Do The Yes Men know how to beat Trump at his own game? The media savvy duo Jacques Servin and Igor Vamos gained fame in 1990’s for their lefty political pranks, which led to multiple documentaries, cult following of like-minded activists, and, most important, corporations taking notice. They exposed Dow Chemical for failing to compensate thousands of victims of their oil spill in Bhopal, India. More recently, The Yes Men created a parody NRA website offering to deliver “life-saving firearms” to “poor urban centers,” which led the NRA to shut down 38,000 affiliate websites. We spoke about exercising our democratic rights to resist, stand up, and survive.   

 

Our interview was recorded live at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater. Our next live taping is Thursday, March 16th at 9:30. Find out more at @catielazarus and www.employeeofthemonthshow.com

The Yes Men on Trump, Barbie, and Bird Dogging

We spend most of our time working, so what does it take to (mainly) love what you do? How do even the most gifted, talented, intelligent, ambitious, disciplined, imaginative, inventive, and lucky people develop their point of view, find meaning, serve a greater good, deal with work place politics, rejection, finances, boredom, red tape, logistics, and creative roadblocks? What are the perks or enjoyable about forging your own path? Catie Lazarus and her guests delve into beauty, banality and absurdity of work, jobs, and labor.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Comedy

Business

Investing

Careers

Management & Marketing

Business News

Shopping

In this episode Catie Lazarus talks to Obama’s former Deputy Chief of Staff  of Operations Alyssa Mastromonaco and comedy writer Peter Grosz.

Alyssa Mastromonaco and Peter Grosz on what makes President Obama, Stephen Colbert, and Seth Meyers great bosses

In this episode Catie Lazarus talks to acclaimed actor, writer, and director Tim Blake Nelson and singer songwriter Jill Sobule.

Tim Blake Nelson and Jill Sobule

Adam Gopnik has held many dream jobs, all in the same office. After almost forty years (and counting) at The New Yorker, Gopnik has served as a food, art, and music critic, and he’s written his own novels, children’s books, musicals, and solo shows. His latest (and first) political book A Thousand Small Sanities delves into how liberals can save Democracy. In this interview Gopnik talks to Catie Lazarus about the infighting between liberals and progressives, his upcoming solo show at The Red Bull Theater, and the incalculable torment of sibling rivalry.                                                                                                Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Theme song by Lady Rizo.

Adam Gopnik on Sibling Rivalry, Stand Up, and Liberalism

After making her stand-up debut in Washington, D.C., Aparna Nancherla quickly became a comedy darling in Los Angeles and New York, writing for FX’s Totally Biased with Kamau Bell and Late Night with Seth Meyers. She also became a welcome fixture in New York’s competitive stand-up scene thanks to her smart and self-aware one-liners. When she opened up about her own anxiety and depression, more fans flocked. As a writer and actor, she has worked on HBO’s Crashing, Comedy’s Central’s Corporate, and Netflix’s Bo-Jack Horseman. Now she’s eager to explore new terrain in her next stand-up special but worries what fans and Hollywood will think. In her conversation with Catie Lazarus, Nancherla talks about the solitary nature of stand up and writing, the toll it takes to regularly joke about anxiety, and how to say no to too much work.

Aparna Nancherla On Learning to Saying No and Avoiding Brain Trolls

Adrienne Truscott reveals what comedians mean by “funny is funny.” Her debut solo show transformed #MeToo, #TimesUp and still manages to be hilarious, as she proves just how funny feminsists can be. Plus, Pamela Adlon’s Better Things on FX starts up again, while Orange is the New Black reaches its final season. What do they share in common? Actor Alysia Reiner. The actor speaks about the two hit series and her film EGG, which co-stars Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks, and cracks into motherhood and work from a fresh, fun, and smart angle.

The Yes Men on Trump, Barbie, and Bird Dogging

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