Don't Be Alone with Jay Kogen

Paul and Jay discuss looking like losers and feeling like winners, and wearing clothes to match your goals and garner respect, being authentic, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, directing, collaborations, why Paul prefers dinners with girls, why I’ll have to fly to London to see him again, his next movie, his wife Laurie, drinking Artingstall Gin, Paul’s “Cocktail Time!” booze recipe book, and what made us t...

We talk about trying to stay positive in a down comedy market, how Jay did or didn’t fit in writing a pilot with much younger people, what started the desire to perform, inspirations, Boy Meets World, and the trick to showbiz is just never leaving. Bios: Lucy Blehar is an actor, writer, and musician from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (home of Heinz Ketchup). She received her BFA in acting from DePaul U...

We discuss our friendship since 1985, teaching at USC, the graphic novel “Defiant” about slave Robert Smalls who stole a southern ship and gave it to the north, Rob’s analytical brain, being teamed with a monster, being fooled by a first meeting, insane show runners with guns on the table, being a black writer, the sunk cost fallacy, making The Princess & The Frog, Will Smith vs Martin Lawrence vs...

Comedian Kevin Nealon talks about being an older dad, and the butt of all jokes, bad impressions, secret to stand-up comedy, stumbling into SNL and making Weekend Update and how good Germany smells. Bio:Emmy and SAG-nominated actor, comedian, and author Kevin Nealon is best known for his nine-year stint as a cast member of NBC's Saturday Night Live, and has received critical acclaim for his roles...

On this episode we talk about making art for artsake. Suzy convinces Jay to start a second career as an actor and demands I put myself in my own show. We also talk about Chicago, Crate and Barrel, reliving one year, old people holding tissues all the time, and the greatest show about masturbation ever created. Bio: Born and raised in Chicago, Suzy moved to Los Angeles where she began guest starrin...

Comedian/Author Gary Gulman and Jay compare their latchkey childhoods with memories of being alone, watching endless TV and worrying about whether the real world would have more channels. We also talk about needing to be funny, the excitement of being on a soundstage for the first time, how one of us was built to play basketball, and how we owe our parents nothing but do a million things for them...

Bryan talks about commiting to craft and giving up on whether you get the gig. We compare notes about growing up in the valley without adult supervision, writing, why celebrities feel better with other celebrities, the difference between Tequila and Mezcal, having kids in the arts, getting your heart broken in 5th grade, the lessons of struggling, and only doing what you are passionate about. Also...

Rizwan how he got from Calgary to Hollywood, how he stopped playing terrorists and started playing himself, how serious actors who have the knack for funny can make it, and how Jay needs to reconsider acting as a profession. Bio: Rizwan Manji is one of Hollywood’s most respected TV and screen actors. He received a Best Guest Actor nomination for his portrayal of Ray Butani, Schitt’s Creek. Manji i...

Writer/comic Lew Schnieder and Jay talk about the jokes they aren’t allowed to tell and how important being “funny” is to them both. Bio: Lew Schneider is a youthful 62 year old man. From Straw Hut Media Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The talented Kevin Nealon comes in for a quick visit in between painting, writing, stand up, acting and being a renaissance man, while Jay… isn’t. They discuss what’s normal and why Jay can’t be. Bio: Emmy and SAG-nominated actor, comedian, and author Kevin Nealon is best known for his nine-year stint as a cast member of NBC's Saturday Night Live, and has received critical acclaim for his roles We...

Stephen Root is a genius actor who brought humanity to the character of the outsider. Jay and Stephen share the feeling of being on the outside and how that makes being an artist more insightful but being a guy at a party more of a drag. Stephen talks about the art of acting and auditioning and what it’s like to finally be able to tell the producers “no” when it’s not something he wants to do. Jay...

Comedian/Actor Andy Richter shares stories of fame, fans, and family and being a regular guy in an irregular world. Bio: Andy Richter has been working in television comedy for over 30 years as an actor, writer, host and producer. He’s best known as Conan O’Brien’s sidekick, but has been in numerous movies and tv series. He hosts the podcast The Three Questions, which is in its fourth season. He’s...

Funny Actress/Writer/Improviser Jamie Denbo talks about jumping in the water of acting and writing while also trying to have a decent relationship with your kids. As expected, none of it is easy but Jamie somehow makes it work. Bio: Jamie Denbo currently serves as CO-EP on the 20th season of ABC’s smash hit, Grey’s Anatomy. She was the creator, EP and showrunner of Lifetime’s 10 episode one-hour d...

Jay challenges his son, college senior, Charlie Kogen, to list the top 5 things Jay did wrong (and right) as a father. Along the way they talk about pushing your kid too hard, the pain of spending time apart, fear of the future, and the tyranny of expectations. Jay explores the dichotomy between loving fatherhood and wishing he could trade it for pure friendship with Charlie. Charlie shares the ir...

Lisa Kudrow helped introduce Jay to his wife Brown Mandell, and now 27 year later they are all trying to make sense of it. Brown has issues with Jay. Jay has issues with Brown and Lisa understands them both even when neither is making sense. Tune in to marriage miscommunication on this week’s DBAWJK!Bio: Lisa Kudrow. She was on Friends. Full bio online somewhere. Brown Kogen is the mom of a handso...

The great writer/actor/food & travel show host, Phil Rosenthal talks Jay down from feeling bad about undeserved success. Phil claims dumb luck is part of the game. They also talk about good times, Jack Benny, spoiled kids, great show-running, enjoying life, being able to connect with people no matter what. Bio:Phil Rosenthal is the award-winning creator, executive producer, and host of “Somebody F...

In one of our first recordings, Actor, writer, director, and all around mensh, Greg Grunberg helps Jay settle in on what podcasting is and how it might help get people (and especially kids) more connected in their ever increasingly isolated life. And if we can’t fix that, then maybe, just maybe, we can sell them stuff. Bio: Actor/Producer and epilepsy advocate Greg Grunberg has been an actor in TV...

Character actor extraordinaire, Richard Kind, talks about having the authenticity and self confidence to speak his mind and get away with it. He says having a healthy ego and approaching the world with joy give him permission to say just about anything. And how that confidence goes into his landing acting jobs and parenting his children. We also talk about the loss of Matthew Perry and the horror...

Comedy hero and one of Jay’s best friends helps Jay work though the deep mysteries of friendship, UFO’s, their failed hit movie “The Wrong Guy” and how to stay pals for 30 years. Bio: Dave Foley rose to fame as “the cute” member of the revered sketch group, “Kids In The Hall”. He went on to star in “News Radio” and dozens of movies and TV shows, He’s also the co-writer and star of the cult darling...

Dana talks to Jay about the ego death of change. You think you’re something and then you’re not. He talks about aging, dadding, growing comfortable with being who is and being damn lucky to be that. Bio: Dana Gould began his professional comedy career at the age of seventeen with six solo stand-up comedy specials and done all talk shows from LETTERMAN to CONAN. As an actor, Dana has had memorable...

The brilliant Kevin Pollak forgives Jay for being late, talks about poker, growing up in San Francisco, becoming Don Rickles’ buddy, the loss of Matthew Perry, inventing podcasts and only does one Shatner impression on this week’s “Don’t Be Alone with Jay Kogen.”Bio:Kevin Pollak is an world class actor, respected comedian, delightful impressionist and one of the original podcast hosts. He’s appear...

Josh talks about acting, podcasting, being proudly Jewish without being sure about being Jewish and about not being afraid to tell his friends he loves them. Bio:Joshua Malina is an American film and stage actor (and writer) known for playing Will Bailey on the The West Wing, Jeremy Goodwin on Sports Night, US Attorney General David Rosen on Scandal, and Caltech President Siebert on The Big Bang T...

Comic, author, producer, Wayne Federman discusses if there’s an expiration date to being funny. Are you stuck in your generation or can you speak to a broader audience? That, plus what underwear to sport when shouting “Get off my lawn!” at passing children. Bio: Wayne Federman is a stand-up comic, actor, author, cultural historian, and producer. Wayne received a 2022 Emmy Award for producing the H...

Jay is completely enthralled with the depth of comedian/writer/actor, Pete Holmes, talks about religion, philosophy, keeping your artistic standards high, staying good while being human, the joy of seeing his daughter’s face, and making his new Netflix special not so “death-y”. Bio: Pete Holmes is one of the best standup comics around. He’s the creator and star of HBO's Crashing (produced by Judd...

Singer-songwriter Aimee Mann explains creativity, writing musicals, knowing how to pick a good writing partner and how Jay should weather the crumbling TV streaming world. Just become a critically acclaimed voice of a generation. Easy peasy. Bio: Aimee Mann is a Grammy- and Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter. Mann fronted the band 'Til Tuesday with their mega hit, “Voices Carry” then went solo maki...