The Stories We Consume and the Stories That Shape Us with Steve Abramson

Send us Fan MailWhy do some stories stay with us forever, while others lose their magic?This week on Here’s What We Know, we welcome screenwriter, author, and game show researcher Steve Abramson for a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about storytelling, Hollywood, game shows, and the stories that shape who we are.Steve shares how a childhood viewing of Star Wars sparked a lifelong love of movies, what it is really like working behind the scenes in television and game shows, and why modern franchises often struggle to recapture the joy and clarity that once made them timeless. We also explore why villains are often more compelling than heroes, how pressure changes performance, and what our favorite stories reveal about our hopes, fears, and curiosity.This is an honest, curious conversation about creativity, culture, and the simple power of a good story told well. If you love movies, game shows, pop culture, or thoughtful conversations that connect the dots between entertainment and real life, this episode is for you.In This Episode:Why stories matterHow Star Wars sparked a love for storytellingLearning screenwriting before the internetSending a screenplay to Hollywood at 15Why movie franchises lose their wayWhat Star Wars got right and where it went wrongWhy villains are more interesting than heroesThe reality of writing for television todayBehind the scenes of game showsWhy game shows are harder than they lookKnowing the answer vs performing under pressureHow pressure changes creativityWhy the stories we consume shape usPassing curiosity to the next generationWhy great stories still matterThis episode is sponsored by:Reed Animal HospitalDignity MemorialBe sure to tell them Gary sent you!Bio:Steve Abramson is a screenwriter, author, and television writer whose creative journey began at fifteen when he wrote his first screenplay and even managed to get someone at Amblin Entertainment to read it. After formally studying Film and Television at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Steve broke into professional television writing with credits including In a Heartbeat for the Disney Channel, story pitching for Star Trek, and writing for Survivor: Cook Islands. His career spans television pilots, network pitching, and extensive work on game shows, including Temptation, Boom, Million Second Quiz, and Funny You Should Ask. Alongside years in post production, Steve continues to create across media through projects like KnowItAllJoe.com and his children’s book The Bear in the Chair.Website: https://steveabramson.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowitalljoe1977/Connect with Gary:Gary's WebsiteFollow Gary on InstagramGary's TiktokGary's FacebookWatch the episodes on YouTubeAdvertise on the PodcastThank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!