Happy Groundhog Day, everyone! The Bill Murray movie set during this quasi-holiday has inspired and made laugh people the world over, and it was conceived and written by Daniel Rubin, our guest this episode. This show’s hosts, spouses Ruth and Ray, fell in love - yuck - 15 years ago watching this movie together from two different coasts, a story they tell here. Rubin was a brand new screenwriter when he came up with, as his first real idea, the concept of an infinite time loop, a day lived again and again, one that has caught on in popular culture. As a teacher of how to break a story at a high level, Rubin provides a 30 minute “master class” for writers in this episode, breaking down how he developed an incredible idea into a winning film.
Time-stamp
00:01:00 R+R Larry David & when is it too late to wish Happy New Year?
00:02:35 R+R Background on Daniel Rubin & the interview
00:07:00 R+R Ruth’s story of being “inebriated” the first time she spoke to Daniel Rubin
00:09:00 R+R How Ruth & Ray fell in love over Groundhog Day
00:11:25 R+R What would you choose as your Groundhog Day to live over and over?
00:17:30 R+R Vince Vaughn Jon Favreau move Swingers
00:18:50 R+R Chicago dudes Vince Vaughn & John Cusack, 2 ends of political spectrum, Ray’s interview with Cusack, Ruth’s love of Joan Cusack, Ruth & Ray do improv
00:23:30 R+R Our 2025 NAACP Image Award nomination for podcast After the Uprising - Vote!
00:27:25 Daniel Rubin - Certain kind of movie people become devoted to, why Groundhog Day creates devoted viewers?
00:30:45 DR How he grew up, inspired by Twilight Zone, Wonderful Life
00:32:30 DR Origin Story of Groundhog Day, unexpected Anne Rice vampire connection
00:37:40 DR Big ideas, Wonderful Life creator, what Daniel was going for, David Lynch, inspiration of Chicago comedy improv exercise “directed scene,” what the Studios would want
00:42:15 DR How did Groundhog Day become the holiday Daniel chose? And Punxsutawney PA? And a weatherman as the protagonist?
00:47:30 DR How the Bill Murray character came about
00:52:15 DR The “trigger warning” suicide element and Daniel’s thoughts
00:54:45 DR Other movies & shows that “robbed” Groundhog Day - Natasha Lyonne’s Russian Doll, X Files, Andy Samberg’s Palm Springs, Tom Cruise’s Edge of Tomorrow
00:57:00 DR Daniel Rubin meets Ruth (while she’s “inebriated”)
Listen to Everybody Has a Podcast ON YOUTUBE
Watch Groundhog Day on AppleTVhttps://tv.apple.com/us/movie/groundhog-day/umc.cmc.1w6jlmh7a3csaxq764zd0b6f0
Find out more about Daniel Rubin athttps://www.dannyrubin.com/
Follow & message Ruth:
IG @RuthVacaIG
@VeganishVegetarian
Email Ray:
RayNowosielski@gmail.com
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