Feedback with Ira Madison III

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

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

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

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

This week, Ira sits down with entertainment journalist and Bravo expert Gibson Johns to unpack how covering The Real Housewives and the broader Bravo world evolved from a guilty pleasure to a full-blown media ecosystem. They get into the blurry line between commentator and fan, the Bravo fan impact, and whether reality stars are performing for podcasts and social media as much as they are for the cameras. Along the way, they revisit unforgettable Housewives moments, recall a silly BravoCon confrontation, and hear why Gibson is all in on Love Thy Naders. 0:00 Nene Leakes Is Back: Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th Review8:50 Gibson Johns Joins the Show10:45 How Gibson Went From Bravo fan to Bravo Journalist 15:29 Critic or Interviewer? Where Gibson Fits In21:50 Andy Cohen's Soft Spots + Caller on Janet & Jason 28:09 Fan Hypocrisy & Has Feedback Gotten Too Powerful?33:23 Constructive Criticism & Performing for the Discourse38:50 Franchise Identity & When a Show Becomes "About the Show"44:41 Hulu's New Reality Shows47:53 Threads Discourse Has Gone Feral50:12 Ira's Apartment Fire Cameo on RHONY: In the City52:27 Gibson's Coverage of the Osefo Drama55:43 Caller: Kelly Bensimon & the Carl Radke Question59:47 Ex-Housewives Spinoffs & Social Capital1:04:39 The Men of Southern Charm1:08:34 Caller: Who Is Rhode Island's Villain?1:12:05 Rapid Fire: Bravo Superlatives1:14:35 Lindsay Hubbard on Threads, Jules & Closing Bits

New York nightlife isn't dead—you just haven't talked to Connie Fleming and Lina Bradford. The nightlife legends join Ira to swap stories about Madonna's Club Confessions, the golden age of MTV, drag's evolution into performance art, Fire Island, club etiquette, and the music that keeps the dance floor alive. Plus, they settle some nightlife debates—including the right time to leave the afters.0:00 – Intro6:04 – Madonna's Club Confessions NYC10:05 – Connie Fleming: Working NYC's Legendary Club Doors14:21 – The Art of Curating the Perfect Nightlife Crowd17:32 – Drug Culture in the Clubs21:05 – Boy Bar, Drag, Fashion & NYC Performance Art26:13 – Before TikTok: The Lost History of Club Documentarians29:20 – Fighting for LGBTQ Rights Then—and Now32:21 – When Queer Life Moved From the Dark to the Light39:46 – Fire Island, Inclusion & Finding Community47:42 – Listener Call: Biggest Misconceptions about Connie and Lina53:52 – The Music That Still Moves Them58:11 – Connie's First Night at Basement1:00:54 – Are Phones Ruining the Club?1:04:20 – Connie and Lina's Friendship Story1:06:32 – Social Anxiety & Club Etiquette 1:10:13 – Listener Call: When Should You Leave the Afters?