Show Notes
What does it take to get genuinely strong, healthy, and creatively alive in your late 50s — while having one of the most demanding jobs in Hollywood? Brian Koppelman is the writer behind Rounders, Ocean’s 13, and the seven-season hit show Billions. He also helped discover and promote the singer songwriter Tracy Chapman. At 57, he walked off a tennis court mid-match, certain he was about to faint, and decided to completely rebuild his body. Three years later he’s deadlifting 300 pounds, racing up seven flights of stairs with a weighted pack, and producing some of the sharpest creative work of his career. Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive producers are Katrina Norvell and Nikki Ettore. Our Head of Video is Maria Paz Mendez Hodes. This episode was edited by Ryan Mulhern. Our theme music is by the Heater Manager. Chapters:00:00 Cold Open02:39 Turning 60 and Racing Up 7 Flights With a Pack05:50 Tufts, Tracy Chapman, and Trusting Yourself Over Experts10:45 Poker, Harvard Kids, and Reading the Room15:55 Rounders Rejection and How to Be Wrong On Purpose20:05 Tribalism, the Turkish Get-Up, and Good-Faith Arguments25:44 Ocean’s 13, a 5% Shot, and How to Prepare Like You Mean It31:51 Writer’s Block, The Artist’s Way, and Beating Resistance38:00 ADHD, Adderall, and the Morality of Medication43:30 Screenwriter Overhears: Curiosity as a Creative System46:42 Billions, Hedge Funds, and Studying Worlds You Don’t Belong To50:46 The Polygamist Hitchhike and Finding Common Ground53:05 TM Meditation with Bob Roth57:12 The Tennis Court Crisis Point1:02:18 The Doctor Visit, GLP-1, and Committing to Lift Weights1:06:43 From 65 lb Deadlifts to 300 lbs at 601:09:46 Comfort Crisis, the Hailstorm Bike Ride, and Readiness1:13:29 Reaching Out, Generosity, and the Long Game1:16:50 Lightning Round1:20:31 Outro GET A FREE GUIDE TO EXAMPLES OF MISOGI. GO TO https://www.twopct.com AND ENTER YOUR EMAIL. I share similar insights around health and wellness here:https://substack.com/@michaeleasterhttps://instagram.com/michael_easter/https://linkedin.com/in/michael-easter-b208848/https://facebook.com/easter.michaelhttps://tiktok.com/@michael_easter6https://x.com/Michael_Easter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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