Brief But Spectacular
Brief But Spectacular is an Emmy-nominated interview series that airs weekly on PBS NewsHour. These short-form episodes present an in-depth look at a variety of compelling guests and ideas. Since 2015, the series has profiled over 300 subjects on a variety of topics, such as the healthcare crisis, immigration, mass incarceration, systemic racism, and mental illness.
Guests have included well-known figures like Steve Martin and Martin Short, Alec Baldwin, Terry Gross, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Gloria Steinem, and Carl Reiner, as well as lesser-known but equally powerful individuals like Mahogany L. Browne, Clint Smith, death-row inmates at San Quentin, and the incomparable Flossie Lewis.
These powerful narratives put personal faces on complex issues and provide a window into the human condition. The intention of the series is to elicit empathy from the viewer by presenting original voices on universal subjects and inviting the audience to walk in someone else’s shoes.
See full series here.
"Steve and the Second Peninsula team play at a different level than any video production company I have ever worked with. They bring high standards to storytelling and authenticity. And they always get the results that my clients need.”
— Ben Kellogg, Founder of BWK Public Relations, TED Fellows PR Partner
“Second Peninsula’s team, led by Steve Goldbloom, is one of the most creative and professional media groups I’ve ever worked with. The “Brief But Spectacular” segments for the PBS NewsHour are consistently thought-provoking, featuring fascinating people, and drawing them out in a way no one else does.“
— Judy Woodruff, Host NewsHour
“It was both a privilege and an honor to work with the Second Peninsula team. They are exquisite listeners who make magic happen in the Brief But Spectacular series. The stories inform the public about a myriad of social issues using personal narratives. I witnessed first-hand how they raise awareness and impact how people think and feel. It was a pleasure to work with such talented, trustworthy, store tellers.”
— Elyse Salend, MSW, Program Office at Cambia Health Foundation
Select Episodes
Brief But Spectacular Trailer
Flossie Lewis on Growing Old
Rebecca Hall on Passing
Andre de Shields on Living His Most Authentic Life
Joel Shamaskin on Living with ALS