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Glen Merzer on Writing, Standup, and the Politics of Healthcare: PYP 159

glen-merzerGlen Merzer juggles multiple careers with a grace and impact that makes me a bit jealous. From standup comedy in 1980s San Francisco (now I'm a little jealous), to sitcom writing, to screenplays, to non-fiction collaborations with plant-based authors, to his very own novel (now I'm a lot jealous!), Glen is doing a lot of good in the world through his pen.

I first found Glen through his co-writing of Howard Lyman's Mad Cowboy, about his transformation from cattle rancher to vegan activist. (Howard was Oprah's co-defendent in the slander lawsuit brought by Big Beef.)

Glen has also helped three other friends and colleagues of mine birth their books: Chef AJ, Pam Popper, and Del Sroufe. He's also contributed to Benji Kurtz's new book, The Plant Advantage.

In our conversation, we chatted about writing, about his journey to plant-based eating, and about his novel, Off the Reservation, which is about a vegan Congressperson who runs for president. This discussion led to an in-depth critique of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), and a discussion of a way to reform the electoral college.

So this episode of the podcast goes further into politics and policy than I've ever gone. Hopefully there's something here to interest and challenge (as well as offend) everyone.

Glen and I covered:

  • performing standup in San Francisco after graduating from a “hippy-dippy” school
  • writing for “the stupidest sitcom in Hollywood”
  • confronting his family's history of cardiovascular disease
  • becoming vegetarian in 1973 (at 17) and bringing his mother with him (she's now 97)
  • why Mad Cowboy started as a screenplay and become a book instead
  • the impact of Dick Gregory's vegetarianism and anti-war fast
  • “… a hamburger looks like a heart attack”
  • Glen's changing views on animal rights, and why it hasn't changed the tenor of his advocacy
  • how being proved right about mad cow disease led to a second book (No More Bull) with Howard
  • writing Food Over Medicine with Pam Popper as a dialog
  • the recent controversy over the phrase “Off the Reservation” and why Glen doesn't buy it in reference to his book
  • what Bernie Sanders misses about the healthcare crisis in America
  • the difference between health insurance and health
  • how to save $100 billion and millions of lives per year (by repealing one bill)
  • why pharmaceutical misbehavior is not the crux of our health problems
  • the political feasibility of an actual candidate promoting a plant-based diet as the foundation of health policy
  • why Glen thinks big money in politics isn't as important as it used to be (he makes a good case, but I'm not entirely convinced, but I'm a lousy debater, so he wins 😉
  • Glen's solution to the electoral college problem
  • and much more…

Oh, and we forgot to cover a plant-based health event that Glen is involved in in Southern California on Sunday, June 26, 2016. Read about it here.

Enjoy, add your voice to the conversation via the comment box below, and please share – that's how we spread our message and spread our roots.

Links

Off the Reservation, by Glen Merzer

Mad Cowboy, by Howard Lyman with Glen Merzer

No More Bull, by Howard Lyman with Glen Merzer and Joanna Samorow-Merzer

Unprocessed, by Chef AJ and Glen Merzer

Food Over Medicine, by Pam Popper, PhD, ND, and Glen Merzer

The Happy Cow Cookbook, edited by Eric Brent and Glen Merzer

Better Than Vegan, by Del Sroufe with Glen Merzer

Remedy Food Project Health Intensives

The Plant Advantage, by Benji Kurtz with Glen Merzer

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The Plant Yourself Podcast theme music, “Dance of Peace (Sabali Don),” is generously provided by Will Ridenour, a kora player from North Carolina who has trained with top Senegalese musicians.

It can be found on his first CD, titled Will Ridenour.

You can learn about Will, listen to more tracks, and buy music on his website, WillRidenour.com.

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Dr Howie Jacobson

This podcast is a labor of love and a way to give back to the world that has given me so much. That's why there aren't any sponsors (except me :).

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Here are three gigs that I do:

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I work with high performing executive teams in organizations — and executive teams that need to become high  performing. My focus is mindset mastery, because it’s our mindsets that either support high performance or get in the way.

At this level, everyone’s got the skills and experience to excel and contribute at the highest level. What holds people back is mindset stuff: specifically the triggers that get them out of creative engagement and into fight-or-flight defensiveness.

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Music

The Plant Yourself Podcast theme music, “Dance of Peace (Sabali Don),” is generously provided by Will Ridenour, a kora player from North Carolina who has trained with top Senegalese musicians.

It can be found on his first CD, titled Will Ridenour.

You can learn about Will, listen to more tracks, and buy music on his website, WillRidenour.com.

Gratitudes

Thanks to Plant Yourself podcast patrons – Kim Harrison – Lynn McLellan – Brittany Porter – Dominic Marro – Barbara Whitney – Tammy Black – Amy Good – Amanda Hatherly – Mary Jane Wheeler – Ellen Kennelly – Melissa Cobb – Rachel Behrens – Tina Scharf – Tina Ahern – Jen Vilkinofsky – David Byczek – Michele X – Elspeth Feldman – Leah Stolar – Allan Kristensen – Colleen Peck – Michele Landry – Jozina – Sara Durkacs – Kelly Cameron – Janet Selby – Claire Adams – Tom Fronczak – Jeannette Benham – Gila Lacerte – David Donohue – Blair Seibert – Doron Avizov – Gio and Carolyn Argentati – Jodi Friesner – Mischa Rosen – Michael Worobiec – AvIvA Lael – Alicia Lemus – Val Linnemann – Nick Harper – Bandana Chawla – Molly Levine – The Inscrutable Harry R – Susan Laverty the Panda Vegan – Craig Covic – Adam Scharf – Karen Bury – Heather Morgan – Nigel Davies – Marian Blum – Teresa Kopel – Julian Watkins – Brid O'Connell – Shannon Herschman – Linda Ayotte – Holm Hedegaard – Isa Tousignant – Connie Haneline – Erin Greer – Alicia Davis – Heather O'Connor – Carollynne Jensen – Sheri Orlekoski of Plant Powered for Health – Karen Smith – Scott Mirani – Karen and Joe Crabtree – Kirby Burton – Theresa Carrell – Kevin Macaulay – Elizabeth Rothschild – Ann Jesse – Sheryl Dwyer – Jenny Hazelton – Peter W Evans – Dennis Bird – Darby Kelly – Lori Fanney – Linnea Lundquist – Emily Iaconelli – Levi Wallach – Rosamonde McAtee – Dan Pokorney – Stephen Leinin – Patty DeMartino – Mike and Donna Kartz – Deanne Bishop – Bilberry Elf – Marjorie Lewis – Tricia Adams – Nancy Sheldon – Lindsey Bashore – Gunn Marit Hagen – Tracey Gulledge – Lara Hedin – Meg from Mamasezz – Stacey Stokes – Ben Savage – Michael K – David Hughes -Coni Rodgers – Claire England – Sally Robertson – Parham Ganchi – Amy Dailey – Brian Tourville – Mark Jeffrey Johnson – Josie Dempsey – Caryn Schmitt – Pamela Hayden – Emily Perryman – Allison Corbett – Richard Stone – Lauren Vaught of Edible Musings – Erin Hastey – Sean Owens – Sagar Naik – Erika Piedra – Danielle Roberts – Michael Leuchten – Sarah Johnson – Katharine Floyd – Meryl Fury – for your generous support of the podcast.

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1 comment on “Glen Merzer on Writing, Standup, and the Politics of Healthcare: PYP 159”

  1. David Byczek says:
    June 15, 2016 at 10:40 pm

    I personally liked the talk about our current healthcare. It was my favorite part! I always say I wished that Obamacare had been passed as a series of small bills instead of one giant hulking clump of poop. I’m a Bernie fan but Glenn brought up very good points against single payer and the fact that he’s not talking about prevention(but who is), just putting more people in doctor’s offices more often.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Howard Jacobson, host of the Plant Yourself Podcast, co-author of You Can Change Other People and Sick to Fit, and co-founder of WellStart Health Coach Academy.

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