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Employee of the Month — Society & Culture
Employee of the Month

We spend most of our time working, so what does it take to (mainly) love what you do? How do even the most gifted, talented, intelligent, ambitious, disciplined, imaginative, inventive, and lucky people develop their point of view, find meaning, serve a greater good, deal with work place politics, rejection, finances, boredom, red tape, logistics, and creative roadblocks? What are the perks or enjoyable about forging your own path? Catie Lazarus and her guests delve into beauty, banality and absurdity of work, jobs, and labor.

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Copyright: © Catie Lazarus

Latest Episodes:

ROSIE O'DONNELL on life after The View and her new HBO stand up special Apr 27, 2015

Show notes

Today, we’re in the midst of a new comedy boon for improv comedians, like Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Stephen Carrell, Broad City, and Amy Poehler. But the biggest boon in stand up, where comics in blazers and belted, sometimes acid wash, jeans, stood against a brick walls with only a mic to defend themselves emerged in the 1980’s. Stand up clubs, such as Catch a Rising Star and the Improv, served up 2 drink minimums and rapid fire hokes from the likes of Eddie Murphy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paul Reiser, Jerry Seinfeld, Steven Wright, Roseanne, Sam Kinison, and Rosie O’Donnell.

In our interview, Rosie described how she didn’t realize she was supposed to write her own jokes. She quickly learned and started to appear on Star Search. Just a teenager, Rosie O’Donnell went onto establish herself as a stand up. She host her own day time talk show, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, which garnered multiple Emmys and proved that day time talk shows could be funny.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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CYNTHIA NIXON talks about casting when you're non-white, hetero male and political activism. Apr 10, 2015

Show notes

There are actors who anoint themselves activists, without considering that most activists don't suddenly claim they are actors, simply because they bought movie tickets. That said, there are consummate professionals, like Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award winner CYNTHIA NIXON, who will consciously support causes.

Nixon has her plate full with upcoming films, like LIFE ITSELF, JAMES WHITE, and STOKHOLM, PENNSYLVNIA; directing a one woman show, and prepping to play Emily Dickinson, among other gigs, but she is passionate about certain causes. We spoke about how she chooses what she gets involved with and what it means to be an activist.

Cynthia also weighs in on the challenges of breaking into Hollywood, when you aren't a blonde Barbie doll or white bread beefcake, as well as the hard part of turning down roles when you finally get enough traction as an actor to enable other voices to be heard.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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CYNTHIA NIXON on being a bankable actress & the age of consent in New York Apr 02, 2015

Show notes

Cynthia Nixon is an Emmy, Grammy, Tony and, now, Employee of the Month Award winning actor. She speaks candidly about what it was like to have her mother direct her, growing up (and now raising children) in New York, recording audio books for V.C. Andrews, and getting roles post Sex-in-the-City. This is part one of a two part interview. This was taped live at Joe's Pub (at The Public Theater.)

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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LIZ TUCCILLO discusses Sex in the City, Denny's & Modern Dance Mar 28, 2015

Show notes

At age 38, Liz Tuccillo's career took off. She joined the writing staff of Sex and the City. She and comedian Greg Behrendt turned one of the episodes into a best selling comedic self-help dating book, "He's Just Not The Into You." She followed it up with a novel How to Be Single and indie film Take Care, carving out a niche in writing accessible romantic comedies. She is currently developing a pilot with Annabelle Gurwitch for FX called, I See You Made An Effort, which is adapted from Gurwitch's New York Times best selling book. Tuccillo talks about her gigs before "breaking in" and her roots in experimental theater and dance.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Syd Butler, bassist for Les Savy Fav & Late Night with Seth Meyers, talks about touring. Mar 24, 2015

Show notes

Syd Butler, the bassist of Les Savy Fav and Late Night with Seth Meyers, talks about life on the road. Syd also reinvented the music industry when he founded French Kiss Records. While it doesn't technically record the best, worst, and longest kisses, he helped launch the careers of phenomenal musicians. It was a pleasure to sit down at Joe's Pub and talk to Syd about life on the road, his roots in the ska scene and work crush on Ian McKay, of Fugazi, in Washington, DC. Syd is also joined by poet and actor Amber Tamblyn and Seth Jabour on stage. Seth is the guitarist on Late Night with Seth Meyers and Les Savy Fav.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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JELLY D. quit advertising to play music, act, and, of course, intern Mar 12, 2015

Show notes

JELLY D. is a freestyle rapper, actor, songwriter and, most importantly, my intern. He sets his own hours, after saving up from time spent working in advertising. He's currently performing in a trio Moondrunk and shooting a couple television pilots. To watch this special snowflake's videos, check out https://www.youtube.com/user/mcjellyd.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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Pick-pocketing as a day job, OT Sherman reveals the magic of slippery hands Mar 04, 2015

Show notes

Ever been pick-pocketed? It feels awful to be on the receiving end, but those who do it, treat it more like an art form than a crime. Sherman “O.T.” Powell spent forty years as a pickpocket, and, in our interview, he shares his stories from the dark side. Today, he is a reformed pick pocketer and a graduate of the MothSHOP Community Education Program. He has told several stories at The Moth and toured with the phenomenal story telling program. Our interview was taped live at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

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MARTHA WAINWRIGHT sings live and describes the reality of working in a family biz. Feb 26, 2015

Show notes

With her stirring voice, shrewd insight, and mischievous wit, Martha Wainwright's songs captivated the sold out crowd at Joe's Pub's live taping of Employee of the Month.

Martha's super power is her range, both vocally and intellectually. It's why, as Martha explains in our conversation, Leonard Cohen, Pete Townsend, Garth Hudson, and Donald Fagin, and Snow Patrol wanted to work with her. We spoke about her starting to write in high school, and she created her first album, technically a cassette tape, Ground Floor, in 1997. Since then she went onto collaborate with her late mother and aunt, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, father Loudon Wainwright, older brother Rufus Wainwright, Teddy Thompson, and Garth Hudson. Shortly after this recording, Martha began singing backup vocals for her brother. She’s also released her own albums- Martha Wainwright,. I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too, and a tribute album to Edith Piaf, amongst others. We also spoke about her foray into acting.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

JON STEWART's uncircumcised interview with Catie Lazarus Feb 22, 2015

Show notes

After announcing he was leaving The Daily Show, the first interview Jon Stewart gave was on Employee of the Month. He spoke with Catie Lazarus about creating an iconic political talk show to directing the film Rosewater to being fired from Woolworth by his brother. Stewart accepted the coveted Employee of the Month honor after being turned down for Playgirl of the Month. Enjoy our uncircumcised interview.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EMILY SPIVACK, author of Worn Stories, talks about digital storytelling. Feb 16, 2015

Show notes

Emily Spivack has created multiple platforms for storytelling. Her latest greatest website WornStories.com is so popular that Emily ended up editing a companion book, Worn Stories, which is currently a New York Times Best Seller. If you're interested in online communities, fashion, odd stories, clothing, nostalgia, fair trade, sustainability and storytelling, check out Emily's sites, including www.sentimental-value.com and www.wornstories.com.

When you listen, my apologies for the dogs kvetching in the background! We recorded this episode live in Brooklyn during a snow storm, and humans aren't the only people who go stir crazy after being trapped indoors for too long.

Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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