Lisa Hanawalt on Autobiographical Cartooning, Horses and Why We Broke Up

Episode Overview

Adam Conover welcomes cartoonist Lisa Hanawalt—his former partner of 15 years—for an unusually personal episode. Their breakup-inspired projects happened to arrive around the same time: Adam’s stand-up special and Lisa’s new book, I Want You to Stop Thinking About Horses and Sex. They emphasize that their split was peaceful, they remain close friends, and neither project was planned as a joint publicity stunt. They joke that turning difficult experiences into content is apparently what they do.

Turning Personal Experience Into Art

Adam says Lisa’s feedback helped him feel more confident about his breakup material. Lisa praises his special, and Adam admires the honesty of her book. They discuss the risks of sharing private stories when audiences may mistake one person’s perspective for the whole story. Lisa describes a relationship’s history as a kind of “black box,” and both agree that outsiders often rush to decide who was right or wrong.

Horses, Romance, and Psychics

Lisa explains how the horse material in her book eventually connected to her own life, relationships, and sex. She and Adam joke about horse girls, why centaurs might be sexy, and the dramatic personalities at horse stables.

Lisa recounts the story of a horse that drowned while swimming across a river to reach its beloved. Adam marvels at the horse’s romantic, self-destructive devotion. He also talks about visiting Lisa’s stable after their breakup, and they discuss how horses seem to read a rider’s confidence and mood.

Lisa’s “horse psychic” story leads to a funny, slightly uncanny debate: does the psychic have supernatural insight, or is she simply good at reading people and animals?

Shared Creative Lives

The two reminisce about their creative lives together, including Lisa’s work designing BoJack Horseman, creating Tuca & Bertie, and making an emotional animated video for Tegan and Sara. Adam recalls helping Lisa learn animation software for the video, while Lisa jokes that his encouragement sometimes amounted to explaining things she already knew.

They reflect on how closely their relationship was tied to their shared artistic ambitions—and how reaching middle age prompted each of them to reconsider who they wanted to be.

Independence, Friendship, and Breakup Jokes

Adam and Lisa discuss rebuilding independence after a long relationship, learning to manage their own anxieties, and why they can still be friends. They describe the breakup as painful, but not as a verdict that either person is bad. They also note that their friends—including comedian Dylan McKeever—continued supporting both of them.

A recurring laugh is Adam’s joke that Lisa wanted him to dominate her, but he couldn’t choose the furniture because she was the boss. They also tease each other about Adam’s nervous passenger-seat driving, Lisa’s horse’s stubbornness, and practical changes they made after separating, such as Lisa redesigning her home.

Vulnerability and Online Criticism

The conversation turns to vulnerability, criticism, and the strange intimacy of sharing work online. Both admit to seeking out harsh comments—even on sites like 4chan—in search of the one that confirms their worst thoughts. They compare the habit to self-harm.

They value honest reactions from trusted friends more than unsolicited internet feedback, while still hoping their work helps audiences feel a genuine connection.

Personalities Featured

• Adam Conover — Host and comedian.
• Lisa Hanawalt — Cartoonist, writer, and animator; Adam’s former partner.