Ben McKenzie
4/23/202633 min
This week Ilana chats with world famous actor (*and college economics major*) Ben McKenzie. Ben is best known for his starring roles on the beloved TV dramas The O.C., Southland, and Gotham, but visits It’s Open to discuss his new documentary film EVERYONE IS LYING TO YOU FOR MONEY and best-selling book EASY MONEY, both take a critical look at the dubious contemporary craze for crypto currencies and investigate the fraudulent culture that fuels coin trading. Ben and Ilana marvel at the overwhelming male-bias of crypto enthusiasts and how the phenomenon is actually a reflection of unrealized hopes and dreams rather than a technological or economics driven movement.
Enjoying It’s Open with Ilana Glazer? The best way to support the pod is also the easiest: Subscribe! It tells the platforms what we’re doing, which helps us grow, and ensures you never miss an episode. Loving it? Leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Thank you for being a part of our community.
Host: Ilana Glazer
Producers: David Rooklin, Annika Carlson, Madeline Kim, Kelsie Kiley, Glennis Meagher
Video Producers: Lexa Krebs, Louise Nessralla
Audio Producers: Nicole Maupin, Rachel Suffian, Rebecca O’Neill
Lighting Director: Kevin Deming
Editor: Tovah Leibowitz
Graphics: Raymo Ventura
Outro Music: Don Hur
All Things It’s Open: linktr.ee/itsopenpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsopenpod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@itsopenpod
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsIlana Glazer· Host0:00
Welcome to It's Open with Ilana Glazer. My guest today was just such a wonderful conversationalist and, and surprised me. It's Ben McKenzie, the actor you know from The OC and Gotham. But did you also know he's an author of the book Easy Money and a writer-director of his new film called Everyone Is Lying To You For Money? [laughs] Um, he's exposing in his, in his book and in h- this new documentary, he's exposing the complete scam that is cryptocurrency. Um, but what I found also interesting is that he... You know, there's an ex- there's a, an exploration of masculinity here, and it's not just crypto, but it's crypto as a container for some community or cult-like figure that men today seem to need. Um, he's 47, [laughs] I learned. A Millennial who- a Millennial dad who wants to see the world better than it is today, and he really comes off as a wife guy. Loves his wife. Very sweet. I had a great time talking to him, and I think, I think you will enjoy listening. So come on in. It's Open. [instrumental music] So Ben McKenzie, thanks for joining me.
Ben McKenzie· Guest1:13
[laughs] Thanks for having me.
Ilana Glazer· Host1:15
Um, I... You know, the, the way that we got connected was I was interested in your documentary, Everyone Is Lying To You For Money?
Ben McKenzie· Guest1:23
Yes.
Ilana Glazer· Host1:24
[laughs] [laughs] Um, it's so good.
Ben McKenzie· Guest1:28
Thanks.
Ilana Glazer· Host1:28
It's so good. Like, I,