Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger

Episodi

• TRIGGERnometry's Francis Foster on Teaching, Comedy, and Why the U.K. is Fucked 02.07.2026 31min

  Francis Foster is the co-host of the massively popular TRIGGERnometry podcast and author of the new book (Un)Educated: My Life as a Teacher, and Why You Should Never Become One (which you should buy here).In this honest, fun, and sometimes stark conversation, Francis and I discuss:* Why teaching is a terrible job.* What he loves about TRIGGERnometry* His love for Buc-ees* (which are closer to 50,000 square feet than the 8,000 I mentioned)* How the United Kingdom is “fucked”* Why the Stone Roses won’t help incoming PM, Andy BurnhamGet his book, and watch the Francis Foster Show on YouTube.Follow Paul on Substack here. See Paul tell jokes live in July:* Philadelphia: Next In Line Comedy, 7/3* Los Angeles: The Venice West, 7/21* New York: QED Astoria, 7/31* San Francisco: Cobbs Comedy Club, 7/23* Southampton, NY: Sticks and Stones Comedy Club, 8/1 Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• W. Kamau Bell on Cosby, Comedy, and Father's Day 24.06.2026 27min

  I was most pleased to speak this afternoon with W. Kamau Bell, a Peabody Award and 4-time Emmy-winning comedian, filmmaker, and television host who is also a Celebrity Jeopardy champion!He is best known as the creator and host of CNN’s United Shades of America on which he spent seven seasons traveling the country exploring communities, subcultures, and perspectives that often go overlooked. The show demonstrated his unique skill of helping people conduct difficult conversations without losing their sense of humor.Not that he’s afraid to mix things up. Kamau’s 2022 HBO docu-series, We Need to Talk About Cosby dove deep into numerous allegations of sexual assault against legendary comedian and television icon, Bill Cosby, a comedian whose work Kamau deeply admired.Kamau has a new podcast called Who’s With Me? on which he has already talked to Ted Danson, Delroy Lindo, Daveed Diggs, and Kristen Kish.He spoke to me from his home in Oakland, CA where he lives with his wife and their three daughters. In this occasionally-serious, but most enjoyable conversation, we discuss:* The difference between craft and character* His love of podcasting* Comedy nerd-ship* The best part about Father’s Day* And—most importantly— Dave BarryLeave comments below. And follow / subscribe to this podcast. Also subscribe to Kamau’s ‘Who’s With Me?’ Substack here and to Paul’s ‘Reasonably Happy’ Substack here. Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• 5 Questions with Bruce Feiler 18.06.2026 36min

  Thanks very much to Bruce Feiler for joining me on the 5 Questions livestream to discuss his new book A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World—and How it Can Save Us.In this upbeat and positive conversation, Bruce and I discuss:• What came first, ritual or religion?• Why SEC football tailgating fits the definition of ritual• How Balinese tooth-filing ritual has much in common with modern Western dental customs• Why so many New Yorkers are jumping on the Knicks bandwagon (including someone’s wife who shall remain nameless)Subscribe to Bruce’s ‘The Nonlinear Life Substack and to Paul’s Reasonably Happy Substack. Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• 5 Questions with Andy Borowitz 15.06.2026 31min

  On this third episode of 5 Questions, I speak with Andy Borowitz, whose massively popular newsletter The Borowitz Report tops out around 200 words per post. So this intro is going to be brief!Even if you belong to Andy’s army of loyal readers, you might not know that he is also the co-creator of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and wrote on classic 80’s TV shows, The Facts of Life and Square Pegs, which helped to launch Sarah Jessica Parker’s career.In this fast-paced conversation, Andy and I discuss:* His career in and out of Hollywood* How to write succinctly* His grammatical pet peeve(s)* Whether AI will ever be able to write comedy* The best advice he got from Susie Essman (aka, the secret to a happy life)Subscribe to The Borowitz Report here.Subscribe to Paul Ollinger's Reasonably Happy here. See Paul tell jokes near you:• June 19 and 20 - The Comedy Catch, Chattanooga• June 25 - ❤️Happy Couples Show❤️ West Side Comedy Club, NYC • July 21 - The Venice West, Los Angeles• July 23 - Cobbs Comedy Club, San Francisco• Aug 1 - Sticks and Stones Comedy Club, Southampton, NY• Aug 8 - Atlanta Country Club (private show)• Aug 13-16 - McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, Sarasota, FLThat is all - have a wonderful day! Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• A Political Family Black Sheep Tells All (with Rosebud Baker) 12.06.2026 50min

  My guest today is Rosebud Baker. Rosebud is one of the sharpest and most honest voices in comedy today. She’s an Emmy-nominated and Writers Guild Award-winning writer whose credits include Saturday Night Live, Inside Amy Schumer, and That Damn Michael Che.In her new autobiography, Fully Baked: A Messy Memoir, Rosebud shares the story of being the grand-daughter of James Baker, the former Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury who also served as White House Chief of Staff for Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush.She also relates unfiltered observations on her parents’ divorce, her addiction to drugs and alcohol, her multiple miscarriages, and the death of her younger sister, Graeme.Her latest Netflix special is called The Mother Lode. She filmed half of it while eight months pregnant and the other half after giving birth. It was named one of the best comedy specials of 2025.See Rosebud’s upcoming dates and get the book here.✍️ Follow Paul Ollinger on Substack by clicking here ✍️See Paul tell jokes live near you:• June 19 and 20 - The Comedy Catch, Chattanooga• June 25 - Happy Couples Show, West Side Comedy Club, NYC• July 21 - The Venice West, Los Angeles (on sale soon)• July 23 - Cobbs Comedy Club, San Francisco• Aug 1 - Sticks and Stones Comedy Club, Southampton, NY• Aug 8 - Atlanta Country Club• Aug 13-16 - McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, Sarasota, FL Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• 5 Questions with A.J. Jacobs 10.06.2026 32min

  ✍️ Follow Paul Ollinger on Substack by clicking here ✍️A.J. Jacobs is a journalist, bestselling author, self-described “human guinea pig,” and one of the most interesting people I know. He was a great choice to be my second guest on my 5 Questions series of Substack livestreams.Over the past two decades, A.J. has built a remarkable career by asking questions most of us would never think to ask—and then answering them by turning himself into the experiment.He’s read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica, lived according to the Bible as literally as possible, pursued bodily perfection, traced his family tree to millions of relatives, thanked every person involved in making his morning cup of coffee, explored the world of puzzles, and most recently spent a year trying to live according to the original meaning of the U.S. Constitution.The result has been a string of New York Times bestsellers, including The Know-It-All, The Year of Living Biblically, Drop Dead Healthy, Thanks a Thousand, The Puzzler, and The Year of Living Constitutionally. Along the way, he’s become one of America’s most entertaining guides to the intersection of happiness, curiosity, gratitude, self-improvement, and human connection.What I love about A.J.’s work is that beneath all the humor and outrageous experiments is a serious question: How should we live? And instead of lecturing, he goes out and tests ideas on himself—often with hilarious consequences.We talk about:* The United States’ 250th Birthday* Geeking out on compound anniversary words like “semiquincentennial”* What I should keep in mind while I help my kids search for colleges* Summer blockbuster moviesSubscribe to A.J.’s Substack, A.J. Jacobs Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• I Read My Essays to You 03.06.2026 35min

  ✍️ Follow Paul Ollinger on Substack by clicking here ✍️Hello friends, this week's Reasonably Happy is me reading some of my favorite posts from my Substack over the past six months. They cover the Manosphere, schadenfreude, career trajectories, and more. I understand that you don’t always have time to read everything I crank out—you’re on the move, working out, or re-arranging your sock drawer. And that’s okay. So today—as I do occasionally—I’m sending you this podcast version of me reading TO YOU. And now you don’t have any excuses to not enjoy my wonderful writing. You’re right - it’s quite generous of me, but I enjoy it. You can read all my stuff and catch some upcoming live streams here!COME SEE ME PERFORM COMEDY NEAR YOU (in Atlanta, Chattanooga, NYC, L.A., SF, Southampton, Sarasota)...* June 4: Atlanta Athletic Club (members only)* June 19-20: Comedy Catch, Chattanooga ON SALE* June 25: Couples Therapy Comedy at West Side Comedy Club, NYC* July 21: The Venice West, Los Angeles - On Sale soon* July 23: Cobbs Comedy Club, San Francisco - ON SALE* Aug 1: Sticks and Stones Comedy Club, Southampton, NY -* Aug 8: Atlanta Country Club (members only)* Aug 13-16: Headlining McCurdy’s in Sarasota, FL - ON SALE* October 15: Capital City Country Club (members only) Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• 5 Questions with Dave Barry 28.05.2026 30min

  ✍️ Follow Paul Ollinger on Substack by clicking here ✍️Oh my goodness what a fun time I had chatting with Dave Barry on the first episode of 5 Questions, my bite-sized, live-streamed Substack interview show that I’ll be producing in addition to longer-form episodes of Reasonably Happy. Dave’s column was syndicated to hundreds of newspapers around the globe for several decades. He has published dozens of books on myriad topics that sold millions of copies—of books, not topics—in 22 languages. The New York Times called him “the funniest man in America.” (And when has the NYT ever been wrong?) In other words, he’s accomplished an incredible amount in the funny game, and I'm thrilled I got to talk to him. In this fast-moving 30 minute conversation, we talk about:• What he’s looking for in a nursing home.• Advice for me on shepherding my kids through the college search process (even though it doesn’t matter where they end up)• The rock band he plays in with Stephen King, Amy Tan, Roy Blount, Jr., Scott Turow, and many other• Which other authors make him laugh• What Baby Boomers could learn from Gen Z (and vice versa)Listen now and share with all your friends! Also, come see me tell jokes (or give a talk), in person:* June 4 - Atlanta Athletic Club* June 5 and 6 - Laughing Skull Lounge, Atlanta* June 12 - Wade Hampton Country Club, Cashiers, NC (Talk)* June 19 and 20 - The Comedy Catch, Chattanooga* June 25 - Happy Couples Show, West Side Comedy Club, NYC* July 21 - The Venice West, Los Angeles (on sale soon)* July 23 - Cobbs Comedy Club, San Francisco* Aug 1 - Sticks and Stones Comedy Club, Southampton, NY* Aug 8 - Atlanta Country Club* Aug 13-16 - McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, Sarasota, FL Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• Gretchen Rubin Will Teach You to be Happy 26.05.2026 58min

  ✍️ Follow Paul Ollinger on Substack by clicking here ✍️“Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.” -Aeschylus Whenever I go back and re-listen to one of my podcast interviews, I always discover elements of the conversation I didn’t recall. Upon revisiting this 2025 conversation with best-selling author Gretchen Rubin, I of course remembered that she is a warrior for happiness and the practices that help her huge readership attain it. But listening again, I was struck by how cool Gretchen is. Not “cool” in a biker-jacket / beat poetry / clove cigarette way, but in the “I know who I am, what I’m committed to, and how I can add value to the world” way. I don’t claim to know Gretchen, but it seems logical to me that this self-awareness is a by-product of the kind of work she evangelizes. And it is work. As Aeschylus advised in the quote above, happiness is always there if we choose it, but only if—in the hard times—we are willing to get off the couch or smile through the pain. In times like these, Gretchen’s writing can help us find a path through the noise and, as she describes it, “identify ways we can take happiness from the transcendent to the concrete.” A great way to start that process is to listen (or re-listen) to this episode and take her happiness quiz here. You can also find many more applicable insights on Gretchen’s Substack, Secrets of Adulthood. Remember, happiness is growth—keep growing!---Come see me (Paul) tell jokes (or give a talk), in person:* June 4 - Atlanta Athletic Club* June 5 and 6 - Laughing Skull Lounge, Atlanta*June 12 - Wade Hampton Golf Club, Cashiers, NC * June 19 and 20 - The Comedy Catch, Chattanooga* June 25 - Happy Couples Show, West Side Comedy Club, NYC* July 21 - The Venice West, Los Angeles (on sale soon)* July 23 - Cobbs Comedy Club, San Francisco* Aug 1 - Sticks and Stones Comedy Club, Southampton, NY* Aug 8 - Atlanta Country Club* Aug 13-16 - McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, Sarasota, FL Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• Money, Family & Comedy w/Roy Wood Jr. 14.05.2026 56min

  ✍️ Follow Paul Ollinger on Substack by clicking here ✍️My guest today is Roy Wood, Jr. You know him from The Daily Show and from his acclaimed stand-up specials, where he proves that smart comedy can still hit hard. A native of Birmingham, AL, Roy has that rare ability to make you laugh while also making you think—whether he’s talking about race, class, media, relationships, or the strange little hypocrisies we all live with. In addition to The Daily Show, Roy has performed on The Tonight Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, BET’s Comic View, Conan, and many other top TV programs. He is now the host of the CNN current events-comedy show, Have I Got News for You. His 2025 memoir, The Man of Many Fathers explores—among other things—Roy’s complicated relationship with his father, Roy Wood, Sr., a civil rights journalist and African American radio pioneer.Today, Roy and I talk about money, family, fatherhood, and we go deep on the craft of comedy.Speaking of comedy, see my upcoming shows below. Save the date / buy your tickets!COMEDY NEAR YOU - GET YOUR TICKETS!* May 16: QED, Astoria Queens, 9:30* May 20: Dunwoody Country Club (members only)* May 21: Atlanta Punchline - ON SALE* May 22-23: DC Comedy Loft ON SALE* June 4: Atlanta Athletic Club (members only)* June 19-20: Comedy Catch, Chattanooga ON SALE* June 25: Couples Therapy Comedy at West Side Comedy Club, NYC* July 21: The Venice West, Los Angeles - On Sale soon* July 23: Cobbs Comedy Club, San Francisco - ON SALE* Aug 1: Sticks and Stones Comedy Club, Southampton, NY -* Aug 8: Atlanta Country Club (members only)* Aug 13-16: Headlining McCurdy’s in Sarasota, FL - ON SALE* October 15: Capital City Country Club (members only) Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• How to Get Rich in America 07.05.2026 1h 6min

  ✍️ Follow Paul Ollinger on Substack by clicking here ✍️“Capitalism is rigged!” cry the masses. “Nobody gets ahead anymore,” says the mainstream press. And 60% of young people believe that the American Dream is dead. But my guest today calls this hogwash, baloney, and complete malarkey. Joseph Moore is a historian, entrepreneur, investor, and the author of a new book called How to Get Rich In American History: 300 Years of Financial Advice that Worked (And didn’t) in which he explores how ambition, risk, and reinvention have shaped America from the very beginning. He also reveals the money myths, sacred cows, side hustles, and NAYsayers that have always been a part of our society. What if so-called timeless beliefs about money like “invest for the long run,” “compound interest builds wealth,” and “real estate always goes up” weren’t always true…and play out less often than you think they do. Joseph’s book is part history, part playbook, and part reality check. He brings lessons to life with rigor that is deeper than an oil well and a wit that is dryer than the Texas plains. And in so doing he demystifies the past in order to clarify the present for anyone thinking about money, success, and what it really means to “make it” in America.📕 Follow Joseph here. 📗 Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• The Fragile Power of Wealth 30.04.2026 47min

  If you’ve ever wondered if having everything you’ve ever wanted would make you feel like a complete human being, this episode is for you. My guest today is Dr. Paul Hokemeyer, a psychotherapist who works almost exclusively with ultra-high-net-worth individuals—the kind of people most of us assume have life completely figured out. Spoiler alert: they don’t. Dr. Hokemeyer is the author of Fragile Power, a fascinating look at the emotional and psychological challenges that come with extreme wealth, fame, status, and success. In his work, he’s seen firsthand how money can insulate people from consequences, distort relationships, and quietly fuel addiction, anxiety, and isolation. In other words, he has a front-row seat to the uncomfortable truth behind the fantasy. Today, we talk about why power is more fragile than it looks, how wealth can complicate identity and purpose, and what it actually takes—whether you’re worth $10,000 or $10 billion—to build a life that feels meaningful.✍️ Subscribe to Paul’s Substack here. ✍️📈Rate Reasonably Happy here.📈👀 Learn More about Dr. Paul here. 👀 Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• Surviving the Loss of a Child 16.04.2026 1h 4min

  “How am I ever going to be happy again?” That was the question the wife of this week’s guest asked him after the death of their one-month-old son, Fisher. Michael Cruz Kayne is a comedian, actor and a staff-writer on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where his work has earned him a Peabody Award, a WGA Award, and two Emmy nominations. He made his off-Broadway debut in Sorry For Your Loss, a raw, comedic, and deeply vulnerable one-man show about coping with a parent’s worst fear, the loss of a child. This is a sad but inspiring conversation. I found Michael’s attempt to make sense out of his grief and to honor Fisher’s brief life to be an uplifting act of service. You can watch the show starting March 27 on the Dropout network.✍️ Subscribe to Paul’s Substack here. ✍️📈Rate Reasonably Happy here.📈👀 Watch Sorry for Your Loss here. 👀 Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• Millionaires v. Billionaires in NYC 02.04.2026 1h 6min

  Chris Pavone is the bestselling author of some of the smartest and most stylish thrillers of the past decade. His latest book, The Doorman is set in a glamorous Manhattan apartment building where the lives of the ultra-wealthy residents intersect with the man who quietly watches it all—the doorman. Over the course of one explosive day, secrets, class tensions, and personal betrayals collide in a fast-moving plot that doubles as sharp social satire about modern New York and the divides of race, wealth, politics, and status. This invites an inevitable and much-deserved comparison to Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities, though the Masters of the Universe are now fleece-vest-wearing tech and hedge-fund bros (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Full-disclosure: I loved this book. It's a page-turner! It's eminently-readable! But even more, it's an insightful look at modern society through the lens of New York City. Before becoming a novelist, Chris spent nearly two decades in book publishing, working on—or with—the editorial team for authors like John Grisham and Pat Conroy. Chris' debut novel, The Expats, became an international bestseller, won the Edgar Award and the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, and was translated into more than 30 languages. Since then he’s written a string of critically acclaimed thrillers—including The Accident, The Travelers, and The Paris Diversion—known for their globe-trotting settings, psychological depth, and characters navigating secrets, ambition, money, and power. ✍️  Please ⁠rate and review⁠ ⁠⁠Reasonably Happy⁠ HERE⁠  (DO IT!) ✍️  📚 Read ⁠Paul’s ⁠⁠Substack newsletter⁠⁠⁠ HERE 📚🗽 Order 'The Doorman' book HERE. 🗽🚩 Follow Chris Pavone on Substack 🚩 Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• The Beatles, Ted Turner, and Ric Flair with Steve Chamberlain 26.03.2026 1h 1min

  This week’s podcast is a conversation with my former Atlanta neighbor, Steve Chamberlain, a former media executive whose career has intersected with some of the biggest brands and celebrities in entertainment history. I originally wanted to talk to Steve because of his experience leading the go-to-market plan of The Beatles Anthology, one of the most commercially successful recording projects of all-time. It was to be the follow-up episode to last week’s interview with Peter Doggett, author of 'You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Break Up'.And while Steve and I discussed this at length, I found his experience as an executive vice president at Turner Broadcasting in the 1980s even more interesting. Working directly for Ted Turner, Steve’s responsibilities included everything from home video to cable syndication and World Championship Wrestling. He shares a great story about utilizing 1-900 telephone numbers to monetize wrestlers' smack talk. It’s a fun insight into the early days of a pre-Internet media “start-up.”Steve oversaw the 50th Anniversary celebrations for both Gone With the Wind and Casablanca, then—after Turner— went on to captain the release of Frank Sinatra’s Duets, which eventually led to his work with the Fab Four.Check it out here or wherever you get your podcast love.✍️ Please ⁠rate and review⁠ ⁠⁠Reasonably Happy⁠ HERE⁠ (DO IT!) ✍️📚 Read ⁠Paul’s ⁠⁠Substack newsletter⁠⁠⁠ HERE 📚#music #movies #film #marketing #beatles #entertainment #TedTurner #wrestling #ricflair Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• Money, Fame, and Misery: Meet the Beatles 19.03.2026 58min

  Money, Fame, and Misery: Meet the Beatles (w/ Peter Doggett )In the late ‘60s, The Beatles had it all: worldwide fame, critical admiration, and more money than they ever could have imagined. So why were these four young men so miserable? (And often short of cash!) My guest today is Peter Doggett—one of the great rock music writers of our time, and a man who has spent decades studying what happens when ambition, fame, and enormous piles of cash—and drugs—collide. Peter is the author of You Never Give Me Your Money, a brilliant and deeply human book about the Beatles, not only at their creative peak, but also at their breaking point, when the most successful band in history discovered that unimaginable wealth and universal adoration do not, in fact, lead to contentment and enlightenment…but do lead to lawsuits, divorce, and—sometimes—heroin addiction. Peter has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo, Q, and many others. His work has this rare quality: it makes you love the music more while feeling slightly better about your own messy life. His latest book is Surf's Up: Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys. Btw, if you like this episode, you’ll also love the new Amazon documentary about Paul McCartney called Man on the Run. Check it out.  Please ⁠rate and review⁠ ⁠⁠Reasonably Happy⁠ HERE⁠  (DO IT!)    Read ⁠Paul’s ⁠⁠Substack newsletter⁠⁠⁠ HERE  Order Peter’s book HERE.  Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• Believe and You Will See! (w/ Nir Eyal ) 12.03.2026 57min

  My guest this week is Nir Eyal, whose two books ('Hooked’ and ‘Indistractable’) have sold over 1 million copies in over 30 languages. This week he published his latest - Beyond Belief: The Science-Backed Way to Stop Limiting Yourself and Achieve Extraordinary Results. In our chat, Nir and I discuss: Why beliefs can help us perform at our top potential (or vice versa) The difference between facts, faith, and belief How beliefs can benefit us, even if they’re not “true” The importance of cognitive flexibility And, the power of prayer, even for non-believersNir also shares a powerful story about the thing he learned by buying his mother birthday flowers from the “wrong” florist. Nir's work has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Psychology Today, and many more. He attended The Stanford Graduate School of Business and Emory University. Please ⁠rate and review⁠ ⁠⁠Reasonably Happy⁠ ⁠HERE⁠⁠  (DO IT!) Read ⁠Paul’s ⁠⁠Substack newsletter⁠⁠⁠ ⁠HERE⁠  Learn more about Nir on his website. Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• Gina Gershon on Fame, Desire, and Boobs 05.03.2026 1h

  Guess who I got to meet last week - Gina Gershon. That’s right, the incredibly beautiful and talented actress, author, singer, and long-standing disruptor of polite expectations. You know Gina from unforgettable roles in Bound, Showgirls, Face/Off, Cocktail, and a career that has zig-zagged fearlessly between Hollywood glamor, indie grit, Broadway, and music. We talked about her work and life as recounted in her new memoir, 'Alpha Pussy: How I Survived the Valley and Learned to Love My Boobs’ (a title that caught the attention of my 16 year-old son and, well, me). Gina shares stories about Prince, David Mamet, Paul Thomas Anderson, Robert Altman, Michael Mann, and Lou Reed. And she spills the beans about kissing both Tom Cruise and Jennifer Tilly (I’d go with Jen, personally). Oh, she also tells why it was so much fun to improv with Larry David on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm’. Need I say more? Okay, yes - just a little: What I took away from this interview is that artists like Gina who prioritize freedom above commerce sometimes miss out on millions of dollars and a degree of “stardom,” but they maintain their sense of self and Alpha vibe. Check it out. Please ⁠rate and review⁠ ⁠⁠Reasonably Happy⁠ ⁠HERE⁠⁠  (DO IT!) Read ⁠Paul’s ⁠⁠Substack newsletter⁠⁠⁠ ⁠HERE⁠  Buy Gina's book HERE. Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• The Courage to Be Right w/ Matt Kaplan 26.02.2026 58min

  Matt Kaplan is a science correspondent at the Economist and author of the new book I Told You So!: Scientists Who Were Ridiculed, Exiled, and Imprisoned for Being Right in which he shares the stories of researchers—from Darwin to Pasteur to modern Nobel Prize winners—who had to fight for their revolutionary ideas to be accepted. "But Paul…” you might say. "This sounds very interesting, but how does it fit into the conversations here on Reasonably Happy?” Good question! It’s because I like contrarians and truth-seekers. I worry about prevailing power structures or narratives that restrict innovation, progress, free markets, and personal liberty, whether those obstacles be bureaucracy, fascism, religion, or political correctness. And perhaps by pondering these historical examples, we’ll be less likely to repeat past mistakes. Over the last two decades, Matt has written about everything from paleontology and parasites to virology and viticulture. In addition to the Economist, his writing has appeared in National Geographic,  Nature, and the New York Times. He completed a thesis in Paleontology at Berkeley, and one in science journalism at Imperial College, London. In 2014 he was awarded a Knight Fellowship to study at MIT and Harvard. Born in California, he lives in England.   Please ⁠rate and review⁠ ⁠⁠Reasonably Happy⁠ ⁠HERE⁠⁠  (DO IT!)    Read ⁠Paul’s ⁠⁠Substack newsletter⁠⁠⁠ ⁠HERE⁠  Buy Matt’s book, I Told You So! here. Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe
• Insider Trading w/Tom Hardin 19.02.2026 1h 13min

  How do you handle it when you screw up badly? (Like really badly.) Former hedge fund trader and Wharton graduate Tom Hardin was convicted of Securities Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud, which are felonies. In 2008, during the beginning of the great finanical crisis, Tom desperately needed to put some points on the board at his fund. And since everybody else in the industry seemed to be doing it, Tom allowed himself to trade equities on material, non-public information—something he knew was illegal. After being stopped by the FBI on the streets of Manhattan, Tom agreed to become an informant and wore a wire over 40 times to aid the agency in its investigation of big fish like Steve Cohen of SAC who paid a $1.8 billion fine and Rajaratnam of of Galleon Group who went to jail for 7.5 years. I spoke to Tom this week about his new book, Wired on Wall Street: The Rise and Fall of Tipper X, One of the FBI’s Most Prolific Informants. A scrappy, middle-class kid from suburban Atlanta (Go Braves!), Tom willed himself into the University of Pennsylvania’s famed Wharton School of Business, which launched him into the finance industry. He eventually earned a seat at a prestigious hedge fund and was on his way until the intense pressure of the gig led him to make a terrible decision that earned him only $46,000 but ended his career. Today, Tom works with Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, law firms, business schools, and leadership teams, delivering keynotes and advisory engagements on behavioral ethics, culture risk, and organizational conduct. NOTE: The actor in 'Traffic’ actor whose name I was trying to remember is Benicio Del Toro, not Guillermo Del Toro. Please forgive me.Please ⁠rate and review⁠ ⁠⁠Reasonably Happy⁠ HERE⁠  (DO IT!)   Read ⁠Paul’s ⁠⁠Substack newsletter⁠⁠⁠ HERE Pre-order Tom’s book HERE. Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe