Today, culture critic Wesley Morris (The New York Times) returns to Talk Easy for a conversation aboutThe Wonder of Stevie, his new podcast with the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions.

At the top, Wesley unpacks Stevie Wonder’s legendary five-album run from 1972-1976, his recent “battleground states” tour in the run up to the election, and how his relationship to Stevie’s music has evolved in the process of making this limited series.

To listen to The Wonder of Stevie, stream here or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at sf@talkeasypod.com.

Today, culture critic Wesley Morris (The New York Times) returns to Talk Easy for a conversation about<a href="https://highergroundmedia.com/podcasts-archive/thewonderofstevie"> The Wonder of Stevie</a>, his new podcast with the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions.
At the top, Wesley unpacks Stevie Wonder’s legendary five-album run from 1972-1976, his recent “battleground states” tour in the run up to the election, and how his relationship to Stevie’s music has evolved in the process of making this limited series.
To listen to The Wonder of Stevie, stream <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/is/podcast/the-wonder-of-stevie/id1767486783">here</a> or wherever you get your podcasts. 
Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at <a href="mailto:sf@talkeasypod.com">sf@talkeasypod.com</a>.

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso is a weekly series of intimate conversations with artists, activists, and politicians. Where people sound like people. Hosted by Sam Fragoso. New episodes every Sunday.

Where people sound like people, since 2016.

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

Wesley Morris Returns with ‘The Wonder of Stevie’

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/911bc861-ca3b-470d-a10e-b20b00537435/transcript

Since his directorial debut in 2006, Jason Reitman has made the kind of films they say Hollywood doesn’t make anymore.

Today, we sit to discuss his latest project Saturday Night (9:09), the influence of 1970s movies like Michael Ritchie’s The Candidate (12:46), and the details Reitman and his co-writer Gil Kenan collected from dozens of interviews leading up to production (17:45). Then, Jason describes the dynamic between Lorne Michaels and his father, the late director Ivan Reitman (21:55), his formative years at the movie theater (25:50), and the filmmakers that shaped his early work: Alexander Payne, Kevin Smith, Spike Jonze, and Richard Linklater (31:03).

On the back-half, we talk about Reitman’s debut film Thank You For Smoking (39:06), the collaborators that shaped Juno (42:50), his personal connection to Up in the Air (43:10), and lessons from making Young Adult (49:43) and Labor Day (51:08). To close, a story about fatherhood (53:00) and the joy of directing (58:58).

Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at sf@talkeasypod.com.

Since his directorial debut in 2006, Jason Reitman has made the kind of films they say Hollywood doesn’t make anymore.
Today, we sit to discuss his latest project <a href="https://saturdaynight.movie/">Saturday Night</a> (9:09), the influence of 1970s movies like Michael Ritchie’s The Candidate (12:46), and the details Reitman and his co-writer Gil Kenan collected from dozens of interviews leading up to production (17:45). Then, Jason describes the dynamic between Lorne Michaels and his father, the late director Ivan Reitman (21:55), his formative years at the movie theater (25:50), and the filmmakers that shaped his early work: Alexander Payne, Kevin Smith, Spike Jonze, and Richard Linklater (31:03).
On the back-half, we talk about Reitman’s debut film Thank You For Smoking (39:06), the collaborators that shaped Juno (42:50), his personal connection to Up in the Air (43:10), and lessons from making Young Adult (49:43) and Labor Day (51:08). To close, a story about fatherhood (53:00) and the joy of directing (58:58).
Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at <a href="mailto:sf@talkeasypod.com">sf@talkeasypod.com</a>.

Director Jason Reitman’s Love Letter to ‘Saturday Night’

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/78f11229-0b1e-4968-9c15-b208006699df/transcript

Director Francis Ford Coppola doesn’t just want to make movies. He wants to change them. This was true in 1969 when he co-founded Zoetrope Studios with George Lucas, and it remains true today at age 85.

We begin with the historical context of his modern-day Roman epic fable Megalopolis (9:40), his decades-long process developing the film (12:18), and the inspiration he’s taken from Georges Méliès (22:25) and Jacques Tati (24:59). Then, Coppola reflects on the origin of how he became ‘Francis Ford Coppola’ (29:27), the irrepressible spirit he forged in childhood (32:34), and where he sees himself in films like The Godfather (38:29), Apocalypse Now (41:48), and Gardens of Stone (42:17).

On the back-half, we unpack the parallels between the titular city of Megalopolis and Zoetrope Studios (50:19), his capacity to keep dreaming, even in the face of financial ruin (53:46), where he believes America is headed in 2025 (54:29), and the lasting memory of his late wife, Eleanor (1:03:25).

Watch this conversation on YouTube.

Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at sf@talkeasypod.com.

Director Francis Ford Coppola doesn’t just want to make movies. He wants to change them. This was true in 1969 when he co-founded Zoetrope Studios with George Lucas, and it remains true today at age 85.
We begin with the historical context of his modern-day Roman epic fable <a href="https://www.megalopolis.movie/">Megalopolis</a> (9:40), his decades-long process developing the film (12:18), and the inspiration he’s taken from Georges Méliès (22:25) and Jacques Tati (24:59). Then, Coppola reflects on the origin of how he became ‘Francis Ford Coppola’ (29:27), the irrepressible spirit he forged in childhood (32:34), and where he sees himself in films like The Godfather (38:29), Apocalypse Now (41:48), and Gardens of Stone (42:17).
On the back-half, we unpack the parallels between the titular city of Megalopolis and Zoetrope Studios (50:19), his capacity to keep dreaming, even in the face of financial ruin (53:46), where he believes America is headed in 2025 (54:29), and the lasting memory of his late wife, Eleanor (1:03:25).
Watch this conversation <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiKqETNujSI&amp;t=1877s">on YouTube</a>.
Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at <a href="mailto:sf@talkeasypod.com">sf@talkeasypod.com</a>.

Francis Ford Coppola Stays in the Picture

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ca5190f8-35f7-46c1-9ffd-b201007c6e8b/transcript

Joaquin Phoenix is one of the greatest actors of his generation. For three decades, he’s moved seamlessly between auteur-driven films (Her, The Master) and box-office sensations (Gladiator, Joker). 

We sit today for a rare, long-form conversation with Phoenix, starting with his latest film, Joker: Folie à Deux (9:10), his free-wheeling collaborations with director Todd Phillips (11:32), and the nomadic upbringing that marked his early years (15:00). Then, he reflects on his childhood television debut in Hill Street Blues (22:27), the brilliance of Robert De Niro (27:53), and his formative performances in To Die For and Parenthood (34:45).

On the back-half, we discuss how the polarizing mockumentary, I’m Still Here (47:15), inspired his singular collaborations with directors Spike Jonze, Paul Thomas Anderson, James Gray, and Lynne Ramsay (51:30). We also talk about the evolution of his acting process (52:47), the impassioned Oscars speech he delivered accepting Best Actor for Joker (58:15), and whether he’ll ever turn in what he believes is a ‘great’ performance (1:02:40).

Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at sf@talkeasypod.com.

Joaquin Phoenix is one of the greatest actors of his generation. For three decades, he’s moved seamlessly between auteur-driven films (Her, The Master) and box-office sensations (Gladiator, Joker). 
We sit today for a rare, long-form conversation with Phoenix, starting with his latest film, <a href="https://www.joker.movie/">Joker: Folie à Deux</a> (9:10), his free-wheeling collaborations with director Todd Phillips (11:32), and the nomadic upbringing that marked his early years (15:00). Then, he reflects on his childhood television debut in Hill Street Blues (22:27), the brilliance of Robert De Niro (27:53), and his formative performances in To Die For and Parenthood (34:45).
On the back-half, we discuss how the polarizing mockumentary, I’m Still Here (47:15), inspired his singular collaborations with directors Spike Jonze, Paul Thomas Anderson, James Gray, and Lynne Ramsay (51:30). We also talk about the evolution of his acting process (52:47), the impassioned Oscars speech he delivered accepting Best Actor for Joker (58:15), and whether he’ll ever turn in what he believes is a ‘great’ performance (1:02:40).
Thoughts or future guest ideas? Email us at <a href="mailto:sf@talkeasypod.com">sf@talkeasypod.com</a>.

The Joaquin Phoenix Interview

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fd829077-b656-4b10-86b1-b1fa0069455e/transcript

Wesley Morris Returns with ‘The Wonder of Stevie’

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