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

https://youtu.be/1T0JdCW3-f4

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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