The Paul Mecurio Show

An absolutely captivating conversation with the world's greatest documentary filmmaker as he passionately talks about his newest documentary series, "American Revolution," which explores our country's founding struggle and its eight-year war for independence. Ken is spell-binding as he describes the virtues and contradictions of the war and the birth of America and talks about how the film follows dozens of major historical figures from a wide variety of backgrounds on both sides of the war.  Ken shares an absolutely brilliant take on the American Revolution that you have never heard before.

Spike describes his start in comedy - a hilarious story of how getting in trouble in college for a prank led to being one of the best comedy writers in Hollywood. We also talk about his passion for high-end cars, how it started, what makes car collectors a unique breed and his Youtube show he co-hosts with Jerry Seinfeld and much more.

A deep dive with Alex about her newest project, the podcast - "Trumpland." On “Trumpland with Alex Wagner,” Alex travels the country talking with the people on the frontlines of Trump's policies and promises. For the first 100 days of the new administration, she's taking a break from the anchor's chair to get out into the field to bring you conversations you can't always find on TV. Alex gives us an incredibly interesting, revealing and unique take on the world of Trump you will not hear anywhere else. 

An interesting fun look at one of the best known comedians out there. Howie talks about his passion for "America's Got Talent," how it changes the lives of its contestants. He has a funny, great story of how he resisted getting into the game show hosting world but when he did it changed his life forever. Howie gives us a fascinating look into how he embraces fear and how fear drives him in all he does.

Amy is absolutely fun and delightful in this wide-ranging interview as she talks about the new season of the hit FX series, "The Old Man." She describes why it is so amazing to work with Jeff Bridges, how she approached her role and character in the series, what she looks for in roles and the challenges she faced first starting out as an actress in Hollywood much more.

A really fun interview with Steven who is hilarious as we talk about Chicago Med but mostly his life as an actor and he has an hysterical take on how the importance of fame and wealth in our society and how to get it. Steven and I go on a really funny riff on how it's so easy to be famous these days by not doing much of anything. And hear Steven's take on why Europe looks at fame and success differently than we do in America. 

David is hilarious in this really fun conversation about his newest project, "The Good Half." David gives us a cool look into his famous, creative family - hear about how his eclectic mother (a former burlesque dancer who David named his nightclub named) and artistic family (sisters Roasanna and Patricia)  inspired him to be an actor and hear how fun it was growing up in such a artistic family. David talks about how he chooses roles and how he seamlessly can go from playing "goofy/a little off" characters to more serious ones, what he looks for in producing and directing projects and much more. A cool window into how David works his creative process as an actor, producer and director.

A fun, fascinating conversation with Mika about her "Know Your Value" initiative that empowers women to grow their careers and form healthy habits. Hear who some of the amazing women from business, entertainment and more who are on the newest "Know Your Value Forbes 50 over 50 list." Mika also has great insight into the Kamala Harris campaign, the current state of politics as well and what's at stake in this 2024 election year for all Americans (not just women).

A view of football that you've never heard before. Sal talks in depth about his new book, "How Football Explains America," and explains how football originated in America,  how football in America was influenced by African American culture, military history and  cultural shifts across generations why the Quarter-Back Position is the most revered of any position in sports. He also gives fascinating insight into influences of Bill Belichick, Vince Lombardi, Paul Brown, Bill Parcells, Joe Namath and the Manning Family and much more.

A really fun conversation with Jane about her amazing career as a host, CBS news anchor and nationally known DIY expert on such shows as NBC's The TODAY Show, FOX Good Day, and HSN to name a few. Jane explains why being a radio host for 4 hours a day early on in her career was so instrumental to her success on TV. Hear what makes Jane such a GREAT interviewer. Jane also has a really fun story about how as a young girl she knew TV was her life-calling. Jane explains what the keys are to being a do-it-yourselfer. Jane coined the term “UpCrafting” as her passion to refashion, refurbish, recreate and reuse sweeps the nation. She was repurposing before repurposing was cool. 

John created one of the most iconic characters in television history - Cliff Clavin of "Cheers."  Hear the fascinating story how that character was created, how John's 10 years touring Europe as a performer led to him landing the role of cheers, what his huge comedy influences are and much more.

Tim is one of Hollywood's most versatile and brilliant actors who gives us an insider's look into his great new movie, "Asleep in my Palm,"  tells the story of a father and his daughter living off the grid on the outskirts of an elite liberal arts college in northeastern Ohio. Tim reveals why he took on the part, how he chose the incredibly unique characters he plays and decided acting was his destiny after majoring in the Classics in college.

Joy gives a new perspective to the civil rights movement through this fascinating look into the lives of Medgar and Myrlie Evers who were married and considered 2 of the greatest civil rights leaders of the civil rights movement. Joy talks about her new book in which she chronicles this beautiful love story between Medgar and Myrlie. She describes the wonderful way they met, how and why they fell in love and how their marriage withstood the pressures and dangers of being civil rights activists in Mississippi in the 60s. 

Kyle had heard a rumor that Pablo Escobar did a deal in the early 1980s with a remote, coastal Southern town of 300 people called Varnamtown in North Carolina. In exchange for vast wealth and limitless cocaine, Escobar would be allowed to land planes and ships in the area. Over the last 24 months, Kyle and Emmy winning director, Joshua Davis, investigated the rumor, journeying to Varnamtown to knock on doors and find out what really happens when a firehose of money and cocaine is turned on a small community. In this interview, hear from Kyle and Joshua what the experience has been like following and reporting this eye-opening, shocking story.

An absolutely enthralling conversation with Jeff and Matt about this 10-part brilliant documentary about the rise and fall of the New England Patriot dynasty. Hear how the writer and director discovered magical New England Patriot footage that told them there was a doc to be made, why Tom Brady, Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick were able to build the dynasty and the tensions and egos that eventually led to its undoing and much much more. A very human story with Shakespearean storylines that make this one of the most interesting and entertaining docs to come out in years whether you are a sports fan or not. 

Marlo is a trailblazer, her show  "That Girl" was the first to portray a single career woman and paved the way for actresses to follow like Mary Tyler Moore, Murphy Brown and Moore. Hear how Marlo landed the role of "That Girl" and how she parlayed that into an amazing 45 year-career in TV, film and on Broadway. Marlo is incredibly passionate and eloquent about St. Jude's Hospital and its mission to help children stricken with cancer and their families.

Michael has been the Executive Producer of "Live" for more than 20 years. Michael holds the world record  the most morning talk show episodes produced by the same producer.He shares the secrets to it's long-term success and dominance in the morning talk show landscape. Hear how Michael navigated changing co-hosts over the years, why Kelly Ripa is the girl next door and she's not and much more. 

John gives us a very fun, cool and surprising behind the scenes look at The National Dog Show. Hear how judges make their decisions, all that goes on in breeding and showing a champion canine, what has surprised John over the years about the dog show and the world of dogs and much more.

If you've listened to radio, read a newspaper or watched TV, Lee Abrams has affected your life. He has been a pioneer in all areas of media, particularly radio. He co-founded XM Satellite radio, created the FM Rock radio listening format, advised Rolling Stone Magazine as well as major artists like Eric Clapton, Yes and Iron Maiden. Lee gives us an amazing look into how and why he and a small group created Satellite radio, why AM radio was lacking, and how FM radio, which was a dormant medium, blew up the old, tired AM radio playbook and was turned into the massive influence it became. And Lee's take on the future of radio and TV news will blow you away.

In discussing his new book about George Washington, Bret takes us through those tenuous and tumultuous days of the Constitutional Convention and the central role Washington played in the convention. This is an absolutely fascinating conversation with Bret because it and his book show a side of George Washington seldom discussed - namely how deft Washington was at being a political statesman after being a hero General. Hear how Washngtong developed the skill set to bring people together through compromise, who his political allies were and who wasn't

Aaron is very open and funny talking about his life, how he got started in music through family influences around the house, how he made it out of the projects in New Orleans to become one of the most acclaimed signers this country has generated. Hear the funny story of why as a kid he stole a car (and got arrested) and how that set him straight, what it was like working with the great Linda Ronstadt, how he found his "sound" and much more. A very revealing look into one of this country's greatest singers.

Jason is a great friend. Whenever I perform in the Detroit area I go on his show and it is some of the MOST fun I have ANYWHERE. Jason is very funny and we have a REALLY fun conversation we talk about everything from his early days as a reporter and the crazy news assignments he was given (you have to hear these), ground up beef bullion and why it's SO good, wandering around Macy's too look at bedding, why Jason is a very lame texter and much more. 2 friends having a great time. You will too listening to this. Enjoy

Known as "The Internet's Favorite Dad" Brittlestar a.k.a. comedian Stewart Reynolds has become an on-line sensation. Every week, hundreds of thousands of people watch his videos on various social media channels. Brittlestar videos have been viewed more than a combined 600 million times. Brittlestar has funny stories revealing how he went viral, what the keys to making popular videos for the internet are and how he first got started with the help of his small child. HIs videos cover everything from being a middle-aged white guy, to the challenges of being a Dad and why God would be disappointed in human's stupidity to name a few.

A fascinating conversation with Dr. Oakley about her incredibly unique Vet practice. Michele is very open and fun about the challenges of treating a wide variety of animals, the mistakes she's made in the wild (like the time she got chased up a tree by  Bison she was treating), and how having her kids in the wild with her is the ULTIMATE "Bring Your Child To Work Day" experience. Michele gets emotional about a chance meeting when she was a child with Jane Goodall that changed her life. Dr. Oakley is doing important work and gives us a unique behind-the-scenes look at her practice, shooting her show, much more.

John is one of the preeminent comedy promoters in the country. He concentrates on the Boston market. This is an absolutely hilarious conversation about everything comedy. John has hilarious stories about working with some of the biggest comedians in the business (especially the great Boston headliners Don Gavin and Nick DiPaolo). We also talk classic sit-coms like "Mash," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "All in The Family," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and of course how HOT Mary Tyler Moore was. John has GREAT stories growing up in Boston as a huge radio and tv fan. Hear how as a kid he wanted to be in show business, how working in radio led to being a doorman at a comedy club which led to him being one of the most important and influential comedy promoters. 

Andrew is really fun and interesting as he talks about his new hit series, "Son of Critch," his experience on the hit show "Schitt's Creek," how these shows were developed and what it's been like creating two hit comedy series that have taken the world by storm. How they develop story lines each week, why his shows are so quirky and yet relatable and much more. A very cool look into the world of creating and running hit shows.

Dante is a close friend, a great comic with an amazing back story. Hear his amazing, hilarious, and at times unbelievable stories of survival growing up in a very rough neighborhood in Brooklyn, his influential Dad who kept him on the straight and narrow, his journey from being on a fencing scholarship in college to becoming a stripper (for 11 years), then a pimp and finally a comic. You will not believe what you hear.

A really fun conversation with one of America's most accomplished chefs. We talk about what makes great barbecue, how the science of food plays a big part in making great food, how technique separates the good chefs from the great ones, how Michael got his start and what influence his Italian/Greek heritage has had on his choice of career and incredibly inventive, world famous cooking style.  

Harry is an award winning actor from film, TV and Broadway. We have alot of fun talking about the 10-year run of "The Blacklist," his incredibly interesting analogy on why his approach to acting is the same as the way old school NBA players approached their job. Hear why Harry chose acting over going into the priesthood, and why actors need to understand acting is a craft, not necessarily an art. Harry gives us a very cool insider's look at how the hit NBC show "Blacklist" is shot and how involved he and the lead, James Spader are in development of storylines and of their characters and more.

Chris is spell-binding as he discusses his latest doc series, "Prisoners of the Snow." The unbelievable story of Uruguayan Air Flight 571 carrying a rugby team that crashed in the Andes Mountains leaving only 16 out of 45 passengers to survive. Chris details the death-defying experience the players endured in a freezing wilderness, including eating the bodies of their dead friends. And describes shares the amazing story of how they were ultimately saved.  

I love having Patricia on the show, she is a great guest and returns to the show in this revealing, funny and thoughtful conversation about her new movie, "Mending The Line," where she plays a VA doctor treating veterans with PTSD. Hear the funny story of how Patricia used a hyperbaric chamber to prepare her for the role, how fly fishing plays an integral part in the film and in helping heal those with PTSD, what drew her to the project (hint, working with the great actor Brian Cox was one thing) and hear why Patricia feels normalizing mental health issues is so important.

Netflix's "Chimp Empire" is an amazing documentary, and its director James Reed, who spent almost 2 years embedded with a chimp society in Uganda. James describes never-before-heard, first-hand stories about how this doc explores the fascinating world of the largest chimpanzee society ever discovered as they navigate complex social politics, family dynamics and dangerous territory disputes.

Great to have Henry back on the show in a fun conversation about this complex, quirky, funny character Gene Cousineau in HBO's "Barry." Henry as he explains why Gene is a messiah to Barry, how the self-centered nature of the character gets Gene in trouble, how Henry's acting training allows him to explore the darker, more interesting sides of a character and much more.

A wonderful conversation with John, a terrific dramatic and comedic actor as we explore he approaches playing complex characters like a Branch Davidian follower in "Waco: The Aftermath." John talks about his experience as a debating champion and how that has helped him immensely as an actor, why playing a character from the "inside out" is important to him and much more.

An engrossing, fun, wide-ranging conversation with Jeff about LeBron James, the subject of his latest biography, "LeBron." If you thought you knew and heard everything about LeBron James, you're wrong. You have to hear this interview. How does a poor kid from Akron with a single Mom who is dubbed a superstar phenom as a teenager navigate a complicated world to become one of the best basketball players EVER, a billionaire and strong voice for social justice? Hear why LeBron never liked to be alone, has always had an innate ability to bring people together, and forever changed how the NBA and its teams do business, and that is all just the tip of the iceberg.

Great talk with the iconic lead vocalist of the ground-breaking band "The Go-Go's." Belinda gives us an insiders look at what it was like being the first all-female band who wrote their own songs and played their own instruments and the obstacles they faced. Hear why the punk scene in Los Angeles in the 70s was so freeing and fertile for up and coming musicians and how opening for The Police then surpassing them on the charts was so mind-blowing. Belinda talks about her latest solo album and upcoming tour and shares why working with songwriter Dian Warren has been so fruitful and much more.

A really fun, wide-ranging conversation with Katee about reprising her role as Bo-Katan Kryze in The Mandalorian and what she is bringing to the table. We have alot of laughs talking about everything from chickens to babies and why having pets ISN'T the same as raising kids. Katee is very open about the challenges starting out in the business, why she feels her life and acting experiences has positioned her to take on ANY role and hear the great advice she got when she started acting. 

William Shatner has gone from actor to being a cultural icon. He is ubiquitous in pop culture. He shares fascinating, funny, behind-the-scenes stories about getting his start in acting in Canada, what it was like working in the early days of LIVE television in New York in the 50s. Shatner talks about his relationship with Leonard Nimoy and how they first met, has great advice for young actors and why he thinks he's had such longevity in show business. An absolutely riveting conversation with this larger than life man.

Gina is very revealing and a lot of fun as she tells how she got her start in acting and the best advice she got as a young actress, and what it was like working with the great David Mamet on Broadway. We hear about her directorial debut and the challenges she faced directing her first film. Hear why Frank Sinatra was such a big inspiration to Gina. And Gina explains why she is concerned that we have become so divisive as a country, what we can do to come together as a nation and much more.

Patricia and David talk about their new film, the off-beat comedy "Unexpected."  They share secrets in a very cool, funny look at how a film is adapted from a book, why initially the script based on the book wasn't working, how they worked on set together as collaborators AND husband and wife without killing each other. Patricia shares stories about working on 2 of the biggest sit-coms in TV history, how she grew as an actor from those jobs and how she grew to become a producer of TV and film.

A very revealing conversation with Mariel about her years as a child actor, the ground-breaking films she starred in, "Manhattan," "Star 80," "Lipstick," and what it was like working with giants in the industry like Woody Allen, Bob Fosse and John Candy. Mariel is candid about why one of her films probably couldn't be made today as she explains her concern with the "cancel culture" and how it can squelch creativity. Mariel also talks candidly about her mental health struggles and those of her famous family, including her famous grandfather Ernest hemingway. A wide-ranging, very honest perspective from this iconic actress.

Ric is spell-binding in this INSIDER account of the CIA from a lifelong Black Ops officer. Black Ops guys rarely talk about their work, or most importantly, are given a chance to. This is a FIRST! With agency approval Ric tells his whole career, explaining how he and others have guarded America's safety from the shadows - highlighted by operations globally (Central America, Asia, Middle East), dealing with international terrorism and Communist regimes. Ric still trains our forces and law enforcement officials as well. A MUST listen!

A great conversation with the great actor Bryan Cranston about his Showtime series, "Your Honor." Bryan reveals why he decided to do another series of the wildly popular show, what life is like for his character, fallen Judge, Michael Desiato, how his character tries to pick up the pieces and what Michael's dilemma says about all of us. Bryan is terrific and let's us behind the curtain, explaining how he physically prepared for the role in the 2nd season and more.

Ian is an amazingly down to earth guy who's very revealing. In this really fun conversation Ian explains why in show business it's not about "who you know but you knows YOU" and how that helped him land the role of Ryan on "Yellowstone." Ian talks about why it's so great about working with Kevin Costner and why growing up on his grandfather's ranch helped him understand the character of Ryan. He describes the fun and challenges of bringing back his role of Peter Hale from the MTV Teen Wolf show and how that was a big adjustment for him. He explains how being in "Mad Men," changed his life and much more. This was a really fun interview with an actor with a very impressive string of roles who's worked on some of the biggest shows in television history!

Joe is REALLY fun in this wide-ranging conversation about bringing back the hit show "Criminal Minds" to streaming. Joe reveals why the show is even more realistic on streaming (hint: realistic gore and swearing), what he loves about the story lines, how the Covid pandemic is part of those story lines, why playing Joe Rossi, his character on "Criminal Minds," is like seeing an old friend and how his character is the same but different - in a good way. Joe talks his love of baseball, throwing our the first pitch at Cubs games and he and I bond over his Chicago Cubs and my Boston Red Sox and how bad and good they have been and Joe tells what it's like playing Fat Tony on "The Simpsons" for over 30 years and much more.

A really fun conversation with this film legend. Hear why she loved the script for "Violent Night" and the unique word she uses to describe the film. Beverly is very open and funny about her years working in film, what she looks for in the roles she plays, how she prepares for a role, why she sounds like a trucker in this interview and much more.

Emmy winning director Robert Alexander describes what he learned about Shaquile O'Neal in the making of this 4 -part doc that surprised, challenged and delighted him. Robert gives a fascinating look at why he didn't want to make a conventional documentary and how he arrived at the creative approach he took to the documentary. This is a master class in filmmaking as Robert explains how and why he gave each installment of the 4-part doc its own look and feel. Hear why he describes Shaq as the most unique person he's EVER met or worked with (and it's not just because of Shaq's size). Robert shares the two very different sides of Shaq, how Robert had to make some tough choices of what to keep in the final edit of the film and what to keep out and much more. 

NASA's Artemis Moon Program has been launched with the plan to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon so this is the PERFECT time for this interview with Lori Garver, a trailblazer who pioneered a place for women at the highest levels of NASA. A woman in a man's world pushing new agendas to revamp NASA and establish a new space age, Lori spearheaded private sector competition to drive down costs at NASA despite her efforts being met with great resistance. Lori describes never-before-heard stories how she would often be dismissed simply because she was a woman and how she overcame those biases to be a true trailblazer in the male dominated world of NASA. This is an amazing insiders, rarely heard look at not just how NASA works but also an amazing journey of a brave woman who shook up NASA.

A really fun, revealing conversation with Ned about his start in acting, how his life completely changed after getting the role of Spider-Man's best friend. Ned is incredibly honest about the pressures he felt as a kid felt to not show vulnerability and to pretend "he had it all together," how acting saved him by allowing him to be vulnerable in his personal life and how liberating that has been. Ned describes how wonderful it is to be able to open up, come out of his shell and feel comfortable being who he is regardless of his looks. Ned gives us a cool insider's look into his new SyFy show "Reginald The Vampire," reveals what drove him to take the role, why he's having so much fun with it and much more.

A fun, revealing conversation with one of CNN star anchors about her new show "CNN This Morning" and her role on it. Poppy gives us an insider's take on what the new show will be like, why it will be relatable to a broad audience, and what she and her co-anchors, Don Lemon and Kaitlin Collins hope to bring to the conversations in the morning. Hear fascinating backstory of Poppy's early days as a journalist, how law and journalism have been 2 pillars in her professional life, why she recently pursued a masters in law, how why not getting into a law school of her choice was the best thing that could have happened to her and much more. A chance to get to REALLY know someone you've watched from afar.

An in depth, fascinating conversation with one of the most important entrepreneurs in modern American business. This is a MASTER CLASS in business - hear directly from the founder of AOL - the man who is one of a handful of people responsible for the birth of the internet. Case reveals never-before-heard his struggles early on as he built AOL against all odds and how he overcame them, why women and people of color are being left behind by venture capitalists in the U.S. entrepreneurial market and what his solution is to correct that. Case has unique insight into what makes someone a successful entrepreneur and what doesn't and much more. This is a RARE opportunity to hear from one of the country's most brilliant business visionaries.