Pals with Bill Wadman

Our young friend and footwear designer Molly Magerman is heading back to the west coast, so took the opportunity to talk to her about outsoles, lasts, and manufacturing shoes in China. It's fascinating stuff.

Filmmaker Brad Rego was ramping up to shoot his next horror film "Cryptid" in April just as the Coronavirus shut down the world. In this episode we'll talk about independent film production and how unknowns and additional time have effected his process.

Come on in and listen to my pal Matt Fisher tell me his story of BBQ. Just be warned that your stomach is going to be full and you may need to wash your jacket to get the smoke out afterward. Yum

In a very special episode of Pals I get to spend a half hour talking to one of the leading constitutional law attorneys in practice today. He's argued in front of The Supreme Court over twenty times for gay rights, against gerrymandering, in favor of the first amendment and more. Talking to him is like a primary source masterclass.

Mark Hamilton has been a disc jockey on the radio for decades and has an unnervingly encyclopedic knowledge for music. You may have heard him on WBCN in Boston and K-Rock in LA. He also claims to not have a radio voice, but I leave that to you to decide.

Links:

• Mark Hamilton on Soundcloud

One of my earliest NYC friends Dave Keener and I walk through his life like a bass guitar. AND we get to hear Dave play a few of his amazing songs along the way.

Links:

• Dave Keener Website

Architect AK Naseer is my kind of person. Knowledgeable and a little obsessive just like me. He talks about coming to the US from his home in Saudi Arabia in the 12th grade, his almost complete collection of visits to major Louis Kahn buildings, and nearly convinces me that the Roman orders are something I need to understand. It was a good time.

In this episode, I get schooled by fashion designer Eric Gaskins who spend 35 years in the industry. He was trained by Givenchy, he designed for Koos Van Den Akker, and then his own label. Sometime in the early aughts he started the anonymous and notoriously biting fashion blog "The Emperor's Old Clothes" for which he outted himself when he retired from the industry in 2009. Come along for the ride and learn something with me about how craft and artistry have been lost in the fashion world.

A special roundtable episode this time around with playwright Jason Odell Williams and producer/director Charlotte Cohn. We sat down at their literal kitchen round table to discuss creating theater, working with actors, deciding who to trust with creative feedback, and the place of the stage in modern American society. It's a good lively conversation you won't want to miss.

Links:

• Jason Odell Williams

One of my best friends Bianca Brady is on the show to talk about her new podcast "Whitey Puzzelman's Crossword Hour". On the way we discuss depression, growing up being the person at the party who doesn't drink, getting hit by a car in a crosswalk, and oh ya, Bianca's apt building going up in flames. Come along on the journey.