"We probably have some sense of what narrative is. So when your brain starts turning into the little movie camera because this is a juicy scene, then it's like, well, what would I want to show? What what would I want to know here?" says Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, author of Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show That Lit'rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America.

Dude, we have Jennifer Keishin Armstrong here today. What brings her to the CNF Pod-o-Verse is her latest book, her ninth, titled Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show That Lit-rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America. It’s published by Dutton with a forward by Nick Offerman. Jennifer also is the best selling author of Seinfeldia, and we talk about that as well, how timing is everything and there are so many things out of our control … She can be found @jmkarmstrong on IG and jenniferkamrstrong.com.

OK, so Jennifer’s Parks book came out earlier this year and it’s a wonderful, breezy read about one of my all-time favorite TV shows, a show that is deeply important to me. We watch it all the time. We own the DVDs so we actually OWN it, not beholden to the whims of streaming platforms who can deplatform shows at the click of a mouse, presumably. Jennifer’s book takes you behind the scenes with actors, writers, producers and shares never before told anecdotes and insights as to why this show has such staying power despite nearly being cancelled after every season. So, yes, we talk about Parks, but we mainly talk about:

Dictionaries
When your brain turns into a movie camera
Jennifer’s “practice book” she never talks about
Her guidelines for pursuing a book
How the dialogue around TV has changed in the last 25 years
The ruthlessness of story craft
How Parks got out from under the shadow of The Office
Serendipity and non-meritocracy
Living on the long tail
Lessons from the Parks run
And all the things out of our control

Instagram: @creativenonfictionpodcast

Substack: welcometopitchclub.substack.com

Episode 539: How Jennifer Keishin Armstrong Writes Biographies of TV Shows

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara

Episode 539: How Jennifer Keishin Armstrong Writes Biographies of TV Shows