Sleeping with Celebrities

Getting to sleep can be difficult sometimes. Now you can achieve that urgently needed rest by taking advantage of our most precious natural resource: celebrities. Each week on the slyly humorous and reassuring Sleeping with Celebrities, host John Moe talks with a different guest from the world of entertainment about something they know a lot about. The conversation is guaranteed to be just interesting enough to draw your attention away from your own swirling anxieties but never interesting enough to keep you awake. No startling revelations, no dramatic screaming confrontations, but plenty of low-key dialogue, intricately laced deadpan comedy, and a ticket to dreamland.

  1. Vella Lovell Slowly and Carefully Introduces a New Cat to an Old Cat

    3 DAYS AGO

    Vella Lovell Slowly and Carefully Introduces a New Cat to an Old Cat

    The hilarious actor Vella Lovell is a put-upon director of an animal control precinct in the sitcom Animal Control, a role that involves much more animal contact than one would expect for an office job. Turns out Vella, who also played the neighbor Heather on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, has a natural knack for helping animals calm down. This was evident in her long process of introducing a new kitten, XX, to her household, which already included a veteran resident cat, YY. Sleepyheads, the process took weeks of gentle, gradual exposure under highly controlled conditions, and we’re pleased to report that it was a complete success. XX and YY are, today, best buddies. We think you’ll be fast asleep before you ever get to that happy friendship moment but maybe you’ll sleep a little better knowing that it turned out so well. Catch Season 4 of Animal Control on hulu and the previous three seasons on Netflix. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun If you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you’re the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member.

    42 min
  2. Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hütz Walks You Through the Downstroke Part of Playing Guitar

    4 FEB

    Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hütz Walks You Through the Downstroke Part of Playing Guitar

    It is foolish to try to describe the music of the Gogol Bordello and its charismatic frontman Eugene Hütz so we’ll just list the genres Wikipedia uses: Punk rock, folk punk, Latin rock, polka, folk rock, dub, Romani, and Gypsy punk. Wikipedia also uses the adjective “theatrical” and we won’t argue with that. Within the veteran hit band’s whirling storm of musical virtuosity, there are guitars. In playing those guitars, there are strokes, and within those strokes, there are downstrokes and that’s where our conversation with Eugene is centered. In contrast to his stage presence, which would definitely wake you up, Eugene calmly explains the essential nature of the downstroke and also expounds on punk in general, Madonna’s drumming career, and the oft-forgotten tremolo. You’ll want to start a punk band. Tomorrow, though, after a good sleep. Pre-save and pre-order Gogol Bordello's new album, We Mean It, Man!, on the streaming service of your choice. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun If you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you’re the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member.

    32 min
  3. A Discussion of Bigfoot with Todd Stashwick That Gets a Bit Too Exciting But Then Calms Down

    28 JAN

    A Discussion of Bigfoot with Todd Stashwick That Gets a Bit Too Exciting But Then Calms Down

    Actor Todd Stashwick’s IMDb page is miles long, with appearances in Laws & Orders OG and SVU, Angel, Buffy, Courage the Cowardly Dog, The Riches, Phineas and Ferb, and Star Trek: Picard and the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney+ series VisionQuest. He’s also a Bigfoot enthusiast. Not a big foot enthusiast, a fan of the cryptozoological creature also known as Sasquatch. Alert followers of host John Moe know that he shares this interest as well, and deeply. John and Todd compare notes on what is actually a soothing activity: poring over YouTube videos, reading first person accounts, and speculating on whether the “Bigfoot as transdimensional traveler” angle is possible or just a little too far. At various points in this interview, John gets a bit too excited about Bigfoot and, remembering what our show is, producer Gabe Mara calms him down. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun If you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you’re the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member.

    49 min
  4. Jordan Carlos Lives in New York City and Drives an Actual Car

    21 JAN

    Jordan Carlos Lives in New York City and Drives an Actual Car

    There are many transportation options in New York. It’s not all subways and taxi cabs that cut in front of you and make you yell about how you’re walking here like in that movie. There are also regular old cars, like the one comedian and writer Jordan Carlos has for getting around that city. He tells us in detail what that’s like, what the sky tram to Roosevelt Island is like, and how complicated things can get with local transportation bureaucracy if you accidentally drop your phone on a railroad track. Jordan is the author of Choreplay: The Marriage-Saving Magic of Getting Your Head Out of Your Ass, which comes out next month, and he also shares with us the power of changing the toilet paper roll in making your relationship a successful one. Pre-order your copy of Choreplay: The Marriage-Saving Magic of Getting Your Head Out of Your Ass by Jordan Carlos at the bookstore, online or brick and mortar, of your choice. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun If you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you’re the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member.

    49 min
  5. Rachael Yamagata On The Importance of Backyard Vigilance

    14 JAN

    Rachael Yamagata On The Importance of Backyard Vigilance

    Rachael Yamagata is an accomplished musician and singer who has recorded several acclaimed albums, including Starlit Alchemy just a few months ago, and performed and recorded with the likes of Rhett Miller, Jason Mraz, and Bright Eyes. When she’s not making beautiful music, she’s watching her back yard like a hawk. Like a hawk that takes on several ambitious backyard projects. Relax in Rachel’s sonic virtual yard and drift off while she tells you about the persistent squirrels, whether you can ever have enough gravel, why you actually can’t ever have enough gravel, and why it’s so important to call Cobra Kai to deal with snakes. No, not the morally ambiguous Karate Kid dojo, just this guy Kai who happens to be really good with snakes. The critters are all taken care of. Shh. Sleep time. Listen to Rachael's latest album, Starlit Alchemy, on the streaming service of your choice. Find out more about Rachael by visiting her website, www.RachaelYamagata.com. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun If you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you’re the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member.   Photo Credit: Eric Daniels @ericwdanielss

    44 min
  6. Akilah Hughes Guides You To Just Barely Interesting Things on Social Media

    7 JAN

    Akilah Hughes Guides You To Just Barely Interesting Things on Social Media

    Instagram can be a minefield of powerful influencers making you feel terrible about not having millions of dollars and a glamorous lifestyle, or, OR, it could be filled with odd things like banjo players plucking away in National Parks. Writer, comedian, filmmaker, and podcaster Akilah Hughes has published a memoir, Obviously: Stories From my Timeline, written for Steven Soderbergh’s Command Z television series, and hosted shows on the Crooked Media network. Most importantly for us, she knows how to manipulate social media to get to the good stuff, the weird stuff, and the good weird stuff. No Mr. Beast here but plenty to put you to sleep right away and arm you with new sleep tools tomorrow. Akilah and John Moe also talk about Bigfoot and the alleged interdimensionality of Bigfoot, because if you get John talking long enough he’s bound to come around to Bigfoot. He cannot help it. Listen to Akilah's new podcast, How Is This Better?, from Courier Newsroom on their website or on the podcatcher of your choice. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun If you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you’re the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member.

    44 min
  7. 150th Episode: More All-Star Guests Who Excelled at Understanding the Assignment

    31/12/2025

    150th Episode: More All-Star Guests Who Excelled at Understanding the Assignment

    We love all of our guests on this podcast and are delighted that they helped amuse you to sleep. There are some among those guests who seem to have an extra-special ability to get what we’re asking for, to grasp the mission, to understand the assignment. They speak in extra hushed tones, they choose astoundingly benign subject matter, they delight and bring forth some nice laughs, they drone, they lull, and they conk you right the heck out. On this, our 150th episode, we bring you some all-stars of that craft. Demi Adejuyigbe talks film photography, Paget Brewster shares bone broth secrets, Chris Kluwe breaks down NFL punting in more steps than you thought possible, Lulu Miller offers thoughts on dolphins and other animals, Hanif Abdurraqib walks you through his band shirt collection, and Janet Varney communes with nocturnal critters. You’re in good hands here. Night night. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun If you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you’re the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member.

    55 min
  8. Hanging Out at Airports with Roxane Gay (RERUN)

    24/12/2025

    Hanging Out at Airports with Roxane Gay (RERUN)

    This episode originally ran April 23, 2025. *** Roxane Gay is one of the greatest writers in the world today. Everyone knows this. We’re so thrilled that she agreed to be on our show. Roxane is the author of books like Bad Feminist and Hunger, writes for the New York Times, is a respected social critic and noted professor. All this means that she travels a lot and she joins us, using a very soothing voice, to share her opinions on air travel. Hear about her favorite airports, such as Indianapolis, and her least favorite airports, like JFK in New York. We even get some book recommendations from Roxane since we had her on the line and she is Roxane Gay, after all. You’ll drift off to sleep dreaming of travel without ever waiting in a TSA line. Learn more about Roxane Gay and her excellent work by visiting her website, www.RoxaneGay.com. Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you’d like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber? Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org. Follow the Show on: Instagram @sleepwcelebs Bluesky @sleepwithcelebs TikTok @SleepWithCelebs John is on Bluesky @JohnMoe John’s acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback. _________________________________________________________________________ Join | Maximum Fun If you like one or more shows on MaxFun, and you value independent artists being able to do their thing, you’re the perfect person to become a MaxFun monthly member.

    37 min

About

Getting to sleep can be difficult sometimes. Now you can achieve that urgently needed rest by taking advantage of our most precious natural resource: celebrities. Each week on the slyly humorous and reassuring Sleeping with Celebrities, host John Moe talks with a different guest from the world of entertainment about something they know a lot about. The conversation is guaranteed to be just interesting enough to draw your attention away from your own swirling anxieties but never interesting enough to keep you awake. No startling revelations, no dramatic screaming confrontations, but plenty of low-key dialogue, intricately laced deadpan comedy, and a ticket to dreamland.

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