Light Goes full album

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It's hard to say Jason Derulo's name without singing his famous tagline too. Since 2009, Jason's 11 platinum singles have gotten a ton of radio air time, and he's recently played a huge part in transforming the music industry on TikTok. In this episode, Jason talks with Guy about his early beginnings in musical theater, how he willed his debut song "Whatcha Say" to number 1 on the charts, and the secret to blowing up on social media.

Links from the show:

Jason's TikTok page

Talk Dirty To Me

Whatcha Say

Savage Love

Ridin' Solo

Jason Derulo singing his name for 1 minute

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Alex Gaskarth is the frontman of pop punk band All Time Low. He formed the band with his friends when he was just a freshman in high school, and by the time he was a senior, the band already had a record deal. In time, All Time Low joined bands like Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance to define the emo-pop sound of the 2000s. In this episode, Alex talks with Guy about All Time Low's sleeper hit, “Dear Maria, Count Me In”, the band's secret to staying together after 20 years, and how a grueling tour schedule inspired their biggest chart topper "Monsters".

Links from the show:

Eleanor Rigby

Brain Stew by Green Day

All Time Low's first album The Party Scene

Dear Maria Count Me In

Monsters

Head on Collision by New Found Glory

All Time Low's Spotify

Alex's Instagram

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Johnny Marr of The Smiths went from working in a clothes shop to founding one of the most influential bands of the past 40 years... as a teenager! Widely regarded as one of the world's greatest guitarists, Johnny sits down with Guy to discuss his fruitful but short partnership with Morrissey, how he wound up joining Modest Mouse and making a #1 album, where he finds inspiration, and why he's done some of his best creative work when his back was against the wall. Johnny's new is book is called Marr's Guitars.

The Smiths - This Charming Man

The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?

The Smiths - The Headmaster Ritual

The Smiths - The Boy with the Thorn in His Side

Electronic - Getting Away with It

Modest Mouse - Dashboard

Johnny's book - Marr's Guitars

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Melissa Etheridge is one of the most prolific singer/songwriters of the past three decades. She sits down with Guy to talk about her incredible career and life – opening up about her decision to come out as gay at the height of her fame, the reason she calls her 2004 cancer diagnosis "the best thing that's happened to me," and how, in her early 60's, she's still getting better at her craft every day. Melissa's new memoir, Talking to My Angels, is out now. And her autobiographical show Melissa Etheridge: My Window is currently on Broadway, starring, of course, Melissa.

Links from the show:

Like the Way I Do" music video

Melissa performing "Piece of My Heart" between chemotherapy treatments at the 2005 Grammy Awards

Etheridge Foundation for opioid abuse relief

Melissa's new book: Talking to My Angels

Melissa's autobiographical Broadway show Melissa Etheridge: My Window

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Bobby Berk is an interior designer, author, and co-host of the hit Netflix original Queer Eye. In this episode, Bobby tells Guy about the challenges of growing up gay in a small, conservative town, how he left home at a young age and bounced around the country before ending up in New York City, and how he went from retail management to owning his own design firm. Bobby and Guy also discuss his unique approach to interior design and why he thinks your home is like…your phone charger. Bobby's new book is called "Right at Home: How Good Design is Good for the Mind".

Links from the show:

Michael Graves’ Target Collection

Bobby Berk Home

Queer Eye

Queer Eye Reveals

Inside Bobby’s Home

Bobby's New Book

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Lainey Wilson burst onto the country music scene in 2022 with her album Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’. That year, she won Female Vocalist of the Year and Best New Artist at the CMA’s. But for seven years before that, she struggled to make it in the high-pressure Nashville music scene. And before that, she was a kid from a tiny town in rural Louisiana with a dream of being a country star. She joins Guy to talk about how she handled the hard times, what she’s learned about the art of collaboration during the making of two acclaimed albums, and what defines her unique style, which she calls Bell Bottom Country.

Links from the show:

Tougher Music Video

Things A Man Oughta Know Music Video

Lainey’s French Bulldog Hippie Mae’s Instagram 

Hillbilly Hippie Official Lyrics Video

Lainey’s Female Vocalist (2022) Acceptance Speech

Lainey’s New Artist of the Year (2022) Acceptance Speech 

Tougher (2016)

Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ (2021) 

Bell Bottom Country (2022)

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At the beginning of 2012, Carly Rae Jepsen was working as a waitress in Vancouver, BC, dropping off demo tapes and playing coffeeshops in her free time. By the end of that year, she was a global superstar thanks to her hit song "Call Me Maybe". Since then, Carly has become a pop fixture with four chart-topping albums. She joins Guy to talk about how she handled the pressure of her sudden rise to fame and built a career, her secret to good collaboration, and the inspiration behind her latest albums: "The Loneliest Time" and "The Loveliest Time".

Links from the show:

Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O’Connor

Carly’s Canadian Idol Audition

Call Me Maybe Music Video

Carly as Cinderella on Broadway

The Loneliest Time

Bends Official Lyric Video

The Loveliest Time

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Mark Ronson’s work has found its way into tons of the biggest pop hits in the world over the past two decades. And in that time he became a new kind of artist: a producer whose style is so distinct that his name became the marquee name. In this episode, Guy talks with Mark about his start DJing in New York, his instant connection with Amy Winehouse while producing "Back to Black", and working with Greta Gerwig to produce the music for "Barbie".

Links from the show:

Here Comes the Fuzz

Everybody Got Their Something - Nikka Costa

Back to Black

Valerie

Uptown Funk

Nothing Breaks Like a Heart

Barbie Soundtrack

Barbie Score

Mark's TED Talk on the history of sampling

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Kelly Clarkson won the first season of American Idol in 2002, released her chart-topping single “A Moment Like This” the same year, and instantly became a music megastar. Kelly talks to Guy about the hardships of her early life, and how they helped motivate her towards success, the personal story of heartbreak while making her latest album “Chemistry”, hosting her award-winning TV talk show, and how her busy production schedule keeps her creativity flowing. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Kelly's conversation with Guy was recorded before the announcement of the SAG-AFTRA strike.)

Links from the show:

Kelly sings “A Moment Like This” on American Idol Season 1 Finale in 2022

Kelly's acceptance speech at the 48th GRAMMY Awards in 2006

Anne Hathaway’s LIVE Remix with Kelly on The Kelly Clarkson Show

Kelly sings with Pink on The Kelly Clarkson Show in February 2023

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The rapper Macklemore and his collaborator Ryan Lewis had their first two singles go straight to number one (Thrift Shop and Can't Hold Us). Even more amazing, they did it without being signed to a major label. Macklemore joined Guy in 2023 to discuss why they stayed independent, his battle with addiction, why he feels indebted to the originators of hip-hop, and how to make music that means something.

Macklemore's new album BEN came out March 3rd and can be ordered here.

Links from the show:

Video for "Otherside"

Video for "Thrift Shop"

Video for "Can't Hold Us"

Video for "Glorious"

Short Doc from tour with Imagine Dragons

Video for "Maniac"

Video for "Faithful"

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Andy Garcia is an actor (Ocean's 11, The Untouchables, The Godfather Part III) who is best known for playing the suave leading man alongside other Hollywood greats like Sean Connery, Diane Keaton, and Al Pacino. He talked in 2022 to Guy about fleeing the Cuban Revolution, waiting tables for celebrities in Beverly Hills, and the best advice he got from Mario Puzo on how to prepare for The Godfather Part III.

Links from the show:

• The "stroller scene" from The Untouchables
• Father of the Bride (2022) trailer
• Andy as Terry Benedict in Ocean's 11
• The Lost City trailer
• Andy's Instagram

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Jason Sudeikis is the co-creator and star of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. Earlier this year he told Guy about the origins of the football/soccer coach character, why the show has connected so deeply with audiences, and Ted's impact on Jason's own self-image. He also reflects on his Midwest roots, why his basketball coaches always knew he'd be a performer, years spent in Amsterdam and Las Vegas honing his craft, and how he transitioned from comedy writer to featured player on Saturday Night Live.

Links from the show:

• Jason's uncle George Wendt playing Norm in Cheers
• Jason sinks a 3-pointer at a Knicks game
• ComedySportz: how Jason got his start in sketch comedy
• Boom Chicago improv theater in Amsterdam
• SNL: Mitt Romney drowning his sorrows in milk
• Original commercial that launched Ted Lasso
• Ted Lasso Season 3 Official Trailer

Guy's Guest Appearance on Creator Science

At the beginning of the episode, Guy mentioned his appearance on Creator Science hosted by Jay Clouse. You can find that interview in the Creator Science podcast feed here!

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Shania Twain is often referred to as the Queen of Country Pop. And rightfully so - she's sold over 100 million records, more than any female country artist in history. But before she was Shania Twain, she was Eileen Edwards from a small town in Ontario. In this episode, Shania talked with Guy earlier this year about how she got her start singing at local bars before ascending to country music stardom in Nashville. And how, after almost losing her singing ability to Lyme disease, Shania is now back with a new album – Queen of Me. 

Links from the show:

Young Shania on the Tommy Hunter Show

Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under

What Made You Say That music video

Shania at the Super Bowl Halftime Show

Giddy Up Music Video

Shania Twain Limelight Sessions

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Tom Hanks has had more iconic roles than most actors have had roles. From Big, to Forrest Gump, to Saving Private Ryan, to 2022’s Elvis, Tom has played countless characters spanning across different genres and different decades. In this wide-ranging interview from earlier this year, Tom discusses the trajectory of his career, the importance of bringing his own ideas to the films he’s acted in, and how he has managed to stave off self-consciousness while remaining as authentic as possible.

Links from the show:

• Tom and Peter Scolari in Bosom Buddies
• Tom and Daryl Hannah in Splash
• The cross-country running scene from Forrest Gump
• The execution scene from The Green Mile
• Tom as Sully Sullenberger in Sullly: plane crash in the Hudson scene
• Tom as Colonel Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis
• The real Colonel Tom Parker in an interview on ABC 
• Trailer for A Man Called Otto

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Stephen Colbert has played many roles--an officious high school teacher in Strangers with Candy, and a bumbling blowhard on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Now, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he's facing his biggest challenge: being himself. Stephen talked in 2022 to Guy about working through that challenge, about the early and enduring influence Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello had on his work, and about how Stephen Colbert the man related to Stephen Colbert the blustering pundit.

Links from the show:

• The Second City improv troupe
• The Dana Carvey Show
• Dana Carvey and Stephen play clips Of "The Dana Carvey Show"
• Strangers with Candy
• Strangers with Candy clip
• President Obama on The Colbert Report
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS
• NASA's COLBERT treadmill

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Nick Kroll is an actor and comedian (Kroll Show, Parks and Recreation) and the creator of Big Mouth and Human Resources on Netflix. He talked with Guy in 2022 about developing outrageous characters, playing over-the-top villains, his quirky writing process, why everyone can benefit from improv classes, and his thoughts on comedy vs. “cancel culture.”

Links from the show:

• Clip from Nick's appearance on The View in full Cavemen makeup 
• “Yogurt Water” scene from Kroll Show 
• Oh, Hello with John Mulaney
• Nick as “The Douche” on Parks and Recreation
• Big Mouth on Netflix 
• Little Big Boy on Netflix
• Nick’s Instagram
• Nick's friends and collaborators: Mike Birbiglia, John Mulaney, Andrew Goldberg, Chelsea Peretti, Jessi Klein

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Zooey Deschanel is an actor (New Girl,Elf, 500 Days of Summer) musician (She & Him), crafter, and entrepreneur (HelloGiggles, Lettuce Grow). In 2022 she told Guy how being diagnosed with ADHD as a child affected her life and career, how the "loneliness" of the actor's life led her to songwriting and her collaboration with M Ward, and how – right before landing her biggest role – she almost quit acting. Zooey also delivers some practical tips on how to turn fear into excitement, and makes the case that regularly pursuing new creative paths makes you better at everything else.

Links from the show:

• Zooey's parents' filmographies: Caleb Deschanel & Mary Jo Deschanel
• Zooey's first instrument: the Casio SK-1
• Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences in Santa Monica
• Scene from Zooey's first-ever role on TV: Veronica's Closet
• Zooey and Frances McDormand "Drugs & Promiscuous Sex" scene from Almost Famous
• The Go-Getter (2007 film), how Zooey met M Ward
• Let's Dance by M Ward
• Vincent O'Brien by M Ward
• Thieves by She & Him (Official Video), one of Zooey's favorites which she wrote in "12 minutes"
• She & Him's "pandemic project," Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson
• New Girl full episodes on Amazon
• Saturday Night Live sketch - Bein' Quirky With Zooey Deschanel 
• HelloGiggles 
• Lettuce Grow

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Gavin DeGraw is the singer-songwriter behind hits such as "I Don't Want To Be" and "Not Over You." He talks to Guy about why he doesn't limit himself to one genre, the low point in his life that inspired the song "Chariot," and why he thinks music should be "invisible."

Links from the show:

Video for "I Don't Want to Be"

Video for "Not Over You"

Video for "Chariot"

Video for "Hero in Our House" (Acoustic)

Gavin talks to People Magazine about losing his mother to cancer

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Ice Cube is a rapper and actor ("Boyz 'n the Hood," "Friday") who helped shape the genre we know as "gangsta rap." He talks with Guy about the early days of NWA, why the first film he wrote and starred in is a comedy, and why the Beastie Boys were an early inspiration.

Cube's 3-on-3 basketball league, BIG3, opened its season this past weekeend.

Links from the show:

Video for NWA's "Straight Out of Compton"

Video for "It Was a Good Day"

Video for "You Know How We Do It"

Ice Cube in "Boyz 'n the Hood"

Preview for "Friday"

Video for "Jackin' for Beats"

Ice Cube jokes with Jimmy Kimmel

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Paul Feig is an actor and director (Bridesmaids, Spy) and the creator of Freaks and Geeks, which is considered one of the best TV shows ever made, despite being cancelled after one season. He joins Guy to talk about why he stopped pursuing a career as an actor, what he learned from directing a prestige film that flopped, and how he strives to create an environment on set where everyone can be their most creative.

Links from the show:

Paul shows the kids how to dance in a scene from Heavyweights

A scene from Freaks and Geeks

The trailer for I am David

Paul breaks down a scene in Bridesmaids

The "gadgets" clip from Spy

Trailer for The School for Good and Evil

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Hrishikesh Hirway is a musician and the creator of the podcast and TV show "Song Exploder." He joins Guy to talk about bringing a musician's sensibility to storytelling, and his return to making music again.

Links from the show:

Trent Reznor on Song Exploder talking about "Hurt"

Dua Lipa on Song Exploder talking about "Love Again"

Hrishi's TED Talk about "what you discover when you really listen."

Video for "Between There and Here" (featuring Yo-Yo Ma)

Video for "Home" (featuring Jay Som)

Joshua Malina and Hrishi On Their "The West Wing Weekly" Podcast

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Dan Smith is the lead singer of the band Bastille. He sits down with Guy to discuss the meaning behind the band's breakout hit "Pompeii," why his best songwriting isn't about his own life, losing iPhones filled with lyrics that weren't backed up, and a critical review that damaged his confidence even as Bastille took the music world by storm.

Links from the show:

• Pompeii music video (700M views)
• Laura Palmer music video (debut single)
• Overjoyed music video
• Edit by Regina Spektor
• Ignoring Messages by Dan
• Happier music video (1B views!)
• Joe Strummer Foundation
• The Guardian's harsh review of Bastille's debut album "Bad Blood"
• From Devil's Breath: Leonardo DiCaprio climate documentary

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Actor Alan Alda played a starring role in two iconic ensemble TV shows, MASH and The West Wing, part of an award-winning career in television, film and theater that's spanned decades. He's also a writer and director. He talks with Guy about building chemistry in an ensemble cast, how he uses improvisational techniques in his acting and in real life, and how he is still taking on new roles at age 87, even as he copes with Parkinson's disease.

Links from the show:

Clear and Vivid with Alan Alda podcast

Alan as Hawkeye video compilation

Alan and Robert Alda sharing a scene in M*A*S*H

Alan and Martin Sheen on The West Wing

Alan on the Art of Science Communication

Alan interviews Malcolm Gladwell on Clear and Vivid

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Seth Meyers was a key player in creating some of the best seasons of Saturday Night Live. Now he's hosting Late Night in the very same building. In this episode of The Great Creators, you’ll hear how his two-person comedy show in Chicago randomly landed him in front of just the right person to get him an audition at SNL. He opens up about his anxiety having to compete with his extremely funny co-stars. And Seth explains some of the ways he has managed to lead Late Night to new heights. 

Links from the show:

Seth in Northwestern's improv troupe in 1992

Seth and his brother Josh on Late Night

Seth at the 2011 White House Correspondent's Dinner

Seth as David Zinger

Compilation of Seth and Stefon

A Closer Look from Late Night

Seth doing standup

Seth's Instagram

Seth's Twitter

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Singer Ellie Goulding has had 35 different songs chart in the UK, the most of any female artist ever. In this episode, Ellie shares how she first broke out of her shell performing original songs to her college classmates. She talks about finding her own sound by using her unique voice in collaboration with some of the biggest producers in the world of EDM. And she explains why she calls her new album "Higher than Heaven" her least personal record yet.

Links from the show:

The music video for Under the Sheets

Pitchfork: How Ellie Goulding Uses Her Voice as an Instrument

Ellie singing Your Song at the Royal Wedding

Higher than Heaven

Burn Music Video

Ellie's Instagram

Ellie's Twitter

Ellie's Spotify

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Ben Gibbard is the voice of the bands Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service. He joins Guy to talk about forming Death Cab and recording their classic album Tranatlanticism, how the band learned to defuse internal tensions, and how he approaches songwriting in middle age.

Links from the show:

Ben's Tiny Desk Concert

Ben breaks down his song "Black Sun"

Death Cab for Cutie video for "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"

Death Cab for Cutie video for "Soul Meets Body"

The Postal Service video for "Such Great Heights"

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Diplo is one of the most successful and influential DJ/producers working today. How did he get here? This episode traces his rise from nomadic childhood, to spinning records while working at a movie theater and zoo, to his big break that was years in the making, to performing in front of tens of thousands of fans and generating billions (yes, billions) of streams. You'll also learn exactly how he collaborates with artists like Sia and Madonna, why he approaches music like fashion, how he knows when a song is truly great, and how he plans to "age gracefully" in this next chapter of his career. Diplo's new album, "Thomas Wesley: Chapter 2 – Swamp Savant," is out now.

Interested in a Visual Map tracing Diplo's creative journey? We made one just for you. Check it out here.

Links from the Show:

• Paper Planes video: M.I.A. produced by Diplo
• Whosampled.com sample breakdown of Paper Planes
• Pineapple Express movie trailer feat. Paper Planes
• Skrillex and Diplo - "Where Are Ü Now" with Justin Bieber (Official Video)
• Diary of a Song (New York Times) "Where Are Ü Now"
• Major Lazer & DJ SNake - Lean On (feat. MØ) (Official Music Video)
• LSD - Thunderclouds (Official Video) ft. Sia, Diplo, Labrinth
• Diplo's less well-known collaborators: country artist Sierra Ferrell and songwriters Nija Charles and Starrah
• Diplo's Instagram page
• Visual Mind Map: Diplo's Creative Journey

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Actor Rainn Wilson is best known for playing Dwight Schrute on "The Office," but in recent years he has become a mental health and spirituality advocate through his books and production company, SoulPancake. He joins Guy to talk about the deep anxiety he faced as a young actor, his ensuing search for inner peace, and why he believes performing can be a spiritual act.

Links from the show:

Rainn and Steve Carell give a tour of the set of "The Office"

The documentary "Laughing Matters," produced by Rainn's production company with comedians talking about mental health

Rainn quizzes Billie Eilesh ("The Office's biggest fan")

Rainn on the difference between The Office and Saturday Night Live

Rainn and Steve Carell talk about pandemic-related stress and give advice about how to overcome it

Rainn and chess master Magnus Carlsen talk chess and metaphysics

Rainn and Russell Brand talk about life's big questions

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Nathan Lane has been called "the greatest stage entertainer" of the 2000s. But as you'll learn in this episode, that compliment rubbed him the wrong way... and motivated him to take on a wide range of complex, nuanced, "scary" roles on stage and screen. Nathan talks to Guy about performing singing telegrams as a young man, making it to Hollywood as part of a comedy duo, working with Mel Brooks on "The Producers," and the process he goes through to embody a character on stage.

Links from the show:

• Stack & Lane comedy duo routine on Norm Crosby's Comedy Shop in 1980
• Actor George C. Scott (Patton, A Christmas Carol): IMDb
• The NYT profile of Nathan that motivated him to pursue more challenging roles
• Nathan playing Roy Cohn in Angels in America
• The Producers (2005) movie trailer

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Shania Twain is often referred to as the Queen of Country Pop. And rightfully so - she's sold over 100 million records, more than any female country artist in history. But before she was Shania Twain, she was Eileen Edwards from a small town in Ontario. In this episode, Shania talks with Guy about how she got her start singing at local bars before ascending to country music stardom in Nashville. And how, after almost losing her singing ability to Lyme disease, Shania is now back with a new album – Queen of Me. 

Links from the show:

Young Shania on the Tommy Hunter Show

Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under

What Made You Say That music video

Shania at the Super Bowl Halftime Show

Giddy Up Music Video

Shania Twain Limelight Sessions

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Jason Sudeikis is the co-creator and star of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. He tells Guy about the origins of the football/soccer coach character, why the show has connected so deeply with audiences, and Ted's impact on Jason's own self-image. He also reflects on his Midwest roots, why his basketball coaches always knew he'd be a performer, years spent in Amsterdam and Las Vegas honing his craft, and how he transitioned from comedy writer to featured player on Saturday Night Live.

Links from the show:

• Jason's uncle George Wendt playing Norm in Cheers
• Jason sinks a 3-pointer at a Knicks game
• ComedySportz: how Jason got his start in sketch comedy
• Boom Chicago improv theater in Amsterdam
• SNL: Mitt Romney drowning his sorrows in milk
• Original commercial that launched Ted Lasso
• Ted Lasso Season 3 Official Trailer

Guy's Guest Appearance on Creator Science

At the beginning of the episode, Guy mentioned his appearance on Creator Science hosted by Jay Clouse. You can find that interview in the Creator Science podcast feed here!

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Sigourney Weaver has appeared in more than 60 films, from her breakout role in Alien in 1979 and the blockbuster Aliens in 1986, to Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl, and Avatar: The Way of Water, with more Avatar sequels in the works. Despite being raised by a family steeped in show business, Sigourney was reluctant to pursue acting for many years. In this conversation with Guy from the fall of 2022, Sigourney unpacks what was behind that reticence; tells Guy about her early years in avant-garde theater; talks about why, at first, she wasn’t all that interested in being in Alien; and explains why she takes issue with the idea that she tends to play “strong women.”

Links from the show:

• The (pretty amazing) trailer for 1979's Alien
• Ellen Ripley’s last stand in Alien
• BBC story on Sigourney reuniting with the gorillas from Gorillas in the Mist 
• Sigourney in Working Girl
• Sigourney plays a possessed Diana in Ghostbusters, with Bill Murray 
• Recent Boston Herald article on Sigourney’s very busy year
• More on Sigourney’s new, 14-year-old character in the Avatar franchise

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Justin Long is an actor (Accepted, Dodgeball, Jeepers Creepers) best known for his roles in quirky comedies. He talks to Guy about the not-so-nice reality of showbiz, turning down his first big paycheck, a tough love lesson about Hamlet, and one very scary night in Michigan.

Links from the show:

Justin's first film Galaxy Quest

Recording Alvin's voice behind the scenes

"Get A Mac" ad campaign

"The Real Stephen Blatt" from Funny or Die

Barbarian trailer

Life is Short with Justin Long Podcast

Justin's Instagram

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Ike Barinholtz is a writer, director and actor best known for his numerous roles on MADtv and other hit comedies like The Mindy Project, The Afterparty and Blockers. In this episode, he talks to Guy about his early origins in the Chicago comedy scene, and how a pivot from acting to screenwriting saved his career.

Links from the show:

Gay Straight Guys MADtv sketch

Ike as an Abercrombie model on MADtv

Ike on Eastbound and Down

Funny moments between Ike and Mindy Kaling on The Mindy Project

Trailer for The Oath

History of the World Part 2 Trailer

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When Judith Light became an actor, she swore she'd never do a soap opera or a sitcom. She didn't see it as serious acting. But her roles as Karen Wolek on the soap One Life to Live and Angela Bower on the sitcom Who's the Boss? forever changed her views on those genres, and made her a star. In this episode, she tells Guy how, after early success on TV, she struggled to find her way back on to the stage. She also discusses how she learned to believe in her abilities, leading to several Emmy and Tony Award winning performances.

Links from the show:

"One Life to Live" courtroom scene

Judith as Angela Bower in "Who's the Boss"

Judith winning a Tony Award for "The Assembled Parties"

Judith as Marie Lombardi

Hand in My Pocket from "Transparent"

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Ever since his breakout role in L.A. Law, actor Blair Underwood (Rules of Engagement, Just Cause, In Treatment) has been fighting against being pigeonholed, and searching for new psychological puzzles to solve through the characters he plays. He talks to Guy about the profound influence both his father and Sidney Poitier had on his career, about the moments he thought that career might be over, and about the powerful role that imagination plays in his craft.

Links from the show:

• Trailer for Krush Groove
• Blair's first scene on L.A. Law
• Blair on The Phil Donahue Show talks about race and policing in the wake of the Rodney King beating
• Blair on performing in A Streetcar Named Desire
• Scene from A Streetcar Named Desire
• About Blair's character in In Treatment
• Scene from A Soldier's Play

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Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live, Good Burger, Kenan & Kel, All That) is perhaps the most consistently funny TV performer of his generation. He’s the longest-running SNL cast member, and is beloved for early roles in Good Burger, D2: The Mighty Ducks, and the TV shows All That and Kenan & Kel. Kenan joins Guy to talk about his Nickelodeon days, why some of his big breaks have felt like kismet, his awkward SNL audition, impersonating celebrities, and whether – given the chance – he'd consider taking over for SNL creator Lorne Michaels.

Links from the show:

• Kenan & Kel Youtube playlist
• All That Funniest Moments compilation
• Kenan's highlights from D2: The Mighty Ducks
• Good Burger - Ed's Sauce
• What Up with That? - SNL
• Family Feud: Oscar Nominees - SNL
• Kenan's Al Sharpton impression
• Darrell Hammond's Bill Clinton impression
• Photo of Kenan's inspiration: headshots lining the SNL hallway

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Audra McDonald (Master Class, Ragtime, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill) has won six Tony Awards--more performance wins than any other theater actor. (She's also won two Grammys and one Emmy along the way.) Still, each new role she takes scares her. In this episode from the fall of 2022, Audra told Guy why that fear is actually essential to her work, about her never-ending quest to know her characters better, and how it felt to have her friend and mentor Stephen Sondheim publicly pan one of her shows.

Links from the show:

• Excerpts of Audra and Zoe Caldwell in Master Class 
• Audra singing "Summertime" from her role as Bess in The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess 
• Audra performing Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" from Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill
• Audra performing the song "Say No to This" from Hamilton in the voice of Billie Holiday 
• Playbill pick of 13 Audra performances on the occasion of her birthday 
• 2020 New Yorker interview with Audra 
• More on Audra's role in Ohio State Murders

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Singer/songwriter Santigold blends punk, indie, new-wave and soul music to create a sound all her own. She talks with Guy about why she initially shied away from singing, how she fights back against barriers in the music industry, and how she nourishes her creative spirit.

Links from the show:

"High Priestess" music video vignette, from Spirituals

"Disparate Youth" performed live at KCRW

"Shove It", sampled by Jay-Z on "Brooklyn We Go Hard"

"It's Unanimous", by Stiffed

Santi's Instagram

"New magic wand", Tyler, The Creator, feat. Santigold

Beyonce shouts out Santi in "Break My Soul"

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Ryan Tedder is the lead singer and multi-instrumentalist of the band OneRepublic. He’s also a producer and songwriter behind hits such as Adele’s Rumor Has It and Beyonce’s Halo. He joins Guy to talk about growing up in a religious family, tackling his stagefright, using personal experiences to write music, working with star musicians, and how to choose singles during the TikTok age.

Links from the show:

Ryan performing “Apologize” solo for BBC Music:

OneRepublic’s music video for “I Ain’t Worried” featured in Top Gun: Maverick 

Music video for Adele’s “Rumor Has It” co-written by Ryan

Music video for Beyonce’s “Halo” co-written by Ryan

Music video for Paul McCartney’s “Fuh You” co-written by Ryan

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Carrie Brownstein has made iconic contributions to the worlds of music, with the indie-rock band Sleater-Kinney; and comedy, in the sketch comedy show Portlandia, which she co-created with Fred Armisen. She tells Guy about how the band found its sound, about the unlikely events that led to the birth of Portlandia, and why she had to take a break from Sleater-Kinney to finally face some childhood traumas.

Links from the show:

• Sleater-Kinney playing “One More Hour” at 924 GIlman in 1997
• Sleater-Kinney intervewed in 1999
• Thunderant: A collection of Carrie and Fred Armisen
• Carrie’s interview of Armisen as Saddam Hussein
• Guy interviewing Brownstein about the band Wild Flag in 2011
• Portlandia "Did you read?" sketch
• Carrie rates freeganism, crowd surfing, and more for Pitchfork
• Ann Wilson talks about the upcoming Heart biopic that Carrie is writing

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The rapper Macklemore and his collaborator Ryan Lewis had their first two singles go straight to number one (Thrift Shop and Can't Hold Us). Even more amazing, they did it without being signed to a major label. Macklemore joins Guy to discuss why they stayed independent, his battle with addiction, why he feels indebted to the originators of hip-hop, and how to make music that means something.

Macklemore's new album BEN comes out March 3rd and can be pre-ordered here.

Links from the show:

Video for "Otherside"

Video for "Thrift Shop"

Video for "Can't Hold Us"

Video for "Glorious"

Short Doc from tour with Imagine Dragons

Video for "Maniac"

Video for "Faithful"

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Tom Hanks has had more iconic roles than most actors have had roles. From Big, to Forrest Gump, to Saving Private Ryan, to 2022’s Elvis, Tom has played countless characters spanning across different genres and different decades. In this wide-ranging interview, Tom discusses the trajectory of his career, the importance of bringing his own ideas to the films he’s acted in, and how he has managed to stave off self-consciousness while remaining as authentic as possible.

Links from the show:

• Tom and Peter Scolari in Bosom Buddies
• Tom and Daryl Hannah in Splash
• The cross-country running scene from Forrest Gump
• The execution scene from The Green Mile
• Tom as Sully Sullenberger in Sullly: plane crash in the Hudson scene
• Tom as Colonel Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis
• The real Colonel Tom Parker in an interview on ABC
• Trailer for A Man Called Otto

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Billy Porter is an Emmy, Tony and Grammy-award winning artist known for lighting up the red carpet with his incredible ensembles. But success did not come easy for Billy. He tells Guy about his years in obscurity, why he never stopped working on his craft, and what led to his big break.

Links from the show:

• Billy's best red carpet outfits (Elle)
• Music video for "Show Me"
• Music video for "Children"
• Solo show at Lincoln Center: "Kinky Boots" medley
• Billy as Pray Tell in "Pose"
• Billy sings "I Will Survive"

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Singer/songwriter and violinist Andrew Bird’s singular live performances -- a blend of Americana, indie folk, and jazz -- have been captivating audiences for 20 years. He tells Guy how his signature style started emerging during several seasons spent by himself in an Illinois barn, demonstrates his violin-looping technique in real time, and discusses how a moment of crisis in his family led him to rethink how he writes songs.

Links from the show:

• Andrew’s TED Talk on his approach to looping
• Andrew's live KEXP performance
• Andrew’s song “Puma”
• Video for Andrew’s song “Lone Didion”
• Tiny Desk concert with Andrew and Iron and Wine
• Andrew on his recent collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers

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Danny Elfman is a musician best known for fronting the new wave band Oingo Boingo and for his scores on countless Tim Burton films (Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman). He joins Guy to talk about his adventures in a traveling circus, his relentless battle with stage fright, his decision to leave the biggest job of his career, and how he recently did a solo set at Coachella that went viral.

Links from the show:

• Danny in The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo on The Gong Show (1976)
• Weird Science by Oingo Boingo
• Pee Wee's Big Adventure theme
• The Simpsons theme
• Danny's Batman theme
• Danny and Helena Bonham Carter performing A Nightmare Before Christmas at Royal Albert Hall
• Performance of Only a Lad at Coachella 2022
• Music video for Happy
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook

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Bjork is a singular artist whose work extends beyond her music to include acting and conceptual art. Her latest album, "Fossora," features a bass clarinet ensemble and the accompanying videos evoke mushrooms and tree roots. She talks with Guy about forming her unique vocal style, recording her first album at 11 years old, and why she uses symbols from nature to define each album.

Links from the show:

• An early recording of Bjork singing as a child
• Bjork as a teenager in the band tappi tíkarrass
• Bjork in the video for the Sugarcubes' "Cold Sweat"
• Slant Magazine's 15 Best Bjork videos
• The video for Bjork's "Hyperballad"
• The video for Bjork's "Ancestress" dedicated to the memory of her mother
• The video for Bjork's "Atopos"

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Andy Garcia is an actor (Ocean's 11, The Untouchables, The Godfather Part III) who is best known for playing the suave leading man alongside other Hollywood greats like Sean Connery, Diane Keaton, and Al Pacino. He talks to Guy about fleeing the Cuban Revolution, waiting tables for celebrities in Beverly Hills, and the best advice he got from Mario Puzo on how to prepare for The Godfather Part III.

Links from the show:

• The "stroller scene" from The Untouchables
• Father of the Bride (2022) trailer
• Andy as Terry Benedict in Ocean's 11
• The Lost City trailer
• Andy's Instagram

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Jim Parsons is an actor who became famous starring as Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory. But what you might not know about the on-screen super-nerd is that he's a classically trained stage actor. After twelve years playing the same character, now he's trying on new roles (Hollywood, Spoiler Alert, A Man of No Importance) that allow him to flex some different creative muscles. He talks to Guy about his lifelong ambition to be a star, the uncertainty of coming out, his love of New York City, and the first, scary steps taking on new roles.

Links from the show:

• The Best of Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory
• The Big Bang Theory cast talks with Stephen Colbert after the series finale
• Jim talks about playing Henry Wilson in Hollywood
• Spoiler Alert (2022) Trailer
• Jim's Instagram
• Kaley Cuoco's Instagram
• Mayim Bialik's Instagram
• Johnny Galecki's Instagram

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Zooey Deschanel is an actor (New Girl, Elf, 500 Days of Summer) musician (She & Him), crafter, and entrepreneur (HelloGiggles, Lettuce Grow). She tells Guy how being diagnosed with ADHD as a child affected her life and career, how the "loneliness" of the actor's life led her to songwriting and her collaboration with M Ward, and how – right before landing her biggest role – she almost quit acting. Zooey also delivers some practical tips on how to turn fear into excitement, and makes the case that regularly pursuing new creative paths makes you better at everything else.

Links from the show:

• Zooey's parents' filmographies: Caleb Deschanel & Mary Jo Deschanel
• Zooey's first instrument: the Casio SK-1
• Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences in Santa Monica
• Scene from Zooey's first-ever role on TV: Veronica's Closet
• Zooey and Frances McDormand "Drugs & Promiscuous Sex" scene from Almost Famous
• The Go-Getter (2007 film), how Zooey met M Ward
• Let's Dance by M Ward
• Vincent O'Brien by M Ward
• Thieves by She & Him (Official Video), one of Zooey's favorites which she wrote in "12 minutes"
• She & Him's "pandemic project," Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson
• New Girl full episodes on Amazon
• Saturday Night Live sketch - Bein' Quirky With Zooey Deschanel
• HelloGiggles
• Lettuce Grow

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Billy Eichner is an actor, writer and comedian whose most recent film is the groundbreaking rom-com Bros. Billy talks to Guy about having to create his own path to success, how he developed the viral hit Billy on the Street, and what he hopes all audiences, straight and LGBTQ, will take away from Bros.

Links from the show:

• Billy on the Street: Best Moments
• Billy on the Street: The Meryl-Go-Round
• Billy on the Street: Emma Stone
• Billy on the Street: Chris Evans
• Billy on the Street: Shondaland with Amy Sedaris
• Billy on the Street: The Julianne Moore Acting Attack
• Bros Trailer

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Alfred Matthew Yankovic, when he was six years old, was told by his parents to choose between accordion and guitar lessons. “And my parents being the visionaries that they were said, ‘Oh, young Alfred would love to play the accordion.’” Alfred, today better known as the chart-topping musician, satirist, and beloved nerd Weird Al Yankovic, tells Guy how that decision changed his life, and decades of popular music to come. They also discuss how Kurt Cobain saved Weird Al from a lifetime of spoofing Michael Jackson songs, and how intense the process of writing silly songs can be. 

Links from the show:

• Dr. Demento, Weird Al's early major influence and later employer
• "Belvedere Cruising", the first song of Weird Al's to air on Dr. Demento's show
• Weird Al playing "My Bologna" in San Luis Obispo in 1979
• Eight Weird Al music videos side-by-side with with the songs they spoof
• Music video for Weird Al's "Fat"
• Weird Al interviewing Patrick Stewart at Comic-Con
• Trailer for "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story"

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Graham Nash has made some of the most unforgettable music of the last century: songs like Marrakesh Express, Our House, and Just a Song Before I Go. And now, at the age of 80, he’s as creatively engaged as ever, still releasing new albums and roaming the streets of New York City in search of his next great photograph. He talks to Guy about where he continues to find inspiration, about the top-10 hit he wrote in 30 minutes, and about his famous--sometimes famously troubled--collaborations with David Crosby, Joni Mitchell, and others.

Links from the show:

• Chapter on The Hollies from a Graham Nash documentary
• Dispatch from a legendary 1974 Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young tour
• Rolling Stone feature on Graham Nash’s book of photography “A Life In Focus”
• Graham Nash’s speech at Joni Mitchell’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997
• 2012 interview with David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash
• Graham Nash’s Tiny Desk concert
• Graham Nash sings “Our House” at a celebration of Joni Mitchell’s 75th birthday in 2018
• Graham Nash and Chris Stills perform “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)” by the Everly Brothers

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Sigourney Weaver has appeared in more than 60 films, from her breakout role in Alien in 1979 and the blockbuster Aliens in 1986, to Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl, and later Avatar, with many sequels in the works. Despite being raised by a family steeped in show business, Sigourney was reluctant to pursue acting for many years. In our conversation, Sigourney unpacks what was behind that reticence; tells Guy about her early years in avant-garde theater; talks about why, at first, she wasn’t all that interested in being in Alien; and explains why she takes issue with the idea that she tends to play “strong women.”

Links from the show:

• The (pretty amazing) trailer for 1979's Alien
• Ellen Ripley’s last stand in Alien
• BBC story on Sigourney reuniting with the gorillas from Gorillas in the Mist
• Sigourney in Working Girl
• Sigourney plays a possessed Diana in Ghostbusters, with Bill Murray
• Recent Boston Herald article on Sigourney’s very busy year
• More on Sigourney’s new, 14-year-old character in the Avatar franchise

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Oak Felder is the producer and songwriter behind hits like Demi Lovato’s “Sorry Not Sorry” and Alessia Cara’s “Scars to Your Beautiful.” He talks to Guy about his upbringing in Turkey, why comfortable couches and blue lights help creativity, songs that bring him to tears, and how he helps artists unleash their creative potential.

Links from the show:

• Video for Demi Lovato's "Sorry Not Sorry"
• Video showing how Oak produced "Sorry Not Sorry"
• Video for Alessia Cara's "Scars To Your Beautiful"
• Video for Sterling Simms' "Jump Off"
• Oak's TEDx Talk about creating emotionally resonant songs
• Oak's Recode Talk about producing viral hits

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Nick Kroll is an actor and comedian (Kroll Show, Parks and Recreation) and the creator of Big Mouth and Human Resources on Netflix. He joins Guy to talk about developing outrageous characters, playing over-the-top villains, his quirky writing process, why everyone can benefit from improv classes, and his thoughts on comedy vs. “cancel culture.”

Links from the show:

• Clip from Nick's appearance on The View in full Cavemen makeup
• “Yogurt Water” scene from Kroll Show
• Oh, Hello with John Mulaney
• Nick as “The Douche” on Parks and Recreation
• Big Mouth on Netflix
• Little Big Boy on Netflix
• Nick’s Instagram
• Nick's friends and collaborators: Mike Birbiglia, John Mulaney, Andrew Goldberg, Chelsea Peretti, Jessi Klein

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The Chainsmokers production and DJ duo Alex Pall and Drew Taggart are behind the smash hits “Don’t Let Me Down” and “Closer.” They talk to Guy about why they stopped making remixes, how they moved past a breakthrough hit that felt like an artistic failure, and how they have managed to stay loyal to each other through the highs and lows.

Links from the show:

• The Chainsmokers on Hype Machine
• Video for "#SELFIE"
• Video for "Roses"
• Video for "Don't Let Me Down"
• Drew sings "Closer" live at the VMAs
• "Making of" video for their new album "So Far So Good"
• Video for "I Love U"

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Audra McDonald (Master Class, Ragtime, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill) has won six Tony Awards--more performance wins than any other theater actor. (She's also won two Grammys and one Emmy along the way.) Still, each new role she takes scares her. Audra tells Guy why that fear is actually essential to her work, about her never-ending quest to know her characters better, and how it felt to have her friend and mentor Stephen Sondheim publicly pan one of her shows.

Links from the show:

• Excerpts of Audra and Zoe Caldwell in Master Class 
• Audra singing "Summertime" from her role as Bess in The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess 
• Audra performing Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" from Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill
• Audra performing the song "Say No to This" from Hamilton in the voice of Billie Holiday 
• Playbill pick of 13 Audra performances on the occasion of her birthday 
• 2020 New Yorker interview with Audra 
• More on Audra's forthcoming role in Ohio State Murders

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Stephen Colbert has played many roles--an officious high school teacher in Strangers with Candy, and a bumbling blowhard on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Now, on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he's facing his biggest challenge: being himself. Stephen talks to Guy about working through that challenge, about the early and enduring influence Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello had on his work, and about how Stephen Colbert the man related to Stephen Colbert the blustering pundit.

Links from the show:

• The Second City improv troupe
• The Dana Carvey Show
• Dana Carvey and Stephen play clips Of "The Dana Carvey Show"
• Strangers with Candy
• Strangers with Candy clip
• President Obama on The Colbert Report
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS
• NASA's COLBERT treadmill

Full show notes:

• thegreatcreators.com/colbert

Social media:

• Instagram: @TheGreatCreatorsPodcast
• Twitter: @TGCwithGuyRaz
• Facebook: The Great Creators

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Trailer for The Great Creators with Guy Raz, which premieres September 20th.

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