2015

S4.E1 ∙ Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison of Girl Trek

Wed, Jul 04, 2018

Black women carry the trauma of systemic racism and serving other people before taking care of themselves, and it's killing them, say GirlTrek founders Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison. Dixon and Garrison give their Brief But Spectacular take on mobilizing black women to save their own lives.

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S4.E2 ∙ Alan Alda

Wed, Jul 11, 2018

Alan Alda had an unusual childhood, but it helped him hone his identity as a communicator. As his mother suffered from mental illness, he became a close observer of people, their faces and body language, which led him toward becoming an award-winning actor, writer, director and now podcaster. Alda gives his Brief But Spectacular take on being connected.

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S4.E3 ∙ Joe Wilson

Wed, Jul 18, 2018

The inhumanity of being on street without the security of a home is a very debilitating experience, says Joe Wilson, the executive director of the Hospitality House in San Francisco. And for those who have nothing, it's the "harshness in our eyes" that really makes an imprint. Wilson shares his Brief But Spectacular take on being homeless in America.

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S4.E5 ∙ Kayla Briet

Wed, Aug 01, 2018

Growing up in a family with Chinese, Dutch-Indonesian and Native American ancestry, Kayla Briët says the first medium that really allowed her to express her identity was music. Briët offers her Brief But Spectacular take on storytelling through art, language and identity.

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S4.E6 ∙ Adam Grant

Wed, Aug 08, 2018

Sometimes acknowledging our weaknesses and limitations can actually make us stronger, suggests Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist, author and podcast host. But like arguing, there are constructive ways of giving feedback that can make another person feel like you're trying to help. Grant offers his Brief But Spectacular take on feedback.

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S4.E7 ∙ Jonny Sun

Wed, Aug 22, 2018

Author Jonny Sun amassed a loyal Twitter following through his honesty, humor and irreverent candor. His latest book, "Everyone's a Aliebn When U a Alien Too," features the distinctive "intentional clumsiness" for which he is known. We turn to Sun for his Brief But Spectacular take on the upside of online anonymity.

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S4.E8 ∙ Flossie Lewis - Still Spectacular at 94

Wed, Aug 15, 2018

More than 7 million people viewed teacher Flossie Lewis's Brief But Spectacular take on growing old in 2016. When it aired, her former students contacted us by the dozen, many to express appreciation for the profound impact she had on their lives. Flossie, now 94, returns in this special installment for an inspirational class discussion with some of her biggest fans.

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S4.E9 ∙ Abby Falik

Wed, Aug 29, 2018

For today's high school students, perfect records are valued more than authentic exploration, says Abby Falik. But the founder of the nonprofit Global Citizen Year sees firsthand the benefit of taking kids out of their comfort zone by giving them a gap year in an international setting. Falk offers her Brief But Spectacular take on preparing a new generation of leaders.

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S4.E10 ∙ Robin Steinberg

Wed, Sep 12, 2018

There's a cascade of dire problems that can occur even if you're only in jail for one day, says attorney Robin Steinberg. The CEO of The Bail Project - a national organization that pays bail for tens of thousands of low-income Americans at risk of pretrial detention - gives her Brief But Spectacular take on disrupting the money bail system and turning the tide on U.S. mass incarceration.

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S4.E11 ∙ Jay Allison

Wed, Sep 19, 2018

Telling a person's story is not unlike being a biologist, says Jay Allison. "You go out in the world and encounter actual life and you collect it...and you bring it back and you study it and then you figure out how to present it," he says. Allison, an independent journalist who produces the Moth Radio Hour and shares his Brief But Spectacular on finding stories.

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S4.E12 ∙ Walter Isaacson

Wed, Sep 26, 2018

Author, journalist and professor Walter Isaacson has delved into the lives of influential figures ranging from Leonardo da Vinci to Ada Lovelace. He believes that those who thrive at the intersection of arts and sciences are the ones who will become a part of history. Isaacson shares his Brief But Spectacular take on what's it's like to write about people.

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S4.E13 ∙ Phil Kaye

Wed, Oct 17, 2018

Phil Kaye is a Japanese-American poet and filmmaker and co-director of "Project Voice," an organization that partners with schools to bring poetry into the classroom. He shares one of his poems, "Surplus," for a Brief But Spectacular take on his grandfather, Cheerful Al, and the limitations of "traditional masculinity." Kaye's latest book Date and Time is available now.

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S4.E14 ∙ Hasan Minhaj

Wed, Oct 24, 2018

Hasan Minhaj, a former correspondent for "The Daily Show," grew up in California as the son of immigrants, experiencing childhood as a "brown kid in America." With his new show "Patriot Act" premiering this week on Netflix, Minhaj shares his Brief But Spectacular take on political satire, the "American Dream Tax" and the wisdom he gained working with Jon Stewart.

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S4.E15 ∙ Bryan Cranston

Wed, Oct 31, 2018

Oscar-nominated actor Bryan Cranston, best known for his role as Walter White in "Breaking Bad," didn't get his big break until age 40, when he was cast in the family TV sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle." Now, he'll be playing the role of Howard Beale in the upcoming Broadway production of "Network." He shares his Brief But Spectacular take on an unusual career trajectory and the role of luck.

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S4.E16 ∙ Gabriel Kahane

Wed, Nov 07, 2018

Around the presidential election of 2016, songwriter Gabe Kahane decided to take a break from everyday life, escape technology and explore the country by rail. While traveling, he aspired to engage in conversation-but not argue-with strangers of all types of background. This is his Brief But Spectacular take on how conversations in train dining cars can lead to "radical empathy."

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S4.E17 ∙ Jamie McCrary, Tiana Straub and Judy Ellis of Boulder Crest

Wed, Nov 14, 2018

How do former service members cope with one of the most stressful jobs in the military? Judy, Ty and Jamie, three female veterans who served in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, offer their Brief But Spectacular takes on post-traumatic growth and transitioning into civilian life.

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S4.E18 ∙ PJ Morton

Wed, Nov 21, 2018

PJ Morton is the keyboardist for the band Maroon 5. Growing up the son of a preacher in New Orleans, Morton had early and formative experiences with music. He has now released a solo album, collaborated with music idol Stevie Wonder and been nominated for a Grammy Award. This is his Brief But Spectacular take on finding inspiration in honesty and songwriting "selfishly."

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S4.E19 ∙ Laura Dunn

Wed, Nov 28, 2018

As a college athlete, Laura Dunn was sexually assaulted by two male teammates. Her subsequent experience with campus, criminal and civil authorities failing to take action motivated her to become a lawyer and found SurvJustice, a nonprofit organization that helps victims of sexual violence seek justice. She offers her Brief But Spectacular take on turning trauma into action.

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S4.E20 ∙ Franny Choi

Thu, Dec 06, 2018

What's the value of asking questions to which we don't know the answer? Poet Franny Choi's "Introduction to Quantum Theory" does just that, and she calls it "one of the scariest things" she's ever written. Choi offers her Brief But Spectacular take on imagining alternate realities.

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S4.E21 ∙ Elias Loera

Wed, Dec 19, 2018

"I just have to be able to love myself and be comfortable with who I am," Elias Loera, of The Midnight Mission, tells us in his #BriefButSpectacular take on turning his life around.

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S4.E22 ∙ Ashley Ford

Sun, Dec 23, 2018

Writing shaped Ashley Ford's life since childhood, when she confided secrets to her journal and clung to the emotional letters her father sent from prison, where he was serving a 30-year sentence for rape. Now a professional writer, Ford offers her Brief But Spectacular take on striving to become "a person who forgives."

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S4.E23 ∙ Jedidah Isler

Thu, Jan 03, 2019

Dr. Jedidah Isler has an unusual job: she studies supermassive black holes in space (they're called blazars). She's also one of the few black women in astrophysics and is trying to change that. Dr. Isler, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth College, shares her Brief But Spectacular take on why inclusivity is so important in science, technology, engineering and math.

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S4.E24 ∙ Jerri Clark

Wed, Jan 09, 2019

Jerri Clark's son Calvin was in college when his erratic behavior began, eventually leading to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. His run-ins with law enforcement convinced Clark that medical and legal systems have very little tolerance for individuals with serious psychiatric issues. She shares her Brief But Spectacular take on why mental illness 'should never be a crime.'

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S4.E25 ∙ Trey Oliver

Wed, Jan 16, 2019

When Alabama closed a regional hospital, the warden of Metro Jail says that the population of people with mental illness doubled at their facility. Trey Oliver says they often see the same people over and over again, people who should have a different kind of around-the-clock care. Oliver gives his Brief But Spectacular take on why incarceration can't solve mental illness and life at his jail.

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S4.E27 ∙ Cindi Leive

Sun, Jan 27, 2019

Journalist and women's advocate Cindi Leive was "Glamour" magazine's editor in chief for 16 years. She reflects on the well-known phenomenon of men interrupting women and engaging in other dismissive treatment, at everyday places of work all the way to the Supreme Court. This is her Brief But Spectacular take on female power.

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S4.E28 ∙ Melissa Malzkuhn

Fri, Feb 01, 2019

Melissa Malzkuhn was born deaf, and into a deaf family of gifted storytellers. In her Brief But Spectacular take, Malzkuhn describes how early access to sign language allowed her to connect with humanity. She's now the creative director of the Motion Light Lab at Gallaudet University.

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S4.E29 ∙ Caroline Clark

Wed, Feb 06, 2019

Caroline Clark was diagnosed as deaf at the age of two. Born into a hearing family, she reflects on her relationship to words and how she turned to technology to help her speak. Clark now works with the Baker Institute, providing speech therapy for children, and offers her Brief But Spectacular take on being deaf.

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S4.E30 ∙ Matthew Hussey

Wed, Feb 13, 2019

Matthew Hussey is a dating coach, columnist and New York Times bestselling author. In today's world of apps and short attention spans, Hussey says being "more demanding" can actually lead to greater success. On this Valentine's Day, Hussey shares his Brief But Spectacular take on modern love and romance.

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S4.E31 ∙ Brittney Cooper

Wed, Feb 20, 2019

Brittney Cooper is a cultural theorist, author and professor. Her new book, "Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower," discusses the history of oppressive power structures and the intersection of race and feminism. She gives her Brief But Spectacular take on "eloquent rage."

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S4.E32 ∙ Tetrina Blalock

Wed, Feb 27, 2019

Police shootings in African American communities have prompted public outcry in recent years, triggering a national conversation on the need for reform. A year ago, Tetrina Blalock's cousin was killed by police after being shot more than a dozen times following a narcotics pursuit. Blalock reflects on that experience and her own encounters with law enforcement in her community.

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S4.E33 ∙ Johnnie McDaniels

Wed, Mar 06, 2019

Prison reform is a major topic within the national political conversation. For many incarcerated people, the path to jail begins in the teen years; at any given time, roughly 50,000 young people are held in juvenile prisons. Johnnie McDaniels, former executive director of the Henley-Young Juvenile Justice Center, shares a Brief But Spectacular take on the "revolving door" of juvenile corrections.

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S4.E35 ∙ Terun Moore

Wed, Mar 13, 2019

At age 17, Terun Moore was convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole. But in 2012, the Supreme Court ruled such sentencing of minors unconstitutional. Now on parole after 19 years, Moore is enrolled in community college and working with the People's Advocacy Institute, which aims to reduce violence in Jackson, Mississippi. He offers his Brief But Spectacular take on second chances.

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S4.E36 ∙ Franklin Leonard

Wed, Mar 20, 2019

Franklin Leonard is the founder of The Black List, a website that aims to connect potential screenwriters with filmmakers. The site allows users to upload their screenplays and earn ratings from the site's community, with the possibility of seeing their work actually produced into a movie. Leonard shares a Brief But Spectacular take on how the tool could help grow Hollywood inclusivity.

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S4.E38 ∙ Naomi de la Rosa

Wed, Mar 27, 2019

Naomi De La Rosa was nine when her mother was deported from the U.S., after authorities learned she had entered the country illegally a decade earlier. Though she was thrust into a caregiver role for her younger brother and eventually her elderly father, De La Rosa still managed to excel at school. Now a freshman at the University of Arizona, she shares her Brief But Spectacular take on family.

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S4.E39 ∙ Andrew Bird

Wed, Apr 03, 2019

Andrew Bird is a multi-instrumentalist who has created field recordings in a Utah canyon, a Lisbon aqueduct and the Los Angeles River. Known for his virtuosic violin playing and songwriting styles that defy traditional classification, Bird took an unusual approach to developing his music - one that involved prolonged isolation. Bird offers his Brief But Spectacular take on playing to the room.

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S4.E40 ∙ Terrence Davenport

Wed, Apr 10, 2019

The gig economy has created many opportunities for securing temporary work with companies like Uber and TaskRabbit. But despite the increased flexibility short-term employment provides, it doesn't pay off for everyone. Social entrepreneur Terrence Davenport, who coaches low-income clients on the digital economy, shares his Brief But Spectacular take on life and work in rural Arkansas.

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S4.E41 ∙ Steve Martin and Martin Short

Wed, Apr 17, 2019

Steve Martin and Martin Short have been nearly inseparable since meeting more than 30 years ago on the set of "Three Amigos." The two legendary Hollywood comedians sat down with Steve Goldbloom to discuss their latest touring special, "Now You See Them, Soon You Won't" and their Brief But Spectacular take on their "fabulously popular and undeserved success."

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S4.E42 ∙ Gloria Steinem

Wed, Apr 24, 2019

Gloria Steinem is a writer, author, activist and feminist icon who travels widely to raise awareness for the gender equity causes she helped pioneer. At age 85, Steinem says she has no intention of passing on her torch but instead will use it to light others'. She reflects on the learning her unusual upbringing enabled and offers her Brief But Spectacular take on the women's movement right now.

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S4.E43 ∙ Frank Rich

Wed, May 01, 2019

Writer and producer Frank Rich has led a long and varied career in the arts, from serving as theater critic for The New York Times to his current role as executive producer for the hit HBO show "Veep," now in its final season. Rich talks about his experience in the political circles of D.C., using drama as an escape and his Brief But Spectacular take on a life in theater.

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S4.E44 ∙ Amber Crotty

Wed, May 08, 2019

Sexual assault and abuse are issues of national and global reach and prominence. Among Navajo populations, the problem is even more prevalent. As one of the few female delegates on the Navajo council, Amber Kanazbah Crotty is leading a campaign called "Start by Believing" to encourage communities to support survivors. She shares her Brief But Spectacular take on revitalizing Navajo communities.

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S4.E45 ∙ Sylvia Earle

Wed, May 22, 2019

Marine biologist Sylvia Earle has spent more than four decades at the forefront of ocean exploration - and at age 83, she shows no signs of slowing down. Earle was the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and was named Time magazine's 1998 "Hero of the Planet." Earle offers her Brief But Spectacular take on passion for the ocean and the planet.

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S4.E46 ∙ Meskee Yatsayte

Wed, May 29, 2019

The Brief But Spectacular team recently brought attention to the volume of sexual assault cases in the Navajo Nation. Now, Meskee Yanabah Yatsayte, leader of an organization that looks for missing persons from the Navajo community, explains this silent epidemic.

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S4.E47 ∙ Miguel Colon

Wed, Jun 05, 2019

New York artist Miguel Colon suffered for years before finally receiving a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, during a hospitalization. In the psychiatric ward, he did a lot of drawing, working on a graphic novel and realizing the "life-affirming" nature of creativity and how it brought other people to him. Colon offers his Brief But Spectacular take on learning to see himself.

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S4.E48 ∙ Marcus Yam

Wed, Jun 19, 2019

Marcus Yam is a staff photographer for the Los Angeles Times and the winner of two Pulitzers. Having covered California wildfires extensively, he is deeply familiar with the challenge of documenting tragedy and humanity up close. Yam offers his Brief But Spectacular take on the sensitivity and perspective he brings to his work.

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