Jen Spyra is a writer whose work has been featured in the New Yorker. She was a senior writer at the Onion and also wrote for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert for four seasons. She joins us for a conversation about catchin d while havin' cancer, how gossip is good, and cowards in the republican party.

00:00:00 Cold Open
00:00:30 Welcome to But Also
00:01:03 Life in the Samurai Hole
00:02:05 The "Fucking It Out" Coffee Shop Ritual
00:06:17 Coffee Shops vs. Libraries
00:08:33 Pomodoro, Phone Bricks, and Deadlines
00:12:57 The Saratoga Springs Writer's Retreat
00:14:15 On Being Around "Real" Writers
00:15:57 Cancer in High School
00:22:44 Dads, Weight, and the Wisconsin Pizza Years
00:27:08 Obsession, Wish Fulfillment, and Black Mirror
00:30:15 Critiquing Other People's Work Publicly
00:32:40 The MFA and Getting Mad
00:35:31 Improv Team Scapegoats
00:40:19 Everything Is Copy
00:45:32 The 65 Coats Theory
00:47:33 In Defense of Gossip
00:53:15 Why Jen Is a Good Hang
00:56:38 The Teleprompter Betting Scandal
01:01:25 Sports Betting Morality
01:07:28 Nobody Will Say Who Won 2020
01:12:06 Unrelatable Liars and Permanent Legacies
01:14:57 Full Throated Endorsement: TURN
01:20:23 Outro

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Josh Gondelman joins Michael and Asher to talk apartment disasters, sneaker culture, insurance mascots, and the books he can't stop recommending.

0:00 Cold Open/Intro

0:58 The Great Apartment Flood

6:23 "Freak My Sneaks"

9:10 Pimp My Ride Ruined People's Lives

11:50 Jake From State Farm and J.K. Simmons

17:24 Josh's Twitter Pep Talk Era

20:05 The Modern Seinfeld Twitter Account

21:53 Getting Typecast After One Big Job

26:37 Why SubwayTakes Can't Be Cloned

28:03 Furniture Assembly and Contractor Disasters

33:46 We’re Eating It

36:11 The Sandwich Line

40:03 Would You Hand Over Your Watch?

42:40 The Wrong Sandwich

44:31 Forbidden Egg Rolls and Gefilte Fish

46:55 Josh's Bar Mitzvah on Masada

51:16 Keeping Jewish Traditions His Own Way

56:29 Restaurant Pacing and Wine Standoffs

59:20 Optimistic Josh

1:01:45 The Pressure of Being Too Nice

1:06:37 What Josh Tells New Comedians

1:10:28 Full Throated Endorsements Segment

1:11:04 Josh's Wife Picks His Books

1:15:07 Josh's Current Reading Pile

1:17:44 Outro / Goodbyes

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Rachel Antonoff is a fashion designer, dog lover, and has strong feelings about plungers.

But Also is produced by Suite Tea Studio

00:00:00 Cold Open
00:00:30 Convincing Michael to Get a Dog
00:05:15 Frantic Vet Emails to Dr. Thompson
00:08:14 Talking to Pets in Weird Voices
00:10:56 Show Tunes and the Miss Saigon Obsession
00:12:03 Playing Annie at the JCC
00:13:41 Fiddler on the Roof: Topol vs. Zero Mostel
00:15:01 Rachel's Fashion Brand and the Tevye Bit
00:21:12 Theatrical Fashion Shows and Pink Phones
00:23:10 Fashion Trends: Big Shorts and Big Pants
00:24:03 Designing for Comfort (and Pockets)
00:25:54 The Great Crocs Debate
00:29:48 Sexual Harassment Seminar Stories
00:32:26 The Harris Wittels Story
00:34:00 DARE and Being a Rule Follower
00:36:48 Bullying, Pranks, and the Camp Dance
00:44:56 The Late Show Wrap Party Dance Floor
00:49:26 Self-Consciousness About Photos
00:52:17 Braces, Retainers, and Invisalign
00:55:40 Looksmaxing, Goofing, and Fart Rooms
01:00:37 Full-Throated Endorsements: Dogs on the Internet and AI Margaret
01:03:27 Endorsement: Hotel Bathroom Design
01:05:29 Endorsement: Don't Clean Before Guests
01:08:58 Endorsement: Psyllium Husk
01:11:06 Endorsement: Single-Use Plungers
01:15:19 Outro and Credits

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Jordan Klepper (The Daily Show) joins Michael and Asher to talk field reporting, the "Brick Suit Guy," and what actually changes someone's mind when the cameras are off. Plus: DOGE, voter ID, Graham Platner, dad life, and trips to the gastroenterologist.

00:00:00 Cold Open
00:00:22 Welcome
00:00:59 Podcast Photos, Dress Code, and Homework
00:05:03 Introducing Jordan Klepper
00:05:16 Standup, Storytelling, and the PowerPoint Show
00:07:10 Suffering Fools and Life on the Road
00:08:23 The Brick Suit Guy Story
00:12:53 Friendship Across the Political Divide
00:19:57 Is Political Comedy Actually Helpful?
00:23:07 The Socratic Method of Field Interviews
00:26:41 Doge, Voter ID, and Moments of Doubt
00:37:01 The Housing Bill and the Filibuster
00:40:46 Grace for RFK Jr and the Cabinet
00:46:31 The Madman Theory
00:50:37 2026 Predictions and Graham Platner
00:56:00 Patrick Dempsey and Being a Dad
00:59:24 Who Owns an Embarrassing Story
01:01:47 Doctor Stories: Clinton, Colonoscopy, and the Giant Cardiologist
01:14:59 The Colonoscopy Nap
01:20:49 Full Throated Endorsements: The Agency and 24
01:26:22 Outro

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Taylor Ortega is an actress & comedian starring in Big Mistakes on Netflix. She chats with Michael and Asher about Scents, fashion shows, and Ipods

But Also with Michael and Asher is produced by Suite Tea Studio

00:00:00 Cold Open
00:00:25 Fashion Week Nerves and Celine
00:03:50 Nominal Determinism and the Winner Loser Twins
00:05:44 Smells, Signature Scents, and Bad Breath
00:13:15 Coffee, Sleep Schedules, and Late Night Sports
00:15:49 Gray Hair and the Wizard Aging Debate
00:18:32 Show Intro
00:18:48 Welcoming Taylor Ortega and Big Mistakes Season 2
00:23:35 Set Stories and the QVC Amazon Gig
00:28:03 Carrying a Lead Role and Improv on Set
00:31:05 Writing Comedy for a Casino in Macau
00:32:55 Craft, Repetition, and Watching Great Performers
00:36:16 Astrology and Birth Charts
00:40:35 Remember When: The First iPod on the Bus
00:45:27 You Don't Own Me, Brick, and Silent Retreats
00:49:43 Remember When: Bees in the Trap with Jimmy Fallon
00:56:27 Remember When: The Hamster Mug Shot
01:00:46 Full Throated Endorsements: Local News and Kelly and Mark
01:05:50 Post Show Spirals and Permanent Records
01:08:19 Celine Favorites and Endorsing Widow's Bay
01:11:07 Full Throated Endorsement: Sports
01:15:33 Plugs and Outro

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Jeff Hiller is an Emmy Award Winning Actor, Comedian, and Improviser. He starred as Joel in the Emmy Winning TV Show Somebody Somewhere, and he also stars as Dale on the TV show Widow's Bay on Apple TV Plus.

But Also is produced by Suite Tea Studio

0:00 Welcome to But Also
0:29 Introducing Jeff Hiller
1:14 Nobody Expected the Emmy
3:10 The Night-Before Party
6:40 The Call ("I'm Getting Canceled")
9:00 Did the Show Win? The Writers Mix-Up
18:40 Improv, RaaaatScraps and "Is the Witch in This?"
27:36 A Memoir Obsessive
29:13 The "As I Lay Dying" Audiobook Disaster
31:30 Jeff Hiller Reads to You
37:13 Lennon Parham and UCB
38:05 Back to Theology (Eventually)
41:08 Culturally Jewish and the Rob Schneider Thing
45:58 The Church That Raised Him
48:55 I Could Be in a Cult
52:11 Will He Do Theater Again?
55:17 The Cat That Upstaged Romeo
59:39 Full Throated Endorsements
63:56 Jonathan the 194-Year-Old Tortoise
68:35 In Defense of the Chicken Thigh

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Jay Jurden stops by to talk about Miss Saigon, Playing MSG, and what type of men grandmama's find attractive.

But Also With Michael and Asher is produced by Suite Tea Studio

00:00:00 Intro
00:00:48 Half white, half Asian discourse
00:02:56 Miss Saigon and Bui Doi
00:04:32 It's Raining Fish and the stunt double
00:06:50 Height, the doctor, and fainting
00:13:33 Asher's dog on the train
00:17:23 Short kings, charisma, and honesty
00:27:13 Cockiness and being disliked
00:30:21 MSG and the Katy Perry story
00:34:21 Justin Trudeau and grandmama handsome
00:38:31 Asher the bean-grabbing superhero
00:40:10 Knicks, Nets, and Asher the basketball mountain
00:44:52 Comic book deep cuts: the Blob and X2's Pyro
00:50:44 Broadway audiences and Nathan Lane
00:57:40 Jay's quest for a grandma
00:59:31 Death of a Salesman and Cats: The Jellicle Ball
01:06:17 Naming the segment: Full Throated
01:08:11 Full Throated: New Balance and an ode to nurses
01:14:42 Asher's elephant and animal IDs
01:19:21 Bounty paper towels and Drake
01:26:39 Where to find Jay and outro

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Zach Cherry drops by to talk about only eating things he 'likes', the NY Liberty, and Alamo Drafthouse.

But Also with Michael and Asher is produced by Suite Tea Studio

00:00:00 Opening Banter
00:01:37 Welcome to But Also
00:01:49 Guest Introduction: Zach Cherry
00:02:33 Dinner Discussion Begins
00:03:58 Pizza Preferences
00:04:47 Food Ethics & Oxtail
00:05:24 Politics Segment Attempt
00:05:58 Leftovers & Pizza Rules
00:06:43 Food Principles
00:07:34 Vegetarianism Origin Story
00:08:00 Asher's Diet & Fitness
00:10:11 Different Eating Philosophies
00:11:04 Fair Life Milk Scandal
00:13:54 Sustainability & Farming
00:15:41 Wisconsin Land & Composting Toilets
00:17:01 Climate Change & Preparedness
00:18:51 Upper Peninsula Discussion
00:19:33 Bunker Dinner Planning
00:20:31 Protein Bar Debate
00:22:30 Transition to Fallout
00:22:48 Politics: Mike Johnson & Spending
00:25:01 Rob Whitman Fake Phone Call
00:29:05 End of Politics Segment
00:30:22 Green Energy Debate
00:32:37 Childhood Dinner Memories
00:34:30 Vegetarianism Discussion
00:35:38 Billie Eilish & Animal Ethics
00:38:28 Consciousness & Eating Animals
00:41:12 Clip Bait Segment Intro
00:43:38 Clip Bait: Eating on Subway
00:48:08 Clip Bait: Emails & Just Circling Back
00:50:29 Alamo Drafthouse Mobile Ordering
00:54:42 Full Throated Endorsement Intro
00:55:14 Fallout Continuation
00:56:17 Zach's Acting Journey
00:57:57 High School Theater & Paper Mill Playhouse
01:00:51 Early Acting Jobs
01:03:15 Crashing & Bookstore Doorman
01:05:30 Other Shows & Severance
01:06:54 Dream Roles: Reacher
01:09:47 Alan Richardson & Santa Movie
01:12:17 Podcast Blurb & Social Reckoning
01:14:34 The Social Network Sequel
01:17:21 Full Throated Endorsement
01:18:02 Politely Declining Segments
01:19:34 New York Liberty Basketball
01:26:59 Gym Endorsement: Kryptonite X
01:31:10 Manute Bol Age Mystery
01:35:07 Bones & Backdoor Pilots
01:37:51 Final Thank Yous & Goodbye

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