The Play Typer Guy

Stephen Robinson

"The Play Typer Guy” offers an engaging deep dive into politics and pop culture. Your host is Portland, Oregon-based playwright, columnist, and media critic Stephen Robinson. His son describes him as “play typer guy."

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    #76 Why We Should Welcome Anyone Late To The 'Trump's A Fascist Loon' Party with Cliston Brown

    The Wall Street Journal article reported recently that some young voters are starting to regret their vote for Donald Trump, who set the world on fire and didn’t even lower the price of eggs. A new poll finds 58 percent of voters under 30 disapprove of his job performance. This is actually good news, if you’re up for Democrats winning elections. I know many liberals insist that Trump won because he’s a racist, sexist bigoted fool rather than in spite of those obvious character flaws. However, if all 2024 Trump voters wanted him to Make American Antebellum Again, he’d enjoy much higher approval. I don’t need to like former Trump voters to accept them in a winning coalition. It’s like Buffy teaming up with Spike in that epic Season 2 finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Spike’s motivations were self-centered and hardly noble, but ultimately, he still helped her save the world. This week, my guest is political strategist and friend of the podcast Cliston Brown. You will hear: Online shaming might feel good, but is it the most effective persuasion technique?Why Democrats too often fall for “silver bullet” thinkingWhy John Fetterman’s curious Senate career likely ends after one termWhy “the math is the math” when it comes to winning electionsAnd more!Guest Info:  Cliston Brown is a political analyst and communications executive. He writes on U.S. politics at ClistonBrown.com, having previously written for the New York Observer and the California Globe.  On average, Brown has projected the final composition of the U.S. House of Representatives within 7.5 seats and the U.S. Senate within 1.222 seats. In the most recent election, he correctly predicted every U.S. Senate race. Brown began his career as a journalist in the Chicago area in 1994, covering government and politics, intellectual property law, international business issues, education, and law enforcement. He moved to Washington, D.C., in 2001, where he served for two years as director of communications for U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Indiana), then transitioned back into the private sector as a communications professional and political analyst in the insurance industry, holding positions in Washington, Chicago and San Francisco. Follow Brown on Twitter: @clistonbrown Connect with Stephen: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy Email: ser1840@gmail.com Join  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

    41 min

  2. 5 MAR

    #75 Baffled by the BAFTAs with Lynne Streeter Childress

    My friend Lynne Streeter Childress answered the Bat signal for an emergency session about what the hell just happened at the BAFTA awards. John Davidson, the Scottish Tourette’s syndrome activist and the inspiration for the film I Swear, shouted the “n-word” — the full Tarantino — at presenters Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo. That was unsettling but even worse was the BAFTA response. The usual suspects also emerged to argue that Jordan and Lindo having the “n-word” shouted at them is no big deal because they appeared in Sinners, where the word is used. It’s as if people who support Donald Trump don’t understand how consent works. Someone on Threads even posted in my feed that white people learned the n-word from “our” music. It’s a pathetic argument. Besides, if we’re talking about “my” music, I don’t think the “n-word” comes up much in Candide or Jesus Christ Superstar. Guest Info:  Lynne Streeter Childress is a playwright, actor, teaching artist, singer, director, and the founder and artistic director of Building Better People Productions! Her show, “We Got It!: A Show About Empathy”, is among several of BBPP’s shows that are currently travelling to schools in Maryland and surrounding areas. This is her 25th year in professional theater, with much of that experience in theater for young audiences.  This includes performing at the Kennedy Center, Arena Stage and Adventure Theater, and teaching for institutions like the Folger Shakespeare Library. Through all those experiences, Lynne has seen firsthand how theater can communicate the most important things in the clearest and most interesting of ways, especially to young people.  Links:  Lynne’s Website: https://lynnestreeterchildress.com/ Building Better People Productions: https://bbpproductions.com/ Fine Beats and Cheeses Podcast: https://finebeatsandcheeses.com/ Connect with Stephen: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy Email: ser1840@gmail.com Join  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

    35 min

  3. 18 FEB

    #74 Why Trump’s Criminal Thuggery Is Different with John Stoehr

    Donald Trump’s ongoing assault on non-MAGA America continues with no end in sight. My friend John Stoehr from The Editorial Board joins me on the podcast to discuss the federal occupation of Minneapolis, as well as the encouraging signs of resistance from congressional Democrats. You will hear: John discusses how quickly Trump has turned the tides with white, middle class, property-owning Americans into people who now openly doubt whether or not law enforcement would do anything to protect them with the current state of our countryWe are seeing the smearing of the names of the white victims of police/ICE brutality, which we have never really seen like we do regularly with POC and immigrant victimsWhy people need to watch out for “moderate Democrats” who are more likely to accept conservatism, which in itself is about maintaining inequality, as long as it works for themWhy we should expect evil people to be evil and plan accordinglyAnd more!About John Stoehr I’m not a political scientist, but I have taught political science. I’m not a partisan, but for the moment the Democrats care about what I care about. I’m a journalist, writer and citizen. I’m a fellow at Yale’s Ezra Stiles College; a contributing writer for the Washington Monthly; a contributing editor for Religion Dispatches; and senior editor at Raw Story. My byline has been in news outlets big and small, but mostly small. Follow me @editorialboard.bsky.social and at editorialboard.com. Connect with Stephen: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy Email: ser1840@gmail.com Join  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

    39 min

  4. 4 FEB

    #73 'The World Looks Different Sitting Down,'A Discussion With Teal Sherer And Jessica Wallenfels

    I’m delighted to welcome on the podcast Teal Sherer and Jessica Wallenfels. Teal is an actor, writer, mom, and disability advocate who has teamed up with Jessica, a fabulous director and choreographer, for the upcoming production The World Looks Different Sitting Down, which runs at Seattle Public Theater for two weekends only from February 20 to March 1. Combining comedy and confrontation, Teal shares her experiences as a wheelchair user in a world where strangers at Whole Foods either don’t notice you exist or ask oddly intimate questions about your sex life. Teal has performed multiple roles on stage and screen. One of her first major roles was in 2004’s Warm Springs with Kenneth Branagh and Cynthia Nixon. She played Venom in the web series The Guild and herself in her own hilarious series My Gimpy Life.  You will hear: Teal talks about her life changing post-car crash, which left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair in a world that was not designed for herThe importance of accessibility and representation in the arts - disabled people deserve to play any kind of role, not just a disabled character - and being able to be included in everything the rest of the cast can do, like using the same dressing roomsTeal and Jessica’s partnershipAnd more! Links: Seattle Public Theater: https://www.seattlepublictheater.org/sittingdown Teal’s Website: https://www.tealsherer.com/ Jessica’s Website: https://www.jessicawallenfels.com/ Connect with Stephen: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy Email: ser1840@gmail.com Join  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

    32 min

  5. 12 JAN

    #72 Why There's Plenty Of Room In Democrats' 'Big Tent' For Zohran Mamdani with Maya Contreras

    Author and activist Maya Contreras joins me to discuss the aftermath of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory, and what that means for a Democratic Party that might have a restrictive definition of “big tent.” Maya lives and works in New York City. She’s just finished a new book, The Language of Theft: How The Wealthy Fund Narratives That Rob America of Our Common Sense, in which she offers a blueprint of strategies Democrats can use to counter destructive, donor-funded right-wing narratives. Guest Info:  Maya Contreras is a political strategist, a narrative interpreter, and an advocate for anti-racist policy. As a lifelong advocate, Contreras’s focus has been on Voting Rights because all paths to policy begin with access to the ballot box. On the road to equity, dominant political narratives that stem from domestic policy inhibit civic participation.  Contreras has given Voting Rights lectures at the Brennan Center for Justice, Clark University, and NYU. She was invited to testify in support of the New York State Voting Rights Act at the New York Senate on March 3, 2020. Maya has held anti-racist narrative and messaging clinics for leading members of the media, and U.S. Democratic Senators’ social media teams. Maya’s own civic participation is a critical component of her work. Contreras was appointed by City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera to the Neighborhood Advisory Board, Community 3 Manhattan of which she now serves as Chairman. Contreras co-founded All Women’s Progress Policy Center to create an intersectional policy institute dedicated to improving the lives of womxn and marginalized groups through research and education. Maya has a MA in Arts & Public Policy from NYU and a BA in Comparative Religion from FSU. Links: Maya’s Website: https://www.mayacontreras.com/ Connect with Stephen: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy Email: ser1840@gmail.com Join  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

    55 min

  6. 24/12/2025

    #71 Defying Gravity With Lynne Streeter Childress

    Joining me on the podcast is my friend Lynne Streeter Childress — playwright, actor, teaching artist, singer, director, and (whew!) the founder and artistic director of Building Better People Productions, an organization based in Annapolis, Maryland, that produces theatre-based shows, workshops, and classes based in themes of empathy, kindness, and respect—Traits that don’t seem particularly prominent in our current era. Lynne has 31 years experience in professional theater, and she’s spent most of her career serving young audiences. This includes performing at the Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, and Adventure Theatre and teaching for such institutions as the Folger Shakespeare Library, Everyman Theatre, and Baltimore School for the Arts. Lynne also co-hosts the podcast Fine Beats and Cheeses with her twin sister (and friend of this newsletter), Leslie Gray Streeter. Last year, Lynne and Liz invited me on to discuss all things Law & Order. You’ll hear: How Lynne got started in theatreExpressing the Black experience while being told (falsely and offensively) that you or your experiences aren’t “black enough” and how important representation is on stage and screen to expand the view on a “typical” experienceThe importance of showing and teaching empathy on stage and starting these teachings earlyAnd more!Links:   Lynne’s Website: https://lynnestreeterchildress.com/ Building Better People Productions: https://bbpproductions.com/ Fine Beats and Cheeses Podcast: https://finebeatsandcheeses.com/ Connect with Stephen: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy Email: ser1840@gmail.com Join  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

    33 min

  7. 11/12/2025

    #70 Theatre Artist Jane Jones And The Power Of Words

    My friend Jane Jones is founder of Seattle’s Book-It Repertory Theatre, and along with co-founding Artistic Director Myra Platt, she built a company that brought world premiere adaptations of great literature to the stage for 30 years. The pandemic silenced Book-It for a while, just like many other theatre organizations, but Book-It is back in a new form that I was happy to discuss with Jane. You can watch or listen to the podcast interview here or at my YouTube channel. While you’re over there, please subscribe! (Jane was also in the first episode of Twin Peaks, and she shares with me some advice she received from David Lynch.) You will hear: How March 2020 changed everything at Book-It Repertory TheatreHow Jane’s discovery of her own dyslexia in adulthood lead to Book-It’s unique style of adapting literature to live theatreHow being told she wasn’t the best dancer was actually a tremendous giftThe future of Book-It productionsAnd more! Guest Info:  Jane Jones is the founder and founding co-artistic director of Book-It Repertory Theatre, with Myra Platt. In her 30 years of staging literature, she has performed, adapted, and directed works by such literary giants as Charles Dickens, Eudora Welty, Edith Wharton, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Pam Houston, Raymond Carver, Frank O’Connor, Jim Lynch, Ernest Hemingway, Colette, Amy Bloom, John Irving, John Steinbeck, Daphne du Maurier, and Jane Austen. A veteran actress of 35 years, she has played leading roles in many of America’s most prominent regional theatres. She co-directed with Tom Hulce at Seattle Repertory Theatre, Peter Parnell’s adaptation of John Irving’s The Cider House Rules, Parts I and II, which enjoyed successful runs in Seattle, at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles (Ovation Award, best director) and in New York (Drama Desk Nomination, best director)... Links:   Book-It Website: book-it.org Connect with Stephen: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy Email: ser1840@gmail.com Join  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

    47 min

  8. 27/11/2025

    #69 Talking 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' Turkey Day With Erik Barnes

    There’s so much I love about Thanksgiving — the food, the official kick-off of Mariah Carey Music Season, and of course, the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Turkey Day marathons, which I’ve enjoyed since 1993. This magical combination of gluttony and cheesy movies are an annual treat. Joining me on the podcast for a special tribute to MST3K is Erik Barnes, a writer, comedian, and aspiring swashbuckler. Erik is currently a script writer for the comedy news video essay show Some More News, which you should check out on YouTube. The first Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode aired on November 24, 1988, which was Thanksgiving Day. It wasn’t intentional, but a holiday tradition began, especially once there were enough episodes to run as a marathon. It was perfect counter programming to sports and parades. You will hear: How we got into MST3K back in the dayHow the show gained a following and became a Thanksgiving traditionMST3K helped aspiring comedians learn comedic timing and became a sort of improv practiceEven though the movies are terrible, it is important to remember how hard it is to get a movie made at all and that all movies have inherent valueAnd more!Connect with Stephen: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SER1897 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ThePlayTyperGuy Email: ser1840@gmail.com Join  the Player Typer Guy Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/stephenrobinson

    39 min
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About

"The Play Typer Guy” offers an engaging deep dive into politics and pop culture. Your host is Portland, Oregon-based playwright, columnist, and media critic Stephen Robinson. His son describes him as “play typer guy."

Information

  • Creator
    Stephen Robinson
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    76
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Play Typer Guy
  • Show Website
    The Play Typer Guy

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