WGTD's The Morning Show with Greg Berg

For Kailyn Polamares's April visit to the Morning Show, she introduces us to Dr. Mila Marshall, Clean Water Advocate for Sierra Club-Illinois and a journalist for Chicago News Weekly. The interview includes a conversation about what it means to be an advocate for environmental issues.

From 2010 - We speak with one of the editors of "Autobiography of Mark Twain: the Complete and Authoritative Edition." Twain stipulated in his will that the work he had done on his autobiography could not be released to the public in complete form until 100 years after his death. 2010 marked the release of the first of the three volumes that comprise the autobiography. It yields remarkable insights into the life of one of the most unique and creative figures in American history.

From 2021 - Diane Rehm talks about her book "When My Time Comes: Conversations about whether those who are dying should have the right to determine when life should end." Rehm is an advocate for a practice known as M.A.I.D. (Medical Aid in Dying.). Rehm hosted her own radio program that was distributed by National Public Radio until 2016- and hosted her podcast "On My Mind" until 2025.

From 2004 - Jim. Kuhn, author of "Ronald Reagan: In Private - A Memoir of My years in the White House." Kuhn served as Executive Assistant to the President.

Part One- Parker Munoz talks about the Racine Theater Guild's production of J.R.R. Tolkien's THE HOBBIT, which runs now through April 21st. Munoz is the director of this production; it's his first time directing at the RTG. Part Two- Greg Schroeder, bell choir director at Mount Pleasant Lutheran Church in Racine, talks about the bell choir festival that is coming up on Saturday, April 18th .... in which the bell choirs of five ELCA congregations in southeastern Wiisconsin will join forces. The concert itself is 2:00 and is free and open to the public.

From 2004- Neal Bascomb, author of "The Perfect Mile: Three Athletes, One Goals, and Less than Four Minutes to Achieve it." The book was written to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Roger Bannister running the first sub-four minute mile in history.

From the archives- Doug Stewart, author of "The Boy Who Would be Shakespeare: A Tale of Forgery and Folly." This is the true story of a 19th-century English teenager names William Henry Ireland - who wrote a series of works that he claimed were forgotten works by the great William Shakespeare. The book explores not only how he pulled off this deception- but also why.

Mark Kurlansky, author of "To Catch a FishL. Essays on the Joy, Frustration, Curiosity and Allure of Fishing,"

From 2010 - Bonnie Blodgett, author of "Remembering Smell: a Memoir of Losing - and Discovering - the Primal Sense: a Medical Journey through Anosmia and the Science of Olfactory Recovery."

Here are three food-related interviews from the Morning Show archives. Part One: "Baking at Home with the C.I.A." (CIA stands for the Culinary Institute of America." Part Two: "Soup Night: Recipes for Creating Community around a Pot of Soup." Part Three: "Smashed, Mashed, Boiled and Baked - and Fried, Too; a Celebration of Potatoes in 75 Irresistible Recipes."

From 2015- Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz, author of "Dr. Mutter's Marvels: A True story of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine." It tells the story of Thomas Dent Mutter, a medical innovator in the mid-nineteenth century who - among other things - pioneered the use of ether as an anesthesia as well as the sterilization of surgical tools.

From 2002 - Betty Cowley, author of "Stalag Wisconsin: Inside World War Two Prisoner Camps." The book examines the story of the dozens of prisoner-of-war camps in Wisconsin during World War Two. .

Part One: Jennifer Clemens, Asst. Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. We preview an event coming up on April 16th titled "Power and Perception: Democracy, Enforcement, and Trust in U.S. Courts: a timely and crucial discussion of the evolving role of the judiciary in American life." We also talk about what it's like to teach political science at this turbulent moment in our nation's history. Part Two: from the archives, we speak with Curt Smith, co-author of "The Presidents and the Pastime: The History of Baseball and the White House."

Gavin Newsham talks about his newest book- "Project Tiger: The Birth of Genius and the Price of Greatness." The book examines the formative years of Tiger Woods with a special emphasis on the unconventional and sometimes controversial choices made by Tiger's father, Earl Woods, in grooming his son for golf greatness. Woods has just been arrested for the second time for DUI after a serious rollover crash last Friday.

For Women's History Month- we replay this conversation with Dr. WIlliam Kuhn, former history professor at Carthage - and a nationally-published author several times over- about his book "Jackie Stories." It includes illuminating stories about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis from eight of her friends.

In a followup to Friday's show, we speak to an expert on Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing tabletop games - Skip Williams. He is one of the organizers of an annual event (Gary Con) in Lake Geneva that honors the co-creator of the game, Gary Gygax. This interview is designed in part to help people who know nothing about Dungeons & Dungeons to understand something about what the game is, how it is played, and what is the source of its immense appeal.

From 2006 - Richard Kurin, author of "Hope Diamond: The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem."

In honor of the opening day for another season of major league baseball, we replay our conversation with NPR's Linda Homes ("Pop Culture Happy Hour") in which she talks about her debut novel "Evvie Drake Starts Over." The title character is a struggling major league pitcher who is trying to regain his form and confidence.

Part One: We speak with UW-Parkside librarians Shauna Edson and Heather Spencer about the research they have been doing into an interesting chapter in the school's history: how Parkside was host to Gen Con, the largest convention that gathers together fans of Dungeons and Dragons and other table-top role-playing games. Parkside hosted Gen Con from 1978 to 1984. They are in the midst of creating an oral history project about it and are still in search of first-person accounts from anyone who visited gen con at Parkside during those years. Part Two: best-selling author Rick Riordan, who has created (among other things) the popular Percy Jackson series for young readers. This particular interview concerns his "The Trials of Apollo" series.

Dr. Art Cyr his commentary of current events and issues, including our current conflict with Iran, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling regarding President Trump's tariffs, and more.

From the archives (for Women's History Month). - a conversation about Annie Oakley, one of the most legendary and charismatic from the Old West. She was the subject of an American Experience documentary film. My guest is Virginia Scharff, a professor of history at the University of New Mexico, who was one of the guest experts featured in the film.

We learn about the early years of basketball legend Larry Bird through Keith O'Brien's new book "Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird."

For Women's History Month- Kimberly Heckler talks about the biography she has written about her mother-in-law, Margaret Heckler .... the first woman to score the political triple crown of serving in the U.S. Congress, serving in the U.S. Cabinet, and serving as a U.S. Ambassador. As a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, she helped insure that women were able to access credit. As Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Ronald Reagan, she helped nudge the administration towards a more meaningful response to the AIDS epidemic. Heckler's book is titled "A Woman of Firsts: Margaret Heckler, Political Trailblazer."

For Women's History Month- we replay our 2016 conversation with Michael Schulman, author of "Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep." The book examines the early years of Streep's life and the very beginning of her career.

From 2009 - Joan Wickersham, author of "The Suicide Index: Putting My Father's Death in Order." Of all of the interviews I have done over the years that have touched on the painful topic of suicide, this is the conversation that was - at least for me - the most illuminating. (For anyone feeling suicidal, there is help available 24/7 by calling the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline ..... 988.)

From the archives: "Laboratories of Faith: Mesmerism, Spiritism, and Occultism in Modern France" by John Monroe. This interview is being replayed in honor of a performance on Sunday afternoon, March 22nd at Kenosha's White Lilac ..... titled "Mesmerized," featuring Dr. Tony Barnhart (associate professor of psychology at Carthage) and Joe Diamond, who bills himself as The Midwest Mystic.

"The Divine Miss Marble" - by Robert Weintraub

Doug Johnson, conductor of the Belle City Brassworks, talks about the group's next concert ..... this Sunday afternoon, March 22nd, 3:00, at Holy Communion Lutheran Church ..... "Songs from the Scottish Highlands."

We preview the next theatrical production at Carthage College .... Jen Silverman's "The Moors." We speak with Herschel Kruger, director of the production - and with two students who are in the cast: Lorelai Amborn and Alle Gourlie. The platy will be performed over the next two weekends in the newly refurbished Wartburg Auditorium.

We learn about the wonders of Dragonflies and Dragonflies from Cindy Crosby, an author and naturalist, who will be giving a. talk this Tuesday evening, March 24th, 6:30, at the Stein's Garden Center, 6300 Green Bay Road in Kenosha .... a talk sponsored by the Four Seasons Garden Club. (The event is free but one needs to reserve a place by going to Eventbrite.com.)

We talk with two magicians - Joe Diamond - "The Midwest Mystic" - and.Tony Barnhart (also an Associate Professor of Psychology at Carthage College).- about their program "Mesmerized" that they will be performing at The White Lilac this Sunday afternoon, March 22nd.

Science journalist Bill Gifford, author of "Hotwired: How the Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger." The book examines the many ways in which heat can greatly enhance our health and well-being.

Dr. Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, author of "A Protest History of the United States." The book explores the surprisingly long and complex history of how protest has been woven into the fabric of our country.

From 2008- Allen Shawn, author of the memoir "Wish I Could Be There: Notes from a Phobic Life." In the book, the author discusses how several different severe phobias have dramatically affected his life and the way he moves through the world and interacts with others.

From 2020 - We speak with Darin Strauss, author of "The Queen of Tuesday: A Lucille Ball Story."

We speak with writer Margie Bucheit about her new novel "We Chose Resistance," which is set during Nazi-occupied France during World War Two - and which explores what it meant to be part of the resistance.

For Kailyn Palomares's March visit to the Morning Show, she introduces us to Danielle Bell, an ecologist and owner of Native Roots Designs, a firm that helps people secure and utilize native plants in their landscaping. The program includes an extensive discussion of what makes native plants preferable.

We speak with Russ Johnson from the music faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside about Jazz Week 2026, which is coming up March 16-20 .... with six performances in Frances Bedford Hall - four of which are absolutely free. (The program includes brief audio samples of most of the guest performers.)

We speak with James Neibaur and Gary Schneeberger, co-authors of "The Burt Reynolds Films." Neibaur has announced that this book - his 39th - will be his last, although he is planning to continue writing articles, essays and reviews - and will continue to do commentary tracks for home video releases. Burt Reynolds actually had starring or co-starring roles in 48 films. His best-known films include "Deliverance," "Smokey and the Bandit," and"The Longest Yard." For five years straight, beginning in 1978, Reynolds was the #1 box office star in America. His late-career resurgence included an Oscar nomination for "Boogie Nights" in 1997.

Today's program is a memorial tribute to Mike Kehoe, a valued member of the WGTD family as host of Saturday Night Bandstand and a past host of Education Matters - and a treasured part of the community. On hand in our studios - WGTD FM Dave Cole .... Carol Lee Saffioti-Hughes, Gregg Kishline, Mike Love and Jason Rimkus, who worked with Mike on various community access projects ...... Yolanda Adams, KUSD School Board Member and on the Executive Board of the Spanish Center of Racine & Kenosha (for which Mike volunteered ..... Andy Baumgart, Jennifer Haluska, and Sarah Padhye, who worked with him as a volunteer at Bullen Middle School ..... realtor Mary Dixon, a long-time friend of Mike's .... Sam Chell, the creator of Saturday Night Bandstand ...... and Mary Ann Kehoe, MIke's cousin.

From 2006 - Fannie Flagg ("Fried Green Tomatoes"). discusses her novel "Can't Wait to Get to Heaven."

In honor of KUSD's production of "Les Miserables," we replay a conversation from 2014 in which stage director Doug Instenes and several cast members talk about the Racine Theater Guild's production of "Les Miserables." (The KUSD production of Les Miz runs for two weekends through March 15th.).

Part One: Tony Castro, author of 'Micky and Billy: The Glory and Tragedy of a Yankee Friendship." Part Two: from 2010- an excerpt from a conversation with Jane Leavy, author of "The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood."

We celebrate the remarkable life and legacy of Morton Gould (1913-1996), one of the most heralded American composers of the 20th century, in anticipation of a special concert of his music this Saturday evening, March 7th, by the Waukesha Area Symphony Band. Our guests: Dr. James Ripley, Professor of Music at Carthage College and the artistic director of the WASB, and Abby G. Burton, daughter of Morton Gould, who will be serving as an emcee and moderator for Saturday evening's concert. The program will consist of music that Gould wrote for film and television. Gould's many honors include a Grammy Award, a Pulitzer Prize, and a Kennedy Center Honor.

Doug Instenes talks about the Racine Theater Guild's production of "The Girl on the Train," which runs for the next two weekends.

We speak with Mary Kerr about the production of Thornton Wilder's classic play "Our Town," which is being performed this weekend at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Kerr is directing the production.

We preview the Carthage Choir's upcoming spring tour and homecoming concert with Dr. Maggie Burk, director of choral activities at Carthage College, and Ella Bergfeld, a Carthage senior music theater/political science double major who is the Carthage Choir's president. The group will sing a homecoming concert on Monday evening, March 9th, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in downtown Kenosha. We also talk about the ensemble's participation in the most recent Midwestern American Choral Directors Association Conference in Milwaukee.

We speak with Richard McGlaughlin, who teaches Microbiology at Gateway Technical College, talks about the research that he has been doing in China over the last two decades - studying the endangered finless porpoise of the Yangtze River.

John Choi, director of choirs at Indian Trail High School in Kenosha, talks about his Chorale's appeartance at the Midwestern American Choral Directors Association Conference in Milwaukee.

From 2008 - Frederick Kaufman, author of "A Short History of the American Stomach."

Richard Thieme - "Islands in the Click Stream"