Ep. 55: Making Television + Sharing the World with Artist Michael Oates Palmer

Today on the show we are lucky to have award winning screenwriter, world traveler, melomaniac, gourmand, political junkie, social justice activist and all around great human, Michael Oates Palmer! Michael has worked as a writer on countless TV shows and films, building an unpredictable and varied career over the last twenty years. With many interests and a voracious curiosity for the world around him, Michael has managed to stay astride of his inspiration and keep moving on, even through failure and difficult periods. We chat about journalling practices, the creative process, travel and why the research that goes into new work is one of his favorite parts of the job. Michael also shares some of his deeper philosophies on being at home in the world, round table conversations and the connection between curiosity and empathy. With a huge heart and big mind dedicated to creativity and positive impact, our guest really shows how it is possible to follow your abilities and passions while at the same time thinking about something larger than oneself. This conversation covers everything from film and TV, to music, politics and the geography of the US. For a truly wonderful chat, be sure to tune in to the Not Real Art Podcast today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The TV show Michael is currently working on.
• The current abundance of great TV shows.
• Why Michael loves research and learning about new things.
• Travel, wandering and broadening experiences for ones craft.
• Popularity, quality and how these can exist simultaneously.
• The importance of differing opinions and meaningful disagreements.
• Why Anthony Bourdain and Leonard Cohen were such compelling characters.
• Michael's own creative process and the long winding journey of craft.
• Is it a better time to be a film and television writer than before?
• The love of the journey, working on passion projects and staying excited.
• New Orleans parade lines, dancing and abandoning the ego.
• Letting it all in, curiosity and a connectedness to the world.
• Impactful art and protest in a baffling world.
• The Trojan's horse theory and the benefit of nourishing entertainment.
• And much more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Michael Oates Palmer — https://www.instagram.com/oatespalmer/

Emmy Awards — https://www.emmys.com

Robert Redford — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000602/

Three Days of the Condor — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/three_days_of_the_condor

Condor — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/condor/s01

Lord of the Flies — https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7624.Lord_of_the_Flies

Mr Mercedez — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/mr_mercedes

Silicon Valley — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/silicon_valley

Breaking Bad — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/breaking_bad

Wes Anderson — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0027572/

Aaron Sorkin — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0815070/

The West Wing — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the-west-wing

Picasso — https://www.pablopicasso.org/

Guernica — https://www.pablopicasso.org/guernica.jsp

Allen Toussaint — http://allentoussaint.com/

Betty Harris — https://thevinylfactory.com/news/betty-harris-lost-soul-queen-of-new-orleans-compilation/

Michael's Grandmother's Art —

Anthony Bourdain — https://www.mashed.com/94441/untold-truth-anthony-bourdain/

Kitchen Confidential — https://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Confidential-Updated-Adventures-Underbelly/dp/0060899220

Leonard Cohen — https://www.leonardcohen.com/

Old Filth Trilogy —