Necessary & Sufficient: Recent Episodes
Evan Forman
Necessary & Sufficient exists as an exploration of ideas (including those of duality, bifurcation, and hierarchy), a meditation on communication, a map of my mind, and a document of its own creation.
Each week I record a conversation with a guest about a pair of related yet distinct concepts. The guest doesn't know about the topic in advance (I send them a set of index cards through the mail, which they open on-air) but I try to match up people with ideas that they will have some knowledge or opinion about. This isn’t a quiz, but an attempt to capture extemporaneous conversation and thoughts as they unfold between two people. Some topics are technical, some are general knowledge, but all are all open-ended in some way.
Oops, another long break! But I am thrilled to return with another conversation with Hillary Frank, of the Longest Shortest Time.
Why did it take me so long to have Alex on N&S? Was I waiting for her to finish her degree? Well, done and done.
Yeah, it’s been quite a while. But let’s jump back on this like nothing ever happened, okay? I’m glad we can agree to agree.
Sporting correspondent Brian Levinson almost, but not completely, convinces me to watch March Madness. I think his one misstep was comparing game-day action to a Michael Bay movie. Bayhem!
Josh does me the courtesy of provisionally accepting my homebrew definition of one of this week’s words. Always a treat to have him back.
It’s always a pleasure to have this dynamic duo back on the podwaves. The conversation was as lively as you would expect, which is to say, lively.
Lukas is, by now, a certifiable friend of the show. It was great to have him back again.
Jesse moved from Ithaca to Los Angeles in the time since we recorded this, so try to imagine the same conversation, only warmer.
This one’s been bugging me for a long time. So glad I could tackle it with someone so erudite and well-spoken.
Welcoming Jill back to the podcast is a great way to start the year off right! This was fun.
His name is Erik and he’s here to say, “Stop calling me the chicken man, Hey, chicken, hey!”
Oh man, was this fun. Tim pulls a switcheroo on me, and comes up with a terrific topic. Enjoy!
josh’s whole thing may be a front. I have it on good authority that on October 13, 2013, he ate a scuppernong.
An unwieldy title for a really fun conversation. And if I haven’t said it enough times yet: if you haven’t read Gabe’s book, go do it now, okay?
Phill and I take another run at this one, with much more accurate and thorough results.
Another Aussie science correspondent. Don’t worry–Tim Young has not been replaced, merely augmented. Why is it that I can’t get anybody on this continent, or even this hemisphere (whichever way you slice it) to talk to me about science?
The first half of a really fun conversation with Seth. There’s more where this came from.
I mean, clearly this podcast is all about telling with almost zero showing, which, I have to say, I now feel a little bit self conscious about.
Dan Crowell is a beverage genius who has forgotten more about spirits than you will ever know. Look upon his works, ye mighty, and despair.
How fun was it to have Erin Judge back on Necessary & Sufficient? Super fun, that’s how!
It’s always fun to do this with someone who(m?) I’ve never met before. Ary and I went to college with each other and (according to Facebook) know a ton of people in common, but here we are meeting 18 years … Continue reading →
I’ve known for a while that teachers make the best podcast guests, and Meg did not disappoint. We haven’t spoken in at least ten years, and this was a great way to catch up.
Hey, look who’s back! It’s Ken Schles, from the early days. It was a pleasure to catch up with him again.
Boy, two weeks off the podwaves feels like an eternity. So glad to be back. and to bring you all another dose of Robert Nicol. See you again next week!
This was so much fun. Rachel was my professor in grad school, and it was great to connect with her again. Enjoy.
We get off to a little bit of a slow start here, but things really pick up once we leave the initial topic behind and start to explore some of the bigger implications of role playing games. Stay with us.
This is one of those occasions where I think I should have spent more time talking about my guest’s credentials. Erin is a legit and accredited thinker slash smartypants about things photographic AND artistic, not to mention a great pal. … Continue reading →
Yeah, so, it looks like I unwittingly did what I always tell people I’ll never do: gave a non-expert a couple of specialist topics. Sorry Stu! You were a great sport.
This one is a little longer than usual. I tried to cut it down, really I did, but Heather just said too many smart things, and I want to share them all with the world. Listen up.
Another week, another Russian-born Eugene. Once again, we start with a misguided premise, on my end. Oh well.
Just in time for the big game, I get taken to school on another topic from the sporting life. This one was recorded face-to-face, but the audio is a lot lot lot better than the last one we did like … Continue reading →
This is the last baby-centric episode. For a while. Maybe. It was so great to have Hillary Frank–another one of the voices in my ear–on the podcast.
This one very, very nearly got away from us. Luckily we had the consummate professionalism of four-time guest W. Seth Hanisek–and the internet–on our side.
Mog is the perfect storm of old friend, hilarious dude, serious thinker, and font of wisdom. This was so fun.
Lukas is currently being fitted for his “Five Times Club” satin jacket. He’ll be with you shortly.
What a thrill to have Eugene Mirman on Necessary & Sufficient for the first time? Oh, did I say “first”? What could that mean? Answer: it all depends on how well Eugene can take a hint.
I’m so glad that I could get Seth back on the podcast so soon. Last time, he complained that I picked a topic from his murky past. This time, I throw him a meatball, right over the plate. Sports metaphor!
Maria takes us to school. Grad school. As is usually the case when talking to academics, I was pretty far out of my depth here. Some good words happened, though.
Rebecca “Doctor” Stonger is in the final throes of cooking up a baby in her middle, so I was so happy that we could record this before things got completely out of hand. I’ve known Rebecca for about ten years … Continue reading →
Sorry this is a day late—I was too nervous to put the finishing touches on the episode, what with the polls. But all’s well that ends well, right? Enjoy.
This was so fun. Josh is one of my new favorite people. Bonus points for being way into Lego. Nice work, Josh.
How psyched was I to have Jesse Thorn on the hundredth episode of Necessary & Sufficient? Billion, with a “b.”
Megan returns for another round of Necessary & Sufficient hardball. Look out for soft-pitch music recommendations at the end of the episode!
Erik asked me, quite reasonably, why I had picked these words for him. I must admit that I have no answer to that question. Sometimes you just get a feeling about someone, am I right?
More technical mumbo-jumbo with Stephan. But I’m not going to make excuses. Why are you here, if not for technical mumbo-jumbo?
Today’s episode of Necessary & Sufficient was not kayfabed, but conspiracies abound, of course.
Another case of “how could I have waited this long?” My old pal Seth Kibel makes a splendid debut, and seems to remember more than he thought he might.
Tim is fast becoming the de facto (callback!) Necessary & Sufficient science correspondent. It was great to have him back to discuss a classic pitfall of scientific inquiry.
It’s always a treat to have polymathic Jesse Ross on the podcast. Sense, sensibility, momentum, inertia, birds, dinosaurs…and pizza. Is there anything this guy can’t do?
Oops, bonus topic! I wasn’t even planning for this, but DLS’s knowledge cannot be contained in a single episode.
Technical whiz kid David La Spina returns to Necessary & Sufficient for some hard-core camera geekery.
Lukas returns to Necessary & Sufficient for a fourth time, and faces the heinous psychic torture that is: The Lightning Round.
Hali is an expert in both me and Necessary & Sufficient, and she’s also one of my top-two favorite people, so I’m glad she finally made it to the podcast. Actually, both of my faves are on here, if you … Continue reading →
So good to have Michael back after a long hiatus. In the words of Spider-Man (in that movie about Facebook), he really lawyers up.
The first-ever Necessary & Sufficient recorded live-to-whatever-you-call-the-digital-equivalent-of-tape at N&SHQ in Brooklyn. Brian was a great guest, and I love his remark about how simple the topic would be, right at the start of what turned out to be a 45-minute … Continue reading →
Things are finally getting racy! Only a matter of time! Step up folks, a real-life pornographer joins me on Necessary & Sufficient! Lisa, if you’re reading this, I mean “pornographer” in the best possible sense.
Here it is–the first-ever live-before-an-audience Necessary & Sufficient! Recorded the week before last at the Union Square Round Table at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, Mass. Hang on to your hats.
Another week, another rabbi. (I almost typed “another rabbit” here.) My people are an inquisitive people, and Greg was a great guest. Listen up!
The third resident of Merrick, New York, and the first in a two-week run of rabbis. Welcome, Ira Ebbin.
I broke one of the fundamental rules here, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I think it was worth it. Great to have Reuben back.
I haven’t seen Bob Blewett for over a decade, but thanks to the internets, I was able to track him down and coerce him to come on the podwaves. Necessary & Sufficient once again serves as a great excuse to … Continue reading →
Clearly, and happily, we’ve batted around to the top of the order again (sports metaphor). Here comes past favorite Raquel Hecker. Can Jeremy Broomfield be far behind (shout out)?
What a treat to have Erin back on Necessary & Sufficient. It took some doing, but I made it happen. Efforts paid off, too–what other guest could transition so seamlessly from baking to 17th century Dutch painting and back?
The Vieve is back and in full effect. I’m redoubling efforts to get listeners involved in the comments section, so please share your opinions!
David and I get our maths on here. Don’t worry–nothing too complicated. Bonus round: Mode.
Why did it take 72 episodes to get my old friend Mog on Necessary & Sufficient? I am ashamed (ashamed!) to admit that it took him dropping some major hints to make this happen. Sorry, Moggy. Welcome to the podwaves.
And a new Necessary & Sufficient distance record is set. Direct from Australia, with the help of electrons, is Tim Young.
Here’s the second part of a far-ranging conversation with Eben Moglen. Just to see what would happen, I left this tape completely unedited. Hope you enjoy.
I’m so glad I got to do this. I met Eben Moglen two or three years ago when I interviewed to work for him. Needless to say (and for reasons that will soon become apparent) he made an impression. That … Continue reading →
Sean and I get off to a bit of a rough start, but we eventually settle our differences and get to a pretty good place, I think. Thanks are due to Josh Anderegg of (DC & Marvel) & (Gotham & … Continue reading →
It had to happen eventually–I’ve had so many of Max’s friends and family on the podcast that he was bound to make an appearance sooner or later. He even brought a set of cards for me to read, but that’s … Continue reading →
It’s always a pleasure to have Jim back on the podcast. I’m sure that this topic could swirl up a little controversy. Feel free to have at it in the comments.
I was so happy to finally get Dana on Necessary & Sufficient. Watch out for the bonus round: douchebag.
This episode is a little longer than the average one, which should be no surprise to anybody who has spent any time with Lukas and me. I clearly had fun, and I think we hit on some important stuff here. … Continue reading →
I am so pleased to welcome Lisa and Jerry back to the podcast. Today we hit another long-time-coming kind of topic. I am sure that no two (or three) people would have the same conversation about this area, but I … Continue reading →
It was great to have Erin on for the first time–she’s a double threat, podcasting-wise: smart and funny. And smart about funny, which might make her a two-point-five threat? Not sure how the credits work on that…
Josh returns to for some more comix geekery. We don’t discuss the Hero’s Journey this time around, but H.P. Lovecraft does make an appearance.
Megan, along with Tom from episode 40, is one of the first genuine persons of widespread cultural import to join me on Necessary & Sufficient. I also have the pleasure of working with her on an almost-daily basis in our … Continue reading →
Here’s Erik and me talking about something for which neither of us had really prepared (understandable, in his case at least). We managed to have a pretty good time though, I think.
It was, to borrow his own phrase, an absolute pleasure to welcome W. Seth Hanisek back to Necessary & Sufficient. The list of people whom I wish I could meet in real life keeps growing. Did I use “whom” correctly? … Continue reading →
Add another stamp to Necessary & Sufficient’s passport. Direct from the UK, my old cul-de-sac mate Tim Redfern.
Here’s a topic that I had been itching to tackle for a while. So glad that Clarence was game.
In this second half, things get a bit more digressive and tangential–we talk about Conventional & Endemic, Sex & Gender, Me & Myself & I, and Asian & White, among others–but we do manage to swing around again to the … Continue reading →
Behold, the first episode based on drawings, rather than words. Drawings which I am too embarrassed to reproduce, but which are described herein. Part 2 will be up next week.
Well, this one has been a long time coming. Nancy Rogo Trainer of Venturi, Scott Brown & Associates joins me for a discussion of the ur-pairing.
Danny is back for another conversation, this one recorded face-to-face at the Abelson Company world headquarters in Manhattan. Just as the last time we spoke, you can hear a barking dog in the background. Trivia: different dog.
I swear this isn’t a retread of “Jewish & Goyish.” What it is, though, is the 50th episode of Necessary & Sufficient, marking one full year on the podwaves. Enjoy! Fay’s essay, with recipes, is here.
This is a great example of what happens when I come to one of these conversations with a set of preconceptions based on my own fevered imaginings. There is some great content here, I think, but you can clearly hear … Continue reading →
Another fairly technical topic here, and Robert does a bang-up job explicating it. By the end of the episode, you should have a pretty good idea of what the Necessary & Sufficient mascot(s) will be.
The return of Stephan, for another ponderous technical discussion. This one is a little longer than most, but there is some complicated stuff afoot, so I thought it bore close scrutiny.
Jesse Ross, the birdman of Bay Ridge, is back for another episode. I’ve been watching a lot of the Big Bang Theory lately, and I sincerely hope that Sheldon et al wouldn’t take too much offense at the liberties we … Continue reading →
I think I’ve mentioned a few times that, while I don’t consider myself a geek, I am completely intrigued by geek culture. I wish I was a geek. Maybe I’m a geek geek, or a geek groupie, but this conversation … Continue reading →
We go international again, as Adina “Pony” Goldman joins me from the Great White North.
Another triple-header. and Vieve is back to take a whack at it. I think we get somewhere here, without sounding too self-aggrandizing.
It’s more accurate to say that I join Tom Valenti than he joins me, as this is the first episode recorded on location. I sat with Tom and his wife in his restaurant Ouest on the upper west side.
Reuben and I talk about two things, not three. Maybe I should have put some parentheses in the episode title, but as long as you remember your order of opertions, you should have no trouble here.
Two guests make the conversation twice as long, twice as good! The first part of a great chat with two total strangers on a subject that is near and dear to my heart.
Another one of these computer questions that may or may not have real-world implications. Seems that I’ve batted around to the Somerville contingent again.
Lukas is back on the mic for a discussion of another pair of concepts from my AP Computer Science days. Thanks, Mr. Pascal!
Once again, the podcast gives me the perfect opportunity to reconnect with an old friend. I really enjoyed the chance to catch up with Jim, who I first met when I was an intern at the now-defunct Dahesh Museum of … Continue reading →
Back to art history, but I guess it was only a matter of time. This week’s episode isn’t as racy as the title makes it out to be, but I suppose it’s a tiny bit racier than most. Hold on … Continue reading →
Andy and I get emic & etic–but hopefully not emetic–on the podwaves. Listen on and all will be explained.
Stephan and I threaten to go down a rabbit hole of technical navelgazing, to mix a metaphor, but I think we end up someplace quite relatable. Wait for, as they say, it.
Another polarizing question. DLS and I take the Coke and Pepsi challenge. Not literally. Though that would have been a good idea, now that I think about it.
Jeremy demonstrates that turnabout is fair play. A double- or triple-length episode, which should tide you over next week when Necessary & Sufficient goes dark.
(The) Vieve joins me for an investigation of two different kinds of baddish things, from Durham, NC, land of the lawnmowing goats.
This one comes at the intersection of Sense & Sensibility and art history. I’ve been interested in the idea of the sublime–almost a “so bad it’s good” kind of thing, but not in the way you’d expect–for a while now. … Continue reading →
Both this week’s and next week’s pairings were inspired by a viewing of the Ang Lee/Emma Thompson movie this past Super Bowl Sunday. I wonder what would have happened if I had watched the game.
Art nerdery continues apace with this week’s installment of “I read about this a long time ago, and I at least half-remember it? I think?”
Of the six (six!) college and grad school professors who I approached for Necessary & Sufficient, Rachel was the only one who wrote me back. Good thing too, as I could not have asked for a better…what’s the best term … Continue reading →
I feel like I’ve been having this kind of conversation with Lukas forever, and I’m so happy that I finally got one on tape. As anybody who knows us can probably guess, I edited this down to a tidy 23 … Continue reading →
Another pair of words with a strong “which would you rather be?” factor. I suppose we’re all weird and strange, in our own ways. How about you?
Raquel, as one might expect, threatens to undermine the conceit of the exercise and turn our nice, neat duality into a sort of Ham & Cheese & Schmaltz Mexican standoff slash Kubrickian triangular conflict. We recover.
Amazingly and improbably, after recording this conversation but before posting it, the guest on next week’s episode suggested that I do an episode on this very topic. Completely out of the blue. I immediately knew that I had hit on … Continue reading →
This was a blast–a chance to reconnect and ruminate with my old North Hall pal Sofia Klatzker-Miller. I think that I may have first encountered the idea of signal and noise in the title of a song by Peter Gabriel, … Continue reading →
Ontogeny? Phylogeny? Recapitulates? What the what? This is another pairing that’s been rattling around in my brain forever, and a few years ago I was pleased to learn that Ken Schles is also a fan. Enough time passed for him to forget … Continue reading →
Another round of “First World Problems” with Andrew Warman. How would you explain “Jackass 3D” to the aliens? Why would they be interested?
This week Roman Mars and I attempt to sort out the differences between mass and weight. We get thoroughly confused in the process, but I think we end up learning something anyway. We’ll see.
The thrilling conclusion (plus post-game wrap-up) of my experiment with Jeremy Broomfield. Next week, back to our usual format.
Jeremy is kind enough to serve as guinea pig as I try out a new format. There’s just too much Broomfield goodness here for a single episode, so you’ll get part 2 next week.
A talk with Beth Isaac about a couple of biology terms that might not even be all that related. Or are the they…?
Peter and I get into some multimedia shenanigans here, or at the very least bend one of the conceits of the format. Watch out for the introduction of the first Necessary & Sufficient sound effect, and the sonic havoc wreaked … Continue reading →
Stu and I ponder a question for the ages. This one’s a bit longer than usual, but I just couldn’t bear to cut any of the pearls of wisdom. If you’re following along at home, you can find the the … Continue reading →
Michael Isaac and I discuss an idea that I first came across in High Fidelity. Probably the most ruminative episode so far. Enjoy!
A chat with the inimitable Danny Abelson on one of the subjects that inspired this whole project. Again, wait until after the closing theme for a little extra extra.
The last of three gastronomical explorations. I promise that next week we will go far afield of food, but in the meantime I hope you find this conversation with one Becky Phillips delectable. Make sure to keep listening after the … Continue reading →
This week, the second of three consecutive episodes dealing with the culinary sphere. Erin Barnett is the ultimate good sport in letting me beat a long-dead horse. I had a great time recording this one, and I hope you enjoy … Continue reading →
Podcast number two. The audio is, thankfully, quite a bit better than it was last week (I’m still learning to negotiate the technology here). I spoke with Julie Gordon, another old friend, about one of her many areas of expertise. … Continue reading →
Well, here it is: the first episode of my new podcast project. I don’t want to say too much about form or content, for reasons that might become clear upon listening. This was a conversation that I recorded between me … Continue reading →