One day in 1970, the Village Voice sent writer Vivian Gornick to cover a women’s-liberation gathering on Bleecker Street. She came back a radical feminist. And it was her articles in the Voice that helped spread the word about the burgeoning gender equality movement that came to be known as second wave feminism. Since then Gornick has written many books including her latest Taking a Long Look and her celebrated memoir Fierce Attachments. We walked through the streets of Greenwich Village talking about all the things that make a long life worth living. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
Gregory Gourdet started his culinary career working at the exclusive restaurant Jean Georges. But Gourdet also spent a lot of time at raves, taking large amounts of drugs and drinking. His addiction wound up derailing his career. But then Gourdet detoxed, becoming a serious marathon runner and gaining a reputation for cooking healthy food. Now, he’s a judge on Top Chef and has written a cookbook called Everyone’s Table which features recipes that contain not a drop of dairy, gluten or refined sugar. Gregory Gourdet spills the beans on this episode of “Now What?” which is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer and Tay Glass. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
When I was in college, the Kennedy clan was America’s political dynasty, our country’s royalty. There certainly were a lot of them. Matriarch Rose Kennedy and Joseph Kennedy, Sr. had 9 children including John F., Robert F. and Ted. Robert had 11 children. His sister Eunice had 5 including Tim Shriver, long-time Chairman of the Special Olympics. I talk to Shriver about having more cousins than you can count and his book The Call to Unite. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
Mark Bittman has been in the center of the world of food and cooking for the past 40 years. He was a long-time columnist for the New York Times and has written more than 30 books. His latest is “Animal, Vegetable, Junk: From Sustainable to Suicidal. It’s a deep dive into the history of agriculture as far back as the Crusades. We talk about farming, the environment and the future of the planet. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
Silicon Valley is known for its young billionaire entrepreneurs, catered lunches, in-house yoga classes and Whiskey Wednesdays. Writer Anna Wiener worked at start-ups where she had a front row seat to the industry’s culture. Wiener wrote a book about it called “Uncanny Valley” which the New York Times named one of the 10 best books of 2020. We talk about innovation, greed and sexism in the heart of tech. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe.
Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
Science journalist Elizabeth Kolbert has watched an invasive species of Asian carp jump 10 feet into the air when they’re shocked. She’s gone to the Mojave Desert to see how researchers are trying to save tiny little pupfish. And she’s traveled to the Great Barrier Reef to see coral that’s turned as white as a ghost because of rising water temperatures. Kolbert talks about far-out environmental fixes and what’s in store for our children on Planet Earth. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
You probably know Gabriel Byrne as an accomplished actor from Ireland who’s appeared in more than 80 films. But before Byrne took to the stage he had a series of odd jobs like being a plumber and a petty thief. Byrne was 40 before he appeared in his first American film Miller’s Crossing. He plays a criminal in The Usual Suspects and a psychiatrist in the series In Treatment. Byrne talks to me about his career and his memoir Wallking with Ghosts. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
David Duchovny spent 9 years investigating paranormal phenomenon on The X-Files, the TV series that turned him into a star. The actor also has other passions. He’s written 4 novels. His latest is called Truly Like Lightning. It’s about a former stuntman who becomes a Morman and lives in the desert with his 3 wives and 10 children. Plus, Duchovny sings. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
Mark Cuban is one of those people who’s bigger than life. He’s a self-made billionaire whose father worked in an upholstery shop. Cuban started buying and selling companies during the 90s in the heart of the Internet boom. Then he bought the Dallas Mavericks, winning an NBA championship in 2011. Cuban is also a star of Shark Tank. He talks to me about money, deals and screaming at referees on this episode of “Now What?” which is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Alex Wolfe and Tay Glass. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
Roman Mars likes to tell stories. He tells lots of them on his podcast 99% Invisible which is about design and architecture. Mars also likes to wear pocket squares and drink Coke Zero and talk about who created those inflatable figures you see waving around at gas stations and the trend to disguise cell phone towers as trees. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
He’s the first comic strip artist to win a Pulitzer Prize. The recognition was for Doonesbury which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Garry Trudeau captured the counter culture by creating characters like Zonker and Joanie Caucus. He also got a jump on another aspect of American life when he bega writing about the rise of Donald Trump more than 30 years ago. I talked to Garry Trudeau about Doonesbury’s memorable characters and the challenge of drawing Donald Trump’s hair. "Now What?" is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alexander Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta. Photo: Ali Goldstein
One of his most famous stories describes the Christmas David Sedaris dressed up as an elf when he worked at Macy’s Santaland. Since then, Sedaris has written essays that are about what it was like to grow up in a family of 6 kids in Raleigh, North Carolina, his drug using days and his obsessive behaviors like walking 43 miles in one day and picking up trash in England. Sedaris also talks about why he likes to prowl New York City’s streets after midnight and the current whereabouts of his new ruffled Comme des Garcons jacket. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
David Sedaris photo by Ingrid Christie.
Ethan Hawke has appeared in more than 60 films, been nominated for 4 Academy Awards and written 3 novels. And that’s probably all before breakfast. Hawke was 19 when he landed his breakout role in the Dead Poets Society starring Robin Williams. Now Hawke is starring in The Good Lord Bird in which he plays John Brown, the bible-toting rebel who devoted his life to abolishing slavery. Ethan Hawke talks to me about fanaticism, creativity and why he never stops until he gets it right. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alexander Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta. Photo: Sam Jones.
He’s the best-selling author of books like Motherless Brooklyn. His latest novel is The Arrest. Jonathan Lethem is a storyteller who mixes genres like hard-boiled crime novels, post-apocalyptic science fiction and superhero comics. Growing up in Bohemian Brooklyn in the 1970s, Lethem learned everything there was to know about the music of Bob Dylan and saw Star-Wars twenty-one times during its original theatrical release. He also collected drawings of vomiting cats. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Gabe Zimmer, Steve Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
She’s had great roles on Broadway and on television. Edie Falco played a prison officer in Oz and the drug-addicted Jackie Peyton on Nurse Jackie. But Falco’s breakout role was starring as Carmela Soprano, the long-suffering wife of mob boss Tony Soprano on The Sopranos, one of the best series ever on television. Falco is also a vegan, a Buddhist, a single mother and as far away from a diva as you can get. I talked to her about how she tries to live every moment as it comes. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Gabe Zimmer, Tay Glass and Alex Wolfe. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
Jane Fonda has lived about as full a life as anyone on this planet. Born to Hollywood royalty, actor Henry Fonda, Jane became a star in her own right taking home 2 Academy Awards for Best Actress. And then there’s Jane the activist who’s passionate about fighting climate change and has gotten herself arrested 5 times for civil disobedience. Jane Fonda talks to me about growing up with no confidence in herself and having to marry powerful men to feel that she counts. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Gabe Zimmer and Tay Glass. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
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Julie Taymor has scored a number of firsts. She was the first woman to win a Tony award for Best Direction of a Musical, The Lion King, which has earned more money than any entertainment title in box office history. Her latest project is a movie called The Glorias about Gloria Steinem. She’s hoping that the life story of one of the world’s most famous feminists will inspire people in these challenging times. Julie Taymor talks about her dreams, her fears and her passions on “Now What?” which is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Gabe Zimmer and Tay Glass. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta. Photo is by Marco Grob.
When David Fajgenbaum was 25, he went from being a monster athlete to death’s door. Fajgenbaum found out he had a potentially fatal disease called Castleman which was attacking his immune system. The doctors couldn’t help him so Fajgenbaum found his own treatment. Now, he’s working on Covid. In this episode we talk about life, death and what to do when everything spirals out of control. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Steve Zimmer, Gabe Zimmer and Tay Glass. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
What happens when nude photos of you begin showing up on swinger websites? If you’re a 31-year old Congresswoman in your first term, you give up your dream job and resign. At least that’s what Katie Hill did. In her book “She Will Rise,” Hill says she was the victim of revenge porn by her estranged husband. We talk about what it’s like to live your life in the middle of a scandal and whether men get a pass for the kind of behavior which women get clobbered for. “Now What?” is produced with help from Gabe Zimmer, Steve Zimmer and Stephanie Marie Horton. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
It’s been more than 3 decades since former Senator Gary Hart dropped out of the race for President. Hart has earned a PhD in Politics at Oxford and has written more than 20 books including 5 novels and a biography of James Monroe. Hart is also a public policy and defense expert who is warning about secret powers the President has that Congress never approved and the American people don't even know about that threaten our democracy. "Now What?" is produced with the help of Gabe Zimmer, Steve Zimmer and Stephanie Marie Horton. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
Oliver Stone was known as one of Hollywood's bad boys … the ultimate risk taker. He spent a lot of time in a drug-induced haze and gained a reputation as a conspiracy nut. Stone has also been called one of the great directors of his generation for making films like Platoon and Born on the Fourth of July. On this episode, Oliver Stone talks about movies, drugs, sex and marriage. "Now What?" was produced with the help of Gabe Zimmer, Steve Zimmer and Stephanie Marie Horton. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
Sometimes you meet someone who is so dedicated, so inspired by an idea that it practically knocks you over. In the 1960s, Alice Waters got inspired by organic food and the farmers who grow it when she opened her iconic Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California. Known as a pioneer of the farm to table movement, Waters dreamed of serving Bill Clinton the perfect peach and she inspired Michelle Obama to plant the White House garden. I talk to Alice Waters about why she believes that food and eating is a political act. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Gabe Zimmer, Steve Zimmer and Stephanie Marie Horton. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
Carl Reiner was 98 when he died. I’ll never forget the hours I spent with him sitting in his Beverly Hills home in the same chair that his best friend Mel Brooks always used when he visited. Reiner was 94 on that summer afternoon when I spoke to him about his long career in television and film, his 65-year marriage to his wife Estelle and why he’d always wanted to be an Irish tenor. Then Carl Reiner burst into song. That’s all on this episode of “Now What?” which is produced with the help of Stephen Colon, Gabe Zimmer and Steve Zimmer. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
With the world in turmoil, we could all use a little inspiration. That’s why I wanted to talk to Robert Reich. Reich is an economist, a Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, a former Secretary of Labor in the Clinton Administration and the author of 19 books including his latest, “The System: Who Rigged it, How We Fix it. You won’t want to miss our conversation about other tough periods in American history and how the U.S. managed to move on to better times. “Now What?” is produced with the help of Gabe Zimmer, Steve Zimmer and Stephanie Ann Horton. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.
He started out writing jokes for Borscht Belt comedians for $7 a piece. Then Lorne Michaels hired Alan Zweibel to be a writer on the first season of Saturday Night Live. That’s where he met Gilda Radner and they created memorable characters like Emily Litella and reporter Roseanne Roseannadanna. He went on to co-create It’s Garry Shandling’s Show and collaborate with Billy Crystal on the award-winning 700 Sundays. I talk with Alan Zweibel about what it takes to make people laugh. “Now What?” is produced with help from Gabe Zimmer, Steve Zimmer and Stephanie Marie Horton. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.