DreamPath Podcast

Jeffrey Paul King is the creator and showrunner of the CW's The Republic of Sarah, and was a writer and producer for all seven seasons of the acclaimed TV series Elementary starring Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu.

What you will learn:

• How Jeffrey's work on Elementary led to the creation of his show The Republic of Sarah. He also shares about the inspiration behind the original concept for The Republic of Sarah and the research it required. [0:00-8:22]
• What success means in the television industry, and the importance of understanding what creativity means to you. How the constraints placed on a series by a television network can be beneficial to the creative process. [8:22-16:37]
• Why writing pilot episodes can be especially difficult to write and shoot and how a particular, accelerated plot structure in a pilot can make for a successful start to a series, using The Republic of Sarah as an example. [16:37-21:37]
• How Jeffrey's music and theater background evolved into him writing plays and eventually led him to UCLA to study screenwriting. How opportunities he had as an intern on beloved shows like Brothers and Sisters and Grey's Anatomy blossomed into writing and producing opportunities on other shows, including Elementary. [21:37-30:08]
• Why Jeffrey chose to focus so specifically on showrunning in film school, why he is personally drawn to television vs. film, and why he values diversity in his writers' room. [30:08-40:58]
• Advice Jeffrey would give to young people hoping to start a career in the entertainment industry, and the passion and determination it takes to become successful in this business. An anecdote about Shonda Rhimes that highlights the importance of being helpful in any way you can when first starting out in Hollywood. [40:58-46:59]
• Jeffrey's perspective on the values of younger generations, and why he views their work ethic as different (not worse) than the work ethic of older generations. The charity work Jeffrey is involved in, and what the future holds for The Republic of Sarah. [46:49-54:30]

Resources:

• Jeffrey Paul King's: IMDb, Instagram

Singer, songwriter, and musician Mark Pickerel was a founding member of the Screaming Trees, a PNW band that shaped the course of grunge history in the 80s and 90s. After recording five studio albums with the Screaming Trees and recording with Nirvana as well, Mark started the bands Truly, The Dark Fantastic, and Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands, (now Pickerel and the Peyote 3). Mark has also collaborated with musical icons such as Brandi Carlile, Mark Lanegan, and Guns and Roses' Duff McKagan over the years. Mark's most recent album is I Have Visions.

What you will learn:

• Mark talks about his most recent album, I Have Visions, and reflects on his evolution from Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands to Pickerel and the Peyote 3. He also shares what it was like to perform live for the first time since the pandemic began. [0:00-10:25]
• How Mark and his fellow Screaming Trees band members grew to feel a lot of PNW pride during their popularity. What it was like forming his first band in high school and graduating with two records under his belt. [10:25-21:26]
• How his collaboration with Nirvana came about, and the catalyst that inspired Mark to shift his focus to writing and singing. [21:26-31:48]
• How Mark has grown to enjoy the song-writing process, the inspiration he found learning that there was an audience for his songs, and how he learned to lean into vulnerability. [31:48-39:55]
• Mark breaks down his creative process when writing songs, and describes the balance he strikes between letting inspiration flow and implementing technical structure to his music. What Dwight Yoakam taught Mark early in his songwriting career. [39:55-50:32]
• Mark recounts his impressive history of artistic collaboration, and how much of it was born from mutual interests and respect. He shares an amazing story about his first time recording with Brandi Carlile on her first album, and how he knew right away he was, "dealing with a talent of a different caliber." [50:32-1:02:57]
• Why Mark chose to settle in Ellensburg, a small, a rural town in Central Washington about 90 miles from Seattle. Mark gives insight into the differences between Los Angeles and the PNW regarding songwriting and performing opportunities. Mark provides some upcoming show dates, describes his plans for future, and shares about his family life. [1:02:57-1:15:25]

Resources:

• Mark Pickerel's: Twitter, YouTube, Spotify, Facebook
• Mark Pickerel and the Peyote 3 Bandcamp Page

Bryan and Jason recap last week's interview with David Magidoff, try to contain their excitement about the revival of Dexter which will be released this fall (co-starring David Magidoff, and talk about the benefits and challenges associated with starting face-to-face interviews against after more than a year of doing interviews exclusively by zoom due to the pandemic. Bryan also shares what it was like interviewing Tommy Chong and what to expect when that episode launches.

Actor and comedian David Magidoff is the host of game shows such as Broke A$$ Gameshow on MTV and HQ Trivia, co-host of the podcast Fanaddicts, and will be appearing as a series regular in the revival of the modern TV cult classic Dexter coming out this year. He can also been seen playing Nicky Brooks on Season One of the Apple TV series The Morning Show starring Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carrell, Reese Witherspoon, and Mark Duplass, among many other stars.

What you will learn:

• David divulges what it is like to be in the middle of shooting the revival of such a beloved show like Dexter and what the audition process was like. [0:00-7:14]
• The impressive rundown of David's unique and consistent career in the entertainment industry and the path he took to get there - from competitive improv, attending USC, getting an agent, to finally booking his first gig. [7:14-12:05]
• David's experience performing stand-up comedy and why he personally prefers improv comedy over stand-up. How being skilled at improv can help one's acting ability, and how it helped David during his audition for Dexter. [12:05-23:22]
• Why David prefers to live in the moment instead of concretely planning too far in advance. How he handled working with such a star-studded cast in the Emmy-winning The Morning Show. [23:22-30:40]
• What it was like for David to work with the late, brilliant Lynn Shelton and how he reflects on her passing both as a fan of her partner Marc Maron, and as someone who worked with her professionally. [30:40-36:00]
• How David compiled his reel to audition for SNL and, despite not getting hired at SNL, how that reel led to a different job in the industry. David also discusses his new podcast, Fanaddicts (which he co-hosts with Clare Kramer), shares what inspired him to approach celebrity interviews differently than other podcasters, and talks about some recent episodes he enjoyed recording. [36:00-45:44]
• David provides all the information he's legally allowed to disclose about his character in the upcoming season of Dexter, which will be released this Fall. [45:44-50:34]

Resources:

• David Magidoff's: IMDb, Cameo, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
• Fanaddicts Podcast
• Monkey Butler Improv

Bryan and Jason discuss takeaways from Bryan's chat with Moby and stand-up comic Monica Nevi. Bryan brings out a Senegalese, goat-skin drum to play for Jason. Bryan and Jason wax nostalgic about the 50th Anniversary of Joni Mitchell's Blue album. And Bryan and Jason preview the upcoming interviews with David Magidoff who is a series regular on the 9th season of Dexter on Showtime, and comedian and activist Tommy Chong.

Seattle-based comedian Monica Nevi began stand-up comedy in college and now performs nationally and internationally, headlining at Bumbershoot and opening for talents like Michael Ian Black, Sarah Colonna, Ari Shaffir, and Nick Swardson. She's also the co-host of the podcast HugLife, host of the 80 for 80 documentary series, host of the Dumb Pitches podcast, and has released two #1 comedy albums.

What you will learn:

• Monica shares about her experience performing stand-up in Yakima, Washington recently, and reflects on the challenges that specific venues and crowd demographics can create for comics. She also discusses her approach to crowd work as a comic. [0:00-13:12]
• Going back to her college years at Seattle University, Monica reveals how she intended to pursue a career in athletics until an injury shifted her sights toward comedy. Monica's early stand-up influences, and the value in being vulnerable on stage and personally relating to your material. [13:12-23:38]
• Monica's dos and don'ts of open mic nights cultivated from her personal experience, and what she wished she had known before transitioning to longer sets. [23:38-33:35]
• What Monica's writing and revising process is like with her stand-up comedy. How HugLife Podcast came together seven years ago and how she and her co-host approach touchy subjects such as "cancel culture." Monica's personal experience with the now infamous Tony Hinchcliffe and her view of his racist rant on stage in Austin, Texas. [33:35-45:37]
• What Monica's newer podcast Dumb Pitches is about. The hustle it takes to make it as a successful comic (or simply make a living in comedy) and Monica's next goal in comedy. [45:37-1:02:08]
• Her observations about the ratio of male to female road comics vs. big city club comics. Advice Monica would give to others aspiring to make it as a stand-up comedian. [1:02:08-1:08:00]

Resource:

• Monica Nevi's: Website, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn
• HugLife Podcast
• Dumb Pitches podcast

Moby is a musician, songwriter, singer, producer, and animal rights activist. With more than 20 million albums sold worldwide, Moby is responsible for bringing dance music into the mainstream in the United States, United Kingdom, and beyond. His documentary Moby Doc covers his life and career, his many musical collaborations with artists like David Bowie, and is an existential meditation on success and happiness. Moby's 19th studio Album, Reprise, was released in May of this year, and features collaborations with artists like Gregory Porter, Kris Kristofferson, and Mark Lanegan.

What you will learn:

• Why he produced a documentary about his life - the aptly titled Moby Doc, which took six years to make and began as a request for a memoir. [0:00-8:05]
• Why Moby doesn't read reviews or news regarding himself. What musical influences shaped him as an artist and how a job in a record store served as a formative, unique musical education. [8:05-14:12]
• Why Moby collaborates so frequently with not just iconic artists but with lesser known artists, and how he approaches the collaborative process. How he balances the necessary evil of marketing with maintaining authenticity in his work. [14:12-20:31]
• How Moby connected with Kris Kristofferson and Mark Lanegan on the song The Lonely Night on Moby's most recent album, Reprise. The importance of humility in the creative process. [20:31-25:52]
• Why the music video for his song Why Does My Heart Feel so Bad? is his favorite music video. The importance of purpose-driven art and activism. [25:52-29:50]
• How Moby's professional relationship with David Lynch began with Moby's sampling of a song from Twin Peaks, which then evolved into a 20 year friendship. Why Moby asked David to appear in Moby Doc. [29:50-34:53]
• Moby explains the thought process behind the touching final scene of Moby Doc, describes his friendship and work with Wayne Coyne, and discusses the importance of compassion when responding to existential questions in life. [34:53-39:38]

Resources:

• Moby's: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Youtube, Spotify
• Steve Cutts' animated short, Man

Bryan and Jason discuss takeaways from the interview with Aspen Film Executive + Artistic Director Susan Wrubel, marvel at all of the love on YouTube for B.J. Thomas and his chat with Bryan in September of last year, and talk about an edge of your seat moment during Bryan's interview with Moby, which launches next week.

Susan Wrubel is an executive producer on films such as Maggie's Plan (starring Julianne Moore, Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawk, Bill Hader, and Maya Rudolph) and Still Alice (also starring Julianne Moore, who took home the Oscar® that year for the role, and Alec Baldwin). Susan is currently the Executive + Artistic Director of Aspen Film, which organizes three annual film festivals, including the Oscar®-qualifying Aspen Shortsfest.

What you will learn:

• Susan shares what her 4th year as the Executive + Artistic director for Aspen Film entails, and breaks down the details of the three film festivals they put on each year. She also discusses how they had to pivot quickly after the pandemic began to make their festivals "virtual." [0:00-10:58]
• The importance of short films for audiences, actors, creators, and film in general. The sense of community fostered in the Aspen festivals and how inspiring it is to see the raw talent of thousands of filmmakers every year. [10:58-21:46]
• Susan weighs in on the fairness of having big name actors (like Will Ferrell) or directors (like Zach Woods) attached to independent film festival contenders when they are competing for limited slots with lesser known actors and filmmakers. The balance Aspen Film tries to create in selecting a diverse range of films, and what the selection process is like going from 3,000 submissions to 80 chosen films in the Shortsfest. [21:46-26:45]
• Going back to the start of her career, Susan recounts how she steadily worked her way to the top, starting at a PR department in Manhattan, to moving print copies, then moving to LA to work for Paramount, and then working with a London-based company, until she eventually found her way back to NY working as a producer. [26:45-36:40]
• The relevance of the Alliance Film Series Aspen put on in 2018, and other films that deal with heavy, topical issues. The difference between a producer vs. an executive producer in the film industry. [36:40-42:52]
• How Susan's formal education did (and didn't) prepare her for work in the film industry and the skills that can really only be learned with experience. What Susan hopes film festivals will look like in 2022. [42:52-51:20]
• Why some shorts are difficult to find streaming online, and why Aspen Film can't typically keep the films online after festivals conclude. Susan also provides resources where many shorts can be found and discusses the opportunities that accessible platforms like YouTube can provide. [51:20-56:50]

Resources:

• Susan Wrubel's: LinkedIn, IMDb
• Aspen Film website

B.J. Thomas passed away after a battle with lung cancer last week. In this special bonus episode we are replaying his interview in its entirety, as it aired in September of 2020, as a tribute to B.J. and the 50 years of hits he gave to the world. RIP B.J.

Below are the show notes from the episode.

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With over 70 million records sold, BJ Thomas is the artist behind classic hits like "Hooked on a Feeling", Oscar-winner "Raindrops (Keep Falling on My Head)", and (Hey Won't You Play Another) Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song. With a total of Eight #1 hits, 26 top 10 singles, and 5 Grammy Awards, BJ was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014. He has also been ranked by Billboard as one of the top 50 most played artists over the last 50 years.

• What the music scene was like in Houston in the 1950s and 60s, what BJ's first musical influences were, how BJ found his way into the pop and soul music scene, performing with acts like Jame Brown. [00:00-08:45]
• Why BJ focused on songs he connected with, what the collaborative process was like early in BJ's career, and how he got his start musically in a high school band. [08:45-15:50]
• How BJ achieved his first big break as a performer, how he overcame stage-fright, and how he found a renewed sense of health and fulfillment by learning to balance family and work life. [15:50-26:34]
• What is was like performing at the Oscars, working with the iconic Burt Bacharach, coping with the talk-show circuit as an addict (including a shocking admission to Johnny Carson on a Tonight Show appearance), and why he took a break from interviews until he achieved sobriety. [26:34-36:52]
• How BJ looks to inspirational performers like Tony Bennett while striving to live a life of longevity and maintain relevance after decades in the spotlight. [36:52-45:17]
• What business mistakes he made, what he would do differently if he could do it all over again, and what BJ has learned from his mistakes; also, the drawback of digital music recording and streaming vs. traditional studio recording and record sales when it comes to artist collaboration and artist royalties. [45:17-58:20]

• BJ Thomas' Website, YouTube, Twitter, & Facebook