SCRATCH the SURFACE with EJ Scott
by EJ Scott
EJ Scott has in depth conversations with celebrity guests, actors, writers, directors, producers, comedians, improvisers, comic book artists and writers, musicians, legends and up and comers. Conversational, open, honest and humorous. Guests that brought you The Walking Dead, VEEP, True Blood, Marvel's Daredevil, Marvel's Luke Cage, Areested Development, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Stranger Things, Breaking Bad, Saturday Night Live, MADtv, The Good Wife, Survivor, The Howard Stern Show and much much more!!
Episodes
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183: Michael Keenan - teacher & actor USC, Picket Fences, Star Trek: Voyager, Deep Space Nine, The Next Generation
Michael Keenan was my partners (Deborah Ann Woll) teacher at USC many years ago. Now Michael is retired and living outside Los Angeles in an assisted living facility. We talk about his life as a teacher, the decision to retire, having Parkinson's disease, eating issues, acting on television and...
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182: Opus Moreschi returns - head writer Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Colbert Report, Trophy Wife
Opus Moreschi and I met up in Brooklyn, NY and talked about everything from getting appendicitis in another country, doing comedy bits with Bill Murray and Mark Hamill, Emmy wins and losses, I talk about my half marathon run on Antarctica, and so much more!!!! Please Listen, Please Share, Please...
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181: Jim Parrack - actor True Blood, Fury, Suicide Squad, The Deuce
SCRATCH the SURFACE is BACK!! I took a very long hiatus. Thanks for checking back in! Jim Parrack had me over his apartment in Brooklyn where we caught up after not seeing each other for about 5 years. We talk about politics, religion, sobriety, addiction, highs, lows, family, childhood, therapy,...
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180: Joanne Whalley - actress Marvels Daredevil, Willow, The Borgias, Wolf Hall, Gossip Girl, The Man Who Knew Too Little, The Singing Detective
Joanne Whalley sat with me to do her very first podcast ever! We talk about acting as a child, her parents divorce, meeting her husband Val Kilmer on the set of Willow, getting divorced several years later, their relationship today, having two children, finding new passions and hobbies, working...
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179: Matt Gerald - actor Marvels Daredevil, Avatar, Escape Plan, Rampage, San Andreas, The Shield
Matt Gerald is an actor who discovered what he wanted later than other actors, but he is still in the biggest movie of all time; Avatar! We talk about his shift of careers in his 20's, his parents divorce and how that affected him, his fathers passing, growing up in Miami, his history with...
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178: Ayelet Zurer - actress Marvels Daredevil, Munich, Angels and Demons, In Treatment
Ayelet Zurer plays Vanessa on Marvels Daredevil on Netflix. She talks with me about coming from Israel, having a mom that was on the run from Nazis and had to hide and live in a convent, working with Vincent D'Onofrio on Daredevil, getting to work for Steven Spielberg on Munich, working with Eric...
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177: Deborah Ann Woll returns! actress Karen Page on Marvels Daredevil, Dungeons and Dragons, Escape Room
Deborah Ann Woll is my favorite guest and my girlfriend! I asked her to return to the podcast to talk about the new season of Daredevil which is getting fantastic feedback and reviews, and this is probably her biggest season for her character. We talk in depth about Karen and her back story…
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176: Erik Oleson show runner of Marvels Daredevil, writer on Arrow, Man in the High Castle
Erik Oleson is the newest show runner of Marvels Daredevil on Netflix. We have a very in-depth talk about the new season, how he got the job, how he staffs a writers room, his challenges of talking three seasons of television and keeping it in context with the new season (I included The…
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175: Jay Ali - actor Marvel's Daredevil, The Fosters
Jay Ali is in the newest season of Daredevil and comes to the house to discuss being from England, having parents from Pakistan, moving to Los Angeles to be an actor with no training and no experience, having a son that lives in the UK, what he's like in a relationship, his experience at New York...
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174: Jon Barinholtz - actor Superstore, The Oath, The Mindy Project
Jon Barinholtz came over to discuss being in the new film THE OATH directed and written by his brother Ike Barinholtz. We talk about working on the NBC show Superstore, being directed by his brother, working on the reboot of MadTV, his friendship with Rob Belushi (son of Jim and nephew of John),...
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173: Vincent D'Onofrio - actor Full Metal Jacket, Marvel's Daredevil, The Judge, Men In Black, Jurassic World, Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Vincent D'Onofrio is one of the best and hardest working actors today. He was kind enough to meet up with me in Brooklyn, NY and talk with me about all aspects of his life and career. We talked about his upbringing and his difficult relationship with his father, what Vincent is like as a father,...
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172: Elden Henson (second visit) - actor from Marvels Daredevil on Netflix
Elden Henson kindly met up with me for a second interview in Brooklyn, NY. We talked Daredevil, being a kid actor, getting divorced, being a dad, the ups and downs of acting, and so much more!!! Please Listen! Please Share! Please Enjoy! Twitter @ejscott @EJPodcast Instagram @ejscott1106 My…
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171: Emily Candini - improviser Annoyance Theater, iO Chicago
Emily Candini and I met in Chicago several years ago. Emily and I talk about her current health issues that are stumping doctors, losing her father to alcoholism, getting sober herself a few years ago, her love of dogs, dating, sexuality, her friendship with the late Jon Schnepp and much more!!!!...
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170: Sarah Gee - improvisor/teacher The Second City, iO Chicago and iO West
Sarah Gee was one of my first improv coaches in Los Angeles. She's lived quite a life since she moved out of LA several years ago. We talk about her life and how she got started as a performer, her experience in Chicago, joining Second City tour company, dating other improvisors, moving to LA and...
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169: Michael C. McCarthy writer/actor SNL, Sesame Street, Second City, The Drew Carey Show
Michael McCarthy was one of my first teachers in Los Angeles when I moved here in 2003. He taught Sitcom Writing. These days he is fighting a battle against cancer. He was kind enough to make some time to talk with me when I was visiting Chicago, where he lives now. We talked about alcoholism and...
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168: Tanya Wright - actress Orange is the New Black, True Blood, The Cosby Show, 24
Tanya Wright and I had a great chat about a lot of very interesting topics such as creating her own hair care products, hosting her own podcast, working with Dave Chappelle before he was the juggernaut he is now, how Malcolm Jamal Warner got her cast as his girlfriend on the Cosby Show, her...
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167: Raelle Tucker - showrunner Sacred Lies, writer/producer True Blood, Jessica Jones, The Returned, Supernatural
Raelle Tucker joins me for an in-depth conversation about her fascinating life. We talk about being raised in Ibiza, doing drugs, the loss of her father, moving to the US by herself at a young age, being a stripper for several years, falling in love and getting married, her start in writing,...
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166: Ike Barinholtz - actor/writer Mindy Project, Blockers, Neighbors, Central Intelligence, Suicide Squad, MadTV
Ike Barinholtz and I met at iO West about 15 years ago. I was already a fan of his from MadTV and he was an incredible improviser. He was kind enough to come to the house and chat with me about comedy, improv, writing, directing, and starring in his new film The Oath in theaters October 12, 2018,...
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165: Fred Melamed - actor from Lady Dynamite, The Spy Who Dumped Me, A Serious Man, Casual
Fred Melamed has nearly 100 acting credits on IMDB and we talked about some of them when he came over to the house and sat at the kitchen table. We talk about sexual politics in Hollywood, working with Woody Allen and his thoughts about what happened to him, being a father of autistic twins,...
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164: Jerry Minor - actor/improviser SNL, Key and Peele, Arrested Development, UCB
Jerry Minor has some fascinating stories from an amazing life. I was a fan of his comedy and didn't know the life he has lead before I invited him on the show. Jerry and I talk about his early life as a Jehovas witness, how is was shunned from that life and has spoken to his mother in 30 years,...
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163: Derek Miller - actor/improviser Transformers, Scrubs, The Goldbergs, Opening Night: The Improvised Musical
Derek Miller was one of my very first improv coaches in 2004 in Los Angeles. He and his family are moving to London, England and I wanted to have a chat before he left. We talk acting, Chicago, family, ups and downs of the business, improv, improvising on the set of Transformers: Dark of the Moon...
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162: Chris Claremont - legendary comic book writer for Marvel's X-Men
Chris Claremont has been writing comic books for around 50 years!! He has written some of the most influential and memorable X-Men comics ever!! He had me over to his home where we talked about his long history and influence in comics. We talked a few other things too but mostly comics!!! Please...
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161: Two Blind Brothers - Bryan and Bradford Manning
Bryan and Bradford Manning were told they were going blind from an eye disease called Stargardt Disease when they were kids. I met up with them in NYC and talked with them about learning at an early age about their disease, what it was like growing up knowing you are losing eye sight, an attempt…
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160: Brian Stack - writer/actor/improviser Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
Brian Stack was kind enough to talk with me at his office in NYC where he writes for the Stephen Colbert Late Show on CBS. We talk about a lot of things including working for Conan O'Brien for 20 years and what was it like to leave him, the Chicago improv scene, meeting and marrying his wife,...
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159: John Lutz - actor/writer/improviser from SNL, 30 Rock, Late Night with Seth Myers
John Lutz was very kind in letting me interview him while I was visiting New York at his work in 30 Rockefeller Plaza. We talk about a lot of stuff including working on SNL, what it was like dealing with host Donald J Trump several years before he ran for President, Tina Fey asking him to be in…
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158: Taran Killam and Paul Brittain - from Saturday Night Live and Killing Gunther
Taran Killam and Paul Brittain make their triumphant return to Scratch the Surface, but this time they come in together to promote the film Killing Gunther available on iTunes and Amazon Prime Video. We talk about what it was like for Taran to write, direct and star in a movie, working with…
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157: Matt Marr - Dear Mattie Podcast
Matt Marr and I met many years ago at an improv theater called iO West. We knew each other a little bit and then lost touch after I moved to Chicago and then back to LA. Anyway in that time we both started podcasts. And he was kind enough to invite me on his. I also recorded the interview and...
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156: Michael Ausiello Returns - author Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies
Michael Ausiello is use to writing and critiquing television shows about fictional drama. But in his book writing debut Michale opens up about his relationship with his husband and the cancer that took him away. I highly recommend reading or listening to the audio version of the book. Its a…
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155: Beth Dover - actress from Orange is the New Black, Another Period, Children's Hospital, Burning Love
Beth Dover and I first met in class at Second City Los Angeles in 2003. She joins me in my kitchen to catch up and talk about finding love with a actor/comedian Joe LoTruglio, marriage, motherhood, family, losing a brother, not being close with other members of her family, working on Orange is…
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154: Marc Evan Jackson - actor Kong: Skull Island, Jumaji: Welcome to the Jungle, The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Parks and Recreation, Thrilling Adventure Hour
Marc Evan Jackson is recognizable from dozens of different things ranging from commercials, television, film and voice over. Marc and I talk about everything this episode! Including, being born and raised in Buffalo, NY, losing a sibling to SIDS before he was even born, the death of his parents,...
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153: Amy Acker - actress The Gifted, Angel, Cabin in the Woods, Person of Interest, Alias, Dollhouse
Amy Acker joins me in the kitchen to talk about her amazing life and career. Including growing up in Dallas, Texas, being the oldest of four kids, being bit by a spider that caused her to be paralyzed for two weeks, later that would affect her as a dancer and thats how she started acting instead,...
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152: Brian Huskey - actor People of Earth, Bob's Burgers, Veep, Children's Hospital, UCB,
Brian Huskey is an improviser, writer, actor who started out on a very different path. He's from North Carolina where he thought he'd probably be a photographer until he met Rob Corddry in New York City. Taking improv at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater changed everything. We talk about growing…
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151: Anson Mount - actor Marvel's Inhumans and AMC's Hell on Wheels
Anson Mount was kind enough to let me meet up with him at his hotel while he was in Los Angeles promoting the upcoming Marvel's Inhumans TV show on ABC. He plays the iconic character: Black Bolt. Black Bolt is mostly a mute because of his vocal powers. his voice can destroy. We talk about the...
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150: Danielle MacDonald - actress from Patti Cake$
Danielle MacDonald is the lead in a great new independent film called Patti Cake$ (out August 18th in NY and LA). I got to go to an early screening of the film and meet Danielle. I loved the film and her performance in it. I was very impressed that an actress from Australia could play a rapper…
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149: Gabriel Luna - actor Matador and played Ghost Rider on Agents of SHIELD
Gabriel Luna is the new GHOST RIDER!!! And I couldn't be happier! Last season on Agents of SHIELD on ABC he did a fantastic job playing Robbie Reyes a man that made a deal with a demon and now his head bursts into flames and does bad things to bad people. Gabriel talks with me about getting to…
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148: Elizabeth Lucas-Smith - Choroideremia (CHM) Carrier
Elizabeth Lucas-Smith and I met in San Francisco back in 2007. 10 years later we meet up (outside of San Fran) and continue a talk we started a decade ago. We talk about the hereditary and degenerative eye disease - Choroideremia. Its a disease that hits both of our lives and families very hard....
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147: Arthur Adams and Joyce Chin - Comic Book Artists/ Married couple
Arthur Adams and Joyce Chin are legendary comic book artists that have been around for a long time. They met up with me in San Francisco to talk comics, love, family, art and so much more!!! Special appearance by their 6 year old daughter Alex. Please Listen! Please Share! Please Enjoy! Twitter...
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146: Peter Chelsom - director Hear My Song, Shall We Dance, Serendipity, Town and Country, The Space Between Us, Hector and the Search for Happiness, Funny Bones, the Mighty
Peter Chelsom is a writer and director of many films and has worked with some of the all time greats. He was kind enough to come and talk with me about his impressive life and career and talk about some of the highs and lows of a career in movies. We talk about critics and how they are hurting…
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145: Tyler Bates - member of Marilyn Manson and composer of films Guardians of the Galaxy, John Wick, Californication, The Punisher TV show, Watchmen
Tyler Bates took a couple of hours out of his busy schedule to talk with me about growing up in a haunted house, losing his mother in a car accident, music, composing, how he joined Marilyn Manson, working with Zack Snyder, James Gunn, Emilio Estevez, Chad Stahelski, meeting his wife, having…
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144: Adrian Wenner and Ethan Sandler - Executive Producers/writers of New Girl, Whitney, Man with a Plan
Adrian Wenner and Ethan Sandler are guys I know from performing live comedy on the iOWest stage in Hollywood in the early and mid 2000's. They were kind enough to come to the house and talk with me about their partnership and friendship, comedy, improv, Chicago, New York, Adrian attempt to get...
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143: Alison Lohman - actress from Drag Me To Hell, Big Fish, Matchstick Men, White Oleander
Alison Lohman was kind enough to spend some time with me in my kitchen and chat with me about her amazing career and life. we talk about her start in theater at a very young age doing musicals in Palm Springs area, working with directors like Tim Burton, Ridley Scott, Sam Raimi and actors like...
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142: Herb Koss - US Veteran, iOWest regular
Herb Koss and I have something in common, we love watching improv. And thats how we met. I was improvising and watching improv regularly at iOWest in Hollywood over a decade ago. Herb is 84 years old now and I thought since I haven't gotten to talk to him in a while that he would be a great guest...
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141: Dave Hill and Matt Jones - The Night is Young, Hill/Jones
Dave Hill makes his first appearance on StS and Matt Jones returns after three years. I asked them to come on to talk about their friendship and writing partnership. Together they've been performing improv as a two p[erson show for several years, that turned into writing together and now they…
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140: Simone Missick - plays Misty Knight in Marvel's Luke Cage on Netflix
Simone Missick and I got together while she was visiting Los Angeles and we talk about getting the role of Misty Knight in Luke Cage, meeting her husband, the possibility of having kids, moving back and forth from LA to NY, her taking her dog everywhere with her, having Ben Kingsley and Alan....
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139: The Katydids from Teachers on TV Land - Katie O'Brien, Katie Thomas, Kate Lambert, Caitlin Barlow
I was able to get two thirds of the comedy team, the Katydids on the podcast which is not too shabby. The Katydids is an all female comedy group from Chicago who all have similar names. What could have been a fly by night gimmick has turned into a successful tour de force! They write, produce and...
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138: Paul Vallaincourt and Lindsey Stoddart - improv power couple
Paul Vallaincourt and Lindsey Stoddart were my first two long form improv teachers at iO west in Los Angeles in 2003. It was Pauls level one class but Lindsey sat in as a substitute when he was unable to teacher a class. They were kind enough to come over the house and talk with me about improv,...
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137: Cole Stratton and Vanessa Ragland - hosts of Pop My Culture Podcast
Cole Stratton and Vanessa Ragland have been the hosts of the very successful podcast "Pop My Culture" on Nerdist. They just retired the show and I invited them on to talk about the start of the show and why they are stopping it. We also talk about Vanessa having a baby, Cole being co founder of…
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136: Andy St Clair - actor/ writer from Dr Ken, Brickleberry, Sirens, Arrested Development
Andy St Clair is a talented improvisor and writer from Chicago. He talks with me about performing at The Second City in Chicago, decisions to leave and move to Los Angeles, being host of the Treasure Hunters Roadshow and the guilt he felt from that, trying to develop a show at MYV for over a year...
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135: Scott Adsit - actor from 30 Rock, Big Hero 6, VEEP, Moral Orel
Scott Adsit has almost 100 acting credits to his name on IMDB. But I know him best as one of my favorite improvisors. He was kind enough to spend some time with me while he was visiting LA. We had a lot to talk about. We talked about comedy, improv, Chicago, being a nerd, being written and drawn...
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134: Michael Ausiello - writer TVLine.com, TV Guide, Entertainment Weekly
Michael Ausiello is a successful tv critic co founding the website tvline.com. Michale is coming out with a memoir soon of his love and marriage with his husband, Kit. The memoir also goes into losing Kit to cancer. Michael was good enough to meet up with me in Brooklyn and talk about the book...
About this show
EJ Scott has in depth conversations with celebrity guests, actors, writers, directors, producers, comedians, improvisers, comic book artists and writers, musicians, legends and up and comers. Conversational, open, honest and humorous. Guests that brought you The Walking Dead, VEEP, True Blood, Marvel's Daredevil, Marvel's Luke Cage, Areested Development, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Stranger Things, Breaking Bad, Saturday Night Live, MADtv, The Good Wife, Survivor, The Howard Stern Show and much much more!!
Hosted by
EJ Scott
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