Fail Better with David Duchovny
Episodes
Fail Again: A Forensic Analysis with Emily Deschanel
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode originally aired July 8, 2025. My interview with Emily was one of our most popular of 2025, so we’re playing it again to cap off th...
David Duchovny Gets Weird with Pete Holmes
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While we’re on holiday break, I wanted to share one of my favorite conversations from 2024 — my appearance on Pete Holmes’s podcast,...
Fail Again: Catching Up with Gillian Anderson
16 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode originally aired on November 12, 2024. Gillian Anderson and I share a connection unlike any other. The Dana Scully to my Fox Mulder, we a...
John Seabrook’s Family Was the Vegetable Version of ‘Succession’
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
John Seabrook is a journalist and author best known for his work at The New Yorker magazine. This means he didn’t go into the family business: l...
The Many Lives of Peter Weller
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sitting across from Dr. Peter Weller — another actor/author/academic like myself — I knew I was in for an engaging conversation. But as Pe...
Introducing: Don't Listen To Us with Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For the Thanksgiving holiday, who better to hear from than a family who has fought hard for the communication, compromise, and comedy that fuels their...
Kyle MacLachlan (Directed by David Lynch)
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The actor Kyle MacLachlan readily acknowledges the immense impact that the late director David Lynch had on his life and career. After making his on-s...
How Megan McArdle Became a Liberal-tarian
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As a columnist for the Washington Post, Megan McArdle tackles the most fraught political topics of our time. So why did we spend so much time talking ...
Waxing Poetic with Jia Tolentino (Live at Strand)
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Back in September, I sat down with powerful writer and past guest Jia Tolentino at the Strand Bookstore in New York City to discuss my first poetry co...
Failure? Success? Judd Apatow Says Give It 10 Years to Decide
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Take a walk through Judd Apatow’s office, like I did, and you’ll be reminded of all the successful projects he’s helped create over ...
Fail Again: Ben Stiller Confronts His Parents' Legacy
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You might remember from way back when this podcast started that my very first guest was Ben Stiller. It was a memorable interview for lots of reasons,...
Listen Now: Alive with Steve Burns
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Burns was nice enough to join me on the show a few weeks ago, so I wanted to give you all a chance to listen to his new podcast. There are a tho...
No Scars, No Stories with Charlie Sheen (Live at 92NY)
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Charlie Sheen is an actor perhaps known just as well for his off-screen antics as his on-screen performances. In his new memoir, The Book of Sheen, Ch...
Looking Back: Gretchen Rubin Wants to Make You Happy/ish
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re revisiting my conversation with the author Gretchen Rubin, since we could probably all use a little more light these days. Gretc...
How Steve Burns Found His Aliveness Again
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Steve Burns is best known for being the host of a beloved 90s children’s show, Blue’s Clues, so I didn’t expect this interview to be...
Tom Pelphrey Wouldn’t Change a Day
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A decade ago, the actor Tom Pelphrey couldn’t have imagined the shape his life would take today: a father to a two-year-old daughter, starring i...
Gene Simmons: The Demon Loves His Mom
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If Gene Simmons’ hard exterior scared you off, it did its job. As a founding member of the band KISS, Gene has spent decades putting on what he ...
Check It Out: Building a Legacy with Tisha Campbell (Legacy Talk)
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hey, Fail Better listeners — here’s a great show I think you should know about: Legacy Talk, hosted by the Emmy-winning writer, actor, and...
Amanda Knox’s Story Isn’t Over
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Amanda Knox was a young student in a foreign country when she was thrust into an international media firestorm, accused — and then ultimately ac...
The Pitfalls of Manhood with Terry Real
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I should’ve known I was in for a revelatory conversation when I met with the family therapist Terry Real. He pioneered a book on male depression...
An Hour with Melissa Febos About a Year Without Sex
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Memoirists do the generous work of letting us into their lives, and then there are ones like Melissa Febos who also graciously entertain all the new q...
Jess Walter Can Hoop (and Write)
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’m coming to you live from Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, California, where I got to sit down with my friend, author Jess Walter. We cha...
Tim Minchin’s Infinite Universes
29 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The musician (-comedian-actor-composer-director-Californication guest star) Tim Minchin is an aspirational figure. He brings an unmatched level of pre...
The Family Business with Robert Downey Jr.
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The spotlight has certainly taken its toll on Robert Downey Jr. over the years. But much like his beloved MCU character Tony Stark, there's an undenia...
What Jake Clark Wants You To Know About Trauma
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jake Clark is an unexpected hero. As the founder of the Save a Warrior program for veterans and first responders, he helps those suffering from post-t...
A Forensic Analysis with Emily Deschanel
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Emily Deschanel spent over a decade portraying the brilliant and meticulous forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan on the hit crime procedural...
Check It Out: The Disappearance of Eric Robinson (Uinta Triangle)
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For the Fourth of July holiday, we’re taking you on a getaway of sorts. It’s one that brings you to the beautiful mountains of New Zealand...
Truth and Lies with James Frey
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In his aimless youth, the author James Frey yearned to be the Sex Pistols of literature. Then he learned to be careful what you wish for. His memoir, ...
From “Junkie Doctor” to Addiction Specialist with Dr. Jason Giles
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Jason Giles is an addiction specialist and a helper and friend to many, including me. When the rigors of life in the ER became too much to cope wi...
AI Should Fear Justine Bateman
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve known for years that the actor and filmmaker Justine Bateman had prescient thoughts about art and society. But now, we need her (and her co...
Chris Carter Wants You To Believe
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The X-Files was always about turning something mysterious and untraceable into something known — so what better time to capture the elusive podc...
Check it Out: Ira Glass on Three Decades of ‘This American Life’ Magic
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hey, everyone. Today I wanted to share a special conversation from another Lemonada show: Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso. For those who aren’t alrea...
Not Reading the Comments with Maureen Dowd
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The journalist Maureen Dowd has many notches in her belt, from feats like winning a Pulitzer Prize and writing pivotal profiles on some of the world&r...
Remembering to Forget with Lewis Hyde
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lewis Hyde is one of those contemporary authors whose work I think about a lot. He’s spent years reflecting on and writing about topics of great...
Playing God with Jonathan Roumie
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan Roumie is a genuinely charismatic individual, which is understandable given his acclaimed portrayal of Jesus in the immensely popular Christi...
Looking Back: One Year of Fail Better
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s finally here: the one-year anniversary of the launch of Fail Better. This moment brought out a lot of feelings and jokes about what it&rsqu...
Chris Evert Hates To Lose More Than She Loves To Win
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After an illustrious tennis career, of course Chris Evert cherishes the wins and broken records. Yet, the sting of defeat is also etched in her memory...
The Grit and Grind of Steve Lukather
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As a founding member of the band Toto, Steve Lukather is well aware of the song you probably know him for. But Steve, known to most as “Luke&rdq...
EXCLUSIVE PEEK: Reflections on Alec Baldwin, Kenya Barris, and more
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we’re offering another peek at the kinds of things you might hear in Lemonada Premium. At the end of each regular episode, there&rsqu...
Graydon Carter and The Editor’s Eye
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Graydon Carter, the editor whose two decades at the helm of Vanity Fair transformed the publication, sure knows how to curate. He made the magazine in...
25 Years Later and Bree Sharp Is Still Asking Why Won’t I Love Her
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In 1999, the musician Bree Sharp released a single titled “David Duchovny,” off her debut album, A Cheap and Evil Girl. Despite it being t...
Failure Matters with Jaleel White
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To me, there are few sitcom characters more memorable than Steve Urkel on Family Matters. So getting to talk to the actor Jaleel White — about h...
Check it Out: “Use a Messy Closet, a 3-Hour Rule for Difficult People & Renowned Judy Blume on Reading”
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week I’m excited to share an episode of the podcast Happier, hosted by past guest Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen’s podcast, on the Lemonada...
Peter Singer Wants to Save Animals… and Humans, Too
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Singer has a pretty simple mission: minimize the suffering of all living creatures. But a seemingly straightforward objective can lead to some s...
Failure-ish with Kenya Barris
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kenya Barris, the creator of "Black-ish", knows a thing or two about resilience. Eighteen failed pilots before he finally struck gold? That's dedicati...
Kara Swisher Is So Much More Than the World’s ‘Musk-splainer’
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As someone who knows tech giants like Elon Musk more deeply than most reporters, Kara Swisher doesn’t have a ton of patience for them. But that ...
Failure, Freedom, and ‘Friends’ with Maggie Wheeler
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
While Maggie Wheeler is known by millions as the iconic Janice on ‘Friends’, she has been my real-life friend for even longer. Back in the...
EXCLUSIVE PEEK: Reflections on Gillian Anderson, Rosie O’Donnell, and more
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week, I’ve got some more behind-the-scenes content for you. As you know, at the end of each episode you hear a little snippet of my thought...
The Humor of Being Human with Costica Bradatan
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The author of In Praise of Failure, Costica Bradatan, joins me from Romania to share his wisdom on all things lack and loss. We talk about the true me...
Looking Back: Mary Trump Knows We’re At a Crossroads
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the presidential administration turns over, it feels like an important time to revisit the family dynamics that brought about Donald Trump. His nie...
The Buoyancy of Rob Lowe
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Throughout his long and varied career, Rob Lowe has become an expert at reinventing himself. He left behind his bad-boy image from iconic 80s movies t...
Gretchen Rubin Wants to Make You Happy/ish
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’m no self-help guru. And while I don’t think Gretchen Rubin would identify as one, she’s dedicated her work to figuring out just w...
Looking Back: Ben Stiller and the Curse of the Sequel
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As 2024 comes to a close, I’m feeling grateful for the conversations this show has allowed me to have, including the one that started it all. In...
Alec Baldwin Might Need to Write Another Memoir
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The actor Alec Baldwin has spent a lot of time at life’s intersections. He came of age with challenging circumstances on one side and larger-tha...
Dr. Vivek Murthy Wants to Help Us Heal
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As the United States Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy is dedicated to keeping the public healthy and safe. But these days, that involves much more th...
Socialism, Anarchy, and Pixar Movies with Jack Halberstam
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jack Halberstam, the author of The Queer Art of Failure, is someone I’ve wanted to talk to since I first started this podcast. As a professor and sc...
Aimee Mann Is In My Pantheon
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It was a real magic moment to connect with Aimee Mann, a musician I’ve listened to for decades. She indulges my curiosities about lyric choices and ...
Catching Up with Gillian Anderson
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gillian Anderson and I share a connection unlike any other. The Dana Scully to my Fox Mulder, we are the only ones who understand what the other was g...
Jia Tolentino Battles The Internet
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jia Tolentino has the internet to thank for some of her biggest successes. In the 2000s, it offered her connections beyond her strict religious commun...
The Election
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I go on the record with my opinions on the election. Not surprisingly, given this podcast, I find some major connections to failure.See omnystudio.com...
Bluffing with Nate Silver
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nate Silver is a risk taker. On top of boldly and publicly forecasting elections as part of his website FiveThirtyEight, he’s a regular poker player...
Roads Taken and Not Taken with Jason Beghe
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve known Jason Beghe for 50 years and counting, ever since we met one fateful day in a high school biology class. I watched as this rambunctious a...
What Madonna Taught Rosie O’Donnell About Fame
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rosie O'Donnell’s famous friends tell her she’s no good at being a celebrity. And if she’s honest, she’s never really felt like one. Despite h...
EXCLUSIVE PEEK: Reflections on Lisa Loeb and Kathleen Hanna
28 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You can get even more Fail Better with Lemonada Premium, where I share the extended thoughts I have after each interview. Here’s a free peek at what...
Why Lisa Loeb Struggles to Finish a Song
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lisa Loeb has the mind of a student — a straight-A, Grammy-winning student. As we talk, she moves between earnest curiosity and a dogged determinati...
Andy Cohen’s Concept of Reality
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When a young Andy Cohen sat in front of his family’s TV watching hours and hours of soap operas, his mother grew increasingly concerned about his fu...
Seth Meyers Loves When a Joke Fails
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As a veteran late-night guest, I know a phony host when I see one — and Seth Meyers is as genuine as they come. He’s been a professional funny guy...
EXCLUSIVE PEEK: Reflections on Mary Trump, Sean Penn, and more
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Here’s something a little different this week, before I come back next week with more interviews. At the end of each episode, you hear a snippet of ...
Check it Out: “The art of failure with David Duchovny”
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I recently sat down with organizational psychologist Adam Grant for an episode of his podcast, ReThinking. Even though he was the one interviewing me,...
Kathleen Hanna’s Music is Her Message
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Being “indie famous” is complicated, and Kathleen Hanna isn’t here to water it down. Her career making feminist punk music — most notably in t...
Kumail Nanjiani’s New Ambition
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When I first met Kumail Nanjiani, we were on set on the X-Files, chasing down the shape-shifting Were-Monster. Since then, I’ve seen Kumail undergo ...
Mary Trump Knows We’re At a Crossroads
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Mary Trump, niece of former president Donald Trump, has long lived in the shadow of her family’s name. And as she writes in her new memoir, Who Coul...
Check it Out: “How to Succeed at Failing, Part 1: The Chain of Events”
03 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week I’m sharing a neat episode of Freakonomics Radio, hosted by past guest Stephen Dubner. His acclaimed podcast recently put out a series tha...
Griffin Dunne: An Actor Builds Character
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The nephew of Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne, and son of Dominick Dunne, becoming anything other than a writer feels almost sacrilegious. Yet Grif...
Sally Jenkins Thinks Losing Is Wonderful
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“Who can explain the athletic heart?” These are the words Sally Jenkins’ father would ask, driving her to follow in his footsteps and become a g...
Jeremiah Fraites Isn’t Just The Tambourine Guy
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jeremiah Fraites, co-founder of The Lumineers, says he’s not a lyricist. Yet he matches me quote for quote as we discuss creativity, grief, and givi...
The Singular Fredness of Armisen
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fred Armisen grew up idolizing trailblazing musicians, from The Beatles to The Clash and The Talking Heads. But spending his twenties drumming in band...
Check it Out: “Kierkegaard or Californication? (with David Duchovny)”
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week I wanted to share this interview I did with my friend Samantha Bee on her show Choice Words. Read more about our discussion below, and happy...
Tony Hawk and the Trick That Changed Everything
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I may not know a lot about skateboarding, but I can recognize the type of relentless drive that fuels Tony Hawk. He’s left his mark on a sport that ...
Sean Penn and the Squared-Away Individual
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There are few actors left who embody the ethos of old Hollywood. Sean Penn is one of them. We got together at his place for a face-to-face exploration...
Patric Gagne and the Art of Sociopathic Zen
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When I first heard about Patric Gagne, a diagnosed sociopath with a buzzy new memoir, I was intrigued. If she lives without the social emotions that o...
Stephen Dubner and the Joy of Quitting
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio, has done more than change the way we think about economics — I consider him a spiritual guide of our tim...
Sarah Silverman and the Stupid, Shitty Things You’ve Done
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On stage and off, Sarah Silverman is always evolving, whether that’s honing her standup routines or coming to grips with missteps in her past materi...
Brad Gilbert and the Problem with Perfection
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Like all of us, athletes fail often. Renowned tennis coach Brad Gilbert knows that well, and has spent decades analyzing weaknesses as a way to develo...
Gabor Maté and the Reason We’re All Addicted
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is my most personal episode so far, but it's really about the wisdom of Dr. Gabor Maté. The author, physician, and public speaker reminds us all...
Bette Midler and the Meanest Man in Showbiz
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A long time ago when I worked as a bartender at Radio City Music Hall, I caught the second half of a Bette Midler show, and it blew me away. More than...
EXCLUSIVE PEEK: Reflections on Bette Midler
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You can get even more Fail Better with Lemonada Premium, where I share the extended thoughts I have after each interview. Here’s a free peek at what...
Ben Stiller and the Curse of the Sequel
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Believe it or not, Ben Stiller has failed. (Remember Zoolander 2? He’d probably rather you didn’t.) As it turns out, Ben has had his share of flop...
Coming Soon… Fail Better with David Duchovny (Official Trailer)
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To be human is to fail. And not just to fail once, but to fail a lot. But if it's something we all do so often, why are we so afraid of it? As the aut...