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The Treatment

KCRW

The Treatment is a compelling listen to the vital conversations about the catalysts of creative inspiration. Following some of the most interesting, influential, and crossover creators in the world of entertainment, fashion, sports, and the arts, we hear from tastemakers who are the very fabric that forms popular culture.

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  • 25 episodes
  • a few times a week
  • Avg 15 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • Friday · 23 min

    Damien Hauser’s African Sci-Fi film captures the randomness of life

    Filmmaker Damien Hauser didn’t shy away from challenging himself in his new movie 'Memory of Princess Mumbi.' The sci-fi mockumentary romance gave him multiple areas to make his mark as director, writer, and one of its stars. Hauser talks to Elvis about trying to capture the randomness and mundane moments of life in 'Mumbi,' why acting in and directing the film was partly a matter of convenience and how Bollywood influenced the film’s musical moments.

  • Monday · 6 min

    The Treat: Will Poulter

    Actor Will Poulter is known for disappearing into his roles, whether as an exacting pastry chef in the series 'The Bear' or a recovering opioid addict from Ohio in his most recent film 'Union County.' For his treat, he shares what he learned about addiction and recovery from one of his co-stars and that film’s press tour.

  • August 21 · 23 min

    Kent Jones keeps the beat

    Kent Jones has worn many hats in the film world. He has written film criticism, collaborated with Martin Scorsese on several of his documentaries, and he served as director of the New York Film Festival. As a director, his work includes the documentary 'Hitchcock/Truffault' and his feature film debut 'Diane.' His latest film is 'Late Fame,' starring Willem Dafoe and Greta Lee and adapted from an 1895 Arthur Schnitzler novella. Dafoe plays a poet who is rediscovered and celebrated by a younger generation. Jones tells Elvis how the film diverges from the novella; why he's glad he didn't direct films until later in life, and he shares why he believes the “beat” of a film should not be set in the editing.

  • August 17 · 5 min

    The Treat: Julia Fox

    Actress and author Julia Fox hasn’t shied away from addressing the painful parts of her life. Her 2023 memoir Down the Drain is an unflinching look at her struggles with drugs and mental illness. For her treat, she recommends another raw memoir from a friend who also dealt with addiction, which inspired her to be open about her own experience.

  • August 14 · 23 min

    Tim Robbins doesn’t want to be an expert

    Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins is always doing something new. He has appeared in acclaimed movies, including 'The Shawshank Redemption' and 'Mystic River,' for which he received the Academy Award. He has directed the films 'Cradle Will Rock,' 'Bob Roberts,' and 'Dead Man Walking,' which garnered him an Oscar nod for Best Director. He is the founder of the nonprofit theater troupe The Actors’ Gang. And he’s currently starring in the Apple TV sci-fi series 'Silo' as Bernard Holland, the Head of IT. Robbins talks to Elvis about his character's dramatic change in the show’s third season; how he is in a “constant state of learning,” and why he is making an archive of his work public.

  • August 12 · 33 min

    Rhea Seehorn on playing the silences in ‘Pluribus’

    This episode of 'The Treatment' is sponsored by Apple TV. Actress Rhea Seehorn’s dramatic range has been on display for years. Her breakout role on 'Better Call Saul,' created by Vince Gilligan, earned her two Emmy nominations for her role as attorney Kim Wexler. Seehorn teamed up with Gilligan again for the Apple TV sci-fi series 'Pluribus.' Her performance as Carol Sturka, a bitter novelist who tries to figure out why most of the world is now controlled by a hive mind, landed Seehorn her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Seehorn talks to Elvis about the double standard around Carol’s anger; she explains why creator Vince Gilligan said she had a face like a billboard and meant it as a compliment, and she reveals what Kim Wexler and Carol Sturka have in common.

  • August 10 · 6 min

    The Treat: Jerrod Carmichael

    Jerrod Carmichael’s confessional comedic work stands apart. In the last five years, he has created two ground-breaking works: the intimate and revealing 'Rothaniel' and the HBO documentary series 'Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,' which was not without controversy. For his treat, he recommends an acclaimed HBO series that he considers to be its own documentary.

  • August 7 · 23 min

    Mary Beth Barone on her ‘Galaxy Brain’

    Mary Beth Barone has been carving out her comedic persona for more than a decade. A seasoned stand up, she also co-hosts the comedy podcast Ride with Benito Skinner, and is featured in the Prime Video comedy Overcompensating, which Skinner created and stars in. Her newest comedy triumph is the Netflix special Galaxy Brain. Barone tells The Treatment why she enjoys bringing the audience into her stand up, how her punchlines are often in the middle of the joke, and whether her delivery is actually deadpan.

  • August 3 · 5 min

    The Treat: Mario Van Peebles

    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.

  • July 31 · 23 min

    Richard Pryor’s daughter grapples with the complexities of a notorious word

    For historian and professor Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor, wrestling with language is part of her job. However, she admits she was left speechless the day a student in one of her classes used the N-word. That moment was the impetus for her new book 'Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word, and Me.' Stordeur Pryor is the daughter of the late comedian, who often used the word in his comedy. The book is an examination of her complicated relationship to the word and to her father. Stordeur Pryor talks to Elvis about what her father was like off stage, how the N-word led to a rift between her father and her white mother, and how she feels now about that day in class.

  • July 27 · 5 min

    The Treat: Jordan Peele

    Jordan Peele’s films tackle uncomfortable truths about race in this country through humor, horror and many homages to classic films. Peele won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 2017 for his hit directorial debut, 'Get Out.' For his treat, he talks about the film whose technical wizardry and problematic take on race inspired his 2022 film 'Nope.'

  • July 24 · 23 min

    Actress Mariska Hargitay gets personal in ‘My Mom Jayne’

    Actress Mariska Hargitay has played Captain Olivia Benson on 'Law & Order: SVU' for more than two decades keeping audiences rapt with her ability to balance her character’s vulnerability and strength through wrenching situations. Her latest project, 'My Mom Jayne,' put her in the director’s chair for the first time as she delved into the complicated and tragically short life of her mother Jayne Mansfield. The documentary is nominated for three Emmys and Hargitay will host the awards show in September, a first for her. Hargitay tells Elvis that making the film was a cathartic experience for her. Plus, she shares her hope that people see themselves and their families in her story, and insists that forgiveness is the only way forward. Note: This episode originally aired on June 27, 2025

  • July 20 · 5 min

    The Treat: Richard Gadd

    Emmy-winning actor and writer Richard Gadd purposely puts his characters under great tension. He wrote and starred in the 2024 Netflix series 'Baby Reindeer,' which won three Emmys, and most recently created and starred in the HBO series 'Half Man.' He’s up for another Emmy in September for his performance. For his treat, Gadd celebrates an iconic duo, who also often found themselves under great tension, which led to classic comedy.

  • July 17 · 23 min

    Mario Van Peebles on using action to reveal character

    For actor and director Mario Van Peebles, talent runs in the family. Mario, the son of the late director Melvin Van Peebles, is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking 1991 film 'New Jack City,' which he directed and starred in. He also wrote, directed and starred in the 2003 film 'Baadasssss!' playing his father during the making of his breakthrough film 'Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.' Mario Van Peebles has kept himself busy since then and his latest project is as producer and director of the Netflix crime drama 'Nemesis.' He talks to Elvis about his improvisational directing style, what he learned from working with Clint Eastwood on the film 'Heartbreak Ridge,' and he explains the 'New Jack City' callbacks in 'Nemesis.'

  • July 13 · 5 min

    The Treat: Chelsea Peretti

    Chelsea Peretti’s work as a comedian and as an actress on shows such as 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' demonstrates how her gift for deadpan can highlight the humor in the material. In 2023, she directed her first film aptly titled 'First Time Female Director.' For her treat, she cites a 1957 absurdist play that got plenty of laughs in spite of its bleak story.

  • July 9 · 23 min

    How Wes Anderson uses music to bring his films to life

    Writer-director Wes Anderson has been talking film on The Treatment since his directorial debut, 1996’s 'Bottle Rocket.' Since then he has spoken with Elvis about making 'The Grand Budapest Hotel,' 'Asteroid City,' and his most recent project, 'The Phoenician Scheme.' His films are beloved for their visual aesthetics, but fans know the scores and soundtracks are just as unique. The Hollywood Bowl will be celebrating the music from his 30-year filmography with a special concert series from June 10-12, hosted by Bill Murray. Beck, Jackson Browne, Karen O, and even some actors will perform their favorite music selections from across Anderson’s films. Anderson tells Elvis about the countless collaborators who have informed his scores and soundtracks, how a certain musician brought another dimension to his 2004 film 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,' and he reveals what piece of music both he and director William Friedkin used in their soundtracks.

  • July 6 · 5 min

    The Treat: Wes Anderson

    Among other things, director Wes Anderson is famous for his particular aesthetic taste, which runs through his films such as 'The Royal Tenenbaums,' 'The Darjeeling Limited,' and 'The Grand Budapest Hotel.' He is also known for the distinctive music scores and soundtracks that set the tone. That music will be celebrated in a three-concert event at the Hollywood Bowl on July 10-12. For his treat, however, he focuses on the visual: an architectural wonder in France whose ingenious design makes one wonder how it holds itself up.

  • July 3 · 23 min

    How Martin Scorsese Stays Curious

    At 83-years-old, Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese’s excitement for creating moving images is as palpable as ever. This quality shines throughout actor/filmmaker Rebecca Miller’s new Apple TV+ documentary 'Mr. Scorsese' and she’s here to tell us all about her process, including the key to getting her subject to open up on camera. Note: This episode aired previously on October 17, 2025

  • June 29 · 5 min

    The Treat: Spike Feresten

    Comedy writer Spike Feresten has written for some of the most influential shows of the ‘80s and ‘90s: 'SNL,' 'The Simpsons,' and 'Seinfeld.' His latest writing project was another collaboration with Jerry Seinfeld — the screenplay for the 2024 film 'Unfrosted.' For his treat, he cites a late night maverick who showed him that a career in the kind of comedy he loved might be possible.

  • June 26 · 23 min

    Edward Norton on the best date movie of the summer

    Actor Edward Norton has been a favorite guest on The Treatment since his breakout performance in the 1996 thriller 'Primal Fear.' Since then he has steadily surprised audiences in films including 'American History X,' 'The Incredible Hulk,' and 'Fight Club.' He has four Oscar nominations, a Golden Globe win for 'Primal Fear,' and has also directed the films 'Keeping the Faith' and 'Motherless Brooklyn.' His latest role is in the Olivia Wilde directed comedy 'The Invite,' which co-stars Wilde, Penelope Cruz, and Seth Rogen. Norton talks about why his characters often have a secret, how Wilde set herself apart as a director, and why 'The Invite' is the best double date film of the summer.

Showing 1–20 of 25 episodes