The Well

THE WELL becomes the morning zoo as Doug Jones tells us a little more about his acting career without a mask and Branan tells a story about his first and last gig as a monster maker in Morocco! Plus, competitive sheep herding with David Lee Roth for some reason. Aaaaaahayaaaeah!!!

Actor Doug Jones talks about how it feels to be the muse for our culture’s most influential monster maker, Guillermo del Toro. Music in this week’s episode: The Cemetery by Sinqlogue provided via a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution license . Worky Worky by Andy G. Cohen provided via a Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution license . Tennessee Hayride by Jason Shaw provided via a Creative Comm...

Doug Jones envisioned an acting career playing the wacky neighbor in sitcoms, but his career had other plans. In this episode Doug shares war stories from his life as a creature performer, including an incident where he accidently maimed fellow actor Randy Quaid.  Music for this episode: Workdaze by Nctmm provided via a Creative Commons 4.0 license . Piscoid by Andy G. Cohen provided via a Creativ...

Anson and Branan share their own near-death stories.

Ethan was afraid to live his life until he almost lost it.

The first of four Star Trek episodes, Ethan Peck shares with us the story of auditioning for one of the most iconic characters in film and television history, and how he overcame his own misgivings. When the shoes look way too big, we think only of feet.

Anson and Branan each share a story about an awkward brush with fame.

What would you think if someone told you that you were about to meet your idol? How would you prepare? What would you wear? What would you say? Illeana shares a hilarious and heartwarming story about finding herself in exactly this situation when, one day, she realized she would be meeting Marlon Brando. And Branan shares a story about his own (rather embarrassing) brush with fame.

Illeana Douglas wasn’t always a movie star, but her life has always been strangely intertwined with the American cinema. In fact, long before she knew she wanted to act, her life was forever changed when her parents saw the 1969’s indie “Easy Rider” and decided it was time to become hippies. Join us as we hear Illeana explain how her conservative, Connecticut childhood was...

Mac knew he wanted to be a children’s book author. But how does one go about that? Join us to find out how Mac carved his way through a conventional education in an unconventional way, studied life and art with literary giant David Foster Wallace, and managed to land his first book deal.

As a child, Mac desperately wanted to believe that there was a magical world in which anything was possible. Later, when he began working with children, he began to realize that world was real, and that he could help to shape it. Join us as we venture deep into the heart of The Chocolate Factory.

Branan shares a story of guilt and conscience from his own family history. And it’s a doozy. Extra music for this episode was provided by Jason Shaw under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution license . To hear the track “Hoedown” go here .

In 2002, Xzibit was offered a role in a movie which he accepted. And then reality hit: he wasn’t an actor. Yet. Join us for this short, but entertaining story of how Alvin Joiner made the transition from rapping to acting.

When Alvin Joiner was sixteen, he lost his home, his family, and his direction in life. Eventually, after living a life of violence and anger, he decided to make a change. But his past would come back to haunt him in a strange but familiar voice, the one that had been implanted in him by his long deceased mother: his conscience.

Most writers will tell you that their most useful weapon is self-discipline. During our interview with Todd Komarnicki, he shared with us a useful insight into this concept. All that, and take a hike with Branan and Anson as they try to uncover the whereabouts of missing beavers!

Todd produced what has become one of the seminal Christmas movies of all time: “Elf”. Join us as Todd unveils the little-known cookies hidden inside his film that allude to many other holiday classics, and why Christmas movies have to power to make us laugh, cry and hug.

Writer/Producer Todd Komarnicki is a man of profound love and profound faith. Both have served his pursuits as an artist. Join Anson & Branan as they venture deep into a Christmas story that took them over a year to unearth: how Todd once lost his faith, and in-so-doing, almost lost his life. Happy holidays to one and all.

We’re back!  Anson and Branan give an update about the upcoming Season 2 and Branan shares a story of gross bodily injury. 

Anson and Branan recap the first season of The Well Podcast and talk about plans for season 2.  Also, Anson talks about filming “Star Trek: Discovery” and what it’s like to join the larger Star Trek family.  Oh… Anson Branan his a tree with his truck.  Enjoy, and don’t forget to sign up for our mailing list on our website.  We’ll be sending u...

Playfulness is it at the heart of the creative process and it can take many surprising forms. Lou Barlow has been playing with his sound, his process and his ideas since he was a kid. In this episode of THE WELL we look at the importance of staying loose and indulging in play. Music from this episode in order of appearance: Up From the Well You Fell Down the Stairs Mr. Genius Eyes I Feel Good Insi...

Lou Barlow is one of our generations most unique and prolific singer songwriters. In this episode he reflects upon his resistance to identity as a songwriter and performer. He shares what drives him as a writer and how it feels after 20 years to be playing with J Mascis in Dinosaur Jr again. To see the last known photo of Ray, the Day Kitty, go here . Music from this episode in order of appearance...

Lou Barlow’s creative output goes by many names, Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr., Folk Implosion, Sentridoh, and Loobiecore. Throughout his career he’s carved out a niche for himself as a the unofficial godfather of low-fi folk music and/or emo. For some he is the Bob Dylan of the alternative music scene; uninhibited, brutally honest, sensitive and a touch avant garde.  Our own Branan Edgens has been a...

Ward may have invented the pinscreen, but just because someone made something doesn’t someone else won’t be happy to take all the credit.  This is the story of an inventor and his imposter, and how one man had to fight off a swarm of people looking to profit off of his life’s work.  Enjoy. Additional music for this episode was provided by Podington Bear under a Creative...

Artist and inventor Ward Fleming invented one of the most famous and lucrative toys of the last fifty years.  But it was only one step in a personal research project that has spanned the majority of Ward’s life, with implications that extend deep into molecular activity and even deep into the heart of Jupiter.  Enjoy! Extra music for this episode was provided by Podington Bear unde...

We normally bring you stories of creative inspiration, but this week we have two stories of creative stupidity, courtesy of our own Branan Edgens. Co-host Anson Mount asks Branan to expound upon how his pursuits of genius rarely mix well with electricity. And then… THE SQUIRREL STORY!!! Additional music for this episode was provided by Jason Shaw under a Creative Commons Attribution license...