Sondheim, Building A Creative Career, and Horse Lawyers | Gabe Mollica

Sondheim, Building A Creative Career, and Horse Lawyers | Gabe Mollica

America just turned 250, and Matt Buechele argues that it doesn't need another culture war—it needs a constitutional rewrite. His proposed amendments tackle everything from celebrity gambling ads and AI data centers to Supreme Court term limits. Then he sits down with writer, performer, and solo-show mastermind Gabe Mollica to talk about friendship, ambition, changing careers, and the strange challenge of figuring out what kind of creative life you actually want. They get into stand-up comedy, working in television for the first time, Sondheim musicals, horse lawyers, reality TV, and the surprisingly powerful feeling of finding the right creative collaborators. Topics: Working 12-hour days on a tv staff Opening set for a future J-6 rioter Booking standup sets at hostels Moving from bar shows to solo specials Using TV writing to fund my part Millennials and the marriage dilemma Being featured on This American Life The hierarchy of 50 US states Father’s career as a horse lawyer A handwritten letter from sondheim Working for Matthew Gray Gubler Writing for the creator of Monk SNL, Tina Fey, and Lorne Michaels predictions Chapters: 00:00:00 Working for the creator of Monk on Einstein 00:05:38 Why comedy club pay is stuck in 1979 00:10:50 How politics and Trump killed creative optimism 00:15:48 The luxury of being pampered on a network TV set 00:20:58 Sitting at coffee shops and writing jokes 00:26:30 Designing roads to keep people out of New York 00:31:41 The raw energy of early reality television 00:36:44 Watching my father achieve a 30-year dream at 50 00:42:11 Why Whiplash is the ultimate movie for artists 00:47:32 Searching for pretty melodies in the woods 00:53:01 Pitching a high-concept jukebox musical in reverse 00:58:36 Predicting if Lorne Michaels will ever actually retire FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ [https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/%20] ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot [https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot%20] FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ [%20https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/%20] ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell [https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell%20] ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Reflecting Pools, Temp Jobs & Brooklyn Coffee Shop | Pooja Tripathi

Matt Buechele breaks down Washington's mysterious reflecting pool saga, why America suddenly can't stop talking about the color of swamp water, and the surprising symbolism of a government struggling to fix a reflecting pool. He also reports back from Los Angeles, where self-driving cars, delivery robots, and eerily empty sidewalks make New York feel almost normal. Then he sits down with creator and Brooklyn Coffee Shop star Pooja Tripathi to talk about leaving a career in fashion, discovering comedy later in life, weird temp jobs, improv classes, internet fame, and building one of the internet's most beloved comedy series from a tiny Brooklyn coffee shop. They also get into Japan, social media brain rot, comment-section warfare, and why embarrassment is usually a sign you're headed in the right direction. Chapters: 00:00:00 Why creator Pooja Tripathi quit her dream job 00:06:22 When the self-serious fashion world got old  00:18:40 Turning a green screen sketch into a viral hit series 00:24:42 Why being embarrassing is a creative superpower 00:30:56 The extreme rise of male beauty standards 00:36:12 Industry gatekeepers and the "Too niche" Myth 00:42:10 My chill boss was working two secret jobs 00:49:10 Why the world of improv comedy is so nerdy 00:55:13 International vs global production costs 01:01:21 Comparing the noise of New York City to Japan cities 01:07:41 Predicting the first influencer brand trip to space Topics:  Quitting a corporate fashion career at Bloomingdale's  The logistical absurdity of filming in Tokyo vs Kansas City  Why improv feels like a trap  Dealing with modern social media comments  The rise of leg lengthening surgery for men  Japan’s cleanliness and quiet vs NYC  Treating TikTok like high-end HBO productions  Predicting the first influencer brand trips to outer space  Being an only child prepares you for comedy FOLLOW THE SHOW  ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ [https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/]   ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot [https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot]   FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ [https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/]   ►TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell [https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell]   ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social]  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

The World Cup, Tarot Cards & Star Wars Toys | Brenda Cullerton

Matt Buechele breaks down the World Cup coming to America, the shared confusion of getting to MetLife Stadium, and why international visitors keep looking at American food like it's a science experiment. He also takes on primary election season, campaign spam, and the annual transformation of abandoned storefronts into political headquarters nobody asked for. Then he sits down with writer, actor, and internet icon Brenda Cullerton for a conversation about New York in the 1970s, accidentally building a creative life by following curiosity instead of a plan, and why making things with people you like is still one of life's greatest pleasures. Along the way, they get into writing copy for Star Wars toys, tarot cards, stand-up comedy, social media brain rot, the surprising upside of living rich and dying poor, and whether America is actually getting dumber or if we're just filming it more. Topics : Writing star wars copy in the seventies Being the secret voice of darth vader Living in a ninety-five dollar studio Why remote work is a virtual prison The value of peaking late in a career Navigating nyc fashion and elitism Handling creative rejection and hubris The terror of bad tarot card readings  Chapters: 00:00:00 Brenda Cullerton paid $95 a month for a studio in Gramercy Park 00:03:48 Writing for Darth Vader and Office Habits 00:10:03 Politics and Common Sense 00:15:12 The Approachable Coastal Elite 00:20:49 Handling Creative Criticism 00:25:46 Rejection and Artistic Failure 00:30:31 Birthday Drama and Boundaries 00:35:24 Tarot Readings and Curses 00:40:30 NYC Mayor and Local Politics 00:43:45 The Strait of Vermouth and Geography 00:48:54 Modern Education and 80K Tuition 00:55:17 Summer Predictions and Closing FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ [https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/]   ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot [https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot]   FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ [https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/]  ►TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell [https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell]  ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social]  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Knicks Fever, TikTok Tours & Buying the Good Rice | Fumi Abe

Matt Buechele celebrates the New York Knicks' historic Finals comeback, the return of civic pride to New York City, and why a basketball team might be doing a better job bringing Americans together than just about anything else right now. Then he sits down with comedian Fumi Abe to talk about growing up in Ohio after immigrating from Japan, the strange economics of stand-up comedy, touring with TikTok stars, marching band humiliation, cross-country crushes, and what happens when a comedy writer suddenly starts making enough money to ignore parking tickets. They also get into late night TV, social media fame, upstate New York, and why the true sign of success might just be buying the expensive rice. Topics: Life as a touring stand-up comedian Writing for James Corden in Los Angeles Performing on Fallon and Colbert Internet viral culture changing comedy  Secrets of late night TV writing Creating comedy inspired by everyday life Hot takes with Fumi Abe Making it big on the internet Chapters: 00:00:00 Fumi Abe’s viral podcast clip story 00:05:45 Touring revenue and quitting writing jobs 00:11:30 Performance of wealth in LA and Upstate New York 00:17:15 Making internet jokes work on a comedy stage 00:23:00 Growing up in Ohio and high school sports 00:28:45 Being an organic folk drummer in Brother Goose 00:34:30 Leaving music business for the comedy grind 00:40:15 Navigating social media and getting older fans 00:46:00 Experience writing for James Corden in LA 00:51:45 Stand-up sets on Fallon and Colbert 00:57:30 Comedy writing process and the urologist bit 01:03:15 Predictions for self-driving cars and airplanes FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ [https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/] ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot [https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot] FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ [https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/] ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell [https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell] ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Kareem Rahma Built an Empire with Subway Takes | Kareem Rahma

Matt Buechele breaks down why tiny indie films with names that sound like shuttered strip clubs are suddenly beating massive studio franchises at the box office, and why audiences seem increasingly desperate for something that doesn't feel focus-grouped to death.  Then he sits down with Kareem Rahma to talk about building Subway Takes into an internet institution, the weird economics of making things online, arguing with commenters, country-house dad life, late night TV's future, and the challenge of making meaningful art while still paying the bills. They also get into New York, burnout, family, and Kareem's political philosophy: if you want to be rich, be rich — we'll take care of the rest. TOPICS COVERED: Keep the Meter Running with Kareem Rahma Shooting on NYC trains Why creators need security From digital creator to producer Viral burnout and fame Future of late night on YouTube Will digital creators win Emmys A one billion dollar wealth cap CHAPTERS: 00:00 Kareem Rahma on shooting Subway Takes 04:40 Filming with security and getting recognized 09:20 Building the New Hollywood in New York 14:00 Why the digital creator label is frustrating 18:40 Fame and the dream of being a one hit wonder 23:20 Comparing traditional late night to YouTube 28:00 Why digital shows need brand deals and ads 32:40 Dealing with viral comments and internet culture 37:20 Personal life and providing for family 42:00 The Socialist Capitalism political party idea 46:40 Running for mayor and 2028 election predictions 51:20 The future of awards and driverless cars in NYC FOLLOW THE SHOW ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/ [https://www.instagram.com/thatsoundslikealot/] ►Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot [https://www.threads.com/@thatsoundslikealot] FOLLOW MATT BUECHELE ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/ [https://www.instagram.com/mattbooshell/] ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell [https://www.tiktok.com/@mattbooshell] ►Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/mattbooshell.bsky.social] #KeepTheMeterRunning #SubwayTakes #NewHollywood #SmallTownMayor #LateNightFuture #WriterVsCreator Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]