Off The Beat with Brian Baumgartner

Join Ed Helms and Kal Penn as they dive into the world’s biggest audiobooks. Each episode features conversations with authors, celebrities, and special guests from the iHeartPodcast Network as they explore everything from reimagined classics to supernatural thrillers. Whether you're an audiobook aficionado or just getting started, this is the book club your ears have been waiting for. Listen...

A special double feature for the first week of football! First, Brian and his old pal Rainn Wilson commiserate about their abysmal showing in their fantasy league, wonder what happened to television comedies, and get pumped for their upcoming Office trivia night supporting Rainn’s foundation, Lide Haiti. Then, he recaps week one on the field with Off the Beat producer and NFL aficionado Ryan “Papa...

This week Brian has an inspiring conversation with NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Kurt Warner. He talks about his keys to confidence, getting the most out of his time on the field - wherever that was - and his predictions for this season’s underdog teams. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode, famed actor and hog wrestler Michelle Monaghan tells Brian all about growing up in a VERY small town, forging lasting relationships in Hollywood, and everything she could say about White Lotus season 3 (don’t get your hopes up). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian sits down with the divine Da’Vine Joy Randolph to discuss feeling cool at theater camp, working with greats like Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy, and the whirlwind that comes with major award nominations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Brian chats with someone who could definitely beat us up, actor Aleks Paunovic. The 6-foot-5-inch former amateur boxing champion gets emotional talking about his connection to the ring, how his early days as a musician sparked his love for performance, breaking into the Canadian film industry as a stuntman, and how advice from Anthony Hopkins changed his life. You can catch Aleks in the...

Actor, writer, and producer Isabelle Fuhrman is our guest on the podcast this week. She and Brian talk about playing pretend, Leonardo DiCaprio, villainous motivations, and horses. Plus, we get Isabelle's recommendations for fancy cheeses and whether or not the Swiss know how to barbecue. Currently you can see Isabelle in the Kevin Costner-directed western, Horizon: An American Saga. See omnystudi...

For the third glorious time on this podcast, Brian sits down with his good friend, Creed Bratton. But this time, he’s not speaking to the actor, but to the rock star Creed, about touring across Africa, his first invitation to the Playboy Mansion, and his best album yet, Tao Pop - out this September. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, comedian Gary Vider talks about growing up with a con man, as Brian admits to a minor scam of his own. Gary describes his years-long grift at Madison Square Garden, going to dog college, becoming a father himself, and his new podcast about his life, #1 Dad, out now from iHeart. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Brian welcomes actor, podcaster and Chicago sports fan Jake Johnson. After a deep dive into how the Bears will (or won't) sneak their way into the playoffs next year, Jake discusses his early days in the NYC sketch comedy scene, how a half-remembered urban legend became fodder for the creation of Drunk History, and how his love for absurdity influenced the growth of his character on the...

As hundreds of athletes, actors, musicians, and more descend upon South Lake Tahoe to compete in the American Century Championship this week, Brian revisits some of his favorite moments at and about the tournament. Along with Marcus Allen, Jerome Bettis, Jimmy Roberts, The Miz, and Vince Carter, they talk strokes, wedges, holes-in-one, and bump-and-runs… oh and golf, too. See omnystudio.com/listen...

LA Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp talks about growing up in a legacy football family, starting his career at just 5’4” and 119lbs, and his favorite show: The Office. Try Dodo Coffee at dodocoffee.co and @dodocoffeeco on social media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Current actor and former supermodel Tricia Helfer regales Brian with her epic journey from small town farm to Supermodel of the World, to getting fired from her first-ever acting job, to becoming the Goddess of All Creation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian’s guest today is legendary producer Betsy Beers, the genius behind shows like Scandal, Private Practice, Inventing Anna, Grey’s Anatomy, and many more. While she won’t divulge any spoilers about the new season of Bridgerton (much to Brian’s chagrin), she will recount her days of auditioning badly across America, being brutally honest with fancy people, and 23 years of partnership with Shonda...

Joy is all around as Brian hangs out with comedian Joyelle Nicole Johnson, who confesses to talking to herself on the streets of New York, advocates for the value of truth in comedy, and looks forward to getting on her Meryl Streep shit as an actor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Brian is swapping hair care tips for the follicly challenged with actor Kelly AuCoin. The conversation highlights include Kelly's unique upbringing as a Congressman's son, the worst wig of his career, and his process for embodying Dollar Bill Stern on Billions (hint: it's more than just a closely shaved scalp). Listeners can see Kelly in his role as president of the LA Clippers on Hulu's Cli...

Wearing child-sized headphones, Brian hears from actor’s actor Josh Pais. Apart from his fruitful career in film and television, they go deep about physical acting technique, the theoretical physics of using a toaster oven, and uncovering his story to shed the image of “that guy”. Brian helps him uncover his own story, from being one of the original Ninja Turtles, developing his own method of acto...

Brian’s new friend and former co-star (though they didn’t even know it while voicing Rumble) Susan Kelechi Watson is in the house today, discussing the special coolness that comes from Brooklyn, saying goodbye to This is Us, and finally admitting that she’s bicoastal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Brian sits down with the multi-talented actor and musician Folake Olowofoyeku. She talks about her diverse upbringing in Lagos watching Spanish telenovelas and listening to Irish music, moving to the US as a young student, and bringing it all back around to play a Nigerian woman on Bob Hearts Abishola.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian's conversation this week is with rising star Alex Neustaedter. The young actor shares details about his experience as a child model, how he avoided the Mickey Mouse Club, getting to know Meg Ryan over a slice of apple pie, and that time he snuck into the Pittsburgh Zoo. Alex can currently be seen in the second season of American Rust, now streaming on Prime Video. See omnystudio.com/listener...

Brian's guest today is former professional basketball player and Lob City legend, Blake Griffin. The six-time NBA All-Star discusses his youth as a three-sport phenom, how he learned he would be selected as the #1 draft pick by the Clippers, and the excitement and heartbreak of play-off basketball. Plus, Blake details his retirement plans for keeping busy in the world of film and TV production. Se...

Actor, podcast host and wrestling dork Will Sasso is on the podcast today. He and Brian discuss Will's start on Canadian teen dramas, his breakout performance on legendary sketch show Mad TV, and recurring roles on some of our favorite TV shows over the past 3 decades. Plus Will dives into the kayfabe and controversy behind his "AI-influenced" podcast, Dudesy. See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

Brian sits down with actor, model, and violin prodigy Torrey DeVitto to learn about what makes a great classical musician, hitting the teen mecca of television jobs, and why she can’t bring herself to eat eggs from her own duck. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Brian speaks with the fabulous Sarah Drew. Sarah talks about her youth being as inspired by musical theater as her father's church sermons, her professional stage experience and pivot to screen acting, and how a small collaboration with Shonda Rhimes blossomed into a career defining role on Grey's Anatomy. Sarah can be seen starring in Branching Out, premiering this month on th...

Brian sits down with Bachelor-turned-business guru Jason Tartick. Jason talks about the business side of reality television, how to balance love and checkbooks in his new book “Talk Money to Me”, and challenges Brian to consider his own relationship to financial transparency. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.