Ye Gods with Scott Carter

Danielle Crittenden is a journalist and author. Her new book is DISPATCHES FROM GRIEF: A MOTHER’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE UNTHINKABLE. Danielle’s Atlantic article "ON LOSING A DAUGHTER" and husband David Frum’s article "MIRANDA’S LAST GIFT", also for Atlantic, explore their sudden loss of their daughter Miranda at 32, the time they had with her, and how they both processed that loss. 

Danielle also recently contributed to THE WALL STREET JOURNAL explaining the role technology has played in her grief experience. 

We discuss Danielle’s conversion to Judaism and how it helped her process Miranda’s sudden absence.

Stephen Mitchell is an author, editor, and translator of classic and spiritual literature. His 1988 translation into English of the TAO TE CHING by Lao Tzu, and its accompanying audio book have been indispensable guides to millions of seekers. 

We discuss how spiritual texts come to be written, the history of the translating and compiling of the Christian gospels, and why Stephen was compelled to untangle Jesus’s teachings for himself.

Kevin Nealon is an Emmy-nominated writer and cast member on SNL, and host of Hiking with Kevin in addition to his many other TV and film appearances and his comedy specials, most recently, Loose in the Crotch.

His new film Mermaid, starring opposite Robert Patrick and Johnny Pemberton, debuted in limited release on April 8th and will go wide on May 26th

He also plays the banjo and has published a full color coffee table book of his original celebrity caricatures with the naturally hilarious title, I Exaggerate My Brushes with Fame, Portraits and Stories by Kevin Nealon.

Larry Wilmore has one of the most impressive resumes in TV from IN LIVING COLOR to the BERNIE MAC SHOW, THE DAILY SHOW to BLACKISH and INSECURE. His acclaimed podcast for The Ringer LARRY WILMORE: BLACK ON THE AIR, just wrapped up in December of 2025 after 289 episodes. 

Larry will appear in Larry David’s new HBO mini series LIFE, LARRY AND THE PURSUIT OF UNHAPPINESS: AN ALMOST HISTORY OF AMERICA which premieres June 27 

Former Daily Show producer Hillary Kun gives us the inside scoop on why she too was transformed by a summer of door to door sales.

Rabbi Steve Leder - named by Newsweek Magazine twice as one of the ten most influential rabbis in America and over his 37 year tenure at Los Angeles’ oldest synagogue, Wilshire Boulevard Temple - has ushered thousands of families through life’s most joyous and heartbreaking moments. He's been a contributor to THE TODAY SHOW, CBS SUNDAY MORNING, CNN, and NPR. Steve’s Most recent book, New York Times best seller FOR YOU WHEN I AM GONE; 12 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS TO TELL A LIFE STORY makes the case for writing an ethical will, which is a life narrative to leave to your loved ones after you go to. In 2024, he retired and became Senior Rabbi Emeritus of Wilshire Boulevard Temple. 

Sharon Lawrence is a 6-time Emmy nominated actress – including three for her portrayal of Assistant D.A. Sylvia Costas on Steven Bochco and David Milch’s ground-breaking NYPD BLUE, for which she won the SAG AWARD for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. She was also nominated for her work on GREY’S ANATOMY. Sharon has appeared in hundreds of TV episodes and films, and starred on Broadway in the hit revivals of musicals CABARET, CHICAGO and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. She’s active in the Women In Film Foundation, Heal The Bay, WeForShe and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation.

Michael Patrick King is an Emmy-winning producer, writer, director, and prime mover behind the global cultural phenomena that is SEX IN THE CITY. He's also creator of the long-running sit-com TWO BROKE GIRLS on CBS and THE COMEBACK, starring Lisa Kudrow, now on HBO Michael talks about which vestiges of growing up Catholic have stayed with him.

Comedian, actor, and author John Hodgman is the host of the popular JUDGE JOHN HODGMAN podcast, and New York Times Magazine column. His 2017 memoir VACATION LAND: TRUE STORIES FROM PAINFUL BEACHES, chronicles the mishaps and triumphs of John’s quest to make sense of life.

John’s childhood as a self-identifying outsider helped him create the knee-slappingly funny FX animated series DICKTOWN, The semi-autobiographical mystery send-up follows former kid detective “John Hunchman”. Each 10-minute episode elicits nostalgia for our puerile teen pastimes while reminding us that the hard-won rewards of adulthood are worth the growing pains.

Author and actress Annabelle Gurwitch tells tales of the “Itinerant, scam artists, and hucksters”, who hang from the branches of her family tree in her 2017 memoir WHEREVER YOU GO, THERE THEY ARE: STORIES ABOUT MY FAMILY YOU MIGHT RELATE TO. Most kids see their lives as normal and, only later, realize how absurd their homelife was. Her new memoir is THE END OF MY LIFE IS KILLING ME: THE UNEXPECTED JOYS OF A CANCER SLACKER.

Father Jim Martin is host of the America Media podcast, THE SPIRITUAL LIFE, honorary Chaplain of the Colbert Nation, and author of WORK IN PROGRESS: CONFESSIONS OF A BUSBOY, DISHWASHER, CADDY, USHER, FACTORY WORKER, BANK TELLER, CORPORATE TOOL, AND PRIEST. He talks about departing a career at General Electric and becoming a Jesuit priest, and why compassion is central to his reason d'etre.