Episode 193: Ginger Gonzaga Interview

Episode 193: Ginger Gonzaga Interview   This is the After Show for Yellow, featuring Andrew’s conversation with writer and actor Ginger Gonzaga. Many listeners know Ginger from her roles in Marvel’s She-Hulk, CBS’s True Lies, Showtime’s Kidding, I’m Dying Up Here, HBO’s Togetherness, and Room 104. But in this episode, the spotlight shifts to her as a creator as well as a performer.   Andrew and Ginger talk about coming up in the heavily male improv scene of the early 2000s, the delicate (and sometimes not-so-delicate) politics of improvising in auditions and on set, and how her background in high school speech and debate shaped her confidence as a storyteller. She also shares a wild story about pitching a show centered on mental health at a time when that topic wasn’t exactly trending in development meetings or even in the national conversation.   It’s candid, funny, and full of insight about carving out space as a performer and writer. Most of all, it makes clear just how much Yellow means to her.

Episode 192: Yellow Written by Ginger Gonzaga This month’s live episode features Yellow, a pilot written by Ginger Gonzaga. Most people know Ginger from her work in front of the camera—she’s appeared in Marvel’s She-Hulk, CBS’s True Lies, Showtime’s Kidding, I’m Dying Up Here, HBO’s Togetherness, and Room 104. Yellow showcases her voice as a writer. After being arrested, following a very public hypomanic episode Pepper, A witty visual artist is court ordered to live in a halfway house with an ensemble of lovable misfits that she deems crazier than herself. This soulful and at times surreal dramedy follows pepper as she navigates her artistic career. The tone moves fluidly between grounded emotion and offbeat humor, building a layered ensemble piece that feels both personal and expansive. Ginger leads the cast in the live performance, surrounded by an incredible group of actors including Luke Tennie (Shrinking), Burl Moseley (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Kyle Bornheimer (St. Denis Medical), Lauren Potter (Glee), Mel Rodriguez (The Residence, Last Man on Earth), Lucy Parks Urbano (actor/playwright), Bryan Safi (Throwing Shade), Beth Dover (Orange Is the New Black, Nobody Wants This), Jessica Sula (Split, Michael), with stage direction by Andrew Reich. Video of the live table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join. And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story athttps://www.reddkrossfilm.com/

Episode 191: Text Thread Dead Pilot Summit This special episode of Dead Pilots Society brings together the writers behind the last two pilots for a sort of Text Thread Dead Pilot Summit. The conversation features Aaron Brownstein and Simon Ganz, writers of Guy Text, alongside Mike Gagerman and Andrew Waller, writers of The Thread.Andrew brings all four writers together for a deeper, side-by-side look at their creative processes.What makes the conversation especially unique is the generosity on display. Rather than competing, the writers openly praise what they admired in each other’s pilots, offering thoughtful insight into how similar ideas can emerge independently, without imitation. It’s a rare, candid conversation about writing partnerships, creative overlap, and the realities of comedy writing, presented without ads or interruptions—just four writers talking honestly about the work.

Episode 190:  Andrew Waller and Mike Gagerman Interview This week’s After Show features Andrew’s conversation with Mike Gagerman and Andrew Waller, writers of the film Search Party (not the TV show), creators of the viral Twitter thread Shh… Don’t Tell Steve, and currently writing the pilot for Last Chance Lawyer on NBC, with Henry Winkler set to star.Mike and Andrew walk through how they became a writing team, from high school collaborators to professional comedy writers. Along the way, they dig into creative partnership, long-term friendship, and the kind of strange, specific experiences that only come from working together for decades.The episode also tees up next week’s special four-way conversation with Mike and Andrew joined by Aaron Brownstein and Simon Ganz, the writers of last month’s pilot, Guy Text.

Episode 189: The Thread Written By Andrew Waller and Mike Gagerman This month’s episode features The Thread, written by Andrew Waller and Mike Gagerman, the second of two dead pilots built around a shared group text that’s been running for years. Here is the log line for this show, A modern ensemble comedy about a group of longtime friends leading diverse chaotic lives who stay connected through a long running daily text thread. Waller and Gagerman previously wrote the cult favorite film Search Party and were behind one of the first viral serialized Twitter threads, Shh… Don’t Tell Steve. They’re currently developing Last Chance Lawyer for NBC, with Henry Winkler attached to star. The pilot feels authentic and grounded, capturing the accumulated history, shorthand, and emotional honesty of friendships that have lasted for decades. Coming up next week is the interview with Andrew and Mike, followed by a four-way discussion the week after with Andrew, Mike, Aaron Brownstein, and Simon Ganz, the writers of last month’s pilot, Guy Text. The cast includes Matt Porter (Family Guy, Good Cop / Great Cop), Krysta Rodriguez (Smash, Halston), Paul Telfer (Vampire Diaries; Days of Our Lives), Andrew Leeds (Ghosts, Barry), Suzy Nakamura (Exploding Kittens, Dead to Me), Beth Stelling (comedian), Malcolm Barrett (The Boys, Timeless), Daniel DiMaggio (American Housewife), Brittany Curran (The Magicians), and Neska Rose (Drama Club). Video of the Zoom table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join.And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at https://www.reddkrossfilm.com/

Episode 188: Aaron Brownstein & Simon Ganz Interview In this After Show Andrew talks with writing partners Aaron Brownstein and Simon Ganz about their long road to Guy Text. They share what they learned working under Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, About a Boy) and Victor Fresco (Santa Clarita Diet), including lessons about character, tone, and why even a waiter with two lines should feel like a real person. Aaron and Simon dig into the personal inspiration behind Guy Text, a modern sitcom about male friendship built around a constantly active group text thread. They discuss the realities of modern masculinity, parenting, ambition, and the challenge of making something deeply personal in an industry that often wants a trend instead. Aaron also recounts his start as a child actor: He appeared in a commercial featuring Christopher Reeve—a moment that gave him an early, unforgettable brush with the industry that would later become his career. You can see it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRD3QD17HuU

Episode 187: Guy TextWritten by Aaron Brownstein & Simon Ganz This month’s dead pilot is Guy Text, written by Aaron Brownstein and Simon Ganz, whose credits include Santa Clarita Diet, Beavis and ButtHead, and About a Boy.  Four geriatric millennial friends struggle with what it means to be sensitive, thoughtful, emotionally available modern men. It’s a fast paced and funny pilot that you’ll really enjoy.This episode launches a special two-month experiment on Dead Pilots Society. Two pilots built around the same premise—male group text threads—landed on Andrew’s radar, and both received table reads. In January we will be posting the second pilot, the after show interview, and  a special roundtable episode featuring the writers of both pilots, diving into their approaches, creative choices, and the challenges of tackling the same premise.The cast includes Ben Feldman (Superstore), Ritesh Rajan (Definition Please, Ken in animated Barbie TV shows), Alex Klein (Guardians of the Galaxy 2), Josh Banday (Upload), Jonathan Slavin (Better Off Ted), Holly Chou (X-Men 97), Jessica Lowe (Minx), writer and comedian Megan Gailey, Anna Seregina (The Civil Dead), and Andrew Reich with stage directions.Video of the Zoom table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for as little as $5 a month at maximumfun.org/join.And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at https://www.reddkrossfilm.com/.

Episode 186: Lisa Muse Bryant InterviewThis month’s After Show features Andrew’s conversation with Lisa Muse Bryant, the powerhouse behind our latest dead pilot Dream. Lisa traces her remarkable journey from Camden, New Jersey, to writing on standout series like Black-ish, The Four Seasons, Man on the Inside, and Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. She dives into the real-life inspiration behind the pilot and the serendipity of her collaboration with Amber Riley. We also get to hear her wonderful insights about carving out a career and making the most of every opportunity that came her way.Don’t miss the Dead Pilots Society live show at the Elysian Theater this Sunday, December 7th. The evening will feature a pilot from actress Ginger Gonzaga, joined onstage by Luke Tennie, Lauren Potter, and Kyle Bornheimer, along with a script by Georgia Pritchett whose cast includes Sarah Solemani and Ed Weeks. Get your tickets at elysiantheater.com.

Episode 185: Dream Written by Lisa Muse BryantThis month’s Dead Pilots Society features Dream, a musical comedy pilot from Lisa Muse Bryant, whose work includes Black-ish, The Four Seasons, Man on the Inside, and Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. The show centers on Dream Morgan, a former teen mom who finally goes after her long-delayed ambition of becoming a singer once her son finishes college. This is a musical, single camera comedy about one fierce and funny woman who uses her voice to find her voice. From the very first pages, the script announces itself with a bold, memorable opening and a world full of sharp, engaging characters. The live reading only amplified that energy. Yvette Nicole Brown, Cedric Yarbrough, Stakiah Lynn Washington, and Amber Riley delivered powerhouse performances, with Riley’s vocals bringing the audience to its feet for a standing ovation.The Cast Includes: Lisa Muse Bryant, Amber Riley (Glee), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), Sarah Francis (Hairspray), Vinny Thomas (Platonic), Cedric Yarbrough (Reno 911), Cyrina Fiallo (High Potential, Good Luck Charlie), Marcel Spears (The Neighborhood), Christina Anthony (Mixed-ish), Stakiah Lynn Washington (Primo), Brittany Curran (The Magicians), and Andrew Reich with stage direction Dead Pilots Society is also gearing up for a live show at the Elysian Theater on Sunday, December 7th. The evening will feature a pilot from actress Ginger Gonzaga, joined onstage by Luke Tennie, Lauren Potter, and Kyle Bornheimer, along with a script by Georgia Pritchett, whose cast includes Sarah Solemani and Ed Weeks. Tickets are available at elysiantheater.com.The video of the table read is available exclusively to Maximum Fun members. Become a member for just $5 a month and get access to the video and lots more. Sign up at maximumfun.org/join.And don’t forget to check out Andrew’s documentary Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story at reddkrossfilm.com/rent.

Episode 184: Jim Brandon & Brian Singleton InterviewWelcome to this month’s after-show interview with Brian Singleton and Jim Brandon.You heard their hilarious pilot Humans of the Americas last week on Dead Pilots Society. You may know Brian and Jim from their work on Mixed-ish (ABC), Black Monday (Showtime), Arrested Development (Netflix), or their current show Animal Control (FOX), now on it’s fourth season.Their viral web series Dorm Life, which they wrote, cast, and produced while in college in 2011, caught Andrew’s eye and earned them their first paid show business job. In this interview, you’ll get to hear Brian and Jim’s journey from Dorm Life, through many writers’ rooms, and into Humans of the Americas. You’ll even get a glimpse into where the show was headed, had it been made. Also, save the date for our next live show, which will be Sunday, December 7th, at the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles. Tickets aren’t on sale yet, but follow us on social media for updates.