I go on the record with my opinions on the election. Not surprisingly, given this podcast, I find some major connections to failure.

I go on the record with my opinions on the election. Not surprisingly, given this podcast, I find some major connections to failure.

To be human is to fail – period. And not just to fail once, but to fail a lot. As the author Samuel Beckett said: “Fail again. Fail better.” This saying means a lot to me and my family – so much so that my daughter got a tattoo of it. Why are we, and so many others, so deeply concerned by failure? And if it’s something we all do so often, why are we so afraid of it – especially those of us here in win-at-all-costs America? In this podcast, I sit down with successful, thoughtful people like Ben Stiller, Bette Midler, Sean Penn and more to talk about failure – or what they labeled “failure,” but what was really an unparalleled opportunity for growth and revelation. I even want to delve into my own hardest moments, when I wrestled with setbacks, shame, and fear. We’ll still fail again. And again. But maybe if we fail better, we’ll feel better -- and maybe if we can all laugh together in failure, that's a start.

To be human is to fail – period. And not just to fail once, but to fail a lot. As the author Samuel Beckett said: “Fail again. Fail better.” This saying means a lot to me and my family – so much so that my daughter got a tattoo of it. Why are we, and so many others, so deeply concerned by failure? And if it’s something we all do so often, why are we so afraid of it – especially those of us here in win-at-all-costs America? In this podcast, I sit down with successful, thoughtful people like Ben Stiller, Bette Midler, Sean Penn and more to talk about failure – or what they labeled “failure,” but what was really an unparalleled opportunity for growth and revelation. I even want to delve into my own hardest moments, when I wrestled with setbacks, shame, and fear. We’ll still fail again. And again. But maybe if we fail better, we’ll feel better -- and maybe if we can all laugh together in failure, that's a start.

Fail Better with David Duchovny

The Election

This episode originally aired July 22, 2025

The spotlight has certainly taken its toll on Robert Downey Jr. over the years. But much like his beloved MCU character Tony Stark, there's an undeniably powerful force inside Robert that keeps him pushing forward. When we sat down over iced coffees, we found ourselves unpacking the fraught relationship Robert had with his father — the experimental, countercultural filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. — whose unconventional lifestyle created lasting ripples throughout the family. Their shared documentary, “Sr.”, stands as a powerful testament to the healing they found. Plus, we talk about sobriety, the belief it took to become Iron Man, and the full-circle moments spanning the decades since we first crossed paths on the set of Chaplin.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Find more video podcasts on our YouTube channel. Stay up to date with Lemonada on X, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

This episode originally aired July 22, 2025
The spotlight has certainly taken its toll on Robert Downey Jr. over the years. But much like his beloved MCU character Tony Stark, there's an undeniably powerful force inside Robert that keeps him pushing forward. When we sat down over iced coffees, we found ourselves unpacking the fraught relationship Robert had with his father &mdash; the experimental, countercultural filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. &mdash; whose unconventional lifestyle created lasting ripples throughout the family. Their shared documentary, &ldquo;Sr.&rdquo;, stands as a powerful testament to the healing they found. Plus, we talk about sobriety, the belief it took to become Iron Man, and the full-circle moments spanning the decades since we first crossed paths on the set of Chaplin.
Follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/davidduchovny/">Instagram</a> at @davidduchovny. Find more video podcasts on our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@FailBetterwithDavidDuchovny">YouTube channel</a>. Stay up to date with Lemonada on <a href="https://twitter.com/LemonadaMedia">X</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lemonadamedia/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lemonadamedia/">Instagram</a> at @LemonadaMedia.
Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on <a href="http://bit.ly/lemonadapremium">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://lemonada.supportingcast.fm/">Spotify</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts.
For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors">lemonadamedia.com/sponsors</a>.

Fail Again: The Family Business with Robert Downey Jr.

This episode originally aired June 3, 2025

The X-Files was always about turning something mysterious and untraceable into something known — so what better time to capture the elusive podcast interview on camera? That’s right: Fail Better is now on video, and we’re kicking off this new chapter with the one and only Chris Carter, the creator of The X-Files. And he came prepared, alien embryo and all. There’s so much to discuss about the show, and I even reveal my newfound theory about Mulder’s motivations. We also trace Chris’s labyrinthine career path from surfer to sculptor to writer, and he opens up about the critical response to the reboot — and why no one truly understood the ending, despite him leaving clues in plain sight.

Fail Better is now on YouTube! Watch this episode here.

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Find more video podcasts on our YouTube channel. Stay up to date with Lemonada on X, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

This episode originally aired June 3, 2025
The X-Files was always about turning something mysterious and untraceable into something known &mdash; so what better time to capture the elusive podcast interview on camera? That&rsquo;s right: Fail Better is now on video, and we&rsquo;re kicking off this new chapter with the one and only Chris Carter, the creator of The X-Files. And he came prepared, alien embryo and all. There&rsquo;s so much to discuss about the show, and I even reveal my newfound theory about Mulder&rsquo;s motivations. We also trace Chris&rsquo;s labyrinthine career path from surfer to sculptor to writer, and he opens up about the critical response to the reboot &mdash; and why no one truly understood the ending, despite him leaving clues in plain sight.
Fail Better is now on YouTube! <a href="https://youtu.be/4JsP84Kzz3k">Watch this episode here</a>.
Follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/davidduchovny/">Instagram</a> at @davidduchovny. Find more video podcasts on our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@FailBetterwithDavidDuchovny">YouTube channel</a>. Stay up to date with Lemonada on <a href="https://twitter.com/LemonadaMedia">X</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lemonadamedia/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lemonadamedia/">Instagram</a> at @LemonadaMedia.
Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our shows and get bonus content. Subscribe today on <a href="http://bit.ly/lemonadapremium">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://lemonada.supportingcast.fm/">Spotify</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts.
For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to <a href="http://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors">lemonadamedia.com/sponsors</a>.

Fail Again: Chris Carter Wants You To Believe

This episode originally aired November 19, 2024

It was a real magic moment to connect with Aimee Mann, a musician I’ve listened to for decades. She indulges my curiosities about lyric choices and instrumental training, and I learn how much goes on behind the scenes of an Aimee Mann production. We talk about the traumas of her past, which hardships do and do not influence her work, and why there feels like a creative imperative to turn pain into art. Then, to lighten things up (at least a little) we bond over some of our favorite artists of years past, like the sneakily somber Steely Dan. 

Follow me on Instagram at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. And if you want to continue the conversation with other listeners, join the My Lemonada community at https://lemonadamedia.com/mylemonada/

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

This episode originally aired November 19, 2024
It was a real magic moment to connect with Aimee Mann, a musician I&rsquo;ve listened to for decades. She indulges my curiosities about lyric choices and instrumental training, and I learn how much goes on behind the scenes of an Aimee Mann production. We talk about the traumas of her past, which hardships do and do not influence her work, and why there feels like a creative imperative to turn pain into art. Then, to lighten things up (at least a little) we bond over some of our favorite artists of years past, like the sneakily somber Steely Dan.&nbsp;
Follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/davidduchovny/">Instagram</a> at @davidduchovny. Stay up to date with Lemonada on <a href="https://twitter.com/LemonadaMedia">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lemonadamedia/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lemonadamedia/">Instagram</a> at @LemonadaMedia.
Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at <a href="http://bit.ly/lemonadapremium">bit.ly/lemonadapremium</a>. And if you want to continue the conversation with other listeners, join the My Lemonada community at <a href="https://lemonadamedia.com/mylemonada/">https://lemonadamedia.com/mylemonada/</a>
For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to <a href="http://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors">lemonadamedia.com/sponsors</a>.

The Election

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