Artists of New York

Episode 120: Dan Davies - Courage, Craft, Comedy Cellar

Dan Davies is a standup comedian based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes [https://dashboard.rss.com/podcasts/artists-of-new-york/episodes/2407738/edit/] (00:00) Childhood trips spark New York dream (02:08) Discovering UCB and falling for improv (04:37) First improv class and early confidence (06:53) Long-form improv and the Herald (08:52) Balancing hospital work and comedy (11:08) Quitting a stable career for comedy (13:36) Day jobs while chasing stand-up (15:39) Building Question Party into a business (17:42) Early success through audience laughs (19:44) First stand-up set and catching the bug (22:02) Avoiding open mics and finding stage time (24:24) Learning by performing with better comics (26:42) Getting passed at the Comedy Cellar (31:02) Auditioning for the Comedy Cellar (33:32) Writing jokes and comedy influences (35:42) Why New York is comedy's capital (37:30) Defining success as a working comic (39:02) Why chasing comedy was worth the risk

Episode 119: Cynthia Zarin - Poetry, Profiles, Prose

Cynthia Zarin is an American poet and journalist. Instagram and all episodes [https://dashboard.rss.com/podcasts/artists-of-new-york/episodes/2407738/edit/] (00:00) Growing Up Bookish in New York (03:18) Childhood Influences and Becoming a Writer (06:47) Columbia, Job Hunting, and The New Yorker (10:41) Inside William Shawn's Legendary New Yorker (14:19) Why Poetry Became Her Lifelong Medium (17:46) Learning Journalism Through The New Yorker (21:03) New York City and Literary Life in the 1980s (24:42) The Magazine's Culture of Quiet Excellence (28:07) From Character to Personality Culture (31:36) Mentors, Editors, and Writing Craft (34:12) Balancing Writing, Marriage, and Four Children (38:09) Reporting While Raising a Family (41:26) Returning to The New Yorker and Yale (44:11) Memorable Profiles and Interviewing Philosophy (48:03) Writing Without Deadlines or Recorders (51:09) Creating Inverno and Estate (56:04) Caroline, Love, and Modern Relationships (61:02) Writing Habits and Creative Process (64:06) Trusted Journalists and Democracy (66:07) Defining Success as a Writer

Episode 118: Jason Choi - Craft, Comedy, Contentment

Jason Choi is a standup comedian based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes [https://dashboard.rss.com/podcasts/artists-of-new-york/episodes/2407738/edit/] (00:00) Loving New York's Chaos (02:27) Childhood Comedy Obsession (04:58) Early Stand-Up Dreams (07:19) College, Writing, and Fear (09:43) Comedy Class Breakthrough (12:16) Advertising, Engineering, and Saving Money (15:08) First Sets and Bombing Hard (18:07) Grinding Through Open Mics (20:54) Opportunities Through Consistency (23:41) Leaving Software Engineering (26:31) Family Sacrifice and Financial Discipline (29:14) Recovering From Burnout (31:42) Success, Fulfillment, and Contentment (35:01) Sustainable Work and Resistance (38:06) David Attell, Mark Normand, and Craft (41:12) Finding Creative Ideas (43:25) Redefining Success (45:02) Letting Go and Trusting the Journey

Episode 117: The Heaven - Music, Meaning, Mastery

Preston from The Heaven is a musician based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes [https://dashboard.rss.com/podcasts/artists-of-new-york/episodes/2407738/edit/] (00:00) Driving a Prius to New York (02:18) Childhood, family, and moving to California (04:36) Discovering music through Johnny Cash and Kanye (07:12) Wanting to become a musician (09:51) Guitar as a lifeline (12:46) Daily obsession and first bands (15:21) Choosing music despite industry uncertainty (18:08) Why rock bands became less viable (21:16) Pursuing music after high school (24:02) Touring, networking, and building opportunities (27:05) Talent versus relentless hard work (30:11) Streaming economics and modern music careers (33:28) Multiple projects versus one band (36:02) Songwriting identity and solo performances (39:06) Mastering guitar through persistence (42:14) Leaving Los Angeles for New York (45:37) Finding home in Brooklyn (48:34) New York's creative energy (51:03) The city's music scene and favorite venues (53:22) Planning to stay on the East Coast (54:45) Redefining artistic success (56:18) Authenticity over popularity

Episode 116: Isabel Hagen - Viola, Versatility, Vocation

Isabel Hagen is a classical violist and standup comedian based in New York City. Instagram and all episodes [https://dashboard.rss.com/podcasts/artists-of-new-york/episodes/2407738/edit/] (00:00) Growing Up in an Artistic Family (02:38) Choosing Music Over Everything (05:06) Conservatory Dreams and Juilliard Auditions (08:12) Getting Into Juilliard (10:07) Realizing Music Wasn't the Future (12:54) Discovering Stand-Up Comedy (15:41) First Open Mics and Early Lessons (18:27) Building a Comedy Career (21:06) Leaving Music for Stand-Up (24:11) Supporting Comedy Through Music (27:01) Earning Opportunities and Growing (30:14) JFL and The Tonight Show (33:12) Headlining and Defining Success (36:07) Staying Hungry as a Comedian (38:14) Comedy, Shyness, and Observation (40:42) Favorite Comedians and Venues (43:01) Defining Success (44:16) Advice for Modern Comics