For this episode, we're joined once again by Janel Moloney (@NellyMoloney), who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Emmy in part for her performance in this episode. Alas, she did not help us learn to tie a proper bow tie. (At the end of the podcast episode, you want to be able to pull it open, like Tony Bennett.)
And: new t-shirts!
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We’re joined again by our friend Eli Attie, the former speechwriter to Al Gore who went on to join The West Wing in Season 3. Eli has a ‘story by’ credit on “Ways and Means,” and we dig into what that really means. Plus, we talk about the importance and danger that stage directions can provide actors and politicians. Take a listen, you won’t be…DISAPPOINTED!!!!
footnotes —
George H.W. Bush – "Message: I Care."
Hercules - Disappointed!!!
Here are the actual memos that Eli wrote, from his episode binder:
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Josh and Hrishi are joined by Connie Britton (@conniebritton) to discuss the second half of the Season 3 premiere and the role of Connie Tate. In an attempt to reference Josh Lyman's RU-486 and Tobacco mix-ups, I made a joke last week about Freudian slips in the show notes for Part I(“Josh and Hrishi try to sort their way through it all without making any Freudian slips while talking to each mother”), but it really should have gone here, in Part II. Sorry about that. My dad. I mean, my bad.
footnotes —
Octopus RNA Tinkering (our underwater overlords, more powerful than ever)
Davey & Goliath
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The Season Three premiere has a dense script, and an enormous production to match. Josh and Hrishi try to sort their way through it all without making any Freudian slips while talking to each mother.
footnotes —
The West Wing cast on Charlie Rose in 2001
State and Main
Wag the Dog
The story of Evan Handler in I Hate Hamlet
[ download ] [ transcript ]
This is a controversial episode of The West Wing, and one that falls outside the regular storyline of the show. We hash out our conflicting opinions to find some common ground. We're also joined by Ajay Naidu to discuss his role as Rakim Ali. And we talk to former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry, who is now a Professor of Theology; in the spirit of this episode, it's a Jew, an atheist, and a Methodist having a conversation about religion, politics, and pluralism.
Bonus: we have a lot of fun recording our ads, you can probably tell. We wanted to share the full exchange we had recording this week's Blue Apron ad here; it was too long and ridiculous to put in the episode in its entirety.
