Best Jeff Watson Michael Lee Simpson Podcasts (2024)

1
Christina Lopez 42:52

2M ago42:52

42:52

Christina Lopez is an assistant editor at St. Martin’s Press, where she started as an intern in 2021 and worked her way up. In her time at SMP, she has worked on a wide array of books in several genres and with several amazing authors including Katherine Center, Kristin Hannah, and Sally Hepworth. She loves books that make her feel big emotions and…

1
Lisa Sharkey 34:58

4M ago34:58

34:58

Lisa Sharkey, SVP Director of Creative Development of HarperCollins Publishers, opens up about her journey into the publishing industry after working as Senior Producer for “Good Morning America” and President of Al Roker Entertainment. She has overseen the acquisition and publication of more than fifty New York Times Bestsellers, including multipl…

1
Marco De Molina 49:30

5M ago49:30

49:30

Marco De Molina is a 2022 Grammy Nominated film producer and co-founder of the independent production company Spacebrain. He has received international acclaim at prestigious film festivals worldwide, including the Festival de Cannes. De Molina has also produced countless music videos for chart-topping musicians in all genres, from metal to pop, re…

1
Jim Kouf 48:48

8M ago48:48

48:48

Jim Kouf is a screenwriter, director, and producer who has worked on a variety of beloved films and TV shows. He wrote "Rush Hour," "National Treasure," "The Boogens," "The Hidden," executive produced "Con Air," and wrote/directed "Gang Related," "Miracles," and "Disorganized Crime." In the television space, Kouf wrote and co-created "Grimm," along…

1
Michael Pollack 47:48

11M ago47:48

47:48

Michael Pollack has held leadership positions for more than 35 years in the legal, financial and entertainment industries. Michael is the founder and former President of a litigation support firm that is today part of an international group of companies. He has held directorship positions for more than a dozen financial institutions that are both p…

1
Laverne McKinnon 57:15

1y ago57:15

57:15

Laverne is a Japanese-American film and television producer with more than 20 years of successful programming and producing experience in premium cable, broadcast and digital platforms. She is the Executive Producer of the Netflix series GIRLBOSS, and co-founder of K&L Productions, a film & television company created with Kay Cannon (PITCH PERFECT,…

1
Chelsea Peng 45:56

1+ y ago45:56

45:56

Chelsea Peng is the Senior Editor of New York Magazine's The Strategist, formerly Assistant Editor at Marie Claire and Fashion Editor, Branded Content at Refinery29. She joins us to discuss fashion, the journalism industry, and bringing fresh, new ideas into the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
Jason Perlman 1:02:51

1+ y ago1:02:51

1:02:51

23 years ago in 2000, Jason Eric Perlman packed up a U-Haul trailer, hitched it to his Jeep and drove across the country to begin his new life in Los Angeles. Three years after that move, his same Jeep was crushed by a 2000-year-old Sequoia Redwood tree while shooting his USC Master Thesis Film. So— in many ways, his dream came true… Since his days…

1
Steven Schneider 42:22

1+ y ago42:22

42:22

A former film critic and scholar with M.A. Degrees in Philosophy from Harvard University and the University of London and in Cinema Studies from New York University, producer Steven Schneider has quickly risen the ranks of Hollywood to become one of the go-to experts in genre films. After having authored and edited numerous books on world cinema an…

1
Michelle Holbrook 48:23

1+ y ago48:23

48:23

Michelle Holbrook was diagnosed with Schwannomatosis, a type of neurofibromatosis also known as “NF,” at the age of 30. The disease causes tumors to develop throughout her body. But despite the pain she goes through each morning, she is now serving as an Ambassador for the Children’s Tumor Foundation and wants to educate others about the rare disea…

1
Morena Duwe 49:47

1+ y ago49:47

49:47

BuzzFeed Editor Morena Duwe discusses her rare journey from ballet dancer and film school student to finding her place in the world of journalism. Duwe is a Contributing Writer for Rolling Stone and the Los Angeles Times, and has written for CNN, Guardian News & Media, Business Insider, VICE Media, Billboard, Flaunt Magazine, LA Weekly, The Huffing…

1
Max Potter 48:59

1+ y ago48:59

48:59

Maximillian Potter is a best-selling author and a Contributing Editor to Vanity Fair. He has been a staff writer and/or editor at Philadelphia Magazine, Premiere, Details, GQ and Esquire; and he has contributed to Outside and The Atlantic, among other publications. Potter has written two books: "The Opposite of Woe: My Life in Beer and Politics," t…

1
Mara Reinstein 54:51

1+ y ago54:51

54:51

Mara Reinstein is a New York City-based entertainment journalist who's contributed to The New York Times, Parade, The Television Academy, CNN, The Ringer, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wall Street Journal, AARP, Vulture and more. She’s also the film critic for Us Weekly magazine and Reader’s Digest and a Top Critic on Rotten Tomatoes. Read more at Ma…

1
Heather Langenkamp 45:44

1+ y ago45:44

45:44

Heather Langenkamp began her career as an extra in The Outsiders (1983) and Rumble Fish (1983) before debuting as a lead actress in Drew Denbaum’s film Nickel Mountain (1984). She is best known for her performances in several movies, including A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Dream Warriors (1987), as well as her return to Freddy in Wes Craven’…

1
Cole Haddon 53:49

1+ y ago53:49

53:49

Cole Haddon is an Australian-American novelist, screenwriter, and journalist. His new novel "Psalms For The End Of The World" was called ‘Ingenious and compelling’ by The Times. "Dracula," his first television commission, was produced by NBC and Sky Living starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and he has gone on to develop dozens of feature films and TV s…

1
Dr. Peg O'Connor 55:09

1+ y ago55:09

55:09

Peg O’Connor, Ph.D., is a Professor of Philosophy at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. Her training is in moral philosophy, feminist philosophy, addiction studies, and the work of Ludwig Wittgenstein. She believes that philosophy helped her to get and remain sober. Avoiding Alcoholics Anonymous for the first 20 years of her sobriet…

1
Christopher Lockhart 41:52

1+ y ago41:52

41:52

Christopher Lockhart is a Hollywood executive, filmmaker, and teacher. As a story professional, he has worked in the talent agency business for almost 25 years. He started at ICM, worked his way to William Morris, and transitioned to WME, the world’s largest diversified talent agency, where he serves as story editor, curating projects for “A” list …

1
Jessica Toscano 46:54

1+ y ago46:54

46:54

Jessica Toscano is a skilled content creator and editor with experience in print and digital media. She founded unisex lifestyle publication, IntrigueMag in 2014, having first published as a blog (its formal recognition as a legal entity was in Sep 2020), and continues to serve as CEO and Editor-in-Chief. Additionally, her articles have been publis…

1
Alicia Dennis 51:29

1+ y ago51:29

51:29

Alicia Dennis is a content executive, award-winning journalist and editor innovating the telling of mass media stories across print, digital and broadcast. A true crime and pop culture expert, Dennis leads teams of breaking news reporters in crime and serves as an executive within multiple brands. Dennis's success as editor, digital content directo…

1
Jeremiah Watkins 44:00

1+ y ago44:00

44:00

Standup star Jeremiah Watkins appears on Inspired Minds to talk about film, comedy icons, and his widely-acclaimed style in front of the microphone. Known to make Judd Apatow fall in love with comedy again, Jeremiah lit a fire in the industry that hasn’t been blazing since Chris Farley. His debut 1 hour standup special “Jeremiah Watkins: Family Reu…

1
Eric Morse 38:41

1+ y ago38:41

38:41

Eric Morse is an author and activist who wrote the twin children's books, "What Is Hip Hop?" and "What Is Punk?" featuring claymation images of Biggie Smalls, Tupac, The Ramones, The Clash, and other luminaires from their respective scenes. He cut his teeth in the music industry while joining bands and eventually became a music industry executive. …

1
Jillian Dale 43:00

2y ago43:00

43:00

Jillian Dale is a journalist and has written pieces for The Huffington Post on film as a Contributor, as well as a producer/director for her own company, Bella Luce Productions. She has directed and created shows like "Omniscient," "Up In Arms," and "Beverly Hills Canine Club." She was formerly a research attorney and a US Army 2nd Lieutenant, and …

1
Marc Fisher 53:40

2y ago53:40

53:40

Pulitzer Prize-winner Marc Fisher is a Senior Editor at The Washington Post, and reports and writes on a wide range of topics. Most recently, he wrote "Trump Revealed," a biography of Donald Trump. He previously was The Post’s Enterprise Editor, leading a team of writers creating narrative journalism and experimenting with new forms of storytelling…

1
Randee Dawn 53:09

2y ago53:09

53:09

Entertainment journalist and author Randee Dawn writes for the LA Times Envelope, Variety, Today.com, and a number of other outlets. fiction. She's also a former editor at The Hollywood Reporter and Soap Opera Digest. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and online publications; she also dreams up trivia questions for BigBrain Gam…

1
Drew Fortune 51:10

2y ago51:10

51:10

Drew Fortune is a pop-culture journalist and screenwriter, who has been actively publishing for the past ten years. He is a regular contributor to Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Vulture, but his writings on music, film, and television have been published in Cosmopolitan, Playboy, SPIN, Billboard, the A.V. Club, Stereogum, and many others.…

1
Jeremy Helligar 53:48

2y ago53:48

53:48

People Magazine Executive Editor, Entertainment Jeremy Helligar opens up about his journey through life, the journalism field, being the underdog as a gay black man and a newfound passion for writing. He’s written for numerous publications over the years: Variety, HuffPost, Reader’s Digest, The Wrap, Queerty, Popular Science, among others. While li…

1
Diana Ossana 52:42

2y ago52:42

52:42

Oscar-winning screenwriter, bestselling author and producer Diana Ossana discusses the magic behind art, her thirty-five year friendship with Larry McMurtry and crafting powerful stories and characters. After co-writing novels “Pretty Boy Floyd” and “Zeke and Ned” with McMurtry, the pair’s collaborative partnership exploded with the onscreen adapta…

1
Malina Saval 52:21

2y ago52:21

52:21

As one of America’s most prominent journalists, Malina Saval is a three-time LA Press Club award winner and National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award winner. She’s currently the Features Editor at Variety where she’s penned profiles on artists and luminaries such as Sean Penn, Robert De Niro, famed litigator Mathew Rosengart and Nick Nolte. He…

1
Brandyn Cross 1:02:24

2y ago1:02:24

1:02:24

Multi-media artist, writer, recording artist, songwriter, filmmaker and actor Brandyn Cross talks about his career and living as a wheelchair-bound amputee. He’s written over 100 episodes of the award-winning hit episodic drama TV show “Proper Manors” (now streaming on Amazon Prime) and the show has been voted the #1 most popular fan-favorite three…

1
Jason Fine 51:36

2y ago51:36

51:36

“Rolling Stone” legend Jason Fine joins us to share his musical inspirations and journalism journey. He’s been with “Rolling Stone” since 1997 in a number of capacities, from Editor to Director of Content Development to SVP of Rolling Stone Films. He’s edited books on Johnny Cash, George Harrison and Michael Jackson, and wrote/executive produced “L…

1
Tracy Mercer 1:02:30

2y ago1:02:30

1:02:30

Tracy is Amasia Entertainment’s Senior VP of Television. Currently, Amasia is in development at The CW with a sequel series to Dan Curtis’ classic, "Dark Shadows," to be showrun by Emmy-winner Mark B. Perry. Additional shows in development include "Because the Night" based on the James Ellory book, "Wolfe"— A contemporary mystery thriller series in…

1
Serah Henesey 51:07

2y ago51:07

51:07

Born & bred in Sydney, Australia to European/Middle Eastern parents Serah danced from a young age. After joining Youth Theater at age 16, she finished her training in London, where she performed in both period & contemporary plays. Serah is an award-winning actress, with an established career in Europe. She was a lead on a hugely successful sitcom …

1
Rob Schnapf 45:50

2y ago45:50

45:50

Rob Schnapf has been making critically acclaimed records for the past two decades. He first gained recognition by producing (with his then-partner Tom Rothrock) Beck's debut album, "Mellow Gold," including the breakthrough single, "Loser." Rob and Tom produced three albums for Elliot Smith, including "XO" and "Figure 8." Podcast | Inspired Minds (i…

1
Katherine Turman 48:23

2y ago48:23

48:23

Katherine is a multifaceted journalist, editor and content creator who has written for publications including "Entertainment Weekly," "Los Angeles Times," "Mother Jones," "Esquire.com," "Marie Claire," "Billboard," "Village Voice," "Black Book," "TEEN," "Guitar World," "Rolling Stone," "NY Observer" and dozens more. She is the co-author of "Louder …

1
Jenelle Riley 49:05

2y ago49:05

49:05

“Variety” Deputy Awards and Features Editor, screenwriter, playwright, director, actor and producer Jenelle Riley explores the arts, her inspirations and living with OCD and bipolar disorder. Riley wrote the 2015 short film, “Warning Labels,” directed by Jennifer Morrison, and is the host of Variety's "Actors on Actors," for which she’s won a Dayti…

1
Le Ly Hayslip 47:12

2y ago47:12

47:12

Vietnamese-American memoirist and humanitarian Le Ly Hayslip tells her incredible story about surviving the horrors of Vietnam, translating those memories to the page and striving to change the world. Her first memoir, "When Heaven and Earth Changed Places: A Vietnamese Woman's Journey from War to Peace," chronicles her experiences as a young girl …

1
Kristen Lopez 52:19

2y ago52:19

52:19

"IndieWire" TV Editor Kristen Lopez discusses Hollywood culture, classic movies and disability representation in film. Beginning as a film critic writing for $10 a review, Lopez is now recognized as an influential figure in the journalism field. As an entertainment journalist for fifteen years, her work has been published in "Forbes," "Variety," "R…

1
Thuc Doan Nguyen 44:22

2y ago44:22

44:22

Thuc Doan Nguyen was born in Vietnam. She survived life as a boat person refugee as a child, was sponsored to the US and spent her whole life in public school. She grew up in North Carolina and Southern Maryland and is a dual passport holder of the United States and the Republic of Ireland. Thuc has lived in London, United Kingdom, New York City an…

1
Reinhard Denke 58:08

2y ago58:08

58:08

Reinhard Denke grew up in Texas and is a graduate of USC Film School. He got his start as a writer in 2009 with his spec script “Sex, Greed, Money, Murder and Chicken Fried Steak” about the Cullen Davis murders in Fort Worth, Texas. The script was chosen for the prestigious Hollywood Blacklist. The film is currently in pre-production with Amicus Pi…

1
Chip Jacobs 1:03:03

2y ago1:03:03

1:03:03

Bestselling author/acclaimed journalist Chip Jacobs joins us to explore his magical and powerful craftmanship. His debut novel, "Arroyo," a historical fiction masterpiece set in 1913 around the construction of Pasadena's Colorado Street Bridge, was a "Los Angeles Times" bestseller, "CrimeReads" most anticipated book, and Independent Book Publisher …

1
Jeffrey Reddick 45:11

2y ago45:11

45:11

"Final Destination" franchise writer/creator Jeffrey Reddick started his creative journey when he wrote a ten-page treatment for prequel to "A Nightmare on Elm Street" at the age of fourteen. After mailing it to New Line Cinema founder Bob Shaye, an unlikely letter-and-phone relationship with Shaye and his assistant began. The result, eventually, w…

1
Sarah Halstead 45:34

2y ago45:34

45:34

Comedian Sarah Halstead talks career, the art of good comedy and performing standup across the country. Her Comedy Special, "RVs and Cats,” is streaming on Amazon Prime with a widely popular comedy album released last year. Also host of the “Drinking During Business Hours" podcast, her "Bottle Shock Comedy" is featured at Hollywood Improv every mon…

1
Neil D'Monte 54:51

2y ago54:51

54:51

Neil D'Monte is an American artist, SAG-AFTRA film actor, musician, producer, creator of the Hellbilly clothing line, and director born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. A graduate of the USC School of Fine Arts, Neil began his career as a comic book and storyboard artist, which segued into a successful acting career. The multi-hyphenate made his fe…

1
Andrew Trapani 47:31

2y ago47:31

47:31

Sobey Road Entertainment Co-Founder and producer Andrew Trapani joins us to discuss his career path, music, film culture and producing in the horror genre. Credits include: “The Haunting in Connecticut,” which opened at #2 at the box offices and went on to gross over $99 million, “Winchester,” the supernatural horror film starring Oscar-winner Hele…

1
Christina Toth 47:26

2y ago47:26

47:26

“Orange is the New Black” star Christina Toth, who played Annalisa Damiva in seasons 6 and 7, dishes on acting methods in front of the camera and under the bright theater lights onstage. Other TV and film credits include HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” Discovery’s “A Crime to Remember,” Prime’s “Bumbld,” BRIC TV’s “All Hail Beth,” “Consensus Reality,” “I…

1
Margaret Judson 58:18

2y ago58:18

58:18

A powerful force in both journalism and entertainment, CNN producer and "The Newsroom" star Margaret Judson joins us to discuss her career, ultimate truths and inspiration. She’s now up for an Emmy (Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama series) for her work in the hit series, “Strut,” for which she also recently won the Best Supportin…

1
Marianne Maddalena 56:16

2y ago56:16

56:16

The saga continues with another “Scream” franchise legend. Her movies grossing over $1 billion at the global box office, veteran producer Marianne Maddalena started out Wes Craven’s assistant on “Deadly Friend.” Eventually becoming producing partners, the pair formed Craven/Maddalena Films and their work sliced through Hollywood as horror movie gol…

1
Marilee Albert 48:17

2y ago48:17

48:17

A native of Los Angeles, Marilee studied philosophy at Yale before moving to Rome where she started her career in the film business as Francis Ford Coppola's philosophy tutor. She then worked in Italian TV as a director and development executive before returning to the US. Back in LA, Marilee started her career as a writer in commercials, writing t…

1
Mercedes De La Cruz 49:24

2y ago49:24

49:24

Mercedes De La Cruz (Gendron) is a Canadian actress, best known for her memorable and charismatic performances in more than two dozen television shows and independent films. As a model, De La Cruz has graced the cover of ALEPH Magazine, was Former Miss Hawaiian Tropic, Poster Girl Molson Canadian and notably secured a highly visible contract for Th…

1
Richard Potter 1:02:43

2y ago1:02:43

1:02:43

First slashing his way to the screen as a Bob Weinstein's assistant at Miramax Films, Richard Potter read Kevin Williamson’s “Scary Movie” script one night, and insisted the film be made. He convinced Dimension Films to buy it, Wes Craven to direct it, the script was re-titled “Scream,” and the rest is horror movie history. He also developed legacy…

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Jeff Watson Michael Lee Simpson Podcasts

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