Nick Rutherford (Good Neighbor, SNL, Rick and Morty) joins us for a funny, honest, and wildly insightful conversation about the rollercoaster ride of working in comedy and making it in Hollywood.

We talk about how a group of friends making absurd YouTube videos became the sketch group Good Neighbor, how that led to Saturday Night Live, and what happened when the dream job didn’t turn out as expected. Nick shares stories from his time writing and performing at SNL, voicing characters on Rick and Morty, and creating the surreal world of Dream Corp LLC for Adult Swim.

We also get into the pressure of making content in today’s attention economy, the strange psychology of pitching shows, and what it takes to keep going when the industry doesn’t always say yes.

In this episode:

• The rise of Good Neighbor and early internet fame
• Behind the curtain at Saturday Night Live
• What it feels like to be let go from your dream job
• Writing and acting in Dream Corp LLC
• Voice acting on Rick and Morty
• The tension between making art and building a following
• Mental health, mindfulness, and staying sane in comedy
• Learning how to keep going when the path isn't clear

It’s equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, and hopeful—a perfect snapshot of what it really means to try and make something meaningful (and funny) in today’s world.

Jordan VanDina didn’t break into Hollywood the usual way—and that’s exactly what makes his story so good. In this episode, Jordan shares how he went from writing full screenplays over a single weekend to launching a scrappy Kickstarter campaign, going viral on Twitter, and somehow turning that momentum into real-deal studio screenwriting gigs.

Jordan’s journey is chaotic, hilarious, and completely his own—proof that there’s no one path into the industry. If you're a screenwriter, comedian, or just someone chasing a dream, this one will light a fire under you.

We dive into:

How writing entire feature length scripts in two days kickstarted his career

The tweets that changed everything

Turning a no-budget short into a calling card

What he learned from launching a Kickstarter

Writing for actors like Vince Vaughn and producing with heavy hitters

His advice for writers trying to break in without connections

Today’s guest is the hilarious and talented Andrew Barbot, an Emmy Award-winning writer whose credits include Animaniacs (Hulu), The Last O.G. (TBS), and Playing House (USA). He also writes for the Podcasts Even the Royals and This Job is History! We dive into everything from writing for TV, podcasts, karaoke bar antics, royal history, theology, where modern religion is falling short, how to find your personal fountain of immortality, facing your fears, and some wild conspiracy theories.

We also talk about:

🎭 The joy of working with Tracy Morgan on The Last O.G.

🎶 The best karaoke songs and Andrew’s piano bar takeover

👑 Writing for the Even the Royals podcast & insane royal stories

🏆 What life is like after winning an Emmy

🦎 Lizard people, conspiracy theories, and Loose Change

📖 How religion, mythology, and the hero’s journey shape storytelling

🏀 Raising kids and the search for fulfillment in midlife