Show Notes
Writer, director, and actor Mario Van Peebles is perhaps best known for his 1991 breakthrough film 'New Jack City,' which he directed and starred in. Since then he has frequently been on both sides of the camera, which has taken him all over the world. For his treat, he explains why travel has been life changing for him and what it has taught him about humanity.
More from The Treatment
Sacha Baron Cohen’s hilarious and provocative characters defy categorization. He created and starred in 'Da Ali G Show,' where his characters Borat, Brüno, and Ali G, the clueless TV host, were born. He wrote and starred in 'Ali G Indahouse' and his mockumentary films 'Borat' and 'Brüno.' Cohen also has an impressive resume of dramatic roles, including 'The Trial of the Chicago 7,' for which he received an Oscar nomination, and the 2024 Apple TV series 'Disclaimer.' However, his latest brings him back to the beginning — 'Ali G: Who Iz I?,' a new film which he wrote, directed, and stars in.
Jarvis Cocker was at the forefront of the ‘90s British rock scene as the founder and frontman of the group Pulp. He’s now featured in a new documentary Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore?, directed by Garth Jennings, streaming on MUBI. For Cocker’s treat, he recommends a surrealist novel that is also a meditation on creativity.
In the past decade, comedian Aziz Ansari has proven himself to be a true multi-hyphenate. After finishing up his run as Tom Haverford on the comedy series 'Parks and Recreation,' Ansari created and starred in the Netflix series 'Master of None,' for which he won two Emmys and a Golden Globe. He directed his first feature, 2025’s 'Good Fortune,' starring Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogan. And he has continued touring, putting out comedy specials, including 'Aziz Ansari: Right Now' and 'Buried Alive.' He continues to hone his standup chops on his latest 'Hypothetical Tour,' which will be filmed for a Netflix special on October 29 in New Brunswick, New Jersey at the State Theater.
Director Destin Daniel Cretton’s summer blockbuster, 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' takes on the Marvel Universe through the lens of family, lost and perhaps found. For his treat, Cretton recommends a book that connected him to a close relative just before he passed away.
Longtime creative collaborators John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein like to play with audience expectations around what their films’ actors will bring to the table. Their partnership began with co-writing the screenplay for the audacious comedy 'Horrible Bosses' and progressed to co-directing the 2018 action comedy 'Game Night' and 2023’s 'Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.' Their latest project is the Apple TV film 'Mayday,' starring Ryan Reynolds as a stranded US Navy pilot in Russian territory and Kenneth Branagh as an ex-KGB agent who discovers him.