Best Fail Better Podcasts (2024)

1
Jeremiah Fraites Isn’t Just The Tambourine Guy 50:00

10h ago50:00

50:00

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 giving up control. The conversation takes us a lot of places – like to the free-throw line, and to church. As a fellow father and musician, it’s a treat to see so many sides of Jeremiah, as is getting to re…

1
The Singular Fredness of Armisen 55:49

7d ago55:49

55:49

Fred Armisen grew up idolizing trailblazing musicians, from The Beatles to The Clash and The Talking Heads. But spending his twenties drumming in bands never seemed to land him further than moderate crowds and endless nights loading his gear into the van. In need of a change, he turned to comedy, honing the craft of creating characters we know and …

1
Check it Out: “Kierkegaard or Californication? (with David Duchovny)” 49:22

14d ago49:22

49:22

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 listening. We’ll be back next week. When actor David Duchovny was teaching his daughter to ride a bike, he made the questionable choice of taking her to the top of a grassy hill at Pepperdine Univers…

1
Tony Hawk and the Trick That Changed Everything 50:39

22d ago50:39

50:39

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 thrives on risk, which means he’s soared high and fallen hard. On the 25th anniversary of Tony landing the first “900” — a trick where he somehow spins 900 degrees in mid-air — we discuss the years of t…

1
Sean Penn and the Squared-Away Individual 56:12

29d ago56:12

56:12

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 of Sean’s life and career. We discussed how his childhood in Malibu helped him create the iconic Jeff Spicoli, and how his first acting coach still shapes him today. We speak of his friends — Brando,…

1
Patric Gagne and the Art of Sociopathic Zen 1:01:51

1M ago1:01:51

1:01:51

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 often hold us back — embarrassment, jealousy, and shame — does she actually have a superpower? What can she teach us about failure, and does she fear it like the rest of us do? After tearing through he…

1
Stephen Dubner and the Joy of Quitting 41:59

1M ago41:59

41:59

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 time. But for all his success, he’s got a laundry list of careers he’s left behind, from rising-star musician to New York Times writer. We debate the merits of expecting the worst versus hoping for the bes…

1
Sarah Silverman and the Stupid, Shitty Things You’ve Done 39:21

2M ago39:21

39:21

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 material. We reminisce about our mutual friend Garry Shandling, including the comedy star-studded basketball games he used to host, where I first met Sarah. I also have the pleasure of talking to Sarah about …

1
Brad Gilbert and the Problem with Perfection 43:46

2M ago43:46

43:46

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 develop strengths. As a player, he rose to the rank of #4 in the world, then began coaching stars like Andy Roddick, Andy Murray, and, most recently, Coco Gauff. He even trained Zendaya for the movie Challe…

1
Gabor Maté and the Reason We’re All Addicted 48:14

2M ago48:14

48:14

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 how we sometimes become too comfortable with self-criticism and regret. We talk about parenting, collaboration, and addiction, and I leave the interview feeling a level of gratitude that I don’t know …

1
Bette Midler and the Meanest Man in Showbiz 43:43

2M ago43:43

43:43

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 forty years later I ran into her at a restaurant in Santa Monica and said hi. I'm thrilled that she agreed to sit down and talk to me about a couple things that have gone wrong in her storied career.…

1
EXCLUSIVE PEEK: Reflections on Bette Midler 8:42

2M ago8:42

8:42

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 you could be getting: After my conversation with Bette Midler, there are many things I’m still wondering about because I couldn’t find a way to bring them up, including what I wished I’d asked her abou…

1
Ben Stiller and the Curse of the Sequel 50:57

2M ago50:57

50:57

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 flops — a man after my own heart — and we chat for a good while about those times in his life, including how they sometimes led to something better. In my first-ever interview, he keeps me on track, answers q…

1
Coming Soon… Fail Better with David Duchovny (Official Trailer) 2:15

3M ago2:15

2:15

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 author Samuel Beckett once said: “Fail again. Fail better.” This saying means a lot to me and my family – so much so that my daughter even got a tattoo of it. I want to fail better, dammit. So, I’m sitti…

1
4. Bill Gates, Viagra, and The Stolen Credit Cards 28:48

7y ago28:48

28:48

The epic comedy site ZUG had 4.5MM uniques, top rankings for viagra & credit card, and both Michael Jackson and Bill Gates. And yet, you've probably never heard of it. CEO John Hargrave tells all.By Andy Deemer

1
3. Building Communities That Don't Suck 26:42

7y ago26:42

26:42

CBS and Lloyd Braun acquired his niche community sites, but Dwell.com's Head of Product Ethan Lance has one or two big Whiskey Media failures under his tech belt, too. See more at http://www.failbetterpodcast.comBy Andy Deemer

1
2. Steve Jobs Cheered, Then Everything Went Wrong. 32:14

7y ago32:14

32:14

GameSpot's founder, AfterEffects' creator, and iFilm's CEO quit their jobs to launch a software company. How could it go wrong? And yet... GoodAgile CEO Pete Deemer talks about his biggest fail. See more at http://www.failbetterpodcast.comBy Andy Deemer

1
1. The First Great MP3 Site Had Two Fatal Flaws. Don't Repeat Them. 47:31

7y ago47:31

47:31

Epitonic.com could have been Pitchfork or Spotify. But after millions of customers, a Webby, and an acquisition, it was gone. Thanx.com's Head of Product Aaron Newton explains what went wrong. See more at http://www.failbetterpodcast.comBy Andy Deemer

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Fail Better Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
Fail Better with David Duchovny

Lemonada Media

1
Fail Better: Product Lessons From Startup CEOs and Great Product Leaders

Andy Deemer

1
Jeremiah Fraites Isn’t Just The Tambourine Guy 50:00

1
The Singular Fredness of Armisen 55:49

1
Check it Out: “Kierkegaard or Californication? (with David Duchovny)” 49:22

1
Tony Hawk and the Trick That Changed Everything 50:39

1
Sean Penn and the Squared-Away Individual 56:12

1
Patric Gagne and the Art of Sociopathic Zen 1:01:51

1
Stephen Dubner and the Joy of Quitting 41:59

1
Sarah Silverman and the Stupid, Shitty Things You’ve Done 39:21

1
Brad Gilbert and the Problem with Perfection 43:46

1
Gabor Maté and the Reason We’re All Addicted 48:14

1
Bette Midler and the Meanest Man in Showbiz 43:43

1
EXCLUSIVE PEEK: Reflections on Bette Midler 8:42

1
Ben Stiller and the Curse of the Sequel 50:57

1
Coming Soon… Fail Better with David Duchovny (Official Trailer) 2:15

1
4. Bill Gates, Viagra, and The Stolen Credit Cards 28:48

1
3. Building Communities That Don't Suck 26:42

1
2. Steve Jobs Cheered, Then Everything Went Wrong. 32:14

1
1. The First Great MP3 Site Had Two Fatal Flaws. Don't Repeat Them. 47:31

Quick Reference Guide