
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
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4.8
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Top 10 Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso Episodes
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Through the Woods with Nick Offerman
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
07/03/22 • 53 min
5.0
This holiday weekend, we’re revisiting one of our favorite talks with actor, author, and woodworker Nick Offerman. We begin with his new book, Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside (5:05), which was inspired by Nick’s upbringing in rural Minooka, Illinois (6:12), the writings of poet Wendell Berry (7:30), and his experiences with the late Sam Shepard at Steppenwolf Theatre (8:08).
Shortly after working with Shepard, Offerman began to find his footing—on and off the stage—as a performer, carpenter, and fight choreographer (9:35). He reflects on his galvanizing role in the film Going All the Way (15:14), the guiding principles of George Saunders (20:00), lessons from his sensei Shōzō Satō (25:26), the start of his nearly two-decade marriage with actress Megan Mullally (26:30), the phone call that changed his life (35:50), and the complicated legacy of Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation (41:45).
Then, before we go, we return to the timely (and urgent) message of his new book (46:47), a piece by Jeff Tweedy (49:50), and words by Wendell Berry (51:58).
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07/03/22 • 53 min


2 Listeners
2 Comments
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Back to School with Quinta Brunson (‘Abbott Elementary’)
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
10/09/22 • 54 min
Today we’re joined by “Abbott Elementary” creator and star, Quinta Brunson! On the heels of its two historic wins at this year’s Emmys, we discuss the guiding principles behind its second season (6:02), its incomparable cast (9:41), and the show's personal connection to Quinta’s upbringing in West Philadelphia (14:49). Then, we unpack her earliest comedic influences (19:21), performing in improv in college (26:31), and the solace she found in Second City Chicago (29:09).
On the back-half, Quinta reflects on moving to Los Angeles at twenty-three (33:27), the feelings of alienation that followed (35:02), and the Comedy Store performance that irrevocably altered her course (36:55) and brought her to Abbott Elementary (46:56). To close, she shares her hopes for the years to come (51:00).
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10/09/22 • 54 min


2 Listeners
‘Dreaming Back’ with Novelist Joyce Carol Oates
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
08/28/22 • 51 min
5.0
Today, we head to Princeton, New Jersey to sit with legendary writer Joyce Carol Oates. We begin with her daily routine, from writing to revision (6:34), the real-life events that inspired her new novel, Babysitter (9:09), and why she’s fascinated with examining violence in her work (14:06). Then, we walk through Oates’ early years: growing up on a farm (17:45), her literary influences (22:22), and the lasting relationship she formed with libraries (27:01).
On the back-half, Joyce revisits a 1977 journal entry on writing (28:30), how she grapples with criticism (31:20) and her complex relationship to Twitter (33:20). To close, we sit with love (40:05), loss (43:40), and why, at age eighty-four, she continues to tell new stories (50:22).
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08/28/22 • 51 min

1 Listener
1 Comment
1
The Supreme Court Conversation We’re Not Having
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
06/19/22 • 50 min
Last month, a leaked draft opinion offered a repudiation of a 1973 decision which guaranteed federal constitutional protections of abortion rights. The historic leak was followed by both pro-choice and pro-life protests across the country.
While we await the Supreme Court’s decision, attorney Neal Katyal has been fighting back. Formerly the Solicitor General under the Obama Administration, Katyal joins us to discuss the historic nature of Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion (4:18), the ‘super precedent’ that Roe v. Wade has set (6:24), and why the Constitution is designed to protect individual rights (9:45). We also look at the states that have begun restricting abortion (16:05) and their unnerving parallels to Margret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (20:23).
After the break, Neal outlines the aftermath of Alito’s draft opinion, should it come to pass: including other rights that could be in jeopardy (26:17), the erosion of public confidence in the courts (32:58), and a restrictive reimagining of the Judicial Branch (36:13). To end, Katyal reflects on a life in the courtroom and where he still finds hope—‘even in this darkest hour’ (44:29).
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06/19/22 • 50 min

1 Listener
Disaster is Not Our Destiny. Neither is Democracy.
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
07/17/22 • 71 min
This week we’re joined by author and body healer, Resmaa Menakem. With the release of his new book, The Quaking of America, we discuss Black liberation (5:09), the ‘white-body supremacy’ of January 6th (7:41), the implications of America’s conservatism (20:08), why there’s a failure to communicate across the aisle (25:03), the pernicious paradigm that ‘white guilt’ creates (32:44), and what it will take for us to have an embodied, anti-racist culture (39:25).
On the back half, Resmaa explains a few of the body practices from his new book (47:26), how to prepare the nervous system for somatic abolitionism (52:32) and a potential Civil War (55:32). To close, ahead of the midterms, we unpack the blurred lines between Democrats and the GOP (1:01:06), the potential consequences of our conversation (1:03:34), and, ultimately, Resmaa’s hope for liberation (1:07:10).
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07/17/22 • 71 min

1 Listener
Ethan Hawke, Here and Then
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
07/31/22 • 71 min
Ethan Hawke has spent three decades telling stories. His latest project, The Last Movie Stars, honors two legends that inspired him to do so: Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
Today, he joins us to unpack the new docuseries (9:24), starting with his introduction to Paul Newman through Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (12:13). Then, Hawke reflects on his personal history: growing up with his mother on the east coast (16:43), his on-screen debut at fifteen in Explorers with River Phoenix (20:04), the enduring legacy of Robin Williams (25:57), and how Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy transformed his career (33:01).
On the back-half, we revisit a memorable scene from Before Midnight (42:28), how capturing Chet Baker in Born to Be Blue helped Hawke process loss (52:31), what he learned about longevity from director Paul Schrader (55:29) and how that definition evolved in making The Last Movie Stars (58:32). To close– we discuss the importance of family (1:02:12), Hawke’s hopes for his third act (1:04:24), and why he continues to honor The Actor’s Vow by Elia Kazan (1:07:38).
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07/31/22 • 71 min

1 Listener
Author Margaret Atwood’s Burning Questions
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
03/06/22 • 52 min
Today we are joined by legendary writer Margaret Atwood! We begin with her new collection of essays, Burning Questions (4:18), which wrestle with catastrophe (4:59), growing up in the wilderness (7:05) under egalitarian parents (10:00), and how she circumvented the traditional roles for women of the 1950s (12:20). She also shares some personal stories: her first book signing event (15:40), the day she met her late husband Graeme Gibson (17:20), and the innumerable ways in which he'd shape her life (20:11).
On the back-half we discuss the historical antecedents behind The Handmaid’s Tale (24:11), its renewed relevance amid threats to Roe v. Wade (25:43), the debate around ‘the writer as political agent’ (29:53), patriarchal gatekeeping inside the publishing industry (32:42), the limits of art-making (34:20), and why she continues to write at age 82 (39:17).
To close, Margaret reads from both her elegiac poem Dearly (40:05) and her essay “Polonia” (45:27).
To submit a comment, question, or reflection for our upcoming mailbag episode, write us at mail@talkeasypod.com.
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03/06/22 • 52 min

1 Listener
Episode 143 - Jeff Garlin
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
06/23/19 • 55 min
4.0
Comedy icon Jeff Garlin is on this week! We get into texting/technology woes (07:54), getting divorced after 25 years (11:29), being single again at 57 (13:45), choosing raw honesty in life (17:39), making it in the comedy scene alongside Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert and Amy Sedaris (28:55), having an eye for talent (30:02), producing and guiding other comedians like Jon Stewart and Dennis Leary (32:29), what he would say to Eddie Murphy now (36:48), his medical battles and what they taught him (44:19), and being, above all joyous (47:36). For more info about our show, visit: http://talkeasypod.com/artist/jeff-garlin/
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
06/23/19 • 55 min

1 Listener
1 Comment
1
What Will It Take To Change? (with Stacey Abrams)
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
05/29/22 • 54 min
5.0
To start, a reflection on the week that was. Then, we return to our conversation with Stacey Abrams. She won her Gubernatorial primary this week in Georgia, where she hopes to unseat Brian Kemp this November.
We talk about the systemic challenges that small business owners face (6:32), the impact of Georgia’s new voting laws (11:20), the threat of election subversion (14:02), what a functional democracy could look like (16:48), the lessons learned from her 2018 bid for governor (19:31), and how she plans to win in 2022 (24:23).
On the back half, Abrams reflects on growing up in the south (29:50), her earliest political ambitions (35:10), and how literature has offered a human complexity not always granted to people in politics (40:18), especially Black women in positions of power (42:17). As we leave, Stacey shares a personal story about her first visit to the governor’s mansion (46:05), the need to move past tribalism (50:42), and why she still wants to be in this fight in 2022 and beyond (52:55).
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05/29/22 • 54 min

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Bill Hader Finds His Story
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
05/01/22 • 51 min
This week, legendary actor and comedian Bill Hader! We discuss the return of Barry (4:57), the thematic evolution of the series (7:02), and how it draws from films like Taxi Driver and Goodfellas (10:36). Then, Bill reflects on growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma (13:16), the influence of his late grandfather (17:04), his path from community college to his early PA jobs in Hollywood (18:25), landing on Saturday Night Live (21:36), the weekly pressure of the show (26:07), and how he made it through by collaborating with John Mulaney (29:51).
On the back-half, Bill shares a piece of advice from Jeff Bridges (35:14), how Barry came to be (37:27), the personal connection he has with the show (40:07), the enduring power of movies (47:52), and how, after some detours, he’s finally where he’s supposed to be (49:57).
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05/01/22 • 51 min

1 Listener
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FAQ
How many episodes does Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso have?
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso currently has 370 episodes available.
What topics does Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Film Interviews, Podcasts and Tv & Film.
What is the most popular episode on Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso?
The episode title 'Through the Woods with Nick Offerman' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso?
The average episode length on Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso is 60 minutes.
How often are episodes of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso released?
Episodes of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso?
The first episode of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso was released on Apr 6, 2016.
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4.8
out of 5
5 Ratings