Women are routinely asked and expected to modify how they speak in order to not come across as too direct or harsh, says journalist Ann Friedman. But in pursuing her life’s work, she’s found greater confidence in her professional voice, and that her personal interests resonate with the female followers of the podcast she co-hosts with her best friend.

TV great Dick Cavett credits comedian Jack Paar with providing his talk-show hosting philosophy: Make it a conversation. Cavett offers his Brief but Spectacular take on his career.

Filmmaker Reid Davenport wants people to know that his biggest obstacle isn’t living with cerebral palsy, but how others perceive and respond to his diagnosis. Davenport, whose films focus on people living with disabilities, gives his Brief but Spectacular take on seeing the world through his lens.

What does it feel like to be diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease? Pam Montana and Chris Hannafan offer their Brief but Spectacular takes on what it means to live with the disease and how their worlds have changed.