Julian Shapiro-Barnum: podcast appearances and interviews

Julian Shapiro-Barnum, born in 1999, is an American actor and comedian known for creating and hosting the web series Recess Therapy. The series features interviews with children playing in New York City and was inspired by Shapiro-Barnum's thesis project at Boston University College of Fine Arts, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting in 2021. Launched in April 2021 on YouTube in partnership with Doing Things Media, Recess Therapy has gained widespread attention through viral clips and has featured prominent figures such as Michelle Obama, Amy Poehler, and Charli XCX. The series has contributed to Shapiro-Barnum’s recognition in the digital media space, including his inclusion in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2023 in the social media category. In addition to Recess Therapy, he is the creator and executive producer of Celebrity Substitute, a web series launched in October 2024 that features celebrities acting as substitute teachers in an elementary school classroom. His work has been acknowledged with awards such as the Family Entertainment Safe Streaming Hero Award at the inaugural Family Entertainment Awards Dinner in 2022, presented by Variety and Kidoodle.TV. The following year, he received two Webby Awards for Viral Video and Best Creator, Person or Host. Shapiro-Barnum is also the creator of Outside Tonight, a YouTube late-night talk show that premiered in June 2026. Growing up in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia in a family with five parents, his background includes Jewish heritage and bisexual identity.