Fail Better with David Duchovny

In this engaging conversation, John Seabrook, a veteran staff writer for The New Yorker and author of The Spinach King, unpacks the complexities of his family legacy in the industrial farming world. He reveals shocking revelations about generational power struggles and hidden family violence. Seabrook also discusses the art of blending personal memoir with narrative history while reflecting on his recovery journey and its impact on his writing. Dive into the fascinating intersection of privilege, betrayal, and the quest for redemption.

Join Peter Weller, the iconic RoboCop, who has also carved a niche as an art historian and professor. In this conversation, he candidly discusses his journey from aspiring jazz trumpet player to acclaimed actor, emphasizing the powerful connection between art and artist. Peter shares insights on creative processes, the struggle between impulsive writing and rewriting, and transformative acting experiences with legends like Diane Keaton. He also reflects on deeper themes of spirituality, addiction recovery, and the joys and challenges of parenting.

The hosts share their humorous family dynamic and tackle listener dilemmas with a unique blend of sincerity and wit. A couple queries on dealing with a confident-but-wrong partner, leading to advice on picking battles. The group discusses the surprising topic of bidets, revealing personal preferences and toilet habits. They reflect on coming out and guiding adult children gently. A heartfelt conversation about rediscovering love follows, offering resilience and comfort tips. They conclude by encouraging listeners to embrace life's risks and savor simple joys.

Kyle MacLachlan, a veteran actor famed for his roles in David Lynch's works like Dune and Twin Peaks, shares his unique journey in this lively chat. He reveals how Lynch's creative direction shaped his career and discusses the emotional impact of losing him. Kyle also dives into his new venture as a winemaker, highlighting the connection to his Washington roots. Additionally, he talks about his podcast that explores the perspectives of younger creators, blending innovation with personal storytelling.

Megan McArdle, a columnist for The Washington Post and author of The Upside of Down, dives into a blend of politics, technology, and craftsmanship. She shares her journey from liberalism to her unique 'liberal-tarian' perspective. Discussion highlights include the impact of technology on skills and the art of pie-making as a metaphor for tradition and craft. Megan reflects on her writing process, emphasizing passion over metrics, and the value of navigating the messy reality of policy versus ideals.

In this engaging conversation, Jia Tolentino, a staff writer and cultural critic, joins David Duchovny to explore his poetry collection, *About Time*. They delve into the emotional power of poetry versus the utility of other forms, discussing childhood influences and the process of writing. David reflects on his artistic journey, sharing insights about the tension in using family as subjects and the joy of capturing memories through verse. The dialogue highlights the lasting impact of poetry and the pleasures it offers, providing a rich tapestry of thoughts on creativity.

Take a walk through Judd Apatow’s office, like I did, and you’ll be reminded of all the successful projects he’s helped create over the years: Anchorman, Bridesmaids, Superbad, The 40-Year-Old Virgin. I joined him there to discuss his new visual memoir, Comedy Nerd: A Lifelong Obsession in Stories and Pictures. As I learn throughout our conversation, Judd’s propulsion to create isn’t to prove that he’s one of the funniest guys in the biz; it’s to figure out if he has anything to say in the first place, to work out what’s in his head. It’s something I relate to as a writer, and it’s a big part of the new book, as he documents everything he’s collected and concocted over the years and tries to make sense of this life that he’s made. As we reflect, we also talk about our most scathing reviews, why we can’t Google ourselves, and how Judd’s documentary on our mutual friend, Garry Shandling, helped cement his subject’s legacy. Fail Better is now on YouTube! Watch this episode here. Head over to Booking.com and start your listing today. Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Find more video podcasts on our YouTube channel. Stay up to date with Lemonada on X, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might remember from way back when this podcast started that my very first guest was Ben Stiller. It was a memorable interview for lots of reasons, including that Ben talked to me about his parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara and the documentary about the two of them he was working on. Well, that film is about to be out in the world. It’s called Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, and it’s streaming on Apple TV starting this Friday, October 24th. In honor of that, we’re revisiting that first episode of Fail Better, featuring my friend Ben. Hope you enjoy. Get 50% off Monarch, the all-in-one financial tool at monarch.com with code FAILBETTER. Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Find more video podcasts on our YouTube channel. Stay up to date with Lemonada on X, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Burns was nice enough to join me on the show a few weeks ago, so I wanted to give you all a chance to listen to his new podcast. There are a thousand podcasts you can listen to; Alive with Steve Burns listens back. Steve Burns is continuing the conversation he began all those years ago. Back then it was letters and numbers and graham crackers. Now it’s death, sex, taxes, and all the big, messy questions of being alive.  Why does money stress us out? Is the American Dream dead? What’s the future of truth? Each week, a new guest drops by Steve’s window for a genuine and respectful dialogue between two people just trying to figure it out, together. Funny, tender, and just a little weird, this show invites you to sit down and think with Steve once again and wonder… what it really means to be alive. You’re about to hear a recent episode, where Steve sits down with iconic performer Jamie Lee Curtis to talk about authenticity and aging. To hear more of Alive with Steve Burns, head to: https://lemonada.lnk.to/AlivewithSteveBurnsfd  Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Sheen is an actor perhaps known just as well for his off-screen antics as his on-screen performances. In his new memoir, The Book of Sheen, Charlie is finally coming clean on what was going on during his years of hard drugs, public divorces, and on-set disputes that came to define his later career and reputation. These days, humility, gratitude, and sobriety have come to replace his meme-able bravado. Sitting on stage with him at the 92nd Street Y in NYC, we shared jokes and jabs as I sought to discover why he chose to tell his story now — and why he took such a unique literary approach. Plus, we discuss the turning point that sent him on the road to recovery, and Charlie tells us what his one “do-over” in life would be — the answer might surprise you. Fail Better is now on YouTube! Watch this episode here. For a limited time, Home Chef is offering my listeners FIFTY PERCENT OFF and free shipping for your first box PLUS free dessert for life! Go to homechef.com/failbetter. Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Find more video podcasts on our YouTube channel. Stay up to date with Lemonada on X, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.