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Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

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SOCIETY & CULTURE
UPDATED WEEKLY

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso is a weekly series of intimate conversations with artists, activists, and politicians. Where people sound like people. Hosted by Sam Fragoso. New episodes every Sunday.

10 HR AGO · BONUS • LEMONADA PREMIUM ONLY

The Talk Easy Interlude with Cook Samin Nosrat

A rapid fire questionnaire featuring cook and writer Samin Nosrat.

6 min
3 DAYS AGO

Cook Samin Nosrat (‘Salt Fat Acid Heat’) Returns with ‘Good Things’

Eight years ago, cook and writer Samin Nosrat created a kitchen staple with Salt Fat Acid Heat: a New York Times bestseller that later became a hit Netflix series. Nosrat returns with Good Things, a collection of personal recipes straight from her dining table. We discuss the influences that shaped the book (8:30), the ephemerality (and pleasure) of produce (9:30), her complicated San Diego childhood growing up with Iranian parents (17:30), the high expectations placed before her (22:40), and how she eventually found her way to Chez Panisse in Berkeley (32:00). On the back-half, Samin talks about her salad days working in restaurants (46:00), grand openings and closings (42:30), the origins of Salt Fat Acid Heat (47:00), what The Bear gets right about cooking (1:00:25), and how she thinks about time (1:03:00) and ritual (1:07:40). This episode was recorded at Spotify Studios. Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at talkeasypod@gmail.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1h 13m
31 AUG

The Homecoming of Dev Hynes (Blood Orange)

Over the long holiday weekend, Dev Hynes (Blood Orange) released his latest album, Essex Honey. To celebrate, we return to our 2022 conversation with the visionary musician. At the top, we dive into his EP Four Songs (3:15), performing at Madison Square Garden with Harry Styles (4:40), and the process that guides much of his music (6:39). Then, Dev describes growing up in Essex, England (7:04), falling in love with music at his sister’s piano lessons (11:00), his dreams of entering the New York punk culture of Please Kill Me (20:30), early performances with the band Test Icicles (22:08), and how he’s been inspired by the late Octavia Saint Laurent (30:10). In the back half, we unpack Dev’s gift for collaboration (34:22), the 2013 night that changed everything (38:50), a surreal, full-circle performance of Delancey at the Apollo Theater (46:17), music’s unique ability to express emotions (49:50), and where he hopes to go in his art next (54:20). Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at mail@talkeasypod.com. Get 50% off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TALKEASY. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 hr
28 AUG

Laura Dern on Living Well (The Dan Buettner Podcast)

We’re excited to share a new show from Lemonada Media: The Dan Buettner Podcast. Today’s episode features the incomparable Laura Dern. In his groundbreaking Blue Zones research, National Geographic explorer and bestselling author Dan Buettner uncovered the secrets to longevity and happiness from the world’s longest-lived populations. Now, on the podcast, he’s sharing the practical habits, mindsets, and wisdom that can set the stage for a longer, more fulfilling life—at any age. Dan sits down with extraordinary doctors, explorers, thought leaders, and actors from around the world. In this talk, Laura Dern shares how she lives with purpose, the surprising study that suggests winning an Academy Award can add years to your life, and lessons from her actor parents, Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. Listen to The Dan Buettner Podcast wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube. To learn more, head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/TheDanBuettnerPodcastfd Thoughts or future episode ideas? Email us at mail@talkeasypod.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1h 27m
28 AUG · BONUS • LEMONADA PREMIUM ONLY

The Talk Easy Interlude with Mayor Karen Bass

A lightning round questionnaire featuring Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

8 min
24 AUG

A Candid Conversation with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass

It’s been a year in Los Angeles. Between the historic wildfires, rapid recovery efforts, and the ICE raids over the summer, Mayor Karen Bass has been tasked with moving at a breakneck speed to meet the demands of a city in peril. Watch this conversation on our new YouTube channel. The Mayor joins us this week to reflect on her office’s response to ICE in Los Angeles (7:00), the federalization of thousands of National Guard troops by the Trump administration (11:20), and the ongoing legal battle now being waged in court (15:00). We also discuss the city’s “rapid rebuilding efforts” in the aftermath of the January wildfires (21:45), lessons learned from the historic catastrophe (25:50), and why she cut through “federal red tape” (28:48) to push forth her Inside Safe program designed to reduce homelessness (30:20). On the back-half, we get into some of Bass’ personal story: coming of age in the Venice/Fairfax area of Los Angeles (36:30), working in emergency rooms during the crack epidemic of the 1980s (46:00), and her six terms in Congress representing various Los Angeles districts (58:00), all while navigating unimaginable personal loss (54:00). To close, the Mayor discusses her ongoing mission to end homelessness (1:00:00), the promise and potential of the 2028 Olympics (1:04:00), and where she finds the strength to continue fighting for the city that raised her (1:04:45). This episode was recorded at Spotify Studios. Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at mail@talkeasypod.com. Get 50% off Monarch Money, the all-in-one financial tool at www.monarchmoney.com/TALKEASY. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1h 8m
17 AUG

The Stories of Actor Josh Brolin (‘Weapons’)

With the arrival of Weapons in theaters, we return to our conversation with actor Josh Brolin. Since the turn of the century, Brolin has had quite a run. From No Country for Old Men and Hail, Caesar! from the Coen Brothers, to Inherent Vice from Paul Thomas Anderson, to Sicario and the Dune films from Denis Villeneuve. His memoir, From Under the Truck, contains stories about the life in between. We discuss his upbringing bouncing from Paso Robles to Santa Barbara (8:49), the influence of his mother (10:05), and his entry to writing (19:40). Then, Brolin reflects on his vivid early adulthood in the 80s (26:14), the power of a story (32:30), and what actor Anthony Hopkins illuminated about sobriety (34:35). On the back-half, we get into his collaborations with the Coen Brothers (38:48), his challenging relationship to drinking (50:50), and why finally, after three decades of playing characters on screen, it was time to fill in some of the backstory (1:07:13). This conversation was recorded at Spotify Studios. Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at mail@talkeasypod.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1h 26m
10 AUG

Actor Julia Garner is Hollywood’s Secret ‘Weapon’

Actor Julia Garner (Ozark) has built a career out of shapeshifting. This summer, the Emmy-winning performer lands on the silver (surfer) screen with two major projects—The Fantastic Four: First Steps and the highly-anticipated horror film, Weapons. At the top, we walk through the spine-tingling world of Zach Cregger’s new film (6:45), the Moleskine character journals she keeps for each role (9:22), and some lessons from her time in clown school (14:01). Then, she reflects on her ‘Noah Baumbach-like’ upbringing (22:27) and the influence of legendary actors Bette Davis, Gena Rowlands, and Sharon Stone (23:15), who she credits for opening the doors in Hollywood that she has walked through (23:50). On the back-half, Garner describes her transformative years making Ozark (30:03), the whirlwind three-week prep period to portray Anna Delvey in Inventing Anna (35:59), her comfort with discomfort (43:05), and how she remains open to growth in this next chapter (44:17). Watch this conversation on our new YouTube channel. Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at mail@talkeasypod.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

50 min

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Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns for Season 3 of her award-winning podcast, Wiser Than Me™. Each week, she has funny, touching, personal conversations with iconic older women who are brimming with the kind of unapologetic attitude and wisdom that only comes with age. Julia sits at the feet of some extraordinary teachers this season, and of course her 90-year-old mom, Judith. Tune in to laugh, cry, and get wise. All Hail Old Women! Photo: Ryan Pfluger and August Image

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COMEDY
Hosted by five-time Grammy winner Sam Smith, The Pink House is about the people and places that make us who we are. One of those places was Sam’s childhood home in the English village of Great Chishill, literally called The Pink House. It was a space of total warmth and love where Sam felt safe enough to find their voice. On the podcast, Sam is sitting down with good friends and queer icons to explore their own “Pink Houses,” how they navigated early struggles and ultimately found their place in the world. From Elliot Page’s childhood bedroom to Joel Kim Booster’s joyful stint at a Cold Stone Creamery, Sam and their guests bring us transformative stories of belonging, chosen families, and the journeys we take to become who we were destined to be. This series feels like lighting a warm candle and enjoying a cup of tea with a dear friend. Learn how to love yourself, show up for others, and create a world that supports beauty of all kinds. From Lemonada Media. Photo: Jonathan Mannion

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ARTS
It’s time to travel back to the Jeffersonian – this time, with an insider tour from the squint squad who made “Bones” one of the longest-running primetime dramas in TV history. Emily Deschanel (Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan) and Carla Gallo (Daisy Wick) are besties who met on set and are ready to take you back to the beginning, episode by episode. How did the show start? Which first-season episode aired out of order? Why did the Angelator become the Angelatron? And shouldn’t Brennan have been wearing gloves or something when she was reconstructing that skull? (The answer is yes.) Emily and Carla will also interview the cast, the crew, the directors, and the producers who made the show so special. Whether you’re a new watcher or already King of the Lab, we promise this rewatch will save you from ever saying “I don’t know what that means” again.

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TV & FILM
Dive into the heart of America's childcare crisis with No One Is Coming to Save Us, hosted by veteran reporter Gloria Riviera. In Season 5, you’ll hear stories about everyday people rolling up their sleeves to demand better childcare in America, whether it’s guaranteeing access for all kids ages zero to five, creating supportive services for families, or ensuring the highest quality education possible. The goal? A unified roadmap that gives us the language, knowledge, and power to advocate for the system our kids deserve – whether that’s at the ballot box, the PTA meeting or in conversation with our community leaders. This series is created and produced with Neighborhood Villages, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming child care through innovative program-building and policy design. Visit www.neighborhoodvillages.org to learn more.

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KIDS & FAMILY
To be human is to fail – period. And not just to fail once, but to fail a lot. As the author Samuel Beckett said: “Fail again. Fail better.” This saying means a lot to me and my family – so much so that my daughter got a tattoo of it. Why are we, and so many others, so deeply concerned by failure? And if it’s something we all do so often, why are we so afraid of it – especially those of us here in win-at-all-costs America? In this podcast, I sit down with successful, thoughtful people like Ben Stiller, Bette Midler, Sean Penn and more to talk about failure – or what they labeled “failure,” but what was really an unparalleled opportunity for growth and revelation. I even want to delve into my own hardest moments, when I wrestled with setbacks, shame, and fear. We’ll still fail again. And again. But maybe if we fail better, we’ll feel better -- and maybe if we can all laugh together in failure, that's a start.

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SOCIETY & CULTURE
As Meghan, Duchess of Sussex builds out a business of her own, she’s getting advice and insights from a handful of amazing women who have scaled small ideas into successful companies. These fly-on-the-wall conversations will no doubt inspire anyone who’s interested in turning their own entrepreneurial dreams into a reality and anyone else who just wants to hear what really happens behind the scenes.

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BUSINESS

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Sam Fragoso

Host
Samin Nosrat

Guest
Karen Bass

Guest
Josh Brolin

Guest
Julia Garner

Guest
Patricia Clarkson

Guest
Joaquin Phoenix

Guest
Ari Aster

Guest
Lena Dunham

Guest
Jamelle Bouie

Guest

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso is a weekly series of intimate conversations with artists, activists, and politicians. Where people sound like people. Hosted by Sam Fragoso. New episodes every Sunday.