Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan

TSS was born to make movies, and that's what he does. He directed the 3D A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, as well as a whole slew of other things—many of which are hilarious short films. Check out his latest, a very funny 10-minute look at the misery of heartbreak. Dude is very talented and seriously funny. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Join Ari and me in the bar at The Jane Hotel, in the West Village, where we talk about the debilitating effects of New York weed on Ari’s vocabulary, how to deal with dismissive (but hot) waitresses, what lies beyond atheism, why there are no Scientologist comics, and why you can’t get decent placebo pills at CVS anymore—among other urgent matters. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Rapper, entrepreneur, and my son in law, Hugo is part of the new, vibrant Africa that is bursting with energy, creativity, and optimism. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

He doesn't drink Mexican beer, but Frank Delaney is definitely one of the most interesting men in the world. His career includes over a dozen best-selling novels, a truck-load of non-fiction books, and a slew of articles and TV programs. Frank is smart, funny, candid, and open-hearted. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Marissa was born a boy, but eventually realized she was a girl. She's still got a male side—who comes out when yard work needs doing—but has transitioned primarily to living as a woman. I felt deeply honored to have this opportunity to share Marissa's experience and insight. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

If you don't know who Dan Savage is, you haven't been paying attention. Sex advice columnist, humorist, political activist ... Dan has spent the past 22 years using his wit, smarts, and compassion to drag American culture toward equality and decency—and away from a rising tide of Santorum threatening to engulf us all (Google it—I dare you). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Scientist, skeptic, intellectual, magician extraordinaire ... Jamy Ian Swiss is a fascinating man. For a guy who specializes in creating illusions, Jamy has a strikingly deep love and respect for authenticity. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Gabor Mate is a Canadian physician and author who specializes in the treatment of addiction and mind-body interaction. He's published four bestselling books (in twenty languages) exploring attention deficit disorder, stress, developmental psychology, and addiction. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Carl Hart is a serious man with a fascinating life. His book, High Price, tells the story of his journey from the bad part of Miami to the upper reaches of Ivy League academia. In this conversation, we talk about why drugs are so hard for our society to get real about, and how often they've been political tools used against marginalized populations and how antithetical to good research and decent society these political uses are. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe

Fifteen years ago, Dave Asprey took a look at himself and didn't like what he saw: he was about 100 pounds overweight, had chronic nosebleeds, slept poorly, and felt like crap. But unlike most of us, he had the time and financial resources to focus his considerable intelligence on his predicament. What he discovered about his own condition turned out to be applicable to the rest of us: chronic infections, fungal contamination, vitamin deficiencies, dietary craziness—you name it. Bio-hack your way to health. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chrisryan.substack.com/subscribe