#7 - Dissecting the Creative Process and Overcoming Life's Challenges with Executive Producer Phil Lerman
Introduction
Welcome to “The Elements of Being” podcast, where I dissect and explore the minds and habits of filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, we learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones, and we have a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior.
Today, you’ll hear my conversation with Phil Lerman, a freelance writer and TV executive producer from the Washington, DC area, best known for producing the hit TV program America’s Most Wanted and the PBS show Made in Spain. He’s also the author of “Dadditude,” a laugh-out-loud memoir about the joys of being an older dad, and co-author of nine other books, including “Where Have All The Flowers Gone,” a seminal work on the Woodstock Generation, and John Walsh’s book “No Mercy,” which reached The New York Times paperback bestseller list.
His latest book – “When Truth Is All You Have,” coauthored with Jim McCloskey, who has gotten more than 60 innocent people out of prison and who is considered the “father of the Innocence Movement” -- is due out this summer.
In this episode, we examine the role and creative process of being an executive producer for hit TV shows, finding your voice as a writer, successfully achieving weight loss and overcoming weight loss, and facing the challenges of being an older parent. Of course, these topics were just a few pieces in our far-ranging conversation. So with that being said, let’s jump in!
You can learn more about Phil Lerman on http://www.lermanproductions.com/.
“Finding a way to isolate the thought, challenge the thought, and replace the thought is a process that is not that hard…it is a process that you can learn. And once you do that, it becomes a habit.”
— Phil Lerman, former executive producer of the show “America’s Most Wanted”
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
