Ritesh Rajan

Ritesh Rajan

Actor Ritesh Rajan [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritesh_Rajan] might be best known for roles in Russian Doll, The Jungle Book, Stitchers, Definition Please, and voicing Ken in Mattel's Barbie Vlogger universe - but this episode quickly turns into something much bigger than a career retrospective. It becomes a conversation about identity, ambition, immigrant families, and why South Asians still struggle to support each other creatively in America. Ritesh and I cover everything from growing up as one of the only Indian kids in a small-town New York school system to playing Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, teaching Bhangra-infused Zumba classes around the world, and the surreal feeling of finally standing on sets filled predominantly with South Asian artists. There's also a hilarious deep dive into South Indian naming conventions, Indian-parent threats that sound criminal when translated into English, and why Ritesh believes South Asians need to stop asking "why aren't you in more things?" and start actually supporting the projects that already exist. It's thoughtful, funny, incredibly honest, and one of the more grounded conversations this show has had about what representation actually means once the cameras stop rolling. Ritesh's projects mentioned in the show: Russian Doll [https://www.netflix.com/watch/80211499?source=35] The Voice of Ken (Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures) [https://www.netflix.com/title/80192734] Definition Please [https://www.netflix.com/title/81562958] Follow Ritesh Rajan: IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3172325/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/teshrajan/?hl=en] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/p/Ritesh-Rajan-100058274251319/] X (Twitter) [https://x.com/teshrajan]

Seth Godin

I've wanted to talk to Seth Godin [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_Godin] for years, and this conversation somehow managed to be even more wide-ranging than I expected. Seth is one of the most influential marketing thinkers of the last few decades. He is the author of books like Purple Cow, Linchpin, and The Dip, but what struck me most in this episode wasn't the marketing advice. It was how deeply philosophical he is about work, creativity, fear, education, and what it actually means to matter. We get into everything here: why Seth thinks America's advantage isn't obedience but creativity, why most people confuse freelancing with entrepreneurship, why schools still train kids for factory jobs that no longer exist, and why he believes giving ideas away for free is often the smartest thing you can do. There's also a fascinating section where he completely reframes how I think about stand-up comedy careers, including whether comics should scale themselves like entrepreneurs or protect the purity of being freelancers. Some episodes feel like interviews. This one felt more like intellectual ping-pong with somebody who's spent decades thinking deeply about how people make decisions and why most of us are playing the wrong game entirely. Pick up one of Seth's many best selling books [https://seths.store] Read Seth's Blog [https://seths.blog] Listen to Seth's podcast, "Akimbo" [https://www.akimbo.link] Follow Seth Godin: Website [https://www.sethgodin.com] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethgodin/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sethgodin/?hl=en] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/sethgodin/] X (Twitter) [https://x.com/ThisIsSethsBlog]

Karan Soni

Actor and writer Karan Soni [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karan_Soni] has quietly become one of the most recognizable faces in acting and comedy over the last decade, thanks to standout roles in Deadpool, Deadpool 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Abbott Elementary, Miracle Workers, Pokémon Detective Pikachu, and 7 Days - but this conversation reveals the person underneath all of that success in a way that's funny, vulnerable, and unexpectedly deep. Karan and I bounce between stories about immigrating to America, obsessing over The O.C., terrible first acting jobs, celebrity encounters gone horribly wrong, and the weird emotional baggage that comes with wanting to be accepted. Karan talks openly about coming out to his family after moving from India to USC, the culture shock of seeing openly queer couples for the first time, and the therapist who helped change the trajectory of his relationship with his parents. We also get into representation in Hollywood, why South Asians sometimes struggle to support each other creatively, the pressure of being "the Indian guy" in a room, and how Deadpool unexpectedly changed his relationship with fame and visibility. Along the way there are stories involving porta-potties, sweaty handshakes, police officers who love Marvel movies, and one truly catastrophic interaction with Ben McKenzie that somehow becomes one of the funniest moments in the entire episode. Follow Karan Soni:IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4175221/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itskaransoni/]

Eric Lange

Eric Lange [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Lange] is one of those actors you instantly recognize - even if you don't immediately know his name. Over the years, he's appeared in shows like Lost, Victorious, Narcos, Escape at Dannemora, Weeds, and The Man in the High Castle, while also working alongside legends like Al Pacino, Diane Lane, and John Malkovich. But long before Hollywood, Eric was just another Fairfield, Ohio kid doing show choir and school plays - something I take great joy in unpacking throughout this conversation. This episode turns into a surprisingly deep and detailed masterclass on acting, auditioning, creativity, confidence, rejection, and the psychology of surviving Hollywood for nearly two decades. Eric breaks down everything from his early theater days and struggling actor years to finally breaking through with Lost, including one incredible story about working with Al Pacino that every actor will love. Eric and I also get into the strange emotional push-and-pull of success, the difference between performing and truly listening, and why Eric unexpectedly became a mentor figure to young fans through Victorious. Follow Eric Lange: IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1441925/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mrericlange/] Twitter [https://x.com/MrEricLange]

Misha Euceph

Misha Euceph [http://www.mishaeuceph.com/about] - writer, producer, and award-winning podcast creator behind acclaimed audio projects including Tell Them, I Am, The Butterfly Effect, and Snap Judgment - joins me for a deeply funny, wildly thoughtful conversation about identity, storytelling, immigration, politics, podcasting, and what it means to take up space in America. Born in Pakistan and raised in the U.S. after immigrating at age eleven and a half (very important distinction, according to Misha), she talks about growing up between cultures, learning to "perform" Americanness as a kid, and how podcasting evolved alongside her own career as a storyteller and writer. We also get into why she insists she's a writer first and a podcaster second, despite Apple apparently categorizing her entire existence simply as "podcast." Along the way, we discuss everything from South Asian representation in media and why immigrant stories often feel creatively limiting, to whether naturalized citizens should be allowed to run for president, why America still hasn't elected a woman president, and the strange psychological freedom of moving through the world with the confidence of "a six-foot-five white man named Chad." Misha is razor-sharp, endlessly curious, and one of those guests who can pivot from deeply personal observations to hilarious absurdity in a single sentence. This one felt less like an interview and more like accidentally stumbling into a three-hour conversation with someone you immediately want to keep talking to. Listen to Misha's Podcast "Tell Them, I Am." [https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tell-them-i-am/id1458776739&ved=2ahUKEwjxkPPMjrKUAxVX5ckDHXklDtUQFnoECA0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw2hHj24y4HKzroWhZuzW97o] Follow Misha Euceph: Website [http://www.mishaeuceph.com] Substack [https://mishaeuceph.substack.com] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/meuceph/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@meuceph]