Episodes

Episode 227: Stephen Fry, Gail Simmons, and Daniel Boulud


Brit wit Stephen Fry talks Shakespeare, takes on Turkey Day, and meets dead people… “Top Chef” judge Gail Simmons adjudicates your etiquette questions while growing the perfect sous chef… star chef Daniel Boulud sniffs out truffle treasure… “Medora” co-director Davy Rothbart declares victory for some beautiful losers… neuroscientist and skeptic Sam Harris cannot tell a lie… wunderkind media polymath Tavi Gevinson jokes around… and country singer Julie Roberts suggests songs for getting dressed – and undressed.  Plus:  The computer glitch that almost lead to doomsday… And the only thing that’s gonna break a man’s stride is love.


“Ironic Misogynist Joke” – Tavi Gevinson

Icebreaker


Taking a (Slow) Walk in Love

Small Talk

Reyhan Harmanci, executive editor of the food/culture magazine Modern Farmer, tells us about love, walking, and the evolutionary justification for spending Friday night at home with Netflix.


A Cold War Close Call

A History Lesson With Booze ®

You're the White House Security Adviser, it's 3AM, and you get the call that Doomsday is nigh — but then you learn it was all just a computer simulation gone awry.


Davy Rothbart Declares Victory For Beautiful Losers

Guest List

Author-filmmaker Davy Rothbart comes from a small town - as does the winless high school basketball team at the center of his new film "Medora." He lists some other winning losers.


Stephen Fry on the Bard's 'Cakes and Ale' Populism

Guest of Honor

Stephen Fry studied to be a tweedy Shakespeare scholar before a life of acting and comedy distracted him. Now he is returning to his roots and making his Broadway debut in "Twelfth Night."


Gail Simmons Declares Herself "Perfect Omnivore"

Etiquette

Top Chef Judge and culinary expert Gail Simmons calls out picky eaters as idiots and wimps and otherwise advises on polite behavior.


Chef Daniel Boulud Shares Casual Extravagance

Main Course

Star chef and restauranteur Daniel Boulud has a new cookbook of classic, rustic French fare. If he puts truffles on your potato, we suggest not pushing them to the side.


Sam Harris: Honestly

Chattering Class

Neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris' new book explores his twenty year experiment in 'radical honesty' and discusses how even casual lying undermines human relationships.


Country Singer Julie Roberts Loves Sad, Sexy, and Steel Guitar

Soundtrack

Julie Roberts gets ready to enjoy some "Good Wine and Bad Decisions" with her friends in this playlist entirely of fellow female singer-songwriters.


Playlist: Episode 227

Playlist

Music used in this week's episode