Half Alive with the La Brothers

Writer, mental health advocate, and self- defense coach, Julio Rivera, discusses his latest book, Internal Jiu Jitsu: How to Conquer Inner and Outer Resistance by Giving Way, which was published in May (mental health awareness month) by White Deer Publishing. He is a graduate of NYU’s journalism program. We are delighted to have Julio as our guest today, and we hope he doesn't think the La Brothers are hopeless as students.To contact Julio: https://internaljiujitsu.com@internaljiujitsu (Instagram)julioangelrivera1.medium.com

With 2025 freshly born, the La brothers reminisce about the many insane holidays they've had in the past. One memory involves an ugly scene on the set of Friends, and another a chance encounter with Truman Capote's ghost in the restroom at Washington Square Park. And then there are the family Christmases...Theme music "The Trapezist" by Quincas Moreira.

Is it especially humiliating to get rejected for a non-paying acting role? Or to have your short story rejected by an online journal that doesn’t pay its writers? This week, La and La discuss this particular strain of rejection. Not incidentally, they are both newly-fired from their latest survival jobs. And, in keeping with the rejection theme, the brothers strategize on how to entice newly-destitute actor Armie Hammer to rent the middle apartment in their Schenectady house.

This week's guest is singer and didgeridoo artist Clementine Roach who tells the La brothers about her highs and lows as a performer in Hollywood and the Adirondacks. Her highs include performing for Jennifer Anniston, and her lows include an unintended homicide. Guest podcaster Sari Bobbin as Clementine. Theme music "The Trapezist" by Quincas Moreira.

Though befuddled by technical problems due to their shaky [pirated] internet service, the La brothers still manage to interview classically-trained star of the stage and screen Xerxes Barnmuster-Weston. As luck would have it, Xerxes and Basement La knew each other from the early days in New York and then Hollywood, where Xerxes snagged all the good parts, leaving Basement La playing roles calling for "large janitor." This opens some old wounds...Guest podcaster Dr. Manuel Simons as Xerxes. Theme music "The Trapezist" by Quincas Moreira.

The La brothers interview Hollywood actor Tracy Bracegirdle who explains how she made lemonade out of lemons when her acting career didn't turn out quite the way she planned. Theme music "The Trapezist" by Quincas Moreira. Guest podcaster Adira Amram as Tracy.

Season 1 finale! While things are looking grim financially, the La brothers are defiantly pursuing their creative endeavors. And there's a surprise in store--Will La and La find out there is yet a third La they never knew about?

Attic La takes a tumble on Easter Sunday, further complicating his efforts to find new employment. The brothers try to be philosophical about being broke. Basement La gives advice on how to be an actor.

The La brothers discuss how to manage people who are impossible, especially at work. They also give advice on how to make it in show business, sort of.

Basement La is absolved for botching his audition for the pilot of Two and a Half Men many years ago, while Attic La tries to let go of a horrible encounter with an editor from Putnam. They discuss a Forbes article about making survival jobs tolerable, and read Attic La's short story composed entirely of dialogue.

Today the 60-year-old La twins concede that they will never make a living doing what they love. But they refuse to give up on acting and writing altogether. In that spirit, Attic La has written a monologue for his actor brother Basement La who is not quite ready to read it aloud. Finally, they share their first listener letter which leads them to a memory from their childhood that they agree is their only happy one.