Wrestler and podcaster Colt Cabana joins Ana and Mike to talk about building a life in wrestling. From getting fired by WWE to becoming a blueprint for sustainable DIY success, Colt breaks down the real economics of creative work—merch tables, mattress money, and all—and why betting on yourself might be the best decision you ever make. Hear the ful…

Broadcaster and podcast pioneer Jesse Thorn joins us to talk about building something sustainable without selling out. From his early days of mailing CD-Rs to NPR stations to running Maximum Fun as a listener-supported network, Jesse shares the emotional and economic math behind 20 years of independent success. We get into what it means to build tr…

Live from The Punch Line in Sacramento, Doug welcomes Wendy Lewis, Josh Means and DJ Sandhu to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Doug welcomes Matt Belknap, Gabe Mollica and John-Michael Powell to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian and podcaster Babs Gray joins us to talk about staying creative in the long middle—the part where the dream hasn’t died, but it hasn’t fully arrived either. We get into the quiet power of community, the joy of weird little projects, and why success isn’t always loud. From survival jobs to self-trust, Babs reminds us that showing up for you…

Doug welcomes Kenice Mobley, Ryan Nemeth and Dan Perrault to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian and actor Will Hines joins Ana and Mike to talk about trading a salary for freedom, and why time might be the only currency that really matters. From leaving a corporate job at 33 to building an improv school from the ground up, we get into the real economics of creative work: how to manage taxes, protect your energy, and figure out what’s…

Doug welcomes Yourgo Artsitas, Paget Brewster and Mercedes Bryce Morgan to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By Ana Marie Cox and Open Mike Eagle

Doug welcomes Matt Belknap, Shane Black and Geoff Tate to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian River Butcher joins us for a conversation about what happens when the gigs stop coming—and the world doesn’t end. We talk about the fear of slowing down, and how gratitude, perspective, and a working fridge might just be the real signs of success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Live from the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin as part of Fantastic Fest, Doug welcomes Owen Egerton, John Erler, Anna Lore and 6 others to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer and video essayist Michael Burns joins us to talk about what happens when the platform you helped build stops serving the work and starts serving itself. After Wisecrack, he set out to make something smaller, stranger, and more his own. We get into the emotional cost of reinvention, the illusion of creative security, and why doing it yoursel…

Live from The Creek and the Cave in Austin, Doug welcomes Matt Bearden, Joe DeRosa, Doug Mellard and Rachel Wolfson to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ana and Mike compare notes from the road: Ana’s on assignment in small-town Maine chasing a political story she believes in, and Mike’s in between tour legs, chasing rent. They get into the economics of chasing meaning when the math doesn’t make sense, the disappearing budgets of real journalism, and why a DIY ethos is both a burden and a blessing.…

Live from The Gramercy Theatre in New York City, Doug welcomes Chris Gethard, Jon Hamm, Kate Micucci, Maxwell Nalevansky and Emil Wakim to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian and actor Ron Funches joins us for a deeply funny and unexpectedly honest conversation about the strange economics of creative work. We talk about surviving on joy, staying positive when nothing’s going right, and why failure is sometimes part of the paycheck. Originally recorded in 2022 for Mike’s podcast "Secret Skin." Learn more about y…

Doug welcomes Brandon Collins, Chad Opitz and Justin Thompson to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian Chris Gethard joins us to talk about walking away from the version of success he spent years chasing, and why that might be the reason he's still standing. We get into the grief of giving up the big dream, the joy of making weird stuff for the people who get it, and the radical act of building a career that actually fits your life. We’ve g…

Doug welcomes Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin and Monica Nevi to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adult performer and podcaster Siri Dahl joins us to talk about the emotional and economic realities of sex work in an era that calls itself creator-friendly, but still censors, exploits, and erases. We talk about the myth that OnlyFans is easy money, the rising pressure to be everywhere at once, and what it means to be both the product and the plat…

Doug welcomes Paget Brewster and Chad Opitz to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Musician and writer Rhett Miller joins us to talk about staying creative in an industry that keeps changing. From fronting the Old 97’s to writing children’s books, Rhett opens up about the financial rollercoaster of life on the road, the loneliness of independence, and the challenge of keeping faith in your work when the world stops clapping. Ther…

Doug welcomes Brandon Collins, Trae Crowder and Drew Lynch to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ana and Mike get real about what creative work actually looks like behind the scenes, breaking down the economics of touring, Substack’s Nazi problem, how platforms trap creators, audiences, and the psychology of performing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Ana Marie Cox and Open Mike Eagle

Doug welcomes Mike Carrozza, Martha Kelly and Justin Thompson to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Podcast host and producer Jody Avirgan joins us to talk about walking away from big platforms like ESPN and NPR, and what it takes to build something sustainable on your own terms. We get into the pressure to grow, the trap of prestige, and the trade-offs between stability, scale, and creative freedom. In the end, rethinking success might be the re…

Live from Dynasty Typewriter in LA, Doug welcomes Paget Brewster, Eric Edelstein, Kelly McInerney and Jerry Trainor to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Video essayist Ian Danskin joins us to talk about the exhausting economics of doing thoughtful work online—and what it means when your most meaningful content can’t pay the bills. From burnout to bad faith backlash, Ian opens up about what it takes to keep going when attention is currency... and you're broke. Bonus episodes + extras: https://patreo…

Live from the American Comedy Co. in Sweet Home San Diego, Doug welcomes Macon Blair, Amy Miller and Chad Opitz to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Screenwriter Bob DeRosa joins us to talk about what it really takes to build a long-haul creative career—one that doesn’t go viral, but keeps going. We break down 20+ years in Hollywood by the numbers, and what it reveals about persistence, rejection, reinvention, and the myth of overnight success. If Bob’s Bluesky post made you feel seen, wait unt…

Doug welcomes James DeMonaco, Samm Levine and Monica Nevi to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Journalist and podcast host Sam Sanders joins us to talk about what happens when the thing you thought you wanted turns out to be too small. We get into the emotional and financial cost of walking away, what it means to do it yourself in a collapsing industry, and how to balance ambition with reality. Want to know what the scariest career pivot Sam…

Doug welcomes Josh Gondelman, Joe Lynch and Ellory Smith to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian Josh Gondelman and writer Maris Kreizman join us to talk about surviving the creative economy as individuals and as a couple. We dig into the emotional labor of staying hopeful, the financial logistics of making art with no guarantees, and what happens when even the “success stories” feel precarious. If you want more from Josh and Maris, t…

Doug welcomes Joe Kwaczala, Samm Levine and Johnny Taylor Jr. to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Despite writing bestsellers and landing a Reese’s Book Club pick, Xochitl Gonzalez opens up about the lingering shame of precarity, the invisibility of working-class success, and why we need to drag money talk out into the light. Love this? Hear more from the conversation with Xochitl Gonzalez at patreon.com/pastdue Learn more about your ad choices…

Live from the Tacoma Comedy Club in Tacoma, Doug welcomes Sean Jordan, Monica Nevi and Geoff Tate to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ana and Mike talk about what it means to sell out... financially, creatively, and emotionally. From brand deals to burnout, they ask whether survival in the creative economy means compromising your values, or just being honest about what pays the bills. For bonus content and more, visit patreon.com/pastdue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me…

Doug welcomes Brian Crano, Samm Levine and Joseph Rodriguez to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer and podcaster Jamie Loftus joins us to talk about financial anxiety, inherited frugality, and the emotional cost of choosing creative freedom. From 7-Eleven coffee to viral fame, we explore what happens when you build a life around surviving—long after you’ve made it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Doug welcomes Joe Kwaczala, Dan Sebree and Ellory Smith to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer Parker Molloy joins us to talk about the invisible costs of creative independence, from burnout to the search for meaning in an industry built on metrics, and why it’s so hard to believe your work matters, even when it clearly does. This week on our Patreon exclusive, Parker Malloy names names. She tells us who’s thriving in media right now …

Doug welcomes David Joseph Craig, Brian Crano and Amy Miller to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer, performer, and YouTuber Maggie Mae Fish joins us to talk about financial survival, burnout, and the hard-earned lessons of giving up hustle culture. We unpack the toll of having five jobs, the shame of rest, the fear of slowing down—and why stability doesn’t magically erase anxiety. Every episode, we save the most surprising, unfiltered sto…

Doug laments a lost recording from Rooster T. Feathers in Sunnyvale, CA. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Journalist Taylor Lorenz joins us to talk about the hidden costs of writing online today, from the terrifying reality of working without health protections, to the pressure of being a one-person brand, and why real survival might mean building community from the ground up. If you want to hear more from Taylor Lorenz about the emotional whiplash of …

Live from Dynasty Typewriter in LA, Doug welcomes Rob Huebel, Natalie Morales, Lamorne Morris and Paul Scheer to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian Adam Conover joins us to unpack the real costs of the so-called "creator economy" from algorithmic gatekeeping to the crumbling of stable creative jobs. If you want to hear more from our episode with Adam Conover, including his worst ever gig, join us at ⁠patreon.com/pastdue⁠. You’ll get exclusive extras, extended interviews, and first dib…

Live from Commonwealth Sanctuary in Dayton, KY, Doug welcomes Chad Daniels, Dan Sebree and Troy Tate to the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.