Storytelling Saga

Ali discusses the witty, heartfelt, yet unfortunately short-lived series, Selfie,  created by Emily Kapnek. She shares funny lines and heartwarming moments from each episode while referring to the show's timely commentary on the pitfalls of social media obsession.

Ali shares her top 10 favorite television theme songs.

Ali discusses S. E. Hinton's powerful coming-of-age novel, The   Outsiders . She reads passages and talks about important character moments as well as the significance of the novel's famous quote, "Stay gold, Ponyboy."

Ali interviews Seventeen Snapchat Editor and author of Hey Arnold! Guide to Relationships,  Stacey Grant. Stacey shares about her career path, favorite articles she's written and people she's interviewed, her thoughts on reboots, favorite Nickelodeon shows and much more.

Ali discusses Pixar's 22 Rules of Storytelling compiled by former Pixar storyboard artist, Emma Coats, drawing examples from different Pixar films along the way.

Ali shares a new short story she wrote called "A for Abigail."

Ali discusses the a cappella comedy movie, Pitch Perfect,  written by Kay Cannon, sharing her favorite lines and highlighting the positive message of this feel-good film.

Ali interviews music director, Casey Reed. He talks about his experience working on various projects, favorite composers and Broadway musicals, the importance of music in storytelling, tips for aspiring professional musicians and much more. Plus, an impromptu discussion about favorite Nicktoon composers.

Ali counts down her favorite books from early childhood, including The Cat in the Hat, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon  and more.

Ali discusses the famous novella by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol.  She reads passages and talks about how its timeless message warrants its many adaptations.

Ali discusses the first original animated Peanuts special,  A Charlie Brown Christmas, written by Charles Schulz. She shares some interesting facts about the special and cites all the moments that make it so iconic.

Ali discusses the animated Christmas special based on the book of the same name, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  She shares her favorite moments and cites some lyrics from the classic song, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch."

Ali discusses the beloved Christmas comedy film, Elf,  sharing her favorite quotes and a few fun facts along the way while emphasizing the joyful spirit that makes this a fun movie to enjoy all year round.

Ali interviews Emmy award-winning showrunner, writer and producer, Jerry Perzigian, who's worked on many classic sitcoms including The Jeffersons, The Golden Girls, Frasier, Married... with Children and more. Jerry shares how he got his start in the industry, his most rewarding moments in his career, his thoughts on the current age of television, his advice for aspiring TV comedy writers and much...

Ali discusses The Rugrats Movie,  the first theatrical film based on her all-time favorite childhood cartoon, Rugrats, created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó and Paul Germain. She reminisces about the hype leading up to the movie and her experience dancing to one of the songs from the soundtrack. She also shares her favorite quotes and talks about the emotional moments that still make her tear up a...

Ali discusses the post-apocalyptic comedy, The Last Man on Earth,  created by Will Forte. She recaps story arcs from each season while referencing the show's silly humor as well as its many dark moments.

Ali discusses the key foreshadowing moments in John Steinbeck's classic novella, Of Mice and Men.

Ali discusses the cult Nicktoon, Invader ZIM, created by Jhonen Vasquez. She talks about her favorite episodes, quotes and character interactions while sharing various behind-the-scenes facts she's learned about the series. She also expresses her excitement about the upcoming movie, Invader ZIM: Enter the Florpus , and she shares an Invader ZIM story she wrote called "Dodgeball of Doom."

Ali discusses the third original animated Peanuts special,  It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, written by Charles Schulz. She shares her favorite moments and touches on  Peanuts' influence in other works of animation.

Ali shares writing tips with a focus on key elements to crafting a story, including character, conflict, dialogue and more. She also talks about the classic rule of showing vs. telling, and she shares a few tips on how to combat writer's block.

Ali discusses the short story, "Sea Oak," written by George Saunders, citing various excerpts and the important message surrounded by its disturbing content.

Ali discusses the movie,  Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey, sharing memorable lines and highlighting its noteworthy messages along the way.

Ali discusses the adult animated Netflix series, BoJack Horseman, created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. She talks about why it's one of her all-time favorite shows, citing its many innovative storytelling devices, favorite running gags, lines that make her laugh, moments that make her cry, pivotal themes and much more. Afterward, she shares a BoJack Horseman story she wrote called "Temporarily Forget."

Ali discusses The Perks of Being a Wallflower,  the acclaimed epistolary novel by Stephen Chbosky. She cites various quotes that resonate with her, compares the novel to its movie adaptation and talks about the qualities she admires most about the main character, Charlie.

Ali shares a short story she wrote called "The Light."