Don't Be Alone with Jay Kogen

On this episode Jay’s former writing partner, Wallace Wolodarsky and Wally’s new writing partner, his wife, Maya Forbes talk about partnership – the joys and the pitfalls including having your partner pretend to be shot in the head on film. We also discuss trying to make movies vs TV, the difficult current writing landscape, being pals with the Coppolas and Wes Anderson, Maya at the Harvard Lampoo...

Nicole and Jerry talk about Friendship, iCarly, MadTV, “Wendell & Vinnie”, electric shock collars, escape rooms, snowboarding, keeping in touch, drinking, LA tour buses, kids, and playing a grandmother at 40.Nicole Sullivan - As a native New Yorker, Nicole has been acting since she was seven years old. Nicole studied the drama classics at Northwestern University. Sullivan was an original cast memb...

Blurb: Matt Selman talks about keeping The Simpsons afloat and still funny after all these years, being the rare writer who stayed in one place, Terry Jones being the smart Python, innovating the show each week, what’s too silly, looking back with pride, how we are more judgy when we are younger, Ghost, Matt’s says he’s not a sociopath, and we discuss if Jay regrets leaving The Simpsons after 5 se...

Jay and Kelly talk about what we got from our fathers, both good and bad. We also talk about the genius of George Carlin, living in the shadow of your parents, Crossroads School, Judd Apatow, taking care of you parents, the Emmy Awards, defining yourself, fans, wanting to make people laugh, and how pity sex is just fine. Kelly Carlin-McCall is an author, storyteller, depth psychologist, transforma...

We talk with James Burroughs about his reign as hollywood's greatest sitcom director, being the son of the Abe Burrows In the genetics of comedy, his book “directed by James Burrows”, “Cheers”, “Will & Grace”, “Mary Tyler Moore”, “Taxi”, “Friends”, the scripps that make him want to direct, the ones that don't, his amazing memory, his humble beginnings, the decade it took him to learn how to direct...

Simon Rich talks about how writing fantastical stories can still be authentic and personal.we also talk about growing up in a family of writers, why SNL is not a pit of vipers, John Mulaney & Richard Kind being in his new play, bad driving, Mad Magazine and why Jay is responsible for Simon's career because he watched The Simpsons as a kid. Bio:  Simon Rich has written for “Saturday Night Live,” Pi...

The great Jon Lovitz talks about comedy, acting, stand-up comedy, dogs, The Groundlings, Managers, A league of Their Own, The Simpsons, The Critic, and the serendipity of show business.  Bio: Jon Lovitz has been one of the best known comedians for the last thirty years. He got his start acting in High School plays and developing his skills at the University of California, Irvine where he earned a...

Moon Zappa talks about her book, “Earth To Moon” which details her family trauma, the desire to dance, what makes good art, not being perfect, wanting more from life, how trying to spend a few minutes with her dad, Frank Zappa, led to his biggest hit, tea can lead to joy, and how sometimes your first rodeo is your last. Bio:  Moon is a writer, actor, yogi, podcaster and tea merchant. Learn more ab...

Comic and writer Fahim Anwar and I talk about failed TV shows, Afghan and Ukrainian treats, performing at Largo, comedy today, working for Boeing, disappointing your parents by being a comic, the power of Margo Robbie, YouTube vs Netflix, crowd work, not playing sax for The Roots, having a great bit you can’t put online, hecklers, comedy persona, dancing in clubs, and convincing your parents you h...

Jonathan talks about growing up the son of a minister, not ruining other people’s shows, not doing stand-up comedy, not staying with Conan, and not being the Jonathan Groff, the Broadway superstar! Bio:Jonathan Groff is a television writer, showrunner and executive producer, with over thirty years of experience. Recently, he was an Executive Producer alongside Fred Armisen on the HULU comedy THIS...

Jennifer spills the beans on what it takes to be an actress in Hollywood. We talk "Beverly Hills Housewives", how your gal pal will cover your problem spots in lesbian love scenes, poker, glamour, getting hit on by producers, and the indignity of promoting yourself by going on to podcasts like this one. Bio: Jennifer Tilly received an Academy Award nomination for her role in Woody Allen’s “Bullets...

Blurb:  We talk about Philosophy, comedy writing, agreeing with the show runner, not being afraid of the truth, the power of walking sticks, trying to figure out if God exists is dumb, Brooklyn as a place to grow up, and whether to lie to your kids about Santa Clause. Bio: A native of Flatbush, New York, Eric Kaplan began writing for Spy magazine and the Harvard Lampoon before getting his first te...

Steven sings some amazing songs and talks about The BareNakedLadies, Trans-Canada Highwaymen, the creative process, blowing up your life, breaking up with your partners, repairing your life, finding freedom working for yourself, being a self starter, zoom shows, Brian Wilson, Yoko Ono, band camp, and getting pelted with mac & cheese. Bio: Over the last thirty-five years, Steven Page has establishe...

Tim & Jay talk about connecting, being in the moment, getting fired from “Friends”, the Groundlings, being brave enough for relationships, laughing during improv, Frosted Mini Wheats, auditions, serious acting vs not, The Playboy Mansion, being gay, coming from the middle of the country to Los Angeles, good pizza, and angels. Bio:Tim Bagley is currently on the 2nd season of Peabody Award winning "...

Paul Reiser talks about his new film, “The Problem with People”, deciding to be a comic, comedy and heartbreak being from the same well, His love of Peter Faulk, Jack Lemon, and Alan Arkin, fathers, getting out of the house, building a music room just in case Billy Joel dropped by, Writing “What A Fool Believes” with and about Michael McDonnald, “Diner” “Mad About You.” “The Thing About My Folks”,...

David Kessler discusses grief and loss and how it’s not that bad and why Jay is reluctant to grieve. We talk about accepting the end of our lives, how children deal with death, and why we are triggered to feel loss in the strangest moments. We talk about being honest with loved ones and not overreacting, and the value of using the ticking clock of death to live better today. We take listener quest...

Father and son actors, Lawrence & David Pressman talk about their journeys to becoming actors, what it’s like to grow up in Kentucky vs Los Angeles, knowing acting was your calling from a young age, the problem with drinking, acting out when you are young, having your dad bribe you to quit showbiz, and getting blown up in Independence Day and getting yelled at by Elia Kazan. Bio: Lawrence Pressman...

Liza talks about her podcast, “Significant Others” and what makes someone devote themselves to making someone else famous, and how no one does it alone, and how empathic she and her husband, Conan, are to the world, and how the trees just might be killing us. Bio: Liza Powel O'Brien has an MFA in Fiction Writing from Columbia University's School of the Arts. Her work has been seen at The Geffen Pl...

Entertainment reporter Richard Rushfield discusses how silicon valley and stockholders tried to make sure bets and wound up destroying the infrastructure of Hollywood. We also talk about comedy, movies, being a pessimist, and the notion that storytelling will continue no matter what. Bio: Richard Rushfield founded The Ankler in January 2022. Called a “hit Hollywood newsletter” by the New York Time...

Blurb: Comedian Sierra Katow talks about her new special, being so insecure she conquers everything she sets out to do, Asian comics, hitting the comedy clubs with your dad waiting in the car, and throwing your Harvard Education away on jokes, when it’s right to start a family, and hustling to prove your not a typical type-A person. Bio: Sierra is a standup comic, writer, and actor who recently re...

Blurb: Husein and I talk about shared traditions, taking faith seriously but being open and curious to all cultures and not eating at Ramadan, writing a pilot together about South Asians, Canada’s Thanksgiving, India’s holidays, his father not trusting his career until Husein showed up in a suit and my father punching up the jokes my dates told. Bio: Actor and storyteller Husein Madhavji, has take...

The Great Laraine Newman talks about the growing up in Beverly Hills, founding the Groundlings, being part of the pioneering cast of SNL, raising kids who work in show business and still have integrity, fighting addictions, avoiding auditions, voice work, writing an audible memoir “May You Live in Interesting Times”, and what it’s like to make a movie that’s powered mostly by cocaine. Bio:Laraine...

Judd talks about Jay helping Judd’s career, Jay relentless hounding Judd to do the podcast, The Mike Douglas Show, how to spot talent, Totie Fields, The Cable Guy, stand-up now, being hungry, why it’s hard to make movies, too many apps, hoarding memorabilia, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, what it takes to be a producer, Walk Hard, and demanding a souvenir show mug. Bio: Judd Apatow is one of the most pro...

Billy and I discuss being writing partners in Jr High, why MAGA loves to be afraid, why Kamala has a shot, why Biden didn’t have a shot, how to make the campaign work, writing for candidates, why we should fight to keep our democracy, how America agrees with Democrats even though some of them don’t know it, dirty tricks from the bad guys, and Lynn Swann. Bio: Billy Ray wrote the Oscar-nominated sc...

Blurb: Matt and I talk about the legacy of The Simpsons, what it means to go from super fan to icon, always knowing he wanted to draw cartoons, having kid are better than making great art, how music makes The Simpsons great, how Jay could come back to work if he came back crawling on his knees, and how Jay agreed to crawl. Bio:  Matt Groening was born in Portland, Oregon, on February 15, the third...