How to Be Abe Lincoln

Latest Episodes:

Episode 7: Accident? Injury? Call Lincoln! (with Jeffrey Lenkov) Oct 30, 2023

Abe Lincoln, the lawyer, would have his face all over bus stop billboards if he were alive today. This episode is all about Lincoln as a lawyer, so powerhouse attorney and major sports agent Jeffrey Lenkov joins the guys to talk about Lincoln’s legal strategies, his work ethic, and his strategy for publicity. Lincoln had a vast array of clients, from representing individuals making defamation claims to representing major railroads, but for the cases he had an interest in, he would always treat them with equal weight and importance. They talk about the value of settling out of court and setting client expectations, Lincoln’s strategy for constant publicity - sitting for countless portraits and photographs, wearing a tall hat to look memorable and riding a horse that was too small to look silly - his unwavering resistance to being motivated by money, and the problem with today’s mechanics of law school and field of lawyers willing to take cases.

Episode 6: Humorists and Hubris (with Chi McBride) Oct 23, 2023

Abe Lincoln would have loved the show “The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer,” a comedy sitcom from the 90’s that chronicled the life of a reasonable and intelligent butler, Desmond, and his bumbling doofus of a boss, Abraham Lincoln. The guys are joined by Chi McBride, the actor whose portrayal of Desmond Pfeiffer earned him scathing criticism and national uproar, and who has flawlessly overcome that criticism to be a successful and well-respected television actor. Abe Lincoln enjoyed, and even laughed at, the criticism that he received, even inviting a famous humorist who called him a baboon to the White House for a visit. They talk about the faith and fortitude that it takes to overcome intense criticism, Abe’s religion of “when I do good, I feel good” and how that could apply today, learning from other perspectives during debate, and how people today try to perfect each other instead of looking inward to perfect ourselves.

Episode 5: Stop, Collaborate and Listen (with Don Reo) Oct 16, 2023

Abe Lincoln would have loved Slappy White. Slappy was a black comedian and actor who appeared on shows like Laugh In and the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, performing hilarious acts that were often social commentaries of the civil rights movement and the inequality of black Americans. During this time and before his acting career, he hired a young and soon-to-be legendary television writer and producer Don Reo to accompany him on stage and write jokes, who not only joins the show for this episode, but also makes many appearances in Jonathan's book. Don made a career of successful collaborations, launching shows like Blossom and My Wife and Kids, writing for smash hits like M*A*S*H and The Golden Girls, and co-authoring a book with Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band. Reo embodies two key tenants of Lincoln's persona - the ability to laugh and the ability to collaborate with people of all manners, including the difficult ones. How was Lincoln able to achieve such success when his own cabinet was full of people trying to take him down? Mr. Don Reo is here to give us some insight.

Episode 4: Democracy or a Magic Kingdom (with Jay Kogen) Oct 09, 2023

When you wish upon a star, wish for civility to come back to America’s politics! The guys are joined by television writer and comedian Jay Kogen to bring some philosophy, and laughs, into the studio. They talk about Walt Disney, and how he chose the greatest American to ever live, Abe Lincoln, to represent America in Jonathan’s favorite Disneyland attraction as a kid. Lincoln believed so much in the story of America and a nearly mythological ideal of what it could be, just as Main Street U.S.A. does in its magical way. They also discuss strongmen authoritarians, Lincoln as a father, his high-pitched voice, and Lincoln’s use of humor and other tactics to achieve monumental political maneuvers in the face of adversity.

Episode 3: The Hallmark of a Great Man (with Bran and Dan from Deck the Hallmark) Oct 02, 2023

When we think of Abe Lincoln, of course we think of… Hallmark Christmas movies? Jonathan invites his friends Brandon Gray and Daniel Pandolph on the show to talk about how Abe handled political discourse, and what makes Bran and Dan’s show worthy of a McCarthy Award. These southern gents host a podcast (approaching 1000 episodes!) called Deck the Hallmark, where they get together and dissect Hallmark Christmas movies, lifetime movies, and so many others. Since they often fundamentally disagree about the quality of the movies, it gives Jonathan the perfect vessel to talk about how Abe Lincoln would seek out and engage with those who disagreed with his perspective. They also talk about how Lincoln is perceived in the American South, teaching students empathy in today’s age, and how two burly boys from South Carolina started a hugely successful podcast with the most unlikely subject matter.

Episode 2: America's Sweetheart (with Mayim Bialik) Oct 02, 2023

If there was ever one thing Jonathan could be sure about, it would be that Abe Lincoln would LOVE Miyam Bialik! The immensely successful actress, television host and resident neuroscientist joins Jonathan and Greg for a discussion about division and how Abe would choose to engage with people that he disagreed with. This thoughtful and inciteful episode covers how we can re-train our brains to act like Abe, how to approach people with love, living in a culture that doesn't value facts, and the importance of navigation to know where you are headed in life.

Episode 1: The Outsider Oct 02, 2023

Was Abe Lincoln a gay man? Jonathan Shapiro and Greg Grunberg kick off this brand new podcast about applying the principles of Abe Lincoln to the modern world by seeking facts and approaching Abe with an honest and truthful perspective. The greatest president of all time always had an interest in bettering himself, which was what made author Jonathan Shapiro want to write his book How to Be Abe Lincoln: Seven Steps to Leading an Extraordinary Life and to start this podcast alongside it. This episode covers "self help" and Abe's striving for betterment, character flaws, Abe's documented love life, how Abe grew up an outsider which colored his perspective on leadership, and the reason why we need Abe's insight now more than ever in a very divided country.

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