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The Iowa Idea: Ophira Eisenberg

“Go towards the people that are saying yes.”

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Ophira Eisenberg. Ophira is a standup comedian, writer, and host of NPR’s national syndicated comedy-trivia show and podcast Ask Me Another. She is a regular host and teller on The Moth Radio Hour. Ophira’s comedic memoir, Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy was optioned for a feature film and her comedy special Inside Joke is available on Amazon and iTunes.

Ophira and I explore her journey as a comedian, writer, and storyteller – from Calgary to Montreal, to New York City. Our conversation looked at how she approaches her craft and shifts her style based on the audience and venue. We dig into how our kids can be our toughest critics; nerd out on what constitutes proper poutine – spoiler: if it’s not from Quebec it’s not poutine. Ophira shares the importance of spending time with supportive collaborators who help you stretch and grow. I appreciated the opportunity to get her first-person account of Calgary’s Stanley Cup victory in the ‘80s and the strength of Lanny McDonald’s mustache game.

It was an honor having Ophira join me on the show. You can find out more about Ophira on her website and catch Ask Me Another on NPR (links below in the episode description). Thank you Ophira for your time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Ophira

Ophira Eisenberg is a standup comedian, writer, and host of NPR’s national syndicated comedy trivia radio show and podcast Ask Me Another where she interviews, jokes around with, and plays silly games with Sir Patrick Harris, Rosie Perez, Awkwafina, Roxanne Gay, Bob The Drag Queen, Jessica Walter, Bowen Yang, Debra Messing, Nick Kroll, Chelsea Handler and more. She is also a regular panelist on Hulu’s Up Early Tonight. She’s appeared on Comedy Central, This Week At The Comedy Cellar, The New Yorker Festival, Kevin Hart’s LOL Network, HBO’s Girls, Gotham Live, The Late Late Show, and The Today Show. She is regular host and teller on The Moth Radio Hour. Her stories have also been included in two of The Moth’s best-selling collections, including the most recent: Occasional Magic: True Stories About Defying the Impossible. Ophira’s own comedic memoir, Screw Everyone: Sleeping My Way to Monogamy was optioned for a feature film. Her comedy special Inside Joke is available on Amazon and iTunes.

Links:

www.ophiraeisenberg.com

https://www.npr.org/programs/ask-me-another/

@ophirae on social media

Credits

Episode produced by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/).

The Iowa Idea Podcast theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Tim Easton

“Let’s go set something on fire.”

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Tim Easton. Tim is a singer/songwriter based out of Nashville. Raised in Akron, OH, Tim was influenced by a combination of pop icons (Beatles, Stones) and bluegrass/folk legends (Doc Watson, John Prine). After college, Easton found himself busking in the streets of Paris, London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Prague, on and off for seven years, at one time alongside Anti-Folk hero Beck Hansen. Tim has recorded and toured with some of the top names in the music business. His first release The Truth About Us, featuring members of WILCO as the backing band. 2003 brought his solid follow-up, Break Your Mother’s Heart, which received four stars in Rolling Stone magazine

Tim and I talked about his journey as a singer and songwriter, how living in North America, Asia, Europe, and Central America, have influenced his outlook and perspective. We even covered Tim’s first talent show, to busking in Europe, and how touring around the world has improved his craft. Tim talks about how his routine has changed over the years. We talk about our connections to Shakespeare and Co bookstore in Paris – spoiler: Tim’s experience is a lot more entertaining.

It was an honor having Tim join me on the show. I thank him and insights. His new album, You Don’t Really Know Me, a return to the full backing band sound, produced by Brad Jones & Robin Eaton in Nashville, to be released on BLACK MESA RECORDS in August of 2021. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Tim

Raised in Akron, OH, singer/songwriter Tim Easton was influenced by a combination of pop icons (Beatles, Stones) and bluegrass/folk legends (Doc Watson, John Prine). After college, Easton found himself busking in the streets of Paris, London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Madrid, and Prague, on and off for seven years, at one time alongside Anti-Folk hero Beck Hansen.  His folk-based songwriting brought an earthy sound to the Haynes Boys (an existing rock band that recruited Easton in the mid-’90s) and they recorded one album, Guardian Angel, for New York-based Slab Records. Easton pursued his solo career, recording his first solo album, Special 20, with friends and session musicians in Nashville. He signed with EMI Publishing in 1999, relocated to Los Angeles, performed at songwriter hubs like Largo, and signed a recording contract with New West Records.

His first release for the label was 2001’s The Truth About Us, featuring members of WILCO as the backing band. 2003 brought his solid follow-up for the label, Break Your Mother’s Heart, which received 4 stars in the print version of Rolling Stone, heralding his songwriting as having a “novelist’s sense of humanity.” This was followed by “Ammunition” in 2006. Support slot tours with mentors Lucinda Williams and John Hiatt crossed North America and Europe.  A concert set, “Live at Water Canyon,” appeared in 2008, followed by “Porcupine” in 2009 and a pair of self-released albums, “Beat the Band” and “Since 1966, Volume 1,” both in 2011. After moving to Nashville and starting his own label, CAMPFIRE PROPAGANDA, Easton teamed with THIRTY TIGERS to release roots & blues-based “Not Cool,” which was included in the Top 50 Albums of American Songwriter’s year end list for 2013.  “American Fork” came out with LAST CHANCE RECORDS in 2015, rising to #11 on the Americana Radio charts, and the solo acoustic, direct to lacquer recording, “PACO & THE MELODIC POLAROIDS”  was released on Campfire Propaganda in 2018, followed by tours of North America, Japan, Alaska, and Europe. Easton also toured the entirety of Russia in 2019, representing American folk music, as part of the Forum For Cultural Exchange. His experiences were documented in a weekly column for No Depression Magazine.

Easton performs annually at SALMONFEST in Ninilchik, Alaska and WOODYFEST in Okemah, Oklahoma. June of 2019 brought the “EXPOSITION” LP, a field recording partly recorded at the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas where Robert Johnson cut his tracks, and partly in Okemah, Oklahoma.  Up next for worldwide release will be “YOU DON’T REALLY KNOW ME,” a return to the full backing band sound, produced by Brad Jones & Robin Eaton in Nashville, to be released on BLACK MESA RECORDS in August of 2021.

Tim’s Kickstarter Page

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/244907277/tim-eastons-10th-solo-album

http://www.twitter.com/Tim_Easton

http://www.Facebook.com/TheTimEaston

http://www.Patreon.com/TimEaston

http://www.Instagram.com/timeastonwriter

http://www.TimEaston.com

Credits

Tim’s song “Voice on the Radio” appears courtesy of Tim Easton and will appear on his forthcoming album “You Don’t Really Know Me” on Black Mesa Records.

Episode produced by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/).

The Iowa Idea Podcast theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Erin Rollenhagen

“At our core everything we do is meant to solve human problems.”

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Erin Rollenhagen. Erin is the CEO and founder of Entrepreneurial Technologies. In 2019, she released Soul Uprising: It’s Never Just Business, a book that encourages entrepreneurs and business leaders to trust their purpose and embrace impact as the true measure of success.

Erin and I talk about her journey as a technologist, entrepreneur, and author. Starting out in creative writing at Iowa, Erin went on to become a developer, business owner, and community leader. She is active in her community and was the 2018 Chairwoman of the Board of the Technology Association of Iowa, has served on the Executive Committee of the Future Ready Iowa Alliance, and the state Computer Science Working Group.

Our discussion explored concepts of trust, strong brands, as well as stereotypes that hinder women in tech, and the need for teams to embrace diversity. Erin shares her advice on when and how to improve oneself.

It was an honor having Erin join me on the show. I thank her for her time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Erin

Starting and growing a successful business in the field of technology isn’t easy. It’s especially hard when you launch your business on the cusp of one of the most destructive recessions in U.S. history, get diagnosed with an incurable degenerative disease and oh yeah – don’t look like a tech entrepreneur is ‘supposed’ to look. But Erin Rollenhagen has never been afraid to go against the grain. She made a name for herself at age 14 when a protest that she led against misogynistic behavior at her middle school drew national media attention. She carried that rebel spirit into her career as a tech entrepreneur, founding a company on the premise that technology doesn’t have to be cold and heartless. In 2019, she released Soul Uprising: It’s Never Just Business, a book that encourages entrepreneurs and business leaders to trust their purpose and embrace impact as the true measure of success.

Erin began her technology career as a programmer with a small software firm before founding Entrepreneurial Technologies in 2007. As CEO she is passionate about building the right environment and processes for the ET team to do its best possible work. She also assists with system architecture and design.

Erin is active in the community and was the 2018 Chairwoman of the Board of the Technology Association of Iowa, has served on the Executive Committee of the Future Ready Iowa Alliance, and the state Computer Science Working Group. Erin is a proud graduate of the University of Iowa. She lives in the Des Moines area with her beloved corgi, Bruno.

You can get your copy of Soul Uprising via these links:

Kindle version available here – https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Uprising-Never-Just-Business-ebook/dp/B083JP2M9K/

Hard copy version available here – https://www.erinrollenhagen.com/shop/soul-uprising-hardcover-book

Credits

Episode produced by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/).

The Iowa Idea Podcast theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: James Tutson

“Trying to do something more beautiful.”

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by James Tutson. James is a singer-songwriter from Iowa City. His style is a combination of southern soul and rhythm & blues. He has recorded four studio albums, two solo and two with his band James Tutson and the Rollback. When he’s not performing, he spends time with his wife, Stephanie, their two kids Etta, and Haven, and serving local youth through the non-profit, Neighbors. His fifth studio album, “Still” is scheduled for release in March of 2021.

James and I dig into his journey as a musician, as well his influences from Amos Lee to James Baldwin. We talk about the work he and Stephanie are doing with their non-profit Neighbors.

Our discussion explored some of the similarities with music and design, including being intentional, framing, and collaboration. Our conversation concludes after examining themes of creativity, “fore-ness,” and love.

A special note of thanks to Dave Gould as friend and curator. I think this is the fourth guest of the podcast that is connected to Dave.

It was an honor having James join me on the show. I thank him for sharing his time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About James

James Tutson is a singer-songwriter from Iowa City, IA. His style is a combination of southern soul and rhythm & blues. He has recorded four studio albums, two solo and two with his band James Tutson and the Rollback. When he’s not performing, he spends time with his wife, Stephanie, their two kids Etta, and Haven, and serving local youth through the non-profit, Neighbors, started by James and Stephanie. His fifth studio album “Still” is scheduled to release in March of 2021. For more information on James, “Still”, live music and exclusive content subscribe on www.jamestutson.com for James’ newsletter and follow on Instagram: @jtutson.

Credits

The song “Afraid” from Make You Free (2019) appears courtesy of James Tutson and The Rollback.

Episode produced by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/).

The Iowa Idea Podcast theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Kaleb Wyse

“Use what you have until it becomes what you want.”

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Kaleb Wyse. Kaleb the fourth generation to live on his family farm in Iowa. Leaving business and accounting he started Wyse Guide as an outlet for his passions in the garden and in the kitchen. With his YouTube channel, Kaleb’s goal is to show viewers how they too can start a garden, no matter the size; preserve the food; create a meal; and create the home they love to live in. With Wyse Guide Kaleb works to pass these passions on to others.We dig in into Kaleb’s journey from farm life, to accounting, and back to a farm life that embraces the principles of traditional farm life with a modern twist where he embraces technology to share his passion and perspectives.

It was an honor having Kaleb join me on the show. I thank him for sharing his time and insights. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Kaleb

Kaleb Wyse is the fourth-generation to live on his family farm in Iowa. Leaving business and accounting Kaleb started Wyse Guide as an outlet for his passions both outdoors in the garden and indoors in the kitchen. His goal is to show viewers how they too can start a garden, no matter the size. Preserve the food. Create a meal and create the home they love to live in.

Kaleb’s website: https://wyseguide.com

Kaleb’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/wyseguide

Credits

Episode produced by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/).

The Iowa Idea Podcast theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).

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The Iowa Idea: Anuvab Pal

In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Anuvab Pal. The New York Times calls Anuvab India’s Most Intelligent Comedian. The Times of India calls him one of India’s top 10 comedians. His work has been featured on The BBC, Time Magazine, CNN, and other global media. He’s the screenwriter of three well known Bollywood films, including the “Loins of Punjab Present” and the author of 4 bestselling novels, including the nonfiction book on the Bollywood movie, The Disco Dancer. His standup performance of “Empire,” is part of the permanent collection at Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Anuvab and Kunaal Roy Kapur host one Spotify’s most popular podcasts – “Our Last Week,” where the hosts answer emails about conundrums.

We dig in into Anuvab’s journey into comedy and writing, including his introduction of American cultural icons waiting for Anuvab when he attended college in Ohio, and the influence of the mocumentary genre. We discuss the greatness that is the ‘80s Bollywood cult classic “Disco Dancer” and the struggles of those confronting Guitarphobia. If you haven’t had the chance, please check out the movie Disco Dancer, it is the funniest movie I’ve seen in a long time. Be warned, the director believes it is a serious film.

Before I had hit record, Anuvab and I were discussing his connection to Iowa. While he lived in the States, he was invited to Diwali celebration in Clive, IA.

It was an honor having Anuvab join me on the show and coordinating a 12.5 hour time zone difference to make this episode happen. I thank him for sharing his time, insights, and for introducing me to Disco Dancer. I also need to thank Dave Hill and the The Dave Hill Goodtime Hour team for introducing me to Disco Dancer and Anuvab. I hope you enjoy the episode.

About Anuvab

The New York Times calls Anuvab Pal India’s Most Intelligent Comedian. The Times Of India calls him one of India’s top 10 comedians. His stand-up comedy special “The Nation Wants To Know,” has had over 500 shows starting in Mumbai and playing from Sydney to San Francisco to Singapore to sold out houses across 30 cities. His show is the only Indian stand-up comedy show after Russel Peters’ to sell out The Comedy Store in London and Gotham Comedy Club in New York in record time. In 2017, he was one of 10 Indian comedians picked by Amazon Prime Video to have his comedy special “Alive At 40” broadcast to 30 countries worldwide. His work has been featured on The BBC, Time Magazine, CNN, NDTV, and other global media. He’s the screenwriter of 3 well known Bollywood films and the author of 4 bestselling novels, including a nonfiction book on the Bollywood movie, The Disco Dancer.

His standup performance of “Empire,” is part of the permanent collection at Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Anuvab’s Podcast – https://open.spotify.com/episode/424wQ08vaztlEgSjiu3s7T?si=TQBQffO4QjGCWQehJHnNbw

Anubab’s Site – https://anuvabpal.com/

Disco Dancer – https://amz.run/4Glq

The Dave Hill Goodtime Hour – https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/dave-hill-goodtime-hour/

Credits

Episode produced by Spark Consulting Group (www.inspiredbyspark.com) in Iowa City, with support from Executive Podcast Solutions (https://www.executivepodcastsolutions.com/).

The Iowa Idea Podcast theme music written and performed by Paisley Bible (https://paisleybible.bandcamp.com/).