Episode 24 - Jonah Peretti

Episode 24 - Jonah Peretti

Jonah Peretti [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah_Peretti] has spent the last two decades reshaping the way the internet thinks, feels, and spreads ideas. As the co-founder of HuffPost and the founder and CEO of BuzzFeed, he helped architect the modern viral ecosystem -- where emotion is currency, attention is the medium, and culture moves at the speed of a share. Born in California and trained at MIT, Peretti’s path into media didn’t begin in a newsroom, but in systems thinking: experiments in how ideas propagate, how networks behave, and how digital culture accelerates when feedback loops are tight enough. He co-founded HuffPost in the early blog era, then launched BuzzFeed as a kind of laboratory for the social web: quizzes, listicles, memes, and later, serious journalism and video -- each format tuned to the logic of platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Under his leadership, BuzzFeed became both a cultural engine and a mirror, reflecting the internet’s appetite for novelty, emotion, and speed. Outside of media, Peretti is also a nationally ranked masters sprinter, specializing in the 400-meter distance. In this conversation, Howie and Jonah discuss his evolution as a runner and how it serves as both a companion and counterpoint to his digital life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Episode 23 - Amanda Salazar

Amanda Salazar [https://www.instagram.com/asalazarmovies/] is the Director of Programming at Vidiots, the beloved Los Angeles film nonprofit and revival cinema that has become a cultural anchor in Eagle Rock. Originally founded as a video store in 1985, Vidiots has evolved into a one-of-a-kind hub for film lovers, blending repertory screenings, new releases, and a 50,000-title physical media archive into a deeply community-driven space.  In this episode, Amanda and Howie explore what it means to curate not just films, but experiences. From programming 35mm screenings to building inclusive, accessible film culture, Amanda shares how her work is guided by a simple but powerful idea: movies are meant to be shared. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Episode 22 - Season 2 Launch

We're back with a new season! Season Two of Salt and Flickers begins with a conversation about creation — not just the finished product, but the messy, collaborative process behind it. In this special three-way episode, Howie sits down with artist and designer Eric Junker [https://www.instagram.com/ericjunker/] and illustrator and storyteller Jason Shelowitz, [https://www.instagram.com/jayshells_/] the two creative partners who helped bring the Salt and Flickers book to life. Together, they unpack how an idea that started as conversations about movement and mindset evolved into a physical object — a book shaped by community, trust, and shared vision. This episode sets the tone for the new season — a reminder that meaningful work is a long run, not a sprint, and that the strongest ideas come to life when people move together. You can find the book now at saltandflickers.com [https://saltandflickers.com] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Episode 21 - Emily Timmer

Emily Timmer [https://www.instagram.com/e.c.timmer] is a filmmaker, writer, coach, and endurance athlete whose creative life is deeply shaped by movement. Raised in Washington State and now based in Los Angeles, Emily has spent her life toggling between running and storytelling — using the same principles of patience, repetition, and presence to guide both. In this episode, Emily opens up about her journey through competitive running, her experience entering rehab for orthorexia, and how learning to run healthily reshaped her relationship to both her body and her work. She shares how writing a short novel during that time reignited her storytelling path, eventually leading her toward filmmaking and an MFA in Directing. We talk about training for her upcoming 50K, finishing the ninth draft of a feature film centered around an ultramarathon, and how endurance sports continue to inform her creative process. Emily reflects on loss, grief, and the role of somatic connection in healing — including how losing her best friend to cancer has found its way into her current script. The conversation also explores run club culture, community building, the pressures of brand involvement, and why Emily believes the running boom may be in a fragile bubble. Along the way, she shares what it means to “rest in motion,” why she sees herself as a jazz filmmaker, and how movement helps her stay balanced, embodied, and creatively alive. This episode is an honest meditation on discipline without punishment, creativity without isolation, and the quiet power of listening to the body — on the page, on the road, and in life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Episode 20 - Phoebe Robinson

Phoebe Robinson [https://www.instagram.com/dopequeenpheebs/] is best known as a comedian, writer, actor, producer, and cultural powerhouse — co-host of Two Dope Queens, interviewer of Michelle Obama, bestselling author, and founder of Tiny Reparations Books. But in 2023, after a breakup and on the edge of turning 40, Phoebe decided to try something that had never clicked before: running. What began as a simple 5K training plan has evolved into marathons, strength cycles, Hyrox races, and a full-blown love affair with movement. In this conversation, Phoebe talks about embracing the discomfort of being a beginner, why running mirrors stand-up comedy, and how honoring your commitments builds confidence far beyond the miles. We explore the mental freedom she finds on the treadmill, the joy of the final finishers in New York, and the discipline, humor, and heart it takes to keep moving when things get hard. This is a funny, honest, and encouraging look at what happens when you give yourself permission to grow — slowly, imperfectly, and entirely on your own terms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]