On this episode of Wiser Than Me, Julia gets enlightened by 75-year-old food writer, magazine editor, and author Ruth Reichl. From her infamous New York Times review of Le Cirque to greenlighting a controversial David Foster Wallace article in Gourmet, Ruth is as gutsy as they come. Ruth talks to Julia about living with a mom who has bipolar disorder, proces ... Show More
Jan 31
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Catherine O’Hara
We are heartbroken by the news of Catherine O’Hara’s sudden passing at the age of 71. Her brilliance, humor, and kindness touched so many of us, and we’ve taken comfort in listening back to Julia’s conversation with her from last year. We’re sharing it now as we mourn her loss an ... Show More
1h 8m
Jan 14
Julia Gets Wise with Diana Nyad
This week, Julia talks with 76-year-old legendary endurance swimmer Diana Nyad about obsession, the body, and attempting extraordinary feats later in life. Diana reflects on the evolution of her extreme swims, the chosen family that sustains her, and why loyalty and friendship ar ... Show More
1h 3m
Jun 2021
Jurnee Smollett
Jurnee Smollett [Birds of Prey, Friday Night Lights, True Blood, Lovecraft Country, Underground] talks with Anna about growing up in the industry, friendships, being uncool, work ethic, artistic integrity, marriage, divorce, inspiration, age, raisin bran, road-tripping and more.L ... Show More
1h 8m
Sep 2023
Building the Perfect Ice Cream Sundae (with Maria Bamford)
Clog lover, author, and princess of the Midwest Maria Bamford has landed! Put simply, she is a freaking icon, from viral tik tok-worthy character work in her seminal Maria Bamford Show, to her amazing standup career, Maria has always been comedian's favorite comedian. Her new boo ... Show More
36m 3s
Jun 2023
Getting Failure Out of the Way Early (with Natalie Morales)
I giggled so hard during this episode that I nearly lost it, but it's no surprise considering our guest, Natalie Morales, is an incredibly delightful person. You may know her from performances as Lucy on "Parks and Recreation," in the dark comedy-drama "Dead to Me," and her recen ... Show More
40m 34s
Mar 2023
Hiring Everyone Except A**holes (with Chelsea Devantez)
Chelsea Devantez is a comedian, writer, producer, podcaster and my burning question for her is: how does she balance it all? Chelsea generously shares with me her advice for navigating the big world of entertainment. She teaches me the importance of writing a good first page, and ... Show More
36m 3s
Jul 2020
Esther Povitsky
Esther Povitsky [Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Alone Together, Dollface] is a writer, comedian, actor, and producer. Esther tells Anna about her dream to live in a shed behind her parent's house, how she approaches every day as if it were a Seinfeld episode, what it’s like having the same ... Show More
52m 21s
Nov 2021
Timothy Simons Returns!
Timothy Simons [Veep, Christine, The Boss, HouseBroken] and Anna talk about a raccoon threesome, twins, high school, first loves, break-ups, childbirth and more. Later in the episode Anna and Timothy offer their best Unqualified advice to a listener going through divorce and wond ... Show More
59m 58s
Oct 2022
Overthinking My First Kiss (with Paul Feig)
Legendary director, writer, and actor Paul Feig joins me for our very first episode. Note to listeners: he’s in a seven-piece suit, and I’m in sweatpants. It’s great. You'll hear all about my first kiss, and Paul's own awkward romances (like the ones that inspired his show "Freak ... Show More
43m 15s