Podcast
Past Due with Ana Marie Cox and Open Mike Eagle
Hosted by Ana Marie Cox and Open Mike Eagle · EN
Ana Marie Cox and Open Mike Eagle explore what it takes to survive as a creative today. From juggling side gigs to redefining success, we dive into the real stories behind making a living when one job just isn’t enough
53episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Is Everythign Actually Food? with Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl
Mar 1800:59:44Tap to summarizeSix-time James Beard Award-winning food critic Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl joins Ana and Mike to make the case that food isn't a soft beat, it's the whole story. From ICE raids gutting Twin Cities restaurants to the real wage gap hiding in daycare costs, Dara connects the dots between what's on your plate and everything that actually matters. She also gets into why there are fewer working restaurant critics in America than prima ballerinas and what non-competes do to creative careers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Was the Serious Version of You Holding You Back? with Ben Collins
Mar 1101:05:36Tap to summarizeBen Collins, CEO of The Onion, joins Ana and Mike to talk about what happens when you stop trying to fit into a box, and accidentally end up running one of the biggest newspapers in America. From burning out covering extremism at NBC News to buying The Onion for less than you'd expect, Ben gets into what it actually cost him to bottle up his personality on cable news, and why the humans-first approach is what's saving the thing he loves. Get more at patreon.com/pastdue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →What Does It Cost to Finally Feel Safe? with Lilan Bowden
Mar 401:09:37Tap to summarizeActress and comedian Lilan Bowden joins us to talk about what it actually feels like to come out the other side, and why financial safety doesn't automatically mean financial peace. From barista shifts and transcription gigs to booking a Disney Channel series, Lilan gets honest about the bills she still can't bring herself to open, the shame that kept her moving forward, and what it means to build a life around brunch when you used to skip toothpaste. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Ana and Mike Write Ghost Stories
Feb 2501:03:09Tap to summarizeAna and Mike try to untangle the pure joy of making art from the exhausting pressure of creating for survival. Mike admits he's pushing all his chips into survival mode and can't afford a break, while Ana discusses the elusive practice of emotional sobriety and letting go of the outcome. Get more at patreon.com/pastdue and help support the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →How Do You Build Your Own Thing Within the "Mothership"? with Jamelle Bouie
Feb 1800:57:35Tap to summarizeNew York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie joins Ana and Mike to discuss the dismantling of legacy media by billionaire owners and the myth of the “Democratic Joe Rogan”. Jamelle also opens up about the intersection of luck and frugality that allowed him to build financial stability early in his career and how he now balances his work for "the mothership" with his own independent creative outlets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →What If Fear Is What Keeps You Working? with Xochitl Gonzalez
Feb 1100:55:10Tap to summarizeDespite writing bestsellers and landing a Reese’s Book Club pick, Xochitl Gonzalez opens up about the lingering shame of precarity, the invisibility of working-class success, and why we need to drag money talk out into the light. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Is Joy a Better Goal Than Fame? with Jonah Ray
Feb 401:04:51Tap to summarizeJonah Ray joins us to talk about finding joy in creative work after letting go of the version of success he once chased. From DIY punk to rebooting MST3K, Jonah reflects on what happens when you stop waiting for permission and start making the stuff you actually want to see. We get into the fear of going unnoticed, and why it’s still worth it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Is Any Job Actually Safe? with Devin Field
Jan 2800:55:05Tap to summarizeComedian Devin Field has one of the rarest things in Hollywood: a full-time, year-round job. But even that didn’t protect him from the chaos of the past few years. From presidential threats to network pullouts to a brutal WGA strike, Devin opens up about what it’s like when late-night comedy is under siege—and how he’s learning to navigate the myth of hustle culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Ana and Mike Don’t Quit
Jan 2101:04:19Tap to summarizeAna Marie Cox and Open Mike Eagle kick off the year with a conversation about survival in a collapsing media economy. They get into dry January, capitalism, self-promotion, YouTube pivots, and what it means to keep showing up even when the numbers don’t add up. Plus: the upside of YouTube thumbnails, the reality of reporting on a shoestring, and why, in a world that wants you to give up, persistence might be the most radical act of all. Support the show: patreon.com/pastdue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →What If Merit Was Never the Metric? with Karen K. Ho
Jan 1401:15:08Tap to summarizeJournalist Karen K. Ho joins us to talk about what it really means to navigate the creative economy as an immigrant, a freelancer, and a former "success story." We talk about the myth of meritocracy, the emotional and financial toll of precarity after grad school, and the difference between community and networking when your visa—and your future—are on the line. Karen shares how ADHD, burnout, and the invisibility of care shaped her path, and why finding the right support system might matter more than any byline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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