Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Pixar IRL) tried for years to get Improv Everywhere on TV with lots of ups and downs along the way. We talk about how he wound up in handcuffs after an Improv Everywhere prank gone awry, seeing a network steal and produce one of his show ideas a year after he pitched it, being told by an agent how his show was a used car that he could not sell, and how this pandemic has been a gut check moment for a company that thrives on live human interaction.

Charlie Todd (Improv Everywhere, Pixar IRL) tried for years to get Improv Everywhere on TV with lots of ups and downs along the way. We talk about how he wound up in handcuffs after an Improv Everywhere prank gone awry, seeing a network steal and produce one of his show ideas a year after he pitched it, being told by an agent how his show was a used car that he could not sell, and how this pandemic has been a gut check moment for a company that thrives on live human interaction.

Robyn Schneider (The Beginning of Everything, You Don't Live Here) sold her first book at 18. It was the best and worst day of her life. Straddling a life between writing and medical school, Robyn overcomes trauma, book flops, book cancellations, theft, and a slew of other setbacks on the road to becoming a best selling author. Robyn talks about how she got through it all, shares some writing tips and tricks, and reveals the latest leap of faith she took during the pandemic.

In Part 2 of our conversation, Jordan Klepper (The Daily Show, Klepper) talks about filling in as host of The Daily Show when Trevor Noah was sick, the joys of getting your own TV show and the gut-punch of it being taken away, and the life changing experience of being arrested. Jordan also takes us behind the scenes of life as a Daily Show correspondent, what he learned about mindset from The School of Life, and talks about the time his boat capsized in the gator-filled bayou while covering...

In Part 1 of our conversation, Jordan Klepper (The Daily Show, The Opposition) talks about his decade of ups and downs in Chicago, what led him to NY, and auditioning for The Daily Show.

Julie Buxbaum's (Tell Me Three Things, Admission) worked on her third novel for over two years, after giving birth to her first child, and made the painful decision to shelve it because it was capable but not exciting.

Sam Pancake (A Million Little Things, Arrested Development) got the dream call that he was getting his own TV show - but the deal was so bad he had to walk away, which actually opened up unforeseen acting opportunities. We talk about battling his addictions, his rock bottom moments, and his road to rehab and recovery, as well as what he learned about auditioning while working in commercial casting.  FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON...

Sam Pancake (A Million Little Things, Arrested Development) got the dream call that he was getting his own TV show - but the deal was so bad he had to walk away, which actually opened up unforeseen acting opportunities. We talk about battling his addictions, his rock bottom moments, and his road to rehab and recovery, as well as what he learned about auditioning while working in commercial casting.  FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON...

Amy Spalding (We Used to Be Friends, The Summer of Jordi Perez) secured a literary agent, but it took another three years to get her first book published. We talk about the benefits of having a day job she excels at, burning her childhood novels in a family bonfire, the dangers of only participating in things you are good at, and why boredom is important for creativity and how the modern world is robbing us of it.  FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON...

Amy Spalding (We Used to Be Friends, The Summer of Jordi Perez) secured a literary agent, but it took another three years to get her first book published. We talk about the benefits of having a day job she excels at, burning her childhood novels in a family bonfire, the dangers of only participating in things you are good at, and why boredom is important for creativity and how the modern world is robbing us of it.  FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON...

Mark McConville (SuperEgo, Talking Tom & Friends) went to college to study music and was denied after his audition freshmen year. We talk about the formation of SuperEgo, the value of intention, landing a job at Disney after working 16 hour days at Starbucks and a retail store, and the importance of creating your own work.  FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG...

Mark McConville (SuperEgo, Talking Tom & Friends) went to college to study music and was denied after his audition freshmen year. We talk about the formation of SuperEgo, the value of intention, landing a job at Disney after working 16 hour days at Starbucks and a retail store, and the importance of creating your own work.  FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI: https://twitter.com/theneedtofail https://twitter.com/donfanelli THE NEED TO FAIL IS A FOREVER DOG...

Paige Weldon (Heathers, The Late Late Show with James Corden) had a humor website she co-created hacked and destroyed. Five years of writing and artwork from herself and her friends went down the drain overnight. We chat about how messing up in her Heathers audition probably helped book her the role, the difficulty of working meditation into her routine, being sick and having two days notice for her Late Night stand-up debut, and how agreeing to perform at a Laffy Taffy joke contest helped...

Paige Weldon (Heathers, The Late Late Show with James Corden) had a humor website she co-created hacked and destroyed. Five years of writing and artwork from herself and her friends went down the drain overnight. We chat about how messing up in her Heathers audition probably helped book her the role, the difficulty of working meditation into her routine, being sick and having two days notice for her Late Night stand-up debut, and how agreeing to perform at a Laffy Taffy joke contest helped...

Hal Lublin (The Thrilling Adventure Hour, The Venture Bros.) flew himself out to NY to audition for Boom Amsterdam, positive he was going to get hired. He did not. We talk about how he wanted to quit the industry after his mother passed away and what brought him back, how he heard the possible worse thing you can hear from a casting director when he auditioned for Disney, and he shares some very helpful advice for people looking to break into the world of Voice Over. FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL...

Hal Lublin (The Thrilling Adventure Hour, The Venture Bros.) flew himself out to NY to audition for Boom Amsterdam, positive he was going to get hired. He did not. We talk about how he wanted to quit the industry after his mother passed away and what brought him back, how he heard the possible worse thing you can hear from a casting director when he auditioned for Disney, and he shares some very helpful advice for people looking to break into the world of Voice Over. FOLLOW THE NEED TO FAIL...

Aaron Abrams (Lovebirds, Blindspot) had a panic attack in an audition after he thought the casting director had mistaken him for someone else. We chat about the role he didn't think he was going to book because he accidentally ate tacks in front of the casting directors, booking his first series regular role after being told he no shot at getting the part, and the two big things he learned from becoming a reader for auditions.  THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first...

Aaron Abrams (Lovebirds, Blindspot) had a panic attack in an audition after he thought the casting director had mistaken him for someone else. We chat about the role he didn't think he was going to book because he accidentally ate tacks in front of the casting directors, booking his first series regular role after being told he no shot at getting the part, and the two big things he learned from becoming a reader for auditions.  THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first...

Atsuko Okatsuka (Room 104, Let's Go, Atsuko!) was new to stand up and flown down to audition for America's Got Talent. She was X-ed by Howard Stern during her set and booed by the audience. We chat about how being an immigrant influenced her early comedic style, why she works her standup routine out on a tree first, and how getting organized over the last couple of years has inspired her now more than ever. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at...

Atsuko Okatsuka (Room 104, Let's Go, Atsuko!) was new to stand up and flown down to audition for America's Got Talent. She was X-ed by Howard Stern during her set and booed by the audience. We chat about how being an immigrant influenced her early comedic style, why she works her standup routine out on a tree first, and how getting organized over the last couple of years has inspired her now more than ever. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at...

Todd Masterson (Gay Fat Friend, Fashion Police) got his dream job working for Joan Rivers and then it was all taken away. We talk about the origins of his GayFatFriend instagram account, almost getting to work at Family Guy, and how watching restoration and makeup tutorial videos helps him get over setbacks. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON...

Todd Masterson (Gay Fat Friend, Fashion Police) got his dream job working for Joan Rivers and then it was all taken away. We talk about the origins of his GayFatFriend instagram account, almost getting to work at Family Guy, and how watching restoration and makeup tutorial videos helps him get over setbacks. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP! Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/fail! CONNECT W/ THE NEED TO FAIL & DON FANELLI ON...

In our first crossover episode, Don joins the boys of You're the Man Dog Podcast, Dan Lippert and Ryan Rosenberg to chat about personal setbacks and reflexions on their sketch/improv team Big Grande. We talk about how Ryan dealt with his three friends/teammates getting onto the same Harold team without him, how Dan was cut from his college acting program, and how Big Grande wrote a pilot that they sold but weren't proud of. The second half of our conversation can be found on You're the Man...

In our first crossover episode, Don joins the boys of You're the Man Dog Podcast, Dan Lippert and Ryan Rosenberg to chat about personal setbacks and reflexions on their sketch/improv team Big Grande. We talk about how Ryan dealt with his three friends/teammates getting onto the same Harold team without him, how Dan was cut from his college acting program, and how Big Grande wrote a pilot that they sold but weren't proud of. The second half of our conversation can be found on You're the Man...

After Bill Posley's (The Day I Became Black, Survivor) family filed for bankruptcy and his house was foreclosed on, he didn't have money for college. So he joined the Army after high school and graduated from basic training... on 9/11. He talks about how the army prepared him for failure, how he was escorted out of Sunset Gower Studios because he thought Matchbox 20's Rob Thomas had stollen a TV show idea of his, and getting lured into a sham production company which ended with him driving on...