The Sport of Life: Chats w/ Comedians, Filmmakers, Sports Figures, Musicians, & Intellectuals

Filmmaker Nick Scown chats with Trey Elling about TOO SOON: COMEDY AFTER 9/11, which Scown co-directed with Julie Seabaugh. The film examines how September 11th affected the comedy scene, and th comedians and jokes responsible for the artform's rebirth in the weeks, months, and years that followed.

Storytelling expert Frank Rose chats with Trey Elling about THE SEA WE SWIM IN: HOW STORIES WORK IN A DATA-DRIVEN WORLD.

American Ballet Theatre principal dancer James Whiteside chats with Trey Elling about CENTER CENTER: A FUNNY, SEXY, SAD ALMOST-MEMOIR OF A BOY IN BALLET. Questions include: Why write a memoir when he's still got so much life to live? (01:10) What was his relationship with each of his parents like? (3:04) How was his trip to NYC's Lincoln Center as a pre-teen epiphanous? (05:52) Was it difficult coming out at the age of 16 in 2001, and why did he decide to do it? (06:38) Why did he almost not accept an offer to join the ABT after ten years as a pro? (09:45) Is there a glaring example of homophobia in the world of ballet? (13:11) What is his favorite Fiona Apple song, and why? (15:42) Which personal body image issues used to bother him, and how did he get over those insecurities? (17:49)

Filmmaker Jeremy Elkin chats with Trey Elling about his new documentary, ALL THE STREETS ARE SILENT: THE CONVERGENCE OF HIP HOP AND SKATEBOARDING (1987 - 1997). Jeremy and Trey discuss some details behind how two seemingly different worlds came together in New York City over a crucial ten-year span in the evolution of each.

Paleo f(x) co-founder Keith Norris chats with Trey Elling about PRIMAL UPRISING: THE PALEO F(X) GUIDE TO OPTIMIZING YOUR HEALTH, EXPANDING YOUR MIND, AND RECLAIMING YOUR FREEDOM. Why is living the paleo life NOT necessarily living like a caveman? What is the paleo diet? How does the paleo way of moving combine how our ancestors moved with evolved exercise principles? How does emotional intelligence fit into the equation? Where does 'honesty' rank in building resilient relationships? Keith and Trey discuss these things and much more.

Experimental social psychologist John Petrocelli chats with Trey Elling about THE LIFE-CHANGING SCIENCE OF DETECTING BULLSHIT. What is bullshit? Why do people bullshit? Who is most likely to peddle bullshit? And how can one properly snuff out bullshit. John and Trey discuss these questions and much more.

Neuroscientist Sue Barry, aka "Stereo Sue", chats with Trey Elling about COMING TO OUR SENSES: A BOY WHO LEARNED TO SEE, A GIRL WHO LEARNED TO HEAR,  AND HOW WE ALL DISCOVER THE WORLD. Questions include: Who is Liam, and how did modern medicine allow him to see after years of being legally blind? (01:46) How does 'museum fatigue' help explain some of Liam's difficulties when initially gaining better eyesight? (09:31) Why do the newly sighted see lines, edges, and contours instead of whole objects? (12:50) How did Liam handle reflections? (15:05) Why did Liam struggle with facial expressions, other than 'happy' and 'sad'? (18:40) How did she connect with Zohra, and what was she like back then? (24:07) What is sound, and how do we hear it? (29:16) How much did Zohra's cochlear implant affect her vision? (31:34) How was Zohra's love for the rain when she couldn't hear anything enhanced by her cochlear implant? (37:10) Why did Zohra struggle to understand speech more than general sounds? (40:22)

Illustrator & bestselling author Greg Ruth and four-time Oscar nominated actor, screenwriter, director, and bestselling author Ethan Hawke chat with Trey Elling about MEADOWLARK: A COMING OF AGE CRIME STORY. This is the duo's second graphic novel, following the success of 2016's INDEH. In a conversation inspired by the book, the guys discuss the creative process, the challenges of parenting teenagers as they're discovering you're human, and even favorite Luby's orders from back in the day.

Los Angeles-based writer and bestselling author Geoff Manaugh chats with Trey Elling about UNTIL PROVEN SAFE: THE HISTORY AND FUTURE OF QUARANTINE. The book, coincidentally written before the current pandemic took hold but amended to include the effects of COVID-19, examines the past, present and future of isolation due to unknown perils.

Skateboarder, writer, and Roosevelt University professor Kyle Beachy chats with Trey Elling about THE MOST FUN THING: DISPATCHES FROM A SKATEBOARD LIFE. Questions include: How has the definition of 'fun' evolved, and how does that coincide with the growth of skateboarding? (02:30) Considering how much Kyle gives to skateboarding, what does he get back? (07:18) How do skaters see the world around them differently? (09:37) Is skateboarding an activity that is inherently meant to be won or lost, like in the Olympics or X-Games? (17:49) Is he concerned that Nike will sink its hooks too deeply into the culture, or has it already? (21:48) Which came first...skaters' love of Vans or Vans love for skateboarding, and why is each important to the other? (25:54) Is skateboarding becoming too quantified, like every other sport? (35:40) What is the most important writing lesson he took from covering David Foster Wallace? (43:51) Why does he believe that skateboarding has no journalism? (50:28) Was detailing his marriage difficulties the most difficult thing to write about? (52:48) What will he do when he can no longer skateboard, and how close is he to that point? (1:00:50)