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14:24
The F*cked Up Amount of Work It Takes to (Not) Sell Something in Hollywood Today
Or: that time a studio told me to spec a TV pilot for it even though I had an A-list actor attached to the project
 • Cole Haddon
56:54
Comedian Riki Lindhome on the Freedom of No Opportunities
From Garfunkel and Oates to her new one-person musical 'Dead Inside', the prolific multi-hyphenate discusses turning desperation into innovation and…
 • Cole Haddon
23:39
Bonus Episode: Riki Lindhome Talks 'A Chorus Line'
The actress, musician, comedian, screenwriter - seriously, WTF can't she do?! - reveals the musical that set her entire artistic journey in motion
 • Cole Haddon
☕ 5AM StoryTalk Monthly Arts Seminar – March 2026
An ongoing group for paid supporters of this newsletter to discuss (with me and each other) the arts, craft and business, and the challenges they’re…
💬 Weekly Question: Do artists have a responsibility to confront the darkness of our time?
Almost two years ago, I shared this article at 5AM StoryTalk - “How to Make Art That Confronts the Darkness (Or Not)”. In it, I asked 25 artists from…

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5AM CoffeeTalk: March 2026
A monthly rundown about my life as a professional artist, art lover, and human being trying to survive the 21st century - good and bad, glorious and…
💬 Weekly Question: What film defined your 'coming of age'?
Eighteen months ago, I asked my readers what album defined their coming of age. Well, this week, I’m going to ask that question again from the cinematic…
Anatomy of 'The Code': Why I Walked Away from My Dream TV Project
Screenwriters can learn a lot from my take on Greta Garbo’s war with the architect of the Hays Code—and what went wrong thanks to my reps
 • Cole Haddon
15:56
5AM RealTalk Feb. 24 | 'Hustle Culture Is Killing Me'
On the itinerary today: 'I can't do this anymore' • 80-hour work weeks • 'Marty Supreme'
 • Cole Haddon
💬 Weekly Question: What artwork radicalized you?
Weekly questions’ comment sections are left open for one week.
30:01
Bonus Episode: Sen. Fatima Payman Talks Rage Against the Machine's 'Killing in the Name'
The Australian politician reveals the song that helped her tell her own party, 'F*ck you, I won't do what you tell me!' over its position on Gaza
 • Cole Haddon
47:54
Sen. Fatima Payman on the Price of Defiance in Australian Politics
On deteriorating freedom of speech in Australia, multiculturalism in the country's national identity, and whether the Labor Party still labors for the…
 • Cole Haddon
💬 Weekly Question: What's your favorite Jane Austen novel (and screen adaptation)?
Weekly questions’ comment sections are left open for one week.
30:19
Bonus Episode: Justin Simien Talks '2001: A Space Odyssey'
The 'Dear White People' writer-director offers up a bold new take on a seminal piece of art from his life - the Stanley Kubrick sci-fi classic
 • Cole Haddon
1:01:16
Director Justin Simien on Telling the Truth in His Films (and Hollywood)
The filmmaker behind 'Dear White People', 'Haunted Mansion', and 'Hollywood Black' discusses finding your voice in an industry that increasingly doesn’t…
 • Cole Haddon and Justin Simien
10:23
5AM RealTalk Feb. 10, 2026
On the itinerary today: The death of cinema? • Horror's killer year • The screenwriter's waiting game
 • Cole Haddon
☕ 5AM StoryTalk Monthly Arts Seminar – February 2026
An ongoing group for paid supporters of this newsletter to discuss (with me and each other) the arts, craft and business, and the challenges they’re…
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