To be human is to fail – period. And not just to fail once, but to fail a lot. As the author Samuel Beckett said: “Fail again. Fail better.” This saying means a lot to me and my family – so much so that my daughter got a tattoo of it. Why are we, and so many others, so deeply concerned by failure? And if it’s something we all do so often, why are we so afraid of it – especially those of us here in win-at-all-costs America? In this podcast, I sit down with successful, thoughtful people like B ...
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Good Things from Lemonada Media is a podcast about the good people in the world who are rolling up their sleeves and working hard to make things better. Each week, we'll be talking about this country's most complex and confounding issues in an effort to affect systemic change, with a rotating cast of incredible guests and Lemonada hosts. From the dire condition of the American foster care system to the decline of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, protecting democracy, and more, we ...
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Being “indie famous” is complicated, and Kathleen Hanna isn’t here to water it down. Her career making feminist punk music — most notably in the band Bikini Kill — meant she was attacked for her activism by some and objectified as a symbol by others. But Kathleen and her bandmates continued to fight for respect and wrangle messy topics into punchy …
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Baton Rouge: Saving Lives Through Violence Prevention
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In the third episode of our series about The Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS) and its partner organizations making a difference in communities across the U.S., we take a closer look at Baton Rouge. Antohony Smith is the Executive Director of Cities United which works closely with the local community street team to reduce crime and boost vi…
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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 his own transformation — into a leading man and big-screen superhero, playing memorable characters with depth, heart and humor. Only, he doesn’t always see it that way. We chat about his love of the X-F…
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Newark: Saving Lives Through Credible Messaging
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In the next episode of our series about The Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS) and its partner organizations spearheading community violence intervention efforts throughout the U.S., we hear from changemakers in Newark, New Jersey. Travon chats with co-founder of the Community-Based Public Safety Collective, Aqeela Sherrills, and CEO of New …
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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 Could Ever Love You, the darkness of that shadow affected generations of Trump children long before it took hold of the world. We talk about her grandfather, Fred Trump, the business-minded, manipulative pa…
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Baltimore: Saving Lives Through Hospital-Based Care
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In this special 4 part series, we’ll be highlighting The Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS), a coalition of organizations working to intercept and prevent violence in communities across the U.S. The coalition’s work builds on years of knowledge of public health, gun violence prevention and the particular needs of different locales, as well a…
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Check it Out: “How to Succeed at Failing, Part 1: The Chain of Events”
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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 that really resonated with me — a series about failure, which is part of why I was so excited to talk with Stephen in the first place. You get to hear the first episode of that series, How to Succeed at Fa…
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The nephew of Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne, and son of Dominick Dunne, becoming anything other than a writer feels almost sacrilegious. Yet Griffin Dunne only recently became an author, publishing his family memoir “The Friday Afternoon Club” after spending decades in other fruitful and wide ranging creative pursuits. The actor and producer, …
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A big chunk of family caregivers in this country are part of the “sandwich generation” – people caring for young children and aging parents at the same time. Robert Ingenito was one of them. After caring for his dad and raising his young daughter while working, Robert came to a breaking point. He decided to move his dad to an assisted living facili…
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“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 groundbreaking sportswriter. From eating a cheeseburger alongside golf legends as a child, to writing memoirs of the world’s top athletes and coaches, Sally has had a unique look into the lives and minds (an…
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Jeremiah Fraites Isn’t Just The Tambourine Guy
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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…
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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 …
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In this special episode, Lemonada co-founder Stephanie Wittels Wachs sits down with the leaders of the Coalition to Advance Public Safety (CAPS), an organization working to intercept and prevent violence in communities across the U.S. The coalition’s work builds on years of knowledge of public health and the particular needs of different locales, a…
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Check it Out: “Kierkegaard or Californication? (with David Duchovny)”
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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…
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Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center
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June is Pride month and in this episode Gloria talks to Efrain Guerrero, the executive director of The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center. They are joined by Marcus Ceniceros, VP of Regional Impact for the LEE. The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center became the first LGBTQ+ visitor center within the National Parks system. This episod…
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Tony Hawk and the Trick That Changed Everything
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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…
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In this episode of Good Things, Gloria talks to Adrian Haro, the CEO of The Workers Lab, about the future of work. In the future they discuss, ensuring that contract workers can earn a living wage in safe conditions is of the utmost importance. Adrian and Workers Lab is working to radically redesign what working life this country offers to all thos…
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Sean Penn and the Squared-Away Individual
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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,…
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Patric Gagne and the Art of Sociopathic Zen
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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…
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Who Is a Criminal? with Toni-Michelle Williams
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This bonus episode is brought to you with support from The Marguerite Casey Foundation. V sits down with Atlanta-based artist, celebrated community organizer, and Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative Executive Director Toni-Michelle Williams. When she isn't protesting injustices or going toe-to-toe with police and city council, Toni-Michelle is f…
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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…
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Listen Now: Are You Authentic Enough? With Mitra Jalali and Cheniqua Johnson
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When women of color run for political office, they are scrutinized for every flaw. They’re expected to be everything for everyone – they must be authentic, but they can’t alienate broad audiences. They must be youthful, but also mature. The list goes on. In this episode, Maya speaks to two St. Paul City Council members who are ready to change these…
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Sarah Silverman and the Stupid, Shitty Things You’ve Done
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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 …
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Fostering a Better Future (with Sandra Gasca-Gonzalez and Lisa Guillette)
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When young adults leave the foster care system they’re left trying to find housing or employment on their own. Oftentimes, the thing they yearn for the most is family. In this special episode, Gloria chats with the president of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Center for Systems Innovation, Sandra Gasca-Gonzalez, and CEO at Foster Forward, Lisa Guil…
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Brad Gilbert and the Problem with Perfection
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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…
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In the third and final episode of our miniseries on foster care, we hear from David Ambroz, a national poverty and child welfare advocate and author of the memoir 'A Place Called Home'. David shares his first hand account of growing up in the American foster care system, his experience becoming a foster parent, and how he learned to practice forgiv…
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Gabor Maté and the Reason We’re All Addicted
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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 …
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In this second episode of our miniseries on foster care, we hear from Jeanie Gaskill, a parent who connected with her kids through The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Jeanie gets real with Lemonada host Gloria Riviera about what it’s like to navigate trauma and support an open adoption in her family. Plus, Gloria learns what people should cons…
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Bette Midler and the Meanest Man in Showbiz
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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.…
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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…
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This episode is the first episode in our three-part series where we’ll be talking to some leading change makers in the foster care and adoption space, who are working to better conditions for children in the system. In this episode, Lemonada host Gloria Riviera chats with the president and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption, Rita Sorone…
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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…
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There’s a lot of power in philanthropic work – it’s a way to dole out money to communities directly affected by issues, but it’s also an opportunity to reclaim our imagination. As we learn today, when public dollars are in the right hands, we're able to invest in our local communities, leverage change, and create a vibrant multiracial democracy. In…
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Good Things, from Lemonada Media is a show about all the capeless superheroes out there working day in and day out to make things better for the rest of us. Each episode will focus on one of our country’s most complex and confounding issues in an effort to affect systemic change. We’re not just talking about the problems. We’re focusing on solution…
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Coming Soon… Fail Better with David Duchovny (Official Trailer)
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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…
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How Do I Cultivate Hope Over Despair? With Rami Nashashibi
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In the late 90s, sociologist and organizer Rami Nashashibi encountered Chicago communities facing poverty, gun violence and substandard housing. Rather than succumb to pessimism or despair, he founded the Inner-City Muslim Action Network to organize people to fight for community investment and dignified lives. Guest host Stephanie Wittels Wachs spe…
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Revisiting How Does It Feel to Be Vulnerable in Front of the World? With Lena Dunham
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Putting yourself out there — the good, the bad, the ugly — in the social media age can be a high-risk, high-reward endeavor, to put it mildly. Few people know that quite as well as writer, director, producer, and actor Lena Dunham. Lena shot to superstardom at only 24 years old when her hit HBO show “Girls” debuted in 2012 and has been living her l…
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Revisiting How Do I Manage My Anxiety? With Kelsey Darragh
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There’s no way to have gotten through the last few years without some anxiety. But comedian and mental health advocate Kelsey Darragh has been experiencing anxiety-induced panic attacks for as long as she can remember. In the years since, she’s tried it all – therapy, medication, treating the physical symptoms caused by her anxiety – she shares her…
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Revisiting How Can I Be Happier in My Relationship? With Elizabeth Earnshaw
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Despite what we’ve learned in fairy tales during our childhood, there’s no such thing as the perfect relationship. Marriage therapist Elizabeth Earnshaw has seen and heard it all and offers up practical advice on understanding the issues in your relationship, how to work through them, and when to consider calling it quits. This episode’s practice i…
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Revisiting How to Forgive an A**hole with Nadia Bolz-Weber
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Being a religious leader doesn’t mean you're an expert at practicing forgiveness. Lutheran minister Nadia Bolz-Weber says being in quarantine gave her the ego check she needed to get real about forgiveness and compassion — for herself and others. This episode’s practice is about apologies and circling back to the relationships in your life that cou…
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Revisiting How Can I Use My Voice For Social Change? With Brandon Kyle Goodman
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The murder of George Floyd was shocking and changed all of us — regardless of our racial identities. For nonbinary activist, actor and writer Brandon Kyle Goodman, it was a moment for them to find their voice. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, Brandon posted a video on Instagram addressed to their white friends who were reaching out, asking the…
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Revisiting How Can I Accept My Body and My Fears? With BJ Miller
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Thirty years ago, Dr. BJ Miller had an accident that changed his life forever. He was out late one night messing around with his college buddies, jumped up on a train car, and was electrocuted with 11,000 volts of electricity. BJ went on to lose both legs and most of one arm. He spent a year in physical recovery and longer in emotional and psycholo…
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We're sharing an episode from a podcast we love called Pop Culture Happy Hour. In this episode, Aisha Harris talks to Brittany Luse and Odie Henderson about the three-decade run of the Maury Povich show and the end of an era as he retires. Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor…
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Revisiting How Do I Re-Parent Myself? With Tara Schuster
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Waking up to the realization that you drunk-dialed someone the night before can be pretty embarrassing. But for Tara Schuster, it was life changing. The night of her 25th birthday, Tara drunk-dialed her therapist pleading for help. The next morning, she decided to find that help she begged for. Tara tells Claire how she realized she needed to re-pa…
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Revisiting How Do I Talk to My Kids About Their Mental Health? With Lily Cornell Silver
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Lily Cornell Silver knows that being in your 20s is hard. Being in your 20s and navigating COVID-19, college, grief, and your mental health can feel completely overwhelming. Lily, a 21-year-old mental health advocate, and Claire talk about how open, honest conversations with Lily’s mom, Susan Silver, are a key part of her mental health regimen, inc…
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Revisiting How Do I Stop Beating Myself Up? With Alauna Curry
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Dr. Alauna Curry is like every other therapist out there – a regular person with struggles and pain just like the rest of us. And in 2017, when her marriage, finances, and health all came crashing down, she was reminded that everyone has trauma – but not all of us know how it affects us or the empathy with which we view the world. This episode's pr…
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Revisiting How Can I Have a Great Sex Life? with Dr. Alex Katehakis
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Sex therapist Dr. Alex Katehakis started studying sex in her 30s, after years of struggling to build and maintain romantic relationships. Her early work in the field of sex addiction helped her to work through her own sexual issues and to understand healthy sexuality in new ways, including busting the myth that “penetrative sex is the end-all, be-a…
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Revisiting When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan with Jen Curran
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Comedian Jen Curran thought she was having a normal pregnancy, but then the complications started. Her doctors told her to lose weight, but they were wrong. Weeks after giving birth, she received a diagnosis that turned her dream of motherhood upside down. This week’s practice is about letting go of disappointments and getting mad (and then moving …
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Revisiting Giving Yourself Permission to Feel with Marc Brackett
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Marc Brackett isn’t the first person to feel like an emotional wreck after a disagreement with their partner, family, or friends - and neither are you. Emotional intelligence starts with becoming aware of your own feelings then understanding your reactions to them. This episode’s practice is about self-compassion and how to go easy on yourself when…
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Revisiting How Do I Find Love (Again)? With Ricki Lake
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Ricki Lake opens up about shaving her head, losing a beloved husband to suicide, meeting the new love of her life and learning to love herself in her 50s. This episode’s weekly practice is all about love, from romance to friendship. How can you open the door to deeper connection in your own life? Want to connect? Join the New Day Facebook Group! ht…
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