The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano - Audio Podcast

I have an update for The Celebrity Dinner Party podcast, so be sure to listen and get the latest about what is to come and where the last few podcasts have been!

My final take on Sundance: listen in for all the movies you SHOULD see in 2018! I dish on Bernard and Huey, American Animals, The Tale, RBG, Three Identical Strangers, Shirkers and Quiet Heroes.  For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv .

You had to figure that, among all the great films at Sundance, there would be a bunch that just didn't work...at least, not for me.  Of course, just like I couldn't see all the great films at Sundance, there were probably many other films that weren't very good that I didn't get to see. Thus, this list is only of the films that I was able to see and that I thought either didn't come together, weren't well done, or I just flat out didn't get.  Listen in to hear my list of a few of the films that you may want to avoid in 2018.  For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv .

From Sundance, I had the chance to interview the pioneer, the survivor, the badass, Joan Jett.  Along with Kevin Kerslake, the director of the film on her life, Bad Reputation, Joan tells of the obstacles for women in rock 'n' roll...then and now.  Listen in! This pod is inspiring as much as it is informative.  For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv .

From Sundance, I sit down with Nicolas Cage who gets real and tells about the creation of the film, Mandy, with awesome director, Panos Cosmatos, and fellow actor, Linus Roache. The respect and camaraderie are palpable and yes, Nicolas Cage is exactly as you would imagine him! Plus, Nicolas and I talk about his famous art collection and legendary encounter with Dale Chihuly. Check it! Listen in! For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/ .

It was an Ethan Hawke love fest on the Blaze film red carpet at the recent Sundance Film Festival.  Actors Alia Shawkat, Richie Montgomery and Josh Hamilton gush about their experience on set with Ethan, and it is easy to understand why. I have one of the most sincere and joy-filled conversations with Ethan Hawke, who still holds the torch for his craft as if this was his first movie.   Listen in as we talk about the art of making movies, working with friends and the women's movement. For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv .

A film that got LOTS of buzz at Sundance and won three awards was Search.  Directed by newcomer, Aneesh Changaty (won the Audience Award: NEXT and the Albert P. Sloane Award) and produced by award-winner Sev Ohanian, stars Debra Messing and John Cho have lots to say about this new film.  In addition, I also dish with Debra on Will and Grace and the women's movement. Praised for its technologically new approach to filmmaking, I highly recommend Search, a film about a father who takes the law into his own hands and conducts a search for his missing daughter on-line.  Listen in! For more information, visit TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast .

From a bustling red carpet awaiting Keira Knightley, I interview Dominic West, Ray Panthaki and director, Wash Westmoreland of the Oscar-worthy film, Colette, at the Sundance Film Festival. For more information, visist TheDinnerParty.tv .

From Sundance, I interview director Ben Lewin of The Catcher Was A Spy movie, featuring Paul Rudd and Paul Giamatti, about the life of Moe Berg. I also interview actor Hiroyuki Senada, review the movie Lizzie starring Chloe Sevigny and Kristen Stewart, and dish on The Game Changers premiere after-party. For more information or to view the video, visit TheDinnerParty.tv/Podcast .

From Sundance, I sit down with ultimate fighter, James "Lightning" Wilks, former special ops, anti-poacher, Damien Mander, athlete and strongman competitor, Patrik Baboumian and former NFL player, Lou Smith, who break open the myth that meat is good for you in the movie, The Game Changers.  Specifically, they explain in scientific detail that meat is responsible for significantly increasing the risks for many of the major diseases and that all that we thought we knew about meat is a marketing spin from the meat and dairy industry.  Coming from some of the most manly men around, they also prove that eating meat decreases libido and sexual function and produces the opposite result of what manly men actually want. Apparently, real men eat plants!  The movie features Arnold Schwarzenegger, is produced by James Cameron, and is directed by Academy Award winner (The Cove), Louie Psihoyos. Listen in and watch the interview or check out the film at http:// GameChangersMovie.com. For more information, visit TheDinnerParty.tv/Podcast .  

In the first of many podcasts from Sundance, I speak with Maggie Gyllenhaal and the cast of the film, The Kindergarten Teacher, from the madness that is the red carpet at the Sundance Film Festival. We talk about the women's movement, art in America, race in America and, of course, film!  For more information, visit, TheDinnerParty.tv/Podcast. 

Just a chance to say hello as we start the madness of 2018 with the Sundance Festival.  This means lots of pods will be coming all at once as I review films and interview celebs in Park City.  So I wanted to take this chance before it all breaks loose to welcome you to reach out to me with any feedback at my personal email elysabeth@TheDinnerParty.tv .  Looking forward to hearing from you! 

Time to get jolly!  Chef Mathew Wiltzius of Chicago's Palmer House gets us ready for Christmas.  So grab some eggnog and settle in, as chef schools us on ramen, garnishes and bourbon maple syrup! For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast/. 

In a never before released interview, I speak with best-selling crime novelist and lawyer, Scott Turow, on writing tips, the death penalty and his hometown.  Grab a drink and listen in! For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast or view the video here: http://youtu.be/DJGejL83oLE .

Looking for ideas for Thanksgiving?  Top Chef Rebecca LaMalfa dishes with me on being a chef during Thanksgiving, some cooking tips, junk food and being married to Michelin-star chef.   For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast/ .

Film Director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, Chain Reaction, Holes, Under Siege, Steal Big, Steal Little) sits down with me at the Third Coast Cafe in Chicago to discuss his most personal and first movie, currently re-released, Stony Island, about his hometown, Chicago, in the 1970s. For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast/. 

Often regarded as one of the best in his field, graphic novelist Chris Ware, author of the Acme Novelty Library series,  Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth and Building Stories, is usually loath to give interviews. I was surprised when Chris, a bit of an insular recluse and not necessarily a people person, accepted my invitation for an interview and invited me into his home studio. Warm and insightful about how he and other creatives move through the world, I feel that my interview with Chris Ware is one of the most important I have ever done. Enjoy this podcast and to view the video interview from his library-studio, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast.

In one of my most intimate interviews, Glen Hansard dishes on life, love, his music and writing process, playing with Bono on Christmas, when to see a shrink and his favorite breakfast at Chicago's Kitsch'n in Roscoe Village.  This never before released full interview was recorded at the Hideout just before Hansard came out with "Rhythm and Repose".  For more information and to see the video interview, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast . 

I head back to my roots as a gallery owner and sit down with one of Chicago's leading art dealers, Aron Packer of Aron Packer Projects (http://AronParckerProjects.com). From WGN Radio, Aron and I chat about what makes a successful gallery and the oddity of both artists and collectors. Plus, we bust the myths of gallery etiquette.   Aron opens a groundbreaking show on September 8th at the Chicago Gallery News offices of hyper realist painter, Cassie Marie Edwards. For more information, visit http://theDinnerParty.tv/podcast . 

In an intimate corner of Chicago's Third Coast Café, Grammy Award Winning Jazz Vocalist Kurt Elling shared his thoughts on jazz, spirituality, the creative work process and being in the moment.  Grab a snack and belly up as Kurt has some powerful things to say about the life of an artist and life on the road. For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast .

To know him is to love him...and I do!  Grab a snack and listen up, as I dish on life, love and music with blues musician, Nicholas Barron.   For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast .

Actress, singer, beauty pageant queen and drag queen, Alexandra Billings takes us into her world on the most recent episode of The Celebrity Dinner Party. We dish on sexuality, gender, transitioning from Scott to Alexandra and how great it would be if none of it mattered.  So grab a snack and settle in to hear about Alexandra's  experience on the Emmy-award winning show, Transparent, what it means to be transgender and why we should care.   From the Baton Club, to Chicago's famed Steppenwolf Theatre, to LA's dazzling studio set, Alexandra's got some stories to tell!  To watch the video, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast/ .

How do you get your start in music?  If you are Grammy-winning Saxophonist Frank Catalano, a gun, a stolen car, Miles Davis, a little luck and gobs of talent comes to mind.  Enjoy this intimate conversation with musician-entrepreneur Frank Catalano as he explains how he got his start playing Sax in some of the coolest clubs around, back in the day in Chicago, when he was just 16!   Grab your favorite snack and listen in to The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano with featured guest, Frank Catalano. For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast .  PS Given the story-telling nature of this interview, this podcast has a bit of a different format. Enjoy!  

Are truth and justice still the American Way? Documentary filmmaker, Steve James, joins me in LA to discuss his newest film. Best known for his Academy Award nominated film, Hoop Dreams, and other films such as The Interrupters and Life Itself, James' newest film is called, Abacus, Small Enough to Jail. Over Steve's surpise favorite snack, we dish on the movie which centers around The Sung Family's David and Goliath tale in which they take on the District Attorney of NYC in hopes of saving face, their business, the New York Chinese community and their family name. So grab some good take out and listen in to my interview with director, Steve James. For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast .

Energies were high as Academy Award winner (The Queen), Dame Helen Mirren and Academy Award winning director (Ray), Taylor Hackford, who is also her husband, graced the red carpet of Cinema Chicago's Spring Gala.   Mirren received the prestigious Gold Hugo Award for her Career Achievement in Acting and Hackford received the same for his Career Achievement in Directing.  In a rare moment of “communal red carpeting”, Mirren and Hackford walked the carpet together, his arm tightly around her waist, and her holding his hand firmly there, never more than an inch from each other's side.  The two have been married for over 20 years and together for almost 35.   With the elegance and sophistication that we have come to know from Mirren, she discusses how she chooses roles and why she decided to get married after so many years.  Iin a light hearted and off-the-cuff response from Hackford, we learn if directing means being a best friend or being a bastard. To watch the video that accompanies this audio interview, go to http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast Cinema/Chicago, the parent organization of the Chicago International Film Festival, is a year-round non-profit arts and education organization dedicated to fostering better communication between people of diverse cultures through the art of film and the moving image. For more information, visit chicagofilmfestival.com and http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast .

Despite the glitz of the red carpet, Emmy and Golden Globe Winner, Jeremy Piven, stopped for a funny chat with host of The Celebrity Dinner Party, Elysabeth Alfano to discuss tips for actors, the trickiness of relationships and his French Bulldog, Bubba.  Piven was back in Chicago leading a discussion with Gene Siskel Film Center Renaissance Award Winner, Kevin Spacey. The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago celebrates the art of cinema with multiple annual festivals international in scope, independent and classic films, premieres, and retrospectives.  Internationally recognized for its original film programming, the Film Center is a vibrant cultural destination in Chicago that attracts a diverse and creative annual audience of over 80,000.  www.siskelfilmcenter.org.  For more information, visit http:thedinnerparty.tv .

In the dizzying spin of the red carpet, Academy Award winner, Kevin Spacey, stopped for an intimate chat.  From Frank Underwood to his mom to Mike Nichols to the importance of the Gene Siskel Film Center's impact on young artists, Spacey shared his thoughts about the highs and lows of being an artist and an actor.   Spacey is the recipient of the School of the Art Institute's Gene Siskel Film Center's Renaissance Award. The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago celebrates the art of cinema with multiple annual festivals international in scope, independent and classic films, premieres, and retrospectives.  Internationally recognized for its original film programming, the Film Center is a vibrant cultural destination in Chicago that attracts a diverse and creative annual audience of over 80,000.  www.siskelfilmcenter.org.  For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast .

So you have an idea for a movie which basically revolves around you and your friends drinking beer and making pranks...or should I say shenanigans? If you are one of the gazillions of fans of the cult classic, Super Troopers, you know what I mean.  On this episode of The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano, actor, writer, author, stand-up comedian, and Super Troopers director, Jay Chandrasekhar, joins me at my kitchen table.  As Super Troopers celebrates its 15th year, Jay has come out with a new book, Mustache Shenanigans, Making Super Troopers and Other Adventures in Comedy. In addition to Super Troopers, Jay has directed The Dukes of Hazzard, starring Burt Reynolds and Jessica Simpson, episodes of Psych and Arrested Development, and several movies, such as Beerfest and Club Dread, which he created with members of the Broken Lizard comedy troupe, an improv group he started in college. So grab a beer and listen in.   Jay and I dish on his creative process, the stories behind Super Troopers and his unexpected, blow-up fights with his all-time hero, Burt Reynolds.  For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast .

Dining out as entertainment? The chef as the main attraction? Eating local and an emphasis on distinctly American cuisine? Who is responsible for all of this?  A name you may not even know: Chef Jeremiah Tower. At the Four Seasons in Los Angeles, I dish with Chef Tower, who is the subject of the film, Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent which was released on April 21 2017.   If you aren't familiar with Chef Tower, his story plays like a modern drama.  In the late 70s and early 80s, Tower was a revolutionary and regaled chef at Chez Panisse. In 1985, he left to launch his legendary Stars restaurant in San Francisco.  Stars was the birthplace of the chef as celebrity and the excitement of the kitchen as an evening on the town's main event, not to mention the invention of distinctly American ‘nouvelle cuisine.'  Years later, Tower abruptly closed Stars and left the culinary scene all together for an extended self-imposed exile.  No one knew where he was until he popped up 15 years later in NYC at the seemingly obviously mismatched establishment of the very rocky Tavern on the Green.   The just released movie of Tower's life, executive produced by Anthony Bourdain and directed by Lydia Tenaglia, might as well have been called, 'The Rise and Fall of Jeremiah Tower: Will a Third Act Prevail?'  Drama to say the least! So, sit tight. Grab a glass of champagne and listen in to my interview with the one and only, the man who started it all and put America on the map for culinary excellence, Chef Jeremiah Tower. For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast .

Imagine: you are a street busker, playing your original songs, hoping people throw some loose change into your guitar case, and then, one day, one of your tunes sells millions!   On the most recent episode of The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano,  songwriter/musician Mike Rosenberg, better known as Passenger, joins me to from the green room of The Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles.  Mike's song “Let Her Go”, which was released in 2012, has recently gone six times platinum, and his current album, "Young as the Morning, Old as the Sea", with its hit single, "Anywhere", debuted in England, New Zealand and Australia at number one. Not too bad for a street busker! Mike was born in England, and I figured I should bring along my very favorite beer to help welcome him to Los Angeles for yet another sold out show.  So grab your own favorite drink and listen in to my intimate chat with Mike Rosenberg of Passenger. For the full video interview, visit, http://thedinnerparty.tv/mike-rosenberg-of-the-one-man-band-passenger/ .

Gideon Raff (Writer, Producer of Homeland) and Ariel Vromen (Director of The Iceman) join for a quick conversation at the gala event supporting the Let the Animals Live-Israel Organization. For more information, visit http://LetLive.org.il/eng and http://TheDinnerParty.tv .  We ask the question, "What do you stand for?" Gideon and Ariel discuss why the support animal welfare and being vegan. 

Is a designer a storyteller?  If you are international hospitality designer Jordan Mozer, then you are that and more! One the premier designers for hotels and restaurants- and private residences, too- Jordan Mozer architecture and design firm has created unique spaces all over the US, Europe and Asia with clients like Klimpton Hotels, the award winning East Hotel in Germany,  George Lucas and Skywalker Development, Steve Wynn and the Bellagio Resort Hotel, and The Walt Disney Company, just to name a few.  If you have ever walked into any of the spaces that Jordan has brought to life, you know what I mean when say you experience Jordan Mozer “the ride.”  Grab and snack and listen in to the most recent episode of The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano with designer Jordan Mozer!  For more information, visit http://JordanMozer.com and http://TheDinnerParty.tv .

I dish with actress, model (um, Sexiest Swimsuit Model in the WORLD, according to Maxim) and animal activist, Joanna Krupa on the red carpet of her newest movie, You Can't Have It, scheduled for release Friday, March 17, 2017. (Producer Lyle Howry.) Joanna reveals the early difficulties of coming to America from Poland as a little girl with her mother.  With no money, she's worked her way to the top, all while keeping a big heart.  We also chat about You Can't Have It, breaking into acting from modeling, her work with animals and favorite snacks.  Listen in!   For more information, visit http:TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast .

The most celebrated party of the year is The Governor's Ball; the after-party of the Oscars, the 89th Annual Academy Awards.  The theme of the night is Magical Transformation, and nothing makes a night more magical than food from celeb Chef Wolfgang Puck, drinks created by Mixologist Charles Joly with director Brett Ratner's The Hilhaven Lodge Whisky, wine from The Coppola Family and Champagne from Piper Heidsieck.   Listen in to The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano as I dish with Wolfgang Puck and Charles Joly about how you can create your own magic at home while watching the Oscars and just what makes The Governor's Ball Oscars after-party a night to remember!  For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv .

What does it mean to be a movie producer? More specifically, what exactly does a movie producer do? Movie producer and CEO of Oddlot Entertainment, Gigi Pritzker, joins me in the WGN Studios. Over Beet Bruschetta with black kale, smoked pecans, red onions, and whipped goat cheese, and a Spinach and Endive Salad with apple, pecorino, hempseed and buttermilk dressing from Lula Cafe, we discuss just how the heck movies actually get made. Gigi Pritzker has been producing films for most of her adult life. In 2001 she began OddLot Entertainment, a film production and financing company. Based in Los Angeles and Chicago, OddLot's past releases include Jon Stewart's directorial debut, Rosewater; Ivan Reitman's Draft Day, starring Kevin Costner; the highly-anticipated adaptation of the sci-fi novel, Ender's Game with Harrison Ford; the directorial debut of Academy Award® winning writers, Jim Rash and Nat Faxon's, The Way, Way Back; the critically acclaimed Drive, starring Ryan Gosling; and Rabbit Hole, the 2010 Academy Award®-nominated film starring Nicole Kidman. Now, Hell or High Water, with Jeff Bridges, is up for an Academy Award® for Best Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Original Screenplay and Bridges for Best Supporting Actor. Pull up a chair and your favorite snack, and enjoy the latest podcast of The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano on WGN Radio, featuring movie producer, Gigi Pritzker. For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv

As we gear up for the Academy Awards, Nocturnal Animals nominee, actor Michael Shannon sits down with me for food and drink as we dish on cooking, his creative process, working with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Leonardo di Caprio and Martin Scorsese, being nominated for an Academy Award...and bourbon! Want some insight into the elusive artist and no-bs actor? Listen in! For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast . 

Ever have a great melody in your head and you wonder how to turn it into a song?  Singer-songwriter Steve Dawson of Dolly Varden joins me on the most recent episode of The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano.  Steve and I dish on everything from the power of a good teacher and the musicality of language to how some of the best songs might just flow to you on your way to work! Demystifying the process and conveying that anyone can do it, Steve makes songwriting accessible even to those who haven't taken music lessons.   It is no wonder that Steve's classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago sell out continually.  For those who can't get into his classes, his book, Take It To The Bridge: Unlocking the Great Songs Inside You, written with Mark Caro, is out now on Amazon.  So grab a beer, listen in and get ready to take some notes as Steve Dawson takes the fear out of songwriting!

Is it attaining success that matters?  Or is it what you do with that success once you've got it that really counts? On this episode of The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano, model, actress and filmmaker, Katie Cleary, joins me on the red carpet of the Chaplin screening room at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood.  Sure, Katie has graced magazine covers all over the globe and appeared on America's Next Top Model, Deal or No Deal and countless more TV programs.  She has been a TV host for E! Entertainment News Now, TV Guide Channel and HDTV and has acted in movies like The Break Up and Iron Man 2.    But what did Katie do with all this success once she got it? Katie began her not-for-profit animal welfare organization, Peace for Animals, her World Animal News website, and the making of her movie Give Me Shelter in 2012.  Give Me Shelter, which is now on Netflix, is about people who dedicate their lives to rescuing domestic, wild and exotic animals and who raise awareness for the most important animal welfare issues world-wide.   Over vegan food and wine, Katie and I dish on just what kind of impact one person can make when they really set their mind to it, and her years of philanthropy around animal welfare. Grab a glass of wine and listen in!  For more information, visit http://TheDinnerParty.tv/podcast

As we start the year, I am bringing back my very favorite video interview & podcast with award-winning National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen. In this incredibly informative tete a tete with Nicklen, skyping from his home in British Columbia, he tells us the one thing we can easily do today to positively affect the planet and its animals and sea life. There is no time to lose and the new administration could make things much worse for our environment. Listen in to the podcast and check out the video of Paul's incredible photography of polar bears, walrus, penguins, sea lions and pups, narwhal and more here: http://thedinnerparty.tv/national-geographic-photographer-paul-nicklen/

What is it like to be both a movie star AND an avid fan? On this episode of The Celebrity Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano from the Sunset Marquis in Los Angeles, actress Illeana Douglas dishes with me on growing up with her grandfather, classic movie great, Melvin Douglas, working along some of the best filmmakers of our time like Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro, and her life in and out of the movies. Plus, we hash on her book, I Blame Dennis Hopper, hosting Trailblazing Women on Turner Classic Movies, and our very (very!)  favorite movies. Listen in - youll be surprised! 

Imagine you are a guest chef on one of the largest cruise ship lines and you get to travel all over the world cooking for people.  Is this the best job you could ever imagine or the worst? TV Personality Chef and author of 9 cookbooks, George Geary joins me to dish on his world culinary tours, being a guest Chef on Holland American Cruise lines and his newest book, LA's Legendary Restaurants and the skinny and scuttlebutt on which celebs ate in which places over the past several decades.  Listen in! 

In an intimate conversation at the Sunset Marquis, Sophie Tweed-Simmons and I dish on her songwriting process, her stance on social media, her work with Refinery29 and Adoreme.com on positive body image and just what she thinks about this crazy election. Listen in! For more information, visit Http://TheDinnerParty.tv and http://TheDinnerParty.tv/sophie-simmons/ .

On the most recent episode of The Celebrity Dinner Party, violin virtuoso Joshua Bell joins host Elysabeth Alfano at the Sunset Marquis in Los Angeles. Over food and wine, the two dish on Joshua's relationship with his 1713 Stradivarius, the balance between intellectual and emotional playing, his well-known subway "experiment", composers who have marked him, and the best snacks before he performs.  So grab a glass of Kendall-Jackson wine and listen in!

Producer, Writer (Gross Point Blank and High Fidelity) and Director (About Last Night, Hot Tub Time Machine and Hot Tub Time Machine 2) Steve Pink joins host Elysabeth Alfano on The Celebrity Dinner Party.  Over food and wine from the swank Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood, the two dish on Steve growing up in Chicago, collaborating with Jeremy Piven and John Cusack and studying at the Piven Theatre with Shira Piven, Joyce Piven and Joan Cusack. They also dig into how bad movies happen and their favorite movies for all time.  So belly up with some popcorn and listen in!

We may not agree on our favorite snacks, but we sure do agree that travel is the window to your soul. Musician and photographer Julian Lennon joins me on The Celebrity Dinner Party to dish on his most recent travels from and photographs of the areas around the South China Sea....plus, he relays a few thoughts on life from his father, John. SUBSCRIBE now and for more information visit http://thedinnerparty.tv/julian-lennon/ .