121 avsnitt • Längd: 60 min • Veckovis: Tisdag
Become a more inventive, imaginative you. Every week, Guy Raz (creator of How I Built This) leads a deep dive conversation with someone at the top of their game. From conquering stage fright to learning to be more present and focused, you’ll learn how each guest mastered their craft and ultimately became more successful in life. The result? An arsenal of tools and techniques you can apply to your own life and work, allowing you to harness your talent and become a better version of yourself.
Listen to The Great Creators on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-great-creators-with-guy-raz/ now.
The podcast The Great Creators with Guy Raz is created by Guy Raz | Wondery. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
Ten years ago, Nick Sanborn & Amelia Meath (Sylvan Esso) exploded onto the indie music scene with their unique electro-pop sound and mysterious aura.
Since then, they’ve played some of the biggest stages in the world and have even created their own record label in their adopted hometown of Durham, NC.
In this conversation, Nick and Amelia reflect on their chance meeting and the remix that sparked their creative/life partnership; how they blended their musical styles after touring for years with other bands; and why songwriting sometimes feels like fishing.
Catch Sylvan Esso's latest tour dates here: https://www.sylvanesso.com/tour
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For more conversations like this with musicians like Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie, go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
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Ron Howard, the Oscar-winning director behind films like 'Apollo 13' and 'A Beautiful Mind,' sits down with Guy to discuss his remarkable journey from child actor to Hollywood heavyweight.
Ron’s latest documentary – “Jim Henson: Idea Man” – about the creator of the Muppets, is available now on Disney Plus.
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For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from David Duchovny to Diplo – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
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Actor, filmmaker, and playwright Tyler Perry is one of the most prolific and prosperous entertainers of his generation. Despite growing up in New Orleans with little money, no connections, and few entertainment role models, Tyler went on to build a billion-dollar business – totally bypassing Hollywood gatekeepers in the process. How did he do it? And what’s the key to his success? This episode answers that question.
Tyler’s new film The Six Triple Eight, about a battalion of black women who served in WWII, is out December 20th on Netflix.
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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 almost 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 album “Chemistry”, hosting her award-winning TV talk show, and how her busy production schedule keeps her creativity flowing.
This episode was first published in 2023.
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Josh Brolin (Dune, Avengers, Sicario) knows what it’s like to fall, rise, and live to tell the story.
From his chaotic childhood on a horse ranch in California to teen stardom in 'The Goonies' to two decade without a big acting role, Josh pulls back the curtain on family, creativity, and a life driven by "insatiable curiosity".
Plus: how he found other ways to support himself while waiting for the right role; a career-defining audition where directors praised the lighting but ignored him; and why he calls his 50's his "F It" decade.
You can buy Josh's memoir 'From Under the Truck' here.
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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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With a career spanning decades, Tom Hanks has embodied more unforgettable characters than most actors have roles.
This episode brings back Tom’s inspiring conversation with Guy Raz from 2023, where he shares his journey through film—from early breakout roles to timeless classics—and his process of breathing life into each character.
You’ll also learn how Tom deals with nerves and self-consciousness on set; what Joe DiMaggio and Paul Newman told him about performance anxiety; and why he believes ‘bringing an idea’ is the secret to success.
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For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Jason Sudeikis to Anna Kendrick to Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
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JR is an internationally acclaimed street artist, photographer and filmmaker known for his massive photo-pasting murals that transform cityscapes into powerful messages of empathy and connection.
In this episode, JR shares his journey from tagging buildings in Paris as a teen to using art to bridge divides in tense and dangerous places – from the Middle East to Brazilian favelas to Tehachapi, a maximum-security prison in California.
Explore JR’s latest documentary “Tehachapi” here: https://www.masterclass.com/classes/tehachapi/chapters/tehachapi
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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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Norman Reedus is an actor, fashion model, and photographer best known for portraying Daryl Dixon on the wildly popular TV show The Walking Dead. He sits down with Guy Raz to talk about his nomadic upbringing, stumbling into serious acting, motorcycles, fatherhood, the bizarre nature of fame, and how his ‘Walking Dead’ character has made him a better friend and a harder worker.
The second season of Norman’s show ‘The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon’ is streaming now on AMC+, and you can pre-order Norman’s new book of photographs, ‘In Transit’, here.
Links from the Show:
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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Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect, Up in the Air) is an Oscar-nominated actress, singer, and now, director.
Anna joins Guy Raz to share her journey from Portland, Maine community theater at age six, through her breakout Broadway role at 12, to Hollywood stardom. She reveals her path to directing Woman of the Hour (after swearing she’d never direct), and how George Clooney helped calm her nerves in her breakout role. Listen as she reflects growing from child actor to powerful voice in Hollywood.
Watch Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut ‘Woman of the Hour’ on Netflix here: https://www.netflix.com/title/81728818
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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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Lin-Manuel Miranda (‘Hamilton’, ‘In The Heights’) and Eisa Davis (‘Angela’s Mixtape’, ‘Bullrusher’) are writers, performers, and collaborators who are revolutionizing hip-hop theater.
In this episode, Lin and Eisa join Guy to discuss their latest creative project, ‘Warriors’, a concept album inspired by the 1979 cult film, “The Warriors”. The duo reflects on how hip hop, New York’s streets, and unexpected muses like "Gamergate" influenced their work.
Plus, they reveal how they convinced the elusive Lauryn Hill to play a lead role. Will ‘Warriors’ make its way to Broadway? Tune in to find out more!
Listen to ‘Warriors’ concept album here: https://music.apple.com/ye/album/warriors/1769091603
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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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Julie Bowen is a celebrated actress and two-time Emmy winner who brought the iconic character of Claire Dunphy to life for 11 seasons.
In this episode, Julie chats with Guy Raz about her childhood love of theater in Baltimore, waiting tables while studying acting in New York, breaking into Hollywood with roles in films like ‘Happy Gilmore’ and on TV Shows such as ‘Ed’, and finding out she got cast in ‘Modern Family’ while in labor with her two twin boys.
Julie stars in the new Peacock series ‘Hysteria!’
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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Kenny G is a Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and the top-selling instrumental artist of all time, with over 75 million record sales, and 1.5 billion streams.
Kenny joins Guy to discuss his creative journey, from being the kid who didn’t make the high school band to a global music icon. Listen to how he defied industry norms with ‘Songbird’ to make it to the Billboard chart, his approach to handling critics, and his 50-year philosophy on practice and perfection.
Check out Kenny G’s new memoir ‘Life in the Key of G.’: https://a.co/d/2TcYvwN
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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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Finneas is a Grammy and Oscar-winning producer, songwriter, and artist. He is best known for his close collaborations with his younger sister, Billie Eilish, and for being the youngest person to win the Producer of the Year award.
In this episode, Finneas sits with Guy to discuss his unique creative partnership with his sister Billie Eilish, the unexpected virality of their breakout hit “Ocean Eyes” (recorded in their bedroom when Billie was just 13), and how his experiences producing for other artists have shaped his own artistic identity. He also reveals the collaborative energy behind his latest album “For Cryin' Out Loud,” and why he strives to be a musical “chameleon.”
Listen to Finneas’s latest album, “For Cryin' Out Loud” here: https://finneas.lnk.to/ForCryinOutLoud
Mentioned in this episode:
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Diplo is one of the most successful and influential DJ/producers working today. He shares his journey from working odd jobs while grinding away on music to selling out festivals and generating billions of streams.
Interested in a Visual Map tracing Diplo's creative journey? We made one just for you. Check it out here.
And you can find his most recent album, Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley: Chapter 2 - Swamp Savant, here.
Links from the show:
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Ray LaMontagne is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter known for his raspy vocals and soulful, introspective lyrics. He also has an incredible life story that you rarely hear about, because he prefers to avoid the spotlight and let his music do the talking.
But in this episode, Ray opens up about his challenging childhood, working as a carpenter to support his young family, and how he resisted pressure from his label to rewrite his debut album, “Trouble.”
He also reveals his unique songwriting process, which involves taking long periods of time away from his guitar until certain melodies begin to surface and “bother” him. Plus, how overcoming self-criticism allowed him to embrace the joy of performing.
Listen to Ray LaMontagne’s latest album, “Long Way Home,” here: https://orcd.co/rl-longwayhome
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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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Three-time Grammy winner Miranda Lambert is a proud Texan who got her start performing during set changes at local bars starting at age 17. It was a “Honky Tonk U” education that would serve her well – igniting a career that would see Miranda become country music’s most award-winning artist of all time… all before the age of 40.
In this episode, Miranda talks with Guy Raz about how losing early singing competitions actually helped her “win” in the music industry; the valuable lessons she learned from Keith Urban while the two toured together, and why she decided to return to her Texas roots to record her brand new album “Postcards from Texas".
You can get Miranda Lambert’s new album, “Postcards from Texas,” here: https://ml.lnk.to/postcardsfromtexas
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From a lightning bolt moment watching cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as a child to becoming a 5-time Grammy winner, Esperana Spalding’s journey has been driven by an innate love for music. But along the way, she’s often felt misunderstood and misrepresented in the press.
Today, Esperanza sits with Guy to talk more about the forces that propelled her rise, her decision to livestream the 77-hour process of writing an album from start to finish in real time, and the lessons she learned about presence and love while collaborating with her musical hero, Milton Nascimento, on their new album, “milton + esperanza.”
Get the new album here: https://esperanzaspalding.bandcamp.com/album/milton-esperanza
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For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Stephen Colbert to Björk to Ice Cube– go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
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Giovanni Ribisi, the versatile actor known for his roles in “Saving Private Ryan,” “Avatar,” and “Friends,” reflects on his life growing up in the heart of Hollywood and his enduring passion for filmmaking.
He also discusses the emotional toll of “living” in intense roles; why he thinks “humiliation” is an important element of every creator’s journey; and going to extreme measures to push his career forward — like spending his last $700 on a plane ticket to an audition.
See Giovanni’s cinematography work in the psychological thriller "Strange Darling," available now: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22375054/
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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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Eric Goode is a filmmaker, conservationist, and a former nightclub owner. His Netflix docuseries Tiger King, about zookeeper and convicted felon Joe Exotic, became a massive cultural phenomenon at the start of the pandemic.
In this episode, Eric joins Guy to discuss his eclectic career path - from pinning dead flies to canvas as an eccentric young artist to opening the infamous Area nightclub in 1980s New York, frequented by the likes of Andy Warhol, Jean-Michael Basquiat, and Keith Haring.
He also shares how his lifelong fascination with animals led him to conservation work and filmmaking, and behind the scenes of documenting Joe Exotic and the murder plot that unfolded while filming for Tiger King.
Watch Eric Goode’s latest documentary “Chimp Crazy” on HBO Max here: https://www.hbo.com/chimp-crazy
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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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Mark Foster is the frontman for Foster the People, which rocketed to fame in 2011 on the strength of their very first single, ‘Pumped Up Kicks’.
Mark talks about growing up as a pastor’s son in Cleveland; nearly joining the military but choosing instead to move to L.A. to pursue his music dreams; falling into addiction and getting sober; feeling afraid to perform on SNL after becoming famous overnight; and his process for getting into a flow state in the studio.
Mark also reflects on the meaning of ‘Pumped Up Kicks’, more than a decade later – and shares how current events influenced the themes on the band’s newest album, ‘Paradise State of Mind’.
Check out the new album here: https://store.fosterthepeople.com/products/paradise-state-of-mind-cd
Links from the Show:
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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Singer Ellie Goulding has had 35 different songs chart in the UK, the most of any female artist ever. In this conversation from 2023, Ellie shares how she first broke out of her shell performing original songs to her college classmates. She also 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 album ‘Higher than Heaven’ her “least personal” record yet.
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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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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.
In this conversation from 2023, 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.
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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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Bjork, a singular artist whose work extends beyond music to include acting and conceptual art, discusses her career and artistic vision in this wide-ranging interview from 2022.
She talks with Guy about forming her unique vocal style; recording her first album at 11 years old; her album, Fossora, which features a bass clarinet ensemble; and why she uses symbols from nature to define each of her albums.
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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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Jim Parsons is an actor who’s best known for starring as Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory. While many know him as the on-screen super-nerd, he is also a classically trained stage actor. And in this conversation from 2022, Jim reflects on his entire creative journey: from playing the same character for 12 years to embracing new challenges (Hollywood, Spoiler Alert, A Man of No Importance) that have allowed him to flex some different creative muscles.
Plus, the uncertainty Jim felt when he came out; his love of New York City; and the first, scary steps involved in taking on new roles.
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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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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, better known as the chart-topping musician, satirist, and beloved nerd Weird Al Yankovic, told Guy in 2022 how that decision had changed his life and decades of popular music to come.
They also discussed how Kurt Cobain had saved Weird Al from a lifetime of spoofing Michael Jackson songs and how intense the process of writing silly songs can be.
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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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Rashida Jones is an actor, writer, and filmmaker best known for her work on ‘The Office’ and ‘Parks and Recreation’. She sits down with Guy to talk about growing up with dreams of being the President, how acting saved her during a bout of depression in college, and almost quitting acting right before the biggest break of her career. Plus, how becoming a parent and losing her own mother has changed the way she sees her work.
Rashida stars in ‘Sunny’ on Apple TV+, out July 10: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/sunny/umc.cmc.7c5t9dde8dxoaxwyl5rkuw38p
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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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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”.
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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.
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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
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Connect with Phil:
• 💻Website: https://www.pwelverumandsun.com/
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• 📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flutelistener/
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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
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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.
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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.
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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/
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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:
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:
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:
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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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:
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:
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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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:
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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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:
For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Stephen Colbert to Ice Cube to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
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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:
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:
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/
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See all our episodes – including conversations with Tom Hanks, Jason Sudeikis, Bjork, and many more – at TheGreatCreators.com.
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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
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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'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:
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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:
Licensed to Ill - The Beastie Boys
Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa
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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:
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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' new album Who We Used To Be
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:
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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:
3AM original recording by Tabitha's Secret
America by Simon and Garfunkel
Smooth by Santana (feat. Rob Thomas)
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 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:
All Time Low's first album The Party Scene
Head on Collision by New Found Glory
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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
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
Bends Official Lyric Video
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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:
Everybody Got Their Something - Nikka Costa
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:
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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:
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!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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
Shania Twain Limelight Sessions
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
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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:
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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:
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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:
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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
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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.
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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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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
Shania Twain Limelight Sessions
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
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!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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
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
Funny moments between Ike and Mindy Kaling on The Mindy Project
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"
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
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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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
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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:
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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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
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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.
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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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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:
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Trailer for The Great Creators with Guy Raz, which premieres September 20th.
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En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.