Judd Apatow On Comedy, Creativity, And Embracing Your Inner Weirdo

The alarm goes off and from that moment forward, life is a harried rush. Commuting, coffee, e-mails, meetings and take out. Getting Jenny to soccer practice and Billy back from theatre. When you finally land home, you're too beat to move. So you crash on the couch and doze off with a pint. Rinse and repeat. We all do the best we can. But the pressures of daily life can leave us stressed and exhausted. Sedentary and stiff, our shoulders slump. Our spine rounds and our stance is lopsided. Without corrective action, we can't function properly. And everything we do -- including exercise -- only exacerbates the problem. Let's just say Sadie Lincoln can relate. When her career with a global fitness brand almost broke her, she knew something had to change.  Sadie and her husband Chris quit their jobs and downsized their lives to pursue an idea most said was bat shit crazy. Hence was born barre3, a fitness company focused not on weight loss but rather on body positivity and personal empowerment. What started out as a workout Sadie devised to help restore personal equanimity blossomed into a daily practice embraced by millions that focuses not on weight loss but rather on body positivity and personal empowerment. Since its 2008 inception, barre3 has grown to more than 140 franchise studios powered by female entrepreneurs, plus an online-workout streaming-subscriber base in 98+ countries. Sadie is on Inc. magazine's Female Founders 100 list, has been featured on NPR's How I Built This, and speaks regularly on the topics of mindful leadership, the power of body wisdom and the movement to redefine what success in fitness means. Today she shares her story. If you enjoyed my conversation with WeWork co founder Miguel McKelvey from July 2019 (RRP #452), then you may recall Miguel's untraditional upbringing -- collectively raised by his mom and her small group of friends he called ‘aunties’. Sadie also grew up in that very same communal dynamic community. Although not genetically related, Sadie and Miguel nonetheless consider themselves brother and sister. So, we talk about that. We discuss how Sadie's love of motion, creativity and teaching informs her particular strain of entrepreneurship and activism. We talk about what it means to not just create a business -- but a movement. The importance of serendipity in the world of fitness. And why physical balance also requires spiritual balance. Finally, we explore Sadie's commitment to empowering women. To cultivating their voices. And sharing their stories. But more than anything, this is a conversation about the importance of defining your values. Staying true no matter what. And creating the change you want to see in yourself and the world -- even if it requires risking everything. The visually inclined can watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you enjoyed my conversation with Kelly McGonigal, you’re going to love Sadie. May you find this conversation as enlightening and transformative as I did. Peace + Plants, Rich

24 Feb 20202h 6min

500 EPISODES. Over seven years ago, I sat down in a damp and echo-y warehouse on the north shore of Kauai and hit record for the very first time. There was no agenda. No commitment to even record a second episode. And certainly zero idea that what began as a fun experiment would evolve into both a passion and a vocation. And yet here we are. Without fail, beginning in late 2012, I have uploaded at least one episode every single week, amassing over 1000 hours of conversation and a global audience that downloads this show more than 3 million times a month — in total, over 70 million streams and counting. The numbers are great, but they fail to capture what is truly meaningful: the opportunity to go deep and unfiltered with some of the most amazing people currently walking planet Earth; and in turn share their incredible wisdom with all of you. Today I give thanks for taking this journey with me -- a calling and a service I consider the best job in the world. It's been a privilege -- a great honor and a profound responsibility I don’t take lightly. I believe in celebrating milestones. So today we do just that. And we do it in style with two of my most most beloved brothers from other mothers. Enter John Joseph and Mishka Shubaly. Between these two gentlemen, I count 14 total previous appearances on the show, including one vivid episode five years past (RRP #95) that involved the three of us huddled on a small bed in a cramped New York City hotel room. Today we fertilize our bromance, reprising those sweet sweet punk rock, Algonquin table vibes with another turntable spin on plants & punk. On running and writing. And on addiction & sobriety. This one is all over the place. No point in even trying to describe it other than that Mishka showed up with a bottle of Pepto Bismol. Kinda says it all. Heads Up: This conversation is packed with expletives. It might even hold the RRP f-bomb record. As many of you know, these laddies simply can’t be muzzled, nor would you want them to be. So just an alert that this episode is neither family friendly nor workplace approved. So pop on the earbuds if you got kiddos in the backseat. And If you’re easily offended, perhaps this one isn’t your cup of tea. 500 episodes. It feels good. So good, I wore a coat and tie to mark the occasion, which you can of course watch on YouTube. And as always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Here's to celebrating with those you love dearly. I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange. Peace + Plants, Rich

20 Feb 20202h 27min

A full blown epidemic in the developed world, diabetes currently afflicts an astonishing 30 million people in the US alone, despite the fact that 1 out of 4 don’t even know they have it. Even more bewildering, over one-third of all U.S. adults have prediabetes. That's more than 84 million people, 90% of whom are unaware of their condition. Not enough? Over the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed has more than doubled, with no end in sight. For purposes of clarity, 90-95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes are the Type 2 form. The good news is that Type 2 isn’t just treatable, it’s actually reversible -- often to the point of undetectability. And for those suffering from Type 1, certain diet and lifestyle changes render the illness more manageable than ever. To learn more about the nature of diabetes, how to avoid it and the many things you can do if you have it, I sat down with Cyrus Khambatta, PhD and Robby Barbaro MPH -- the team behind Mastering Diabetes, an online coaching platform for people living with all forms of diabetes that focuses on low-fat, plant-based, whole-food nutrition.  Living with Type 1 diabetes since 2002, Cyrus received a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University and a PhD in nutritional biochemistry from UC Berkeley. In addition, he has co-authored many peer-reviewed scientific publications. Robbie has a master's degree in public health from American Public University, spent six years helping build Forks Over Knives, and has been living with type 1 diabetes since 2000.  Experts in the science of insulin resistance, together they have successfully helped thousands prevent, navigate and reverse diabetes not by way of medication, but rather through simple changes in diet and lifestyle -- all principles beautifully chronicled in their new book, aptly titled Mastering Diabetes -- hitting bookstores February 18. Current medical dogma urges a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet for anyone suffering from diabetes or prediabetes. But is this actually true? Today Cyrus & Robby put this paradigm to the test. While it is true that a low carb approach may improve short-term blood glucose control, such a diet also increases the long-term risk for an array of chronic diseases. Although it may sound counter-intuitive, perhaps even radical, the hard science is ironically quite clear: eating a high carbohydrate, low fat, plant-based whole-food diet rich in fruit (yes, fruit) and vegetables is actually the most powerful way to reverse insulin resistance in all types of diabetes -- while also simultaneously preventing a litany of chronic disorders typically linked to today's popular low-carb approach. Whether or not you have diabetes, chances are you care for someone who does. For those who fall into this category, I truly believe that this conversation is potentially life-saving. The visually inclined can watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. I appreciate the work these two young men are doing to positively impact a disease that unnecessarily debilitates millions. It's an honor to share their message. And . I sincerely hope you take it to heart. Peace + Plants, Rich

17 Feb 20202h 17min

Aging is inevitable. Everybody grows old. Everyone dies. We accept these statements as fact. But what if they're just stories based on history and our current understanding of biology? What if everything we think we know about aging is about to change? Across the globe, scientists are working on treatments and therapies that are designed to extend healthy human lifespans well beyond what we know today. At the bleeding edge of such breakthroughs you will find David Sinclair, PhD, one of the world’s leading scientific authorities on longevity, aging and how to slow its effects. Returning for his second appearance on the podcast, David is a professor in the Department of Genetics and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at Harvard Medical School. He obtained his Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics at the University of New South Wales, Sydney in 1995 and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at M.I.T. where, among other things, he co-discovered the cause of aging for yeast. The co-founder of several biotechnology companies, David is also co-founder and co-chief editor of the journal Aging. His work has been featured in a variety of books, documentaries, and media, including 60 Minutes, Nightline and NOVA. He is an inventor on 35 patents, has been lauded as one of the Top 100 Australian Innovators, and made TIME magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. In addition, David is the author of Lifespan: The Revolutionary Science of Why We Age -- and Why We Don't Have To -- a New York Times bestseller that proposes a radical new theory of aging. As he writes: “Aging is a disease, and that disease is treatable.” Last year I convened my first conversation with David (RRP #436), a scintillating and science-heavy primer on all things human lifespan, aging and longevity. It was a runaway hit with the listeners -- and left me wanting to know more. So today we pick up where we last left off, diving deeper into the physiological mechanisms that contribute to biological degeneration. And we go further into the current state of research to better understand what contributes to aging and what can be done to counteract it. Call him a dreamer, but David believes living to 200+ is a plausible reality. If you could double your lifespan, how would this impact how you choose to live? What would it mean for the future of humanity? And for the ecological stability of the planet? The implications are profound. Equal parts philosophic and scientific, this conversation will forever change the way you think about why you age and what you can do about it. And it will leave you armed simple lifestyle practices you can deploy -- intermittent fasting, cold exposure, exercising with the right intensity, and eating less meat -- that will help you live younger and healthier for longer. Brilliant and lovely, it’s an honor to once again share this man's wisdom with you today. So break out that pen and paper, because you're going to want to take notes on this one. The visually inclined can watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. I sincerely hope you enjoy the episode. Peace + Plants, Rich

10 Feb 20202h 15min

You might be surprised to learn that approximately 84,000 chemicals currently find their way into commercial products -- with over 1,500 new chemicals released annually. Despite evidence of health harms, most of these chemicals have not been adequately tested for their impact on humans. Nonetheless, many of them find their way into a vast and problematic array of skincare, beauty and cleaning products. Moreover, due to laws that haven’t been updated in 80 years, I was shocked to discover that the Food and Drug Administration -- the regulatory authority charged with ensuring the safety of such products -- doesn't necessarily screen product ingredients for safety. In fact, it provides very little oversight when it comes to what ends up in beauty products. Worse yet, the FDA has zero authority to recall products even in the event of a proven harm. When entrepreneur Gregg Renfrew learned that the US has not passed any major legislation about the safety of ingredients in personal care products since 1939, she became determined to make the business of beauty better. Hence was born Beautycounter -- a market disrupting, direct-to-consumer line of cleaner, safer skincare products and cosmetics that made Fast Company’s 2019 list of the 50 most innovative companies. Gregg's been at the helm of Beautycounter since its 2011 inception, driven by a desire to provide toxic-free fare and greater economic opportunity for women. In addition to overseeing 150 employees and 40,000 consultants, Gregg is also a ferocious fixture on Capitol Hill, where she lobbies relentlessly for cosmetic industry reform. And she somehow does it all while remaining a present and involved mom to three of the most incredible kids I have ever met. Her ultimate goal? Overhauling the archaic laws that currently govern her industry -- so we can all be beautifully clean. Similar to a handful of past podcast guests, I struck up a friendship with Gregg in 2018 at The Nantucket Project. Over the last year and a half, I've had the privilege of observing her in action -- at work, on stage, and at home. Let's just say it's all very impressive. Today she shares her story. It's a conversation about an entrepreneurial journey that humbly began with cleaning houses before founding Wedding List -- a company she built and later sold, leading to lessons learned working tricky stretches under powerful women like Martha Stewart and Susie Hilfiger. It's about the experience that motivated her to start Beautycounter, and the unorthodox decisions that followed. Like the 1,500 potentially harmful ingredients that she vowed never to use in her products. And eschewing retail for a direct-to-consumer business model driven by a network of independent consultants. But more than anything, this is a powerful primer on the perils of conventional beauty products that will leave you completely rethinking what you put on your body (and your children's bodies) -- and well armed to make more educated decisions about the companies and products you patronize going forward. The visually inclined can watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Gregg is a true force of nature. And this conversation is a gift. May you receive it with gratitude. Peace + Plants, Rich

6 Feb 20201h 44min

Meet Iliana Regan. A self-taught chef and author, Iliana has faced and overcome a litany of obstacles from substance abuse to sexual discrimination, ultimately prevailing to experience a special moment right now -- celebrated for both her culinary and literary accomplishments. At 15 Iliana landed her first restaurant gig washing dishes and never looked back. Leaning on the rustic experiences of her Midwestern upbringing (she was making mushroom tea long before Four Sigmatic was a thing), Iliana pioneered a unique locavore style of cooking dubbed 'new gatherer', plied daily at her Chicago restaurant Elizabeth -- notable for its homestead aesthetic, emphasis on foraged foods and deep connection to the natural surroundings. It's an approach that landed her a coveted Michelin star six years in a row. Jeff Gordinier, food and drinks editor for Esquire magazine (and former podcast guest), included Elizabeth on his recent list of the last decade’s 40 most important restaurants. Noma's René Redzepi, arguably the world's greatest chef, counts himself a fan. And David Chang dubs Iliana one of the best chefs he has ever known. This past summer Iliana published Burn The Place. A singular, powerfully expressive debut memoir, her story is raw like that first bite of wild onion, alive with startling imagery, and told with uncommon emotional power. The New York Times describes the book as, “perhaps the definitive Midwestern drunken-lesbian food memoir.” The New Yorker echoes this sentiment, calling it "brutal and luminous"; and “a thrilling, disquieting memoir of addiction and coming of age.” Oh yeah, it's also the first food book to be long-listed for the National Book Award since Julia Child in 1980. Now 10 years sober, Iliana’s passion has made an unlikely turn. Focused not in the predictable direction of building a culinary empire, her sights are instead set on a remote corner of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Deep in the Hiawatha National Forest, Iliana, alongside her wife Anna and three dogs, has converted a cabin on 150 acres into Milkweed Inn -- a bed and breakfast where she serves up her trademark 'new gatherer' cuisine to small groups of just 10 people over weekends between May and October. Today Iliana shares her story. It's a deeply personal conversation about her love of food, foraging and the great outdoors. It’s about identity and sexual politics. How a little girl who longed to be a boy navigated childhood growing up gay in an intolerant community. It’s about alcoholism and what comes with it. The usual stuff. Like running away from cops in handcuffs. Having sex in bar bathrooms. And using car keys to bump cocaine. And it's about sobriety. How Iliana ultimately transformed into a phenom of knife and pen. Celebrated for both her literary and culinary talents. And a woman who has made an indelible mark as a pioneer of ‘new gatherer’ cuisine in an industry dominated by men. Final note of gratitude to Jeff Gordinier for introducing me to Iliana. Love you my friend. The visually inclined can watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. May you be as delighted by this exchange as I am. Peace + Plants, Rich

3 Feb 20202h 18min

Meet Rickey Gates. Both idiosyncratic and extraordinary, you may know Rickey as a distinguished ultra-runner. But peer just beneath the surface of his many athletic accomplishments and you will discover a thoughtful, deeply empathetic and uniquely expressive human. After nearly a decade competing on the national and international mountain, trail and ultra running circuits, Rickey took his love for endurance, storytelling, photography and design -- and fused them together to create an ongoing series of project-based, performance art adventures. Deemed "the rambling poet of the running world" by Outside magazine, Rickey is a true conceptual artist -- leveraging numerous mediums to communicate a personal and humanist perspective on the inner workings of society, self, nature and human potential. Notable ventures include his solo, unsupported run across America. The upcoming, exquisite and arresting feature film Transamericana that chronicles it. And his debut book Cross Country that travels inside Rickey's 3,700 mile journey through over 200 photographs, stories of individuals and ultimately the innermost depths of his own mind. Hitting shelves April 14, 2020, the book is available for pre-order now. In addition, and the project he is perhaps best known for, in 2018 Rickey ran every single street in the city of San Francisco. A feat as logistically challenging as it was athletic, the 1,300 mile undertaking involved running 30 miles every day for 46 days, along the way logging 150,000 feet of elevation gain and meeting countless fascinating people along the way. A master stroke of creative movement, it's a feat that grabbed headlines around the world. Underscored the importance of human connection. Symbolized the value of community. Celebrated human potential. And in turn, inspired countless people to mimic in their own respective cities. I implore all of you to check out Every Single Street, a beautiful short film produced by Salomon that perfectly captures the spirit of this endeavor. In between his feats of artistic and endurance grandeur, Rickey hosts adventure running retreats called Bus Run Bus and Hut Run Hut, with a trail run adventure retreat in Japan scheduled for September 2020. What strikes me most is Rickey's profound empathy for people. His curiosity about the world. His poetic lens on the human condition. And his multi-disciplinarian vision for a better more unified world. Running's Jack Kerouac, it's not often you encounter a human as present, thoughtful, and creative as Rickey. A man who reminds me that we can all connect more profoundly with our natural environments and communities. Express ourselves more authentically. And love more deeply. Today, Rickey shares his story. And it is an absolute gift. I encourage you to watch it all go down on YouTube, as we weave in footage from Rickey's cross-country run and the upcoming film Transamericana. And as always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. My hope is that this conversation will leave you deeply touched -- and better than before. Peace + Plants, Rich

27 Jan 20202h 2min

A perfect companion piece to my recent conversation with Lauren Fleshman -- and in furtherance of better understanding the issues that swirl around gender, sport and fairness -- today I sit down with an investigative journalist breaking some of the biggest stories in women's sports. Meet Lindsay Crouse. A graduate of Harvard University, where she competed in both cross country and track and field, Lindsay is a senior staff editor and senior OpDocs producer at The New York Times. If you’ve been paying any attention to running news (or just big headlines in general) then you are already familiar with Lindsay’s work. At the epicenter of the conversation that surrounds sports and power, Lindsay is behind some of the biggest sports stories and opinion pieces in recent memory, with a particular focus on the role and state of women's distance running. Some of Lindsay's most popular pieces include How The 'Shalane Flanagan Effect' Works, which examined the former podcast guest and New York City Marathon victor's elevating impact on other women; she broke the story on Nike's refusal to guarantee female athletes' salaries during or immediately post-pregnancy; and she produced the piece in which Allyson Felix told her story around Nike and pregnancy. Lindsay also worked with last week’s guest Lauren Fleshman on her powerful November Op-Ed, I Changed My Body For My Sport. No Girl Should and is responsible for the bombshell opinion piece about the emotional abuse suffered by Mary Cain under her former coach, Alberto Salazar. I Was The Fastest Girl in America, Until I Joined Nike created such a stir, it went on to become the 42nd most read New York Times piece for all of 2019. I first came across Lindsay by way of her recurring cameos in my friend (and RRP guest from episodes 73, 144, & 174) Casey Neistat's wildly popular vlog. So in 2015, I began following Lindsay's career. As I watched her work mature and profile grow, I eagerly awaited each new article -- and anticipated an opportunity to share her experience and insight on the podcast. Today is that day. And it's everything I hoped it would be.  The ongoing impact of Lindsay's journalism is immeasurable. So it was an absolute honor and a delight to sit down with her. Note: Because this conversation transpired at the New York Times offices (as opposed to my studio), we did not film the conversation. In addition, it was recorded in mid-October and thus not current with the immediate news cycle. I can't say enough good things about Lindsay and the work she is doing to advance the role and voice of women in sports. I love this conversation. I sincerely hope you do as well. Peace + Plants, Rich

23 Jan 20201h 38min