Don't Be Alone with Jay Kogen

Joely and Tricia Leigh Fisher talk about being the kids of stars, Connie Stevens and Eddie Fisher—the allure of show business, putting on shows in their living room, and deciding at a young age to make performing their career. They share stories of being on the road with their mom, the good and bad lessons they learned, going to Beverly Hills High School while living alone across the street, and w...

Actress/writer/activist Amy Benneman talks about creating a TV show, writing plays, the pleasure of performing in front of people. Her kick-ass judge-pioneer mother, lawyer activist dad and how they started her on a journey of trying to fix the world, expectations of what the world thinks is normal and how it messes up the rest of us, parenthood and raising a neurodivergent child and how she taugh...

Felipe talks about his new book, coming to the USA under an EXTRAORDINARY ARTIST visa, writing for Colbert, growing up in Columbia, the beauty of curious Americans, the danger of being too comfortable, and losing emmy awards to his wife. Bio: Felipe Torres Medina is a Peabody and Writers Guild of America Award–winning writer from Bogotá, Colombia. His writing for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert...

Writing Legend, Arnie Kogen, talks with Jay and Jay’s son, Charlie, about his childhood, career, and what it’s like to be 91. Three generations of Kogens in one pod! Bio: ARNIE KOGENComedy Writer/ TV ProducerHas written and/or produced for the Carol Burnett Show, The Tonight Show, Newhart, Mary Tyler Moore, Empty Nest, Mad TV, The Dean Martin Show, Sinbad, Donnie & Marie, The Jackson Five, Evening...

Phil Stark talks about writing and learning it wasn’t really his dream, telling patients to find their bliss, deciding joy wasn’t in the writers room, writing “Dog With A Blog”, treating writers who are panicking about work, writer’s block, and where’s  the best Tex Mex in Houston. Bio:  Screenwriter (Dude, Where’s My Car?) turned therapist (Dude, Where’s My Car-tharsis?) Phil Stark sees clients v...

Writer of “Jaws" & "The Jerk" Carl Gottlieb talks about working with Spielberg, Steve Martin, Carl Reiner, David Crosby, Joan Baez, improv group The Committee, performing comedy in the army, how the Smothers Brothers Show was the hippest most popular show at the time and somehow also cancelled. Bio:  Carl Gottlieb is a screenwriter (Jaws, The Jerk), director (Caveman), & actor (Mash). His book, TH...

Will Forte talks about almost being a financial advisor, his checkered writing career, SNL MacGruber, Nebraska, The Groundlings, Last Man on Earth, having kids late, seeing shrinks, frats, & Val Kilmner being the weirdest roommate of all time. Bio: Will Forte is a comedian, actor, writer, and improviser best known for his work on Saturday Night Live and his starring role in The Last Man on Earth....

This week, James L Brooks talked about The Simpsons, Mary Tyler Moore ,Terms of Endearment, having a million lunches to cast parts,  his difficult beginnings and how the fear of survival and women's shoes drove him to his success. We also talk about what an amazing mentor he is, incredible writer, the worst notes he's ever gotten from a network, and now he likes to have drool days. Bio:James L. Br...

Writer/Activist Steve Skovan talks about his work with Ralph Nader, his substack “Bits and Pieces”, his dad being a comic inspiration, the trouble with politics, Public Citizen a progressive consumer rights group, starting as a stand-up, and how a football coach changed his life without molesting him. Bio:  ​​Steve Skrovan has worked as a stand-up comedian, actor, and TV comedy writer since the ea...

Tom Lennon tells us he's not working that hard on the unbelievably large number of projects he never stops working on. From writing movies (including a “HALL OF PRESIDENTS” SciFi comedy) to acting in 100s of shows to playing in a Smiths tribute band Thomas Lennon doesn’t stop. And don't try to stop him. Bio:  Thomas Lennon is an actor, producer and New York Times Best Selling author from Oak Park,...

Film-Makers Justin Graves and Byron Manuel talk about what it takes to make movies in 2025 being young, talented, and black. They talk about finding the dream of movies and giving up the dreams of music and sport.  They talk about doing what it takes on a budget, fundraising, festivals, developing a ton of projects, and getting their movie “Swoon” on Tubi. They also talk about being able to handle...

Rachel talks about why people love or hate musicals, Crazy Ex- Girlfriend and how it would never be made today and how unlikely it was to get made back then.  She also talks about growing up in Manhattan Beach, Theater School in NY, not having billionaire friends, enjoying the now, writing her one woman show to get through the death of Adam Schlessenger and the birth of her daughter, how being mar...

Kenya Barris talks about his messy childhood, the do’s and don’ts of the writer’s room, laying low during covid, Larry David making Kenya take the leap to star in a show, raising kids better than our parents, running a writer’s room is like conducting music, making podcasts with Malcolm Gladwell, being pals with Jonah Hill, Eddie Murphy putting points on the board, the pleasure and importance of d...

Jon and Jay talk about having writer dads, the pressure of trying to succeed as a second gen show biz kid, how to direct movies with being a jerk, being right, the value of being lucky, and the why Captain Crunch is better than Peanut Butter Crunch. Bio: Jon Turteltaub has been an elite producer and director of hit movies for the past 30 years.  He is known for directing a series of hit films incl...

Andrea Abbate talks about her amazing tumultuous life, including addiction, bad partners, bad parents, bad relationships, and surviving through comedy to land in a good place. Bio: Andrea Abbate has proven herself to be a powerhouse in the world of comedy. She’s found success as a stand-up comedian, television writer, actor/performer and producer. Andrea seamlessly blends sharp, edgy humor with an...

Maggie Baird - Actress/writer/ & mother of superstars Billie Eilish & Finneas gives Jay the recipe for not messing up your kids and letting them flourish.  She also talks about living small, rewarding effort and experience over awards, &  the value of an artist’s mindset and working for love vs. money.  And she talks about trying to change the world with her Support + Feed charity she formed to he...

We talk about deciding if you are a writer or a performer, confidence in bad joke, comedy as team sport, Neal being “groupless”, John McEnroe’s good sportsmanship, gratitude, the day the Chappelle Show died, ayahuasca & MDMA & how it made him believe in God. Bio: Neal Brennan has been a force in comedy for over three decades with both his own standup performances as well as working behind the scen...

Bruce talks about stumbling into writing and finding a home. His feud with Barbra Streisand, writing for Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and Lily Tomlin. He talks about how being your own weird self is the best marketing and he discusses his new book “It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time: The Worst TV Shows in History and Other Things I Wrote”  He talks about t-shirts, Elmo, Hollywood Squares, The...

Jim Turner talks about doing one of our first pilots, Monkey World, being friends for 32 years, being the kind of guy who shows up at shows, makes shows, raises money for important causes, The Good Deed Corporation, Harry Styles, poker games, basketball games, Des Moines, Randy of The Redwoods, running for President, and almost talking about almost dying in Italy. Bio: Jim Turner was an actor for...

Liz Kamlet answers all the music questions the dad of an aspiring musician has from Social Media to publishing to concerts to recording to warnings about the music contest TV shows. We also talk about the old school acts like Stephen Bishop, David Pack, and Michael McDonald! Liz is the smartest voice in music and promotion on the planet! Bio:  Liz Kamlet is an accomplished music industry professio...

J. Elvis Weinstein was a head writer on many shows so he knows a good joke while Jay just jokes often from character. On this show we sort out the differences. Also J. talks about his funny family. Hobbies like ice cream, bad jokes, bubble gum jokes, fortune cookies, losing money on documentaries, saving your marriage by wasting less money than your wife thinks, Mystery Science Theater,  old credi...

Andy and Jay talk about anger, falling down, therapy, neuropathy, parents, the power of singing, audio books, back aches, Quakers, the State of The Industry, the Thought Spiral podcast, Binghamton University, LSD, The Stump, and Moon Zappa’s new book “Earth To Moon”, and running away from Jay Leno. Bio:  Andy Kindler currently recurs on Fox’s hit animation, Bob’s Burgers and Comedy Central’s long-...

Screenwriting legend Zak Penn talks about how he got so savvy in the business of show.  We talk about how coming to LA and scouting out the city geared him up for his big move after college and his sale of “The Last Action Hero” started him on a 35 year journey of being one of Hollywood’s most sought after writers. We talk about the good times with Speilberg, JJ Abrams, Shawn Levy, Ryan Reynolds,...

Comic/writer/cartoonist Mo Welch talks about her journey to find her dad and the Hulu special that came out of it called, “Dad Jokes”. She also dives into how she came fun humble beginnings to become a headlining comic who isn't so famous she gets hassled all the time. She talks about improv and drawing cartoons for the new yorker and being a mom and the difference between her upbringing and her w...

Writer/Producer Andy Gordon loves writing. He talks about writing for pleasure after all these years. He talks about how the characters can make him laugh or cry in the car. He also talks about breaking into show business on the day he arrived in Hollywood, Jon Landis, Tom Lynch, Chuck Lorre, sending messages to his daughters through his shows, working on Big Bang and Modern Family, and the joys o...