Happier in Hollywood

2,338
Careers #36

Veteran TV writers Liz Craft and Sarah Fain demystify Hollywood by making career and personal struggles universal. Friends since high school and writing partners for over 20 years, Liz and Sarah have survived and thrived in Tinseltown’s male-dominated entertainment industry, guided by blind optimism and a Midwestern work ethic. Along the way they've learned a lot about kicking ass, kissing ass, and office yoga.

Recent Episodes
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Recent Reviews
  • altared spaces
    I’m Never Behind
    This podcast is one that never has extra episodes in my feed. I wait for the next one to arrive. I love the shop talk of two writers. I love the inside scoop on Hollywood lifestyle especially as it pertains to industries and relationships.
  • Ncb2020
    Entertaining and educational
    I can always count on Liz and Sarah to teach me something new and make me laugh!
  • organizedgal06
    A Must for anyone doing anything in the Industry
    Liz and Sarah are engaging and knowledgeable hosts who generously share the ins and outs of their careers as tv writers in LA. I have learned so much from this podcast over the years and gotten a ton of actionable advice around how to survive in Hollywood, but also about how to be happier in your career - whatever you’re doing.
  • hooray4z
    Inspiring!
    I have been a fan of Happier in Hollywood since the early days. The wisdom and life hacks Sarah and Liz share have helped me in my personal life as well as in my career. I never let a week go by without listening and I’m always inspired by the conversation.
  • Srwilfong
    Here from the start… finally reviewing!
    Happier in Hollywood is one of my very favorite podcasts. I love hearing what Sarah and Liz are up to in their Hollywood work and in the rest of their lives. There’s something every week that makes me think and usually makes me take action… This week I enjoyed learning about why there can be multiple TV/movie projects around one topic. I also have high hopes for our salad explorations in 2024. Yay! I’m still holding out hope that Liz, Sarah, and Gretchen will host a podcast retreat in 2024. They’ve inspired me to start my own, and I’ll celebrate 4 years of podcasting in 2024! Cheers to you, and thanks for your fun and informative content.
  • Fishchance11
    Long time listener
    I’ve been listening for years and really love the format of this podcast. Liz and Sarah are so down to earth and fun! Thanks for all the great content!
  • PDanfandall
    Fun even if you aren’t in the business
    I found this podcast from listening to Happier with Gretchen Rubin and I love Liz and Sarah’s relationship and how that plays out on the podcast. The episodes are always so interesting, even if you are not in Hollywood and aren’t involved in TV. I am an IT consultant and engineer in the South, so very far removed from their world but love to hear about it and their advice is so practical and grounded.
  • KWhappierfan
    Love Liz!
    Liz is my favorite podcaster! She is a wonderful cohost to both Gretchen and Sarah. I love that she has leaned some more into self confidence lately because she never ever comes across condescending or braggy. That is very unique to have authority, have something to say, without coming across like you have all the answers. She also adds a ton of relatable humor to both podcasts! I am nowhere adjacent to the entertainment industry and just show up because these ladies are good at their job :)
  • KAMCP23
    Not just for those in Hollywood
    I heard about this show through the Happier with Gretchen Rubin podcast and was surprised at how much I enjoy it since I have nothing to do with the entertainment industry. I find it fascinating to learn about how TV shows are made and hope to read the co-hosts fiction book (that they are working on) sometime in the near future!
  • boxysam
    Excellent podcast
    Thank you both for another year of excellent podcasts. I look forward to each episode. I am not a writer nor a show biz person but I truly enjoy hearing about your experiences and your friendship. I appreciate your life hacks, insights and humor. Hope the writers strike is over soon with the very best outcomes. I believe that this strike helps all of us in whatever industry we work! Thank you!
  • hippoforthewin
    Super fun!
    Love this podcast—it’s a fun mix of fluffy and getting to be a fly on the wall of the entertainment industry.
  • Tara - 12
    Love ❤️ the “Happier in Hollywood” podcast
    I really enjoy this podcast because Liz & Sarah are very synchronized. They have many interesting details to share about the screen writers industry and even some personal stories. I like their planned segments, as well as hearing about their new book that they are writing together. One of my favorite episodes was the latest one on their “Before I Die” pitch to CBS. It truly should be a series because the excitement would never end.
  • Ellie98
    Fantasy Island
    I just watch the finale of Fantasy Island and it was fabulous!!! Love this show
  • JPinCB
    Skeptic turned huge fan
    When my best friend recommended this podcast I was a little skeptical. I don’t have much to do with Hollywood! I love Happier with Gretchen Ruben, however, so I gave it a chance. I haven’t missed an episode and love Liz and Sarah! I am also now a big Fantasy Island Fan! Thanks Liz and Sarah for all your wonderful stories, advice and a great tv series! Can’t wait to see what is next!
  • WCD28
    Happier in Hollywood is fantastic!
    I listen to this as soon as I can — and suggest you do too!
  • kateebee2
    LOVE LOVE LOVE
    I love this podcast. Sarah and Liz ALWAYS put a smile on my face. Each week it is like settling in with your two best friends and catching up. So grateful for all the caring energy they put out each week and the community they have created in their FB group. Keep on going! Katy Burns NH
  • LaureenRuby
    So good!
    I am retired and listen every week. So good and I use their tips to make my life better.
  • Tall Girl 19
    Fun to listen to!
    Not a writer, no interest in Hollywood, yet I listen every week! So many good lessons on life and work!
  • LostHobbitLass
    Fun podcast
    This is a very informative and entertaining insider perspective on working in Hollywood show business.
  • Ellenmail
    Hits and Bombs
    I’ve always enjoyed this fun, witty show. However, recently a couple “bombs” were a bit too political. This is one of the pods I listen to to get away from politics. I can’t listen anymore.
  • Amy MN
    Lost its Value
    This and Happier have turned into pure marketing vehicles for other projects. Add in the recent lurch toward the political here and it’s time to unsubscribe.
  • disnutt
    Just a podcast that I used to know
    Maybe it’s me, but this podcast is no longer something I look forward to seeing come up in my feed. When I do try to listen I find myself making my scrunched up, ‘I wish they’d quit talking about that face’ just before I realize that I have the power to forward through it. Life in Hollywood seems really superficial right now. They may be real women with real issues, but they don’t seem to be connecting with me and my issues. Some of the comments seem to be actively trying to push me away. I’m sure she doesn’t even realize she’s doing it, but that’s part of the problem. Going to have to let this one go.
  • mRisTr
    My weekly must listen!
    I love this podcast so much! These hosts feel like friends and I absolutely listen every week. 💗
  • punk199
    The Best
    I love this podcast so so much.
  • Just Tamz
    Happier!
    I love love love this podcast. They are honest and so insightful about Hollywood and life stuff in general. Love their friendship and also love that they are here every single week- I look forward to the show every Thursday. Thank you so much Sarah & Liz.
  • NotYourMamasMidlifeCoach
    Great podcast for writers and non-writers alike
    I’ve enjoyed this podcast since it’s launch. The Facebook group that Liz and Sarah started is also a great resource - such great people in there! Do yourself a favor and check out this show.
  • Rose75252
    Chatting with Friends
    My favorite podcast! I’m not in the Hollywood biz but love hearing about the lives of these 2 ladies. I feel like I’m hanging out chatting with a couple of friends. Highly recommend!
  • Wordworker6
    Thanks for the writers room — and life! — insights!
    This podcast provides such a great, ongoing and evolving snapshot of what it means to be a writer in Hollywood - not only the fantastic writers room insider info but also how to wrangle that with a balanced life. I’ve been listening since pre-pandemic and so feel like I got a graduation degree in show writing / running challenges. Yay to Liz and Sarah for helping keep us emerging writers in the know!
  • Spit111111
    Fabulous Podcast
    I just listened to your episode teaching how to review (among other things) a podcast. I found Happier in Hollywood through Happier! Even though I am not a career person, writer, or living in Hollywood, I have found so much entertainment and practical uses to adapt to my life. I listen again and again!! Highly recommended!!! I love you guys
  • A SuperPlus
    The Struggle is Real
    Even successful show runners are learning everyday. Interesting show about well, wanting to do well, be successful, and be human, too. Liz and Sarah are approachable and friendly as hosts.
  • TPenn19
    Real and relatable - Hollywood address not required
    I am an OG HIH fan and cannot say enough good things about the pod. I love that even though they have shared history and work together, Liz & Sara have distinct voices (real & metaphorical) and perspectives on work, life, and how to be happier. I especially love the community they have built thru their FB page - as much as I hate FB, I cannot bear to leave the supportive, kind, smart, creative community that is the HIH group. You don't have to be a writer to appreciate the pod, but if you are, and especially if you write or want to write in Hollywood, you would have to live on fantasy island not to learn something every time you listen. See what I did there?
  • Laradactyl
    Used to be kind of interesting
    But I think they ran out of content. Lately it’s been vapid and heavily materialistic. They don’t seem to bother digging into the craft of writing or ins and outs of the business anymore. I guess the key to being Happier in Hollywood is to stay pretty shallow and buy more things.
  • 34peacock
    Love this podcast!
    I absolutely love these ladies! Listen weekly and they feel like my sisters. Hope they keep it up!
  • LisaDawesStewartLLC
    Adore Liz and Sarah’s Podcast
    You two make my day every day. I love the insights of creatives in a sporadic profession in which your babies are judged by millions. Thank you for helping us all feel real and not alone.
  • Former expat
    Enjoying- and just purchased Fantasy island season 1
    I love getting the behind the scenes careers of the two writers. Inspired me to but the episodes on Apple TV 😎❤️
  • Dantaya
    Holy adds
    This pod used to be delightful, it’s all adds now
  • BobLbLawsLawBlg
    Rich privileged white ladies
    Lately they just seem like rich white ladies who are out of touch with reality. Most people can barely afford to pay the bills and they just flaunt their wealth like it’s super easy to attain without recognizing their privilege. They say they’re for empowering women and poc but the way they talk seems to undermine that.
  • ohio_fan
    Promo code
    Title nine promo did not work. Did you try it out?
  • BeautifulMinimalMillennial
    Clueless
    Use to be fun and light hearted. And then it became more and more apparent that Liz and Sarah are clueless just as the rest of Hollywood. Why are writers, cast, and crew treated to covid vaccinations when elderly and those with compromised immune systems continued to wait to receive a vaccine? Is Hollywood an essential business? Absolutely NOT! We need healthcare workers, first responders, grocery store employees, delivery service employees, teachers, and students to ALL receive their vaccines first before Hollywood gets their vaccines. We can all agree that nothing these two have never written made it BIG but yet they act like they are gods. That we, the pheasants of the real world, should hang on every word they say or write. Just skip this podcast and save your eardrums.
  • Doctor Songwriter Who!
    The actor has learned!
    Dear Liz and Sara! Listening to your podcast is the closest thing to having friends who are like me that’s in entertainment. I have learned so much about the writing process and that it is a grind with ups and downs, twists and turns, but that you two gather so much wisdom along the way. That being said, I feel that I have grown as an actor through your stories from creating “The Fix” and now to launching “Fantasy Island”. Presently, I find that I no longer need to listen anymore because What’s happening now, is that I’m listening just out of pure habit. So I wanted to say thank you before I unsubscribe. If you wanna learn more about me, you can go to raulisavoiceactor.com. Good luck with the rest of the podcast!
  • 3 Dog Pack
    Love
    Happy listening to two excellent professionals sharing success and failure
  • DanaPodListener
    An anchor and an inspiration!
    I've enjoyed this podcast for years, and lately I've been listening to a couple episodes a day. I'm embarking on a project that feels like my "dream job", and it's demanding and emotionally taxing and runs up against the regular demands of my life in an irritating way. But, I still wake up every day thrilled that this project is part of my life. Liz and Sarah seem like pros at navigating that. Hearing their successes and struggles make me feel like I can have a big, ambitious career, even one that by its very nature won't always go smoothly and will sometimes tick people off, without going nuts. I'm adopting their motto, "It's a fun job, and I enjoy it!"
  • TippyCanoeGal
    Longtime Listener is Finished
    I have just unsubscribed to Happier in Hollywood after years of following them. I also followed their facebook group for a long time. I don't know whether the pandemic has radically changed my perspective or not, but somehow this podcast is feeling less and less relevant to me. Lots of little things that have increasingly felt slightly askew. The last podcast episode was the final straw for me--they were discussing their remake of what they call a "classic," but which I would consider to be one of the dumbest (and racist!) tv shows of all time, Fantasy Island, and Liz dropped the side comment that she and the whole crew had received COVID vaccinations. That really stopped me in my tracks. I am not at all clear why my 84-year-old mother is unable to get a vaccination, but the whole cast and crew of a non-essential television show gets to jump in and get vaccinated. For me, the real problem was the casual, disconnect between this kind of bizzare privilege and the on-the-ground situation in Los Angeles right now as reported to me by my ER Doc friends. Despite the very good intentions of both Liz and Sarah and my longtime enjoyment of their podcast, I am now done, I think.
  • UXHFStudent
    Such relatable hosts. Good career advice, even for engineering
    I found Happier in Hollywood through the Happier with Gretch Rubin podcast. I really enjoyed Liz’s comments and perspective on that podcast, and thought I had no interest in a podcast about Hollywood. However, I listened one day last year and have been hooked. I now look forward to it weekly. I find the advice is translatable for any field, and I found I actually really enjoy hearing about a field different than my own. I love how relatable Liz and Sarah are — I think of them as my friends (especially this year!) even though we’ve never met. Thanks for all you two do!
  • pmcfm
    Love this podcast
    Liz and Sarah’s conversations are interesting, entertaining, and relevant to my life- far from Hollywood. One of my favorite podcasts.
  • every name taken 3456
    Fascinating!
    I’m currently a SAHM in the UK and not interested in being a Hollywood writer, but the pod is one of my absolute favourites! It’s a window into a fascinating world and a fun listen. Both women seem very relatable and have interesting perspectives on Hollywood and also, LIFE. Definitely binge-worthy as well!
  • candace.aaker
    Interesting and Uplifting
    Both of these women are so interesting to listen to! I love their Hollywood Hacks and knowing more about life as a tv writer.
  • Dru Long
    Successful, Helpful, Happy Women
    I enjoy living vicariously through these women who are thriving on multiple levels. Very inspiring and fun!
  • CMEK11
    LOVE Their Chemistry
    Honestly, I have no interest in Hollywood or writing for movies and TV, but I listen to this podcast because I enjoy the interaction between the two. I also like the various segments they include in each show. It’s my favorite podcast, and I highly recommend it.
  • BJA3
    Favourite podcast
    My all time fave podcast. Liz, Sarah and the HiH community are such good people
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