Best Alan Kaplan Podcasts (2024)

1
Nora Ephron at the Movies: Ilana Kaplan’s Deep Dive on What Made Ephron Great 32:37

9d ago32:37

32:37

There are very few directors whose personality is so central to their work, and Nora Ephron is one of those directors. A multi-hyphenated powerhouse of creativity, Ephron’s films like Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail and Julie & Julia cemented her status as the epitome of a very specific–and cozy–mood that would in many ways define her legacy …

1
James Kaplan and Paul Alexander 1:04:02

2h ago1:04:02

1:04:02

Two great music writers - James Kaplan and Paul Alexander - join Joe for a War of the Words. Joe gets excited and takes a deep dive into both of their brilliant books, which are both about America in the 40s and 50s, both about the jazz music scene, but follow very different subjects. 'Three Shades Of Blue' by James Kaplan is biography of Miles Dav…

1
BONUS: The Sticky’s Chris Diamantopoulos on Working with Margo Martindale 25:37

1h ago25:37

25:37

After watching Prime Video’s The Sticky, it became clear that the Margo Martindale praise needed to continue with some of her co-stars. Chris Diamantopoulos is one of the “cohorts” Margo spoke about in our chat, and he’s fantastic in the Jamie Lee Curtis-produced series. Diamantopoulos plays Mike, one of the two men who help Martindale’s Ruth in he…

1
Margo Martindale Finally Gets the Star Treatment in ‘The Sticky’ 24:34

14m ago24:34

24:34

“Who knew that a barrel of maple syrup is worth more than a barrel of oil?” Margo Martindale does, after starring in The Sticky (December 6, Prime Video). The Emmy-winning actor plays Ruth Landry, a Canadian syrup farmer who resorts to crime after the government threatens to take away her livelihood. “It’s very different, very fun and what an incre…

1
Season Three Championship - Finale 33:29

3h ago33:29

33:29

You've been waiting all year for this! It's the Season 3 championship. Sara Callori will be taking on Adam Fried in our final - join in and play along! CARD 1 CLUE: Can You Take Me Higher? CATEGORY: Things You Climb ANSWERS: Mt. Everest, Tree, Ladder, Stairs, Rope, K2, Jungle Gym CARD 2 CLUE: Did You Get Your Presidential Award CATEGORY: Things Ass…

1
Ragnar Jonasson and Simon Kernick 56:35

7d ago56:35

56:35

Two top crime and thriller writers, Ragnar Jonasson and Simon Kernick, go head to head in a war of the words! They share their love of Agatha Christie, why scary crime fiction doesn't have to be gory and tell us about their latest novels. ("Death At The Sanitorium" and "You All Die Tonight") We also get some cracking book recommendations from them …

1
Season Three Championship - Round Two 26:27

35m ago26:27

26:27

The second game of our Season Three championship features Sara Callori and Craig Umland. Join us, play along, and see who will be moving on to the finals! CARD 1 CLUE: Are We Going Somewhere? CATEGORY: Things that Are Packed ANSWERS: Suitcase, Trunk, Backpack, Lunch, House, Car, Tokyo CARD 2 CLUE: Big Man CATEGORY: Things Associated with Shaquille …

1
For Malala Yousafzai, the Apple TV+ Film ‘Bread & Roses’ is Personal 15:09

10d ago15:09

15:09

“Afghanistan is the only country in the world where girls are banned from access to education and women are limited from work.” That is the stark reality that motivated Malala Yousafzai to lend her name as a producer to the documentary Bread & Roses (Apple TV+). Directed by Sahra Mani and co-produced by Jennifer Lawrence, the film follows three Afg…

1
Mayan Lopez on Why We Need More Sitcoms, Now More Than Ever 27:05

38m ago27:05

27:05

For Mayan Lopez, who stars, co-created and produces NBC’s Lopez vs. Lopez alongside her father, George Lopez, she tells Newsweek that we need more sitcoms, now more than ever. “You don’t gotta reinvent the wheel of sitcom, but we do the wheel well.” On Lopez vs. Lopez, Mayan and George play fictionalized versions of themselves, with many of the sto…

1
John David Washington on the Family Affair Behind 'The Piano Lesson’ 25:54

1h ago25:54

25:54

For John David Washington, bringing Netflix’s The Piano Lesson (November 22) from stage to screen was a family affair. His father, Denzel, produces while his brother, Malcolm, directs the film adaptation of August Wilson’s play about the Charles family in 1936 Pittsburgh as they wrestle with selling a family heirloom, a piano descended from ancesto…

1
Salena Godden and Hollie McNish 47:32

1h ago47:32

47:32

We're so excited to bring you this episode of Book Off, featuring two of our favourite poets and humans - Salena Godden and Hollie McNish. We've been wanting to bring these two together for a long time, and now it's finally happened! They talk about their latest poetry collections ('With Love Grief and Fury' and 'Lobster'), the freedom of performan…

1
Season Three Championship - Round One 23:46

2d ago23:46

23:46

Adam Fried has found his way back to Things That Are Blank this week to compete against Clint Givens in the first round of our Season Three Championship. These finals are terrific - hope you're ready for a great time! CARD 1 CLUE: East, West, and North CATEGORY: Famous Witches ANSWERS: Glinda, McGonagall, Hazel, Ursula, Samantha, Elphaba, Broom-Hil…

1
Matlock’s Skye P. Marshall Says Working with Kathy Bates is Like Winning the Lottery 31:05

22d ago31:05

31:05

For Skye P. Marshall, getting the part of Olympia on CBS’ Matlock is the culmination of a lot of hard work. “Every decision I've made in my career has led me to this moment. I'm a winner.” On Matlock, Marshall’s Olympia is a successful attorney at a prestigious New York City law firm who suddenly must contend with Madeline “Matty” Matlock (played b…

1
Aldis Hodge Knows He Was Destined to Play Alex Cross 26:57

1d ago26:57

26:57

Aldis Hodge’s career has been busy since his debut as a child actor in the 1995 film Die Hard with a Vengeance, but he says all that work has culminated in Prime Video’s Cross (November 14). “It just feels like the work that I’ve done in the past 35 years of my career has led up to this.” Hodge plays Alex Cross, a detective who uses forensic psycho…

1
M.L. Rio and Kate Weinberg 57:07

7d ago57:07

57:07

M.L. Rio and Kate Weinberg arrive as friends, but will they still be so chummy with each other after the Book Off? They chat to Joe Haddow about their latest books, Trump, the importance of publishing at a time when books are being banned and why Scooby Doo is a great influence. They also give us some briiiilliant book recommendations too - so apol…

1
Second Chance Tournament - Final 18:12

1d ago18:12

18:12

This week we bring you the grand finale of our Second Chance Tournament. It's Steve Marinelli vs. Clint Givens. Listen in, play along, and see who will be coming back for the Season 3 Tournament of Champions! CARD 1 CLUE: A Little Off the Top CATEGORY: Things Associated with a Guillotine ANSWERS: Chop, France, Sharp, Neck, Antoinette, Decapitate, B…

1
Wendi McLendon-Covey Is the Comedy Icon We Need Right Now 28:16

2d ago28:16

28:16

After 10 years of playing Beverly Goldberg on The Goldbergs, Wendi McLendon-Covey was not eager for a break. “I need to go do a job where I can just throw everything at it and then come home totally exhausted.” Luckily for her, NBC’s St. Denis Medical was waiting. “I loved the premise of the show and I love this character.” McLendon-Covey plays Joy…

1
Sharon Horgan’s Uncertain Yet Brilliant Path to Apple TV+’s ‘Bad Sisters’ 28:35

28d ago28:35

28:35

Sharon Horgan has a resume packed with award-winning comedy, but when it came to crafting Bad Sisters (Apple TV+, November 13) she had to find the right balance. That’s because “a very difficult subject matter,” about Irish sisters who plot to murder the abusive husband of one of the women, had to “sit alongside quite a farce.” Adapted from a Belgi…

1
Election Day Recap: How Did Donald Trump Make Greatest Comeback in Political History? 31:06

7d ago31:06

31:06

We have a new president. (Well, not new, but you know what I mean.) Former President Donald Trump pulled off one of the greatest political comebacks in political history. For some, it’s a victory, and for others, it’s a dark day. How did he do it? And where did Kamala Harris wrong? To break it down and attempt to make sense of it all, H. Alan Scott…

1
Second Chance - Round 2 20:21

9d ago20:21

20:21

We're now in the second week of the postseason! In this game, we've got Steve Marinelli vs. Neil D'Aguiar going head to head to see who will be coming back for the finals. CARD 1 CLUE: Ding Ding Ding CATEGORY: Parts of a Slot Machine ANSWERS: Lever, Slot, Cherries, Lights, Dials, Counter, Coins CARD 2 CLUE: Do It Again CATEGORY: Things Associated w…

1
Trump vs. Harris: Where Things Stand as Election Day Approaches. 30:12

13d ago30:12

30:12

With election day just days away, we’re looking at what could be one of the closest elections in U.S. history. The question is: Will people show up to vote or is the apathy just so strong that people can’t make a decision between over the typical “lesser of two evils” stance? While Vice President Kamala Harris makes a case against former President …

1
Rachel Abbott and Hannah Lynn 43:04

13d ago43:04

43:04

Authors Rachel Abbott and Hannah Lynn go head to head in a war of the words. They talk to Joe Haddow about their self-publishing journeys, the pros and cons and how things have changed on that side of the industry over the last 10 years. They also discuss their new novels, how the weather can influence a chapter and why sometimes you just have to g…

1
Amber Ruffin Has News for You (And It's Funny) 29:29

1M ago29:29

29:29

A late-night comedy show on CNN? Yes, and it's a game show, too. Have I Got News for You, hosted by Roy Wood Jr. with Michael Ian Black and Amber Ruffin serving as team captains, tests players' knowledge of the news. "On regular late-night shows, you have to teach the audience what the news story is and then you can talk about it," Ruffin says. "Bu…

1
With ‘Matlock,’ Kathy Bates Is Very Aware How ‘Unreal’ This Moment Is 26:23

1M ago26:23

26:23

For Oscar-winner Kathy Bates, “it’s all about the work.” lately, she’s been working a lot. In the reimagining of CBS’ Matlock, Bates plays Madeline Matlock, a woman rejoining the workforce at a prestigious law firm in her senior years. The first season of the show, which “has caught fire with 10 million people,” says Bates, is such a success that C…

1
Second Chance - Round 1 24:23

1M ago24:23

24:23

Welcome to the TTAB postseason! First up, we've got a second chance tournament featuring Clint Givens and Drew Buxbaum. Join in and see who will be moving on to the championship round! CARD 1 CLUE: Artful Dodgers CATEGORY: Things Associated with Pickpockets ANSWERS: Thief, Wallet, Crowd, Steal, Twist, List, Sneaky CARD 2 CLUE: Come on, #7 CATEGORY:…

1
Did Donald Trump Just Super-Size This Election with His McDonald’s Stunt? 31:04

20d ago31:04

31:04

In the span of a week, former President Donald Trump went from working the drive through at McDonald’s to allegedly praising Adolf Hitler’s generals while president. Can you tell we’re just mere weeks away from election day? And in some ways, it feels like everybody is looking for an October surprise, yet it feels like with every new shocking piece…

1
Bridget Everett Never Thought HBO’s ‘Somebody Somewhere’ Would Happen 26:54

1M ago26:54

26:54

Bridget Everett never thought she’d be the lead of a TV show. “I come from the downtown world in New York, a cabaret singer, and these things just don’t happen, you don’t find yourself with three seasons of HBO. It just doesn’t happen.” But it happened. On Somebody Somewhere (October 27), Everett plays Sam, a woman struggling through a midlife cris…

1
Attica Locke and Nick Harkaway 54:24

22d ago54:24

54:24

Bestselling crime author, Attica Locke, goes head to head with John Le Carre's son - Nick Harkaway - in a war of the words. Nick has written a new George Smiley novel, continuing his father's legacy, called Karla's Choice. He chats to Joe Haddow about the pressure he felt to get the character right and how he got himself in the right frame of mind …

1
George Lopez Never Set Out to Be an Example, But He Became One 31:21

22d ago31:21

31:21

George Lopez has done a lot in his long career. But now, with NBC’s Lopez vs Lopez, George knows what’s most important “is the people you get to be around and get to talk to.” One of those people includes his daughter, Mayan Lopez, who he created the show with. The two play fictionalized versions of themselves as they rekindle their estranged relat…

1
Sarah Kaplan 27:59

1M ago27:59

27:59

The episode we've all been waiting for - well, the episode that your resident OMG goblin Kit has been waiting for - Sarah Kaplan. She's Nick's wife, and she hassles him as much as the rest of us. It's great. Listen in as we play the LAST regular season game of the third season of TTAB. CARD 1 CLUE: But It Tastes Bad CATEGORY: Types of Vegetables AN…

1
Did Kamala Harris’ Fox News Appearance Help or Hurt Her? Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jams Out at Rally Like It’s 1993. 31:18

2M ago31:18

31:18

This week saw Kamala Harris entering enemy territory with her Fox News interview. Will it help or hurt her? As that was going on, everyone was still reacting to former President Donald Trump jamming out to a playlist that seemingly hasn’t been updated since 1993. Oh, and are we close to Erik and Lyle Menendez being released from prison? H. Alan Sco…

1
Rumaan Alam and Tessa Hadley 51:54

28d ago51:54

51:54

Two brilliant authors and humans, Rumaan Alam and Tessa Hadley, go head to head in a war of the words. They talk about the joy of writing about clothes, how money can drive you mad and how some cities are easier to fictionalise than others. As well as discussing their new novels, their writing styles and processes and the difference between writing…

1
Ghosts’ Asher Grodman Hits It Big (Without His Pants On) 34:22

28d ago34:22

34:22

Asher Grodman is perfectly fine playing a ghost on CBS’ Ghosts who walks through the afterlife without any pants. “I don’t really want to die in the state that Trevor died. It would be nice to have pants on.” But for now, Grodman is OK with it if it means he gets to continue to play Trevor, a former stockbroker who died of a drug-induced heart atta…

1
In Jenny Slate’s ‘Lifeform,’ She Has ‘Things to Say,’ But ‘Little to Prove’ 29:11

2M ago29:11

29:11

Jenny Slate is ready to be herself. “I think what is [evident] in my work is that through my own journey, not just through motherhood, but my own connection with myself as a developing artist, is that I just don’t feel myself flailing anymore.” She’s writing about this confidence in her new book of essays Lifeform (Little, Brown and Company, Octobe…

1
Mikey Madison Has Been Waiting for a Film Like Sean Baker’s ‘Anora’ 22:00

1M ago22:00

22:00

Mikey Madison has been dreaming of a film like Anora since she started acting as a teenager on Better Things. “It’s been a dream of mine to have that kind of collaboration with a filmmaker like Sean [Baker].” That dream has come true in a big way, with the film and her performance picking up a lot of awards buzz. “I’m so happy that people are excit…

1
Stacy Bridget 21:19

2M ago21:19

21:19

Stacy Bridget is this week's new competitor on TTAB. Listen in, play along, and see if she can take down our returning champ! CARD 1 CLUE: Can I Buy a Vowel? CATEGORY: Organizations Known by Their Acronyms ANSWERS: AAA, AA, IRS, TSA, GOP, NRA, ASPCA CARD 2 CLUE: A Skip and a Jump CATEGORY: Things Associated with Hopscotch ANSWERS: Chalk, Sidewalk, …

1
Donald Trump Stirs Up Anger with His Hurricane Response While Harris Gets the Celebrity Treatment on Talk Shows. What a Week! 29:33

2M ago29:33

29:33

Is Donald Trump weaponizing tragedy by stirring up anger with his response to the various hurricane this week? And will Kamala Harris’ media blitz on shows like the podcast Call Her Daddy, The View and Howard Stern help or hurt her? And finally, is Elon Musk’s endorsement of Trump ethical? Newsweek’s Alex Backus joins H. Alan Scott to break down th…

1
Post-Succession, Nicholas Braun is Moving on in a Big Way with ‘Saturday Night’ 28:11

2M ago28:11

28:11

There’s already a lot of pressure playing one character based on a real person, but two? And in the same movie? That’s exactly what Nicholas Braun does in Saturday Night (October 11), playing both Jim Henson and Andy Kaufman as they, and the rest of the cast, prepare for the first live taping of Saturday Night Live. But Braun wasn’t really intimida…

1
Nikki Bates 22:02

2M ago22:02

22:02

Trivial Warfare's newest host Nikki Bates is in the contestant seat this week on Things That Are Blank! Listen in and see if she'll be coming back again next week! CARD 1 CLUE: Fine, I'll Play with Myself CATEGORY: Things Associated with Solitaire ANSWERS: Card, Suit, Solo, Computer, Stacks, Concentration, Fail CARD 2 CLUE: Lockbox CATEGORY: Things…

1
Jack Smith Just Can’t Quit Donald Trump. Also, Will an iOS 18 Apple Update Be the End of Social Media? (Fingers Crossed) 36:04

2M ago36:04

36:04

Jack Smith’s federal case against former President Donald Trump revs up yet again, but what impact will it have on the election? (Do we still care about January 6th? And why can’t Smith quit Trump?) Also, could a small yet significant change to Apple’s iOS 18 mean the end of social media? (We could only be so lucky, right?) And finally, Ryan Murphy…

1
J.D. Vance vs. Tim Walz: Who Won? Who Lost? And Didn’t We Agree We Weren’t Going to Fact Check? 23:04

2M ago23:04

23:04

We just experienced something we haven’t seen in years in this country, a civil debate between two politicians. Senator J.D. Vance and Govenor Tim Walz faced off in what is likely to be the last debate of this presidential election year. How did Walz respond to those fabrication allegations? And why doesn’t Vance want to be fact checked? (OK, I gue…

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