Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

Amber Navran is the lead vocalist of "Moonchild", a neo-soul group out of Los Angeles. With their third record out in stores, Amber came on the show to discuss her musical influences, performing with Stevie Wonder, and what it looks like to be a working musician in 2017. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music for the show is by Dylan Peck. Original illustrations by Krishna Shenoi: www.krishnabalashenoi.com. Learn more about Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso at www.talkeasypod.com  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rostam Batmanglij was first introduced to us through his band Vampire Weekend. The music was infectious and seemed to be the soundtrack of every New England college campus for the many following years. Rostam was the producer for the band--the person blending the different influences together and packaging it into something unheard. Now, he is about to release his first solo record and it is even more fresh than what we have heard in the past. In this interview he and Sam talk about this record and what Rostam is trying to say with it. All this and more. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music for the show is by Dylan Peck. Original illustrations by Krishna Shenoi: www.krishnabalashenoi.com. Learn more about Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso at www.talkeasypod.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Doreen St. Félix is only 25 but she has made a name for herself in the New York media scene. After graduating from Brown she started her career at "Lenny Letter", Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner's digital, feminist publication. While doing this, she was also freelancing for places like Pitchfork, New York Magazine, and The Fader. Now, she is a contracted writer with the New Yorker (at only 25!). She and Sam talk about her successes, today's media scene, and how she really loves the show Chopped. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music for the show is by Dylan Peck. Original illustrations by Krishna Shenoi: www.krishnabalashenoi.com. Learn more about Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso at www.talkeasypod.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Robert Downey Sr. (also known as "The Prince") is known for giving a candid response. Throughout all of the films he has directed he has never been afraid to poke fun at the establishment--little is off limits. This is not to say that he isn't a thoughtful person, though. In this interview the Prince tells Sam about his days in the army (12:40), his early days of filmmaking (28:37), and some of his regrets (49:30). Also, a side note: it was a very hot day when Sam and Robert Downey Sr. sat down to talk, so you can hear the hum of the AC in the recording a bit. Conversation is just as good, though. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music for the show is by Dylan Peck. Original illustrations by Krishna Shenoi: www.krishnabalashenoi.com. Learn more about Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso at www.talkeasypod.com  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jelani Cobb has a clarity about his life and what he intends to do with it--combine journalism and history. Known for his writing on America and its relationship to race, Jelani's work is crucial to understanding America in its past and present self. Throughout this conversation Jelani's clarity on who he is and what he wanted to do is apparent. In this conversation he and Sam talk about his dreams, family life (4:00), working with David Carr (45:30), and the modern political climate (1:07:35). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music for the show is by Dylan Peck. Original illustrations by Krishna Shenoi: www.krishnabalashenoi.com. Learn more about Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso at www.talkeasypod.com  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jenny Slate exudes honesty and feeling, her deep self knowledge is captivating. And this honesty comes through in the work that she does. Whether it's a film about a unexpected pregnancy or feeling stable in a stagnant relationship, the characters she plays have an emotional depth that is rare to see on screen. In this interview she and Sam talk about the types of projects she wants to be a part of (4:30), an intensely bad date (29:55), and the beautiful and clear vision she has for herself in three years (58:40). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music for the show is by Dylan Peck. Original illustrations by Krishna Shenoi: www.krishnabalashenoi.com. Learn more about Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso at www.talkeasypod.com  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A.O. Scott--also known by his nickname, Tony--is one of the two chief film critics for New York Times. However, he is also a journalist, author, and former television show host. In this interview he and Sam begin with the controversial NYT "The 25 Best Films of the 21st Century So Far" list that he and Manohla Dargis authored together. Then they dive into the TV vs. Movies debate, the state of film criticism, a peculiar "Wonder Woman" review, and a lot more. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music for the show is by Dylan Peck. Original illustrations by Krishna Shenoi: www.krishnabalashenoi.com. Learn more about Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso at www.talkeasypod.com  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Malcolm Gladwell is a writer best known for his books Blink, The Tipping Point, and David and Goliath. While what he writes about can at points stir up controversy for oversimplification and grandiosity, Gladwell has an infectious curiosity about our world that is far greater than his flaws. On the heels of season 2 of Revisionist History, Malcolm and Sam not only discuss this curiosity, but also their affinity for flip-flopping, how ideas can be fun, the danger of David becoming Goliath, and why, at 53, Malcolm has no fear of failure. Music for the show is by Dylan Peck. Original illustrations by Krishna Shenoi: www.krishnabalashenoi.com. Learn more about Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso at www.talkeasypod.com  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Patricia Lockwood is a fearless writer and poet. In 2013 she gained popular attention with her piece in The Awl entitled "The Rape Joke." Since then she has established a name for herself, especially through her Twitter. However, she does not restrict herself to 140 characters--her new book "Priestdaddy" is a memoir of her life growing up as the daughter of one of the only married Catholic priests. Naturally, this unique upbringing paired with Patricia's skill with words makes for a great read. In this interview she and Sam dive more into her life growing up, her writing process, and her love of sarcasm. ------------------------------------------------- Music for the show is by Dylan Peck. Original illustrations by Krishna Shenoi: www.krishnabalashenoi.com/. Learn more about Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso at www.talkeasypod.com  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lena Waithe has been making waves in Hollywood since she arrived in 2006 from Chicago — you just didn’t know it. Although a writer at heart, Waithe has also learned how to do just about everything else in this industry. She produced Dear White People (the movie), has a role in Steve Spielberg’s next film, and, oh, yeah, created an upcoming Showtime drama called The Chi, due later this year. Most recently, you've probably seen her breaking barriers (and hearts) as Denise in Aziz Ansari's hit Netflix show, "Master of None". Vying for Emmy consideration this fall, Waithe has done a fair bit of interviews in recent months. Just not one like this. ------------------------------------------------- Music for the show is by Dylan Peck. Original illustrations by Krishna Shenoi: www.krishnabalashenoi.com/. Learn more about Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso at www.talkeasypod.com  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.