The Moment with Brian Koppelman

James Le Gros, the longtime actor known for his roles in movies such as Drugstore Cowboy and Living in Obilvion joins us this week to talk about the freedom of not knowing what’s next and why it’s important, even after being credited on over 100 TV shows and films, that he still gets nervous. The two also share some of their best stories, including Brian’s first meeting with Pat Riley and the night James attended a dinner party with Werner Herzog. Plus, we run James’ name through the ‘Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon’ generator, discuss why bitterness is the enemy as an artist, and why it’s important to never face the facts.   Topics this week:  Drugstore Cowboy Living in Oblivion Justified Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon The People vs. Larry Flynt One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Amadeus Citizen Kane The Seventh Seal Diner The Last Winter Harold and Maude WNYC’s Here’s the Thing with Julianne Moore Barry Lyndon Leather Jackets The Winter of Frankie Machine a novel by Don Winslow She Needed Me a novel by Walter Kirn Blood Will Out: The True Story of a Murder, a Mystery, and a Masquerade by Walter Kirn Eyes Wide Shut Grizzly Man The White Diamond The Street Lawyer South Coast Repertory A Beautiful Mind Frost/Nixon Ally McBeal Safe Mildred Pierce Girls Tiny Furniture Where the Day Takes You Gun Crazy Johnny Suede The People Garden Scotland, PA.   People this week:  Milos Forman Ruth Gordon Ralph Moratz Mario van Peebles Cary Elwes Gus Van Sant Brad Pitt Martin Scorsese Robert De Niro Timothy Treadwell Russell Crowe Kerry Bishe George Clooney Pat Riley Tony Robbins Ron Perlman Todd Haynes Kathryn Bigelow Lena Dunham Will Smith Drew Barrymore Catherine Keener   Twitter: @briankoppelman Email: themomentbk@gmail.com Rate us on iTunes: itunes.com/themoment   This episode of The Moment is sponsored by Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage using your own computer and printer, and save up to 80 percent compared with a postage meter. Sign up for a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer when you visit Stamps.com and use the promo code MOMENT.

Lewis Black, the comedian, author, and playwright, joins us on the podcast this week to talk about his long road to living a creative life. The two discuss the night Brian saw Lewis at the Beacon Theatre and watched him perform a bit about Vince Gill and Amy Grant. They also touch on Lewis’s future with The Daily Show, beginning his career as a playwright, and how Lewis comes up with material. And to top it all off, Lewis gives us a few thoughts on religion and the time he once had faith.   Topics this week: Inside Out The Moment's interview with Big Jay Oakerson (2/24/15) Todd -N- Tyler Radio Empire The Bob and Tom Show Lewis Black performs a bit about Vince Gill and Amy Grant Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation WTF's interview with Lewis Black The Nerdist interview with Lewis Black The Daily Show with Jon Stewart WTF’s interview with Jim Breuer My Transcendent Podcast Guest: Jim Breuer Redeems Himself on Marc Maron's WTF Atlantic Theatre Company Samuel French UNC Chapel Hill I Never Sang for My Father a play by Robert Anderson One Slight Hitch a play by Lewis Black The West Bank Cafe Yale School of Drama   People this week: Lewis Black Willie Reale Jim Gaffigan John Oliver Kathleen Madigan Kevin Meaney David Letterman Richard L. Coe Jill Soloway   Twitter: @briankoppelman Rate us on iTunes: itunes.com/themoment

Chuck Todd, NBC News political director and moderator of Meet the Press, talks about the political landscape and his role in it. Brian and Chuck also discuss the line between journalism and show business, the value of long-form interviews, and Chuck's waning enthusiasm for the political game. Plus, Chuck dives into his vision for Meet the Press, the burden of hosting the longest running television show in history, and the real story behind Advise and Consent.   Topics this week: NBC's Meet the Press The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House by Chuck Todd The Julliard School Profiles In Courage by John F. Kennedy Up, Simba! an essay by David Foster Wallace Bulworth Network Advise and Consent Preston Brooks and Charles Sumner Fight Cowboys Are My Weakness by Pam Houston   People this week: Former Senator Rick Santorum Governor John Kasich Senator Rand Paul Former Vice President Dick Cheney Senator Bernie Sanders Former Governor Jeb Bush Former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton President Barack Obama Former Senator Lester Hunt Former Congresswoman Michele Bachmann Former President Bill Clinton Senator John McCain Ross Perot Mayor Bill de Blasio Bill Thompson    Twitter: @briankoppelman Rate us on iTunes: itunes.com/themoment

Taylor Goldsmith, lead singer-songwriter for the band Dawes, joins us this week to talk about the group's new album, All Your Favorite Bands. The album is out today and Taylor can be heard playing an acoustic version of the title track at the end of this episode. In addition, Taylor looks back at his time working on The New Basement Tapes alongside Elvis Costello, Jim James, Rhiannon Giddens, and Marcus Mumford. He also meditates on songwriting, influences, and how art is criticized and consumed in today’s culture. Brian and Taylor also discuss the life and works of Bob Dylan, how turning 30 is a pivotal moment in an artist’s life, and the hope Taylor still holds on to in his music.   Topics this week: All Your Favorite Bands by Dawes U2’s Pride in the Name of Love Kid Rock’s Bawitdaba Dawes’ Time Spent in Los Angeles Nothing is Wrong by Dawes Otis the Drunk on The Andy Griffith Show Lost on the River by The New Basement Tapes “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer The New Basement Tapes - Kansas City The New Basement Tapes – When I Get My Hands on You Johnny Fritz’s When a Ford Man Turns to Chevy Johnny Fritz’s Suck in Your Gut Bill Callahan’s Faith/Void Somewhere Under Wonderland by Counting Crows Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters, and Seymour: An Introduction by J.D. Salinger North Hills by Dawes Dawes – When My Time Comes Miles of Aisles by Joni Mitchell Still Crazy All These Years by Paul Simon Graceland by Paul Simon Rhythm of the Saints by Paul Simon Infidels by Bob Dylan & Mark Knopfler Automatic for the People by REM The New Basement Tapes – Florida Key The Basement Tapes by Bob Dylan Bob Dylan’s Hurricane Bob Dylan’s Joey Bob Dylan’s Highlands Bob Dylan’s It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) Iconoclast with Maya Angelou & Dave Chappelle Southeastern by Jason Isbell Wilder Mind by Mumford & Sons   People this week: Dawes Middle Brother Deer Tick T Bone Burnett Elvis Costello Mumford and Sons Jim James Rhiannon Giddens Jonathan Prince Bob Dylan Hank Williams Jackson Browne Tom Petty Sam Koppelman Bruce Springsteen Peter Mensch Cliff Burnstein My Morning Jacket Alabama Shakes   This episode of The Moment is sponsored by Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage using your own computer and printer, and save up to 80 percent compared with a postage meter. Sign up for a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer when you visit Stamps.com and use the promo code MOMENT.    Email: themomentbk@gmail.com Twitter: @briankoppelman Rate us on iTunes: itunes.com/themoment

Note: This bonus episode was produced and aired by Grantland in December 2014.This week on The Moment we revisit Brian’s conversation with Killer Mike which took place in November 2014. Killer Mike is one half of the Run the Jewels duo along side El-P. Coming off an emotional night in Ferguson, where he played to a crowd after the verdict was announced in the Michael Brown case, Brian talked with Mike about his duties as an artist and being an ambassador for his community. Since this conversation, Killer Mike has appeared on numerous shows including a recent appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher.Topics this week:“R.A.P. Music” album“Run the Jewels” album“Run the Jewels 2” album“PL3DGE” albumStage 48 - New York CityMorehouse CollegeAdrian Peterson child abuse case“I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind” album“I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind Vol. 2” albumKiller Mike in FergusonAvatar“A.D.I.D.A.S.” – Killer MikeBrooke Baldwin Interview with Killer MikeL.A. ConfidentialSound Opinions from WBEZ“AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted” albumOne Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America’s Future a book by Ben CarsonPimp: The Story of My Life a book by Iceberg SlimMan’s Search for Meaning a book by Viktor FranklGuns, Germs, and Steel a book by Jared DiamondPeople this week:Killer MikeRun the JewelsEl-POutkastAlice JohnsonBlowflyQuentin TarantinoLloyd BanksJay-ZDave ChappelleMC HammerBig BoiDick GregoryChuck DEric HolderGeorge WallaceClarence ThomasEmail: themomentbk@gmail.comTwitter: @briankoppelmanRate us on iTunes: itunes.com/themoment

PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman, the hosts of Reply All, discuss their creative partnership and their meteoric rise from WNYC to Gimlet. They also discuss their own worries for the show, the collective work it takes to put out an episode, and finding the sweet spot to maintain their outsider status as they become a part of the mainstream podcasting culture. And just how much hand holding in storytelling is too much hand holding? Brian talks about what it feels like to get De Blasio’d on an episode of Reply All.   Topics this week: Reply All Gimlet The Hold Steady – Lord I’m Discouraged Siskel & Ebert uncensored Life Itself - A film based on Roger Ebert’s memoir Favor Atender – Reply All episode This American Life TLDR This Proves Everything – Reply All episode Ask Leah – TLDR episode On The Media The Moment’s interview with Jessi Klein (12/30/14) 99% Invisible Late Show with David Letterman The Moment’s interview with Alex Blumberg(10/14/14) Death Sex and Money Radiotopia Maximum Fun Exit & Return Part I – Reply All episode Exit & Return Part II – Reply All episode Of Birds and Boundaries – Love and Radio episode   People this week:  PJ Vogt Alex Goldman Craig Finn Tad Kubler Mayor Bill De Blasio (The 109th Mayor of New York City) Alex Blumberg Adam Carolla Anna Sale   Email: themomentbk@gmail.com  Twitter: @briankoppelman Rate us on iTunes: itunes.com/themoment   This episode of The Moment is sponsored by Quickbooks Self Employed. Visit tryselfemployed.com/moment for your free 30 day trial. And by Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage using your own computer and printer, and save up to 80 percent compared with a postage meter. Sign up for a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer when you visit Stamps.com and use the promo code MOMENT.

Bryan Garner, author, lexicographer, and subject of David Foster Wallace’s essay Authority and American Usage, joins Brian to talk about their mutual love of language. Bryan also explains the fight between descriptivists and prescriptivists, how his life changed after Mr. Wallace’s essay ran in Harper’s Magazine and Consider the Lobster, and the story of how he brought Justice Scalia and David Foster Wallace together. In addition, Bryan discusses why he thinks Steven Pinker’s new book on language “isn’t very good,” the definition of the term SNOOT, and how prescriptivists may have literally lost the fight on the definition of literally. Topics this week: Modern American Usage by Bryan Garner LawProse.org provider of CLE training in legal writing, editing, and drafting Tense Present: Democracy, English, and the Wars over Usage by David Foster Wallace Authority and American Usage by David Foster Wallace Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace Millers Crossing a film by the Coen brothers Gideon’s Trumpet by Anthony Lewis The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White Quack This Way by Bryan Garner and David Foster Wallace The Sense of Style by Steven Pinker “Sorry. Dr. Gove ain’t in.” New Yorker Cartoon by Alan Dunn Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself by David Lipsky The Originalist a play by John Strand The Palace Thief by Ethan Canin WBUR interview with Bryan Garner and David Foster Wallace The Financier – Theodore Dreiser Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters, and Seymour: An Introduction by J.D. Salinger Fearing’s Restaurant in Dallas, TX with Chef Dean Fearing David Brinkley: A Memoir by David Brinkley   People this week: @BryanAGarner @SAPinker @PomonaCollege @DeanFearing Former President George W. Bush Jay-Z Brian Williams Justice Antonin Scalia Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg The Claremont Colleges   Email: themomentbk@gmail.com Twitter: @briankoppelman Rate us on iTunes: itunes.com/themoment   This episode of The Moment is sponsored by Quickbooks Self Employed. Visit tryselfemployed.com/moment for your free 30 day trial. And by Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage using your own computer and printer, and save up to 80 percent compared with a postage meter. Sign up for a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer when you visit Stamps.com and use the promo code MOMENT.

Noah Emmerich, otherwise known as Stan Beeman on The Americans, joins Brian to talk about the subtleties in his craft, how he went from being a musician and travel writer to an actor, and how Brian broke Noah the news that he couldn’t land a role in the Kevin Costner film, For Love of the Game. Noah also dives into the backstory of how he landed his role as Marlon, Truman’s best friend, on The Truman Show and the lessons we can all learn from chasing your fears. Mentioned this week: The Truman Show, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Gallipoli, and Witness – Peter Weir films Pride & Glory, Warrior, and Miracle – Gavin O’Connor films The Americans Beautiful Girls and Monument Avenue – Ted “Teddy” Demme films Rounders Floyd Abrams @DanAbrams Paul Giamatti Ron Livingston @JoshMalina @WhitfordBradley @DuleHill A Few Good Men Atlantic Theater Company Things I Have Learned Playing Poker on the Hill an essay by David Mamet Harold Evans Lincoln Center Library True West a play by Sam Shepard Burn This a play by Lanford Wilson The Qualms a play by Bruce Norris Ron Stetson – Neighborhood Playhouse teacher Ed Harris Lee Krasner Kurt Russell Coach K Andrew Niccol writer of Gattaca and The Truman Show Susan Smith – Talent Agent @JimCarrey Bulworth a Warren Beatty film Cop Land a James Mangold film Harvey Keitel @RayLiotta Arthur Nascarella For Love of the Game a film starring Kevin Costner Scott Rosenberg writer of Beautiful Girls @JoeWeisberg Making Movies a book by Sidney Lumet This episode of The Moment is sponsored by Quickbooks Self Employed. Visit tryselfemployed.com/moment for your free 30 day trial.

Jon Acuff, New York Times bestselling author, talks about the pleasures of writing a book he believes in and the struggles of promoting one his heart wasn’t fully into. Also, Jon reflects on his time with the Dave Ramsey team, the years he spent as a blocked writer, and the process of getting unstuck in his new book, Do Over. Mentioned this week: Jon Acuff’s Books - including Stuff Christians Like, Quitter, Start, and Do Over The Moment with Seth Godin (10/7/14) John Sarno’s Healing Back Pain Philippe Petit’s On The High Wire John Waitzkin’s The Art of Learning @DaveRamsey Scott Walker: “I Don’t Know” if Obama Is Christian Michael Jordan’s dunk on Patrick Ewing @billburr @iamcolinquinn Louis CK on cell phones Dusty Springfield’s - Son of a Preacher Man Mad Men The Moment with Adam Duritz (9/2/14)

David Chang, chef and founder of the Momofuku restaurant group, discusses love and hate and how he has used each to fuel his success. Plus, the early days of Momofuku Noodle Bar, when the fear of financial ruin forced David to find a way to find a way forward. Topics discussed in this episode: Momofuku Restaurants, including Noodle Bar, Ssam, Ko, Ma Pache, and Milk Bar The first season of the PBS series Mind of a Chef, hosted by David Chang Lucky Peach magazine Armageddon-era Aerosmith vs. Toys in the Attic-era Aerosmith Franklin BBQ in Austin, TX Restaurante Elkano Etxebarri Slate is proud to welcome The Moment With Brian Koppelman to our podcast family. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, where you can now explore Brian's entire archive, including conversations with Amy Schumer, Seth Meyers, Bill Hader, Seth Godin, and others.   

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David Levien, Brian's filmmaking partner and author of 'Signature Kill,' on how grit beats talent in fighting and writing.

Edward Burns, writer and filmmaker, on finding his creative voice, making compromises as an artist, and handling rejection like Kobe Bryant.

James Altucher, entrepreneur, author, and host of 'The James Altucher Show,' on striking it rich, going bust, and the daily practices he integrates into his life to do what he loves.

Keith Robinson, a linchpin in the New York comedy scene, on taking young comics under his wing and his first hour-long special on Comedy Central.