Episode

#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
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1:25:58
Published: Wed Sep 30 2015
Description

This episode features a dynamic duo. Seth Rogen (@SethRogen) is an actor, writer, producer, and director. Evan Goldberg (@EvanDGoldberg) is a Canadian director, screenwriter, and producer. Together, they get into a lot of mischief and create amazing comedy. They’ve collaborated on films such as Superbad (which they first conceived as teenagers), Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, The Green Hornet, and Funny People. They have also written for “Da Ali G Show” and “The Simpsons.” In 2013, Evan and Seth released their directorial debut, This Is the End. In 2014, Seth starred in and produced (alongside Evan) Neighbors, which was a worldwide comedy hit and has taken in more than $268 million worldwide. In December 2014, Rogen and Goldberg’s film, The Interview, became the most-talked-about news story around the world. Under extremely difficult circumstances, the film persevered to become Sony Pictures' #1 digital title of all time. Neighbors 2 is shooting now and will be released next May. Seth and Evan are also in production on Sausage Party, a raunchy animated movie for adults about one sausage's quest to discover the truth about his existence. Seth and Evan are producing the film with Megan Ellison and Conrad Vernon. In our conversation, we discuss all manner of tactics and silliness, including: Kyokushin karate Writer’s block and related debates Writing process Who are the most underrated comedians and comedy writers? How Superbad got made... after they first drafted it around age 13 The odd book Judd Apatow recommended to them (also Woody Allen's favorite) How The Kids in the Hall influenced them The movie they both wish they'd written Common pot mistakes Recommended newb pot for working versus relaxing Will there be a McLovin spinoff? And much more... Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Vimeo Pro, which is the ideal video hosting platform for entrepreneurs. In fact, a bunch of my start-ups are already using Vimeo Pro. WealthFront uses it to explain how WealthFront works. TaskRabbit uses it to tell the company’s story. There are many other names who you would recognize among their customers (AirBnB, Etsy, etc.) Why do they use it? Vimeo Pro provides enterprise level video hosting for a fraction of the usual cost. Features include: Gorgeous high-quality playback with no ads Up to 20 GB of video storage every week Unlimited plays and views A fully customizable video player, which can include your company logo, custom outro, and more You get all this for just $199 per year (that’s only $17 per/mo.). There are no complicated bandwidth calculations or hidden fees. Try it risk-free for 30 days. Just go to Vimeo.com/business to check it out. If you like it, you can use the promo code “Tim” to get 25% off. This is a special discount just for you guys. This podcast is also brought to you by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so. Get 50% off your order at Athletic Greens.com/Tim Enjoy!***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Visit tim.blog/sponsor and fill out the form.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chapters
Tim Ferriss deconstructs world-class performers to understand their habits, routines, favorite books, etc.
00:00 - 04:04 (04:04)
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Personal Development
Summary

Tim Ferriss deconstructs world-class performers to understand their habits, routines, favorite books, etc. in order to understand what makes them successful. He also sends out a weekly newsletter with tips on cool products, apps, books, and more, and is currently offering a special deal on Athletic Greens supplements.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg discuss their influences, the making of Superbad and The Interview, and their interests outside of entertainment in a wide-ranging interview with Tim Ferriss.
04:04 - 07:49 (03:44)
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Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, comedy, entertainment, filmmaking
Summary

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg discuss their influences, the making of Superbad and The Interview, and their interests outside of entertainment in a wide-ranging interview with Tim Ferriss.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker talks about their experience fighting in karate and Kyokushin, mentioning grappling with their teacher and fighting a 35-year-old woman at 14 years old.
07:49 - 11:07 (03:18)
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Karate, Kyokushin
Summary

The speaker talks about their experience fighting in karate and Kyokushin, mentioning grappling with their teacher and fighting a 35-year-old woman at 14 years old.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker reminisces about a time when they and their friend tried to make a movie - an endeavor that was not typical of their childhood.
11:07 - 16:54 (05:47)
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Creativity
Summary

The speaker reminisces about a time when they and their friend tried to make a movie - an endeavor that was not typical of their childhood. This sparked their creativity and led them to writing and performing.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The dawn of 90s independent cinema led to a transition from stand up comedy to writing movies for some comedians, like Ryan McPartlin, who started to feel like acting was more natural to him.
16:54 - 22:20 (05:25)
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Independent Cinema
Summary

The dawn of 90s independent cinema led to a transition from stand up comedy to writing movies for some comedians, like Ryan McPartlin, who started to feel like acting was more natural to him.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The comedian discusses the limitations of trying to find conflict in stand-up comedy, but is praised by a friend for his ability to talk about getting hand jobs for the first time.
22:20 - 26:27 (04:07)
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Comedy
Summary

The comedian discusses the limitations of trying to find conflict in stand-up comedy, but is praised by a friend for his ability to talk about getting hand jobs for the first time. This led him to focus on conflict in his writing with his creative partner.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg discuss their creative process in terms of idea development, highlighting the importance of taking time and talking through ideas with collaborators before committing to a project.
26:27 - 30:53 (04:25)
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Creative Process
Summary

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg discuss their creative process in terms of idea development, highlighting the importance of taking time and talking through ideas with collaborators before committing to a project.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The hosts discuss their process for creating characters in comedy films, which includes brainstorming based on personal experiences and cultural references, as well as meeting people who fit the role.
30:53 - 35:05 (04:12)
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Comedy Films
Summary

The hosts discuss their process for creating characters in comedy films, which includes brainstorming based on personal experiences and cultural references, as well as meeting people who fit the role. They also mention their inclination towards keeping the process in-house and dependent on their personal experiences.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The creators of Pineapple Express and Superbad wrote their scripts in about six weeks but struggled to find someone to produce them.
35:05 - 40:42 (05:37)
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Pineapple Express, Superbad, writing process
Summary

The creators of Pineapple Express and Superbad wrote their scripts in about six weeks but struggled to find someone to produce them. They eventually received help from Judd Apatow, who hired them as writers for his show and provided notes on their scripts.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Seth Rogen discusses how he and his team were able to make big movies at a smaller budget without famous people, leading to the success of films such as Superbad, Knocked Up and Pineapple Express.
40:42 - 45:39 (04:56)
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filmmaking
Summary

Seth Rogen discusses how he and his team were able to make big movies at a smaller budget without famous people, leading to the success of films such as Superbad, Knocked Up and Pineapple Express.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The importance of writing sweet, honest and non mean-spirited movies filled with personal experiences and avoiding overly aggressive tones is discussed by the speaker.
45:39 - 53:09 (07:30)
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Movie Writing
Summary

The importance of writing sweet, honest and non mean-spirited movies filled with personal experiences and avoiding overly aggressive tones is discussed by the speaker. The value of injecting one's own views in a movie is also highlighted along with the role of collaboration and improv in writing.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The co-creator of Kids in the Hall, Bruce McCulloch, reflects on the influence of SCTV and Mel Brooks and how working with Lauren Michaels allowed them to fully express their comedic vision.
53:09 - 59:21 (06:11)
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Comedy
Summary

The co-creator of Kids in the Hall, Bruce McCulloch, reflects on the influence of SCTV and Mel Brooks and how working with Lauren Michaels allowed them to fully express their comedic vision.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares the books they have gifted to people, including comic books such as Watchmen and Preacher, and non-fiction books like The Conquest of Happiness and The Art of Dramatic Writing.
59:23 - 1:07:51 (08:28)
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Book Recommendations
Summary

The speaker shares the books they have gifted to people, including comic books such as Watchmen and Preacher, and non-fiction books like The Conquest of Happiness and The Art of Dramatic Writing.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The hosts discuss the art of casting and how it plays a crucial role in comedy.
1:07:51 - 1:15:33 (07:41)
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Casting, Comedy
Summary

The hosts discuss the art of casting and how it plays a crucial role in comedy. They also explore the evolution of comedy from satire to absurdity and ponder if there will be a shift towards a new direction in the future.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The hosts discuss how creating a casual workplace environment can enhance creativity, while acknowledging that marijuana may not be the ideal solution for everyone.
1:15:33 - 1:20:13 (04:40)
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Creativity
Summary

The hosts discuss how creating a casual workplace environment can enhance creativity, while acknowledging that marijuana may not be the ideal solution for everyone. They talk about how taking a few minutes to play a game or just relax can help people de-stress and how different strains of marijuana can impact productivity and creativity.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In this podcast, Tim Ferriss talks to a group of book authors about their writing process and their experiences in the publishing industry.
1:20:13 - 1:25:56 (05:42)
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Writing Process
Summary

In this podcast, Tim Ferriss talks to a group of book authors about their writing process and their experiences in the publishing industry.

Episode
#108: Comedy's Dynamic Duo, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show