Explore every episode of the podcast The Other 51
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Kings with Seth Wickersham | 14 Aug 2025 | 00:33:41 | |
“I kept thinking, is there a single quarterback I can write about that I can tell this story through? And no matter who it was … everything felt too small. And so what I wanted to do was write about all of them, in a way, at every level.” It’s our 200th episode, and we’re celebrating by talking to one of our favorite writers. Seth Wickersham joins Brian to talk about the writing and reporting of his new book, “American Kings: A Biography of The Quarterback.” Seth discusses what that word “biography” means to him in this context, and talks about how came to write a book about the quarterback position. He talks about how the writing, reporting, and promotion of this book is different than his first book and the lessons he learned from writing about the New England Patriots that applied here. Seth describes the different reporting methods he used in writing the book, how he landed on this particular structure and how he chose his anchor characters. He tells us how something being interesting to him was his north star, and the moment his repertorial antenna went up. He also talks about how conversations with his friend Wright Thompson and an ESPN editor helped him crack book’s structure. “Having my friends be brilliant writers has just been like, what a blessing. Because it’s like, everyone’s supportive and a teeny bit competitive … You want to have a story that’s worthy of the text thread.” Links American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback (Bookshop.org link) American Kings (Amazon link) Feds probing NFLPA actions that ‘may be criminal,’ doc says by Don Van Natta and Kalyn Kahler (the best thing Seth’s read lately) Untold by Tom Junod and Paula Lavigne Support Support the show at Buy Me a Coffee Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe at: | |||
| Editing Anthologies with Danielle Sarver Coombs and Molly Yanity | 31 Jul 2025 | 00:37:30 | |
“That’s why I do this. That’s why I’m involved in this. I was one of those young people who was endlessly inspired by female athletes and by women’s sport” Danielle Sarver Coombs and Molly Yanity join Brian to talk about the two scholarly anthologies they co-edited about the 2023 Women’s World Cup. We’ve interviewed writers of all sorts throughout our nine years hosting this show, but this is the first time we’ve ever talked to the editors of an anthology! Danielle and Molly talk about that process, how they decided against writing a book of their own and instead landed on editing an anthology. They talk about how their anthology on the 2019 World Cup influenced these books, what about these events make them so ripe for scholarship, and how important it was for them to include voices from outside of the Global North. The three of us also get deeply nerdy talking about the books we’ve read lately. “We have a responsibility as senior scholars who are also women to help lift the voices of people who have a bigger challenge getting published.” Links Politics, Social Issues and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Media, Communication and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup: Media, Fandom, and Soccer’s Biggest Stage The best books we’ve read lately Great Big Beautiful Summer by Emily Henry The Creativity Code by Marcus du Sautoy Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon Support Support the show at Buy Me a Coffee Follow us on Instagram. Subscribe at: | |||
| Episode 198: The Fast Track with Jane McManus | 06 Jun 2025 | 00:33:46 | |
“It was the stories that I woke up the next day thinking about … I want complicated stories about complicated people making difficult choices and facing real things.” Journalist, professor, and author Jane McManus joins us this week to talk about her career, The Year’s Best Sports Writing, her new book and more. Jane was the editor of the 2024 edition of The Year’s Best Sports Writing. She and Brian do a deep dive into what that job actually looked like. Jane describes how she got the gig, how Richard Deitsch helped her, how she leaned on a group of fellow journalists as an advisory board, and what she was looking for in picking the best sports stories. We talk about the importance of scene setting at the start of a feature story, of showing the work that the reporter has done, and the deep reporting you see in a great piece of investigative journalism. They also talk about her introductory essay, a form Brian has studied at great length. Jane also talks about her book, The Fast Track, and why this was the book she wrote at this stage in her career. She describes the biggest differences between writing articles and a book, and why she doesn't want her students to outsource their thinking by letting AI do any writing. “There's no Tik Tok, there’s no short form video on YouTube, hot-take sports talk show that is going to force you to think about something the way that at a well written long form piece of journalism is.” Links The Year’s Best Sports Writing 2024 The Fast Track by Jane McManus The Three-Body Problem (The best thing Jane’s read lately.) Middlemarch (The best thing Jane’s read lately A Gentleman in Moscow (The best thing Brian’s read lately.) Support Support the show at Buy Me a Coffee Follow us on Instagram. | |||
| Episode 197: Lloyd McNeil's Last Ride with Will Leitch | 22 May 2025 | 00:36:11 | |
“The challenge is to make you love Lloyd and make you realize that Lloyd is extraordinary and that you realize that before Lloyd does.” Will Leitch returns to the show to talk all about his new book, “Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride.” which is out now and you should totally buy! Will describes how a pre-pandemic visit to a family friend helped plant the seed for the book’s premise, and how that premise allows him to address the existential angst that parents are feeling about the world they’re leaving their kids. Will also reveals the biggest challenge in writing Lloyd as a character, why he wrote the book in the present tense, and how all of his novels have clocks in one way or another. Will and Brian talk about the action sequences in the book, how they were influenced by Will’s love of movies and how listening to The Donnas was Will’s secret for those scenes. They also talk about how Will’s excellent weekly newsletter influenced parts of this book. “I want you to feel the entire time like this is happening right now.” Links Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride on Bookshop.org (to support independent bookstores.) Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride on Amazon Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson (The best thing Will’s read lately.) Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham (The best thing Brian’s read lately.) Support Support the show at Buy Me a Coffee Follow us on Instagram. | |||
| Episode 196: Love, Abby with Sam Borden | 11 Apr 2025 | 00:38:15 | |
“I never really thought about it as something I would ever do a story on. I didn’t even think of it in terms of a story … these were just our friends.” Sam Borden from ESPN joins us for a deep dive into his moving feature story on the friendship between Abby Zittoun and the UConn women’s basketball team. Sam discusses the intensely personal nature of this story for him, how he navigated being both a friend and reporter in telling Abby’s story, and why being transparent and intimate as a journalist is so vital to doing stories like this. He also talks about how he dealt with the personal pressure he felt writing this story. Sam and Brian also discuss the writing and reporting of the story. The details make this story so memorable, but how does Sam know he has the right details, and how do you keep from overwhelming the reader with them? Sam also talks about how he avoided making an inherently sad story like this feel like a long march for the reader. This is not a story about grief, it’s the story about an amazing young girl, her family, and the connection she had with this team. “I want Abby to be alive for as much of this story as possible.” Links: Love, Abby: Inside UConn basketball's eternal bond with a magical fan Love, Abby (TV version of story) Trump is selling Jews a dangerous lie by Michael S. Roth (The best thing Sam’s read lately) Support: Support the show at Buy Me a Coffee Follow us on Instagram. | |||
| Episode 195: Throwbacks with Michael Weinreb | 28 Feb 2025 | 00:34:24 | |
Author, journalist and screenwriter Michael Weinreb joins Brian to talk about newsletters, carving out a writing career in the digital world, the intersection of sports, politics and culture and the value of works in progress. We start out by talking about Michael’s time writing for Grantland and how that site was almost our generation’s version of The National Sports Daily. Michael talks about what it was like to write for Grantland and be a part of a site that let writers indulge in the topics they wanted to write about, This evolves into a broader and frank discussion about a writer’s life and how Michael carves out writing and a career space in this current media environment. The main topic is Throwbacks, Michael’s excellent newsletter on Substack. He describes how it began during the COVID pandemic, how and why he started writing though a historical lens, and how forcing himself to write every week has helped him in his other writing projects. Links Throwbacks: A Newsletter About Sports History and Culture Move Fast and Break Things (2012) The Greatest Paper that Ever Died The Genius: How Bill Walsh Reinvented Football and Created an NFL Dynasty by David Harris (the best thing Michael’s read lately) Philip Bump columns at The Washington Post (the best thing Michael’s read lately) Support Follow us on Instagram. | |||
| Episode 194: Magic in the Air with Mike Sielski | 06 Feb 2025 | 00:34:20 | |
“I didn’t want this to be 300 pages of highlights. I wanted this book to surprise people in its depth and in the way it’s written and in the topics we cover.” Mike Sielski returns to the show for a deep dive into the writing and reporting of his new book, “Magic in the Air.” We start with the book’s subtitle: “The Myth, the Mystery and the Soul of the Slam Dunk.” Mike, a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer and friend of the show, talks about he was inspired by Tyler Kepner’s book K and how he wanted to do a book where each chapter was its own entity Mike describes how his reporting had him dodging rattlesnakes in Amarillo Texas teetering on the rabbit hole of finding the first person to dunk. He talks about why he wrote some of the book in first person, what it’s like to stretch that writing muscle, and how he used it to dunk on the NCAA. We also talk about his favorite dunk of all time and the surprising role N.C. State plays in the history of the dunk. And no, Olean is not the birthplace of the dunk. “What I wanted to do is take the dunk and use it as a vehicle to understand how basketball has changed and how American culture and society have changed over time.” Links Pre-order Magic in the Air: Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (The best thing Mike’s read lately) Support Follow us on Instagram. | |||
| Episode 193: Who Are These Women? with Jennifer Ashley Tepper | 25 Oct 2024 | 00:30:19 | |
“What’s the book that I would write if I had time?” Jennifer Ashley Tepper joins us for a deep dive into her upcoming book, “Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy That the History Books Left Out.” Jennifer, a Broadway historian, producer and 2022 Tony Honoree (!!!), talks about how she came to the idea of writing about 300-plus women writers, dating back to the 1700s, who have written musical theater. She talks about how she started to write the book during deep isolation in Covid - but really started writing it even earlier than that. How do you do historical research during a worldwide shutdown, and how do you research people who have been left out of the history books? Jennifer talks about how online library resources and newspaper archives were so useful, and how restrictions can be helpful to a creative person. Jennifer and Brian talk about what stories get left out of the history books, how work that addresses the experiences or perspectives of women (or other marginalized communities) during a past era might be seen as dated, and how cast recordings are a kind of unintentional gatekeeping. If something’s out of print, it’s like it didn’t exist. Rabbit holes include Toni Tennille’s long-forgotten environmental musical, which was produced by Roger Ailes, and watching TikToks on Instagram like a grown up. “To get to finally share these stories with people is thrilling to me, because so many of them are untold Broadway stories that deserve to be told.” Links Pre-order Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy That the History Books Left Out: All of Jennifer Ashley Tepper’s books Yellow Face (the best show Jennifer’s seen lately). Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward (the best thing Jen’s read lately). The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century from The New York Times. (All links are Amazon affiliate links) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy) and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram and Threads. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 192: Let's Find Out Together with Stuart Turton | 10 Oct 2024 | 00:33:42 | |
“I’ve got this crazy idea, it would be Agatha Christie meets Lost. They were like ‘how are you gonna pull that off?’ and I was like ‘I have absolutely no idea.” Stuart Turton joins Brian to talk about the writing of his New York Times bestseller, “The Last Murder at the End of the World.” Stuart talks about how this was the hardest book he’s ever written, why it was so hard, and how he had to throw a full 130,000-word draft away and start over. He talks about how he knew things weren’t working and the changes he made that changed everything. Turns out, he killed the wrong person. Stuart and Brian talk about the unintentional symbolism of the fog, the beauty of the mourning lanterns, why Stuart hates red herrings, and how the constraints of writing a mystery novel are like a game of chess to him. “That’s the thing that you started with, that was your premise, that was your holy grail, and that's the reason you started writing this book. But it's not working. So have courage and toss it.” Links The Last Murder at the End of the World A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Eagen (the best thing Stuart’s read lately.) Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley (the other best thing Stuart’s read lately.) Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson (the best thing Brian’s read lately.) (all links are Amazon affiliate links) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy) and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram and Threads. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 191: We Wrote a Book with Matt Zimmerman and Lauren Burch | 27 Sep 2024 | 00:41:00 | |
“After 190 episodes talking about other’s people writing, I finally get to talk about something I wrote!” Brian is joined by Matthew Zimmeran and Lauren Burch, and the three of them talk about their new textbook, Introduction to Sports Journalism. We talk about how Matt started the project and how/why he asked us to be a part of it. We talk about our different writing styles and methods, how Brian’s writing habits give Lauren anxiety, and how our three voices turned into one cohesive book. We also talk about the challenges of balancing theory with the need for practicality, and how we to tried to balance writing something as permanent as a book about such a fast-changing industry. Anyway, I’m super proud of the book and so proud that I got to do it with friends of mine. Links Introduction to Sports Journalism (our book!) Want: Sexual Fantasies by Gillian Anderson (the best thing Lauren’s read lately. The Storyteller by Dave Grohl (the other best thing Lauren’s read lately) Moneyball by Michael Lewis (the other best thing Matt’s read recently.) Everyone On This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson (the best thing Brian’s read lately) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy) and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram and Threads. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 190: Solving That Puzzle with Joe Posnanski | 13 Sep 2024 | 00:34:59 | |
“I feel like my place as a writer is sort of that place between what happened and the mythology of what’s happening.” Joe Posnanski joins Brian for a deep dive into his new book, Why We Love Football: A History in 100 Moments. Joe also talks about how we was able to write a collection of essays while maintaining a central theme, how the Don Beebe-Leon Lett play is the perfect example of why we love football, and what kind of athlete “Brian Moritz” would be. “For me as a writer, the moment where the book came alive for me was when I started to think of it as a football game … every play is its own little universe in football.” Links Why We Love Football: A History in 100 Moments Destiny of the Republic: A Tale Of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard (the best thing Joe’s read lately.) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy) and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram and Threads. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 189: Take it Deeper with Tyler dunne | 22 Aug 2024 | 00:38:48 | |
“I think those fans deserve the truth. They don't need to be pandered to, they don't need to be misled.” Tyler Dunne, the man behind Go Long and the best NFL feature writer working today, joins Brian to talk about Sean McDermott, Zay Jones and so much more. Ty talks about the aftermath of his Sean McDermott series, how the coach and the team responded to that explosive series and reached out to him and how he’s now credentialed by the Bills. Tyler talks about the conversation he had with McDermott at the NFL Combine and what it felt like to walk into that meeting. We then do a deep dive into his feature on Zay Jones that won him a first place award in the APSE National Writing Contest. Tyler talks about his tools for gently steering a conversation in an interview, how to handle the elephant in the room, and the value of doing extra reporting beyond the main interview. He also discusses how he protects his own mental health when writing and reporting heavy features, and how these stories make him want to be a better person. “It's a people business, it's a human business, and you just want to have conversations and you just want to treat people like human beings.” Links I’m Still Alive: The Zay Jones story Buffalo Bills Memory Lane with Chuck Pollock The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek (The best thing Tyler’s read lately.) County Highway (The other best thing Tyler’s read lately.) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 188: A Book on Ya Ya with Jenn Billinson | 10 May 2024 | 00:44:05 | |
“I think the role of the critic is to bring that nuanced understanding and historical context to explain the music.” Dr. Jenn Billinson from Nazareth University joins Brian for a deep, deep dive into Cowboy Carter, The Tortured Poets Department, and the role of music writing in today’s media world. Jenn talks about her recent research into gatekeeping in country music and specifically the reaction to Beyonce’s new album. What is it about country music that brings out such strong gatekeeping tendencies? Jenn talks about her role as a white woman writing about her reaction to Beyonce’s music. Jenn and Brian discuss the role of a journalist or an academic in writing about music in 2024, especially in a world where fans are doing incredible analyses and album breakdowns on TikTok. Rabbit holes include their favorite song on each album, the new Pearl Jam record, and staying up past midnight in your 40s.
Daddy Lessons (Beyonce and The Chicks, 2016 performance.) A Complete Review of Beyonce’s New Album on The Right Time Raw Dog: The naked truth about hot dogs (The Best Thing Jenn’s read lately.) He turned his garage into a nightclub. Now the city wants to shut it down and kick him out (the best thing Brian’s read lately.) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 187: Caution is Kindness with Jen Moritz | 18 Apr 2024 | 00:33:57 | |
“When in doubt, choose not to harm somebody.” Jen Moritz, senior editor and inclusive language specialist (and Brian’s wife) joins us to talk about inclusive language. What is inclusive language? So glad you asked! Jen defines the term for us, and also describes how she got interested and involved in this area of editing. She tells us how the pandemic influenced her interest in inclusive language, how editing for inclusive language is an extension of her “Grammar Tingle” and what she does when that is activated by word or phrase, and how inclusive editing can help connect us back to our humanity in an increasingly digital world. We also go down a rabbit hole about the phrase “rule of thumb” and what to do when people think you’re wrong but you’re actually right. Other rabbit holes include dragon smut, fairy smut, banned books and Maintenance Phase. Also, as far as we can tell, “flying by the seat of your pants” is not problematic. As a phrase, at least. “You will always be learning. You will never have perfect language and perfect representation. You’re just doing your best.” Links The Conscious Language Newsletter Flamer (the best thing Jen’s read lately.) Other Words For Home (the best thing Jen’s read lately.) Rebecca Yarros Empyrean Series (the best thing Jen has read lately.) Sarah J. Mass books (the best thing Brian has read lately.) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| BONUS EPISODE: AP Style and obesity | 11 Apr 2024 | 00:19:49 | |
Next week, our regularly scheduled episode with Jen Moritz will be out. We’ll be talking all about inclusive language. However. Early in April, the Associated Press announced updates to its style book. Including new guidance on writing about “obese, obesity and overweight” We, um, we have some thoughts. And so, a bonus episode. Enjoy! And be sure to listen to our non-bonus episode with Jen next week. This was largely inspired by the work of Maintenance Phase. Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 186: Working Stuff Out with Jared Paventi | 04 Apr 2024 | 00:44:55 | |
“We all experience loss differently, but there’s common ground for all of us to find in that.” Jared Paventi joins Brian this week to talk all about his excellent Substack, Dirt Nap. Jared discusses how he came to write a weekly blog/newsletter/Substack/whatever we’re calling it about death and grieving, how watching his oldest daughter grieve the loss of her grandpa inspired him, and how he uses writing to work through what he’s thinking and feeling. Jared talks about how he’s looking to create a space for conversations about grief through his excellent Griever’s Digest series, how grieving can be about more than just the death of someone, and how the writing of A.J. Daulerio and The Small Bow inspired Dirt Nap, especially the tone. We also talk about what happened to his food blog, Blog Al Dente, and what you do when a project starts to feel more like work than fun. Rabbit holes include HJ Magazine, how a deadline without a consequence is meaningless, and Brian’s move out of the basement. “This is some shit that’s going on in my head and my world. Maybe it’s happening to you too.” Links Dirt Nap by Jared Paventi The Griever’s Digest series at Dirt Nap The Small Bow by A.J. Daulerio The Other 51 Episode 13: Anti-Federalists with Jared Paventi I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy (The best thing Jared’s read lately.) Jean Hanff Korelitz books (The best thing Jared’s read lately.) The Last Boy by Jane Leavy (The best thing Brian’s read lately.) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 185: Slime Time with Alex Brightman | 22 Mar 2024 | 00:32:14 | |
“Come in for the show, stay for the tears.” Alex Brightman joins Brian to talk about Broadway and writing, including a deep dive into his play “The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers.” A two-time Tony Nominee (for School of Rock and Beetlejuice), Alex tells Brian how a YouTube series, a production of Grease, and a shared affinity for Old Hollywood led to him writing a one-man show for Marc Summers based on the Double Dare host’s life. What exactly is a “part interactive game show, part memoir?” Alex describes the process of writing the show, including the ah-ha moment that made him realize there was something special here. Alex also tells the story of how he and Drew Gasparini met, became fast friends and writing partners, and how they work together. Alex also discusses how he fits writing into an already busy acting schedule and some of the projects he’s working on now. Rabbit holes include our shared reverence for calendars, and how Simon’s mom reacted to his message (IYKYK). Links The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers (through June 2, 2024) Spamalot (through April 7) A Little Bit, sung by Alex Brightman, written by Drew Gasparini Boom Town by Sam Anderson (the best thing Alex has read lately) A Strange Loop AND Ain’t No Mo (the best shows Alex has seen lately) Alex’s coming appearances: LvlUp Expo in Las Vegas April 26th-28th GalaxyCon in Oklahoma City May 24th-26th Rhode Island Comic Con November 1st-3rd Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 184: Very Sparkly Writers with Joe Iconis | 08 Mar 2024 | 00:36:01 | |
“Oh, I wrote a musical about me. I really did. This is just me.” Joe Iconis, one of the best writers on Broadway and one of Brian’s favorite people, joins us on The Other 51 to talk all about The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical. Yep, that’s the name of Joe’s most recent show, which debuted at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego in 2023. Joe tells the story of the name and why it’s so appropriate for a show about Hunter S. Thompson. Joe also discusses why the show is unauthorized, what that meant for him trying to write a show without being able to use a famous writers’ words, and why it was scary but ultimately rewarding. Joe and Brian also discuss the show’s multivolume coffee table book trip from an idea in 2007 to the stage 16 years later, what’s next for the show, and the difference for Joe between writing music and writing a script. Rabbit holes include the coming Broadway Thinkpieces and Huey Lewis and the News. We also get a Diane Kitten update. “Let there be things that are weird and strange. And good and true.” Links The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical Buy Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas from The Strand Oh Mary (the best show Joe’s seen lately) Days of Wine and Roses (the best show Joe’s seen lately) The Untold Stories of Broadway Vol. 4 by Jennifer Ashley Tepper (the best thing Joe’s read lately) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 183: Show Up with Liz Robbins | 23 Feb 2024 | 00:34:48 | |
“Do the work. Show Up. Show you care by listening.” Liz Robbins joins Brian to talk about her remarkable career as a journalist, covering everything from the NBA to U.S. immigration policy. Liz tells stories about what it was like to cover sports in Cleveland in the late 1990s, including how she broke the news that the WNBA would be forming and traveled on a private jet with Tim Couch. This was the last golden age of traditional newspaper sports journalism, and Liz describes what that was like. Liz also details how broke a story for The Times that led to the U.S. government literally changing one of its immigration policies. Writing topics include how Liz knows she’s done reporting and ready to write, how to build a network of sources, and how to protect your mental health while covering tough stories. Rabbit holes include the only time in Liz’s career that she was star struck, Susan Sarandon in Rocky Horror Picture Show, Larry Brown yelling at her, and the St. Bonaventure-Kentucky NCAA Tournament game in 2000. Links Post Office Fails to Deliver on Time, and DACA Applications Get Rejected A Record Breaking 2023 in Sports St. Bonaventure-Kentucky 2000 NCAA First Round All the Sinners Bleed by Y.A. Cosby (the best thing Liz has read lately) Roman Stories (the other best thing Liz has read lately) Criminal Record on Apple TV+ (the best thing Liz has watched lately) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram. We’re on Facebook the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site. Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 182: Feel Like a Writer with Dave Karpf | 09 Feb 2024 | 00:32:52 | |
“I ended up throughout the midst of the pandemic feeling like I couldn’t write anything anymore.” Dave Karpf, author of the must-read “The Future, Now and Then” on Substack, joins Brian to talk about writing, the internet, and more. Dave and Brian discuss this week’s news about Bluesky opening itself to the public, and why the years where there wasn't a lot of money in it was when the internet was the best. Dave, a political science professor at George Washington University, talks about how he built a weekly writing practice on Substack, and how it helped him unstick as a writer. He talks about his writing about the intersection of technology and society, what we can learn about the present and the future by the stories tech evangelists told us in the past, and the most bonkers thing he’s read in the Wired Magazine archives. “This is what happens when you give a guy like me tenure” Links The Future, Now and Then by Dave Karpf Lost Tempo by Matt (Best thing Dave’s read lately) Dumb Money by Gary Wolf and Joey Anuff (Best thing Dave’s read lately) Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Best thing Brian’s read lately) Support The Other 51 is and will always be free, but if you like my work (and the stuff I do at Sports Media Guy and want to kick me a few dollars, you can do so here. I really appreciate your support. Follow us on Instagram. We’re on the decaying corpse of Twitter, but only because for some reason sports media won’t abandon the site (looking at you, ESPN folks). Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 181: Working with Words with Wendell Barnhouse | 22 Sep 2023 | 00:35:59 | |
Wendell Barnhouse joins Brian to talk about his long and storied career as a sports journalist. Wendell talks about what it was like to cover Duke-Kentucky in the 1992 NCAA men’s Tournament (the Christian Laettner shot), how doing layout and editing stories for 13 years helped him be a better writer, and why he views himself as more of a craftsman than an artist. Rabbit holes include the old SportsJournalists.com message boards, and the eternal question of how do you castrate an orange? Dead Reckoning by Robert Kolker Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 180: Get It On the Page with Joe Posnanski | 06 Sep 2023 | 00:33:45 | |
Joe Posnanski joins Brian this week to talk all about his new book, “Why We Love Baseball.” In the introduction to this book, Joe writes that "This is the book I always hoped would be on the shelf” of his library when he was a kid. In this episode, he tells Brian why this would have been the perfect book for him when he was 10 years old. Joe discusses how he had the title of the book before anything else, how he developed the book’s structure, and how he came up with the structures for all 108(ish) essays in the book. Joe also talks about what he has learned about himself as a writer over the yearsl, and the importance of discipline in writing. Rabbit holes include our current Taylor Swift eras, Ozzie Smith YouTube, and the dump ballparks of our youth. Why We Love Baseball by Joe Posnanski Walking with Sam by Andrew McCarthy Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 179: North Star with Sam Borden | 31 Aug 2023 | 00:34:14 | |
Sam Borden of ESPN joins Brian this week to talk about reporting, interviewing, and life as a foreign correspondent. Sam has probably the best job title of anyone we’ve had as a guest on the podcast — Global Sports Correspondent for ESPN. Sam talks about how he got that job, how he built a successful career as a sports journalist despite not being a sports fan, and how he finds stories to write. Sam and Brian also talk about what life is really like as a foreign correspondent. It’s not all Hemingway and lunches on the Seine. Sam talks about finding fixers who can help you report in foreign languages, and how he tracked down Darko Milicic at an apple orchard in Serbia. Sam also talks about the biggest difference between interviewing for broadcast and interviewing for a print piece, how the concept of the North Star can help any journalist. More Myself: A Journey by Alicia Keys Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead Percy Jackson and the Olympians boxed set Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 178: Post-Threads World with Jenn Billinson | 25 Aug 2023 | 00:35:14 | |
Dr. Jenn Billinson from Nazareth University joins us to talk about the state of social media, and what the heck is going on with Twitter and Twitter replacements. Short answer: It’s a mess Jenn and Brian talk about their reactions to Threads, why that seemed to fizzle out, and what’s next for space. Twitter/BlueSky/Threads. Jenn tells us how social media has changed in the decade she’s been teaching it, what research tells us about why people use Twitter (and twitter-like platforms), and how she teachers social media in a world like this. In addition, we break down the potential fight between Elon and Zuckerberg. There is some Barbenheimer talk, of course. Also, in what might become a new regular feature on the show, Jenn gives us the best TikTok Rabbit Hole she has gone down lately. And on Bluesky because why not? Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 177: A Newsman's Newsman with Chuck Pollock | 06 Jul 2023 | 00:47:33 | |
How did a guy who started his career in radio become one of the most influential newspaper sports journalists in the history of Western New York? Chuck Pollock, Brian’s former boss and the longtime sports editor and columnist for The Times Herald in Olean, N.Y., joins Brian to talk about column writing, journalism, and his 50-year career. Chuck traces his career from the Vietnam War, through radio in Pennsylvania, and to the newsroom on Norton Drive in Olean where he worked for 50 years. He talks about working for Mike Abdo and Bob Davies and why they were so influential on him. He talks about what it was like covering Buffalo sports in the 1970s writing for a family-owned newspaper, the changes in the industry, why he left the OTH and what’s next for him. We talk about the single-best definition of news either one of us has ever heard, and why having a column every day is so vital for newspapers. And where did Chuck’s unique typing style come from? A heartfelt goodbye to TH readers The Best Newspaper Man I Ever Worked With Chuck Pollock: Ending the Absence of Writing The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown Subscribe: | |||
| Epsiode 176: Adams Was a Baller with Bob Crawford | 02 Jun 2023 | 00:30:33 | |
Bob Crawford, podcaster, history buff, and the bass player for The Avett Brothers (Brian’s favorite band), joins Brian this week to talk his new podcast series, Founding Son: John Quincy’s America. Bob and Brian talk about what made John Quincy Adams stand out as a story worth telling, how Adams is the bridge between Washington and Lincoln, a vessel to tell the story of America between the revolution and the Civil War, and a good, good man. What stories about Adams did Bob most want to tell but had to cut? Bob discusses how his story editor helped him focus not on the trees that were so fascinating but on the forest as a whole, how he developed his pitch for the show (and even forgot about it at one point), how he used Miro as an organizational tool, and the writing tip that he learned from Twitter. Rabbit holes in this episode include Martin Van Buren, Abraham Lincoln, the Seward House in Auburn, N.Y., and spinning a stand-up bass. Founding Son: John Quincy’s America The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln Subscribe to The Other 51: | |||
| Episode 175: Everything's About Us with Scott Nover | 26 May 2023 | 00:31:18 | |
Scott Nover, a technology and media reporter for Quartz, joins Brian to talk about AI, media economics, and why it’s so interesting to write about media. Scott takes a break from watching the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on artificial intelligence for this episode. For real, though … politicians can’t understand Facebook. Scott discusses his career path, why he became fascinated in writing and reporting on media, and what is most interesting to him in the AI space right now. Brian and Scott also talk about why understanding business is fundamental to any career in journalism, and stratagies for making complex business concepts understandable to readers. And man, we miss David Carr. OpenAI’s Sam Altman got a warm welcome on Capitol Hill The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Subscribe to The Other 51: | |||
| Episode 174: Ride the Writing Wave with Arielle Beth Klein | 18 May 2023 | 00:31:22 | |
Arielle Beth Klein, a playwright and actor, joins Brian to talk about her newly published play, "My Shiksa Boyfriend," and all things writing and creative. Arielle tells us what it's like seeing her play for sale in the Drama Book Shop, and what it's like signing copies of her play to sell in the famed NYC book store. We bond over the awesomeness of Grace Aki. Arielle describes how improv exercise in a college class set her on the road to being a playwright. She tells us the lasting lessons she's learned from Seth Barrish's storytelling workshops, why she works in 10-page spurts, and her favorite deleted scene from the show and why she cut it. She also discusses How her experience and work as an actor informs her writing, and how her career as a writer informs her acting, and and her best advice for a young or new playwright. | |||
| Episode 173: Low-Risk Person with Will Leitch | 11 May 2023 | 00:37:53 | |
Will Leitch returns to the show to talk all about the writing of his excellent new novel, "The Time Has Come." Will tells Brian how the writing of this book (“a feel-good book about a shooting!”) differed from his first novel, “How Lucky.” Will discusses how he structured the book, whether the plot or characters came first, and how he was able to make all of his main characters sound authentic to who they are. How do you write a Trump voter whom your readers will find likable - or at least able to empathize with? Will and Brian talk about why making something specific actually makes it universal, how the novel’s setting of Athens, Georgia ties to the book’s larger theme, and how this book reflects his overall world view. Pre-order The Time Has Come at IndieBound Pre-order The Time Has Come at Amazon Will’s Excellent Weekly Newsletter The Rise and Fall of theThird Reich Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 172: Primed to Write with Jenn McClearen | 19 Apr 2023 | 00:35:29 | |
Dr. Jenn McClearen, an assistant professor at the University of Texas and author of the Substack newsletter Publish not Perish, joins Brian to talk about what makes academic writing so vexing, and some strategies to improve your writing and time management. They talk about the crazy coincidence of the both being at the same, relatively small conference in Barcelona and not meeting there, and they discuss the research projects they brought to IACS and their respective interests in Naomi Osaka. The joys of eating in Barcelona and Spanish table wine. The main topic is Jenn’s excellent newsletter, Publish Not Perish. Jenn tells the newsletter’s origin story and why she wants to make the academy more transparent. She discusses how to deal with the inherent structural challenges of academia, and the importance of reflecting on and trying different strategies and figuring out what works for you. Micro Media Industries by Lori Kido Lopez The Boys on the Bus by Timothy Crouse Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 171: Now I Just Cry with Alysa Auriemma | 13 Apr 2023 | 00:51:35 | |
For the record seventh time, Alysa Auriemma joins Brian to talk about writing. This time, the main topics are social media, making space for creative work, her next novel, and (of course) so much more. Alysa talks about the reaction her first novel, All Daughter’s Rise, received and what the self-publishing process was like on the back end. She also discusses her plans for the second book in that series and why she’s shifting her writing focus to a new project. We break some news on this episode, as Alysa discusses her next book. The main topic for Alysa and Brian is social media. Alysa’s off Twitter and has been for a while. Why’d she leave? What’s it like? How does she fill all that time? | |||
| Episode 170: Under the Hood with Evan Drellich | 10 Feb 2023 | 00:39:16 | |
Evan Drellich joins Brian to talk about his new book, Winning Fixes Everything, about the Houston Astros' cheating scandal. Evan — who worked with Brian at the Press & Sun-Bulletin in Binghamton, N.Y. another lifetime ago — discusses how he and Ken Rosenthal broke the story of the Astros cheating scandal for The Athletic, what it's like when your reporting becomes the biggest sports story in the country, and how this is much more about players banging trash cans with bats. Evan also talks about how this is much more than a sign-stealing scandal, how it's a book about corporate cut-throat culture that captures a lot of what was happening in industry in the 2010s, and how he developed those themes. He also talks about the writing lessons he drew from Bernard Malamud (and the late Charlie Jaworski) and his favorite Killers songs. Winning Fixes Everything by Evan Drellich on Amazon The original story on the Astros' scandal The Complete Stories by Bernard Malamud Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 169: Damar Hamlin with Tyler Dunne | 05 Jan 2023 | 00:26:29 | |
Tyler Dunne of Go Long tells us all about Damar Hamlin, what it was like to be in Cincinnati on Monday night, and about watching and covering football going forward. Why Damar Hamlins is exactly what the Buffalo Bills need The light in football’s most horrific hour Podcast: Damar Hamlin, life, and football The Chasing MS Foundation Community Toy Drive Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 168: Digital Media Suburb with Jeremy Littau | 16 Dec 2022 | 00:33:53 | |
Jeremy Littau, a professor at Lehigh University, an expert in social media with some unfortunate opinions about candy, joins Brian to talk about the present and future of Twitter and new social platforms. Jeremy talks about where things stood with Twitter as of Dec. 7, when we recorded this. He talks about the migration to Mastodon, why it’s Why its really complicated for people to decide whether or not to leave or join a social network, and why those options are not the same thing. Jeremy also discusses his willingness to experiment with new digital media, and how he gets his students to think about the future with a bent toward curiosity Op-Ed: Thinking of leaving Twitter? Its experience is hard to replicate Andrew Luck Reveals Why He Walked Away from the NFL Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 167: Rabbit Holes with Pablo Torre | 23 Nov 2022 | 00:39:07 | |
Pablo Torre, host of ESPN Daily, joins Brian to talk about interviewing, curiosity in reporting, and how podcasting sits at the middle of his professional Venn Diagram. After a brief delay in starting this episode, Pablo talks about the career path that brought him to ESPN. He tells Brian how he brings a magazine-writer’s sensibility to a daily sports podcast, and why he is so wary about being a redundant voice. Pablo discusses the range of his interests and the show, whether it is taking time to discuss serious topics (mental health in sports, concussions) to approaching fun stories (was Jalen Rose really the first Jalen?) with the seriousness that Michael Caine brought to A Muppet Christmas Carol. Pablo and Brian talk about the importance of curiosity and how to cultivate it, how he tries to bring out the best in his guests, and whether or not you can create chemistry between two people. Alternate episode title: The science of butts JJ Redick on Mental Health vs. Mental Toughness Inside the NFL’s Concussion Protocol with Alex Smith Is Jalen Rose the First Jalen? We Solve a Sports Mystery Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 166: Kendall Oilers with Tyler Dunne | 03 Nov 2022 | 00:56:38 | |
In our first-ever live event, Tyler Dunne returns to talk about his new book, “The Blood and Guts: How Tight Ends Save Football.” Listen to this episode for your chance to WIN A SIGNED COPY OF TY’S BOOK. Tyler tells Brian why he decided to write a whole book about tight ends. Because, let’s face it, that’s an oddly specific topic. If, as Tyler said he learned, that the position of tight end chooses people, how did he choose to write about tight ends. Tyler describes what he calls “a cross-country trip about the soul of the sport,” how he reported the book, and why it was so important to interview these tight ends in their own environments. Tyler tells Brian how he approached writing the book like a series of long-form feature stories, how he balanced that and theme to turn those stories into a book, and how he balanced writing and reporting the book, running his own subscription newsletter AND raising a newborn and a toddler at the same time. Tyler’s sixth-grade teacher drops also drops by (with Tyler’s football card from 2000) The episode was recorded on October 27, 2022, at the Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure. Thanks to Aaron Chimbel, the staff of the Jandoli School, and the Endowment for Excellence in Business Journalism for their support of the event. The Blood and the Guts by Tyler Dunne on Amazon … and at your local indie bookstore. The Last Folk Hero by Jeff Pearlman Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 165: Walking Through Your Fear with Jeff Pearlman | 27 Oct 2022 | 00:28:22 | |
Jeff Pearlman is back for either his 83rd or 905th appearance, depending on who’s counting. Jeff is back to chat about “The Last Folk Hero,” his outstanding new biography of Bo Jackson that is out this week. Jeff describes what makes Bo Jackson so iconic and interesting, and why the first thing he did when he decided to write about Bo was to visit eBay. Jeff did 720 interviews for this book, and he tells Brian who he wishes had been 721. Jeff walks through how he organized all this information with printouts and folders — “It’s a frickin’ nightmare.” Jeff talks about what makes Bo’s story so intriguing as a writer, how he separated fact from myth, and if it was a bummer to learn the truth behind those myths. He discusses how he developed his writing style, the importance of making the extra call, and how you never stop being afraid but you learn to do what you have to do. Alternate episode title: Life’s a Crapper The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson Afeni Skaur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy Barkley: A Biography by Timothy Bella Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 164: A 70-Word Sentence with Dr. Denny Wilkins | 20 Oct 2022 | 00:30:35 | |
Denny Wilkins' story is that of a geology major from Massachusetts turned into a journalism professor at St. Bonaventure. It’s also the story of a professor who taught a generation of St. Boanventure journalism graduates — Brian included — to omit needless words. Denny and Brian, now colleagues at the Jandoli School of Communication, bring faculty meeting energy to this week’s episode. Denny discusses the challenges of teaching college students how to write, the importance of curiosity, and how he teaches it. Denny talks about his own journalism experiences, why he views himself as a coach, and what he learned from former St. Bonaventure women’s basketball coach (and current coach at Providence) Jim Crowley about teaching. Can you make each sentence one word shorter? If so, you’re halfway to a better story. Yep. He also talks about what Brian was like as a student. I immediately regret this decision. St. Bonaventure University Writing Style Guide Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash by Elizabeth Royte The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future by Gretchen Bakke The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance by Hentry Petroski The Road Taken: The History and Future of America’s Infrastructure by Henry Petroski Rust: The Longest War by Jonathan Waldman Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 163: Finding Your Sweet Spot with Dr. Catherine Pearlman | 01 Jul 2022 | 00:29:36 | |
Dr. Catherine Pearlman joins Brian to talk about her new book, “First Phone: A child’s guide to digital responsibility, safety and etiquette.” Catherine discusses her career as a social worker, parenting coach and writer, how she got a syndicated column, and the writing lessons she learned from writing two columns a week for several years. She talks about how and why she decided to write a book specifically for kids, what it was like to write for kids, and what kids really think about smartphones. Digital education is a life-long process. Your kids will make mistakes in their digital life, but theyre part of life and what you can learn of life. And sleep. Good lord, sleep is so important. Catherine also talks about how she puts together a book proposal, why she likes to write at night, how she uses Notes to collect material and organize her work, and how she balanced writing a book about technology without it sounding dated. First Phone: A child’s guide to digital responsibility, safety and etiquette Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keffe Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 162: The Fan's Reporter with Shoshana of BWay Sho | 17 Jun 2022 | 00:31:36 | |
What’s it like to be at the Tony Awards? How do you juggle being both a fan and a reporter? How do you go from being a TV reporter in West Texas to creating your own site to cover Broadway? What’s it like to spend an entire day wearing a fushsia ballgown around New York City? Shoshana from BWaySho joins Brian to answer those questions and more. Shoshana and Brian talk about how TV taglines never leave you, why she doesn’t see herself as a critic, and the importance of just showing up. This episode also features our first CONTEST. Check @TheOther51Pod for details. | |||
| Episode 161: Boom, Curtain with Grace Aki | 10 Jun 2022 | 00:30:23 | |
Grace Aki, a playwright and performer, joins Brian to talk about her one-woman show, To Free A Mockingbird. Here’s the secret. Grace didn’t actually “write” her one-woman show. Well she did. She talks about how she incrementally developed her show over a number of years, and how she used voice memos as her main tool to get material down. Grace and Brian talk about the lessons she learned from Rick Crom and Seth Barrish, how important the ending and the climax of a show (or a story, or a beat) is, the through line in all of Grace’s work, and what the word storyteller means to her. Grace also gives fantastic advice on how to motivate yourself to do your own creative work. They also talk ice cream. Let’s normalize meeting up for dessert the way people meet up for drinks! Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 160: It Gots to Get Out with Chris Mackowski | 21 Apr 2022 | 00:31:39 | |
Dr. Chris Mackwoski, an author and professor of communication at St. Bonaventure University, joins Brian to talk about writing, the Civil War, the secrets to productivity, and more. Chris and Brian, who are colleagues at the Jandoli School of Communication, talk about Chris’ long and winding career path. Chris talks about how spending time as a radio reporter in Maine, working in public relations, working as a playwright and a blogger helped shaped him as a writer. Chris describes his work writing about the Civil War, why he finds that topic to be so endlessly fascinating, and why he views himself as a writer who happens to write about history, not a historian. He discusses the importance of his writing environment and why that is key to his productivity, what time of day he’s always liked writing, Remember to take the time to take the walk. Chris Mackowski’s books on Amazon Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 159: Perfect Little Marriage with Donna Ditota | 03 Feb 2022 | 00:32:54 | |
Donna Ditota, who was recently named the New York State Sportswriter of the Year, joins Brian to talk about her career covering sports in Syracuse and Central New York. Being Bona Pride Day, Donna and Brian naturally start with some St. Bonaventure talk. Donna, a 1983 graduate, tells Brian what Russel J. Jandoli was really like, and talks about how her experience as a basketball player continues to inform her work to this day. It’s all about empathy, an underrated trait for journalists. Donna traces her career path from St. Bonaventure to her current gig as an award-winning Syracuse men’s basketball beat writer for Syracuse.com. She tells Brian what makes Jim Boeheim so great to cover, why open locker rooms are so important to sports journalism (and why Zoom interviews suck), and walks through her process in writing a profile story. Find out what life is like as a ACC men’s basketball beat writer and voter in the AP Top 25 really looks like, and also why transcribing is the worst, but also the best. Journalism alumna, Syracuse sportswriter Donna Ditota named New York Sportswriter of the Year Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 158: Batman Begins for the Black Mamba with Mike Sielski | 11 Jan 2022 | 00:32:16 | |
Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer joins Brian for a deep dive into the writing and reporting of his new book, “The Rise: Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality.” Mike describes how and why a book about Kobe’s life growing up in Philadelphia was the book for him to write. Why are biographies that focus on a slice of a famous person’s life so meaningful? Mike talks about his reporting process, how time at the Lower Merion Historical Society proved to be invaluable, and how keeping Kobe as the metaphorical sun helped him balance all of the necessary contextual background information. Mike and Brian talk a lot about Lower Merion and Philadelphia, how they are characters in the book, and why a sense of place is so vital to this story. Mike describes the types of questions he used to get at the Kobe story we didn’t know yet. It’s about being honest and upfront with the people you interview. This podcast also serves as the backdoor pilot for the Godzilla Geek podcast Brian and Mike really should just launch already. Buy The Rise Episode 18: Saran Wrap Octopus with Mike Sielski Episode 69: That’s Good Thinking There, Cool Breeze Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe The White Darkness by David Grann Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 157: People Are Gonna Read It with Alysa Auriemma | 04 Jan 2022 | 00:43:02 | |
Author Alysa Auriemma is back to talk about her debut novel All Daughter’s Rise, which is out TODAY on Amazon Kindle. Alysa tells Brian about her book’s long journey to publication, why she decided to self-publish through Amazon Kindle, and how writing this book was both fun and stressful. Alyssa discusses how she learned to lean into the fact that her characters are messy and awkward, how you can speak things into existence but still have to do the work, and how Wheel of Time helps her explain her book. There is also a breakdown of Rogers the Musical. Trust me. We could do this all day. In writing, self-publishing debut novel, Alysa Auriemma remains unapologetically true to herself Episode 126: Use Your Words with Alysa Auriemma Episode 105: Genre is Dead with Alysa Auriemma Episode 52: Hating Kylo Ren with Alysa Auriemma Episode 44: Generic Hot Actor Guy with Alysa Auriemma Episode 27: Always Writing with Alysa Auriemma Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 156: Remembering Sondheim | 02 Dec 2021 | 00:34:56 | |
To honor the life and legacy of Stephen Sondheim, Rob Rokicki, Joe Iconis and Brennan Saur join Brian to discuss his influence on their lives and their craft. Stephen Sondheim, Titan of the American Musical, Is Dead at 91 Episode 143: Back to the Book with Rob Rokicki Episode 121: You Have To See Point Break with Joe Iconis Brennan Saur at New Play Exchange Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 155: Never Throw Away a Notebook with Seth Wickersham | 11 Nov 2021 | 00:33:14 | |
Seth Wickersham of ESPN joins us for a deep dive into the writing and reporting of his book on Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, "It's Better to be Feared." Seth talks about what it's like see your first book on The New York Times bestseller list and what the past month has been like since the book came out. He and Brian go deep into the writing and the reporting process of the book. Seth talks about the notes he’s saved for 20 years, how reporting the book changed due to the pandemic and how he became a better phone interviewer, the interview techniques he learned from John Sawatsky, how he figured out the book’s essential structure, how he wrote early in the morning and how Richard Ben Cramer’s work inspired him. John Sawatsky is highly questionable I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye by Ivan Maisel The Rise: Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality by Mike Sielski Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 154: It Wasn't My Idea with Leah Stacy | 22 Oct 2021 | 00:33:26 | |
Leah Stacy joins us to talk about life as an independent, freelance writer and journalist. Leah first joined us back in 2016, when she was a professor at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y. This week, she and Brian talk about what she’s been up to since then. Topics include: Leah’s professional and life strategy. The scariest part about deciding to go independent, and how she overcame that. How she accidentally got into writing about the food and beverage industry, and what she looks for in telling a restaurant’s story, and what 2020–2021 have been like for restaurants. The upcoming launch of her new print literary magazine, Lilac. How good a writer Taylor Swift is. Writers and Lovers by Lily King The Midnight Library by Matt Haig Ritz And Escoffier by Luke Barr Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 153: A Snake Did It with Stuart Turton | 30 Sep 2021 | 00:38:14 | |
Stuart Turton, the best-selling author of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and The Devil and the Dark Water, joins Brian to talk about writing, plot, Agatha Christie and more. A former journalist (among many other jobs), Stuart wrote two of the Moritz family’s favorite books of the past three years. Among other topics, Stuart and Brian discuss: How, exactly, did he plot out insanely intricate plot of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle? The amount of research he did for The Devin and the Dark Water. You’ll learn something you never would have guessed about a ship’s poop deck. How he sees his young daughter in The Devil and the Dark Water. Why he loves Agatha Christie, and why Brian is horribly wrong about his favorite work of hers. How his characters take on lives of their own, and what that feels like as a writer. Why being able to pack a backpack well is not exactly a translatable skill. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Three Blind Mice and other stories An Instance of the Fingerposts Subscribe: | |||
| Episode 152: Bus Bubble with Tania Elizabeth | 23 Sep 2021 | 00:31:15 | |
Grammy and Juno-award winning musician Tania Elizabeth joins Brian to talk about the writing and recording of her upcoming album and more. Tania’s been a touring musician for nearly her entire life, and has spent the past seven years playing fiddle in the Avett Brothers. Before that, she was a founding member of The Duhks and toured extensively both on her own and as an accompanist. In 2021, she recorded her first solo record in nearly 10 years and hopes to release it in 2022. Tania and Brian discuss: - The difference between a song and a fiddle tune Listen to Tania’s music on Spotify Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss Subscribe: | |||