This week Bernie and Lisa sit down with actor, writer, and “recovering scientist” Dipti Mehta to discuss her journey from molecular biologist to award-winning actor and playwright. Dipti opens up about her early fascination with both science and performance and the creation of her one-woman show Honour: Confessions of a Mumbai Courtesan. She talks …

He’s a member of The Washington Post’s editorial board, a commentator on the PBS NewsHour, anchor of The Weekend on MSNBC, author of Yet Here I Am. He is liberal in his politics, conservative in his dress. “Absolutely. I love a good, wild outfit, on someone else.”By Randy Cohen

This week, Bernie chops it up with fellow guitar tech Eric Hillman, who shares stories from his years on the road with bands like 311, Sublime, Korn, and System of a Down. Eric shares how he got his start in teching, his early influences, and the challenges of adapting to different touring environments. They explore the behind-the-scenes grind of t…

When this drummer was a kid, his father introduced him to an array of music, from Tito Puente to Dobie Gray. “He bought himself a La-Z-Boy chair. He would sit there after dinner, smoke a cigarette, and zone out listening to music.” Bad for the lungs, great for the soul. The making of a musician. Presented with the Bronx Music Hall.…

This week, Bernie sits down with stage tech Luke Cohen for a conversation about his 30-year journey on the road with artists like Duran Duran and Jamiroquai. Luke shares how a deep love for music, a few fortunate breaks, and a relentless work ethic shaped his touring career. He opens up about the challenges he’s faced and the strong sense of commun…

She’s a special correspondent for BBC Studios, a regular contributor to MSNBC, and co-host, with Anthony Scaramucci, of the podcast The Rest Is Politics. “People call journalists curious; I think it’s just nosiness.” A higher form of nosiness!By Randy Cohen

This week, Bernie sits down with singer-songwriter Rob Baird to explore his musical journey from Memphis to Austin and a career spanning nearly two decades. They reminisce about their first meeting, the early days of Rob’s songwriting, and how his sound has evolved over the years. Rob offers a behind-the-scenes look at his upcoming live album, reco…

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research makes many of the 24 million items in its archive available online, but there’s an “electric moment of actually touching a document,” says its executive director. “My first was when Lenin’s party card was put in my hand.” (Patrons are urged not to touch the documents. This is not some sort of scholarly petting…

This week, we sit down with musician, actor, and entrepreneur Evan Seinfeld. Evan shares his powerful transformation from Biohazard frontman and Oz actor to founder of Mantorship, a global men’s wellness movement. He opens up about overcoming addiction, personal loss, and finding purpose through brotherhood and mindfulness. He discusses how Mantors…

This Obie-winning actor created the role of Helen in the Classical Theatre of Harlem’s Memnon. “It is definitely under-utilized. Underappreciated.” Greek mythology in modern theater? That too, but here she refers to the peanut in American cooking. See her in Marcus Garvey Park throughout July. Working. Not just lounging around.…

In this episode, Bernie sits down with monitor engineer Charles “Chopper” Bradley. Chopper discusses his journey from growing up in Dewsbury to mixing sound for legendary acts like Duran Duran, Annie Lennox, UB40, and Harry Styles. He shares stories of early mentors, lucky breaks, and the reality of life on the road. Chopper offers insights into th…

Decades ago, he shook hands with W. E. B. Du Bois, born in 1868. It seems impossible, but then again Einstein was a contemporary of Billy the Kid. Lewis went on to write a Pultzer-Prize winning biography of Du Bois. Einstein went on to be Einstein. Presented with the Maysles Documentary Center. Music: Henrique Prince.…

In this episode, we sit down with filmmaker Drew Stone and photographer Gregory Rudolph Smith, aka Rudy, to uncover the story behind London 77: The Lost Archive. Rudy shares how he unintentionally became a documentarian of London’s emerging punk scene in 1977 while trying to get his life back on track. Armed with a camera and an outsider’s perspect…

These principals of the architectural firm WORKac found it challenging to design their own home. The psychological complexity of domestic life? The culmination of years of thought? “The hardest thing about designing our house was that we just haven’t designed a lot of houses.” Produced with the Center for Architecture. Music: Rashad Brown.…

In this episode, we talk with Shy Swartz, an instrument repair technician based in Cincinnati, whose expertise spans guitars, amps, pedals, and vintage electronics. Shy shares how she got her start by fixing her own gear as a teenager and discusses her passion for making technical knowledge accessible through social media. She opens up about naviga…

The artistic director of the Paul Taylor Dance Company summarizes his aesthetic: “The curtain goes up, twenty minutes happen, the curtain comes down, and it is transformative.” Easy to say, brilliant to achieve. And they do.By Randy Cohen

This week Bernie sits down with Tim DeLaughter to talk about the origins of Tripping Daisy, their explosive rise in the ‘90s Dallas music scene, and the unexpected return of the band. Tim discusses the band’s upcoming tour, new album, and how a spontaneous onstage moment reminded him why he loved the band in the first place. He opens up about the i…

He’s worked from Hanoi to Berlin to America’s old-growth forests. “As a photographer, it’s only in getting lost that you move forward.” As a civilian, when I get lost, I pretty much just get lost. Another reason to admire him. Produced with the National Academy of Design. Music: Stephanie Jenkins.By Randy Cohen

This week, we sit down with Michael Alago—legendary A&R executive, photographer, and subject of the critically acclaimed documentary Who the Fuck Is That Guy?! The Fabulous Journey of Michael Alago. Michael joins us to share the wild, inspiring story of his life in music—from signing Metallica and White Zombie to working with Nina Simone and becomi…

He led the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and pretty much created theater at Lincoln Center. “The happiest moments of my life have been in rehearsal rooms.” Well, yeah. In there with him? David Mamet, Tennessee Williams, Samuel Beckett. Sequentially not simultaneously. Presented with Hunter College.By Randy Cohen

This week we chat with Cynthia St. Aubin about her evolution from executive assistant to bestselling author of genre-blending fiction. We explore the influence of her neurodivergence, the real-life inspirations behind her characters, and the upcoming re-release of her Tales from the Alpha Art Gallery series. Cynthia also opens up about creativity, …

This lawyer works on health policy at Columbia’s Mailman School: “Public health in a certain sense is about balancing, the rights we have as individuals with the needs of society to preserve, protect, and promote the health of the population.” Not a bad approach to democracy in general. Music: Caitlin Warbelow…

In this episode, Bernie catches up with punk rock pioneer Javier Escovedo to talk about his musical roots, his influential work with The Zeros, and his journey as a solo artist. They dive into the early LA and San Francisco punk scenes, the challenges and triumphs of being a Chicano musician, and Javier’s deep love for rock & roll. Javier opens up …

This children’s book author—Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tiger Rising, The Tale of Despereaux—describes her innate ability: “I have a knack for nothing except being filled with wonder.” I’d dispute that, as would legions of admiring readers.By Randy Cohen

This week, we’re joined by Christopher Holt — a Dallas-based musician with both high-profile sideman gigs as well as an exciting solo career. Chris discusses his musical journey, from teaching himself guitar to becoming a guitarist for the Eagles. He opens up about rediscovering his solo voice through his new album Across the Milky Way (released Ma…

This graphic designer spent her early childhood in Germany. “My father told me, ‘You are Korean, you are a visitor here, and what that means is, you don’t have to fit in.’ For me, that liberated everything.” The power of outsider consciousness. Presented with Base Design. Music: John Sherman.By Randy Cohen

In this episode, we chat with Lyric Noel and Russell Hollar of the Lyric Noel project about their musical roots, their unique creative partnership, and the evolution of their sound. They share the story behind their single “Metamorphosis,” discuss how mental health and personal loss influence their art, and reflect on building a loyal audience thro…

“We got it from Lauren Bacall,” says this curator. The flu? Certainly not. An Elsa Peretti handbag, one of 700 items from Bacall’s wardrobe donated to the Museum at FIT, where it was featured in Hill’s recent exhibition,Fashioning Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities. Music: Eléonore Weill, Zoe Guigueno.…

In this episode, Bernie talks with Ernie Moreno, a Denton-based artist and founder of Tattoo My Shoes. Ernie creates vibrant, hand-drawn artwork on shoes, transforming each pair into a one-of-a-kind piece. He shares how his background in tech and tattooing led to a passion project that became a unique business. From comic cons to personal commissio…

“The disease, the people believed, was caused by sorcery and could be cured by sorcery,” says this bioethicist. By “the people” he does not allude to RFK Jr. but to a stone-age tribe in New Guinea. Potato/Potahto. Produced with Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. Music: Rich Jenkins.…

This week we sit down with guitarist and frontman Patrick Kennison. Patrick discusses his journey from forming Union Underground to playing with Lita Ford and leading his own band, Heaven Below. He shares stories about growing up in San Antonio’s heavy metal scene, the influence of mentors like Dick Wagner, and navigating the highs and lows of the …

Their play Here There Are Blueberries is built around an actual photo album assembled at Auschwitz of the ordinary daily life of the perpetrators. Following a run at the McCarter Theatre, the play is now touring nationally (if you’re reading this early in 2025, not in, oh, 2026 in exile on the Martian penal colony).…

This week we chop it up with filmmaker, musician, and host of The New York Hardcore Chronicles Live, Drew Stone. Drew shares stories from his upbringing in New York City, his immersion in the early hardcore punk scene, and how that culture shaped his filmmaking. He talks about his documentaries like The New York Hardcore Chronicles and Who the F** …

This historian, in CCNY’s Black Studies Department, says, “If I want to have a good writing day, I take the train an hour and fifteen minutes to somewhere I love, the quietest place in New York.” Silence and thought. Music: Birsa Chatterjee, saxophone; Raul Reyes, bass; Victor Gould, piano. (Not silent, much appreciated.)…