Actual People

Chauncey Zalkin

Welcome to Actual People, an unfiltered exploration of individual and societal shifts in a world undergoing tremendous change.

In this podcast, I’ll open up about my own experiences in order to dive into social and cultural phenomena, positive developments, and collective pain.

We’ll look at survival, endurance, strength, triumph and despair while imagining a future with creative joy and hope.

Each episode is dedicated to meaningful conversations about the evolving landscape of our lives and the power of our own creativity and imagination to make magic.

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Top 10 Actual People Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Actual People episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Actual People for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Actual People episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

011 - How to Collaborate Like a TV Writer

Actual People

05/08/24 • 49 min

The Anatomy of Collaboration: Insights from a Writer's Room Veteran. Meet Oscar-nominated writer and director, Rob Pearlstein, known for his work in both advertising and television, MacGyver, Scorpion, Someone Marry Barry, and more. Join Rob and Chauncey as they delve into the dynamics of collaboration exploring the intense, intricate world of writers' rooms and creative agencies.
The episode offers a deep dive into how creative professionals navigate the pressures and politics of collaborative environments to produce magic. Whether you're an artist, a corporate executive, a CIA operative, or a junk bond salesman (okay maybe not that), this episode is for you.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
1. The Essence of Collaboration: Rob discusses the necessity of collaboration in writers' rooms and compares it to his experiences in advertising. He shares practical tips on how writers and creatives can enhance their collaborative skills.
2. Navigating Difficult Conversations: Rob and Chauncey touch on sensitive topics like racism and sexism in creative spaces.
3. Survival Tips for Creative Fields: From "digging shallow holes" to understanding when to push an idea and when to step back, the conversation offers a roadmap for thriving in competitive creative environments.
4. The Impact of AI on Creativity: The discussion explores how artificial intelligence is influencing creative processes and the potential implications for creative jobs.
5. Rob's Personal Journey: From starting in advertising to breaking into Hollywood, Rob shares his personal and professional journey, including the challenges and breakthroughs that have marked his career.
Why You Should Listen:
- For Creatives : Gain insights into the skills and attitudes that help you succeed in high-pressure creative settings.
- For Aspiring Industry Professionals: Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at how TV shows and advertising campaigns come together from concept to execution.
- For Fans of Creating Better Processes Everywhere: Get 6 concrete tips for smoother collaboration.

Written, directed, and executive produced by Chauncey Zalkin. Sound engineered by Eric Aaron. Photography by Alonza Mitchell with Design Consulting by Paper + Screen.
Want to go deeper? Follow my Substack and don't forget to pledge subscription. (;
Want to see the episode? Subscribe to the Actual People YouTube Channel.
Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates and behind the scenes.
We want to hear from YOU so if you want to be a guest, have a pithy but kind retort, or for business inquiries, drop me a line.
Actual People, a Podcast
www.chaunceyzalkin.com

S2E4 The New Networking: How to Promote Yourself as a Creative Now (hint: it's not just social media)

Actual People

10/18/24 • 50 min

A New Vibration - The Optimism and Renewed Passion of Creative Boom Founder Katy Cowan
This is a special one. Katy was Chauncey's first pick for a guest episode when launching her podcast almost a year ago and finally it's here.
In this episode of Actual People, host Chauncey Zalkin sits down with the ever-so-charming Katy Cowan, founder of UK-based Creative Boom, a global platform supporting creatives across industries for the past 15 years.
The episode is packed with practical advice for creatives navigating the rapidly changing landscape of self promotion - including a kind of simplicity we often overlook. She also talks about the aftermath of an injury and how she came out the other end with a renewed passion and willingness to get comfortable with discomfort in order to grow.
Take a listen!

S2E9 - Moving Beyond Polarization + Feel Good Viewing & Listening

Actual People

01/03/25 • 24 min

Host Chauncey Zalkin defines Actual People for its second year but not before diving into the movies, tv, and music that held the keys to change in 2025. Despite a backdrop of sadness and uncertainty, we will start anew like we always do.
Actual People is about TRANSITIONS, EVOLUTIONS, NEW CHAPTERS, from the personal to the global.
Topics Include:

Lingering Post-Election Sadness and a Newfound Optimism 👁️
Beyond Polarization to a 'Middle Way' 🙏🏼
Impact of Short-Form Content 😶‍🌫️
Welcome Generation Beta ! 🐣
Significance of Wicked, Emelia Perez, Blink Twice, Ronny Chieng, Jamie Foxx, Ellen DeGeneres, Lola Young, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and a lot more.

016 - Collaboration, Conflict Resolution, and Our Macro and Micro Futures

Actual People

07/10/24 • 25 min

Welcome to Episode 16! We are nearing the end of Season 1 of Actual People.
In this episode, host Chauncey Zalkin muses on conflict resolution from a cul-de-sac baseball game between 5-10 year olds to two daft elderly men squabbling on national TV about their golf game when we're worried about the future of our country and who will run it. (hint: it will most likely be one of these two...😖) to creative collaboration and its pitfalls.
We get into the micro and macro of the human experience and culture and conclude with the four major stories Chauncey sees as the ones that will inform the next 25 years - from smart cities to a screen-minimized future.
Indulge your inner futurist and creative problem solver, and take a listen!

008 - Being BRCA+ with Reflections on Grieving My Father

Actual People

03/27/24 • 23 min

Blue Ridge Mountain Edition - On Perfection, Grief and Hindsight Being 20/20 - An Essay That Looks Back on My Father.
Today's episode started out as a reading of an essay I wrote about my father's death of Prostate Cancer in 2019 with a title inspired by the Tame Impala song, "Let It Happen" which I heard performed live in Atlanta two days before he died knowing his death was about to happen after a lifetime of fearing it. Never has a song or a moment had more significance.
I was taking it easy with this episode because I'm on Spring Break days before my 51st birthday vacationing in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with my daughters in a cabin in the woods and I want to just 'be' - but a lot came up in creating the intro - about perfection, about grief, and about acceptance - and it ended up taking, as usual, a lot more time to record than expected.
This episode talks about the choices we make in times of heightened emotion, the big moments of our lives, and how we reconcile them later. Mistakes as perfection.
It also follows a rewatching of all 6 seasons of the show Parenthood which I watched before I got pregnant the first time around. About a decade or so later, I'd forgotten so much of it. I had a lot more criticism of the characters choices but loved them every bit as much as I did the first time. The show also acted as a catharsis for a lot of unspent grief about my dear old dad and my experience learning I was BRCA2 positive.
Hope you'll take a listen on your ride to wherever you're going - and make sure to give a nod to the mountains, ocean, desert or whatever beautiful, perfect physical landscape you may be seeing as you go...
PLEASE leave a review and share!

007 - Beauty Culture and The Tech Gaze with Elise Hu

Actual People

03/12/24 • 40 min

Future Features: A Deep Dive into K Beauty and Beyond - Interview with Flawless Author Elise Hu
Join us on our voyage to the uncanny valley and back as we discuss the trajectory of beauty’s “cyborgian” future with TED Talks host and author of “Flawless, Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital,” Elise Hu.
In this captivating episode of Actual People, Chauncey sits down with Elise to explore the intricate world of beauty standards, technological influences, and the search for authenticity in our increasingly digital age while still having fun with beauty.
The episode dives deep into the themes of Elise's book, "Flawless," and unravels the complexities of beauty culture, the impact of technology on our perceptions, and the importance of self-acceptance and critical thinking in navigating these spaces.
🎉 H i g h l i g h t s 🎉
👁️ The Tech Gaze 👁️ : Elise discusses how modern beauty ideals are increasingly shaped by technology, from artificial enhancements to AI-generated beauty standards. She prompts us to consider the consequences of a world where aesthetic enhancement technologies mature to the point of realizing our "perfect visions."
💅🏽The Duality of Beauty Culture💅🏽:
Elise shares her personal experiences and reflections on the dual nature of beauty treatments and makeup - the joy and bonding it brings versus the underlying desires to "fix" ourselves physically. This duality sparks a broader conversation on self-betterment and the societal implications of beauty standards.
🤔Navigating Standards as Parents🤔: Both Chauncey and Elise share insights into parenting in an era dominated by digital influences and shifting beauty norms. They discuss strategies for fostering body positivity, critical thinking, and self-esteem in children, highlighting the importance of open dialogue and leading by example.
🔮Looking Towards the Future🔮: The conversation touches on the evolving definitions of beauty, inclusivity in the beauty industry, and the potential future landscapes of beauty and self-expression.
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This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersections of beauty, technology, culture, and self-identity or anyone navigating aging, raising kids, or, well, being human with ever evolving ideas of what that means. Elise Hu's insightful commentary, combined with Chauncey Zalkin’s thoughtful probing, makes for a deeply engaging discussion that leaves listeners with much to ponder about the future of beauty standards and the value of authentic self-expression.
Recommended Reading:📕
- “Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital" by Elise Hu.
- Elise’s substack:

006 - Exploring Beauty Standards from a Gen X Miami + New York Coming of Age

Actual People

02/28/24 • 19 min

Beauty is a short lived tyranny.
- Socrates

"I put the silver stiletto in the trash. The blade started to churn and I heard the snap of wood and strain of leather rending within its metal jaws..." Beauty is sublime, rejuvenating, restorative! but impossible beauty standards can have quite an opposite and deleterious impact.
How do we foster self love and create the kind of beauty we can enjoy throughout our entire lives?
Episode 6 of Actual People invites listeners to reflect on their own relationships with beauty including shifting and contradictory societal expectations and the celebratory aspects of personal expression through makeup and color.
Chauncey mixes stories of growing up in flashy 80s Miami and coming into her own as an adult coming to terms with varying expectations and finding a path to self-acceptance and celebration.
Stay tuned for our next episode with Elise Hu, where we'll explore the beauty industry and the concept of lookism through the lens of K Beauty in her book, "Flawless."

005 - Fearless Creativity in the Age of A.I.

Actual People

02/21/24 • 40 min

In this enlightening episode of "Actual People," host Chauncey Zalkin sits down with former architect and designer turned generative AI educator, Lori Mazor. As of the date of this episode, Lori has guided over 3000 business leaders through the maze of generative AI.
With a newsletter called "Humans of AI" and an upcoming book called "Temperature: Creativity in the age of A.I.," Lori is at the forefront of integrating AI into creative and operational processes and she does so with wonder, wit, and intellect.

Listen as she shows us in tangible terms how AI can be a friend, not foe, that allows us to evolve and expand in the face of an uncertain future. She gives a great perspective as well as practical tools for actual people.
This episode provides a unique perspective on the role of AI in enhancing creative processes and operational efficiency, offering valuable lessons for listeners at the intersection of technology and creativity.

Resources:

Lori Mazor’s Newsletter is Humans of AI
Upcoming Book (3/24) is Temperature: Creativity in the Age of AI

004 - Cultural Examination of Song Lyrics and Love

Actual People

02/14/24 • 16 min

From Lost In Love to Boy Bye - How Changing Lyrics Reflect Our Changing Attitudes Toward Love.
We used to have ballads. Epic sweeping syrupy sweet songs of undying devotion. Then love grew up - or grew jaded, depending on how you look at it. One thing's for certain, the love song as we knew it is long dead and not coming back.
In this episode, I take it back to the wind machine fueled hair bands and their power ballads, the gushing 90s R&B boys on bended knee, and the comeuppance from women getting wise to their own power and expressing it with new attitudes toward love.
The episode even comes with a playlist. I hope you have fun listening.
Playlist

Bye Bye Ballads - Companion Playlist

Further Reading:

https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/05/27/as-millennials-near-40-theyre-approaching-family-life-differently-than-previous-generations/#:~:text=A%20majority%20of%20Millennials%20are,Silents%20at%20a%20comparable%20age.

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/03/09/led-by-baby-boomers-divorce-rates-climb-for-americas-50-population/#:~:text=In%202015%2C%20for%20every%201%2C000,1%2C000%20married%20persons%20in%202015.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/09/21/postgrad-relationship-hierarchy-friendships-romance/

https://www.sparksandhoney.com/gen-z-complexities-relationships#:~:text=Gen%20Z%20is%20eschewing%20old,with%20friends%2C%20romantic%20or%20not.

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/07/22/the-state-of-personal-trust/

001 - Suddenly 50: Where We Are & What's Next As Gen X

Actual People

01/10/24 • 23 min

In this first episode, I reflect on the shock and freedom of turning 50 at a time in history where nothing is what it was. Gen X is the unsung renegade generation reinventing once again. What will we do next?
Welcome to the very first episode of "Actual People" where I take you on a journey of discovery, reflection, and understanding of the unique path of our generation. As I reflect on my own experience of turning 50, I realize there's a profound peace that comes with this milestone. It's not just about getting older; it's about the unexpected ways life unfolds, regardless of age.
In this episode, I delve into the societal pressures we face in early adulthood and how we're redefining the second half. I explore themes of identity, the struggle to find our place, and what it means to belong taking it back to my childhood in Miami and life in my 20s in 90s and 00s New York in the golden era of hip hop.
I also shine a light on the cultural contributions of Gen X. Our impact is overshadowed by our little sisters, yet our role in shaping culture runs deep.
We have the power to start anew at any age. This isn't just my story; it's ours. So join me in unpacking these layers and embracing the non-linear path. I figured this was as good a place to start as any.

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FAQ

How many episodes does Actual People have?

Actual People currently has 28 episodes available.

What topics does Actual People cover?

The podcast is about Culture, Society & Culture, Creativity, Personal Journals, Writers, Aging, Podcasts, Self-Improvement and Education.

What is the most popular episode on Actual People?

The episode title '007 - Beauty Culture and The Tech Gaze with Elise Hu' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Actual People?

The average episode length on Actual People is 34 minutes.

How often are episodes of Actual People released?

Episodes of Actual People are typically released every 13 days, 1 hour.

When was the first episode of Actual People?

The first episode of Actual People was released on Jan 5, 2024.

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Actual People

Chauncey Zalkin

Top 10 Actual People Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Actual People have?

What topics does Actual People cover?

What is the most popular episode on Actual People?

What is the average episode length on Actual People?

How often are episodes of Actual People released?

When was the first episode of Actual People?

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