I Think You're Interesting

by Vox
212

The entertainment industry is brimming with interesting people who are responsible for your favorite movies, TV shows, and more. Join Vox’s critic-at-large Emily VanDerWerff every Thursday as she speaks with the very well known, up-and-coming and need to know folks responsible for the most exciting projects in art, entertainment, and pop culture – diving deep into their influences, inspirations, and careers in a frank, uncensored fashion. The series finale aired in December 2018.

Recent Episodes
  • Mahershala Ali, from Moonlight to True Detective
    Dec 20, 2018 – 58:59
  • What do The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Parks and Rec have in common? Michael Schur.
    Dec 13, 2018 – 01:09:12
  • Christmas music you won't get sick of, with R&B star PJ Morton
    Dec 6, 2018 – 56:34
  • Losing is hard. But comedian Chris Gethard says it’s necessary.
    Nov 29, 2018 – 01:11:30
  • How to not screw up Thanksgiving dinner, with Salt Fat Acid Heat's Samin Nosrat
    Nov 22, 2018 – 01:04:49
  • Hollywood’s past can help us understand its present. Karina Longworth shows us how.
    Nov 15, 2018 – 49:44
  • Writer Diablo Cody, on Jennifer's Body, Juno, and Jagged Little Pill (the musical)
    Nov 8, 2018 – 59:13
  • How to build a civilization from scratch
    Nov 1, 2018 – 01:19:23
  • What great horror looks and sounds like, with the makers of The Terror and A Quiet Place
    Oct 25, 2018 – 58:13
  • Why Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, launched a true crime podcast
    Oct 18, 2018 – 01:00:05
  • Better Call Saul's showrunner tells us everything about the show's amazing finale
    Oct 11, 2018 – 01:05:22
  • The history of the American circus, with the people who worked there
    Oct 4, 2018 – 37:11
  • BoJack Horseman's sly, funny brilliance, explained by the people who make it
    Sep 27, 2018 – 01:11:16
  • Jon Batiste, Stephen Colbert’s bandleader, on making music in New Orleans, on the subway, and on late night TV
    Sep 20, 2018 – 51:56
  • Janet from The Good Place and Kelli from Insecure on making TV's funniest shows even funnier
    Sep 13, 2018 – 01:12:36
  • TV ratings, explained
    Sep 6, 2018 – 56:38
  • One of the best TV shows of the year is a documentary about racial inequities in education
    Aug 30, 2018 – 35:22
  • How to make a movie starring the internet, with Eighth Grade director Bo Burnham
    Aug 23, 2018 – 54:56
  • The incredible true story behind Spike Lee's new movie BlacKkKlansman
    Aug 16, 2018 – 01:03:08
  • Why the binge model doesn’t always make the best TV
    Aug 9, 2018 – 50:32
  • Sharp Objects’ Patricia Clarkson on finding the mom roles worth playing
    Aug 2, 2018 – 01:01:33
  • Sorry to Bother You director Boots Riley on labor unions, capitalism, and his hit movie
    Jul 26, 2018 – 01:02:58
  • How Neko Case writes her beautiful, brilliant songs
    Jul 19, 2018 – 44:13
  • The Handmaid’s Tale season 2 and the summer’s biggest movies, discussed and explained
    Jul 12, 2018 – 01:01:00
  • Inside the world’s best true-crime podcast
    Jul 5, 2018 – 39:55
  • You may not immediately recognize Bob Balaban’s name. But you know his voice
    Jun 28, 2018 – 44:22
  • Stand-up Hari Kondabolu is so much more than The Problem with Apu
    Jun 21, 2018 – 53:50
  • Aisha Tyler on Archer, standup comedy, and being Aisha Tyler
    Jun 14, 2018 – 58:36
  • How to make great TV, according to the showrunners of Black Lightning, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Vida
    Jun 7, 2018 – 01:03:55
  • The Americans' showrunners and star bid farewell to TV's best show
    May 31, 2018 – 54:33
  • What great horror looks and sounds like, with the makers of The Terror and A Quiet Place
    May 24, 2018 – 55:54
  • Veteran comedy writer Nell Scovell on 30 years of being "the only woman in the room"
    May 17, 2018 – 51:51
  • The Magicians' Sera Gamble on making great fantasy TV without Game of Thrones money
    May 9, 2018 – 37:23
  • Thanos and Roseanne: how two mad titans took over pop culture
    May 2, 2018 – 49:21
  • Why 2001: A Space Odyssey is still one of the greatest films ever made, 50 years later
    Apr 25, 2018 – 01:05:44
  • How Jean Smart beat Hollywood's age biases to build a nearly 40-year career
    Apr 18, 2018 – 46:08
  • Wonderful Midwestern moms, explained by comedian Louie Anderson (who plays his own mom on TV)
    Apr 11, 2018 – 47:07
  • The 5 best coming-of-age movies about teen girls
    Apr 4, 2018 – 41:20
  • Jason Katims, showrunner of Friday Night Lights and Rise, on why teens make great TV
    Mar 28, 2018 – 44:22
  • How to write a joke for President Obama
    Mar 21, 2018 – 57:34
  • Bill Nye, on becoming the Science Guy and Saving the World
    Mar 14, 2018 – 47:59
  • Designing the worst workplace in the world. (Only for a TV show. Don’t worry.)
    Mar 7, 2018 – 57:47
  • The "I Think You’re Interesting" Oscars Spectacular
    Feb 28, 2018 – 01:11:42
  • Love the look of Black Panther's Wakanda? Meet the woman who designed its costumes.
    Feb 21, 2018 – 01:01:01
  • Finding work — or just creating your own — as a deaf actor in Hollywood
    Feb 14, 2018 – 01:00:23
  • "Narnia was not up to code": The Magicians' Lev Grossman on building fantastical worlds
    Feb 7, 2018 – 01:01:13
  • Justina Machado is giving one of TV's best performances. Here's her acting advice.
    Jan 31, 2018 – 01:05:29
  • How Hans Zimmer found the music of the ocean
    Jan 24, 2018 – 01:04:37
  • The best film and TV performances of 2017, according to our critics panel
    Jan 17, 2018 – 01:01:50
  • Phil Rosenthal created Everybody Loves Raymond. Now he hosts a food and travel show. Can we have his life?
    Jan 10, 2018 – 01:13:18
Recent Reviews
  • Clsoxfan
    I’ll miss this podcast
    In a Vox podcast system clogged with mostly politics and news, this was a breath of fresh air. I enjoy the other podcasts, but this was the one thoughtful pop culture podcast I’ve found. Great guests, fascinating insights, and a once weekly respite from the dreadful news and politics of our time. I will miss this a lot. I hope whatever replaces it can capture the scope of I Think You’re Interesting’s ambition.
  • Nameless Numberhead
    Of course!
    Todd VanDerWerff's fatal flaw as a writer, beyond awkward construction and a constant need for a second draft, has always been his insistence and reliance on the first person. He can't keep himself out of his reviews and articles and he's never told me anything about himself I wanted to hear. So it makes total sense that his podcast would be called "I THINK YOU'RE INTERESTING," which is not just a self-centered approach, it's also a cloying and patronizing statement. It's particularly funny that he aims that sentiment at people far more accomplished, far more talented and far better known. I Think You're Interesting? To quote Broadcast News: "Who the hell cares what YOU think?"
  • simqaasim
    Boring
    These guys are just boring. I miss slate’s culture gabfest. Much quicker, smarter, and more humorous and witty discussion.
  • Eye, For One
    Interesting guests, but...
    Todd seems so involved in hitting his prewritten list of questions, he doesn’t seem to be listening to the answers his guests give.
  • Haber345
    Great Interviews with a Smart Host
    VanDerWerff is a really fantastic interviewer, and each episode is a great dig into the minds of the subject. I like how the show tries to get deeper than just a typical profile on an actor or writer or whatever. It’s just so well organized
  • DellingDog
    Highly recommended
    Excellent interviews with interesting guests. Highly recommended.
  • votingismycardio
    Interesting People
    The subjects are quite interesting, but the interviewer is awful. Instead of "Yea, Yea" and "For Sure", try pausing and moving on to your next question. Maybe study Terri Gross or your colleague Ezra Klein's interview style. Great people, annoying interview style.
  • mwg1976nyc
    An aptly named podcast
    What I love about this podcast is that the interview choices are driven by resumé, not by fame. As the title suggests, Todd chooses pop-culture interviews with people doing new and original things, largely without regard to whether they are household names. He also makes sure the interviews are well balanced between the artist’s work, the artist’s life, and how both of those are connected to our current world. Highly recommended.
  • Podcast Newbee
    Excellent Episode
    I just listend to the Interview with Matt Carter. It was excellent. I apprecated the dive into a potentially touchy topic that I think many are contemplating from some angle or another right now. Growing up going to church every Sunday in the 70s and 80s and comparing my experience to what is being used as the foundation of positions I don't agree with is so difficult. Matt's thoughtful approach to engaging with what is happening, and Todd's thoughful questions that allowed this facinating conversation to evolve, was just what is needed today. Thank you.
  • Jesse W Jackson
    The Podcast is Interesting as well!
    Todd is doing a great job of finding wonderful people to join him on the podcast. I love the diversity of his guests and the insights shared. I'm especially happy that he mentioned one of my favorite shows Now and Again with Glenn Gordon Caron. Keep it up Todd!
  • Ambruesia
    Incredible. Impeccable. The best. 🙌🏼
    This show is great. It has interesting and unique guests, and Todd asks questions that are thought provoking and stay with you long after the episode ends. I Think You’re Interesting introduces you to new and exciting pop culture. It’s well-produced and enjoyable. Everything you could want from a podcast.
  • EvDon925
    Excellent
    I frequently get bored with hour long interview pods, but this one is excellent. Todd does a great job of creating an interesting conversation with insights I don’t get elsewhere
  • Mr. Sean E.
    I like it!
    Only complaint: heavy on the vocables
  • Ambae63
    Awesome
    Love his reviews on Vox and his conversations with artists on this show.
  • botc
    Great interviewer and great interviewees
    Great interviews
  • HalloSpaceboy
    Essential
    One of the best interview podcasts, particularly if you are interested in television. Always thoughtful and intelligent.
  • rothO.
    Generally good, not always convincing
    In general, I like ITYI. I do, however, wish the interviews were more conversational. I'm not always convinced the host actually thinks the guests are interesting based on the way he responds to their answers.
  • deserteaglesseilh
    Interesting interview but with annoying verbal pauses and rough transitions
    I really enjoy the interviews, but the host has a super annoying verbal pause, that I just can't unhear. Anytime the guest is speaking, almost every sentence, the host will make this uuuhg noise (think start of a monkey impersonation). It's really distracting. Also, while the overall interviews are fascinating, you get the feeling that the host just has a list of questions he wants to ask and doesn't stray from his script. There are some less than fluid transitions from question to question, where he is just waiting to hit the next question on his list rather than feeding off of the answer his guest has given him. Still subscribed and enjoying the podcast, just think it could be a little bit better.
  • KKoeser
    Fantastic interviews
    Todd is a great interviewer, always asking insightful questions, and his guests are super interesting people you probably won't see interviewed anywhere else. Love this.
  • Cmbeetle
    Great Podcast!
    I started reading Todd's work back when he was with the AV Club, and was always impressed by his insight and thoughtfulness. Over the years he has steered me towards some great programming that I would have missed. This podcast is a great addition to his fabulous writing. The podcast does a great job of humanizing his guest who many of us only know from the credits of their great shows.
  • Meri deGroot
    I love it
    I love this podcast. I've found it's incredibly helpful to have seen or experienced the show or creative performance the guest has is on air to talk about, otherwise it's difficult to follow along, but the host is an amazing interview. Very compelling.
  • ceecee154
    New favorite
    There are a lot of culture podcasts out there, but this one sits apart. The interviews so far are fascinating, genuine, and insightful and really shine a light on how and why shows are made the way they are, and how that differs from the way they should be made.
  • LOGIC PRISONER
    A very interesting podcast.
    Thank you for this inspiring and insightful podcast.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.