Fail Better with David Duchovny

Latest Episodes:

The Grit and Grind of Steve Lukather Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

As a founding member of the band Toto, Steve Lukather is well aware of the song you probably know him for. But Steve, known to most as “Luke”, has plenty of other claims to fame. Luke is a seriously talented guitarist and writer with more than a dozen albums to his name from Toto alone, not to mention an almost infinite number of credits and Grammys from his session work with stars like Paul McCartney and Quincy Jones. It all started with the enthusiasm that Luke’s parents expressed for a musical career, guiding him toward frequent lessons, hard work, and the practice of showing up to a studio every day and putting in the hours. Being a working man is what led him to where he is — and, as any young player would dream, it’s also what got him the ultimate compliment from Jimmy Page.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

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EXCLUSIVE PEEK: Reflections on Alec Baldwin, Kenya Barris, and more Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

This week, we’re offering another peek at the kinds of things you might hear in Lemonada Premium. At the end of each regular episode, there’s a snippet of my thoughts about the conversation, but those are just snippets. My post-mortems are much longer than that, and we publish the full versions exclusively for Lemonada Premium subscribers. Today, we’ve pulled a few for you to hear from some of my favorite interviews. If you want to get these kinds of insights each week, subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And as added incentive, you'll also be able to get bonus content from all the other Lemonada shows when you subscribe.

As you’ll hear in this episode, I’m publishing my first book of poetry. You can pre-order now at https://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/about-time-preorder/

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Graydon Carter and The Editor’s Eye Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

Graydon Carter, the editor whose two decades at the helm of Vanity Fair transformed the publication, sure knows how to curate. He made the magazine into the cultural touchstone it is today (think: the much-photographed Vanity Fair Oscars Party, the viral celebrity lie-detector tests), though not without trial, error, and lots of nerves. He and I talk about his long tenure, the pitfalls of a project not having a “point,” and what he gets out of being at the head of a completely new enterprise, the digital magazine Air Mail. It’s a creative conversation I didn’t know I needed, and one I’m very glad I had.

Graydon’s memoir, When the Going Was Good, is available now wherever books are sold.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

25 Years Later and Bree Sharp Is Still Asking Why Won’t I Love Her Mar 25, 2025

Show notes

In 1999, the musician Bree Sharp released a single titled “David Duchovny,” off her debut album, A Cheap and Evil Girl. Despite it being the early days of the internet, the song — with its refrain “David Duchovny, why won’t you love me?” — found its way to me, as did the surprise music video that a bunch of people came together to make for our X Files Christmas party. In the time since, Bree and I have only spoken a handful of times — so for the first time, she and I sit down to talk about how and why she wrote the song, what it’s meant for her career, and all the thoughts I’ve been sitting on about the lyrics. Then, finally, Bree gives a full performance undisturbed by my commentary, and we time-travel back to the moment this first entered the world. Or maybe you just Want To Believe that.

The 25th anniversary edition of A Cheap And Evil Girl is available now on eco-friendly vinyl, and folks in New York and Pennsylvania can catch Bree on tour in April. Tickets can be found on her website, www.breesharp.com.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Failure Matters with Jaleel White Mar 18, 2025

Show notes

To me, there are few sitcom characters more memorable than Steve Urkel on Family Matters. So getting to talk to the actor Jaleel White — about his approach to acting, his take on Hollywood in the ‘90s and now, and what it’s meant to have a character follow him into adulthood — was as illuminating as I’d expected. As a pillar of show business and an astute observer of it, Jaleel is someone whose perspective I deeply appreciate. Plus, his new memoir ‘Growing Up Urkel’ is thoughtful and nuanced, and I’m grateful we could reflect on it together.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check it Out: “Use a Messy Closet, a 3-Hour Rule for Difficult People & Renowned Judy Blume on Reading” Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

This week I’m excited to share an episode of the podcast Happier, hosted by past guest Gretchen Rubin.

Gretchen’s podcast, on the Lemonada Media network, explores how we can live a more fulfilling life. In this episode, Gretchen addresses the common feeling of not having enough time to cross all the things off your to-do list, and she offers a useful and guilt-free strategy for sorting through priorities. Plus, she talks with esteemed author Judy Blume, whose work is currently being adapted into a Netflix series for a new generation.

For more episodes of Happier, listen wherever you get your podcasts or head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/happierfd

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Singer Wants to Save Animals… and Humans, Too Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

Peter Singer has a pretty simple mission: minimize the suffering of all living creatures. But a seemingly straightforward objective can lead to some surprisingly thorny questions. As a philosopher and professor, he’s spent decades pondering the ethical dilemmas that come with living in the modern world. His books have ignited movements — from animal rights to wealth equality — but his deeply personal work, confronting family, legacy, and inherited pain, also resonates. I’ve admired Peter’s work for years (it’s a huge part of why I stopped eating meat in college) and I was honored to sit down with such a brilliant thinker.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Failure-ish with Kenya Barris Feb 25, 2025

Show notes

Kenya Barris, the creator of "Black-ish", knows a thing or two about resilience. Eighteen failed pilots before he finally struck gold? That's dedication — and, as it turns out, a family value. I’d always been drawn to Kenya’s humor and storytelling, but during our conversation it really clicked how much his experience as a father — and, as he openly shared, navigating divorce — informs his work. We delve into the intricacies of comedic structure, the tightrope walk that is satire for Black creators, and the moral considerations of challenging the status quo. Plus, we reflect on our time on set together. I'm a huge fan of Kenya's, and if you aren’t already, I have a feeling you will be soon.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kara Swisher Is So Much More Than the World’s ‘Musk-splainer’ Feb 18, 2025

Show notes

As someone who knows tech giants like Elon Musk more deeply than most reporters, Kara Swisher doesn’t have a ton of patience for them. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have empathy. Reflecting at this pivotal moment, she’s stripping away the facades of these powerful men to reveal their true characters (typically, cringeworthy pretenders). She and I share an energetic back-and-forth about what makes these disruptive innovators tick, what worries her about that, and what, despite it all, still manages to make her feel hopeful.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Failure, Freedom, and ‘Friends’ with Maggie Wheeler Feb 11, 2025

Show notes

While Maggie Wheeler is known by millions as the iconic Janice on ‘Friends’, she has been my real-life friend for even longer. Back in the late 80s, we made our film debuts together, playing former lovers, which is a distinction we shared in real life, even at that time. And we’ve stayed close even as our lives and careers went off in the various ways lives and careers go. She and I talk about things that I knew she went through, and things I didn’t know until now. The mistreatment that Maggie experienced behind the scenes, and sometimes out in the open, still shocks me, and it reinforces the fortitude, creativity, and generous spirit that Maggie has always had. It’s my deep pleasure to be able to share my experience of who Maggie is with you all.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices