Creativity Episodes

Hollywood burnout and spiritual awakening don't happen overnight, and no one knows that better than Bob Degus. After more than a decade producing Oscar-nominated films and overseeing blockbusters at New Line Cinema, Bob hit a wall that no amount of money or credits could fix. If you've ever wondered whether the life you built is actually the life you want, this episode will shake something loose in you. Holly Hughes, TEDx speaker, intuitive healer, and author of Real, Not Perfect, sits dow...

What if art wasn’t just expression… but responsibility? In this episode of the Holly Hughes Podcast, Holly sits down with artist Akira Tsuboi and interpreter Woo-Hee Choi to explore the intersection of art, history, and truth, and what it means to create work that confronts what others avoid. Akira’s work doesn’t look away. It dives into the realities of war, cultural trauma, and systemic silence, using stark black, white, and red imagery to challenge narratives that have been softened, re...

What if writing about your past didn’t mean reliving it? In this episode of the Holly Hughes Podcast, Holly sits down with author Monica Macansantos, writer of Returning to My Father’s Kitchen and Love and Other Rituals, to explore how we tell the truth about family, identity, and the stories that shape us, without getting stuck inside them. Monica shares how her father’s openness transformed pain into connection, and how writing became a way to process generational trauma without passing ...

The best art often challenges our comfort zones and makes us reexamine commonly held beliefs. The work of today’s guest does that with one of history’s most challenging figures, while adding a dash of humor to the mix. Playwright and director Michelle Kholos Brooks joins host Holly Hughes for a delightful conversation about her creative playwriting process and challenging people’s perceptions about the treatment of young women through her latest play, Hitler’s Tasters. Holly and Michelle talk ...

Today’s guest on The Holly Hughes Podcast is author Judy Goldman, an author of eight books — four memoirs, two novels, and two collections of poetry. Judy has recently released a book called The Rest of Our Lives, a reflection on the aging process no matter what stage of life you’re in. Judy joins Holly for a discussion around different perspectives on aging, evolving feelings about self-image and confidence, and the beauty of writing memoirs.

Today’s guest on The Holly Hughes Podcast is a literary professional who helps countless other writers express their ideas and get their work published. Betsy Thorpe has worked with both big name authors at prestige publishing houses to indie writers trying to breakthrough. Betsy Thorpe joins host Holly Hughes for an insightful conversation about all things writing. Betsy talks about her journey to becoming a writer, how a good editor can shape a story, the emotional core of storytelling and the business of writing and publishing.