Logo for Employee of the Month podcast

Employee of the Month is a talk show about dreamy careers. Catie Lazarus bestows guests with the coveted Employee of the Month Award. Each installment features guests with jobs of interest, ranging from television personalities and musicians to comedians and puppeteers.

Episodes edit

2011 edit

# Guest Length (hours:minutes) Release date
1"Julia Bacha"0:21October 31, 2011 (2011-10-31)
2"Rachel Dratch"0:14December 1, 2011 (2011-12-01)
3"Joey Mazzarino"0:22December 1, 2011 (2011-12-01)
Head writer of Sesame Street, breaks down writing for kiddos.
4"Stephen Wright"0:33December 6, 2011 (2011-12-06)
The one and only Oscar award winning comedian.
5"Jose Rivera"1:06December 14, 2011 (2011-12-14)
The playwright and director dishes about his family, Hollywood, and writing what matters.
6"Kevin Clash & Elmo!"0:24December 14, 2011 (2011-12-14)
The puppeteer and puppet share their tricks of the trade on and off Sesame Street.
7"Aurelia Thierree"0:11December 14, 2011 (2011-12-14)

2012 edit

# Guest Length (hours:minutes) Release date
8"Bob Mankoff"0:21February 7, 2012 (2012-02-07)
The Cartoon Editor for The New Yorker, on rejection, redemption, and the Cartoon Caption Contest.
9"Ashrita Furman"0:20February 7, 2012 (2012-02-07)
The Guinness Book of World Record Holder for Most Guinness Book of World Records.
10"Brian Lehrer"0:30February 21, 2012 (2012-02-21)
Catie Lazarus sits down with the host of The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC and BrianLehrerTV.com on CUNY, none other than Mr. George Michael.
11"The Yes Men"0:23March 6, 2012 (2012-03-06)
The group reveals the difference between performance art and activism.
12"Paul Marcarelli"0:25April 26, 2012 (2012-04-26)
Marcarelli, best known as The Verizon Guy, finds a second calling as a director.
13"Sloan Crosley"0:21April 26, 2012 (2012-04-26)
14"Aasif Mandvi"0:11May 9, 2012 (2012-05-09)
How Aasif Mandvi (The Senior Muslim Correspondent on The Daily Show) feels about being typecast as a Native-American Lesbian nosy neighbor type in Hollywood.
15"Aasif Mandvi, Part II"1:06May 9, 2012 (2012-05-09)
16"Baratunde Thurston"0:25June 6, 2012 (2012-06-06)
Comedian, author and digital guru on his New York Times Best Seller How to Be Black, what it was like for him to grow up as a Native-American lesbian, and why he gets to fly around and hit nightclubs with foreign dignitaries.
17"Stephen Dubner"0:25June 6, 2012 (2012-06-06)
18"Kambri Crews"0:24June 6, 2012 (2012-06-06)
Crews on shaking up the comedy scene, storytelling, and working with folks in the deaf community and those with loved ones who are incarcerated.
19"Anya Kamenetz"0:26June 6, 2012 (2012-06-06)
20"Dave Hill"0:45July 5, 2012 (2012-07-05)
The brilliant comedian, author, and musician, about writing Tasteful Nudes.
21"Jodi Kantor"0:50August 9, 2012 (2012-08-09)
Kantor speaks about her experience as author of The Obamas and being The New York Times Washington Correspondent.
22"Alex Borstein"0:50August 13, 2012 (2012-08-13)
23"Dan Curry"1:08September 26, 2012 (2012-09-26)
Curry shares his insights about writing for print, appearing on This American Life, winning a game show with his wife, comedian Margot Leitman, and writing original characters, sketches and stories for such distinct mediums.
24"Reggie Watts"1:10September 30, 2012 (2012-09-30)
25"Jon Robin Baitz"0:31October 17, 2012 (2012-10-17)
Baitz reads one his latest works aloud, a 10-minute play for a benefit for Playwright Horizons.
26"Kurt Andersen"0:22October 18, 2012 (2012-10-18)
27"Myq Kaplan"0:51November 1, 2012 (2012-11-01)
28"Carmen Rubin"1:02November 29, 2012 (2012-11-29)
29"A. J. Jacobs"0:52December 7, 2012 (2012-12-07)

2013 edit

# Guest Length (hours:minutes) Release date
30"Chris Henchy"0:35January 6, 2013 (2013-01-06)
31"Greg Garcia"0:58January 6, 2013 (2013-01-06)
32"Lauren Iungerich"1:05January 7, 2013 (2013-01-07)
Iungerich discusses how she managed to break into the biz and make accessible, acclaimed work without selling her soul.
33"Gloria Steinem"0:36January 15, 2013 (2013-01-15)
Steinem speaks on issues including, sex and race caste systems, child abuse, non-violent conflict resolution, and community organization, and her work on Road to the Heart: America As if Everyone Mattered, a book about her more than thirty years on the road as a feminist organizer.
33"Hari Kunzru"0:33January 15, 2013 (2013-01-15)
34"Rachel Maddow"0:40January 16, 2013 (2013-01-16)
35"David Wain"0:19January 17, 2013 (2013-01-17)
36"Paul Dinello"0:19January 21, 2013 (2013-01-21)
Dinello speaks about his career in comedy.
37"Adam Rapp"0:28February 11, 2013 (2013-02-11)
38"David Carr"0:26February 11, 2013 (2013-02-11)
39"W. Kamau Bell"0:13February 11, 2013 (2013-02-11)
40"Samantha Hahn"1:01March 10, 2013 (2013-03-10)
41"Neal Medlyn"0:42March 11, 2013 (2013-03-11)
42"Gina Gershon"0:41March 17, 2013 (2013-03-17)
Gerhson speaks about her acting career, the pain of writing and expertise at procrastinating, as well as her delightful memoir In Search of Cleo: How I Found My Pussy and Lost My Mind.
43"Andrea Syrtash"0:56March 21, 2013 (2013-03-21)
Syrtash talks about the ethics of being an expert, therapist, brand ambassadors, and product placement.
44"Mike White"0:51April 1, 2013 (2013-04-01)
45"Neal Medlyn"0:14April 2, 2013 (2013-04-02)
50"Michael Gottwald"0:23April 2, 2013 (2013-04-02)
Gottwald distills the myths of what it takes to raise money, stump for political campaigns, and discover the youngest Oscar nominated actress in Oscar history, Ms. Quevenzhane Wallis.
51"Alex Karpovsky"0:19April 2, 2013 (2013-04-02)
52"Ophira Eisenberg"0:51April 2, 2013 (2013-04-02)
53"Common Rotation"0:04April 2, 2013 (2013-04-02)
54"Michael Gottwald"0:30April 15, 2013 (2013-04-15)
55"Dick Cavett"1:02April 22, 2013 (2013-04-22)
56"Bobby Canavale"1:05April 22, 2013 (2013-04-22)
57"Lesley Stahl"0:40May 6, 2013 (2013-05-06)
Stahl speaks candidly about finances, sexism, and her pithy interviews with, amongst others, Ariel Sharon, Nicholas Sarkozy, Jerry Falwell, and, Boy George.
58"Mike Sacks"1:15May 15, 2013 (2013-05-15)
Sacks discusses everything from career suicide, imaginary friends, submitting to The New Yorker, growing up in DC, figuring out when you're funny, and the secrets of success.
59"Allison Silverman"0:22May 17, 2013 (2013-05-17)
60"Emily Bazelon"0:49May 20, 2013 (2013-05-20)
Bazelon, Slate senior editor discusses her book, Sticks and Stones: Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Empathy and Character.
61"Buck Henry, Allison Silverman, & Common Rotation"0:50May 27, 2013 (2013-05-27)
62"James Braly"1:01June 7, 2013 (2013-06-07)
63"Damian Kulash, Bill Plympton, Bridget Everett, Julie Klausner, & Shockwave"1:08June 12, 2013 (2013-06-12)
64"Jimmy Dore"0:36June 23, 2013 (2013-06-23)
65"Bob Harris"0:56June 26, 2013 (2013-06-26)
Harris talks about pursuing his dreams and helping others pursue theirs.
66"Cathy Ladman"0:53July 10, 2013 (2013-07-10)
67"Sara Benincasa"0:35July 23, 2013 (2013-07-23)
68"Henry Rollins"0:57July 23, 2013 (2013-07-23)
69"Gail Collins"0:36August 3, 2013 (2013-08-03)
70"Joy Behar, Stacy London, Janeane Garofalo, & Emily Nussbaum"1:11August 6, 2013 (2013-08-06)
71"Emily Nussbaum"0:17August 20, 2013 (2013-08-20)
72"Janeane Garofalo"0:16August 20, 2013 (2013-08-20)
Garafolo admits why she'd like to work in a bead store and referee Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl one day.
72"Stacy London"0:14August 25, 2013 (2013-08-25)
73"Adam Busch"0:25August 25, 2013 (2013-08-25)
Busch talks about therapy, angst, narcissism, fear of success and fear of failure, and the joy and self indulgence of show biz.
74"Joy Behar"0:16August 28, 2013 (2013-08-28)
Behar, consistently candid, discusses developing her play about first husbands.
75"Danny Strong"0:57September 3, 2013 (2013-09-03)
Strong talks about how he can now choose his acting jobs, because he earns his living writing screenplays. He chronicles his journey from |Buffy to Gilmore Girls to Mad Men and competing with actor Samm Levine.
76"Ryan Schreiber"0:50September 8, 2013 (2013-09-08)
Schreiber on the creation of Pitchfork, a webzine by and for indie music lovers.
77"Ann Carr"0:54September 11, 2013 (2013-09-11)
Ann Carr, who has appeared on the Emmy Award winning show Louie, talks about what it's like to audition.
78"Kathryn Minshew"0:32September 30, 2013 (2013-09-30)
Minshew answers what it's like to run a tech-start up, how to raise millions of dollars in venture capital funds, and what happens if it flops.
79"Insult Comic Dog"0:11October 2, 2013 (2013-10-02)
Triumph poops on Brooklyn hipsters, podcasts, and reveals that Red Hook is named after his shvance.
80"Robert Smigel"0:31October 7, 2013 (2013-10-07)
81"Lin-Manuel Miranda"0:21October 10, 2013 (2013-10-10)
82"Mo Rocca"0:21October 11, 2013 (2013-10-11)
83"Insult Comic Dog, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mo Rocca, & Lady Rizo"1:40October 18, 2013 (2013-10-18)
84"Lady Rizo"0:40October 20, 2013 (2013-10-20)
Rizo speaks about how she is reinventing the wheel, how she pays homage to the late great starlets like Peggy Lee and Nina Simone and collaborates with pop culture icons.
84"Ted Travelstead"0:43October 21, 2013 (2013-10-21)
85"Jess Wood"0:55October 29, 2013 (2013-10-29)
Wood talks about her writing a memoir about growing up in gang infested Hollywood, working as a tween prostitute, non-prescription drug distribution, starting over, and her mentors Richard Pryor and Mae West.
86"Lynn Chen"0:23October 31, 2013 (2013-10-31)
87"Moe & Mary"0:37October 31, 2013 (2013-10-31)
Moe and Mary discuss what it takes to be successful commercial actors.
88"Margot Leitman"0:34November 3, 2013 (2013-11-03)
Leitman talks about why storytelling rocks, stand up blows, how to quit a temp job, and win money (and a Prius) instead.
89"Anna Holmes"0:45November 8, 2013 (2013-11-08)
Homles speaks about how it became nearly impossible to make a living as freelancer; her dream internship at Entertainment Weekly; differences between being an editor and writer; job burnout; and how your voice changes depending on the outlet.
89"Stephen Moyer"0:18November 20, 2013 (2013-11-20)
Moyer discusses why he was the only one chosen to direct an episode of True Blood.
90"Chris Gethard"0:19November 22, 2013 (2013-11-22)
Gethard speaks about how the love of performing is the only reason to do it; inevitably of rejection in show biz; dreamy day job; and, of course, STD's.
91"Amy Sherman-Palladino"0:19November 26, 2013 (2013-11-26)
Sherman-Palladino reveals her self-awareness and admits her aversion to coddling and mentoring.
92"Diane Birch"0:26December 3, 2013 (2013-12-03)
Birch explains how the music industry has standard story lines for musicians, performing for Prince, growing up Goth, and playing a piano bar as a day job. She also performs live, including a song from her album Speak A Little Louder, with her band and drummer and partner-in-crime Homer Steinweiss.
93"Anthony De Rosa"0:42December 9, 2013 (2013-12-09)
94"Memo to Fans"0:03December 13, 2013 (2013-12-13)

2014 edit

# Guest Length (hours:minutes) Release date
95"Elliott Kalan"1:09January 7, 2014 (2014-01-07)
Kalan speaks about being the Head Writer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and being the recipient of multiple Emmy Awards.
96"Maria Popova"0:46January 7, 2014 (2014-01-07)
Popova discusses Brainpickings.org and her interest in creativity, psychology, literature, language, science, design, and philosophy.
97"Kathleen Hanna, Piper Kerman, Jon Ronson, & Maria Dizzia"0:54January 18, 2014 (2014-01-18)
98"J. R. Havlan"0:48January 22, 2014 (2014-01-22)
Havlan reveals what it really takes to make a career as a comedy writer; what a warm-up comic stomachs; just how different it is to write for Bill Maher and Jon Stewart; how to survive pilot season; and the joy of taking your dog to work.
99"Kathleen Hanna"0:14January 29, 2014 (2014-01-29)
100"Jon Ronson"0:11January 29, 2014 (2014-01-29)
Ronson talks about the corrosive effects of diagnosing strangers and how reality TV shows, filmmakers and journalists can often oversimplify their subjects and and almost fetishize extreme qualities. Ronson reveals how much he worships celebrities and hangs out on George Clooney's fan sites.
101"Piper Kerman"0:12January 30, 2014 (2014-01-30)
102"Homer Steinweiss"0:32February 7, 2014 (2014-02-07)
Steinweiss discusses what life on the road is really like; his uniquely artistic family; collaborating and negotiating various personalities; cover art; addiction; and what it actually means to be a music producer.
103"Lewis Black"0:32February 10, 2014 (2014-02-10)
Black explains how stand up is what pays his bills.
104"Jad Abumrad"0:18February 19, 2014 (2014-02-19)
105"Daryl Roth"0:14February 22, 2014 (2014-02-22)
Roth discusses her transition from interior decorator to theater producer.
106"Nellie McKay"0:19February 22, 2014 (2014-02-22)
McKay talks about how she has used her fame to raise awareness about animal rights and why she delivers so much good, on stage and off.
107"Seth Godin"0:20March 12, 2014 (2014-03-12)
108"Esther Perel"0:16March 12, 2014 (2014-03-12)
Perel addresses our universal challenges, joys, frustrations, and hunger for love, sexual freedom, and connection.
109"Cindy Chupack"0:42March 12, 2014 (2014-03-12)
Chupack speaks candidly about the joy and stress of writing for TV, fitting in on a show, creating your own show, and trying to stay connected to friends and family.
110"Andrew Rannells"0:23March 14, 2014 (2014-03-14)
Rannells discusses his comedy chops in musical theater, and how his early turns in Hedwig, Avenue Q, Jersey Boys, and, of course, Pokemon Live! prepared Rannells for the rigors of performing six to eight shows a week.
111"Danny Burstein"0:18March 16, 2014 (2014-03-16)
112"Seth Godin"0:20March 25, 2014 (2014-03-25)
113"Scott Bateman"0:28March 26, 2014 (2014-03-26)
Bateman reveals his tricks of the trade and encourages others to have fun and give game shows a whirl if you want to find money quickly.
114"Rebecca Soffer"0:45April 7, 2014 (2014-04-07)
How Soffer balances (new) motherhood and a new website.
115"Jill Abramson"0:30April 14, 2014 (2014-04-14)
Abramson's last interview before being fired as Executive Editor of the New York Times.
116"Adira Amram"0:32May 8, 2014 (2014-05-08)
Amram reveals how growing up in a family of artists propelled her to want to stand out.
117"Wallace Shawn"0:38May 8, 2014 (2014-05-08)
Shawn offers a small glimpse of how challenging it is to write for the stage and (hope) actors understand what you meant, and then deliver accordingly.
118"Barney Frank"0:32May 20, 2014 (2014-05-20)
Frank speaks about his experience, work habits, C-Span's gluttony, and why he thinks Dick Cheney is a liar.
119"Rosie Perez"0:28May 24, 2014 (2014-05-24)
120"Dave Attell"0:39June 6, 2014 (2014-06-06)
Attell explains why working at The Daily Show wasn't the best fit, what he enjoyed about his critically acclaimed series Insomniac, and why he proudly supports Operation Purple.
121"Taylor Mac"0:29June 7, 2014 (2014-06-07)
Taylor, who goes by Judy, talks about s****y day jobs, the joys of collaborating, and the weird nature auditioning.
122"Paula Pell"0:29June 18, 2014 (2014-06-18)
Pell describes how challenging the process was of getting her film off the ground, even with the biggest box office stars in comedy. She also talks about her awkward first interview with Lorne Michaels, starting out at Disney's Fantasy Island, and her deep and abiding love for animals, be it pet pigs or rats.
123"Josh Tupper of Russ & Daughters"0:23July 4, 2014 (2014-07-04)
Tupper shares his insights into what it's like to take on such a personally meaningful work and add his own mark to its legacy.
124"Sheila Nevins"0:25July 10, 2014 (2014-07-10)
Nevins speaks about her acting stints; what sorts of films HBO green lights, and whether it’s better as a woman to Lean In or Lean Back.
125"Martha Plimpton"0:23July 28, 2014 (2014-07-28)
126"Matt Zoller Seitz"0:16July 29, 2014 (2014-07-29)
127"Josh Charles"0:24August 13, 2014 (2014-08-13)
Charles meditates on how grueling acting can be and his experience getting snatched up by a manager at the sleepaway camp, Stagedoor Manor.
128"David Berkeley"0:20August 24, 2014 (2014-08-24)
Berkeley speaks about the dangers of playing Cyrano, difficulty in turning down gigs, and the joys of living in New Mexico.
129"James Monroe Iglehart"0:20August 25, 2014 (2014-08-25)
Iglehart freestyles and talks about winning his Tony and Drama Desk Awards for his role of the Genie in Disney's Aladdin.
130"Al Jaffee"0:34October 7, 2014 (2014-10-07)
Jaffee talks about why he isn’t concerned about deserving credit for his work, how he comes up with ideas, and why life isn’t fair.
131"Tom Colicchio"0:36October 14, 2014 (2014-10-14)
Colicchio offers genuine insight into everything from tipping to why kale is so hot.
132"Simon Rich"0:15October 22, 2014 (2014-10-22)
133"Alex Borstein"0:24November 5, 2014 (2014-11-05)
Borstein reveals how success in one arena begets success in another and what enabled her to realize she enjoyed acting in meaty fare.
134"Ilana Glazer & Abbi Jacobson"0:27November 12, 2014 (2014-11-12)
Glazer and Jacobson talk about meeting in their early twenties and how they began writing together.
135"Wesley Morris"0:21November 13, 2014 (2014-11-13)
136"Anthony Bregman"0:21November 19, 2014 (2014-11-19)
137"Al Jaffee"0:35November 28, 2014 (2014-11-28)
138"Al Jaffee"0:35November 28, 2014 (2014-11-28)
Jaffee shares his insight into how illustrators, writers, and cartoonists created a field that didn't exist and reveals why Jews changed their names when hustling for gigs pre-World War II to what it was like to work with Stan Lee pre-Marvel.
139"Stephin Merritt"0:21December 4, 2014 (2014-12-04)
140"Joshua Wolf Shenk"0:34December 12, 2014 (2014-12-12)
Shenk explains why dyads are so potent in his book, Powers of Two: Seeking the Essence of Innovation in Creative Pairs and looks at his own creative partnerships.
141"Taylor Schilling & Piper Kerman"0:35December 23, 2014 (2014-12-23)
Schilling and Kerman’s discuss the experience of prison and casting a genuinely diverse ensemble of formidable actors.
142"Frank Bruni"0:25December 30, 2014 (2014-12-30)

2015 edit

# Guest Length (hours:minutes) Release date
143"Kate Innamorato"0:18January 7, 2015 (2015-01-07)
Innamorato explains why she prefers to use roadkill, scrap skins from other taxidermists, previously frozen feeders, problem animals, and donated skins.
144"Justin Sayre"0:32January 15, 2015 (2015-01-15)
Sayre sizes up the state of political, social, and culture affairs, namely for the LGBT.
145"Adam Goldberg & Jeff Garlin"0:55January 23, 2015 (2015-01-23)
Garlin discloses not only what it’s like to work for Goldberg, but what style underwear he wears at home—boxers or briefs.
146"Mel Ottenberg"0:19February 2, 2015 (2015-02-02)
Ottenberg explains what it's like to work in the fashion industry.
147"Krister Johnson"0:37February 4, 2015 (2015-02-04)
Johnson speaks about what it really takes to be a TV writer.
148"Kevin Avery"0:39February 15, 2015 (2015-02-15)
Avery covers what it's really like to "balance" it all as a LA writer who can't stop getting hired in New York.
149"Emily Spivack"0:32February 16, 2015 (2015-02-16)
150"Jon Stewart"0:46February 21, 2015 (2015-02-21)
Stewart talks about directing Rosewater, leaving the show he made iconic, and being fired from Woolworth by his brother.
151"Martha Wainwright"0:30February 26, 2015 (2015-02-26)
Wainwright explains how even the most personally intimate songs songs can be cathartic for audiences.
152"Sherman "OT" Powell"0:24March 3, 2015 (2015-03-03)
Powell shares his stories from 40 years on the dark side as a pickpocket.
153"Jelly D"0:16March 11, 2015 (2015-03-11)
154"Syd Butler"0:23March 24, 2015 (2015-03-24)
Butler talks about life on the road, his roots in the ska scene and work crush on Ian McKay, of Fugazi, in Washington, DC.
155"Liz Tuccillo"0:21March 27, 2015 (2015-03-27)
Tuccillo's discusses joining the writing staff of Sex-in-the-City and turning one of the episodes into a best selling comedic self-help dating book, He's Just Not The Into You.
156"Cynthia Nixon — Part One"0:40April 2, 2015 (2015-04-02)
Nixon speaks candidly about what it was like to have her mother direct her, growing up (and now raising children) in New York, recording audio books for V.C. Andrews, and getting roles post Sex-in-the-City.
157"Cynthia Nixon — Part Two"0:43April 9, 2015 (2015-04-09)
Nixon weights in on how she chooses what she gets involved with, what it means to be an activist, the challenges of breaking into Hollywood, and the hard part of turning down roles.
158"Rosie O'Donnell"0:37April 27, 2015 (2015-04-27)
O’Donnell talks about breaking into stand up, the reality of “having it all,” and what’s next after The View, given that she can choose her own adventure.
159"Daniel Friedman"0:32May 7, 2015 (2015-05-07)
Friedman spoke about about breaking in to the LGBTQ fashion industry and coming up with fake e-mail addresses to seem more professional.
160"Adrian Martinez"0:31May 11, 2015 (2015-05-11)
Martinez discusses carving out a niche as a character actor, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman's influence, and the perks of playing a sidekick to box office stars.
161"Cindy Chupack"0:21May 31, 2015 (2015-05-31)
Chupack speaks about the pressure from scions like Sheryl Sandberg and Arianna Huffington for women to overcompensate, firing versus being fired, and segueing into directing.
162"Olympia Dukakis"0:27June 4, 2015 (2015-06-04)
Dukakis speaks about the robbery of her Academy Award, and which Look Who's Talking made the most money.
163"Betty Halbriech"0:18June 9, 2015 (2015-06-09)
Halbreich dispels any myths that fame or success is ever handed to you.
164"Justin Sayre"0:20June 17, 2015 (2015-06-17)
Sayre speaks about his bitingly funny and shrew monthly show, The Meeting: Order of Sodomites, as well as writing for Two Broke Girls. He also performs two songs.