The poor La brothers...freezing cold in their ramshackle house in Schenectady, NY, trying to plan for the future while staying warm in the present. But they are not daunted as they spitball possible artistic endeavors for the new year.

The La brothers discuss a post that re-defines the concept of failure beyond its inherently negative reputation.

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

Real life working writer and actor Daniel Guyton joins the La brothers for this episode to explain how he balances acting, directing, and writing with teaching theatre as a college professor. Basement La's insecurities morph into true inspiration as Dan patiently shows the brothers how it's possible to be successful with the right strategies. http://www.danguyton.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.

What do Oscar Wilde and the La brothers have in common? Nothing, of course, since Wilde was at least successful at one time and the La brothers never were. But the twins wrangle with an interesting quote from Wilde about the tragedy of getting what you want. They also sift through responses from listeners who've dealt with the compounded humiliation of being rejected for artistic work they wouldn't be getting paid for in the first place.

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.

After reading irate subscribers' emails about their interview with Clementine Roach who killed a heckler with the instrument she was playing, La and La read some old journal entries, to see if they can get any inspiration from their younger selves. Basement La's journals turn out to be surprisingly poignant, while Attic La's poem from the early 90's reveals his utter lack of poetic skill.