98 episodes
The Great Creators with Guy Raz Wondery
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- Arts
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4.7 • 192 Ratings
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Become a more inventive, imaginative you. Every week, Guy Raz (creator of How I Built This) leads a deep dive conversation with someone at the top of their game. From conquering stage fright to learning to be more present and focused, you'll learn how each guest mastered their craft and ultimately became more successful in life. The result? An arsenal of tools and techniques you can apply to your own life and work, allowing you to harness your talent and become a better version of yourself.
Listen to The Great Creators on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/the-great-creators-with-guy-raz/ now.
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Jim Parsons: From Dreaming to Doing By Trusting Your Talent and Saying 'Yes' (2022)
Jim Parsons is an actor who’s best known for starring as Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory. While many know him as the on-screen super-nerd, he is also a classically trained stage actor. And in this conversation from 2022, Jim reflects on his entire creative journey: from playing the same character for 12 years to embracing new challenges (Hollywood, Spoiler Alert, A Man of No Importance) that have allowed him to flex some different creative muscles.
Plus, the uncertainty Jim felt when he came out; his love of New York City; and the first, scary steps involved in taking on new roles.
Links from the show:The Best of Sheldon from The Big Bang TheoryThe Big Bang Theory cast talks with Stephen Colbert after the series finaleJim talks about playing Henry Wilson in HollywoodSpoiler Alert (2022) TrailerJim's InstagramKaley Cuoco's InstagramMayim Bialik's InstagramJohnny Galecki's InstagramFor more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Weird Al Yankovic: Achieving Massive Success by Leaning Into His True (Nerdy) Self (2022)
Alfred Matthew Yankovic, when he was six years old, was told by his parents to choose between accordion and guitar lessons. “And my parents being the visionaries that they were said, ‘Oh, young Alfred would love to play the accordion.’”
Alfred, better known as the chart-topping musician, satirist, and beloved nerd Weird Al Yankovic, told Guy in 2022 how that decision had changed his life and decades of popular music to come.
They also discussed how Kurt Cobain had saved Weird Al from a lifetime of spoofing Michael Jackson songs and how intense the process of writing silly songs can be.
Links from the show:Dr. Demento, Weird Al's early major influence and later employer"Belvedere Cruising", the first song of Weird Al's to air on Dr. Demento's showWeird Al playing "My Bologna" in San Luis Obispo in 1979Eight Weird Al music videos side-by-side with with the songs they spoofMusic video for Weird Al's "Fat"Weird Al interviewing Patrick Stewart at Comic-ConTrailer for "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Rashida Jones Almost Gave Up on Acting Before Her Big Break on ‘The Office’
Rashida Jones is an actor, writer, and filmmaker best known for her work on ‘The Office’ and ‘Parks and Recreation’. She sits down with Guy to talk about growing up with dreams of being the President, how acting saved her during a bout of depression in college, and almost quitting acting right before the biggest break of her career. Plus, how becoming a parent and losing her own mother has changed the way she sees her work.
Rashida stars in ‘Sunny’ on Apple TV+, out July 10: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/sunny/umc.cmc.7c5t9dde8dxoaxwyl5rkuw38p
Links from the Show: Rashida on “Freaks and Geeks” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miQcIbWiSMU Quincy on Netflix https://shorturl.at/bMvu4The Parks and Rec Cast Breaking for 9 minutes 38 seconds Straight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jEs2OgyyaYRashida showing off her dance skills on IG https://www.instagram.com/rashidajones/reel/C192JNSJjKY/Sunny on Apple TV+ https://tv.apple.com/us/show/sunny/umc.cmc.7c5t9dde8dxoaxwyl5rkuw38pFor more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Will Artificial Intelligence Destroy Art As We Know It?
Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt spends a lot of time thinking about creativity, technology, and how the two collide. In this episode, Joseph shares his thoughts on a not-too-distant future in which AI-generated content will be able to “make people laugh, make people cry, and win all the likes and awards”. He also talks about theater programs in school, why he used to worry that Hollywood would “infect” him, which of his characters he personally identifies with, and why his toughest day as an actor came on the set of a Pop Tarts commercial.
Joseph’s latest film is “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F”.
Links from the Show: TED Talk: How craving attention makes you less creativeJoseph Gordon-Levitt breaks down his career (Vanity Fair) That Pop Tarts commercial from 1991Joseph’s filmographyFor more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – scroll down in this feed or go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard Worked a Temp Job and “Ate Mustard Sandwiches” in the Band’s Early Days (2023)
Ben Gibbard is the voice of the bands Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service. He talks about Death Cab’s scrappy start, recording their classic album Transatlanticism, how the band learned to defuse internal tensions, and how he approaches songwriting in middle age. This episode was recorded in 2023.
Links from the Show: Ben's Tiny Desk ConcertBen breaks down his song "Black Sun"Death Cab for Cutie video for "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"Death Cab for Cutie video for "Soul Meets Body"The Postal Service video for "Such Great Heights" For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Tom Hanks to Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. -
Indie Icon Phil Elverum on Capturing His Life Story in Song
Phil Elverum has recorded more than 40 albums and documented decades of his life in song – first as “The Microphones” and then as “Mount Eerie”. In this episode, Phil talks with Guy about his musical beginnings playing the tuba, the 40-minute song that tells his life story, and the album he wrote about his wife's death – a project that resonated strongly with countless people experiencing grief.
Check out Phil’s latest album, Microphones in 2020, here: https://www.pwelverumandsun.com/products/microphones-in-2020-cd
Links from the Show: Interview with young Phil about NirvanaPhil's WebsiteThe Glow Pt. 2Microphones in 2020Seaweed by Mount EerieA Crow Looked at MeGeneviève Castrée: complete works
Connect with Phil:
• 💻Website: https://www.pwelverumandsun.com/
• 📺Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PWElverumandSun
• 📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flutelistener/
Connect with us:
•💻Website: TheGreatCreators.com
•📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegreatcreatorspodcast and https://www.instagram.com/guy.raz
• 🎵TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@guyraz
For more conversations like this – with guests ranging from Bjork to Jason Sudeikis – go to https://www.thegreatcreators.com.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Customer Reviews
Fancy Pants Academy.
Dear Mr. Raz, we are pleased to tell you that you have won a poll taken by our students. We ask you to teach a course on enterprising. We are waiting for your response. Jane Pants. Headmistress
Educate me Guy
I guess I did a review on this show already but after listening to the show on Jewel, I have to add again. If you aspire to do anything in life, this show will be a great tool for inspiration, ideas, and support. Guy and his guests have a way of making you feel like your not alone. Anyone of his shows will inspire. Have a listen you won’t be disappointed.
Honestly, I never knew Stephen Colbert… at all. What an incredible story he is. Thank you both for living fearless lives and sharing how you have overcome obstacles by accepting who you are, then stepping into the void. I look forward to discovering what Stephen does and who Guy interviews next. Thank you for what you do!
the first time listening to guy raz his style feels appealing
by the second instance it’s become so hackneyed and predictable, the irritating long winded presumptuous leadups to the mundane queries, always building in this idea of “guy raz, the most well informed and diligent questioner on the planet, so thoughtful and always full of every bit of research required of a worthy reporter”….. he’s so insipid, scripting the answer while narrating the tedious question, when put off by an unexpected reply taken to simply ignoring it, as tho a reprimand to the lowly subject: “how dare u try to contradict me over my genius psychological analysis of u!” oh well, the ‘how I built it’ series having run its course it’s only fitting he’d turn to more high-profile hollywood types in an attempt to enhance his cache