We are continuing our summer tradition at “Here’s The Thing” where members of the staff select their favorite interviews from the archives. This week, we revisit Alec Baldwin’s conversations with two amazing women in entertainment, Lena Dunham and Carol Burnett. Lena Dunham, creator and star of the ground-breaking “Girls” and writer/director of the recent film “Catherine Called Birdy,” spoke with Alec in 2013 about making her first film, “Tiny Furniture,” how her work evolved following its success and what it's like to play a version of herself. In 2015, Alec spoke with comedian and actress Carol Burnett about making 11-seasons of the Emmy-winning “The Carol Burnett Show,” navigating being a woman in show business in the 60s and creating her incredible performance as Miss Hannigan in “Annie.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lena Dunham and Carol Burnett - Summer Staff Picks

Award-winning actor Alec Baldwin takes listeners into the lives of artists, policy makers and performers. Alec sidesteps the predictable by going inside the dressing rooms, apartments, and offices of people we want to understand better: Ira Glass, Lena Dunham, David Letterman, Barbara Streisand, Tom Yorke, Chris Rock and others. Hear what happens when an inveterate guest becomes a host.

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Born a gifted athlete, life almost took James Naughton down another path…until he found his home in the theater. The actor earned his first Tony for the musical City of Angels – and his second as the originator of the role of Billy Flynn in the hit Broadway revival of the musical Chicago, now the second-longest running show in Broadway history. As a director, he helmed the Tony-nominated Arthur Miller’s “The Price” and Thorton Wilder’s “Our Town,” the latter of which was featured on PBS’ Masterpiece Theater. Naughton also regularly brings his talent to the small screen, like in his roles on “Who’s the Boss?,""Ally McBeal,” and “Gossip Girl,” and in films “The Devil Wears Prada” and “The First Wives Club.” James Naughton shares with host Alec Baldwin his experience directing - and being directed by - his good friend Paul Newman, acting at the famous Williamstown Theater with an all-star ensemble, and how he’s working to enact change through legislation today.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Broadway Star James Naughton Is Working for Change

There is bouncing back after adversity, and then there is: Vanessa Williams. The talented multi-hyphenate was only 21 years old when she became the first Black woman to be crowned Miss America. Yet a controversy surrounding the release of unauthorized nude photos led to her ultimately relinquishing her title 10 months into her reign. When doors were closed to her following the scandal, she fought her way back to an impressive and decorated career: Williams built decades of success as an actor and recording artist, selling 25 million records worldwide, starring in over 100 roles in television, film, and on Broadway - and being nominated for a Tony and multiple Emmy and Grammy Awards.  Vanessa Williams speaks with host Alec Baldwin about the death threats she received after she won Miss America, how the work of Stephen Sondheim inspires the type of art she wishes to make, and what it’s like working with Elton John on her next big project. 
  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vanessa Williams: From Miss America to Miranda Priestly

Many of us are aware that a steady diet of candy, cookies and soda isn’t the best thing for our health, but few know just how dangerous these products can be. Physician and public health expert Dr. Dean Schillinger has witnessed the “absolute explosion” of Type 2 Diabetes in America. Dr. Schillinger is founder of the University of California San Francisco Center for Vulnerable Populations, Professor of Medicine in Residence at UCSF and was featured in the PBS documentary on diabetes, “Blood Sugar Rising.” He believes that sweeping legislative and societal changes are necessary to reverse the ravaging effects of this disease. Dr. Schillinger shares with host Alec Baldwin how corporations knowingly fuel our addiction to sugar, why the disease disproportionately affects vulnerable populations and the most important change you can make to help fight diabetes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Dean Schillinger on the Diabetes Epidemic

The sound of the band Heart is unmistakable: powerful guitar riffs, intricate melodies and soaring vocals. Since 1975, the group fused hard rock, pop and folk to produce 20 Top 40 hits, earn four Grammy nominations and sell over 35 million records. They also made rock history as the first female-fronted hard rock band – and one of the longest lasting and most commercially successful bands of all time. Now, they are heading out on a world tour.  In this two-part episode, host Alec Baldwin speaks with the two women at the beating center of the band, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. In this episode, Alec talks with lead vocalist Ann Wilson about how she discovered she had “the voice,” what it was like coming up as a young woman in the music industry in the 70s, and how Heart managed to produce a sound that was both hard and soft, being anything it wanted to be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Women of Heart Rock On: Ann Wilson

Since their debut album in 1975, the band Heart has been unstoppable. With sisters Ann Wilson on lead vocals and Nancy Wilson on guitar and vocals, Heart made history as the first female-led hard rock band. They dominated the charts for decades, producing 20 Top 40 hits like “Barracuda,” “Alone,” and “These Dreams,” earning four Grammy nominations and selling over 35 million records. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees also have the honor of being one of the longest-lasting and most commercially successful bands of all time. This April, they are heading out on a world tour. In this two-part episode, host Alec Baldwin speaks with the two women at the beating center of the band, sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson. In this episode, Alec talks with Nancy Wilson about how she got her start on the guitar at the age of 9, how she transitioned into composing film scores and why the guitar is her best friend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lena Dunham and Carol Burnett - Summer Staff Picks

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