Alan Alda had an unusual childhood, but it helped him hone his identity as a communicator. As his mother suffered from mental illness, he became a close observer of people, their faces and body language, which led him toward becoming an award-winning actor, writer, director and now podcaster. Alda gives his Brief but Spectacular take on being connected.

Black women carry the trauma of systemic racism and serving other people before taking care of themselves, and it's killing them, say GirlTrek founders Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison. Dixon and Garrison give their Brief but Spectacular take on mobilizing black women to save their own lives.

Judd Apatow, world-renowned writer and director, says most people on Earth are trying to avoid at all costs what it feels like to be a stand-up comedian. Apatow gives his Brief but Spectacular take on comedy and his mentor, Garry Shandling.

Jackson Bird came out as a transgender man at 25. Growing up without any role models, he felt as if he were alone in the world. Now he makes YouTube videos and hosts the podcast "Transmission" to help everyone better understand the transgender community. Bird offers his Brief but Spectacular take on gender identity.

Inspired by the people who have come forward as part of the #MeToo movement, Imani Davis shares her poem “Platinum” and gives her Brief but Spectacular take on how society can overlook wrongdoing by famous artists.

The act of one human speaking to a group has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years. Chris Anderson, owner of TED and TED Talks, gives his Brief but Spectacular take on the power of ideas and how we communicate meaning to other people.

New York-based poet Whitney Greenaway shares her Brief but Spectacular take on letting go.

Neil deGrasse Tyson says he is like a “smorgasbord of science food” -- he’s recognized hundreds of times every day and people are always hungry for more knowledge. DeGrasse Tyson, who spends much of his professional life encouraging science literacy in adults, gives his Brief but Spectacular take on bringing the universe down to Earth.

What is it like to have your child diagnosed with cancer? Monica McGuiness and Aaron Rodriguez spent two years traveling 80 miles to a hospital so that their 8-year-old son could receive treatment. McGuiness and Rodriguez share their Brief but Spectacular take on childhood cancer and how they coped.

Patty McCord spent years as an executive at Netflix, where she was responsible for reimagining office culture and disrupting best practices. Her latest book is called “Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility.” McCord offers her Brief but Spectacular take on rethinking work.