In this episode Catie Lazarus talks to Obama’s former Deputy Chief of Staff  of Operations Alyssa Mastromonaco and comedy writer Peter Grosz.

In this episode Catie Lazarus talks to acclaimed actor, writer, and director Tim Blake Nelson and singer songwriter Jill Sobule. 

Adam Gopnik has held many dream jobs, all in the same office. After almost forty years (and counting) at The New Yorker, Gopnik has served as a food, art, and music critic, and he’s written his own novels, children’s books, musicals, and solo shows. His latest (and first) political book A Thousand Small Sanities delves into how liberals can save Democracy. In this interview Gopnik talks to Catie Lazarus about the infighting between liberals and progressives, his upcoming solo show at The Red Bull Theater, and the incalculable torment of sibling rivalry.                                                                                                Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Theme song by Lady Rizo.

After making her stand-up debut in Washington, D.C., Aparna Nancherla quickly became a comedy darling in Los Angeles and New York, writing for FX’s Totally Biased with Kamau Bell and Late Night with Seth Meyers. She also became a welcome fixture in New York’s competitive stand-up scene thanks to her smart and self-aware one-liners. When she opened up about her own anxiety and depression, more fans flocked. As a writer and actor, she has worked on HBO’s Crashing, Comedy’s Central’s Corporate, and Netflix’s Bo-Jack Horseman. Now she’s eager to explore new terrain in her next stand-up special but worries what fans and Hollywood will think. In her conversation with Catie Lazarus, Nancherla talks about the solitary nature of stand up and writing, the toll it takes to regularly joke about anxiety, and how to say no to too much work. 

Adrienne Truscott reveals what comedians mean by “funny is funny.” Her debut solo show transformed #MeToo, #TimesUp and still manages to be hilarious, as she proves just how funny feminsists can be. Plus, Pamela Adlon’s Better Things on FX starts up again, while Orange is the New Black reaches its final season. What do they share in common? Actor Alysia Reiner. The actor speaks about the two hit series and her film EGG, which co-stars Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks, and cracks into motherhood and work from a fresh, fun, and smart angle. 

With Fever Pitch, About a Boy and High Fidelity, Nick Hornby created a niche penning romantic comedies from the male perspective and launching the crush worthy careers of Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Jon Cusack on both sides of the pond. Then he went on to prove that he can deftly embody a female lens with the box office hits Wild and Brooklyn and the critically acclaimed Education. Now, Hornby has teamed up with Stephen Frears to tackle marriage from both male and female perspective in their new TV series State of the Union, which stars Rosamund Pike and Chris O’Dowd. In the interview, Hornby discusses the new project, whether philanthropy is harder to pull off in the US than in England, and how Brexit will be the end of everything. He also talks about what he gets out of doing philanthropy and why it is easier to get honest feedback in the film industry than publishing books. 

Timing is how the ever so humble Lisa Kron explains how she revolutionized theater, first with Well, and then with Fun Home. Both of these plays went to Broadway and re-invented how we think about what qualifies as a “Broadway show.” Since Donald Trump was elected, Kron has become involved in activism. She discovered that protests require better chants, and what the right sound can offer. Then, Catie Lazarus speaks with Director Desiree Akhavan about shooting sex scenes in The Miseducation of Cameron Post, which debuted at Sundance last year and won the Grand Jury Prize. Akhavan’s latest television series The Bisexual is available on Hulu, and she is currently working on her first book. This episode of Employee of Month with Catie Lazarus was recorded live at Sundance Film Festival. Thanks to Russ & Daughters for sponsoring this episode.  

Three-time Employee of the Month winner, Reggie Watts, returns to discuss his latest, greatest project Runnin’, which expands the cathartically original, prolific, and mischievously wry comedian, musician, and dancer’s oeuvre. Catie Lazarus spoke with Watts about burn out, why he can’t quit his night job, and his recent foray into VR with Runnin’, which premiered at Sundance. The Film Festival is known for launching acting and directing careers, and given the breadth of VR experiences on display as part of their New Fontiers Exhibits, Sundance is proving equally deft at debuting inventive interactive and immersive technology. Watts teamed up with the remarkable producer and director Kira Benzing, and the delightful composer John Tejada, so that you can strap on the clunky goggles and dance like no one is watching. We spoke about the process of creating a virtual dance party - the first of its kind - and how Watts thinks it will enhance empathy. Runnin’ certainly offers the escapist fun of tripping without a hangover, and will delight fans of all ages.   

Utkarsh Ambudkar didn’t give away his shot when he turned down Hamilton. The rapper and star of Brittany Runs a Marathon, who currently can be seen in Freestyle Love Supreme’s sold out off-Broadway run, talks about how Hollywood is finally casting more men of color as romantic leads. Ambudkar is joined by Mindy Project alum and director Nisha Ganatra, who spoke with Catie Lazarus about what role a Vedic astrologer played in her meteoric rise. Ganatra and Mindy Kaling’s feature film Late Night sold for $13 million to Amazon at Sundance and Ganatra, who is Indian American and gay, is transparent about how Jill Soloway helped her pave her way. After Ganatra and Ambudkar rap with Catie Lazarus about resilience to rejection, Ambudkar freestyles with DJ J. Period. This episode of Employee of Month with Catie Lazarus was recorded live at Sundance Film Festival. 

After Kevin Allison broke into comedy on the cult classic sketch show MTV’s The State; he struggled for years, until he risked everything and shared stories from his life. Since then he has helped thousands of people tell their tales as host of the hit podcast and live storytelling show RISK! Then Catie Lazarus sits down with her Employee of the Month co-host, beatboxer Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan, who shares how he melds music, hip-hop, and comedy. 

The Moth’s artistic director, Catherine Burns, talks to Catie Lazarus about grief at work and what makes the perfect story. Then Lazarus chats with comedian Jo Firestone about writing for other comedians like Jimmy Fallon, Joe Pera, and Chris Gethard, and for her own shows. 

Ezra Klein, co-founder of Vox and host of the podcast “The Ezra Klein Show,” talks to Catie Lazarus about tribalism, fan fiction to the data on dry humping. Plus, after leaving Saturday Night Live, Sasheer Zamata’s stand up career continues to flourish, from her special Pizza Mind to performing with Nicole Byer, and how she and Amy Schumer met. Zamata is not just a writer, actor and stand-up. The superstar joins FreeStyle Love Supreme’s Chris “Shockwave” Sullivan, Andrew “Jelly D. Bancroft” and Arthur Lewis for some freestyle karaoke, before leaving New York for Los Angeles. This special episode of Employee of the Month with Catie Lazarus was part of Bentzen Ball’s DC Comedy Festival at The Kennedy Center.

Kicking off 2019 with NPR’s “Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!” host, Peter Sagal. Sagal got his start with screenwriting, penning Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. Writing the sequel to Dirty Dancing was a natural transition to hosting a public radio show. Sagal talks to Catie Lazarus about how he wound up hosting National Public Radio’s most popular show, his new book “The Incomplete Book of Running”, and why to get off the grid. 

As 2018 comes to a close, Catie Lazarus shares a super duper special episode of Employee of the Month, which was recorded live at Largo in Los Angeles with comedians and Employee of the Month winners Patton Oswalt and Tig Notaro. You can catch Patton Oswalt’s most recent comedy special ANNIHILATION on Netflix, as the prolific stand up, actor and writer is currently balancing multiple writing projects and prepping for his next special. Oswalt talks to Catie Lazarus about the three challenges he faces in writing, especially for heroes. He also shares his experience as a fan to being in the film BIG FAN. Plus Lazarus speaks with Tig Notaro, whose stand-up special HAPPY TO BE HEAR is also on Netflix. She reveals  how she dealt with being fired and letting someone go on her own TV series ONE MISSISSIPPI to pitching her upcoming film FIRST LADIES to co-star Jennifer Aniston. Oswalt and Notaro also share how in the aftermath of grief, they found love and began new chapters in their lives. Here is hoping our country, if not world, can make a similar leap. 

Podcast production by Phil Surkis. 

Theme song by Lady Rizo.

On this episode of Employee of the Month, Catie Lazarus interviews and honors comedians Wyatt Cenac and Negin Farsad. It is possible to be funny and make a difference as they both reveal. Cenac currently hosts HBO’s Problem Areas, which is the only political comedy show to consistently shed light on activists to policy wonks and how we can better deal with issues like prison reform to homelessness. He also talks about leaving The Daily Show and  mentor Colin Quinn at SNL. Negin Farsad who is the author of Hoe to Make White People Laugh and host of the podcast Fake the Nation on Earwolf shares how she dealt with death threats to the beauty of “blackout boning.”

Podcast production by Phil Surkis. Theme song by Lady Rizo.

As suicide rate rises amongst the military, Republicans are slashing government funding for mental health care. So, when military struggling with PTSD wanted to stage a performance to help cope with PTSD, Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright volunteered to direct them. HBO’s riveting new documentary We are Not Done Yet chronicles their process and how the military trains artists. The Tony and Emmy winner also shares his love for Jack Daniels and how he guarded Brett Kavanaugh in football.

Plus, Lazarus speaks with Brian Lehrer, the Peabody winning and duly beloved host of WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show, who embodies Lao Tzu's philosophy that, "The best leaders are those the people hardly know exist." But is he a Yankee or a Mets fan? Catie Lazarus, with help from Mike Pesca, tests Lehrer’s baseball trivia and his hairy past. 

Catie Lazarus, Hannibal Buress and Marina Franklin, talk about sex, stand up, consensual sex, podcasting, code-switching and Chicago and New York’s comedy scenes. Buress reveals his secret to acting and Marina reveals how Amy Schumer inspired her to come into her own. 

Emily Mortimer, star of Mary Poppins Returns and Lovely & Amazing, talks to Catie Lazarus about merkins, The Sex Pistols, work wife Dolly Wells and babysitter/husband Alessandro Nivola. Dolly Wells, best known for Bridget Jones Diary and HBO’s Doll and Em, offer a sneak peak of what they’re working on next.

Catie Lazarus talks with Emmy Award winner Chris Jackson, best known for originating the role of George Washington in Hamilton. He was also a lead in In The Heights and composed music for Sesame Street penning the music for a Will.I.Am hit “What I Am,” which is addictive, no matter how old you are.  

Plus, Catie sits down in the studio with CUNY Professor and Poet Celina Su to discuss how to avoid burnout as a political activist, refugees, and prose. 

Catie Lazarus talks with comedian Fred Armisen who did prank videos before Youtube, which launched his career, beginning with Saturday Night Live and later on IFC’s Portlandia and Documentary Now!. His latest series is Amazon Prime’s  Forever, in which he co-stars with Employee of the Month alumna Maya Rudolph. Then Catie chats with comedian and author of American Tantrum Anthony Atamanuik on what it takes to have compassion for Donald Trump. 

Once a muse for Calvin Klein, actor Martha Plimpton had ample training before becoming a role model to destigmatizes abortion. Today, Plimpton, who continues to be a prolific actor on and off Broadway, as well as in hit TV shows like The Black List, Younger, and Raising Hope, works with A Is For. A breadwinner from a young age, Plimpton talks to Catie Lazarus about how she coped with burnout. Then Lazarus speaks with National Book Award-winner and New Yorker columnist Masha Gessen about inviting yourself to the table when an invitation does not emerge. She shares the cost of intergenerational trauma, Putin’s war on journalists, and how writing became her night job.  

Between ensuring Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen's global tours are as magnetic off-Broadway as they are on it, to scoring feature films, musical maestro Alex Lacamoire’s schedule is relentless. The 43-year-old Cuban-American hasn't stopped making music since he began dazzling audiences at piano recitals at age four. But much like Alexander Hamilton, Lacamoire struggled. The prolific polymath reveals to Catie Lazarus how he grapples with his own hearing impairment to the harsh reality of breaking into Hollywood, even as a Grammy, Tony, Olivier and Employee of the Month winner. Plus, The Resistance Revival Chorus explains why joy is an act of resistance.

Want a second or third jolt of joy? Hit up Employee of the Month's Youtube page to see The Resistance Revival Chorus  and Alex Lacamoire, who performed an impromptu medley of idol Billy Joel's hits.

New episodes coming fall 2018, now from Slate Magazine. 

REBECCA TRAISTER reveals the price of elitism within journalism and publishing, and how it decides who and what gets published. Today, most journalists, writer and reporters earn less than minimum wage which determines who can afford to do this critical job. Now, she is one of New York Magazine's star columnists and talking head on Real Time with Bill Maher, but she got her start as a reporter. Her experience shows. Her self-awareness and research contextualizes the nuances of sexism, racism, and elitism. She didn't rise the ranks alone. She talks to Catie Lazarus on Employee of the Month about what her mentors, including the late great editor of The New York Observer Peter Kaplan and Billboard's Frank DiGiacomo did. She touches on why The New York Observer crumbled under Jared Kushner and how her views of Hilary Clinton changed in covering her for her first book, BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY. Her second book ALL THE SINGLE LADIES was also a New York Times best seller. Traister is working on a third about women and anger. To find out more about Employee of the Month, go to www.employeeofthemonthshow.com or follow host Catie Lazarus @catielazarus on Twitter.

Sexual assault, sexism and harassment in the work place is getting its due in the news, but in ACTUALLY, currently on Broadway at the Manhattan Theater Club, playwright Anna Ziegler examines whether colleges are any more objective than our criminal system. It is nearly impossible for women of all races seeking justice for rape and sexual harassment in our criminal system. Men of color are also considered "guilty until proven innocent." What happens when these two issues collide? And on a college campus? Ziegler speaks about the challenges of judging these cases to her big break, which she credits to Nicole Kidman starring in the West End Production of Ziegler's beloved PHOTOGRAPH 51. Ziegler's works often touch on loneliness, love, and, most recently, ambition, which she deftly tackles in THE LAST MATCH, which is also currently on Broadway. Loosely based on tennis stars Roger Federer and Novak Djokic The Last Match is a "must see" at The Roundabout Theater Company. We also spoke about writing a television series for HBO, based on ACTUALLY, and another for AMC/Sundance. If you can't make it to any of the numbers regional, national and Broadway productions of her nine plays, well, Oberon Books published the first collection of her works Anna Ziegler: Plays One.

After getting her start as a PA for Woody Allen, director and writer Nicole Holofcener gave stars like Jennifer Aniston in FRIENDS WITH MONEY, Julia Louis Dreyfus in ENOUGH SAID, Jake Gyllenhaal and Catherine Keener in LOVELY & AMAZING their meatiest, roles. With her new Netflix film THE LAND of STEADY HABITS, starring Ben Mendelsohn, Edie Falco, Elizabeth Marvel, and Thomas Mann, Holofcener will focus for first time from the perspective of a male protagonist. On this episode off Employee of the Month, Catie Lazarus talks to Holofcener about her about being labeled a female director versus a director, rejecting actors, being rejected, and aging, and directing Yoplait ads to TV shows like Amazon's ONE MISSISSIPPI with Tig Notaro so she can do her own iconic, feature films.

EMPLOYEE of the MONTH is a talk (and awards) show about what it truly means to have a dreamy job. CATIE LAZARUS, who created and hosts Employee of the Month, only selects good eggs for the prestigious EMPLOYEE of the MONTH award, so no wonder she picked Steven Wright. He is utterly hilarious, thoroughly original, and hope you will enjoy our interview. You're welcome. PS Please excuse the AMAZING sound quality. Can't do anything about my voice, but you can donate if you want to help us improve the actual recording quality. No donation too big or too small. www.employeeofthemonthshow.com

There are actors who anoint themselves activists, without considering that most activists don't suddenly claim they are actors, simply because they bought movie tickets. That said, there are consummate professionals, like Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award winner CYNTHIA NIXON, who will consciously support causes. Nixon has her plate full with upcoming films, like LIFE ITSELF, JAMES WHITE, and STOKHOLM, PENNSYLVNIA; directing a one woman show, and prepping to play Emily Dickinson, among other gigs, but she is passionate about certain causes. We spoke about how she chooses what she gets involved with and what it means to be an activist. Cynthia also weighs in on the challenges of breaking into Hollywood, when you aren't a blonde Barbie doll or white bread beefcake, as well as the hard part of turning down roles when you finally get enough traction as an actor to enable other voices to be heard.

Peeno Noir is Expanding! Actor Tituss Burgess’s real wine company Pinot Noir, inspired by his Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s character viral music video, will unveil a new wine for Pride Week and a rosé. Whether your celebrating the LGBTQ or can’t get enough of the nimble actor and deliriously delightful singer, you’ll feel better about splurging on Pinot Noir after seeing how Burgess does in a blind taste test. Catie Lazarus, host of Employee of the Month, wanted to see if the 37 years old, Georgia native really knows his wine. A consummate performer, Burgess was game. His honesty and humility, as much as his humor, makes their interview a must listen. “Sometimes on Broadway, you have an inflated budget to do what is essentially a community theater production,” Burgess explains with refreshing candor. Without missing a beat, he flashes a mischievous grin. As he acknowledges the bad and the ugly about working in theater, he never forgets the good. Burgess points out how intoxicating Broadway and television, at their best, can be as he tips his proverbial hat to the legendary Patti LuPone and fellow actor Jon Hamm, who are seated in the audience at Joe’s Pub, and will also be individually interviewed and honored on Employee of the Month’s season finale. Their interviews were recorded live at Joe’s Pub and will roll out over the next three weeks on Employee of the Month’s podcast. A performer herself, Lazarus talks to Burgess about the nitty-gritty of auditioning, and the two confess to being late for their 30 Rock Auditions. For Burgess, tardiness, he says, worked in his favor, but it’s really his talent which led Tina Fey took a risk in casting a relatively unknown bit player in a recurring role as D’Fwan in 30 Rock. Burgess batted it out of the park, but she may have developed a role for him in the break out comedy hit on Netflix because he is clearly also a joy to be around. He also displayed depth, as he spoke openly about the role faith and spirituality play and the challenges of homophobia growing up as a gay, black, devout Christian. It’s not just Lazarus and the audience who are having fun, as Burgess thanks Lazarus and says, “this is one the greatest night of my life.” Check out her upcoming interviews with Jon Hamm and Patti LuPone, the latter of which features Burgess and LuPone singing impromptu Meadowlark, composed by Stephen Schwartz, to hear why. Can't get enough? Follow @CatieLazarus and @TitussBurgess, you can check out Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix, to enjoy his many wines, got to www.pbtbwine.com, and to find out more about Employee of the Month, check out www.employeeofthemonthshow.com

I selfishly don't want Zadie Smith to quit her day job, but the famed novelist could easily moonlight as a singer. The author of the critically acclaimed, best-selling novels White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty, NW, and, most recently, Swing Time shared her insight on plagiarism, plots, outlines, and publishing. A regular contributor to The New Yorker and The New York Review of Books, she has written about everything from Brexit to Key & Peele to her late father. She once flirted with being a cabaret singer, and once you hear our interview, which was recorded live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, you'll know why. It was a pleasure and privilege to speak with Zadie about publishing, awards, critics, and to hear her and Lady Rizo sing "Lady and the Tramp."

This October marks Al Jaffee reign as Mad Magazine’s longest running contributor, clocking in 59 years and over 479 issues. Since 1952, the comic book turned magazine infused a childish silliness with biting political depth and orignal artwork. By engaging readers to add their own “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions,” and even mangling the magazine to solve the “Fold-In” picture riddle, Mad was one of the first enterprises to treat consumers as co-conspirators. The result was an entirely new forum for humor in an era when few questioned whether father really knows best. It’s allure for children and teenagers simultaneously fueled outrage from the FBI to Congress the collective imaginations of future comedy writers and cartoonists. Writers behind The Simpsons, The Daily Show, The Onion, and The Colbert Report credit Mad Magazine for inspiring them. The sheer joy Jaffee’s work provides fans offers to fans is inverse proportion to what he and his three brothers experienced growing up. In his biography Al Jaffee’s Mad Life, co-authored by Mary-Lou Weissman, Jaffee details how his father, who enjoyed drawing, turned his four sons, especially his eldest two, Al (nee Abraham) and Harry, onto the funny pages. When Al’s mother uprooted the boys from their stable homelife in Savannah, Georgia to spend six impoverished, hungry years in Zarsai, Lithuania, Al lived for packages his father sent of newspaper clippings of the “funny pages.” While his father managed to get his then abused and neglected boys back to the States, Al’s mother moved them again to a Jewish ghetto in Lithuania. Their father father managed to get the boys out narrowly avoiding the Nazi takeover, although their mother didn’t make it to the train station on time to say goodbye. It was the last time, Jaffee saw his mother, who perished in the Holocaust. An artist through and through, cartooning became a refuge. Al was so gifted that when he landed in the Bronx, his teacher recommended him to attend the first class of High School and Music & Art, which the then Mayor LaGuardia had just created. There Jaffee met his future partners-in-crime Will Eder, Harvey Kurtzman, John Severin, and Al Feldstein and gained classical drawing skills. Cartooning wasn’t part of the curriculum or even respected, although it didn’t stop Jaffee from doodling. Luckily, between the admiration he garnered from classmates, teachers, and an advertisement for Flit cigarettes drawn by Theodore Geisel, Jaffee decided to make a go of cartooning. As you will hear in our interview, Jaffee is first and foremost a mensch.

DAVEED DIGGS, a rapper, actor, and now Broadway star in Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton, stopped by Employee of the Month at Joe's Pub to reveal why Diggs hated working at Pier 1. You'll get to hear him freestyle rapwith Jelly D. and Shockwave, who are both the MC's for Employee of the Month Show's house band, and bandmates of Daveed's in Freestyle Love Supreme. In this episode, which was taped live, you will also here Jelly D. and Daveed rap and Shockwave beatbox the Employee of the Month rap up as I give out awards to all of my guests from the live taping in May 2015 at Joe's Pub. To hear my conversations with those guests, The New York Times columnist Nick Kristof, Emmy nominee Anna Chlumsky, and soul singer Lee Fields, as well as Lee Fields singing, subscribe to Employee of the Month's podcast. This is part 1 of a two part interview with Daveed, who plays Jefferson and Lafayette in Hamilton on Broadway. Once you hear our interview, you'll know why he had enough swagger, drive, and talent to take on a starring role, even though it's his first Broadway show.

An Emmy, Grammy, Tony, Pulitzer and Employee of the Month winning composer, actor, writer, and hip-hop super star performer, Lin-Manuel Miranda can currently be seen performing in Marry Poppins. He spoke with Catie Lazarus about creating political commercials for Hillary Clinton to Elliot Spitzer, collaborating with Stephen Sondheim on West Side Story, and playing bar-mitzvahs before In the Heights and Hamilton made him a global sensation. Hamilton Mix tapes premiered off-off-Broadway at The White House, and led to the least known Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, finding his place in the pantheon of complex, prolific leaders. No other musical has done what Hamilton has. Miranda's riveting, utterly unique masterpiece brought together Republicans and Democrats, toddlers and elderly, wealthy and working class, and hip-hop devotees and musical theater junkies.

If you looked up the phrase "comic's comic," Wayne Federman's name should appear. For decades after the late great Gary Shandling cast Wayne as his brother in Larry Sanders Show, Shandling remained close friends with Wayne. While Federman is presently touring with Judd Apatow and has done so with Jimmy Fallon, and writes for both comics as well, he has started to compose theme music. After appearing in and on over fifty hit movies and television shows, including Legally Blonde, Knocked Up, X-Files, and The New Girl, Federman had no idea he'd become the composer for the new Employee of the Month's theme song! Dreams, you never dared to dream, can come true. Even though Wayne has worked throughout his career, we spoke about the uncertainty that befalls any artist. For more about Employee of the Month, go to www.employeeofthemonthshow.com and follow host @catielazarus on Twitter. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte(https://robkschulte.com)

"Bobcat Goldthwait came to the show with the same fear I did," On this episode of Employee of the Month, comedian Kevin McDonald shares what it is like to be judged both about how you write about your life and lived it. We spoke about his one man show as well as the love of being part of a group and loneliness of no longer being one of the cool kids. In their twenties, Kevin McDonalds and Dave Foley, darlings of the sketch comedy world, described themselves as "punk rock," as Kids in the Hall, which began in Canada, became one of the first sketch comedy shows on Comedy Central and HBO and now working with a protege Trevor Moore from the sketch group The Whitest Kids You Know. We spoke about Kevin's relationships with Mike Meyers, Jerry Seinfeld, and Dom Deluise. Kids in the Hall still performs. Kevin also hosts his own podcast Kevin McDonald's Kevin McDonald Show, and appears in films and TV shows, including Sorry for Your Loss with Justin Bartha and FX's Man Seeking Woman by fellow Employee of the Month alum Simon Rich. Enjoy our episode and check out our episode with Simon Rich as well. For more about Employee of the Month, go to www.employeeofthemonthshow.com and follow host @catielazarus on Twitter.

Best known for HBO's iconic Sex-And-The-City, CBS's Two Broke Girls and HBO's The Comeback with Lisa Kudrow Michael Patrick King talks about being Catholic to how Hollywood's corporate maze is more like feudal system, and his new show with cabaret star and Employee of the Month alumni Bridget Everett, of Inside Amy Schumer fame. If you have ever wanted to work in Hollywood, listen to Michael Patrick King as he reveals the discipline, passion, and politics of the entertainment industry. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte(https://robkschulte.com)

Seth Herzog became nationally known for his wry one liners on Vh1's Best Week Ever. He spoke to Catie Lazarus about what he discovered at camp Stagedoor Manor to Zog's Place to acting in New York City with Ethan Hawke, Live Schrieber, Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain. Herzog's early jobs, including painting, performing as Wonder Woman, and his initial hesitation about being a warm-up comic for Jimmy Fallon, who he frequently tours with and often appears alongside of and writes for on The Tonight Show. Herzog's beloved comedy show Sweet is a must-see for comedy nerds. Find out more at (https://employeeofthemonthshow.com) This episode was produced by Rob Schulte (https://robkschulte.com)

The word multi-tasked doesn't begin to describe Shonali Bhowmik, who somehow juggles, law, music, and comedy. It would've been harder to grow up tone deaf in Nashville than Indian-American, and Shonali describes how progressive her immigrant parents were when raising Shonali and her sister Ruchi, who went on to serve as former Deputy Assistant to President Barack Obama. Shonali was no slouch either. She juggled law school while touring with her band ULTRABABYFAT. After opening for comedian David Cross, Sony came knocking with a record deal. She hadn't stopped practicing law, yet somehow added comedy to the mix. Shonali teamed up with Heather Lawless (Bob's Burgers), Chelsea Peretti (Brooklyn 911), and Andrea Rosen (Episodes, Stella) to create Variety SHAC. It was the first time female stand-ups came together to produce videos, host live shows at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and promote one another's work. In doing so, the foursome transformed the indie comedy scene. Today, Shonali also perform with The New Yorker illustrator Marcellus Hall, as part of Monkeys and Tigers, and co-host the podcast We Don't Even Know. For more great interviews check out employeeofthemonthshow.com or follow @CatieLazarus. It won't be weird.

If you didn't have a crush on Josh Lyman, you will after hearing the Emmy Award-winning star of West Wing sing. In our Employee of the Month interview, Bradley Whitford discusses starting out in theater to whether he gets the irony of his fabulous portrayal of well-meaning white liberal in Jordan Peele's hit horror film Get Out, as the actor would have voted for former President Barack Obama for a third term. Whitford tells a very funny story about Bill Clinton, why he finally did Law & Order, hates David Mamet and donates to his alma mater Wesleyan. We also speak about Transparent and, of course, Revenge of the Nerds II. -------- This episode was produced by Rob Schulte (https://robkschulte.com)

A beloved actor, Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe winner Edie Falco, will star in Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders. I spoke with her on Employee of the Month, about her marriage and off-screen relationship with James Gandolfini on The Sopranos, shifting priorities, and challenges single parents face. She talked about making money, her rise early on as an indie film queen after SUNY Purchase, and theater ticket prices. Edie mentions Brad, as in The West Wing's Bradley Whitford, as we discuss the pitfalls with certain acting teachers, MFA's and BFA's. The two co-star in a new film Megan Leavey, and you can hear my interview with him up next. Plus, Edie Falco and Stephen Wallem, Nurse Jacki alum, give a special surprise treat, you can't miss. For more great episodes, check out http://employeeofthemonth.com or follow @catielazarus

William Shakespeare shed light on humans’ hypocrisy, absurdity, and complexity with unparalleled acuity. It’s obvious why Keegan-Michael Key, who with his gifted partner-in-crime Jordan Peele, chartered new waters with their hilariously subversive sketch comedy series Key & Peele, has always felt an affinity for the bard. But it is a dream come true, one he'd spoken of for decades, for the Emmy and Peabody winning actor to be in Hamlet at The Public Theater in New York. Directed by Tony winner Sam Gold and starring Oscar Isaac as Hamlet, the three month run sold out as soon as tickets went on sale. In our Employee of the Month interview, we spoke about Keegan’s two-decade detour in comedy, his first film Hamtramck, improvising with President Barack Obama for The White House Correspondents Dinner, and how comedian Mike Birbiglia’s indie Don’t Think Twice proved the perfect segue for extending his already rich repertoire to more dramatic roles. Did I mention Keegan-Michael Key can sing? Oh, you’ll here him....

This week on Employee of the Month, I spoke between songs with indie darling Adrianne Lenker. In our interview, which was recorded live at Joe's Pub, the singer, guitarist and front woman of Big Thief performed the heralded Masterpiece and a new surprise from their second album Capacity. She also spoke about her early forays performing at open mic nights in Minnesota as a kid and the craft of storytelling. In addition to Lenker, Big Thief features her longtime partner Buck Meek (guitar) as well as Max Oleartchik (bass), and James Krivchenia (drums). On June 9th, their second album will be out on Saddle Creek. ------This episode was produced by Rob Schulte http://robkschulte.com

Priya Natarajan, a world-renowned theoretical astrophysicist, is making dark matter maps of clusters of galaxies, the largest known repositories of dark matter in the universe. Her accessible, fascinating book Mapping the Heavens: The Radical Scientific Ideas That Reveal the Cosmos (Yale University Press) chronicles her journey, as well as that of the field of astrophysics which has undergone astronomical changes in recent years. In our interview, which was recorded live at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, Natarajan revealed what it’s like to be an outsider in academia, and what it meant to her to watch Carl Sagan as a child, growing up in India. Find out more at http://employeeofthemonthshow.com -----This episode was produced by Rob Schulte http://robkschulte

John Roberts is a musician and comedian, who got his start when his hilarious Youtube videos inspired by his own mother went viral. He perfectly captured the spirit of his Italian, suburban, Catholic, New Jersey mom. His career as a comedian took off and he has toured doing comedy with Margaret Cho and gained national fame as the voice of Linda Belcher on Fox's hit animated series Bob's Burgers. Roberts, who is also a musician, also performs with Blondie, Gregory Brothers and as a solo act. At the end of our delightful interview, Roberts was joined by Alex Borstein, an Employee of the Month Alum who plays Lois on Family Guy to gives real quotes by President Donald Trump the gravitas they deserve.Our episode was recorded live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater. www.employeeofthemonthshow.com or @catielazarus and @johnrobertsfun This episode was produced by Rob Schulte http://robkschulte.com

RACHEL FEINSTEIN is best known for her stand up, and we spoke about how she started acting, be it in her roommate's INSIDE AMY SCHUMER on Comedy Central, RED OAKS on AMAZON or Judd Apatow and Pete Homes new HBO series, CRASHING. We spoke about how she embodies characters, living with comedians, like Amy Schumer and Sherrod Small, and the myth that all comedians are broken. Her own comedy special ONLY WHORES WEAR PURPLE is out and she performs stand-up all over the world. Catch her @rachelfeinstein and for more, on Employee of the Month Show, go to @catielazarus and www.employeeofthemonthshow.com ----------This episode was produced by Rob Schulte http://robkschulte.com

"Don't ask for instructions " Cecile Richards, who serves as President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund, explains what it takes to be a labor. She has been involved in helping women fight for basic healthcare and economic equality since she was only a teenager in Texas. Before 2006, Ms. Richards served as deputy chief of staff for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, founded the NGO America Votes, and began her career organizing low-wage workers. For more @catielazarus http://employeeofthemonthshow.com and http://plannedparenthood.org This episode was produced by Rob Schulte http://robkschulte.com

In a city overpopulated with ambitious, brilliant misfits, Oskar Eustis holds his own. The Artistic Director of the legendary Public Theater is somehow directing Julius Caesar with a star-studded cast including Oscar Isaac and Keegan-Michael Key for Shakespeare in the Park, while teaching at NYU, developing new works as far as Hong Kong, and as far, at least politically, as rural and Midwest, Trump voting counties go, while overseeing the mothership with a 120-person staff and at least 4 productions seven nights a week, not including the multiple writing and outreach programs, and stages, including Joe’s Pub. Eustis is an exceptional leader. Eustis is even training and nurtures potential successors. We spoke about how the Public became a global brand, his mission to make theater free and accessible, leadership, and what the windfall from Fun Home and Hamilton’s success on Broadway offers. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte http://robkschulte.com

After winning a Grammy with Yo-Yo Ma (Songs of Joy and Peace), the inaugural Edinburgh Fringe Cabaret Award and the London Cabaret Award for best vocal act, Lady Rizo is touring with a whole new album Indigo. In 2004, her cabaret act was born. We spoke about her time before then from Princess Cruiselines, finding her own voice after flirting with the improv scene at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, and loves, old and new. Our interview was recorded live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater. You can check her out at www.ladyrizo.com and www.employeeofthemonthshow.com This episode was produced by Rob Schulte http://robkschulte.com

John Benjamin Hickey, who won a Tony for his role in “The Normal Heart,” isn't a stranger to the grueling schedule of theater. He started hosting his own radio show on Sirius. But the Julliard-trained thespian was itching to be on Broadway, and is enjoying being in the revival of John Guare’s 1990 Tony- and Pulitzer-nominated play, “Six Degrees of Separation.” For starters, it means being reunited with Allison Janney. We spoke about contrived intimacy, dating within your profession, and why Six Degrees of Separation is sadly still timely. Find out more and purchase tickets to the live show at http://employeeofthemonthshow.com This episode was produced by Rob Schulte http://robkschulte.com

While Steve Martin and Ricky Gervais dove into stand-up after they’d made a name for themselves and enough money for their great-great grandchildren’s grandchildren to never need to work, Judy Gold got her start in stand-up. It wasn’t easy to miss the 6’3, religious Jewish lesbian on the line-up, but it was her fearlessness and hilarity which won crowds over. She made a name for herself in theater, starting with her two one-woman shows 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother and The Judy Show, but she has more recently appeared in Shakespeare in the Park. We spoke about why she takes acting classes and her first job on Roseanne to Louie. When not performing stand-up or acting, Gold is also an Emmy Award-winning TV writer and producer and hosts her own podcast KILL ME NOW. Find out more at http://employeeofthemonthshow.com This episode was produced by Rob Schulte http://robkschulte.com

I selfishly don't want Zadie Smith to quit her day job, but the famed novelist could easily moonlight as a singer. The author of the critically acclaimed, best-selling novels White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty, NW, and, most recently, Swing Time shared her insight on plagiarism, plots, outlines, and publishing. A regular contributor to The New Yorker and The New York Review of Books, she has written about everything from Brexit to Key & Peele to her late father. She once flirted with being a cabaret singer, and once you hear our interview, which was recorded live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, you'll know why. It was a pleasure and privilege to speak with Zadie about publishing, awards, critics, and to hear her and Lady Rizo sing "Lady and the Tramp."

Do The Yes Men know how to beat Trump at his own game? The media savvy duo Jacques Servin and Igor Vamos gained fame in 1990’s for their lefty political pranks, which led to multiple documentaries, cult following of like-minded activists, and, most important, corporations taking notice. They exposed Dow Chemical for failing to compensate thousands of victims of their oil spill in Bhopal, India. More recently, The Yes Men created a parody NRA website offering to deliver “life-saving firearms” to “poor urban centers,” which led the NRA to shut down 38,000 affiliate websites. We spoke about exercising our democratic rights to resist, stand up, and survive. Our interview was recorded live at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater. Our next live taping is Thursday, March 16th at 9:30. Find out more at @catielazarus and www.employeeofthemonthshow.com

To celebrate International Women's Day, check out Emel Mathlouthi, who has been called the "Voice of the Arab Spring." After her song went viral during the Arab Spring in Egypt, she performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2015. While the Tunisian singer lives in exile in New York, Emel is currently on a world tour with her latest album Ensen. Hear a song from her new album, which she recorded live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater on Employee of the Month and check out our earlier interview when Emel first arrived. Our next live taping is Thursday, March 16th with an all female line-up of powerhouses- Zadie Smith, Lady Rizo, and Judy Gold. Enjoy. Hope her voice inspires you to use your own. www.employeeofthemonthshow.com

A gifted character actor, Sarah Jones could be on SNL. Instead, chose to take her brilliantly funny embodiments of humans you know, maybe even you, to tackle poverty, prostitution, and now, "pussy grabbing." She reveals what it was like to work with Meryl Streep on Jones's Tony and Obie Award-winning show Bridge and Tunnel. Her latest show Sell/Buy/Date is a must see. We also spoke about Meryl Streep, Gil Scott-Heron, and Alan Alda, who I interviewed at the same live taping, so check out that Employee of the Month interview as well. Our next live taping is Thursday, March 16th if you are in New York, come! www.employeeofthemonthshow.com @CatieLazarus

Alan Alda insists, "Empathy can be taught," It is comforting to hear, although hard to imagine how a certain orange hued politician might learn how to empathize with, or, at least, respect immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, or anyone who isn't him. Wait, do I mean Alan Alda the actor? Yup. Best known for starring in M*A*S*H, as well as stealing scenes in Crimes and Misdemeanors, West Wing, 30 Rock, and Horace and Pete, Alda is also a science geek. He teamed up with Stony Brook University to create the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, where he teaches. Alda shares what he learned working with doctors and scientists, which he also wrote about in his forthcoming book 'IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU, WOULD I HAVE THIS LOOK ON MY FACE?' We also chatted about his work with comedians Louie C.K., Woody Allen, Stephen Wright, and death. If you see Alan Alda, please tell him my dog is alive and well.

One of the finest, funniest storytellers Leslie Goshko shared tales you have never heard before but will leave you laughing from crying or crying from laughing so hard. While New York claims her as a go to favorite scene stealer, be it as an actor, musician, cabaret star, storyteller or writer, she hails from the Midwest and maintains their renowned humility. In a business which offend rewards far less fascinating, fearless folks, Leslie Goshko is a must see. Really? Listen to our interview, and you tell me.

SUAD AMIRY is an architect and e founder of RIWAQ: Center of Architectural Conservation in Ramallah, Palestine. While spending 42 days under siege with her mother-in-law in Ramallah in 2002, Amiry started writing e-mails to a friend, who recommend she turn her adventures it into a book. The result was her debut memoir “Sharon and My Mother-in-Law,” which became critically acclaimed, translated in nineteen languages, and was released by Random House in 2006. She has continued to write about Palestinian life under occupation, including, “Nothing to Lose But Your Life" and "Gold Slept Here." We spoke about why architects are often dyslexics, part-time husbands are the best, Palestinians are never heard, and why mothers-in-law and dogs unite us all.

In this follow up interview, Hamilton Mixtape's Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and Roots to Tribe Called Quest's go-to DJ and mixtape producer J. Period explains what exactly a DJ does, what sets him apart, and why Dj Jazzy Jeff really is a prince. He also reveals how, after working with Norman Lear, he got tapped to do music for the series America Divided. Most recently, J. Period teamed up with Jesse Williams, a former teacher, and heartthrob on Grey's Anatomy who blew away audiences with his socially astute and galvanizing speech at the BET Awards. Williams and J. Period are releasing Rise Up!, offering musical inspiration that is necessary now more than ever.

Hailed as a “music guru” by Rolling Stone and Questlove to Tribe Called Quest’s go to DJ and producer, J.PERIOD pioneered a way to tell stories through music and distill, celebrate and contextualize legendary musicians. The result is that the very musicians he creates a mixtape of seek out his lens on their own work. Theoretically, a baby can theoretically DJ, at least, that is what cloyingly obnoxious, upscale Tribeca DJ school claims, but J. Period took the craft to a form a high art. Having worked with Grammy legends, such as Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Common and The Roots, J. Period recently went mainstream producing, alongside Questlove and Pulitzer and Tony winning genius Lin-Manuel Miranda the album HAMILTON MIXTAPES. It is the number one album and J. Period oversaw the production and arrangement. He also has developed, written, and produced over 50 mixtapes and his own album, celebrating ten years as an international DJ, comes out in 2017. Our interview was recorded live at Joe’s Pub...

If you went to a career counselor, they might claim comedy is a dreamy career. It is. It is also a hard one. But on paper, comedy sounds fun! But it is notoriously competitive, and great comics from Louis CK to Seinfeld will say it takes years to truly find one's voice. So how do you earn enough to survive to even figure out whether a career is possible? How do you break into a world that is overwhelmingly white, hetero and male? The comedy world has rapidly been evolving over the past decade, so I wanted to hear from a comedian who is riding that wave and a trailblazer herself. Comedian Phoebe Robinson spoke about how she stuck with it, even when she thought she should quit and her massive career break. Robinson is best known for co-hosting with The Daily Show Correspondent Jessica William's 2 Dope Queens on New York public radio station's WNYC. We spoke about timing, as public radio wasn't known for being a hotbed for comedy or having an inclusive range in their roster of hosts, despite their best...

2017 marks a critical juncture where I am paying attention to what I consume and create. For starters, I strive to shed new light as a writer. I also want to share conversations with exceptional people who devote their careers to not only distilling life’s greater truths AND help others hone their own voices. I also have found that as vital as it is to engage in society, some days the news makes me worry that my head might explode. It’s why I am particularly thankful to kick off 2017 bringing you a live interview with Sarah Kay, an extraordinary writer, performer, and teacher. For those who don’t know Sarah Kay, as she is quickly becoming a global sensation. She made her television debut when she was 18, on yogi and music scion Russell Simmons’s Def Jam on HBO. Shortly after graduating from Brown, she then performed her poem "B" as a TED Talk, which garnered over 9 million hits on Youtube. The half-Jewish, half-Japanese, New York Native was twenty-two years old. She then released “B” as well as another...

As a 6’2, 300-pound offensive guard for the Citadel, Morris Robinson scored first team All-Southern Conference, first team Kodak All-American, and second team Sports Network All-American. He wanted to play pro. Sports Illustrated profiled Robinson because the powerhouse also possessed a one-of-a-kind musical talent. At the South Carolina military academy, he’d sing the National Anthem. His deep voice was electric, and otherwise stoic boys would line up for autographs after Robinson’s concerts like fan girls. The beloved son of a minister, Morris had performed music at his family’s church since he was a kid. He later joined the Atlanta Boys’ Choir and continued to play drums and piano. The Georgia native was a stand out on and off the field. Then he faced a brutal blow. College football teams worried he was too slow. Robinson felt crushed. After dabbling as a bouncer, he worked in sales at 3m, where his huge smile and charm paid off. But Robinson was miserable. Luckily, his wife intervened. She set up an...

Turturro, who is best known, as one of the most pliable, memorable actors of our time, spoke about needing to laugh post the election of Donald Trump. We certainly did a lot, as the Brooklyn native shared hilarious stories about working with Robert DeNiro and Martin Scorcese on Raging Bull to shooting a threesome with Bobby Cannavale and Audrey Tatou for his latest project GOING PLACES. He also shared some never released before photos from the set, as Turturro is currently editing the film. In it, Turturro revisits the sleazy, former pedophile, and die hard bowler Jesus Quintana, which became one of the many stand out characters in the cult classic THE BIG LEBOWSKI. Most folks became aware of John Turturro in Spike Lee’s DO THE RIGHT THING, but he cemented his street cred as the Coen Brothers, who famously cast the Italian-American human sponge. The brilliant brothers are credited with creating Jesus Quintana from scratch, but they were initially inspired by a similar character Turturro had created on...

JON GLASER talks about Second City and whether SNL grabbed his joke by Catie Lazarus

MARTHA WAINWRIGHT is touring in Australia, the UK, Ireland, and Canada, just released her fourth solo studio album, GOODNIGHT CITIZEN. The bilingual, dual citizen has lived betwixt and between worlds, and when you hear her sing, you'll feel how her music deftly embodies the cacophony of emotions simultaneously. Now a mother, who grew up with parents, Kate McGarrigle and Loudon Wainwright, Martha talks about raising a child as an artist and touring. We also spoke about how hard it is for musicians to make a living and that all musicians need to compose music and tour if they want to try to do so. Leonard Cohen saw her talent from the get go, and once you hear our interview and her sing, you'll know why. Go buy GOODNIGHT CITY. Makes a wonderful Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa gift for you or someone you love, lust, or like like a lot a lot. If you enjoyed our interview, come check out our next live taping December 22nd at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater at 7 pm.

"Get comfortable with people hating you," Sarah Treem, who created THE AFFAIR, which is in the midst of its third season on SHOWTIME, says about what it takes to be a boss. Her keen awareness about the messiness of real life is palpable in this epic series. Of course, it helps having actors like Dominic West , Maura Tierney, Joshua Jackson, and Ruth Wilson depict what the cost of prison, murder, infidelity, children, death, mental illness play on even the strongest relationships. This season continues to shed light on how people use, abuse, and find refuge in sex, lust, and love, but also delves into what it takes to live with baggage and the limits of resilience. Everyone and every relationship has a breaking point, and this season looks at what role mental illness, custody battles, prison, infidelity, children, death of parents, work play. In our interview Treem unveils what happens behind the curtain. She outlines what it takes to sell stories in Hollywood, and, once you do, the glory and challenges...

The extraordinarily talented musician Mitski Miyawaki composed two albums before she had graduated from college. Her latest album Puberty 2 led her to her first live TV performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Most importantly, it gave her momentary reprieve from that awful feeling "impostor syndrome" which is not to be confused with a Napoleon complex. Mitski is hilarious, smart, and such a fantastic performer. It was a delight to discuss her punk background, touring, Twitter, and hear why you must catch her live performing and grab PUBERTY 2 at a record store near you (or online). If you enjoyed this interview, please check out a live recording of Employee of the Month at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater or subscribe to the podcast. www.employeeofthemonthshow.com on SoundCloud or iTunes.

Donald Trump's legacy is already underway. Instead of calling for higher standards and ethics when it comes to how journalism treats privacy issues, a Florida judge awarded Hulk Hogan millions of dollars for recording his affair with his best friend's wife and bankrupted Gawker Media, as well as journalist AJ Daulerio and founder Nick Denton. There are other lawsuits which remain. Of course, Gawker is not innocent and Nick Denton spoke about his own desire to be profitable, which lead to recklessness. A former journalist and serial entrepreneur, Denton talks about the good, bad and ugly of Gawker Media, which included Jezebel and Gizmodo. The lawsuits were spearheaded by Peter Thiel, an immigrant who is a staunch advocate of Donald Trump, and was on a mission to shut down media. A Facebook board member and co-founder of PayPay, Thiel could afford to do whatever he wants, but the result is that TMZ, New York Post, British Tabloids still infringe on privacy, and without the smarter journalism that Gawker...

Nate Silver the leading political pollster in history, and is as deft with sports and social issues. Silver explores all three arenas as the Founder and Editor-in-Chief at 538, which he sold to ESPN, after a stint at The New York Times. In our interview, which was recorded live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, Nate and I spoke about how this 2016 election is unprecedented, who gets polled and why, and what set Silver, a wunderkind, apart as a kid. Nate also spoke about managing his staff at ESPN's 538, why he failed to predict that Donald Trump would win the GOP nod, sexual assault, aka Donald Trump's "pussy tape," Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, and how email hacking is the scariest political weapon. It was a pleasure and privilege to have Nate Silver back on Employee of the Month. I highly recommend our first interview as well. He is a lot of fun, brilliant, and runs an addictive website in panic inducing times.

Jessica Bennett is a columnist at the New York Times Style section and wrote about Monica Lewinsky and online shaming to Hillary Clinton's closest confidantes to sororities and feminism. Her work has also appeared in Newsweek, Time, and was the cofounder and curator of the Lean In Collection – a partnership betwen LeanIn.Org and Getty Images, to change the way women are depicted in stock photography. We spoke about her first book, Fight Club: An Office Survival Manual (for a Sexist Workplace), which was published by HarperCollins in September and offers suggestions for women to take when facing sexism. www.jessicabennett.me

Isaac Oliver is the author of INTIMACY IDIOT, which was named one of NPR's Best Books of 2015. Even if you read it in 2016, you'll see why his writing has been featured on BuzzFeed, Gawker, and Out Magazine. A gifted storyteller, Isaac Oliver regularly performs his stories. It was delightful to interview him live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater. If you enjoyed this episode of Employee of the Month, you can attend our live tapings at Joe's Pub or check out the podcast or follow @catielazarus, or do all three. www.employeeofthemonthshow.com

Tony Award-winner LAURA BENANTI is playing all over the country so catch her singing live. You may recognize her from her impression of Melania Trump which went viral. She was also a smash hit in the 2016 Tony nominated role of Amalia Balash in the hit Broadway Musical, She Loves Me. Benanti became a broadway baby when she was a little older than a baby, at the tender age of 18. She also received a Drama Desk award, Outer Critics Circle Award and a Tony Award Nomination for her starring role in the Broadway production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and, in our interview we spoke about her turn in the Broadway production of Sarah Ruhl'sIn the Next Room or The Vibrator Play. I had the joy of seeing Benanti in Gypsy, which earned her the 2008 Tony Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, a Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award. Her other Broadway roles include The Wedding Singer, Nine, Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, Swing! and more. We also spoke about her TV roles in...

Maya Rudolph is pure joy. After wrapping the first season of NBC’s Maya and Marty, her comedy variety show with Martin Short, Maya toured with her college friend Gretchen Lieberum to sold out crowds. Their band Princess pays tribute to the late genius Prince, Princess and in our interview, we spoke about how Prince enjoyed their Valentine to his legacy. Maya and Gretchen even gave us glimpse into why their show is so fun. The secret is in the sauce. On Maya and Marty, Rudolph sings and breathes light into loopy characters, much like the ones that endeared her to audiences and the celebrities she depicted on SNL, such as Oprah. We spoke about how Lorne Michaels hired Rudolph because of her “daring exuberant spirit and how being on SNL was always Maya’s dream. Many performers share that dream, but Maya infuses her depictions with utter originality and a familiar quality, enabling audiences to go wherever she takes us. She has also had meaty roles in the blockbuster Bridesmaids and indies like Chuck and...

Patti LuPone may be best know for her irresistible voice, but the two-time Grammy and Tony, and Olivier Award winner’s secret weapon is feeling everything. Lord knows, especially on stage, there are actors who overact and mug, in doing so, leave no room for audiences to respond. Then there are ones who are so muted, that if you stuck a needle in their limp arm, they wouldn’t flinch. LuPone thrives when she can be unflinchingly honest in a performance, which requires discipline to turn into art. She did in Evita, Gypsy, and Anything Goes, as well and now in the Showtime series Penny Dreadful. LuPone is equally at home doing comedy and has had stints on comedian Brett Gelman’s terrifyingly funny short on Adult Swim and Lena Dunham’s GIRLS on HBO. LuPone is funny, candid, and whip-smart off stage, which isn’t surprising, but no less mesmerizing. Our conversation was recorded live at Joe’s Pub. In it, LuPone revealed that you can get crabs as easily from sex as you can from the theater. We also spoke about...

JON HAMM is best known for revolutionizing how society envisions masculinity, in all of its raw sensuality, insatiable competitive hunger, arrogance, and corrosive loneliness, in his deft portrayal of Don Draper, but he is equally deft at comedy. Happy to laugh at himself, a necessity when you look like (and were) a star high school football player, Hamm is clearly a team player which makes him enjoyable to work with, as evidenced in how often TV creators like Tina Fey and Robert Carlock find excuses to cast him. Of course, Hamm is ultimately cast because he delivers. In Mad Men Bridesmaids, 30 Rock, and SNL, he seems to only hit home runs. Still, Hamm, like any actor, needed directors and show creators to go to bat for him when he hadn’t yet had the opportunities to prove himself. Hamm says he struggled for years in his early twenties. (I thought that was the definition of being in your twenties). He scored his first big break, a recurring role on Lifetime’s The Division, as the only non-female cop....

Peeno Noir is Expanding! Actor Tituss Burgess’s real wine company Pinot Noir, inspired by his Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s character viral music video, will unveil a new wine for Pride Week and a rosé. Whether your celebrating the LGBTQ or can’t get enough of the nimble actor and deliriously delightful singer, you’ll feel better about splurging on Pinot Noir after seeing how Burgess does in a blind taste test. Catie Lazarus, host of Employee of the Month, wanted to see if the 37 years old, Georgia native really knows his wine. A consummate performer, Burgess was game. His honesty and humility, as much as his humor, makes their interview a must listen. “Sometimes on Broadway, you have an inflated budget to do what is essentially a community theater production,” Burgess explains with refreshing candor. Without missing a beat, he flashes a mischievous grin. As he acknowledges the bad and the ugly about working in theater, he never forgets the good. Burgess points out how intoxicating Broadway and television,...

Jen Marlowe has committed every ounce of her being to activism, be it Black Lives Matter, Palestinian rights, prisoner's rights, and many more. In our conversation, we spoke about the methods she finds most useful, namely documentary filmmaking, playwriting, books, and community based education. She also speaks about being fired and the financial struggles, as well as how her politics have evolved throughout her career.

I've never understood why MacArthur Foundation gives grants to geniuses, shouldn't they give them to the rest of us shlubs who are lucky if we can write a legible grocery list, never mind, pen rapturous plays? Luckily for the rare geniuses, MacArthur Foundation insists on honoring them. Employee of the Month was thrilled to follow MacArthur's lead and honor Suzan-Lori Parks, a playwright, novelist and screenwriter, and interview her about her illustrious career. Parks has repeatedly re-imaged playwriting, with plays like Top Dog/Underdog, which she won a Tony and Pulitzer, the first for an African-American female playwright. She also created 365 Plays/365 Days, which meant that she'd write a play a day and stage it. Her latest play, Father Comes Home From the Wars Parts 1, 2, and 3, had its debut at The Public Theater and then was equally heralded at The Mark Taper Forum. The Public Theater has been a home for Parks, who holds a chair there and teaches at NYU, but she will be starting up a new play at...

The Artist’s Way is celebrating its 25th Anniversary, so it was a privilege to speak with a woman who democratized creativity. In our interview, Cameron talked about working with her daughter Domenica, an actor who made her directorial debut with the indie film Almost Paris, which screened as part of Tribeca Film Festival. Cameron also shared what she got out of writing fiction versus non-fiction, co-parenting with Martin Scorsese, and a musical which is in the works. She also revealed why walking your dog doesn’t count as an “Artist’s Date” and what gets her to write her “Pages,” even when she’d rather not do so. Julia Cameron is a prolific writer and you can learn more about her at www.juliacameron.com. To learn more about Employee of the Month, go to www.employeeofthemonthshow.com and follow Catie Lazarus on Twitter @catielazarus.

Between Isaac Mizrahi’s pithy humor, remarkable insight, and insatiable desire to create and perform, he is a captivating presence. In our candid conversation, we spoke about, amongst other things, Isaac choosing not to come out to father to his tender relationship with choreographer and dancer Mark Morris and dealing with Jonathan Ames. A wunderkind, Isaac Mizrahi made his mark in fashion in the late 1980’s and 1990’s. The fashion world is notoriously competitive and volatile, even for the beloved boy wonder, whose rise was so perfectly captured in the documentary Unzipped in 1995. Soon after, Chanel pulled out financing and various ventures folded. Isaac smartly took it as an opportunity to branch out. Like the late great Joan Rivers, Mizrahi was more than resilient and restless, he was and is a creative soul with more ideas to develop. He reinvented himself again and again, be it starring in his own cabaret show, Les Mizrahi, or hosting and appearing on numerous TV shows, including Project Runway and,...

Josh Gondelman is a writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on HBO and has contributed to Billy Eichner’s show Billy on the Street, The New Yorker, and McSweeney’s. His second stand up special Physical Whisper is currently out and he made his stand up debut on Conan. After writing and doing stand up in small rooms in Boston, he became best known for Tweeting under the name @Seinfeld Today, aka Modern Seinfeld, with a friend Jack Moore. We spoke one-on-one about the disgusting bathrooms in comedy rooms to Gondelman’s sunny disposition and how performing in New York is simply the most challenging and cathartic. @joshgondelman and @catielazarus

How do we nurture our art when we’ve got bills to pay and neurosis to slay? I spoke with singer, songwriter and composer Arthur Lewis about potential, success, baggage, inherited dreams, talent, and his career in music. Arthur Lewis is one of New York’s finest original musicians, which is why famed poet Sarah Kay and Pulitzer, Grammy, Tony, and MacArthur “Genius” winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, of Hamilton Fame, are fans. The two were two of the founding members of FreeStyle Love Supreme. Originally from Queens, Arthur Lewis went on to study at Yale, and then returned to New York, where he has spent over a decade playing piano, guitar, percussion, as well as composing, singing, directing, and engineering for fellow musicians, comedians, and theatrical performances. A musician’s musician, Lewis became a go-to player in musical collectives, including the Melting Pot Crew, This Is Not the Radio, and Freestyle Love Supreme, a hip hop improv group. Freestyle Love Supreme was also a foray into comedy and the...

Justin Vivian Bond is a Tony nominated, Obie, GLAAD and Essie winning cabaret star and trans-genre artist. Vocal about being transgender, Justin uses V as a preferred prefix. The first time Bond took the stage was as a wee babe in a Christmas show at V.'s family’s local Church of the Brethren in sleepy Hagerstown, Maryland, but the rest of the word would have to wait decades before hearing from the sumptuous voice and acerbic wit which made Bond a legend. After high school and a stint as a counselor at church camp, Bond knocked around New York and studied theater, but didn’t find a niche until moving to San Francisco in 1989. Out West, Bond took a day job at A Different Light bookstore and performed in plays, most notably in Hidden A: Gender by Kate Bornstein, the renowned performance artist and gender theorist. Like Bornstein, Bond spoke shattered simplistic theories, like the idea that everyone who transgender feels trapped in the wrong body. Justin also met the musician Kenny Mellman, and the duo...

David Simon revolutionized television when he created THE WIRE. A veteran crime reporter for The Baltimore Sun, Simon offered audiences a rare and searing portrait of the underground drug market, while simultaneously transforming how television series are devised. Each season focused on the inner workings of the various players, be it the politicians or police or education system. Throughout the five seasons, Simon deftly revealed the interplay between government, police enforcement, addicts, dealers, politicians, prisons, media, press, religious institutions, lobbyists, public school system, gangs, business, entrepreneurs, race, class, and technology. In addition to using a cadre of fine actors, including Omar Epps, Michael B. Jordan and Idris Elba, he also offered cameos and sometimes ongoing roles to real people, be it a Health Commissioner, journalist, or former convict. The result was a gripping drama, that mesmerized everyone from President Barack Obama to drug dealers to the media. They not only...

Growing up, I binge watched ANNIE HALL, and ate up the fraternal, Statler and Waldorf like chiding between Alvy Singer, played by Woody Allen, and Rob, played by Tony Roberts. So when Tony Robert’s publicist asked if I’d interview the two time Tony nominated actor as he was promoting his new memoir “DO YOU KNOW ME?” I, of course, said yes. You may recognize Tony Roberts from STARDUST MEMORIES, PLAY IT AGAIN SAM, or SERPICO, with Al Pacino. In addition to being in tons of films, Tony Roberts did a ton of theater, including PLAY IT AGAIN SAM and DOW JONES, and had an enviable voice acting career. He spoke about how it’s impossible to break in if you’re not already famous, being swindled by managers, befriending a shy Woody Allen, and teaming up with Patty Lupone on comedian Brett Gelman’s Sundance film, which you can see on Adult Swim. Our interview was recorded live at the Writers Guild (WGA-East).

Emel Mathlouthi is a brilliant singer and songwriter with an intoxicating, ethereal voice, who became an international sensation as her music inspired fellow Tunisians fighting for their freedom during the Arab Spring. Tunisian govern banned her music from the country’s radio as her lyrics criticized the regime of then-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. So in 2008, she fled for Paris and continued to sing defiant songs and post them on social media. A video of her singing her song Kelmti Horra (my word is free) in front of 10,000 Parisians went viral. She lived between France and Tunisia, and in 2012, returned to Tunis and sang "Kelmti Horra," and, a couple hours later it was (former) President Ben Ali who would flee the country. Her album also titled Kelmti Horra made its debut in 2012 and received critical acclaim. She has performed all over the world, including a solo performance at the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony. She made her Joe’s Pub debut on Employee of the Month Show and it was spectacular to...

Despite getting rejected from Yale grad school, Golden Globe nominee Greta Gerwig has never wanted for work. As an actor and writer, Gerwig frequently collaborates with her boyfriend and filmmaker Noah Baumbach, and become known doing films with Joe Swanberg. This summer she will make her directorial debut and talks about the joy of having Scott Rudin as a producer. On Employee of the Month Show, Greta Gerwig tells Catie Lazarus what she really thinks of Yale rejecting her, tax breaks in California versus New York for filming, and loving her own work. You can hear Employee of the Month podcast on SoundCloud or iTunes. Each week there are new interviews. To see it live, follow @catielazarus and go to www.employeeofthemonthshow.com. Connect with EOTM: Website: http://employeeofthemonthshow.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EOTMS Twitter: http://twitter.com/CatieLazarus iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/e... Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/employeeofthem... Youtube:...

MICHAEL McKEAN may be best known as Lenny, Squiggy's best friend, played by David Lander, on the beloved sitcom LAVERNE & SHIRLEY, but he has acted in over 225 roles and, once you hear our interview, you’ll know why everyone from Christopher Guest to Vince Gilligan clamors to work with him. Most actors get so good and comfortable at reprising their shtick or are pushed to do so by agents and network executives, but McKean shrewdly and bravely keeps expanding his repertoire. He said no to Saturday Night Live when the timing wasn’t right. He also takes risks, which is no easy feat when your paycheck rests on you delivering. It could be nerve wracking to build on brilliant performances, from THIS IS SPINAL TAP to the X-FILES, but McKean clearly enjoys the thrill of trying to do so. He makes it seem effortless. Today, you can catch him on the cult favorite AMC’s BETTER CALL SAUL, where he quietly steals scenes. A consummate actor, audiences may not even know they’re watching this chameleon, as McKean truly...

Ambition is a trait most politicians share, regardless of what they aspire to do with it. Luckily, Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, a consummate politician, also possesses a moral compass. While at Harvard Law, the Irish born, American raised scholar decided her academic research on America’s role in genocide, from the Holocaust to Armenian genocide to Darfur, merited a book. In 2002, she published A PROBLEM FROM HELL, which promptly became a Pulitzer Prize Winner and caught the attention of human rights advocates to politicians, including a then young Senator, named Barack Obama. The two policy wonks formed a friendship. Soon after, Power went from working outside of the belly of the beast to becoming a key member of President Barack Obama’s cabinet. Today, she holds three jobs. She is part of President Obama’s staff and, eventually, Ambassador to the UN and part of the UN Security Council. In our conversation, which was recorded live, Power deftly reveals the vision, discretion, and drive to...

Before fans and critics knew Sharon Van Etten’s wry, whip-smart lyrics and enchanting harmonies, the singer/songwriter worked the fryer at McDonalds. Despite constant promotions, she moved on. She baked donuts at a donut shop, worked at wine stores, built Subway sandwiches, and revealed in our interview that Chipotle isn’t the only bad apple. As she started considering making a go of singing and songwriting, she connected with Kyp Malone, of TV on the Radio. Malone helped her make music her main gig. He wasn’t alone in recognizing her innate talent. Etten found a following fast. She started touring non-stop and churned out exquisite albums, including Because I Was in Love (2009), epic (2010), Tramp (2012), Are We There (2014), and her latest EP is I Don’t Want To Let You Down (2015). Even as she is now beloved internationally, Etten hasn’t lost her voice, physically or metaphorically, thoughtful gaze, or sly humor. In our Employee of the Month interview, which was recorded live at Joe’s Pub, she sang...

Sarah Silverman is one of the funniest humans I know. Lauded, if not, encouraged by her dad to curse as a baby, Silverman honed her mischievous antics the minute she started speaking. She was born to two natural performers, although they lived in New Hampshire, a far shlep from Hollywood. Her dad ran a clothing store and did all of his own commercials in his thick Boston accent, while her mom, who was far more sophisticated in her diction, did the voice-overs for the local movie theater in New Hampshire and was actively involved in local theater. Perhaps it’s no surprise that their daughters would all cultivate their own points of view and trajectories. Sarah’s sister Susan became a respected rabbi and social activist, Laura is a well known actor and Jodyne writes. Sarah, who also writes, sings, and acts, started out in stand up when she was a teenager and never looked back. Thanks to Jimmy Kimmel, Silverman’s former beau, you can hear Sarah’s first recorded singing performance on a regional New England...

There are musicians who say they can play any genre, melody, tune, with or without reading sheet music, and then there are a handful of the real deal. Enter Binky Griptite, one of the most versatile, graceful, and finest guitarists out there. He can play it all. Funk and soul are the Brooklynite’s bread and butter. You don’t have to take it from me. Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones knew how brilliant Binky is and seized on his talent. Griptite doesn’t care if most people don’t know who this sly, sexy, and deft player is supporting these iconic talents. Like most exceptional talents, Bikny lets his music speak for itself. A musician’s musician, Griptite is best known for being both the lovable emcee and bold guitarist for the world’s most popular and critically acclaimed neo-soul bands today- Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. Griptite has also played alongside everyone from Lee Fields to the late great Amy Winehouse. In 2007, Binky accompanied Winehouse on her US tour and in session when she recorded her...

After writing dialogue for a teen comedy as a teletype operator at Columbia Pictures, Kramer, who was barely into his twenties, lapped up the chance to adapt D.H. Lawrence’s revered novel Women in Love. Leave it to Larry to not only score an Oscar nomination, but manage to get the first nude sex scene in theaters in England, a couple years after sodomy was even considered legal in the United Kingdom. You know that phrase "Full Frontal Nudity?" In our interview, you'll hear where it comes from. You also hear Larry chide me. “You missed the climax!” “It’s not the first time,” I lamented. He laughed. Kramer still hasn’t lost his wry wit, which may be his signature weapon in surviving, what he aptly also named, a modern day plague. We spoke about AIDs and his career on Employee of the Month’s live January 2016 taping at Joe’s Pub. Without Larry Kramer, there would be no drugs for HIV and AIDs. He agitated and started a movement which so many brilliant people joined and nurtured, many of whom could negotiate...

With a wry smile, shrewd reporting, and exquisite detail, Ada Calhoun distills America’s signature triumphs in music, theater, commerce, activism, politics, and its transgressions-- including drug abuse, prostitution and, yes, slavery, in her latest book St. Marks is Dead. She chronicles the history of three short blocks in New York from when the land was grassy and feral to now, where you can count the number of trees on two hands. It is still feral and Calhoun revels in the beauty and ugliness which emerges as a result. Her affection for St. Marks in the East Village is palpable, as it was the very block she grew up on, but it is her affecting prose which paints a gripping portrait. Even those who loathe New York or history books or are sick of hearing about how hip and edgy the punk era or sexual revolution won’t want to put down this book. In our interview, which was recorded live at the Writers Guild (WGA-East) in downtown New York, we spoke about her near two decades as a writer. Prolific, if not...

Jason Biggs got his first headshot at age five. Twenty years later, he went onto became world famous for his role in the hilarious comedy American Pie. He went onto star on Broadway, get a recurring role in the hit dramedy Orange is the New Black, and currently co-hosts a radio show with his wife Jenny on Sirius XM. Like many actors, Biggs did theater and, yes, got fired off his first sitcom, only he was still in middle school. The sitcom Drexel's Class was cancelled after one season, so, as Biggs says, he, "Didn't feel alone." He then had a stint on the soap opera As The World Turns. His character was written off the show, which is par for the course in Hollywood, but rejection is even more excruciating when you're just a teenager. Luckily, Biggs received an Emmy nod for his role, which is as sweet as revenge gets in the entertainment world. We spoke about his early career, sharing a room with his mom, stage moms, and his affection for Eugene Levy, who Biggs refers to as a "second dad." Biggs, who is...

It shouldn’t be entirely surprising that Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator at MoMA for Architecture and Design, was into punk rock in her twenties. She says the scene wasn’t hard core in Italy. She dipped her toes, without becoming subsumed by the genre, which is in part, what she does daily, as she travels the world over to assess the multiple ways, designers, architects, inventors, technologists, entrepreneurs, and multi-disciplinary hyphenates are impacting culture. We spoke about the creativity required in her job. A curator must deftly serve as a bridge between those who fund resources and the artists themselves. Am I allowed to call designers artists, when so many strive to create commercial enterprises? In our interview, which was recorded live at Joe’s Pub, we touch on how Antonelli decides which products MOMA highlights and why. You’ll learn in our interview how much her integrity, unique artistic sensibility, whimsy, discipline, and experience matter. It’s why Antonelli is less concerned with...

After completing shooting his first starring role for HBO’s upcoming 10-episode series VINYL, BOBBY CANNAVALE sat down with Catie Lazarus at a live taping of Employee of the Month at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater. We spoke about the “ease” one feels when doing what your meant to do, whether it’s social work, which is what his mom does, or acting, which Bobby says, “Is all he ever wanted to do.” He says his son Jake has inherited Bobby’s “ease” and we spoke about their acting together in NURSE JACKIE. Bobby describes theater, film, television, as “make believe,” and is often puzzled when people confuse actors with their characters. In our interview, you’ll hear how his sense of humor is palpable. He’s certainly done his share of lighter fare, like Annie, Antman, Will & Grace, and Sex-and-the-City. But he’s is so good at slipping into gritty, knotty roles that its easy to see why audiences assume Bobby possesses the depth of his more volatile, barbed characters, be it on television in shows like...

As 2015 draws to a close, as soon as I started to feel stressed about getting the right gifts, never mind affording them, hoping to see friends and family, dealing with fraught relationships, and my unmet hopes and dreams. To accept what is and the messiness of life, I found solace in listening to meditation teacher Tara Brach's podcast, often on the subway. Luckily, I got to speak to the person who had offered me the space to sit with all of the above and more. I met with Tara Brach at the Unitarian Church in Bethesda, Maryland, where she gives weekly dharma talks. We spoke about how to be mindfully angry; the dilemma of compartmentalizing and success; cultural differences in how we give; and how she navigates trauma and pain, both her own and others. It's a great listen for anyone interested in what it is like to care for an about others, as a living. Nurses, doctors, activists, social workers, therapists, teachers, nannies, pastors, rabbis, monks, and so many who don't have an official title devote...

Tony Award winning actor Billy Crudup spoke to Catie Lazarus about portraying a polarizing character, lawyer Eric MacLeish in the phenomenal film Spotlight, which chronicles The Boston Globe's Spotlight Investigative Team as they reveal the Catholic Church's systemic cover up of sexual abuse. Eric MacLeish is alive and does not like how he is depicted, although he supports the film. Eric MacLeish's real life saga, which The Boston Globe is also chronicling, could be its own Lifetime Movie. Crudup spoke about the larger mission of the film, which is, by all accounts, accurate and honest, and his own goal as an actor. Alongside Crudup, Spotlight stars Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Brian d’Arcy James and Stanley Tucci as it depicts how the Boston Globe earned a duly deserved Pulitzer Prize for its investigation and, more importantly, revealed a city wide crisis of abuse, which the Catholic Church covered up for decades. We are all guilty, meaning there was more everyone...

DAVID CROSS on Tats, Hitler, Heroine, and the late Beastie Boy's Adam Yauch by Catie Lazarus