Working

Working Overtime: Consuming Art like an Artist

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler peel back the layers of great art. Whether it’s books, movies, ess...

Encore: The Writers Behind One of the Best Shows on TV

09 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we're airing an encore presentation of our interview with Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, writers and creators of the HBO series Somebody Some...

A Moving Comeback Album From a Country-Folk Great

02 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to musician Peter One, whose recent album Come Back to Me is his first in more than three decades. In 1985, he and ...

Working Overtime: Shaking a Creative Slump

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler address the dread of slumps and how they can affect any creative car...

A Tap Dancing Obsession

25 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, guest-host Nate Chinen talks to Ayodele Casel, an award-winning tap dancer and one of the choreographers for Funny Girl on broadway. In the...

A Painter Reveals the Beauty of Bicycles

18 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Taliah Lempert, an artist who specializes in paintings and prints of bicycles. In the interview, Taliah tells the...

Working Overtime: Working on Oneself

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler discuss a listener’s query about how much importance one should gr...

The Art of the On-Mic Interview

11 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Working producer Cameron Drews gets a masterclass in interviewing from Sam Fragoso, host of the Talk Easy podcast. They discuss in-person v...

A Prolific Novelist Takes a Breather

04 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Ellen Hart, a mystery author who’s been active since the late 80’s and who is most famous for the long-runnin...

Working Overtime: What Publication Day Feels Like

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler speak with Jaime Green, author of The Possibility of Life, about her...

The Breakout Star of HBO’s Barry

28 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to actor Sarah Goldberg, who plays Sally on the hit HBO show Barry. In the interview, Sarah discusses her training ...

The Flawless Indie Pop of The Beths

21 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Liz Stokes and Jon Pearce, who make up half of the New Zealand indie rock band The Beths. In the interview, Liz ...

Working Overtime: How To Promote Your Work

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Karen Han answer one listener’s question about promoting their work. They also ...

A Hit YouTube Channel's Whimsical English Subtitles

14 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to Hannah Yim and Justine Won, subtitle translators for the YouTube channel SBS Animal Farm. The channel features cute...

Sponsored Content: Secret Sauce for Business Owners

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s not easy to start a business. It’s even harder to build a successful one. Luckily, we can ask experts, entrepreneurs, and business leaders fo...

Sponsored Content: Secret Sauce for Business Owners

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s not easy to start a business. It’s even harder to build a successful one. Luckily, we can ask experts, entrepreneurs, and business leaders fo...

The Queen of the Amazons on Transforming Into an Iconic Danish Novelist

07 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working, host June Thomas interviews Danish actor Connie Nielsen on her latest role as the famed author Karen Blixen. Nie...

Working Overtime: Sharing Your Work

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Karen Han dive into some of the concepts in Austin Kleon’s book Show Your Work....

An Opera Singer’s Meticulous Pre-Show Routine

30 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to opera singer Ryan Speedo Green, who is currently starring in the show Champion at the Metropolitan Opera in New ...

A Stand-Up Comedian Explains How to Be Authentic on Stage

23 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to stand-up comedian and writer Josh Gondelman, whose hour-long special People Pleaser is now available on multiple st...

Working Overtime: Imagining Your Audience

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler picture who their work might be for. They discuss the benefits and imp...

Drag Queens: Under Attack and Fighting Back

16 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to drag queen, author, and activist Lil Miss Hot Mess. In the interview, LMHM explains the origins of her drag perso...

A Memoir About an Identity in Flux

09 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to writer John Cotter, whose new memoir Losing Music tells the story of a mysterious illness that degraded John’s...

Working Overtime: Negotiating Freelance Rates

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler explain how they navigate the often confusing world of freelance rates...

A Bird-Watcher Welcomes More Into the Flock

02 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to artist and ornithologist Isaiah Scott, whose popular Instagram account features vibrant photos, illustrations, and ...

How Raffi Makes Kids Music That’s Actually Good

26 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, producer Cameron Drews talks to the legendary children’s musician Raffi Cavoukian, who’s best known for songs like “Baby Beluga” an...

Working Overtime: When To Let Go of the Creative Dream

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler help a listener who’s wondering whether a career in the arts is re...

A ‘70s Crime Classic Gets a Musical Redux

19 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Suzan-Lori Parks, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright whose most recent project is a musical theater adaptation ...

A Sommelier Without the Smugness

12 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to sommelier Miguel de Leon, who currently works as the wine director for Pinch Chinese in New York City. In the inter...

Working Overtime: Is it Really Possible to Build Up Your "Idea Muscle?

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler mull over James Altucher’s habit of creating 10 new ideas every da...

An Oscar-Winning Writer's Creative Flexibility

05 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Sian Heder, who wrote and directed the Oscar-winning film CODA and now works on the Apple TV Plus series Little A...

The Two Brothers Who Changed Video Games Forever

26 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Tarn and Zach Adams, two brothers who’ve been continually crafting and updating the video game Dwarf Fortress ...

Working Overtime: How to Take an Editor’s Feedback

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler talk about how to properly apply feedback from an editor or another cr...

A Hollywood Actor Learns to Write Novels

19 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to actor, director, and writer Tim Blake Nelson, who just came out with his first novel, City of Blows. In the intervi...

A New Way to Tell Trans Stories

12 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Chase Joynt and Morgan M. Page, co-writers of the new documentary Framing Agnes, which Chase also directed and ap...

Working Overtime: Using A Writing Grant Wisely

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler respond to listener Emily’s question about how best to plan out a pe...

The Bold Strategy That Drives One of 2023's Best Novels

05 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to V.V. Ganeshananthan, author of the book Brotherless Night, which takes place during the Sri Lankan Civil War and...

How a Doctor Became a Chef (And Kept Being a Doctor)

29 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to Yoon Sung, an urgent care doctor in Los Angeles who decided to pivot to the culinary arts…while continuing to be ...

Working Overtime: How To Inspire Yourself

26 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas consider sculptor Claes Oldenburg’s ideas on reigniting the creative ...

Learning From the Letters of Two Great Artists

22 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to poet Chip Livingston, who recently compiled a collection of letters titled, Love, Loosha: The Letters of Lucia Be...

Recipe Design With Convenience in Mind

15 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Ali Slagle, a recipe developer for the New York Times cooking section and author of the book I Dream of Dinner (...

Working Overtime: Be Kind to Your Creative Self

12 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas strategize about how to avoid feeling guilty about insufficient product...

The Masters Behind the Puppets

08 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s episode of Working, host Karen Han speaks with Marc Petrosino and Michael Latini, the founders of cutting-edge puppets and props stud...

Our New Year's Resolutions for 2023

01 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, all three hosts appear on the show to discuss their New Year's Resolutions for 2023. They also revisit their resolutions from last year and...

Working Overtime: Learning From Failure

29 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas explore some painful memories of failing. Isaac recounts the nightma...

Revisiting Two Great Books From 2022

25 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, we revisit two of our favorite interviews from 2022. In the first one, Isaac Butler discusses his book The Method: How the 20th Century Lea...

Turning a Novel into a TV Show

18 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to author and repeat Working guest Taffy Brodesser-Akner, who recently adapted her novel Fleishman is in Trouble int...

Turning a Novel into a TV Show

18 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to author and repeat Working guest Taffy Brodesser-Akner, who recently adapted her novel Fleishman is in Trouble int...

Working Overtime: Write a Bad Novel!

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, host June Thomas and co-host Isaac Butler speak to Slate contributor and author of Praying with Jane Ey...

The Myth of Journalistic Objectivity

11 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Isaac talks to journalist Steven Thrasher, author of The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide. In the inter...

Understanding Bong Joon Ho’s Brilliance

04 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han takes a turn in the guest chair and talks to host Isaac Butler about her new book Bong Joon Ho: Dissident Cinema, which is a...

Working Overtime: Balancing Parenthood With Creative Work

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, host Karen Han poses a listener’s question to co-host Isaac Butler about how to be a parent and how t...

Creating a Piece of Immersive Theater From Scratch

27 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, guest host Zak Rosen from The Best Advice Show and Slate’s Mom and Dad Are Fighting podcast talks to Liza Bielby and Richard Newman of th...

CG Animation With Stop Motion Charm

20 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi, Robert Kondo, and Sara Sampson, the brilliant minds behind the new Netflix animated se...

Working Overtime: Returning to Work After an Illness

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, host Isaac Butler and co-host Karen Han help a listener who’s trying to reignite her creative spark a...

How a Romance Novelist Churns Out Seductive Stories

13 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to the prolific lesbian romance author Harper Bliss, who published nearly 40 novels in the past 10 years. In the int...

A Poet Demystifies Her Process

06 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to poet J. Hope Stein, whose latest collection Little Astronaut traces Stein’s journey from pregnancy to motherho...

Working Overtime: Giving Constructive Feedback

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For this week’s episode of Working Overtime, host June Thomas and co-host Karen Han mull over the pros and cons of creative critique. An expert's in...

How a Songwriter Gets in the Zone

30 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to musician Cameron Lew, who writes music under the name Ginger Root. In the interview, Cameron breaks down his songwr...

How an Abbott Elementary Episode is Born

23 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Brittani Nichols, a writer and producer for ABC’s hit sitcom Abbott Elementary. In the interview, Brittani desc...

How an Abbott Elementary Episode is Born

23 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Brittani Nichols, a writer and producer for ABC’s hit sitcom Abbott Elementary. In the interview, Brittani desc...

Working Overtime: Burnt Out on Goal-Focused Work

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas help a listener named Alisa who wants to know if it’s possible to move beyond g...

Writer-Director Patrick Marber on Working With His Artistic Heroes

16 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks with Patrick Marber about his multi-hyphenate career. Marber started as a stand-up comedian; has written several pl...

Movie Poster Design, With Artist Drusilla Adeline

09 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to artist Drusilla Adeline, who works primarily as a movie poster and cover designer. Her work includes the poster for...

Working Overtime: Pitching Fiction

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas reply to a listener who wants some advice on pitching fiction to literary maga...

Working Overtime: Pitching Fiction

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas reply to a listener who wants some advice on pitching fiction to literary maga...

Author Annie Duke Explains How to Get Better at Quitting

02 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Annie Duke, an author and former professional poker player whose latest book is Quit: The Power of Knowing When t...

Making Lincoln Center More Welcoming

25 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Shanta Thake, chief artistic officer of New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. In the intervi...

Working Overtime: Getting Rid of the Art You Create

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler help a lister whose collection of homemade fused glass is getting out of contr...

Working Overtime: Getting Rid of the Art You Create

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler help a lister whose collection of homemade fused glass is getting out of contr...

An Editor for HBO's The Rehearsal Explains How the Show is Made

18 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to TV and film editor Stacy Moon, whose recent projects include Nathan Fielder’s HBO show The Rehearsal, Tim Robinso...

Reporter Casey Parks on the Book She Needed to Write

11 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to reporter Casey Parks, whose new memoir Diary of a Misfit was more than a decade in the making. In the interview, ...

Working Overtime: Helping a Creative Married Couple

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler help a married couple who both do creative work but don’t always have the same...

Fight Choreographers on the Artistry Behind Movie Martial Arts

04 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Andy Le, Brian Le, and Daniel Mah, fight choreographers for the action comedy film Everything Everywhere All at ...

How Perfumers Can Tell Stories Through Scents

28 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to David Seth Moltz and Kavi Moltz, founders of the perfume company D.S. & Durga. In the interview, David and Kavi exp...

Working Overtime: Recharging In-Between Projects

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and Karen Han discuss the many complicated emotions that can sometimes creep up after a big pr...

The Artist Behind Liberty Puzzles’ Whimsical Wooden Designs

21 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to Lynon Aksamit, a puzzle designer for the Colorado-based company Liberty Puzzles. In the interview, Lynon explains h...

Writers Rob Walker and Joshua Glenn on Their Longtime Partnership

14 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to writers Rob Walker and Joshua Glenn, whose Significant Objects project explores how and why physical items can ta...

Working Overtime: Moving to a New City

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, co-host June Thomas gets some advice from co-host Karen Han about moving to a new city as a freelance writer. Fir...

How Chef Hooni Kim Brings Korean Staples into U.S. Homes

07 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han discusses the basics of great Korean food with chef Hooni Kim. In the interview, Hooni starts by explaining how one of his r...

Inside the Casting Process for FX’s Reservation Dogs

31 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to casting director Angelique Midthunder, who recently worked on the FX series Reservation Dogs. In the interview, A...

Working Overtime: Learning a New Creative Hobby

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and June Thomas help a listener who works in publishing but wants to exercise their writing skill...

Artist Nayland Blake on Capitalism and Creativity

24 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to artist Nayland Blake, whose current exhibition “Got an Art Problem?” allows them to help artists move past c...

Animal Trainer Sarah Clifford on The Old Man’s Star Rottweilers

17 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Sarah Clifford, an animal trainer who worked on the new FX series The Old Man, starring Jeff Bridges and some ver...

Animal Trainer Sarah Clifford on The Old Man’s Star Rottweilers

17 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Sarah Clifford, an animal trainer who worked on the new FX series The Old Man, starring Jeff Bridges and some ver...

Working Overtime: A Rural Poet Looks for Community

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and Karen Han hear from a poet in rural Montana who wants to feel more connected to poetry co...

Eliot Laurence on His “Maximalist” TV Series Motherland: Fort Salem

10 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Eliot Laurence, creator of the witchy supernatural series Motherland: Fort Salem. In the interview, Eliot discuss...

"The Other Two" Creators on Running a Comedy Writers' Room

03 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider, creators and showrunners of the comedy series The Other Two. In the interview, ...

Working Overtime: How to Pitch a Story

30 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Karen Han and Isaac Butler explain how to pitch a story to an editor of a newspaper, magazine, or blog. Th...

How Foley Artist Joanna Fang Creates Sound Effects for Movies and TV

26 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to foley artist Joanna Fang, who uses everyday objects to create sound effects for movies, TV shows, and video games. ...

How Foley Artist Joanna Fang Creates Sound Effects for Movies and TV

26 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to foley artist Joanna Fang, who uses everyday objects to create sound effects for movies, TV shows, and video games. ...

Writer Barbara Wilson on the Origins of Feminist Publisher Seal Press

19 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Barbara Wilson, author of multiple mystery novels and co-founder of the feminist publishing house Seal Press, whi...

Working Overtime: Writing 500 Words Per Day

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this week’s addition of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Isaac Butler evaluate some writing advice that June received from Slate book crit...

How Music Supervisors for Film and TV Source the Perfect Songs

12 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to music supervisors Bruce Gilbert and Lauren Mikus, whose most recent projects include the Hulu series Only Murder...

How Normal Gossip Producer Alex Sujong Laughlin Helps Shape the Podcast

05 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Working producer Cameron Drews talks to Alex Sujong Laughlin, producer of the hit podcast Normal Gossip. In the interview, Alex explains wh...

Working Overtime: Creating Structure for Unstructured Work

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and June Thomas hear from a listener who’s having trouble prioritizing his non-urgent tasks....

Librarian Jessamyn West on Teaching Computer Skills in Rural Vermont

29 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host June Thomas talks to Jessamyn West, a librarian in rural Vermont who’s working to improve computer literacy and access to library se...

How Lez Zeppelin Guitarist Steph Paynes Channels Jimmy Page

22 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to Steph Paynes, founder and guitarist of Lez Zeppelin, an all-female group dedicated to the musical and performati...

Working Overtime: Choosing Between Multiple Creative Projects

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts June Thomas and Karen Han hear from a listener who can’t decide which creative project to move forward wi...

Voice Actor Erika Ishii on Video Game Roles and Motion Capture

15 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, host Karen Han talks to voice actor and performer Erika Ishii, whose very long resume includes video games, animated series, and live actio...