Emilio Estevez set his latest film “The Public” in a library “to remind people just how vital and important libraries are,” he shared on “Salon Talks.” Estevez wrote, directed and stars in the film, a David and Goliath story about mental illness, homelessness and democracy.

“The Public,” was shot in and around Cincinnati on a tight 22-day schedule, with its public library as the centerpiece of the film. Supported by talents like Alec Baldwin, Jena Malone, Christian Slater, Gabrielle Union, and Jeffrey Wright, the film took seven years to make, and began after Estevez read an LA Times article by a former librarian about how the public library system had become a de facto sanctuary for many homeless people, and librarians the de facto social workers. 

Estevez also opened up growing up with a dad Martin Sheen, who took pride in demonstrating for causes, often getting arrested because of it. “When my dad would get arrested, I didn’t really understand it. I understood it fundamentally, but I didn’t always agree with it. I thought, ‘what if you took that same energy and made a movie about what you believed in, couldn’t you reach a broader audience?’”

About “Salon Talks”

Hosted by Salon journalists, “Salon Talks” episodes offer a fresh take on the long-form interview format, and a much-needed break from the partisan political talking heads that have come to dominate the genre. “Salon Talks” is a destination for information through conversation. Viewers can expect discussions with A-list actors, artists, authors, thinkers, and newsmakers as we explore the full range of the human condition. The show streams live on Facebook and Twitter and each episode is published in full on Salon.com.

Watch SalonTV, streaming live daily on Salon.com, Facebook and YouTube.

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Number one NYT bestselling author Harlan Coben has sold millions of books, been translated into 43 languages, and had his works adapted into film and television shows around the world. Yet the New Jersey native, whose newest novel is the twisty thriller "Run Away," never takes success as a sure thing, he shared on “Salon Talks.”

"I still get paralyzed every day when I write," he told SalonTV’s Mary Elizabeth Williams. "I've written 31 novels; you'd think I'd be past that. I get mad at myself. I'll be writing and think, 'This book stinks.' Five minutes later, I'll think, 'This book is genius.' There's a lot of self-flagellation. That goes on every day."

His advice for aspiring authors is to remember, "We all get paralyzed. You have to fight through that paralysis. Turn that voice off. Don't worry about good or bad it is yet. Anything that makes you write those pages, do it. It may be an art, but you have to treat it like a job. The plumber can't say, 'Today I'm too important to do pipes.'" 

About “Salon Talks”

Hosted by Salon journalists, “Salon Talks” episodes offer a fresh take on the long-form interview format, and a much-needed break from the partisan political talking heads that have come to dominate the genre. “Salon Talks” is a destination for information through conversation. Viewers can expect discussions with A-list actors, artists, authors, thinkers, and newsmakers as we explore the full range of the human condition. The show streams live on Facebook and Twitter and each episode is published in full on Salon.com.

Watch SalonTV, streaming live daily on Salon.com, and YouTube.

Subscribe to SalonTV on YouTube HERE: https://www.youtube.com/salontv

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Chelsea Handler credits President Donald Trump with triggering her “big catharsis” this past year, she explains to Salon’s D. Watkins on “Salon Talks.” Handler’s new memoir “Life Will Be the Death of Me,” her sixth book, offers both hilarious and vulnerable reflections on her Trump-activated midlife crisis.

Following Trump’s inauguration, the comedian embarked on a year-old commitment to therapy. She asked herself, “What am I doing? I'm in my 40s. What is my identity? How tied to fame am I? Is this the most important thing? Is this the only thing I'm gonna be known for is having a television show?”

Handler details how a year of tuning in awoke the underlying traumas in her life, including losing her older brother Chet tragically during childhood. “I don't want everybody to go through life the way that I did from nine to 40, completely blocking out any sort of trauma,” Handler said. “I didn't wanna address it, I didn't wanna talk about it. That's not the way you should go through life, so I think I finally had something that I could share that I thought would be important.”

About “Salon Talks”

Hosted by Salon journalists, “Salon Talks” episodes offer a fresh take on the long-form interview format, and a much-needed break from the partisan political talking heads that have come to dominate the genre. “Salon Talks” is a destination for information through conversation. Viewers can expect discussions with A-list actors, artists, authors, thinkers, and newsmakers as we explore the full range of the human condition. The show streams live on Facebook and YouTube and each episode is published in full on Salon.com.

Watch SalonTV, streaming live daily on Salon.com, Facebook and YouTube.

Subscribe to SalonTV on YouTube HERE: https://www.youtube.com/salontv

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