Don't Be Alone with Jay Kogen
Don’t Be Alone with Jay Kogen is a comedy/advice podcast trying to fight the isolation of modern life. Each episode, Award winning TV writer/comedian/philosopher Jay Kogen has a conversation with a friend about how to solve the problems on Jay’s mind. These friends happen to be famous comics, musicians, actors, artists, writers, and sometimes even his family. It’s an entertaining, fun, and thoughtful show meant to bond us through humor, experience, and empathy.From Straw Hut Media
Episodes
159 episodes
BONUS EPISODE! Writer Turned Therapist, Phil Stark, Says Jay Should Have Given Up By Now
Phil Stark talks about writing and learning it wasn’t really his dream, telling patients to find their bliss, deciding joy wasn’t in the writers room, writing “…
Writer/Legend Carl Gottlieb Always Makes The Scene, Jay Doesn’t.
Writer of “Jaws" & "The Jerk" Carl Gottlieb talks about working with Spielberg, Steve Martin, Carl Reiner, David Crosby, Joan Baez, improv group The Committee,…
Will Forte Says, “Everyone Follow Your Dream” But Maybe Not Jay
Will Forte talks about almost being a financial advisor, his checkered writing career, SNL MacGruber, Nebraska, The Groundlings, Last Man on Earth, having kids…
James L. Brooks Explains Why Jay’s Such A Disappointment
This week, James L Brooks talked about The Simpsons, Mary Tyler Moore ,Terms of Endearment, having a million lunches to cast parts, his difficult beginnings and…
Writer/Comic/Activist Steve Skrovan Explores How Jay Isn’t Making Life Better For Anyone
Writer/Activist Steve Skovan talks about his work with Ralph Nader, his substack “Bits and Pieces”, his dad being a comic inspiration, the trouble with politics…
Comedy Legend Thomas Lennon Explains Why Jay Is Lazy
Tom Lennon tells us he's not working that hard on the unbelievably large number of projects he never stops working on. From writing movies (including a “HALL OF…
Film Makers Byron Manuel & Justin Graves Say Jay’s Art Isn’t Worth Suffering For
Film-Makers Justin Graves and Byron Manuel talk about what it takes to make movies in 2025 being young, talented, and black. They talk about finding the dream o…
Rachel Bloom Found Her People & They Are Not Jay
Rachel talks about why people love or hate musicals, Crazy Ex- Girlfriend and how it would never be made today and how unlikely it was to get made back then. Sh…
Kenya Barris Credits Jay with The Disappointing Parts of His Career
Kenya Barris talks about his messy childhood, the do’s and don’ts of the writer’s room, laying low during covid, Larry David making Kenya take the leap to star…
Director Jon Turteltaub Explains Why Jay Shouldn’t Be Happy.
Jon and Jay talk about having writer dads, the pressure of trying to succeed as a second gen show biz kid, how to direct movies with being a jerk, being right,…
Comic Andrea Abbate’s Hard Life Was Easier Before Jay
Andrea Abbate talks about her amazing tumultuous life, including addiction, bad partners, bad parents, bad relationships, and surviving through comedy to land i…
Maggie Baird Tells Jay Why He’s Ruining His Son’s Career
Maggie Baird - Actress/writer/ & mother of superstars Billie Eilish & Finneas gives Jay the recipe for not messing up your kids and letting them flourish. She a…
Neal Brennan Says Happiness Is Possible For Everyone But Jay
We talk about deciding if you are a writer or a performer, confidence in bad joke, comedy as team sport, Neal being “groupless”, John McEnroe’s good sportsmansh…
Bruce Vilanch Tells Jay He Needs To Market Himself Better
Bruce talks about stumbling into writing and finding a home. His feud with Barbra Streisand, writing for Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and Lily Tomlin. He talks…
BONUS EPISODE! Actor Jim Turner Gets Stuff Done While Jay Doesn’t.
Jim Turner talks about doing one of our first pilots, Monkey World, being friends for 32 years, being the kind of guy who shows up at shows, makes shows, raises…
Manager Liz Kamlet Proves Jay’s Destroying His Son’s Music Career
Liz Kamlet answers all the music questions the dad of an aspiring musician has from Social Media to publishing to concerts to recording to warnings about the mu…
BONUS EPISODE! Comic J. Elvis Weinstein Says Jay Jokes Wrong
J. Elvis Weinstein was a head writer on many shows so he knows a good joke while Jay just jokes often from character. On this show we sort out the differences.…
Jay Gets Andy Kindler Angry
Andy and Jay talk about anger, falling down, therapy, neuropathy, parents, the power of singing, audio books, back aches, Quakers, the State of The Industry, th…
Zak Penn Explains Why Jay Knows Nothing About Show Business
Screenwriting legend Zak Penn talks about how he got so savvy in the business of show. We talk about how coming to LA and scouting out the city geared him up fo…
Mo Welch Claims Jay’s Utter Lack of Fame Is A Blessing
Comic/writer/cartoonist Mo Welch talks about her journey to find her dad and the Hulu special that came out of it called, “Dad Jokes”. She also dives into how s…
Andy Gordon Loves Writing while Jay Podcasts to Avoid Writing
Writer/Producer Andy Gordon loves writing. He talks about writing for pleasure after all these years. He talks about how the characters can make him laugh or cr…
Actress/Activist Meredith Salenger Says Jay Needs To Fight The Mediocre Fight
Meredith Salenger talks about fighting for justice, making peace, mediating, falling in love over text, growing up in Malibu, being picked to be a star by John…
Marianne Williamson Tells Jay That Maybe He’s Not Cut Out For Self Actualization
Marianne helps Jay try to find his spirituality. She talks about how we need to step into our own power. We talk about finding truths of the universe, faith in…
Writer Dan Ewen Says Jay's A Spoiled Brat
Writer Dan Ewen talks about his new show which was the last from Norman Lear, Dear Santa, growing up across the street from the good side of town, loving Athens…
Cartoonist Extraordinaire David Silverman Explains Why Jay’s Writing The Simpsons Wasn’t What Made It Good.
David Silverman explores the history of The Simpsons from before it existed until now. He talks about animating the hard stuff and making it look easy as well a…
Patton Oswalt Part 2 - The Reckoning
Patton Oswalt and I finish our discussion in this first ever two part DBAWJK! You can never get enough Oswalt. He has been one of the most original minds out th…
Patton Oswalt Explains Why Jay Isn’t Cool
Patton Oswalt talks about life, love, parenting, fandom, art and comedy in an episode so great it had to be two! We talk about putting in the work to be an acto…
Oscar Winner, Jim Rash, Knows He’ll Never Befriend Jay
Screenwriter and actor Jim Rash and I talk about what makes him an empathetic and responsive friend, growing up in Charlotte, NC, being adopted, the Groundlings…
Annie Sertich & Mindy Sterling Question Jay’s Ability To Have Friends.
Annie and Mindy talk about what it takes to have a deep and lasting friendship. They discuss what brought them together, how they are alike and how they are not…
Adam Pally Thinks People Hate Jay Kogen
On this episode we talk about the energy and commitment to be funny in everyday life with famed actor, writer, and improviser, Adam Pally who thinks it’s just a…
Jay Makes Lew Schneider’s House Burning Down All About Jay
Writer/Comic/Director Lew Schneider talks about how he copes with his house burning down in the L.A. firesand. How to manage the feelings of loss and gratitude,…
Writer/Directors Maya Forbes & Wallace Wolodarsky On Why Jay Is A Lousy Partner
On this episode Jay’s former writing partner, Wallace Wolodarsky and Wally’s new writing partner, his wife, Maya Forbes talk about partnership – the joys and th…
Jay’s Work Friends, Nicole Sullivan & Jerry Trainor, Explain That Jay’s Has No Real Friends\
Nicole and Jerry talk about Friendship, iCarly, MadTV, “Wendell & Vinnie”, electric shock collars, escape rooms, snowboarding, keeping in touch, drinking, LA to…
Matt Selman Says Jay’s Big Failure Was Leaving The Simpsons
Blurb: Matt Selman talks about keeping The Simpsons afloat and still funny after all these years, being the rare writer who stayed in one place, Terry Jones bei…
Kelly Carlin-McCall Says Her Dad Is Better than Jay’s
Jay and Kelly talk about what we got from our fathers, both good and bad. We also talk about the genius of George Carlin, living in the shadow of your parents,…
Directing Legend James Burrows Explores Why Jay Lacks “That Certain Magic”.
We talk with James Burroughs about his reign as hollywood's greatest sitcom director, being the son of the Abe Burrows In the genetics of comedy, his book “dire…
Simon Rich Explains Why Jay Isn't A Good Writer.
Simon Rich talks about how writing fantastical stories can still be authentic and personal.we also talk about growing up in a family of writers, why SNL is not…
Comedy Legend Jon Lovitz Say That Acting Is Easy, Comedy Is Hard, and Tennis is Even Harder And Jay Is Terrible At All Of Them.
The great Jon Lovitz talks about comedy, acting, stand-up comedy, dogs, The Groundlings, Managers, A league of Their Own, The Simpsons, The Critic, and the sere…
Moon Zappa Says Size Doesn’t Matter When It Comes To Jay’s Trauma
Moon Zappa talks about her book, “Earth To Moon” which details her family trauma, the desire to dance, what makes good art, not being perfect, wanting more from…
Comic Fahim Anwar Knows Jay’s Stand-up Will Fail
Comic and writer Fahim Anwar and I talk about failed TV shows, Afghan and Ukrainian treats, performing at Largo, comedy today, working for Boeing, disappointing…
Showrunner Jonathan Groff Questions Why Jay Would Book Him & Not the Broadway Star Jonathan Groff
Jonathan talks about growing up the son of a minister, not ruining other people’s shows, not doing stand-up comedy, not staying with Conan, and not being the Jo…
Jennifer Tilly Explains Why Jay Is Clueless About The Plight of Actresses
Jennifer spills the beans on what it takes to be an actress in Hollywood. We talk "Beverly Hills Housewives", how your gal pal will cover your problem spots in…
Writer/Philosopher Eric Kaplan Dumbs It Down For Jay
Blurb: We talk about Philosophy, comedy writing, agreeing with the show runner, not being afraid of the truth, the power of walking sticks, trying to figure out…
Singer/Songwriter Steven Page Explains Why Jay’s Writing Partner Was Right To Leave Him
Steven sings some amazing songs and talks about The BareNakedLadies, Trans-Canada Highwaymen, the creative process, blowing up your life, breaking up with your…
Tim Bagley Counsels Jay On Why His Bad Self Image Is Still Too Positive
Tim & Jay talk about connecting, being in the moment, getting fired from “Friends”, the Groundlings, being brave enough for relationships, laughing during impro…
Paul Reiser Insists Jay Isn’t Nuanced Enough
Paul Reiser talks about his new film, “The Problem with People”, deciding to be a comic, comedy and heartbreak being from the same well, His love of Peter Faulk…
Grief Expert David Kessler Tells Jay He’s Going To Die Wrong
David Kessler discusses grief and loss and how it’s not that bad and why Jay is reluctant to grieve. We talk about accepting the end of our lives, how children…
Actors Lawrence & David Pressman Explain Show Biz Is A Family That Jay Is Not Part Of
Father and son actors, Lawrence & David Pressman talk about their journeys to becoming actors, what it’s like to grow up in Kentucky vs Los Angeles, knowing act…
Liza Powel O’Brien Feels Jay Will Never Be a Good Partner
Liza talks about her podcast, “Significant Others” and what makes someone devote themselves to making someone else famous, and how no one does it alone, and how…
Richard Rushfield Blames Jay For The End of Show Business
Entertainment reporter Richard Rushfield discusses how silicon valley and stockholders tried to make sure bets and wound up destroying the infrastructure of Hol…
Comic Sierra Katow Proves Jay Doesn’t Have The Will To Succeed
Blurb: Comedian Sierra Katow talks about her new special, being so insecure she conquers everything she sets out to do, Asian comics, hitting the comedy clubs w…
Actor/Writer Husein Madhavji & Jay Are Surprisingly Similar But Jay Is Clearly Worse.
Blurb: Husein and I talk about shared traditions, taking faith seriously but being open and curious to all cultures and not eating at Ramadan, writing a pilot t…
Laraine Newman Says Jay Squandered His Success
The Great Laraine Newman talks about the growing up in Beverly Hills, founding the Groundlings, being part of the pioneering cast of SNL, raising kids who work…
Judd Explains Jay’s Show Ruins People's Day
Judd talks about Jay helping Judd’s career, Jay relentless hounding Judd to do the podcast, The Mike Douglas Show, how to spot talent, Totie Fields, The Cable G…
Billy Ray Details How Jay Could Lose The Election for Kamala
Billy and I discuss being writing partners in Jr High, why MAGA loves to be afraid, why Kamala has a shot, why Biden didn’t have a shot, how to make the campaig…
Matt Groening Says, The Simpsons Aside, Jay’s Life Is Meaningless
Blurb: Matt and I talk about the legacy of The Simpsons, what it means to go from super fan to icon, always knowing he wanted to draw cartoons, having kid are b…
Jade PettyJohn Tells Jay How He Destroyed The Lives of Child Actors
Blurb: Actor Jade PettyJohn who was 14 years old when she first worked for Jay on School of Rock talks about her journey becoming an actor at 7 and being an act…
Actor Craig Bierko Warns Jay To Never Ride A Horse
We talked about: Finding community, doing The Stump, Not doing Chandler on “Friends”, the wonderful and difficult friendship of Matthew Perry, doing theater as…
Jim Colucci & Frank DeCaro Explain Why Jay Alienates Stars
This is our most gossipy episode ever! Jim and Frank, one of my favorite couples, spill the tea on the icons you want to know most if it were 1983. Sarah Mills,…
Stephen Markley, Accuses Jay Of Destroying The Earth
Novelist/Environmental Activist, Stephen Markley talked about the coming environmental disaster and other laugh out loud subjects. Stephen thinks there’s hope b…