Danny Cosmo is a world-record holding high diver and stunt man who has worked on over 170 movies. Cosmo met Elmore during the research phase of TISHOMINGO BLUES, and Elmore based much of his character Dennis on Cosmo's exploits.

Cosmo joins us to share what it's like to dive from 96 feet in the air, getting shot at in Puerto Rico, transmitting subliminal messages on The Tonight Show, and how he got to be such good friends with Elmore.

See Danny in action here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d0MrlWhLYc

Danny's YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@FishingwithCosmo

Guest: Danny Cosmo

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

Let's talk:

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IG: @ElmoreLeonardInc

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Graham Yost has written or produced some of the best television ever. His work includes Band of Brothers, Boomtown, John Adams, The Pacific, Masters of the Air, The Americans, Slow Horses, and Silo. He is also the Executive Producer and Showrunner of FX's Justified, based on Elmore Leonard's short story "Fire in the Hole."

Justified, starring Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Joelle Carter, and Nick Searcy among many other amazing actors, is considered one of the very best adaptations of Elmore's work.

While Graham refused to share his childhood nickname with us, he did share great stories about Elmore, being mercilessly taunted by Walton Goggins, whether or not there will be more Justified, and much, much more.

Guest: Graham Yost

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

Let's talk:

www.elmoreleonardofficial.com

X: @elmorepodcast

IG: @ElmoreLeonardInc

hello@theelmoreleonardpodcast.com

Before Elmore Leonard died in 2013 he decided that he wanted his archives to live at The Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections at the University of South Carolina.

This fall, the first Elmore Leonard Exhibit opened and we got to meet two of the people responsible for preserving the archives, Michael Weisenburg and Elizabeth Sudduth. Michael is the current director of the Collection and oversaw the exhibit, and Elizabeth was the director when Elmore decided that he wanted his papers, notes, and letters to be preserved alongside those of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Hammett, and George V. Higgins.

We spoke with Elizabeth and Michael about what made Elmore choose the University of South Carolina, how the Collection will continue to evolve, and about the value of crime fiction.

Learn more about the exhibit by clicking on the link below. It runs until mid-January 2026.

Special Thanks to: Elizabeth Sudduth, Michael Weisenburg, Jeffrey Makkala, and Matt Hodge.

https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/university_libraries/exhibits_events_news/news/2025/100_years_of_elmore_leonard.php

Hosted By: Judd Rubin and Alex Leonard

Music by: Greg Ahee

Produced and Edited by: Judd Rubin

Executive Producer: Peter Leonard

Let's talk:

www.elmoreleonardofficial.com

X: @elmorepodcast

IG: @ElmoreLeonardInc

hello@theelmoreleonardpodcast.com