Feedback with Ira Madison III

We’re talking lights, camera, action with writer, director, and Ira’s book club bestie Shatara Michelle Ford. They talk about Ford’s latest feature, Dreams in Nightmares, the real cost of funding their first indie project, and how to make ambitious work without waiting for Hollywood’s green light. Plus, Shatara breaks down what they learned working with director James Gray on Lost City of Z and the moment on set that made Shatara fall in love with Robert Pattinson's acting.00:00 Welcome to Feedback03:12 Ira and Shatara Reunite07:38 Queen Elizabeth and The Black List13:42 From Test Pattern to Dreams in Nightmares26:24 Shatara’s Directing Process33:08 Learning From James Gray40:31 Robert Pattinson and The Lost City of Z43:46 Making a Black Queer Road Movie49:30 Richard Brody and Dreams in Nightmares51:13 What’s Next for Shatara? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Feedback, Ira sits down with playwright Max Wolf Friedlich, whose Broadway hit "Job" went from a scrappy sleeper to a show so in-demand that Hugh Jackman could barely get a ticket. Max opens up about the realities of creating a Broadway banger, what it's been like following up with his new play "The Holes", and the unlikely origin of his theater career — a LARPing summer camp at age nine. Plus, a little on looksmaxxing, slam poetry, and creating social cachet in supporting art.0:00 Rachel Cusk's Life of M & the Natalie Portman Rumors2:52 Introducing Max Friedlich & His New Play The Holes6:16 How Job Became a Viral Broadway Sensation9:10 Max's Early Social Media Career12:24 NYC Celebrity Theater Culture and Writer Anonymity16:59 The Origin of The Holes: LARPing Camp & an 8th-Grade Assignment24:14 Max Relives His Slam Poetry Days28:49 Avoiding a "Job" Sequel: Controversy, Honesty & the Mental Toll of Broadway33:32 Tech Bros and Social Cachet in Supporting the Arts40:24 What Theater Teaches Men46:29 Celebrity Scandal Nostalgia, NYC Food & Comfort Movies52:08 Indie Film & Theater Influences: Jane Schoenbrun, Passing Strange & The Seafarer58:46 Screens on Stage, Fan Encounters & Quitting Social Media1:07:08 Internet Outrage, Dolly Parton & Looksmaxing Culture1:14:18 Robert Pattinson Producing The Holes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phoebe Robinson is here, and she has thoughts! She joins Ira for a conversation about pop culture, comedy, and saying exactly what you think. They get into Phoebe’s viral wig rants, the strange state of celebrity podcasts, and why she wants people to stop treating pop culture commentary like the news. They also discuss Phoebe's return to stand-up, and what it really means to be in your "Rich Auntie" era.Buy tickets to Phoebe's Feral and Fired Up! Tour: https://www.phoeberobinson.com/00:00 Ira Talks About Dolly Parton02:48 Phoebe Robinson’s New Book, “Rich Auntie”05:37 Friendship, Boundaries, and Getting Older06:53 Writing Books and Finding Her Voice13:27 The Evolution of Podcasting Since “2 Dope Queens”18:01 Phoebe’s “Wig Rants” and Sharing Opinions Online24:00 Why She Doesn’t Have an Opinion on Everything28:06 Creating Her Own Opportunities31:44 The Responsibility of Comedy37:49 Creating Tiny Reparations Books41:07 Advice for Becoming a Better Writer46:36 Giving Artists More Time to Create48:30 Pop Culture, “The Valley,” and What She’s Watching52:26 Problematic Celebrity Crushes54:00 The Worst Things She’s Spent Money On55:45 Books, London, and Lady Gaga57:28 Why Men Should Read More Fiction01:01:13 Do People Actually Read the Books They Post Online?01:04:14 Book Covers and “You Can’t Touch My Hair”01:05:19 Phoebe’s Dream Podcast Guest Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ira is joined by bestselling author Angela Flournoy for a conversation about writing, reading, and trusting your audience. Together, they discuss Angela’s writing group back in LA, the joy (and frustration) of Goodreads, why some books teach you how to read them, and the delicate balance between guiding readers and letting them figure things out for themselves. Plus, Angela explains why she's actually pro-feedback — and why every writer should resist the urge to Google themselves.00:00 Intro: Ira’s Reading Habits and Tips from Well-Read New Yorkers02:35 Angela Flournoy and The Wilderness08:15 Writing a Novel Over Ten Years10:57 Life as a Writer18:16 Writing for the Page, Not the Screen23:27 Toni Morrison and Teaching Readers How to Read31:02 Writing Routines and the Pomodoro Method37:50 Books, Prizes, and the Writing Life43:52 Knowing When It's Time for a New Book49:13 The Novel, Short Stories, and The Wilderness52:59 Ghosts, Grief, and Loss54:40 Friendship and Making New Friends59:42 What Fiction Reveals About the Writer1:02:15 Classic Books and Reading in 20261:05:55 Teaching Writing and MFA Programs1:10:00 Goodreads, Reviews, and Feedback Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ira sits down with writer, cultural critic, and TikTok commentator Josh Lora (@tellthebeees) to unpack the cultural forces shaping what we watch, read, and obsess over online. They get into Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, the internet’s growing fixation on masculinity, and why TikTok has turned beauty, loneliness, and dating into a warped competition. Along the way, they debate the state of BookTok, the death of counterculture, and whether reality TV needs a little more mess. Plus, Josh explains the Harry Jowsey lore and why you absolutely do not need to watch Let’s Marry Harry.00:00 Ira Madison III Introduces the Episode04:21 Josh Lora Joins Ira: Christopher Nolan & The Odyssey07:40 The Odyssey, Identity & Representation12:05 Christopher Nolan’s Fascination With Masculinity20:45 Masculinity, Guilt & the “Great Man”24:29 Interstellar, Spider-Man & Male Loneliness32:29 TikTok, Beauty Standards & Online Culture41:09 Daria, Punk & the Death of Counterculture46:55 Celebrity Fandom & the Rise of Stan Culture52:58 BookTok, Reading Culture & DNFing Books56:06 Why Internet Culture Is Getting Darker01:06:41 Reality TV, Netflix & the Death of the Reality Star Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.