Onwriting: A Podcast Of The Wga East

Host Marina Fang talks to Phoebe Robinson—the creator, writer, and star of EVERYTHING’S TRASH—about the experience of writing "TV Phoebe,” balancing studio notes with your creative vision, the importance of portraying realistic New York City living, and much more. Phoebe Robinson is a writer, comedian, and actress known for her work as the co-creator and co-star of the hit podcast-turned-HBO series 2 Dope Queens and critically acclaimed podcasts including Sooo Many White Guys and Black Frasier, as well as for her starring roles in the films IBIZA and WHAT MEN WANT.  She’s also the nationally bestselling author of Please Don't Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes, You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain, and Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay, the latter of which is the basis of her comedy series EVERYTHING’S TRASH. EVERYTHING’S TRASH follows Phoebe, an outspoken podcast star, who is forced to start her journey into maturity when her older brother launches a political campaign while n

Host Greg Iwinski is joined by Late Night’s Seth Meyers to talk about the spirit of 12:30 and how a diverse writing staff is essential to success – and to take a closer look at A Closer Look. Seth Meyers is a writer, comedian, and author known for his work on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and as the host/writer of NBC’s LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS. He was named one of the 2014 TIME 100, Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and has received numerous awards and accolades, over 30 Writers Guild and Emmy Award nominations altogether, a 2009 Peabody Award, and back-to-back Critics’ Choice Awards for Best Talk Show in 2020-21. LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS is the fourth incarnation of the LATE NIGHT franchise. Each episode features monologues and news segments that add a comedic lens to that day's biggest alongside a slate of guests that includes both A-list celebrities, as well as people not seen anywhere else in late night like political figures and other interesting newsmakers.  The series, which recently received it

Host Greg Iwinski talks to Ziwe, creator, host, and writer of the comedy-variety sketch series ZIWE, about coming up in the Chicago comedy scene, the importance of Stephen Colbert’s White House Correspondents dinner speech, and how she puts together the show, the writers’ room, and its voice. Ziwe'a current project is the comedy-variety sketch series ZIWE, now in its second season on Showtime. The show is a no-holds-barred mix of musical numbers, interviews and sketches that challenge America's discomfort with race, politics, and cultural issues.  She previously wrote for shows such as THE RUNDOWN WITH ROBIN THEDE and DESUS AND MERO, and publications such as THE ONION, REDUCTRESS, and THE NEW YORKER. She created the YouTube comedy show BAITED WITH ZIWE, as well as its reincarnation on Instagram Live. -- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: www.onwriting.org/ -- Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast

Host Marina Fang talks to Joel Kim Booster, writer and co-star of FIRE ISLAND, about the film’s Austenian origins, the boundaries between real-life and fiction throughout the writing process, and navigating issues of racial and sexual representation and the intersections of privilege. This episode is presented by the WGAE's Asian-American and LGBTQ+ Salons, in partnership with The Lower East Side Film Festival. Joel Kim Booster is a Los Angeles-based actor, comedian, producer, and writer. He co-produced and wrote for the acclaimed comedy series BIG MOUTH and THE OTHER TWO and has appeared on series such as SHRILL, SEARCH PARTY, and SUNNYSIDE as an actor. In 2022, his stand-up special JOEL KIM BOOSTER: PSYCHOSEXUAL released on Netflix. His most recent project is the Hulu romantic comedy film FIRE ISLAND, an unapologetic, modern day rom-com showcasing a diverse, multicultural examination of queerness and romance. Inspired by Jane Austen's classic novel Pride and Prejudice, the film centers around two best frien

Host Alison Herman talks to Meredith Scardino, the creator, showrunner, writer, and producer of GIRLS5EVA, about the show’s writing and songwriting process, what you learn from mentors like Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, and Robert Carlock, and why so much of this series is about having agency over your own life. Meredith Scardino is a New York-based screenwriter, showrunner, and producer. After working on the LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN in the mid-2000s, she went on to write for television comedies such as THE COLBERT REPORT and UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT. She also served as a co-executive producer in the final two seasons of the latter show. Her current project is the Peacock musical comedy series GIRLS5EVA. The series centers on four women who were part of a girl group named Girls5eva, which was briefly popular around the year 2000 before fading into one-hit-wonder status. Now unfulfilled in their various lives, the women are offered an unexpected chance at a comeback when their song is sampled by an up-and-

Host Geri Cole talks about the Netflix series RUSSIAN DOLL with co-creator, writer, producer, director, star Natasha Lyonne, and writer-producer Alice Ju They discuss how the series uses religious philosophy to work on both literal and metaphorical levels, taking the show from “Groundhog Day” to “Quantum Leap”, and exploring the nesting doll of dealing with grief. Warning, there are spoilers. -- Read shownotes, transcripts, and other member interviews: www.onwriting.org/ -- Follow the Guild on social media: Twitter: @OnWritingWGAE | @WGAEast Facebook: /WGAEast Instagram: @WGAEast

Host Alison Herman talks to Amy Schumer, creator and star of the comedy-drama series LIFE & BETH, about how motherhood changes your perspective as a writer, why she loves writing in bed and the differences between writing a sketch show like INSIDE AMY SCHUMER versus a scripted show like LIFE & BETH. Amy Schumeris a New York-based comedian, actress, and screenwriter. From 2013 to 2016, she was the creator, co-producer, co-writer, and star of the Comedy Central sketch comedy series INSIDE AMY SCHUMER, for which she received a Peabody Award and was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards, winning Outstanding Variety Sketch Series in 2015. Schumer wrote and made her film debut in a starring role in TRAINWRECK, for which she received nominations for Writers Guild and Golden Globe Awards. In 2022, she co-hosted the 94th Academy Awards alongside Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes. Her current project is the Hulu comedy-drama series LIFE & BETH. In this semi-autobiographical series, the seemingly-perfect life o

Host Greg Iwinski talks to Michael Waldron, writer of DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, about the Harmon Story Circle, how the worlds of wrestling and comic books are similar, and the cultural obsession with spoiling things. (Speaking of which, this episode does contain some spoilers. Proceed with caution!) Michael Waldron is a writer and producer who started his career in film & TV as a PA on the fifth season of the hit NBC sitcom COMMUNITY. After his time at Greendale Community College, he served as a writer/producer for the animated series RICK & MORTY – for which he and his colleagues received an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program, showrunner for the Disney+ series LOKI, and creator/co-showrunner for the Starz drama series HEELS. DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS is the latest feature film from the Marvel cinematic universe, and the sequel to the 2016 film DOCTOR STRANGE. The film follows the titular Doctor Strange as he teams up with a mysterious teenage girl from his drea

Entertainment Weekly’s Derek Lawrence sits down with Danny McBride—the creator, writer, executive producer, and costar of the dark comedy series THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES. Danny McBride is a writer, actor, comedian, and producer. He wrote and starred in the HBO television series EASTBOUND & DOWN and VICE PRINCIPALS, both of which he co-created with Jody Hill. He's also known for his appearances in films like PINEAPPLE EXPRESS and TROPIC THUNDER as well as for his voice acting roles in films like THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES. His current project is the HBO dark comedy series THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES. The show tells the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work. THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES premiered in August 2019 on HBO. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on HBO Max, and the show was renewed for a third season in early 2022. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out OnWriting: The Print Archives. Read shownotes

Host Geri Cole talks to David Simon, co-creator and showrunner of the new HBO miniseries WE OWN THIS CITY, about how he sees the mini-series as the coda to his legendary show, THE WIRE; the lessons he learned as a journalist that have helped him as a television writer; and why the drug war is one of America's worst policies and needs to end. David Simon is a Baltimore-based screenwriter, journalist, author, and television producer. A former crime reporter for the Baltimore Sun, he is the author of two books of narrative nonfiction—Homicide and The Corner—and is the creator of the celebrated HBO series THE WIRE, which depicts the political and socioeconomic fissures in an American city. His other television credits include the NBC drama HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET and HBO’s THE CORNER—both adaptations of his nonfiction books—as well as HBO’s GENERATION KILL, TREME, and THE DEUCE. He was a 2010 MacArthur Fellow and has received numerous accolades over the course of his career, including an Edgar Award and mult

Geri hands it over to guest host Melissa Silverstein, the founder and publisher of Women in Hollywood, for a conversation with THE DROPOUT creator and showrunner Liz Meriwether. Liz Meriwether is a writer, showrunner, and producer known for her work as the creator and showrunner of the hit comedy series NEW GIRL and the sitcom BLESS THIS MESS, as well as for writing the screenplay for the 2011 romcom NO STRINGS ATTACHED. Guest moderator Melissa Silverstein is the founder and publisher of Women and Hollywood, an initiative and website that educates, advocates, and agitates for gender diversity and inclusion in Hollywood and the global film industry. THE DROPOUT is a Hulu limited series based on the ABC podcast of the same name. The series follows the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and her company, Theranos. The series premiered in March 2022 and is available to stream on Hulu. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out OnWriting: The Print Archives. Read shownotes, transcripts

Host Geri Cole speaks with Jonathan Tropper about The Adam Project's eight-year journey to the screen, how to write a great action scene, the rules of writing time travel, and why you don't tell Bob when to drink the Coke. Jonathan Tropper is a screenwriter, novelist, and producer. He is the internationally-acclaimed author of six novels, the two most recent of which—This Is Where I Leave You and One Last Thing Before I Go—were both New York Times bestsellers. His screenwriting credits include THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU (the 2014 film adaptation of his novel), the 2017 feature KODACHROME, showrunner of the sci-fi series SEE, co-creator and showrunner of the action series BANSHEE, and creator and showrunner of the martial arts drama series WARRIOR. Most recently, he wrote the screenplay for the sci-fi adventure film THE ADAM PROJECT. The film follows time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed who, after accidentally crash-landing in the year 2022, must team up with his 12-year-old self on a mission to save the futu

Host Geri Cole is joined by PACHINKO showrunner, writer, and producer Soo Hugh to talk about how the writers adapted the acclaimed novel to keep it focused on family over colonialism; the process of crafting a complex, authentic story that couldn't have been told the same way a decade ago; and the power inherent in telling extraordinary stories of ordinary people. Soo Hugh is a writer and producer whose past credits include sci-fi and horror drama series like CBS sci-fi mystery UNDER THE DOME, ABC sci-fi drama THE WHISPERS (which she created) and AMC horror anthology THE TERROR (for which she was co-showrunner), among others. She is currently serving as creator, writer, showrunner, and producer of the Apple TV period drama PACHINKO. Based on the acclaimed novel by author Min Jin Lee, PACHINKO chronicles the hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family. The story begins with a forbidden love, and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan, and America to tell an unf

Host Geri Cole talks to writer-director Mariama Diallo about the uncanny—and all-too-real—experience of navigating predominately white spaces as a Black woman, the complexities of identity, the importance and necessity of your community, and more. Mariama Diallo is a writer and director whose short film “Hair Wolf” premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival—where it won the Short Film Jury Award—and was then released on HBO and the Criterion Channel. Diallo also co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in the short film “White Devil,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and is a writer-director on the Peabody Award-winning HBO series RANDOM ACTS OF FLYNESS. Her latest project—and feature debut—is MASTER, a supernatural horror film about three Black women striving to find their place at a prestigious New England university whose frosty elitism may disguise something more sinister. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and will arrive on Prime Video (and in select

Host Geri Cole welcomes THE HANDMAID’S TALE creator, showrunner, writer, and EP Bruce Miller and writer and EP Yahlin Chang to the show to talk about how real-world refugee stories give the show inspiration and guidance, the ways in which writing can be both cruel and cathartic, and how the show encourages everyone—both above and below the line—to bring their A-game. ** - Please note: This episode comes with a spoiler alert as well as a content warning for a discussion of sexual violence against women and other traumatic topics. - **  Bruce Miller is a television writer and producer who, before HANDMAID'S, was well known for his work as showrunner and writer for popular sci-fi series like EUREKA and ALPHAS. For his work on The Handmaid's Tale, Miller won the 2017 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series. Yahlin Chang is a writer and producer who wrote on several series including DIRTY SEXY MONEY, PAN AM, and SUPERGIRL, before joining the writers' room of THE

Geri Cole turns it over to Michael Cyril Creighton for a special conversation with showrunners Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen to discuss their series, SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE. Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen are a writing duo whose credits include HIGH MAINTENANCE, MOZART IN THE JUNGLE and DRIVEWAYS. Moderator Michael Cyril Creighton is a writer and actor known for his recent performance as the cat-loving Howard Morris in ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING and his roles on HIGH MAINTENANCE and SPOTLIGHT, as well as for creating and starring in the Writers Guild Award-winning web series JACK IN A BOX (which, incidentally, Hannah and Paul also worked on). SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE is a new comedy series that follows Sam, a true Kansan on the surface who, beneath it all, struggles to fit into the hometown mold. As Sam grapples with loss and acceptance, singing is her saving grace and leads her on a journey to discover herself and a community of outsiders who don't fit in, but don't give up, showing that finding your people and finding y

Host Geri Cole talks to Zach Baylin—screenwriter of KING RICHARD—about how a serendipitous meeting before heading to the US Open led to the script landing in the hands of Will Smith, his experience collaborating with the Williams family, and the importance of writing every day, because even a few lines can feel like a success. Zach Baylin is a screenwriter whose script, KING RICHARD, was #2 in the 2018 Black List survey, and is his first produced writing credit. His next project is CREED III, which is currently in production for MGM. KING RICHARD is the true story of how Venus and Serena Williams were raised and coached by their parents to become the tennis legends they are today. Zach's screenplay won the 2022 Black Film Critic Circle Award and is currently in the running for a Writers Guild Award, a BAFTA Award, and an Academy Award. KING RICHARD was released in November 2021. It's currently playing in theaters and available to stream on VOD. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. C

Geri Cole turns it over to David O. Russell for a conversation with Adam McKay about his latest project, DON’T LOOK UP. David O. Russell is the Oscar- and Writers Guild Award-nominated writer and director best known for his work on titles like FLIRTING WITH DISASTER, THREE KINGS, I HEART HUCKABEES, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, AMERICAN HUSTLE, and most recently, JOY. Adam McKay is a writer, director, comedian, and co-founder of the comedy group Upright Citizens Brigade. He kicked off his film & TV career in the ’90s as a head writer for SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE before rising to fame in the 2000s for his collaborations with fellow comedian and SNL alum Will Ferrell, with whom he co-wrote the hit comedies ANCHORMAN, STEP BROTHERS, and THE OTHER GUYS. In the 2010s, McKay ventured into more dramatic waters as co-writer & director of the 2015 dramedy/biopic THE BIG SHORT—for which he and Charles Randolph received the Academy and Writers Guild Awards for Adapted Screenplay—and as writer & director of the 2019 Os

Host Geri Cole is joined by four writers from THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH: supervising producer and head writer Zhubin Parang, writers Kat Radley and Josh Johnson, and correspondent Roy Wood Jr. The writers and Geri cover what it takes to put together an episode of THE DAILY SHOW… and to do it daily, how being encouraged to bomb creates a sense of community in the writers’ room, and how segments like “CP Time” help teach chapters of Black history you won’t find in a textbook. THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH is the Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning evening news program that examines the day's biggest news stories in politics, pop culture, entertainment, sports and more. In each episode, Trevor and his team of correspondents provide coverage of (and catharsis from) daily events through a sharp, reality-based lens. Episodes of THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH air live on Comedy Central nightly. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out OnWriting: The Print Archives. Read shownote

Host Geri Cole is joined by Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky—writers and executive producers of AND JUST LIKE THAT—to talk about how they first came to work on SEX AND THE CITY, their very intimate writing process for AND JUST LIKE THAT, and how success can sometimes feel like being lost in L.A. Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky are long-time collaborators whose credits together include SEX AND THE CITY, SIX DEGREES, SMASH, ODD MOM OUT—where they also served as co-showrunners, and DIVORCE. Their latest collaboration is on the new limited series AND JUST LIKE THAT. The ten-episode revival of SEX AND THE CITY follows Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s. AND JUST LIKE THAT premiered in December 2021 and is currently available to watch on HBO and HBO Max. --- Before it was a podcast, OnWriting was a print publication. Check out OnWriting: The Print A