Shows
The Nate Biltz Podcast#155 - (Part 2) Eric Kaplan - Terrifying Questions with Producer/Writer of The Big Bang TheoryEric Kaplan is an Emmy-winning television writer, philosopher, host of the show “Terrifying Questions”, and executive producer best known for his work on The Big Bang Theory, Futurama, and Malcolm in the Middle. With 16 Emmy nominations and a mind that bridges comedy and contemplation, Eric brings a rare blend of humor and depth to everything he creates. He’s also the author of Does Santa Exist?, a philosophical exploration of belief, paradox, and the human search for meaning.In this episode, Eric shares his journey from studying philosophy at Columbia and Harvard to shaping some of the most i...
2025-11-141h 17
The Nate Biltz Podcast#154 - Eric Kaplan - Terrifying Questions with Producer/Writer of The Big Bang TheoryEric Kaplan is an Emmy-winning television writer, philosopher, host of the show “Terrifying Questions”, and executive producer best known for his work on The Big Bang Theory, Futurama, and Malcolm in the Middle. With 16 Emmy nominations and a mind that bridges comedy and contemplation, Eric brings a rare blend of humor and depth to everything he creates. He’s also the author of Does Santa Exist?, a philosophical exploration of belief, paradox, and the human search for meaning.In this episode, Eric shares his journey from studying philosophy at Columbia and Harvard to shaping some of the most i...
2025-11-071h 27
The Agent of WealthThe Cost of Poor Estate Planning With Eric KaplanPoor estate planning can leave your family with confusion, conflict, and unnecessary costs — but it doesn’t have to.In this episode of The Agent of Wealth Podcast, host Marc Bautis is joined by Eric Kaplan, Senior Counsel in Greenspoon Marder’s International Wealth and Asset Planning Group. With nearly 25 years of experience, Eric shares valuable insights on the biggest mistakes people make with their estate plans, what happens when someone passes away without a will, and how strategic asset protection — both domestic and offshore — can safeguard your wealth for generations.In this episode, you will learn...
2025-10-1726 min
NEREJ/NYREJ PodcastEric Wilson of Wallpen interview on NEREJ NYREJ PodcastSend us a textRick Kaplan host of NEREJ/NYREJ Podcast interviews past co host Eric Wilson of Wallpen www.walpen.com Eric talks about the Wallpen system and and how it works, making a mural on the side of a building or the lobby of an office and many other similar applications.I am someone who strives to do better today than yesterday and I continue that model in my everyday walk of life. I am the President of the New England Flying Disc Associaiton as well, it is 40 year old 501 c3 that has hel...
2025-09-1015 min
The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast‘The Codpiece Topology’ with Executive Producer Eric KaplanExecutive Producer Eric Kaplan worked on “The Big Bang Theory” for 11 seasons, and he’s sharing all kinds of secrets while breaking down the second episode of Season 2, also known as the Renaissance Fair episode. Eric reveals why one of the first questions he asked Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady while interviewing was whether Penny and Leonord ultimately would end up together, and he shares why that question landed him the job. He also listens to the first joke he wrote that made it into the show. Plus, Eric reveals the hilarious song he taught the “Big Bang” cast and crew. ...
2025-07-2837 min
New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest PodcastEpisode 204 - Bruce Eric KaplanBruce Eric Kaplan joins us on the podcast this week. We talk with Bruce about his career in TV, writing books and cartoons and how he's managed to blend all of those career paths together. He doesn't mind getting a little cartoons mixed in with his TV and his TV getting mixed in with his books. We also talk about our favorite BEK cartoons and how a word, not usually found in a New Yorker cartoons" was found in a New Yorker cartoon. A great hour of talking with Bruce that went by way too fast!Y...
2025-05-291h 23
Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and DirectingEditing "The Studio" w/Eric Kissack - Just Shoot It 474Ever wonder how "The Studio" perfected comedic timing using oners and one-shot scenes? Eric Kissack, who edited the entire season for Seth Rogen, shares his tips, tricks, and behind-the-scenes insights into how the show comes together. When the funniest people in the world need to ensure a script or edit is hilarious, they turn to Eric. Matt and Oren chat with him about his journey as a director and editor, across "Veep", "Sausage Party", "Black Monday", "The Good Place", and more. See more of Eric’s work at https://erickissack.com and follow him o...
2025-05-081h 16
The Jewish Drinking ShowTeenagers in Hospitals in Israel on Purim, featuring Dr. Eric Scheier [The Jewish Drinking Show, episode #173]While Purim is a special occasion to celebrate, especially through drinking, unfortunately, teenagers not drink alcohol on Purim, but even to excess. Sometimes, this excess on Purim lands them in the hospital, especially in Israel.To discuss this matter further on the 173rd episode of The Jewish Drinking Show is Dr. Eric Scheier, who is the Director of Point of Care Ultrasound and Director of Pediatric Sedation at Kaplan Medical Center.Support the showThank you for listening!If you have any questions, suggestions, or more, feel free to reach out...
2025-03-1226 min
The One You FeedThe Happiness Formula: Using Your Body to Transform Your Mind with Janice Kaplan
In this episode, Janice Kaplan explores the happiness formula and how to use your body to transform your mind. She discusses the powerful connection between our bodies and our minds. Drawing from her latest book, What Your Body Knows About Happiness, Janice shares groundbreaking research on how our physical state directly influences our emotions, thoughts, and overall well-being. You'll discover how simple bodily changes—like posture, movement, and even temperature—can dramatically impact our happiness. Key Takeaways: How your body sends signals to your brain that shape your emotions Why small physical changes (like sitting up stra...
2025-03-041h 03The One You FeedThe Happiness Formula: Using Your Body to Transform Your Mind with Janice Kaplan
In this episode, Janice Kaplan explores the happiness formula and how to use your body to transform your mind. She discusses the powerful connection between our bodies and our minds. Drawing from her latest book, What Your Body Knows About Happiness, Janice shares groundbreaking research on how our physical state directly influences our emotions, thoughts, and overall well-being. You'll discover how simple bodily changes—like posture, movement, and even temperature—can dramatically impact our happiness. Key Takeaways: How your body sends signals to your brain that shape your emotions Why small physical changes (like sitting up stra...
2025-03-041h 03
Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 48: Was Nietzsche a Proto-Fascist?Was Nietzsche a fascist? Does liking Nietzsche make you a fascist? If the bully boy heralds of MAGA are present-day fascists, does that make them latter-day Nietzscheans? Join Eric and Taylor as they distinguish several varieties of chest-thumping, bluster, and skepticism about truth. And as Nietzsche himself said, “If this podcast episode does not kill you, it will make you stronger.”
2025-03-0358 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 47: Are We Always at War with Ourselves?Did you ever want something and not want it, or love somebody and also hate them? If you did, does that mean there are two different things inside you and they are having a war? Or are there three? This week Eric and Taylor look at the idea of internal conflict, internal peace, what it all means, and what if anything can be done about it. They also reply to two letters from nonimaginary listeners.
2025-02-1758 min
Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and DirectingGood Times w/ EP Eric McCasline - Just Shoot It 462Executive Producer (EP) Eric McCasline talks about building his new, top-tier production company, Good Times. https://ItsGoodTimes.com/ And he chats with Matt and Oren about how directors can get on the roster, win jobs, and why you as a director need to know your lane and understand how reps will pitch you. It's a "Moneyballl" game to get on and stay on, are you playing your game right?The conversation goes deep into budgets, incentives, permits, fees as well as the shifting aesthetic of commercials. And the guys reveal why only top-tier work matters these d...
2025-02-131h 38Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 46: Are We Living in a Cave? (Part 2)Are we still living in a cave? In this sequel episode Eric and Taylor contemplate what might happen if you got out of Plato’s cave. Would the sun blind you? And if you tried to convince the other prisoners to escape, would they kill you? Also this week, replies to some letters from listeners.
2025-02-1044 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 44: Are We Living in a Cave? (Part 1)Are ordinary experience and everyday life hopelessly benighted and delusional, a realm of shadows, full of spectacle and drama but signifying nothing? This week Eric and Taylor descend into the most famous four pages in the history of Western philosophy: Plato’s allegory of the cave. Tune in and overcome your fear of truth, wisdom, and the beautiful.
2025-01-271h 00
Beyond the PlateMINISERIES: Eric Adjepong - PepsiCo Foods Culinary Advisory Board MemberWe’re joined by Eric Adjepong, a professional chef, Food Network host, bestselling author and activist, best known for his fusion of West African flavors into creative dishes. Eric dives into the creative intersections of his career and how they will all play a role as a member of the Culinary Advisory Board. He shares innovative uses for PepsiCo Foods brands as pantry staples, highlighting the power of bold flavors in everyday cooking. Enjoy this episode as we go Beyond the Plate… with Eric AdjepongThis series is brought to you by PepsiCo Foods.To lear...
2024-12-1807 min
Beyond the PlateChef Eric Adjepong: how food helped him find pride and self-worth from a young ageEric Adjepong is a father, chef, author, and Food Network host celebrated for bringing West African cuisine to the mainstream culinary conversation. From his memorable appearances on Top Chef to his collaboration with Crate & Barrel and his work with the PepsiCo Foods Culinary Advisory Board, Eric shares insights into his creative journey. He discusses the pivotal moment in culinary school when he realized he needed to focus on the culinary traditions of Africa. He also tells the story of which chef idol he declined the chance to work with—and the reason behind his decision. Beyond being one of th...
2024-11-2751 min
Good Neighbor Podcast: BergenEp. # 20 Enhancing Brain Health and Memory: Dr. Eric Kaplan's Insights on Functional NeurologyUnlock the secrets to enhancing brain health and memory as we sit down with Dr. Eric Kaplan of Kaplan Brain and Body. Inspired by his grandmother’s struggles, Dr. Kaplan's journey into functional neurology reveals a world where brain function doesn't have to decline with age. Learn about the groundbreaking field of functional neurology, where instead of relying on medication, innovative neurologic exercises and the power of neuroplasticity offer hope for those living with conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Dr. Kaplan shares his expertise and experience studying under the esteemed Dr. Carrick, providing a roadmap for improving brain he...
2024-11-1519 min
Modern Day Philosophers with Daniel LobellGuest Eric Kaplan (Writer on The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, The Simpsons)Daniel Lobell and Mark Schiff sit down for a chat with one of TV's top comedy writers; Eric Kaplan on the "We Think It's Funny" podcast. They discuss everything from how to get a job as a television writer to Eric's Jewish journey which led him praying with Tephillin on for a while. Enjoy!
2024-10-301h 32
The Last Laugh‘Seinfeld,’ ‘Girls’ and ‘Nobody Wants This’ with Bruce Eric KaplanFor the past 30 years or so, Bruce Eric Kaplan has toiled away as a staff writer on some of the best television series ever produced, including ‘Seinfeld,’ ‘Six Feet Under,’ and ‘Girls.’ But as he writes in his new book ‘They Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir’—and discusses in this bonus episode—Kaplan has never managed to get his own show past the pilot stage. And it’s not for lack of trying. Kaplan has written more unproduced pilots than anyone else he knows, and tells the story of how the Hollywood system has slowly beaten him down in hilarious fashion i...
2024-10-2534 min
Explore The Full Audiobook Everyone Is Talking About — So Captivating!They Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir by Bruce Eric KaplanPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/782066to listen full audiobooks.
Title: They Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir
Author: Bruce Eric Kaplan
Narrator: Bruce Eric Kaplan
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 7 hours 46 minutes
Release date: October 22, 2024
Genres: Memoirs
Publisher's Summary:
This program is read by the author. A darkly comic memoir about being a working creative person in a world that is growing ever more dysfunctional, by acclaimed New Yorker cartoonist and television writer Bruce Eric Kaplan In January 2022, Bruce Eric Kaplan found himself confused and upset by the state of the world and the state of his life as a...
2024-10-227h 46
Don't Be Alone with Jay KogenWriter/Philosopher Eric Kaplan Dumbs It Down For JayBlurb: We talk about Philosophy, comedy writing, agreeing with the show runner, not being afraid of the truth, the power of walking sticks, trying to figure out if God exists is dumb, Brooklyn as a place to grow up, and whether to lie to your kids about Santa Clause.Bio: A native of Flatbush, New York, Eric Kaplan began writing for Spy magazine and the Harvard Lampoon before getting his first television-writing job on The Late Show with David Letterman. Before THE BIG BANG THEORY, he worked on other shows including Futurama (for which he won an Emmy), Fl...
2024-10-2247 minUnlock Top Full Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir, MemoirsThey Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir by Bruce Eric KaplanPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/782066to listen full audiobooks.
Title: They Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir
Author: Bruce Eric Kaplan
Narrator: Bruce Eric Kaplan
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 7 hours 46 minutes
Release date: October 22, 2024
Genres: Memoirs
Publisher's Summary:
This program is read by the author. A darkly comic memoir about being a working creative person in a world that is growing ever more dysfunctional, by acclaimed New Yorker cartoonist and television writer Bruce Eric Kaplan In January 2022, Bruce Eric Kaplan found himself confused and upset by the state of the world and the state of his life as a...
2024-10-227h 46
Top Full Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir, MemoirsThey Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir by Bruce Eric KaplanPlease visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/782066 to listen full audiobooks. Title: They Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir Author: Bruce Eric Kaplan Narrator: Bruce Eric Kaplan Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 7 hours 46 minutes Release date: October 22, 2024 Genres: Memoirs Publisher's Summary: This program is read by the author. A darkly comic memoir about being a working creative person in a world that is growing ever more dysfunctional, by acclaimed New Yorker cartoonist and television writer Bruce Eric Kaplan In January 2022, Bruce Eric Kaplan found himself confused and upset by the state of the world and the state of his life as...
2024-10-2205 minGet New Full Audiobooks in Literature, Comedy, Satire & ParodyThey Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir by Bruce Eric KaplanPlease visithttps://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/782066to listen full audiobooks.
Title: They Went Another Way: A Hollywood Memoir
Author: Bruce Eric Kaplan
Narrator: Bruce Eric Kaplan
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 7 hours 46 minutes
Release date: October 22, 2024
Genres: Comedy, Satire & Parody
Publisher's Summary:
This program is read by the author. A darkly comic memoir about being a working creative person in a world that is growing ever more dysfunctional, by acclaimed New Yorker cartoonist and television writer Bruce Eric Kaplan In January 2022, Bruce Eric Kaplan found himself confused and upset by the state of the world and the state of his life...
2024-10-227h 46
TAC “TIC” TalkTAC Tic Talk Interview with Dr. Eric Kaplan of Concierge CoachesIn this edition of the TAC "TIC" Talk, Jaclyn Touzard and Dr. Joe Busch interview Dr. Eric Kaplan to discuss his and Dr. Perry Bard's latest article, "The Disc Dilemma", featured in the October Issue of The American Chiropractor. Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Bard have developed Disc Centers of America, Concierge Coaches, and the first national certification program for non-surgical spinal decompression, a 12 CEU credit event. Being held for the 10th anniversary on November 5th and 6th. This event has been sold out for two years running. Listen on and hear what advice Dr. Kaplan has to offer to...
2024-06-2444 min
MAPSO PodsoS2 Biography of James KaplanBefore he was a bestselling author, James Kaplan wrote for the Columbia High School newspaper and spent countless hours devouring books at the South Orange Public Library. In the years since, he wrote two definitive biographies of Frank Sinatra and collaborated with the likes of Jerry Lewis, John McEnroe and Henry Winkler on their "assisted memoirs." His new book, 3 Shades of Blue, explores the lives of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Bill Evans as they made the seminal jazz album Kind of Blue. We talked at length about his impressive career, some of his most fa...
2024-05-1056 min
Voices From The FrontlinesVoices Radio: in Conversation with Eric Aubry KaplanThis week Eric Mann, Channing Martinez, and Monilade Walker are in conversation with Erin Aubry Kaplan. Erin speaks about her experience with race in politics from the US South to South LA.
Erin speaks about her father, Larry Aubry, her husband Alan Kaplan, and her own recent experience with discrimination in LA.
The show ends with performance of the inaugural Strategists.
2024-04-1158 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 43: Can You Learn Anything Important from Somebody Else?Eric and his temporary co-host, Tao Ruspoli (filmmaker, co-founder of the Bombay Beach Biennale) delve deep into what it is to teach and to learn... and they ask, "Can you learn anything really important from somebody else?"
2024-03-081h 01Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 42: Are There Human Beings Worthy of Worship? With Geoff DyerTao and Eric are joined by author Geoff Dyer to question whether certain individuals are worthy of worship. Dyer’s many books include But Beautiful (about jazz), the novel Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi and, most recently, The Last Days of Roger Federer. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Science and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, his books have been translated into twenty-four languages. He is currently a Writer in Residence at USC. A new book Homework (a memoir) will be published in spring 2025 by FSG in the US and Canongate in the UK.
...
2024-02-291h 00Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 41: Is Entertainment a Seductive Lie?Eric Kaplan and Tao Ruspoli ask about how entertainment may or may not be "true". Tao substitutes for Taylor for the next several episodes. We've also just introduced video to the podcast! Let us know what you think.
2024-02-2353 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 40: Is Food Art?This week Julia Moskin, Pulitzer Prize winning food reporter for the New York Times, joins Eric and Taylor to ask whether food is (or can be) art, and how it manages to do that while also just being yummy. Should great food taste like nothing you’ve ever tasted before or should it taste like the best ever version of its ingredients? Is culinary quality subjective or objective? Why do critics write reviews? Tune in and find out.
2024-02-111h 11Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 15: Is There Any Such Thing as the Self?Another chestnut. Am I a self? Am I myself? Am I yourself? And if there is no such thing as the self, do I not exist? The Buddha and David Hume thought so – were they right? Join Taylor and Eric as they explore the conceptual labyrinth that is ourselves.
2024-02-0649 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 39: Is Faith Good?Can we build a meaningful life on the shifting sands of irrational belief? Or if we refuse to make an infinite commitment, are we wasting our life, dog-paddling in a weak tea without hope or meaning? Is faith necessary or insane – or both? This week Eric and Taylor record their first ever episode before a live studio audience, namely the annual meeting of the American Society for Existential Phenomenology in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Tao Ruspoli, Iain Thomson, Mark Wrathall, Patricia and John Benner, Kaitlyn Creasy, Justin White, and B. Scot Rousse huddle together with them and ask, Is faith good...
2024-01-221h 01Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 8: Do We Need Other People?Another command performance. (Okay, rerun.) Are we utterly dependent on others or should we look inward and try to be true to ourselves? Can we do both? Or neither? This week Eric and Taylor look to Ralph Waldo Emerson for some help with this deeply unsettling question.
2024-01-1553 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 38: Is Justice Possible?Some things are obviously horribly bad and wrong. Is it possible to make them right? Do some people deserve satisfaction while others deserve punishment or mercy? When juries deliver verdicts and judges impose sentences, are they speaking the truth or just fumbling in the dark and settling on the least bad outcome? This week Taylor and Eric reflect on the possibility, the impossibility, and the necessity of justice.
2024-01-0754 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 37: Is It Okay to Be Fat?Do we owe it to anyone (even ourselves) to be thin? Is being thin always healthier, sexier, better looking, or somehow more praiseworthy? Is it easier to be a great philosopher or to get into heaven if you’re thin? This week Eric and Taylor are joined by philosopher Kate Manne, whose new book examines diet culture and fatphobia. The truth, as it often does, might surprise you.
2023-12-3157 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 36: Can You Succeed in the Music Business Without Selling Out?Does the lure of fame and fortune necessarily get in the way of making great music? Or is it okay to make some fun ear candy as a way of putting food on the table? This week Taylor and Eric chat about artistic integrity and the temptations of popularity and money with singer, songwriter, philosopher, violinist, and attorney at law, Andrew Choi – also known by musical nom de plume, St Lenox. As a bonus, find out how Bob Marley was inspired by the Banana Splits.
2023-12-181h 02Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 35: Can a Sound Look Like Something?Synesthesia! A weird thing experienced only by unusual people, or by ordinary people on unusual drugs, or – is it something everybody has all the time? Are very low musical notes literally “dark”? Can food sound like something, like hot peppers going “ping” on your tongue? Why does it make sense to call a fork a “zrickrick” and a pillow a “baobwab”? Or does it? In 1688 William Molyneux asked John Locke whether a blind person who regained her vision would be able to distinguish a square from a circle by sight. Locke said no. Leibniz said yes. Who was right? This week Eric and Ta...
2023-11-2732 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 34: Is Revenge Inevitable?Is revenge a dish best served cold, hot, or not at all? Should we all go on a revenge diet, or is it just too tasty? Could hitting back be so much fun that we can’t give it up? Or is the best revenge the serene feeling of being above revenge? Even if we know that vengeance inevitably leads to an endless cycle of vengeance, is it possible to get off the not-so-merry-go-round? How did Athena help the Furies become the Kindly Ones? Join Taylor and Eric as they confront the terrifying fact that human beings seem to be...
2023-11-2038 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 33: Do Things Happen for a Reason?Things happen. Sometimes you find a $10 bill. Sometimes a bird craps on your head. Are these events just the meaningless result of previous events or is there a hidden purpose behind everything? Does God’s plan underlie the chaos of experience? Is the idea that something was “meant to be” (or not meant to be) comforting or crippling? And is the idea that everything is possible liberating or paralyzing? This week Helen De Cruz makes a record-breaking second appearance on the podcast to help Taylor and Eric think through the idea that we might be better off not believing in providen
2023-11-0754 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 32: Is Almost Everyone a Failure?This week Taylor and Eric are joined by philosopher Kieran Setiya, author of Life Is Hard, which they agree it is. It’s especially hard if you think you’re doomed to failure. Are you? Not necessarily. But if you don’t worry about success and failure, are you just going to be swimming in a soup of nothing matters and who cares? Tune in and find out how and why we judge life projects, careers – and people themselves – as successes or failures. Should we be making these judgments? Would our lives be better if we didn’t?
2023-10-2355 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 31: Are We Always Just Acting?Is everything we do a kind of performance? Are we always reading from a script? And what makes bad acting bad? Do psychopaths make good actors? Do politicians make good psychopaths? And why do presidential candidates emphasize what they’re saying by pointing with their thumbs? Film and television actor Kevin Sussman joins Taylor and Eric to talk through these disturbing mysteries.
2023-10-1655 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 30: Was the Woke Mind Virus Created by French Philosophers?Were poststructuralist, postmodern, postrespectable French philosophers like Michel Foucault the real masterminds behind identity politics, critical race theory, cultural appropriation, and pumpkin spice latte? Will civilization survive the rampant, unchecked questioning of grand narratives? Join Taylor and Eric as they unravel this bundle of phone cords and contemplate equality, freedom, civility and mutual respect, Foucault’s historical counternarratives, pronouns, green hair, nose rings, and the myth of trigger warnings.
2023-10-0859 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 6: Is Being a Good Person Just a Matter of Luck?In this – repeat command performance (okay, rerun) – episode, Eric and Taylor grapple with the problem of moral luck. Are we in control of being decent human beings and doing the right thing or are we at the mercy of circumstance and maybe even of our own character? Listen, feel unsettled, then feel okay.
2023-10-0148 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 29: Can People Change?Can human beings change radically? And if they can, is that a good thing? What if we changed so much that we became strangers to each other? But if we couldn’t change at all, wouldn’t that mean we’re condemned to stagnation and despair? And hey, wouldn’t it be cool if we could sprout wings and fly? This week philosophers Melissa Shew (Marquette) and Kimberly Garchar (Kent State) help Taylor and Eric think about the possibility and desirability of radical human transformation.
2023-09-261h 10NEREJ/NYREJ PodcastEric Brody of ANAX Real Estate Partners Interview on NEREJ / NYREJ PodcastSend us a textRick Kaplan host of NEREJ / NYREJ Podcast interviews Eric Brody of ANEX Real Estate Partners. With decades of experience as a builder and developer in the NYC mid-market multifamily sector, Eric founded ANAX Real Estate Partners last year – a privately-held, New York City-based real estate developer, lender, and investment firm. Given the current market, ANAX is providing much-needed capital and development expertise to distressed assets across New York City. Since traditional lenders have become more cautious over the last year, ANAX presents a unique opportunity for rescue capital by leveraging its proprietary tec...
2023-09-2541 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 28: Is It Bad to Judge People?Being “judgmental” sounds like something bad, yet refraining from all moral judgment seems pathetic, and also impossible. So, what should we do? Can we be truly compassionate without also being capable of anger, resentment, and maybe some occasional Schadenfreude? This week Eric and Taylor are joined by actor, writer, and television producer Andy Richter, who will help them sort out when it’s okay and when it’s not okay to be, as Jesus of Nazareth said, “judgy.”
2023-09-181h 03Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 27: Why Do We Like to Remember Things that Hurt?Is there any pain as great as recalling past happiness from present misery? If so, why do we do it? Do we get pleasure from tormenting ourselves about losing something (or someone) we loved? Was Socrates right that living well means learning how to die? Does being comforted too quickly mean we never really cared? And if so, how quick is too quick? Join Eric, Taylor, Dante, Dostoevsky, and William Blake for an unsettling yet strangely consoling meditation on the paradox of grief.
2023-09-1153 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 1: Does ChapGPT Mean Humanity Is Doomed?In this episode – returning here in a special command performance (rerun) – Eric and Taylor worry about whether ChatGPT might be a harbinger of total computer domination of the world and the looming obsolescence and expendability of human beings. Is that possible? Tune in and find out what it is about artificial intelligence that should really frighten you.
2023-09-0657 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 24: Is Being Deep Better than Being Shallow?What does it mean to be deep? Is profundity something good or is it pretentious and boring? Are there different kinds of deepness? Is shallowness itself a kind of depth? Is it only shallow people who try to sound deep? Are profound utterances dark oceans or plastic mirrors? Join Eric and Taylor on this, their first video episode as they plum the depths of shallowness and skate the surface of the abyss.
2023-08-1453 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 22: Is Being Unintelligible?What is it to be? We be, and we be jammin’ but what about other things? Is a hole a thing? Or just a lack of dirt? Unicorns aren’t real, but are they in some other way? Perhaps unicorns are, but don’t exist. But if so, what about non-existent unicorns? What’s their deal? What is the “metaphysics of presence,” and why did it annoy Martin Heidegger? Do all why questions have answers? If so, why? If not, why not? Tune in and turn on and help Taylor and Eric grapple with the question (and the mystery) of being.
2023-07-3152 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 20: Would You Do Bad Things if You Knew You Could Get Away With It?Actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician Fred Armisen joins Eric and Taylor this week to ponder the twin mysteries of morality and moral motivation. Do we do good only out of a fear of blame and punishment? Would most people do wrong, if they knew no one was looking? Tune in and learn what Plato said Gyges did with the invisibility ring he found in a ditch. Also find out what Fred thinks Stone Age comedy probably looked like.
2023-07-1756 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 19: Does Desire Lead to Suffering?This week Eric and Taylor are joined by journalist and adult industry activist Laura Desirée as they wonder whether desire inevitably leads to suffering. Or maybe desiring just is suffering. Is desire therefore bad? Maybe some kinds of suffering are good because they keep us from becoming numb to pains and pleasures of all kinds. Join us and confront the terror.
2023-07-1158 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 18: Does Technology Endanger Something Important About Being Human?This week Eric and Taylor are joined by Michael Thaddeus, professor of mathematics at Columbia University, as they ponder the worrisome thought that technological progress might threaten something essential and/or precious about human existence. Are we sacrificing quality for efficiency? Are distraction and shallowness replacing focus and depth of thought and feeling? And why do phones sound so much worse now than they did in the 1970s?
2023-07-0359 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 17: Do We Have to Lie?Is lying unavoidable? Should you always tell the truth, no matter what? Even if an axe murderer asks you where your sister is hiding? What if a flounder asks you, “Does this place on the sea floor make me look flat?” This week Eric and Taylor are joined by TV writer and executive producer Tara Hernandez, creator of Mrs. Davis. Together they discuss honesty and deception in life, the universe, and Hollywood.
2023-06-2558 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 16: Is It Impossible to Be Cool by Trying?Can we try to become cool, or is trying to be cool by definition like totally uncool man? Is it like keeping yourself up trying to fall asleep? Maybe it’s impossible, like trying to look at the edge of your visual field. If you make a deliberate effort to be happy, or to be a loving person, are you doomed to fail? Join Eric and Taylor as they (try to) confront these unsettling questions head on.
2023-06-1947 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 15: Is There Any Such Thing as the Self?Am I a self? Am I myself? Am I yourself? And if there is no such thing as the self, do I not exist? The Buddha and David Hume thought so – were they right? Join Taylor and Eric as they explore the conceptual labyrinth that is ourselves.
2023-06-1249 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 14: Are We Trapped by Tradition?Are we prisoners of the past or is radical revolution possible? Revolutionaries say we can get out. Conservatives say we shouldn’t even want to. But maybe both sides get it wrong! Do we need a past to have a future? Join Taylor, Eric, and special guest Professor Bryan Van Norden, an expert in traditional Chinese philosophy, as we take a hard look at tradition. What is it? And what, if anything, is it good for?
2023-06-0549 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 13: What If Wisdom Does Not Make Us Blessed?Philosopher Helen De Cruz joins Eric and Taylor this week to discuss the unsettling possibility that insight and understanding might not actually make us happier or more at peace with our existence. Maybe they just bum us out. Tune in and hear what the heretical Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza had to say about this three and a half centuries ago.
2023-05-2951 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 11: Is God Dead?Is God Dead? If He is, did we kill Him? If God is dead does that mean Humanity is dead too -- or at least that the category of being a human being is in need of some serious re-appraisal? Taylor and Eric discuss these questions and both theism and atheism get re-evaluated. Along the way, we discuss Nietzsche and the most famous sponge in the history of philosophy.
2023-05-1553 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 10: What If the Best I Can Do Just Isn’t Good Enough?This week Eric and Taylor wonder and worry about what it means to try hard and still feel like you’re falling short. Are there objective standards of excellence or does happiness require just staying in your comfort zone?
2023-05-0844 min
Planetary RadioSpace Policy Edition: SpaceX's Starship vs. the environment, with Eric RoeschPrior to Starship's inaugural launch, environmental policy expert Eric Roesch was outspoken about the possibility of catastrophe. As the rocket launched, it kicked up massive clouds of dust and decimated its launchpad, scattering large chunks of concrete into delicate marine and coastal sanctuaries nearby. Eric blames both SpaceX and its regulatory body, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), for allowing the company to skirt responsibility in its environmental reporting and mitigating its impact on its surrounding wilderness. He joins the show to discuss the proper role of environmental regulations, why he believes the FAA was irresponsible in approving SpaceX's launch licenses...
2023-05-051h 20Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 8: Do We Need Other People?Are we utterly dependent on others or should we look inward and try to be true to ourselves? Can we do both? Or neither? This week Eric and Taylor look to Ralph Waldo Emerson for some help with this deeply unsettling question.
2023-04-2453 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 7: Should Masculinity Be Abolished?This week Eric and Taylor talk with Cristen Conger, host of the podcast Unladylike, about whether we might all be better off without masculinity, or maybe femininity, or maybe gender altogether. Would this be possible? Would it be a step forward? Tune in and find out.
2023-04-1752 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 6: Is Being a Good Person Just a Matter of Luck?In this episode Eric and Taylor grapple with the problem of moral luck. Are we in control of being decent human beings and doing the right thing or are we at the mercy of circumstance and maybe even of our own character? Listen, feel unsettled, then feel okay.
2023-04-1048 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 5: Is Enlightenment Fake?In this week’s episode, Taylor and Eric chat with Pete Mandik, who teaches philosophy and psychology at William Paterson University, about whether spiritual enlightenment is a thing – and if it is a thing, whether it’s a good thing. Are you worried or upset by this question? Don’t be. Just tune in and listen.
2023-04-0353 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 4: Is It Possible to Have a Truly Meaningful Conversation?In this week’s episode, Eric and Taylor wonder whether truly meaningful conversation with another person is possible, or if everything is just a matter of objective fact or subjective opinion, so that there’s nothing really to talk about. Tune in and find out what the German philosopher Immanuel Kant had to say about this.
2023-03-2750 min
Mayim Bialik's BreakdownEric Kaplan: Does Everything Happen for a Reason?Eric Kaplan (EP on The Big Bang Theory, Co-EP on Young Sheldon, M.A. in philosophy) joins us to break down the funniest moments from The Big Bang Theory, philosophy as it relates to mental health, and practical ways to avoid being consumed by fear. He shares the differences between spirituality and religion, his experience as a monk for a brief period of time, and his concerns about selling out when he became a tv writer. Eric opens up about the passing of his older brother and how it affected his family and Eric’s own relationship with his pa...
2023-03-211h 30
Never Seen It with Kyle AyersEric Kaplan Has Never Seen YellowjacketsEric Kaplan (writer Futurama, Malcolm in the Middle, more!) has never seen Yellowjackets, but he rewrote it and we read his script. Host of the new podcast Terrifying Questions, Eric Kaplan joins Kyle and we take on his take on (is that proper grammar?) Yellowjackets script, plus a lot of film and TV talk, and fun games! Kyle and Eric are joined by Rob Haze! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2023-03-211h 22Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 3: Are We Living in a Simulation?This week Eric and Taylor wonder if we might be living in a simulation. Are we brains in a vat? Are we dreaming? Could all of our beliefs be false? Take a deep breath, tune in, and find out.
2023-03-2052 min
Terrifying QuestionsEpisode 2: Do Only Fools Fall in Love?This week Eric and Taylor wonder whether it’s dumb to fall in love. Or maybe only a fool would refuse to fall in love. Can cool reason triumph over blind passion? How is love different from lust -- if it is? Tune in and find out.
2023-03-1350 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 1: Does ChatGPT Mean Humanity Is Doomed?In this episode, Eric and Taylor worry about whether ChatGPT might be a harbinger of total computer domination of the world and the looming obsolescence and expendability of human beings. Is that possible? Tune in and find out what it is about artificial intelligence that should really frighten you.
2023-03-0658 minTerrifying QuestionsEpisode 0: TrailerEric Kaplan, a comedy writer (Futurama, Big Bang Theory) and doctor of philosophy, and Taylor Carman (Barnard College, Columbia University), a distinguished but humble authority on matters of existence and existentialism, host a philosophy podcast that addresses the most unsettling questions concerning human life and the nature of things and finds a path to courage using comedy, imagination, and far-ranging intellectual philosophical investigation. Along the way they grapple with the deep uncanniness of being.
2023-03-0510 min
Eric Peoples Leadership PodcastOvercoming Fear with Steve Kaplan (Navy SEAL)Steve Kaplan and Eric Peoples discuss what it looks like to face the unknown, overcome fear, and live life as an adventure. For more information about Trident Adventures, visit https://www.tridentadventures.com Here are photos of the story Steve talks about: https://mauinow.com/2021/07/26/a-maui-girls-wish-to-be-a-navy-seal-was-broughtto-life-by-trident-adventures/
2023-02-1727 min
Being in the WorldBeing in the World 069: Eric KaplanEric Kaplan is an American television writer and producer. His work has included shows such as Late Show with David Letterman, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Malcolm in the Middle, Futurama, The Simpsons and Rick and Morty. He also worked on The Big Bang Theory throughout its run. Kaplan was raised in a Jewish family in Flatbush, Brooklyn where his father was a "storefront lawyer" and his mother taught high school biology at Erasmus Hall.
Kaplan graduated from Hunter College High School and Harvard College (where he wrote for the Harvard Lampoon) in 1989. Prior to committing to a...
2023-02-081h 21
In Search Of ExcellenceMayor Eric Garcetti: Fight For What You Believe In | E20From homelessness and the housing crisis to traffic and education, Los Angeles County Mayor Eric Garcetti faces challenging, pressing issues day in and day out. But how did a young kid who grew up in an immigrant family in the San Fernando Valley become the leader and change-maker he is today? All of Eric’s life experiences contribute to his ability to search tirelessly for solutions and lead the Los Angeles community towards a better future. When facing new opportunities, Eric considers the quote “only do this if you can’t not.” This motto has supported and encourag...
2022-05-241h 13
The Cartoon ChroniclesFuturama’s “Jurassic Bark” writer Eric KaplanThis weeks guest is Futurama, Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon writer, Eric Kaplan! Chatting with Eric was a real blast, we discuss “Jurassic Bark” writing for Futurama, his book “Does Santa Exist”, a WHOLE bunch of fans questions and so much more! I hope you all enjoy this episode as much as I did.
Follow Eric: https://mobile.twitter.com/ericlinuskaplan
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Buy Eric’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Does-Santa-Exist-Philosophical-Investigation/dp/0147516420/ref=nodl_
Follow a...
2022-05-191h 44
Aristotle AsparagusSpecial Guest Star Eric Kaplan records a half-episodeFuturama and The Big Bang Theory writer Eric Kaplan joins Aristotle for a half-length episode to discuss his experiences on Futurama and how Andy Richter voiced a lemur.
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aristotle-asparagus/support
2021-04-3030 min
Planetary RadioSpace Policy Edition: SpaceX's Early, Desperate Days (with Eric Berger)Elon Musk’s SpaceX nearly failed 15 years ago as it struggled to launch its first rocket. Eric Berger has written about this challenging early era and how it helped create today’s successful, innovative company.
2021-03-051h 01
When Humanists Attack!!!Comedy as Super Asymmetry: Roger Smith Interviews Eric KaplanRoger Kimmel Smith interviews life-long friend Eric Kaplan and they get into the weeds about philosophy and humor. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whenhumanistsattackYouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-41d9J7eVRS9rSGtcj0pNQTwitter https://twitter.com/HumanistsWhen Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/WhenHumanistsAttack/ Please consider ongoing support: https://www.patreon.com/whenhumanistsattack
2021-02-1450 min
It Belongs To The PeopleS1, EP3 :When a loved one passes with Eric KaplanIn the third episode of 'It Belongs To The People', we received the screenwriter and producer for Warner Bros, Eric Kaplan. After a very serendipitous encounter via an Instagram story, we both realised how we lived almost the same aforementioned event in the same time span and how our experiences entangled one another during our conversation and created a thread much needed for when in times of sorrow - the thread of sharing for internal healing. When one of my biggest companions since childhood passed last April, I kept myself and what I was feeling at that time in...
2020-06-2434 min
Slurmcast: a podcast for no raesonEpisode 912 - Today's Episode Brought To You By The Letter ** - Eric Kaplan"Fox News Everyone!" with returning friend of the show, an Eric Kaplan. FOLLOW SLURMCAST ONLINE! www.facebook.com/slurmcast Twitter: @slurmcastpod Instagram: @slurmcastpod Call or Text us 1-216-438-1077 (message and data rates may apply) http://www.slurmcast.com slurmcastpod@gmail.com produced and edited by HateCat Inc ©2020 HateCat Inc
2020-06-1800 min
Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and DirectingHow to Produce Hit Genre Films Non-Stop with Eric B Fleischman - Just Shoot It 192Eric B Fleischman has produced 20+ films and he's barely 30. Under the tutelage of Jason Blum (he was Blumhouse's 4th employee) Eric's career is a testament to learning by doing. He's played all the major festivals, started a handful of companies, and now he's starting his own endeavor and slate. But why genre films? And what makes a good one? We dive in DEEP, and end on his secret formula for generating reliable, hit genre films time and again. If there's one thing we learned on this episode, it's that Eric B Producing Movies non-stop.
Contribute to the Ju...
2019-12-051h 11
Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and DirectingHow to Produce Hit Genre Films Non-Stop with Eric B Fleischman - Just Shoot It 192Eric B Fleischman has produced 20+ films and he's barely 30. Under the tutelage of Jason Blum (he was Blumhouse's 4th employee) Eric's career is a testament to learning by doing. He's played all the major festivals, started a handful of companies, and now he's starting his own endeavor and slate. But why genre films? And what makes a good one? We dive in DEEP, and end on his secret formula for generating reliable, hit genre films time and again. If there's one thing we learned on this episode, it's that Eric B Producing Movies non-stop.
Contribute to the Ju...
2019-12-051h 11
Just Shoot It: A Podcast about Filmmaking, Screenwriting and DirectingHow to Produce Hit Genre Films Non-Stop with Eric B Fleischman - Just Shoot It 192Eric B Fleischman has produced 20+ films and he's barely 30. Under the tutelage of Jason Blum (he was Blumhouse's 4th employee) Eric's career is a testament to learning by doing. He's played all the major festivals, started a handful of companies, and now he's starting his own endeavor and slate. But why genre films? And what makes a good one? We dive in DEEP, and end on his secret formula for generating reliable, hit genre films time and again. If there's one thing we learned on this episode, it's that Eric B Producing Movies non-stop.Contribute to the Ju...
2019-12-051h 11
Blueshirts Breakaway: A show about the New York RangersEP 208 - What to do with Lias Andersson & WWE Superstar Eric Young(1:05) This week the guys discuss how to think about Lias Andersson moving forward, should the Rangers keep Ryan Strome and how to handle Mika's injury information.
(41:11) Then WWE Superstar Eric Young joins the Breakaway to talk about his history with Fantasy hockey, why he thinks the Rangers will still make the playoffs & stories from the WWE
(1:17:25) Finally the guys come back and answer EIGHT 5 star questions and discuss Trouba's start to the season, Hajek vs Lindgren & much much more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more abo...
2019-11-121h 56
Bad Rabbi MediaEric Kaplan's Comic Wanderings "If You Change Your Life, Angels Will Give You Cookies"Eric Kaplan's career as a TV writer (Big Bang Theory, Simpsons, Drinky Crow), book author (Does Santa Exist? A Philosophical Examination) philosopher (Ph.D, U.C. Berkeley), and religious seeker spans decades and at times seemingly lifetimes. In this episode we follow the fascinating and multiple expressions of his lifelong quest to grasp and navigate the space between the embodied (subjective/finite) and "free" (objective/eternal) dimensions of human life--including his definition of spirituality ("an invitation to change your life") and comedy ("a way of dealing with contradictions we care about but have not yet processed"), and how he...
2019-02-071h 17