reSee.it Podcast Summary
New merch in the Be Good to Yourself collection—hoodies in Plum and Moss and tees in Lilac, Moss, and Blue Mist—at theovinstore.com. Tour dates were announced: January 11 and 12 in Grand Junction, January 13 in Pueblo, January 14 in Denver (two shows), January 15 in Fort Collins, and March 1, 3, and 4 in Boston with March 2 in Medford; tickets at theovan.com/tour for the Rat tour.
Today's guest is Andrew Callaghan, known for All Gas No Breaks, French Quarter Confessions, and Channel Five. Theo introduces him as a connector who bridges spaces and asks about his journey in journalism.
Andrew recalls starting as a doorman on Bourbon Street, interviewing drunken revelers for late-night confessions, then writing for a high school newspaper under a supportive journalism teacher who allowed him to roam Seattle for school credit. He recounts moving to Louisiana on a full scholarship to Loyola, dropping out after a humiliating dorm incident, and the challenge of building media careers in the South, where opportunities felt limited.
After French Quarter Confessions, he hitchhiked around the United States, interviewing Outlaws, runaways, deadbeats, and motel creatures, and writing a hitchhiking diary that led to a larger project: All Gas No Breaks. He wrote a book from those experiences, August Snow Breaks A Hitchhiker's Diary, and later developed All Gas No Breaks into an RV-based show. A falling-out with the parent company led him to sign a movie deal with Tim and Eric; HBO and A24 are involved, with a film about the 2020 election and the events leading to and following the Capitol riot.
He discusses the ethos of his work: following the vibe, staying curious about people, preferring interviews to arguments, and acknowledging the danger and thrill of roaming with a camera. He details the independent path: a 360 deal, a fight for higher pay, and eventually starting Channel Five. He previews his tour, which will screen scenes from the movie and feature openers found via Craigslist.
On Nashville and the South, he reflects on the energy there, the difficulty of building media careers in Louisiana, and the sense of community and danger in different places, from O Block to college towns. He shares thoughts on culture wars in mainstream media, the complexity of interviewing controversial figures like Alex Jones, and the tension around de-platforming versus open dialogue.
He talks about social media, admitting he has pulled back from Instagram to protect his mental health, while acknowledging the pull of audience feedback. He explains that genuine friendships and romantic relationships are harder to sustain when public attention is constant, and he’s prioritizing art and tour plans over dating for now. He closes by naming dream guests, including Boosie and various Louisiana figures, and thanks the audience as the interview ends.