Beginnings

On today's episode I talk to writer and performer Sarah Pappalardo. Based in New York City, Sarah is an improviser, playwright, and documentation whose short Reverence will be featured during IFC's DOC NYC Festival later this year. She's also one of the founders and editors of the satirical women's magazine Reductress. In the three short years since its inception, Reductress has become it's own cottage industry. Besides the online magazine, it's also spawned a wonderful podcast called Mouth Time, and on October 25th, their first book, How to Win at Feminism, will be released by HarperCollins. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to writer Beth Newell. Originally from Lynnfield, MA, Beth has been writing, performing and teaching sketch at The Magnet Theater for many years. She's also one of the founders and editors of the satirical women's magazine Reductress. In the three short years since its inception, Reductress has become it's own cottage industry. Besides the online magazine, it's also spawned a wonderful podcast called Mouth Time, and on October 25th, their first book, How to Win at Feminism, will be released by HarperCollins. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to the founder of Jacobin Magazine Bhaskar Sunkara. Bhaskar is the son of immigrants from Trinidad and Tobago, and has written for a number of publications including Vice magazine, the Washington Post and The Nation. However, he is most well-known for being the founder, editor and publisher of Jacobin Magazine, which in its six short years of existence has become one of the leading publications of the left, drawing praise from everyone from Noam Chomsky to Chris Hayes. Bhaskar also started a book imprint called Jacobin Books in partnership with Verso Books and Random House. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to writer, stand-up and union organizer Nato Green. Nato lives and was raised in San Francisco, and the city's progressive atmosphere pervades everything he does. Nato wrote for Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell on FX and toured nationally with Kamau & Janine Brito as "Laughter Against the Machine". He's the creator of Iron Comic, the Iron Chef-spoofing comedy game show, and was named San Francisco's Best Comedian by the SF Weekly, Huffington Post, and CBS. He also hosts a comedy segment on NPR's All Things Considered, and his first comedy album, The Nato Green Party, was released by Rooftop Comedy, and can be found online wherever comedy albums are sold! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Elaiza Santos. Originally from Queens, Elaiza is the lead singer of the amazing chiptunes pop band Crying, who have two EPs out on Run For Cover Records, both of which are very much worth your time. Elaiza also records music on her own - originally under the name Whatever, Dad -  and currently as 100%, which is wonderful bedroom pop in the K records tradition. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to playwright and TV writer Sofia Alvarez. Originally from Baltimore, Sofia graduated from Juilliard for playwriting. She is a member of the Ars Nova Playgroup and Primary Stages Dorothy Streslin New American Writer’s Group, and her work has been seen everywhere from Primary Stages to Ars Nova to The Rattlestick. As a TV writer, Sofia has written for USA's Sirens, and currently, she writes for the FX comedy Man Seeking Woman. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to Suki Kim, a novelist, investigative journalist and the only writer ever to go live undercover in North Korea to investigate and write a book from the inside. In 2002, she travelled to North Korea, where she witnessed both Kim Jong-il’s 60th Birthday celebrations as well as his death, and she later wrote a number of pieces for Harper's about the country. Suki is a recipient of a Guggenheim, a Fulbright, and a George Soros Foundation Open Society fellowship. As well, her first novel, The Interpreter, was a finalist for a PEN Hemingway Prize, and her aforementioned book of investigative literary nonfiction, Without You, There Is No Us: Undercover Among the Sons of North Korea's Elite is a  New York Times bestseller. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Barbara Manning. Barbara is prolific songwriter originally from California, where she spent part of her childhood on a commune. While attending Chico State University in 1983, Manning played bass with the seminal jangle-pop band 28th Day, and since then she's recorded a number of albums under her own name and has played with and fronted a number of amazing bands including World of Pooh, SF Seals, The Go-Luckys!. She's collaborated with everyone from Jon Langford of The Mekons to The Magnetic Fields' Stephen Merritt, and her albums have been released by some of the best indie labels around including SubPop, K Records, Matador and Teenbeat. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to Cole Escola. Cole is a comedian, actor, and writer; one of the 2014 OUT 100; as well as one of Time Out New York's Top Ten Downtown Cabaret Performers. He was the co-creator, writer, and star of the lo-fi cult-hit TV show Jeffery & Cole Casserole, which ran on Logo for two seasons, and also originated the role of Bridget Everett's fetus in Rock Bottom. Cole currently plays Billy Eichner's nemesis Matthew on Hulu's Difficult People, which is now in it's second season! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to storyteller Adam Wade. For the past thirteen years, Adam has been a fixture in both the New York City storytelling and comedy scenes. He is the winner of 20 SLAMS at The Moth, including two GrandSLAM Championships, and has toured across North America with The Moth Main Stage. In addition, Adam's Time Out Critic's pick solo show The Adam Wade from NH Show has been running since 2010, and his first album Adam Wade: The Human Comedy was just released last year! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to writer/directors Charles Rogers and Sarah-Violet Bliss. Charles and SV broke out with their film Fort Tilden, a satire of Millennial Brooklyn, which won the Grand Jury Award at SXSW 2014. Since then, they've written on the first season of Netflix's Wet Hot American Summer revival, and are the co-creators of the forthcoming TBS series Search Party starring Alia Shawkat. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

I used to do bonus episodes of the show somewhat regularly called "Field Guides" where I'd talk to people about the actual steps they took to create a project or about a specific topic around the theme of creating things for a living. Like, I talked to Abbi and Ilana about how they actually made the Broad City webseries (back before it was even a TV show!) - and the idea is to try and demystify making TV, videos and other creative things on a professional level. Today on the show I talk to Terence Gray, the founder and executive director of the New York Television Festival, and Ian Thake, the director of programming for the festival. Founded in 2005, The NYTVF is a pioneer of the independent television movement, connecting its community of artists with leading networks, studios, agencies, production companies, and brands. Terence, Ian and I get in deep about the origins of the festival, how somebody starts a festival in the first place, as well as thoughts and tips on indie TV and the television development

On today's episode I talk to Wes Miles of the indie rock band Ra Ra Riot. Originally from New Jersey, Wes has been playing music for most of his life. Ra Ra Riot formed in January 2006, playing at houses and venues around the Syracuse University campus. After recording a demo, they started to attract attention, eventually getting signed to Barsuk Records, who's released all four of their albums The Rhumb Line, The Orchard, Beta Love, and their latest Need Your Light (all are very worth your time!). On the side, Wes has released an album with former-Vampire Weekend-er Rostam Batmanglij under the name Discovery. It is also awesome! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to avant-garde violin duo String Noise. For over half a decade, Conrad Harris and Pauline Kim, the husband/wife violin duo comprising String Noise, have built a reputation as relentless contemporary music advocates with a punk sensibility. They've done this through their covers of bands like Deerhoof, Bad Brains, Black Flag and Minutemen and through their classical performances, the two having premiered works by composers like Christian Wolff, John King, Phill Niblock, and John Zorn. String Noise has released an EP on Northern Spy Records called The Book of Strange Positions and are currently recording a full-length album. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Oli Chang. Originally from Australia, Oli is one-half, along with Jack Milas, of the celebrated ambient dream-pop band High Highs. Since 2011, they've released a self-titled EP and two albums Open Season and Cascades. All of them are wonderful. In addition, Oli also has his own solo project called Animal Feelings! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to comic and TV writer Christopher McCullough AKA Jackson Publick. Chris began his comics career after a superhero spoof of his caught the eye of The Tick creator Ben Edlund, who asked Chris to write a spin-off, which then led to writing for the animated and live-action series. In 2003, Chris and his writing partner created the fantastic animated series The Venture Bros. for Adult Swim, which is currently their longest running original series. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to actor and writer Will Sharpe. Will grew up in Tokyo and London and went to university at Cambridge, where he was president of the Footlights Revue. After graduating, he began his acting career, first with the Royal Shakespeare Company and later on a number of TV shows including Casualty, Sherlock and Dirk Gently. As a writer, Will's written for Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and his first feature film Black Pond was nominated for a BAFTA award. Most recently, he wrote and directed the show Flowers (which can be seen in the States on Seeso) starring Julian Barrett of The Mighty Boosh and Olivia Colman from Broadchurch. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to rapper and podcaster Open Mike Eagle. Originally from Chicago, Mike moved to LA where his hip hop career began, first as part of the collective Project Blowed and the trio Thirsty Fish, and later as a solo artist. He's released five albums: Unapologetic Art Rap, Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes, 4NML HSPTL, Dark Comedy, and his latest Hella Personal Film Festival. As a podcaster, he hosts two great shows: an interview one called Secret Skin and an Adventure Time show with John Moe called Conversation Parade! This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Ohal Grietzer. Born and raised in Ashkelon, Israel, Ohal moved to New York in 2001, where she began collaborating on a number of musical projects with people like Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio, Tyondai Braxton, and Kyp Malone’s Rain Machine. Her latest album Acid Park is out this month on Styles Upon Styles Records. Separate from her work as a musician, Ohal is also a Palestinian-rights activist, a member of Anarchists Against the Wall, and is involved in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement, having recently written an article with Brian Eno urging musicians to support the movement. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.

On today's episode I talk to musician Todd Goldstein. Originally from Boston, Todd started ARMS as a musical outlet for himself when he first moved to Brooklyn. ARMS was put on the backburner though when in 2006 he joined the indie rock band Harlem Shakes. They released one album on Gigantic Music before disbanding three years later, at which time, ARMS became Todd's primary musical focus. He's recorded a number of EPs under the moniker, as well as three albums: Kids Aflame, Summer Skills, and Patterns, his latest, which will be released in June on Paper Garden Records. This is the website for Beginnings, subscribe on iTunes, follow me on Twitter.