Podcast appearances and mentions of Bill Cosby

You are in for a real treat on this episode. My guest this time is Greg Schwem. Greg is a corporate comedian. What is a corporate comedian? You probably can imagine that his work has to do with corporations, and you would be right. Greg will explain much better than I can. Mr. Schwem began his career as a TV journalist but eventually decided to take up what he really wanted to do, be a comedian. The story of how he evolved is quite fascinating by any standard. Greg has done comedy professionally since 1989. He speaks today mostly to corporate audiences. He will tell us how he does his work. It is quite interesting to hear how he has learned to relate to his audiences. As you will discover as Greg and I talk, we often work in the same way to learn about our audiences and thus how we get to relate to them. Greg has written three books. His latest one is entitled “Turning Gut Punches into Punch Lines: A Comedian's Journey Through Cancer, Divorce and Other Hilarious Stuff”. As Greg says, “Don't worry, it's not one of those whiny, ‘woe is me,' self- serving books. Instead, it's a hilarious account of me living the words I've been preaching to my audiences: You can always find humor in every situation, even the tough ones. Greg offers many interesting observations as he discusses his career and how he works. I think we all can find significant lessons we can use from his remarks. About the Guest: Hi! I'm Greg Schwem. a Chicago-based business humor speaker and MC who HuffPost calls “Your boss's favorite comedian.” I've traveled the world providing clean, customized laughs to clients such as Microsoft, IBM, McDonald's and even the CIA. I also write the bi-weekly Humor Hotel column for the Chicago Tribune syndicate. I believe every corporate event needs humor. As I often tell clients, “When times are good, people want to laugh. When times are bad, people need to laugh.” One Fortune 500 client summed things up perfectly, saying “You were fantastic and just what everybody needed during these times.” In September 2024 I released my third and most personal book, Turning Gut Punches into Punch Lines: A Comedian's Journey Through Cancer, Divorce and Other Hilarious Stuff. Don't worry, it's not one of those whiny, “woe is me,” self-serving books. Instead, it's a hilarious account of me living the words I've been preaching to my audiences: You can always find humor in every situation, even the tough ones. You can pick up a copy at Amazon or select book stores. Ways to connect with Greg: Website: www.gregschwem.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/gregschwem LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/gregschwem Instagram: www.instagram.com/gregschwem X: www.x.com/gregschwem About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! 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Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:16 Hi everyone, and welcome to unstoppable mindset. Today we are going to definitely have some fun. I'll tell you about our guests in a moment, but first, I want to tell you about me. That'll take an hour or so. I am Michael Hingson, your host, and you're listening to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. And I don't know, we may get inclusion or diversity into this, but our guest is Greg Schwem. Greg used to be a TV reporter, now he's a comedian, not sure which is funnier, but given some of the reporters I've seen on TV, they really should go into tonight club business. But anyway, Greg, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad you're here. I really appreciate you being here and taking the time   Greg Schwem ** 02:04 Well, Michael, it is an honor to be included on your show. I'm really looking forward to the next hour of conversation. I   Speaker 1 ** 02:10 told Greg a little while ago, one of my major life ambitions that I never got to do was to go to a Don Rickles concert and sit in the front row so that hopefully he would pick on me, so that I could say, Yeah, I saw you once on TV, and I haven't been able to see since. What do you think of that? You hockey puck, but I never got to do it. So very disappointed. But everybody has bucket list moments, everybody has, but they don't get around to I'm sorry. Yeah, I know. Well, the other one is, I love to pick on Mike Wallace. I did a radio show for six years opposite him in 60 minutes, and I always love to say that Wallace really had criminal tendencies, because he started out being an announcer in radio and he announced things like The Green Hornet and the Sky King and other shows where they had a lot of criminals. So I just figured he had to be associated with criminals somewhere in his life. Of course, everybody picked on him, and he had broad shoulders. And I again, I regret I never got to to meet him, which is sort of disappointing. But I did get to meet Peter Falk. That was kind of fun.   Greg Schwem ** 03:15 Mike Wallace to Peter Falk. Nice transition there. I know.   Michael Hingson ** 03:21 Well I am really glad you're with us. So why don't we start? We'll start with the serious part. Why don't you tell us, kind of about the early Greg schwim and growing up and all that sort of stuff, just to set the stage, as it were,   Greg Schwem ** 03:34 how far back you want to go? You want to go back to Little League, or you want to   Speaker 1 ** 03:37 just, oh, start at the beginning, a long time ago, right? I was a   Greg Schwem ** 03:41 very strange child. No, I you. You obviously introduced me as a as a comedian, and that is my full time job. And you also said that I was a former journalist, and that is my professional career. Yes, I went from, as I always like to say, I went from depressing people all day long, to making them laugh. And that's, that's kind of what I did. I always did want to be I majored in Journalism at Northwestern University, good journalism school. Originally, I always wanted to be a television reporter. That was as a professional career I was, I dabbled in comedy. Started when I was 16. That is the first time I ever got on stage at my school, my high school, and then at a comedy club. I was there one of the first comedy clubs in Chicago, a place called the comedy cottage. It was in the suburb of beautiful, beautiful suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, and they were one of the very, very first full time comedy clubs in the nation. And as a 16 year old kid, I actually got on stage and did five minutes here and five minutes there. And thought I was, I was hot stuff, but I never, ever thought I would do it for a living. I thought comedy would always be just a hobby. And I. Especially when I went to college, and I thought, okay, Northwestern is pretty good school, pretty expensive school. I should actually use my degree. And I did. I moved down to Florida, wrote for a newspaper called The Palm Beach post, which, don't let that title fool you. It's Palm Beach was a very small segment of of the area that it was, that it served, but I did comedy on the side, and just because I moved down there, I didn't know anybody, so I hung out at comedy clubs just to have something to do. And little by little, comedy in the late 80s, it exploded. Exploded. There were suddenly clubs popping up everywhere, and you were starting to get to know guys that were doing these clubs and were starting to get recognition for just being comedians. And one of them opened up a very, very good Club opened up about 10 minutes from my apartment in West Palm Beach, and I hung out there and started to get more stage time, and eventually started to realize at the same time that I was getting better as a comedian, I was becoming more disillusioned as a journalist in terms of what my bosses wanted me to report on and the tone they wanted me to use. And I just decided that I would I would just never be able to live with myself if I didn't try it, if I didn't take the the plunge into comedy, and that's what I did in 1989 and I've been doing it ever since. And my career has gone in multiple directions, as I think it needs to. If you're going to be in show business and sustain a career in show business, you have to wear a lot of different hats, which I feel like I've done.   Michael Hingson ** 06:40 So tell me more about that. What does that mean exactly?   Greg Schwem ** 06:43 Well, I mean, I started out as a what you would pretty much if somebody said, If you heard somebody say, I'm a comedian, they would envision some guy that just went to comedy clubs all the time, and that's what I did. I was just a guy that traveled by car all over the Midwest and the Southeast primarily, and did comedy clubs, but I quickly realized that was kind of a going nowhere way to attack it, to do comedy unless you were incredibly lucky, because there were so many guys doing it and so many clubs, and I just didn't see a future in it, and I felt like I had to separate myself from the pack a little bit. And I was living in Chicago, which is where I'm from, and still, still exist. Still reside in Chicago, and I started to get involved with a company that did live trade show presentations. So if you've ever been on a trade show floor and you see people, they're mostly actors and actresses that wear a headset and deliver a spiel, a pitch, like every, every twice an hour, about some company, some new product, and so forth. And I did that, and I started to write material about what I was seeing on trade show floors and putting it into my stand up act, stuff about business, stuff about technology, because I was Hawking a lot of new computers and things like that. This was the mid 90s when technology was exploding, and I started to put this into my stand up act. And then I'd have people come up to me afterwards and say, hey, you know those jokes you did about computers and tech support, if you could come down to our office, you know, we're having a golf tournament, we're having a Christmas party, we would love to hear that material. And little by little, I started transitioning my act into doing shows for the corporate market. I hooked up with a corporate agent, or the corporate agent heard about me, and started to open a lot of doors for me in terms of working for very large corporations, and that's pretty much what I've been doing. I stopped working clubs, and I transitioned, instead of being a comedian, I became a corporate humor speaker. And that's what I do, primarily to this day, is to speak at business conferences. Just kind of get people to loosen up, get them to laugh about what they do all day without without making it sound like I'm belittling what they do. And also when I'm not doing that, I work about eight to 10 weeks a year on cruise ships, performing for cruise audiences. So that's a nice getaway.   Speaker 1 ** 09:18 It's interesting since I mentioned Don Rickles earlier, years ago, I saw an interview that he did with Donahue, and one of the things that Don Rickles said, and after he said it, I thought about it. He said, I really don't want to pick on anyone who's going to be offended by me picking on them. He said, I try to watch really carefully, so that if it looks like somebody's getting offended, I'll leave them alone, because that's not what this is all about. It isn't about abusing people. It's about trying to get people to have fun, and if somebody's offended, I don't want to to pick on them, and I've heard a number of albums and other things with him and just. Noticed that that was really true. He wouldn't pick on someone unless they could take it and had a lot of fun with it. And I thought that was absolutely interesting, because that certainly wasn't, of course, the rep that he had and no, but it was   Greg Schwem ** 10:16 true. It is, and it doesn't take long to see as a as a comedian, when you're looking at an audience member and you're talking to them, it, you can tell very quickly, Are they enjoying this? Are they enjoying being the center of attention? A lot of people are, or are they uncomfortable with it? Now, I don't know that going in. I mean, I you know, of course. And again, that's a very small portion of my show is to talk to the audience, but it is something particularly today. I think audiences want to be more involved. I think they enjoy you talk you. Some of these, the new comedians in their 20s and 30s and so forth. Them, some of them are doing nothing, but what they call crowd work. So they're just doing 45 minutes of talking to the audience, which can be good and can be rough too, because you're working without a net. But I'm happy to give an audience a little bit of that. But I also have a lot of stuff that I want to say too. I mean, I work very hard coming up with material and and refining it, and I want to talk about what's going on in my life, too. So I don't want the audience to be the entire show, right?   Speaker 1 ** 11:26 And and they shouldn't be, because it isn't about that. But at the same time, it is nice to involve them. I find that as a keynote and public speaker, I find that true as well, though, is that audiences do like to be involved. And I do some things right at the outset of most talks to involve people, and also in involving them. I want to get them to last so that I start to draw them in, because later, when I tell the September 11 story, which isn't really a humorous thing. Directly,   Greg Schwem ** 12:04 i know i Good luck. I'm spinning 911 to make it I don't think I've ever heard anybody say, by the way, I was trapped in a building. Stick with me. It's kind of cute. It's got a funny ending. And   Speaker 1 ** 12:20 that's right, and it is hard I can, I can say humorous things along the way in telling the story, but, sure, right, but, but clearly it's not a story that, in of itself, is humorous. But what I realized over the years, and it's really dawned on me in the last four or five years is we now have a whole generation of people who have absolutely no memory of September 11 because they were children or they weren't even born yet. And I believe that my job is to not only talk about it, but literally to draw them into the building and have them walk down the stairs with me, and I have to be descriptive in a very positive way, so that they really are part of what's going on. And the reality is that I do hear people or people come up and say, we were with you when you were going down the stairs. And I think that's my job, because the reality is that we've got to get people to understand there are lessons to be learned from September 11, right? And the only real way to do that is to attract the audience and bring them in. And I think probably mostly, I'm in a better position to do that than most people, because I'm kind of a curious soul, being blind and all that, but it allows me to to draw them in and and it's fun to do that, actually. And I, and   Greg Schwem ** 13:52 I gotta believe, I mean, obviously I wasn't there, Michael, but I gotta believe there were moments of humor in people, a bunch of people going down the stairs. Sure, me, you put people get it's like, it's like when a bunch of people are in an elevator together, you know, I mean, there's I, when I look around and I try to find something humorous in a crowded and it's probably the same thing now, obviously it, you know, you got out in time. But I and, you know, don't that's the hotel phone, which I just hung up so but I think that I can totally see where you're going from, where, if you're if you're talking to people who have no recollection of this, have no memory where you're basically educating them on the whole event. I think you then you have the opportunity to tell the story in whatever way you see fit. And I think that however you choose to do it is there's no wrong way to do it, I guess is what I'm trying to get at.   Speaker 1 ** 14:55 Well, yeah, I think the wrong way is to be two. Graphic and morbid and morbid, but one of the things that I talk about, for example, is that a colleague of mine who was with me, David Frank, at about the 50th floor, suddenly said, Mike, we're going to die. We're not going to make it out of here. And as as I tell the audience, typically, I as as you heard my introduction at the beginning, I have a secondary teaching credential. And one of the things that you probably don't know about teachers is that there's a secret course that every teacher takes called Voice 101, how to yell at students and and so what I tell people is that when David said that, I just said in my best teacher voice, stop it, David, if Roselle and I can go down these stairs, so can you. And he told me later that that brought him out of his funk, and he ended up walking a floor below me and shouting up to me everything he saw. And it was just mainly, everything is clear, like I'm on floor 48 he's on 47/47 floor. Everything is good here, and what I have done for the past several years in telling that part of the story is to say David, in reality, probably did more to keep people calm and focused as we went down the stairs than anyone else, because anyone within the sound of his voice heard someone who was focused and sounded okay. You know, hey, I'm on the 44th floor. This is where the Port Authority cafeteria is not stopping. And it it helps people understand that we all had to do what we could to keep everyone from not panicking. And it almost happened a few times that people did, but we worked at it. But the i The idea is that it helps draw people in, and I think that's so important to do for my particular story is to draw them in and have them walk down the stairs with me, which is what I do, absolutely, yeah, yeah. Now I'm curious about something that keeps coming up. I hear it every so often, public speaker, Speaker experts and people who are supposedly the great gurus of public speaking say you shouldn't really start out with a joke. And I've heard that so often, and I'm going give me a break. Well, I think, I think it depends, yeah, I think   Greg Schwem ** 17:33 there's two schools of thought to that. I think if you're going to start out with a joke, it better be a really good one, or something that you either has been battle tested, because if it doesn't work now, you, you know, if you're hoping for a big laugh, now you're saying, Well, you're a comedian, what do you do? You know, I mean, I, I even, I just sort of work my way into it a little bit. Yeah, and I'm a comedian, so, and, you know, it's funny, Michael, I will get, I will get. I've had CEOs before say to me, Hey, you know, I've got to give this presentation next week. Give me a joke I can tell to everybody. And I always decline. I always it's like, I don't need that kind of pressure. And it's like, I can, I can, I can tell you a funny joke, but,   Michael Hingson ** 18:22 but you telling the   Greg Schwem ** 18:23 work? Yeah, deliver it. You know, I can't deliver it for you. Yeah? And I think that's what I also, you know, on that note, I've never been a big fan of Stand Up Comedy classes, and you see them all popping up all over the place. Now, a lot of comedy clubs will have them, and usually the you take the class, and the carrot at the end is you get to do five minutes at a comedy club right now, if that is your goal, if you're somebody who always like, Gosh, I wonder what it would like be like to stand up on stage and and be a comedian for five minutes. That's something I really like to try. By all means, take the class, all right. But if you think that you're going to take this class and you're going to emerge a much funnier person, like all of a sudden you you weren't funny, but now you are, don't take the class, yeah? And I think, sadly, I think that a lot of people sign up for these classes thinking the latter, thinking that they will all of a sudden become, you know, a comedian. And it doesn't work that way. I'm sorry you cannot teach unfunny people to be funny. Yeah, some of us have the gift of it, and some of us don't. Some of us are really good with our hands, and just know how to build stuff and how to look at things and say, I can do that. And some of us, myself included, definitely do not. You know, I think you can teach people to be more comfortable, more comfortable in front of an audience and. Correct. I think that is definitely a teachable thing, but I don't think that you can teach people to be funnier   Speaker 1 ** 20:10 and funnier, and I agree with that. I tend to be amazed when I keep hearing that one of the top fears in our world is getting up in front of an audience and talking with them, because people really don't understand that audiences, whatever you're doing, want you to succeed, and they're not against you, but we have just conditioned ourselves collectively that speaking is something to be afraid of?   Greg Schwem ** 20:41 Yes, I think, though it's, I'm sure, that fear, though, of getting up in front of people has only probably been exacerbated and been made more intense because now everybody in the audience has a cell phone and to and to be looking out at people and to see them on their phones. Yeah, you're and yet, you prepped all day long. You've been nervous. You've been you probably didn't sleep the night before. If you're one of these people who are afraid of speaking in public, yeah, and then to see people on their phones. You know, it used to bother me. It doesn't anymore, because it's just the society we live in. I just, I wish, I wish people could put their phones down and just enjoy laughing for 45 minutes. But unfortunately, our society can't do that anymore, so I just hope that I can get most of them to stop looking at it.   Speaker 1 ** 21:32 I don't make any comments about it at the beginning, but I have, on a number of occasions, been delivering a speech, and I hear a cell phone ring, and I'll stop and go, Hello. And I don't know for sure what the person with the cell phone does, but by the same token, you know they really shouldn't be on their phone and and it works out, okay, nobody's ever complained about it. And when I just say hello, or I'll go Hello, you don't say, you know, and things like that, but, but I don't, I don't prolong it. I'll just go back to what I was talking about. But I remember, when I lived in New Jersey, Sandy Duncan was Peter Pan in New York. One night she was flying over the audience, and there was somebody on his cell phone, and she happened to be going near him, and she just kicked the phone out of his hand. And I think that's one of the things that started Broadway in saying, if you have a cell phone, turn it off. And those are the announcements that you hear at the beginning of any Broadway performance today.   Greg Schwem ** 22:39 Unfortunately, people don't abide by that. I know you're still hearing cell phones go off, yeah, you know, in Broadway productions at the opera or wherever, so people just can't and there you go. There that just shows you're fighting a losing battle.   Speaker 1 ** 22:53 Yeah, it's just one of those things, and you got to cope with it.   Greg Schwem ** 22:58 What on that note, though, there was, I will say, if I can interrupt real quick, there was one show I did where nobody had their phone. It was a few years ago. I spoke at the CIA. I spoke for some employees of the CIA. And this might, this might freak people out, because you think, how is it that America's covert intelligence agency, you think they would be on their phones all the time. No, if you work there, you cannot have your phone on you. And so I had an audience of about 300 people who I had their total attention because there was no other way to they had no choice but to listen to me, and it was wonderful. It was just a great show, and I it was just so refreshing. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 23:52 and mostly I don't hear cell phones, but they do come up from time to time. And if they do, then you know it happens. Now my one of my favorite stories is I once spoke in Maryland at the Department of Defense, which anybody who knows anything knows that's the National Security Agency, but they call it the Department of Defense, as if we don't know. And my favorite story is that I had, at the time, a micro cassette recorder, and it died that morning before I traveled to Fort Meade, and I forgot to just throw it away, and it was in my briefcase. So I got to the fort, they searched, apparently, didn't find it, but on the way out, someone found it. They had to get a bird Colonel to come to decide what to do with it. I said, throw it away. And they said, No, we can't do that. It's yours. And they they decided it didn't work, and they let me take it and I threw it away. But it was so, so funny to to be at the fort and see everybody running around crazy. See, what do we do with this micro cassette recorder? This guy's been here for an hour. Yeah. So it's it. You know, all sorts of things happen. What do you think about you know, there's a lot of discussion about comedians who use a lot of foul language in their shows, and then there are those who don't, and people seem to like the shock value of that.   Greg Schwem ** 25:25 Yeah, I'm very old school in that. I guess my short answer is, No, I've never, ever been one of those comedians. Ever I do a clean show, I actually learned my lesson very early on. I think I think that I think comedians tend to swear because when they first start out, out of nerves, because I will tell you that profanity does get laughter. And I've always said, if you want to, if you want to experiment on that, have a comedian write a joke, and let's say he's got two shows that night. Let's say he's got an eight o'clock show and a 10 o'clock show. So let's say he does the joke in the eight o'clock and it's, you know, the cadence is bumper, bump up, bump up, bump up, punch line. Okay, now let's and let's see how that plays. Now let's now he does the 10 o'clock show and it's bumper, bump up, bump up F and Okay, yeah, I pretty much guarantee you the 10 o'clock show will get a bigger laugh. Okay? Because he's sort of, it's like the audience is programmed like, oh, okay, we're supposed to laugh at that now. And I think a lot of comedians think, Aha, I have just discovered how to be successful as a comedian. I will just insert the F word in front of every punch line, and you can kind of tell what comedians do that and what comedians I mean. I am fine with foul language, but have some jokes in there too. Don't make them. Don't make the foul word, the joke, the joke, right? And I can say another thing nobody has ever said to me, I cannot hire you because you're too clean. I've never gotten that. And all the years I've been doing this, and I know there's lots of comedians who who do work blue, who have said, you know, who have been turned down for that very reason. So I believe, if you're a comedian, the only way to get better is to work any place that will have you. Yeah, and you can't, so you might as well work clean so you can work any place that will have you, as opposed to being turned away.   Speaker 1 ** 27:30 Well, and I, and I know what, what happened to him and all that, but at the same time, I grew up listening to Bill Cosby and the fact that he was always clean. And, yeah, I understand everything that happened, but you can't deny and you can't forget so many years of humor and all the things that that he brought to the world, and the joy he brought to the world in so many ways.   Greg Schwem ** 27:57 Oh, yeah, no, I agree. I agree. And he Yeah, he worked everywhere. Jay Leno is another one. I mean, Jay Leno is kind of on the same wavelength as me, as far as don't let the profanity become the joke. You know, Eddie Murphy was, you know, was very foul. Richard Pryor, extremely foul. I but they also, prior, especially, had very intelligent material. I mean, you can tell and then if you want to insert your F bombs and so forth, that's fine, but at least show me that you're trying. At least show me that you came in with material in addition to the   Speaker 1 ** 28:36 foul language. The only thing I really have to say about all that is it? Jay Leno should just stay away from cars, but that's another story.   Greg Schwem ** 28:43 Oh, yeah, it's starting to   Greg Schwem ** 28:47 look that way. Yeah, it   Michael Hingson ** 28:49 was. It was fun for a while, Jay, but yeah, there's just two. It's like, Harrison Ford and plains. Yeah, same concept. At some point you're like, this isn't working out. Now I submit that living here in Victorville and just being out on the streets and being driven around and all that, I am firmly convinced, given the way most people drive here, that the bigoted DMV should let me have a license, because I am sure I can drive as well as most of the clowns around here. Yeah, so when they drive, I have no doubt. Oh, gosh. Well, you know, you switched from being a TV journalist and so on to to comedy. Was it a hard choice? Was it really difficult to do, or did it just seem like this is the time and this is the right thing to do. I was   Greg Schwem ** 29:41 both, you know, it was hard, because I really did enjoy my job and I liked, I liked being a TV news reporter. I liked, I liked a job that was different every day once you got in there, because you didn't know what they were going to send you out to do. Yes, you had. To get up and go to work every day and so forth. So there's a little bit of, you know, there's a little bit of the mundane, just like there is in any job, but once you were there, I liked, just never known what the day would bring, right? And and I, I think if I'd stayed with it, I think I think I could have gone pretty far, particularly now, because the now it's more people on TV are becoming more entertainers news people are becoming, yeah, they are. A lot of would be, want to be comedians and so forth. And I don't particularly think that's appropriate, but I agree. But so it was hard to leave, but it gets back to what I said earlier. At some point, you got to say, I was seeing comedians making money, and I was thinking, gosh, you know, if they're making money at this I I'm not hilarious, but I know I'm funnier than that guy. Yeah, I'm funnier than her, so why not? And I was young, and I was single, and I thought, if I if I don't try it now, I never will. And, and I'll bet there's just some hilarious people out there, yeah, who who didn't ever, who just were afraid   Michael Hingson ** 31:14 to take that chance, and they wouldn't take the leap, yeah,   Greg Schwem ** 31:16 right. And now they're probably kicking themselves, and I'm sure maybe they're very successful at what they do, but they're always going to say, what if, if I only done this? I don't ever, I don't, ever, I never, ever wanted to say that. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 31:31 well, and there's, there's something to be said for being brave and stepping out and doing something that you don't expect, or that you didn't expect, or that you weren't sure how it was going to go, but if you don't try, then you're never going to know just how, how much you could really accomplish and how much you can really do. And I think that the creative people, whatever they're being creative about, are the people who do step out and are willing to take a chance.   Greg Schwem ** 31:59 Yeah, yeah. And I told my kids that too. You know, it's just like, if it's something that you're passionate about, do it. Just try it. If it doesn't work out, then at least you can say I tried   Speaker 1 ** 32:09 it and and if it doesn't work out, then you can decide, what do I need to do to figure out why it didn't work out, or is it just not me? I want   Greg Schwem ** 32:18 to keep going? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.   Speaker 1 ** 32:21 So what is the difference between being a nightclub comedian and a corporate comedian? Because they are somewhat different. I think I know the answer. But what would you say that the differences between them? I think   Greg Schwem ** 32:33 the biggest thing is the audiences. I think when you when you are a nightclub comedian, you are working in front of people who are there to be entertained. Yeah, they, they paid money for that. That's what they're expecting. They, they, at some point during the day, they said, Hey, let's, let's go laugh tonight. That's what we really want to do when you're working in front of a corporate audiences. That's not necessarily the case. They are there. I primarily do business conferences and, you know, association meetings and so forth. And I'm just one cog in the wheel of a whole day's worth of meetings are, for the most part, very dry and boring, maybe certainly necessary educational. They're learning how to do their job better or something. And then you have a guy like me come in, and people aren't always ready to laugh, yeah, despite the fact that they probably need to, but they just they're not always in that mindset. And also the time of day. I mean, I do a lot of shows at nine in the morning. I do shows after lunch, right before lunch. I actually do very few shows in the evening, believe it or not. And so then you you have to, you kind of have to, in the while you're doing your act or your presentation or your speech, as I call it, you kind of have to let them know that it is okay. What you're doing is okay, and they should be okay with laughing. They shouldn't be looking around the whole time wondering if other people are laughing. You know, can I, can I? Can I tell you a quick story about how I drive that point home. Why not? Yeah, it's, I'll condense it into like five minutes. I mentioned that I worked on that I work on cruise ships occasionally, and I one night I was performing, and it was the first night of the cruise. And if anybody's ever been on a cruise, note, the first night, first night entertainers don't like the first night because people are tired. You know, they're they're a little edgy because they've been traveling all day. They're they're confused because they're not really sure where they're going on a ship. And the ones that have got it figured out usually over serve themselves because they're on vacation. So you put all that, so I'm doing my show on the first. Night, and it's going very well. And about five, six minutes in, I do a joke. Everybody laughs. Everybody shuts up. And from the back of the room in total darkness, I hear hat just like that. And I'm like, All right, you know, probably over served. So the rule of comedy is that everybody gets like. I was like, I'll let it go once, yeah. So I just kind of looked off in that direction, didn't say anything. Kept going with my active going with my act. About 10 minutes later, same thing happens. I tell a joke. Everybody laughs. Everybody shuts up. Hat now I'm like, Okay, I have got to, I've got to address the elephant in the room. So I think I just made some comment, like, you know, I didn't know Roseanne Barr was on this cruise, you know, because that was like the sound of the Yeah. Okay, everybody laugh. Nothing happened about five minutes later. It happens a third time. And now I'm just like, this is gonna stop. I'm going to put a stop to this. And I just fired off. I can't remember, like, three just like, hey man, you know you're you're just a little behind everybody else in this show and probably in life too, that, you know, things like that, and it never happened again. So I'm like, okay, mission accomplished on my part. Comedians love it when we can shut up somebody like that. Anyway. Show's over, I am out doing a meet and greet. Some guy comes up to me and he goes, hey, hey, you know that kid you were making fun of is mentally handicapped. And now, of course, I don't know this, but out of the corner of my eye, I see from the other exit a man pushing a son, his son in a wheelchair out of the showroom. And I'm just like, Oh, what have I done? And yeah. And of course, when you're on a cruise, you're you're on a cruise. When you're a cruise ship entertainer, you have to live with your audience. So I couldn't hide. I spent like the next three days, and it seemed like wherever I was, the man and his son in the wheelchair were nearby. And finally, on the fourth day, I think was, I was waiting for an elevator. Again, 3500 people on this ship, okay, I'm waiting for an elevator. The elevator door opens. Guess who are the only two people the elevator, the man and his son. And I can't really say I'll wait for the next one. So I get on, and I said to this the father, I said, I just want you to know I had no idea. You know, I'm so sorry. I can't see back there, this kind of thing. And the dad looks at me. He puts his hand up to stop me, and he points to me, and he goes, I thought you were hysterical. And it was, not only was it relief, but it kind of, it's sort of a lesson that if you think something is funny, you should laugh at it. Yeah. And I think sometimes in corporate America, my point in this. I think sometimes when you do these corporate shows, I think that audience members forget that. I think very busy looking around to see if their immediate boss thinks it's funny, and eventually everybody's looking at the CEO to see if they're like, you know, I think if you're doing it that way, if that's the way you're you're approaching humor. You're doing yourself a disservice, if right, stopping yourself from laughing at something that you think is funny.   Speaker 1 ** 38:09 I do think that that all too often the problem with meetings is that we as a as a country, we in corporations, don't do meetings, right anyway, for example, early on, I heard someone at a convention of the National Federation of the Blind say he was the new executive director of the American Foundation for the Blind, and he said, I have instituted a policy, no Braille, no meetings. And what that was all about was to say, if you're going to have a meeting, you need to make sure that all the documentation is accessible to those who aren't going to read the print. I take it further and say you shouldn't be giving out documentation during the meeting. And you can use the excuse, well, I got to get the latest numbers and all that. And my point is, you shouldn't be giving out documentation at a meeting, because the meeting is for people to communicate and interact with each other. And if you're giving out papers and so on, what are people going to do? They're going to read that, and they're not going to listen to the speakers. They're not going to listen to the other people. And we do so many things like that, we've gotten into a habit of doing things that become so predictable, but also make meetings very boring, because who wants to look at the papers where you can be listening to people who have a lot more constructive and interesting things to say anyway?   Greg Schwem ** 39:36 Yeah, yeah. I think, I think COVID definitely changed, some for the some for the better and some for the worse. I think that a lot of things that were done at meetings COVID and made us realize a lot of that stuff could be done virtually, that you didn't have to just have everybody sit and listen to people over and over and over again.   Speaker 1 ** 39:58 But unless you're Donald Trump. Up. Yeah, that's another story.   Greg Schwem ** 40:02 Yes, exactly another podcast episode. But, yeah, I do think also that. I think COVID changed audiences. I think, you know, we talked a little bit earlier about crowd work, right, and audiences wanting to be more involved. I think COVID precipitated that, because, if you think about it, Michael, for two and a half years during COVID, our sole source of entertainment was our phone, right? Which meant that we were in charge of the entertainment experience. You don't like something, swipe left, scroll down, scroll, scroll, scroll, find something else. You know, that kind of thing. I'm not I'm not entertained in the next four or five seconds. So I'm going to do this. And I think when live entertainment returned, audiences kind of had to be retrained a little bit, where they had to learn to sit and listen and wait for the entertainment to come to them. And granted, it might not happen immediately. It might not happen in the first five seconds, but you have to just give give people like me a chance. It will come to you. It will happen, but it might not be on your timetable,   Speaker 1 ** 41:13 right? Well, and I think that is all too true for me. I didn't find didn't find COVID to be a great inconvenience, because I don't look at the screen anyway, right? So in a sense, for me, COVID wasn't that much of a change, other than not being in an office or not being physically at a meeting, and so I was listening to the meeting on the computer, and that has its nuances. Like you don't necessarily get the same information about how everyone around you is reacting, but, but it didn't bother me, I think, nearly as much as it did everyone else who has to look at everyone. Of course, I have no problems picking on all those people as well, because what I point out is that that disabilities has to be redefined, because every one of you guys has your own disability. You're light dependent, and you don't do well when there's dark, when, when the dark shows up and and we now have an environment where Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb, and we've spent the last 147 years doing everything we can to make sure that light is pretty ubiquitous, but it doesn't change a thing when suddenly the power goes out and you don't have immediate access to light. So that's as much a disability as us light, independent people who don't   Greg Schwem ** 42:36 care about that, right? Right? I hear, I agree, but it is but   Speaker 1 ** 42:41 it is interesting and and it is also important that we all understand each other and are willing to tolerate the fact that there are differences in people, and we need to recognize that with whatever we're doing.   42:53 Yeah, I agree.   Speaker 1 ** 42:57 What do you think about so today, we have obviously a really fractured environment and fractured country, and everyone's got their own opinions, and nobody wants to talk about anything, especially politics wise. How do you think that's all affecting comedy and what you get to do and what other people are doing?   Greg Schwem ** 43:18 Well, I think Pete, I think there's, there's multiple answers to that question too. I think, I think it makes people nervous, wondering what the minute a comedian on stage brings up politics, the minute he starts talking about a politician, whether it's our president, whether it's somebody else, you can sense a tension in the room a little bit, and it's, it's, I mean, it's funny. I, one of my best friends in comedy, got to open for another comedian at Carnegie Hall a couple of years ago, and I went to see him, and I'm sitting way up in the top, and he is just crushing it. And then at one point he he brought up, he decided to do an impression of Mitch McConnell, which he does very well. However, the minute he said, Mitch McConnell, I you could just sense this is Carnegie freaking Hall, and after the show, you know, he and I always like to dissect each other's shows. That's what comedians do. And I just said to him, I go. Why did you decide to insert Mitch McConnell in there? And I, and I didn't say it like, you moron, that was stupid, yeah, but I was genuinely curious. And he just goes, well, I just really like doing that bit, and I like doing that voice and so forth, but, and it's not like the show crashed and burned afterwards. No, he did the joke, and then he got out of it, and he went on to other stuff, and it was fine, but I think that people are just so on their guard now, yeah, and, and that's why, you know, you know Jay Leno always said he was an equal opportunity offender. I think you will do better with politics if you really want. Insert politics into your act. I think he would be better making fun of both sides. Yeah, it's true. Yeah. And I think too often comedians now use the the stage as kind of a Bully, bully pulpit, like I have microphone and you don't. I am now going to give you my take on Donald Trump or the Democrats or whatever, and I've always said, talk about anything you want on stage, but just remember, you're at a comedy club. People came to laugh. So is there a joke in here? Yeah, or are you just ranting because you gotta be careful. You have to get this off your chest, and your way is right. It's, it's, you know, I hate to say it, but that's, that's why podcast, no offense, Michael, yours, is not like this. But I think one of the reasons podcasters have gotten so popular is a lot of people, just a lot of podcast hosts see a podcast is a chance to just rant about whatever's on their mind. And it's amazing to me how many podcast hosts that are hosted by comedians have a second guy have a sidekick to basically laugh and agree with whatever that person says. I think Joe Rogan is a classic example, and he's one of the most popular ones. But, and I don't quite understand that, because you know, if you're a comedian, you you made the choice to work solo, right? So why do you need somebody else with you?   Speaker 1 ** 46:33 I'm I'm fairly close to Leno. My remark is a little bit different. I'm not so much an equal opportunity offender as I am an equal opportunity abuser. I'll pick on both sides if politics comes into it at all, and it's and it's fun, and I remember when George W Bush was leaving the White House, Letterman said, Now we're not going to have anybody to joke about anymore. And everyone loved it. But still, I recognize that in the world today, people don't want to hear anything else. Don't confuse me with the facts or any of that, and it's so unfortunate, but it is the way it is, and so it's wiser to stay away from a lot of that, unless you can really break through the barrier,   Greg Schwem ** 47:21 I think so. And I also think that people, one thing you have to remember, I think, is when people come to a comedy show, they are coming to be entertained. Yeah, they are coming to kind of escape from the gloom and doom that unfortunately permeates our world right now. You know? I mean, I've always said that if you, if you walked up to a comedy club on a Saturday night, and let's say there were 50 people waiting outside, waiting to get in, and you asked all 50 of them, what do you hope happens tonight? Or or, Why are you here? All right, I think from all 50 you would get I would just like to laugh, yeah, I don't think one of them is going to say, you know, I really hope that my opinions on what's happening in the Middle East get challenged right now, but he's a comedian. No one is going to say that. No, no. It's like, I hope I get into it with the comedian on stage, because he thinks this way about a woman's right to choose, and I think the other way. And I really, really hope that he and I will get into an argument about to the middle of the   Speaker 1 ** 48:37 show. Yeah, yeah. That's not why people come?   Greg Schwem ** 48:40 No, it's not. And I, unfortunately, I think again, I think that there's a lot of comedians that don't understand that. Yeah, again, talk about whatever you want on stage, but just remember that your your surroundings, you if you build yourself as a comedian,   48:56 make it funny. Yeah, be funny.   Speaker 1 ** 49:00 Well, and nowadays, especially for for you, for me and so on, we're we're growing older and and I think you point out audiences are getting younger. How do you deal with that?   Greg Schwem ** 49:12 Well, what I try to do is I a couple of things. I try to talk as much as I can about topics that are relevant to a younger generation. Ai being one, I, one of the things I do in my my show is I say, oh, you know, I I really wasn't sure how to start off. And when you're confused these days, you you turn to answer your questions. You turn to chat GPT, and I've actually written, you know, said to chat GPT, you know, I'm doing a show tonight for a group of construction workers who work in the Midwest. It's a $350 million company, and it says, try to be very specific. Give me a funny opening line. And of course, chat GPT always comes up with some. Something kind of stupid, which I then relate to the audience, and they love that, you know, they love that concept. So I think there's, obviously, there's a lot of material that you can do on generational differences, but I, I will say I am very, very aware that my audience is, for the most part, younger than me now, unless I want to spend the rest of my career doing you know, over 55 communities, not that they're not great laughers, but I also think there's a real challenge in being older than your audience and still being able to make them laugh. But I think you have to remember, like you said, there's there's people now that don't remember 911 that have no concept of it, yeah, so don't be doing references from, say, the 1980s or the early 1990s and then come off stage and go, Man, nobody that didn't hit at all. No one, no one. They're stupid. They don't get it. Well, no, they, they, it sounds they don't get it. It's just that they weren't around. They weren't around, right? So that's on you.   Speaker 1 ** 51:01 One of the things that you know people ask me is if I will do virtual events, and I'll do virtual events, but I also tell people, the reason I prefer to do in person events is that I can sense what the audience is doing, how they're reacting and what they feel. If I'm in a room speaking to people, and I don't have that same sense if I'm doing something virtually, agreed same way. Now for me, at the same time, I've been doing this now for 23 years, so I have a pretty good idea in general, how to interact with an audience, to draw them in, even in a virtual environment, but I still tend to be a little bit more careful about it, and it's just kind of the way it is, you know, and you and you learn to deal with it well for you, have you ever had writer's block, and how did you deal with it?   Greg Schwem ** 51:57 Yes, I have had writer's block. I don't I can't think of a single comedian who's never had writer's block, and if they say they haven't, I think they're lying when I have writer's block, the best way for me to deal with this and just so you know, I'm not the kind of comedian that can go that can sit down and write jokes. I can write stories. I've written three books, but I can't sit down and just be funny for an hour all by myself. I need interaction. I need communication. And I think when I have writer's block, I tend to go out and try and meet strangers and can engage them in conversation and find out what's going on with them. I mean, you mentioned about dealing with the younger audience. I am a big believer right now in talking to people who are half my age. I like doing that in social settings, because I just, I'm curious. I'm curious as to how they think. I'm curious as to, you know, how they spend money, how they save money, how what their hopes and dreams are for the future, what that kind of thing, and that's the kind of stuff that then I'll take back and try and write material about. And I think that, I think it's fun for me, and it's really fun to meet somebody who I'll give you a great example just last night. Last night, I was I there's a there's a bar that I have that's about 10 a stone's throw from my condo, and I love to stop in there and and every now and then, sometimes I'll sit there and I won't meet anybody, and sometimes different. So there was a guy, I'd say he's probably in his early 30s, sitting too over, and he was reading, which I find intriguing, that people come to a bar and read, yeah, people do it, I mean. And I just said to him, I go, and he was getting ready to pay his bill, and I just said, if you don't mind me asking, What are you reading? And he's like, Oh, it's by Ezra Klein. And I go, you know, I've listened to Ezra Klein before. And he goes, Yeah, you know? He says, I'm a big fan. And debt to debt to dad. Next thing, you know, we're just, we're just riffing back and forth. And I ended up staying. He put it this way, Michael, it took him a very long time to pay his bill because we had a conversation, and it was just such a pleasure to to people like that, and I think that, and it's a hard thing. It's a hard thing for me to do, because I think people are on their guard, a little bit like, why is this guy who's twice my age talking to me at a bar? That's that seems a little weird. And I would get that. I can see that. But as I mentioned in my latest book, I don't mean because I don't a whole chapter to this, and I I say in the book, I don't mean you any harm. I'm not trying to hit on you, or I'm not creepy old guy at the bar. I am genuinely interested in your story. And. In your life, and and I just, I want to be the least interesting guy in the room, and that's kind of how I go about my writing, too. Is just you, you drive the story. And even though I'm the comedian, I'll just fill in the gaps and make them funny.   Speaker 1 ** 55:15 Well, I know that I have often been invited to speak at places, and I wondered, What am I going to say to this particular audience? How am I going to deal with them? They're they're different than what I'm used to. What I found, I guess you could call that writer's block, but what I found is, if I can go early and interact with them, even if I'm the very first speaker, if I can interact with them beforehand, or if there are other people speaking before me, invariably, I will hear things that will allow me to be able to move on and give a relevant presentation specifically to that group, which is what it's really all about. And so I'm with you, and I appreciate it, and it's good to get to the point where you don't worry about the block, but rather you look at ways to move forward and interact with people and make it fun, right,   Greg Schwem ** 56:13 right? And I do think people, I think COVID, took that away from us a little bit, yeah, obviously, but I but, and I do think people missed that. I think that people, once you get them talking, are more inclined to not think that you're you have ulterior motives. I think people do enjoy putting their phones down a little bit, but it's, it's kind of a two way street when I, when I do meet people, if it's if it's only me asking the questions, eventually I'm going to get tired of that. Yeah, I think there's a, there has to be a reciprocity thing a little bit. And one thing I find is, is with the Gen Z's and maybe millennials. They're not, they're not as good at that as I think they could be. They're more they're they're happy to talk about themselves, but they're not really good at saying so what do you do for a living? Or what you know, tell me about you. And I mean, that's how you learn about other people. Yeah,   Speaker 1 ** 57:19 tell me about your your latest book, Turning gut punches into punchlines. That's a interesting title, yeah, well, the more   Greg Schwem ** 57:26 interesting is the subtitle. So it's turning gut punches into punch punch lines, A Comedian's journey through cancer, divorce and other hilarious stuff.   Speaker 1 ** 57:35 No, like you haven't done anything in the world. Okay, right? So   Greg Schwem ** 57:38 other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln. Yeah, exactly. See, now you get that reference. I don't know if I could use that on stage, but anyway, depend on your audience. But yeah, they're like, What's he talking   Speaker 1 ** 57:50 who's Lincoln? And I've been to Ford theater too, so that's okay, yes, as have I. So it was much later than, than, well, than Lincoln, but that's okay.   Greg Schwem ** 57:58 You're not that old, right? No. Well, okay, so as the title, as the title implies, I did have sort of a double, double gut punch, it just in the last two years. So I, I got divorced late in life, after 29 years of marriage. And while that was going on, I got a colon cancer diagnosis and and at this end, I was dealing with all this while also continuing work as a humor speaker, okay, as a comedian. And I just decided I got it. First of all, I got a very clean bill of health. I'm cancer free. I am finally divorced so and I, I started to think, I wonder if there's some humor in this. I I would, I would, you know, Michael, I've been on stage for like, 25 years telling people that, you know, you can find something funny to laugh at. You can find humor in any situation. It's kind of like what you're talking about all the people going down the stairs in the building in the world trade center. All right, if you look around enough, you know, maybe there's something funny, and I've been preaching that, but I never really had to live that until now. And I thought, you know, maybe there's something here. Maybe I can this is my chance now to embrace new experiences. It was kind of when I got divorced, when you've been married half your life and all of a sudden you get divorced, everything's new to you, yeah, you're, you're, you're living alone, you you're doing things that your spouse did, oh, so many years. And you're having to do those, and you're having to make new friends, yeah, and all of that, I think, is very humorous. So the more I saw a book in there that I started writing before the cancer diagnosis, and I thought was there enough here? Just like, okay, a guy at 60 years old gets divorced now what's going to happen to him? The diagnosis? Kind. Made it just added another wrinkle to the book, because now I have to deal with this, and I have to find another subject to to make light of a little bit. So the book is not a memoir, you know, I don't start it off. And, you know, when I was seven, you know, I played, you know, I was, I went to this school night. It's not that. It's more just about reinvention and just seeing that you can be happy later in life, even though you have to kind of rewrite your your story a little   Speaker 1 ** 1:00:33 bit. And I would assume, and I would assume, you bring some of that into your ACT every so   Greg Schwem ** 1:00:38 very much. So yeah, I created a whole new speech called Turning gut punches into punchlines. And I some of the stuff that I, that I did, but, you know, there's a chapter in the book about, I about gig work, actually three chapters I, you know, I went to work for Amazon during the Christmas holiday rush, just scanning packages. I wanted to see what that was like. I drove for Uber I which I did for a while. And to tell you the truth, I miss it. I ended up selling my car, but I miss it because of the what we just talked about. It was a great way to communicate with people. It was a great way to talk to people, find out about them, be the least interesting person in the car, anyway. And there's a chapter about dating and online dating, which I had not had to do in 30 years. There's a lot of humor in that. I went to therapy. I'd never gone to therapy before. I wrote a chapter about that. So I think people really respond to this book, because they I think they see a lot of themselves in it. You know, lots of people have been divorced. There's lots of cancer survivors out there, and there's lots of people who just suddenly have hit a speed bump in their life, and they're not really sure how to deal with it, right? And my way, this book is just about deal with it through laughter. And I'm the perfect example.   Speaker 1 ** 1:01:56 I hear you, Oh, I I know, and I've been through the same sort of thing as you not a divorce, but my wife and I were married for 40 years, and she passed away in November of 2022 after 40 years of marriage. And as I tell people, as I tell people, I got to be really careful, because she's monitoring me from somewhere, and if I misbehave, I'm going to hear about it, so I got to be a good kid, and I don't even chase the women so. But I also point out that none of them have been chasing me either, so I guess I just do what we got to do. But the reality is, I think there are always ways to find some sort of a connection with other people, and then, of course, that's what what you do. It's all about creating a connection, creating a relationship, even if it's only for a couple of hours or an hour or 45 minutes, but, but you do it, which is what it's all about?   Greg Schwem ** 1:02:49 Yeah, exactly. And I think the funniest stuff is real life experience. Oh, absolutely, you know. And if people can see themselves in in what I've written, then I've done my job as a writer.   Speaker 1 ** 1:03:03 So do you have any plans to retire?   Greg Schwem ** 1:03:06 Never. I mean, good for you retire from what   1:03:09 I know right, making fun of people   Greg Schwem ** 1:03:12 and making them laugh. I mean, I don't know what I would do with myself, and even if I there's always going to be I don't care how technology, technologically advanced our society gets. People will always want and need to laugh. Yeah, they're always going to want to do that. And if they're want, if they're wanting to do that, then I will find, I will find a way to get to them. And that's why I, as I said, That's why, like working on cruise ships has become, like a new, sort of a new avenue for me to make people laugh. And so, yeah, I don't I there's, there's no way. I don't know what else I would do with   Speaker 1 ** 1:03:53 myself, well and from my perspective, as long as I can inspire people, yes, I can make people think a little bit and feel better about themselves. I'm going to do it right. And, and, and I do. And I wrote a book during COVID that was published last August called Live like a guide dog. And it's all about helping people learn to control fear. And I use lessons I learned from eight guide dogs and my wife service dog to do that. My wife was in a wheelchair her whole life. Great marriage. She read, I pushed worked out well, but, but the but the but the bottom line is that dogs can teach us so many lessons, and there's so much that we can learn from them. So I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to create this book and and get it out there. And I think that again, as long as I can continue to inspire people, I'm going to do it. Because   Greg Schwem ** 1:04:47 why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't I exactly right? Yeah, yeah. So,   Speaker 1 ** 1:04:51 I mean, I think if I, if I stopped, I think my wife would beat up on me, so I gotta be nice exactly. She's monitoring from somewhere

National Pecan pie day.  Entertainment from 1966.  Etch a sketch went on sale, Guy with longest fingernails got em cut, Ellis Island bought.  Todays birthdays - Milton Berle, Bill Cosby, Christine McVie, Cheryl Ladd, Robin Wilson, Michelle Rodriguez, Kimberley Perry.  Dolly Madison died.Intro - God did good - Dianna Corcoran   https://www.diannacorcoran.com/  Pecan pie - Bobby PPaperback writer - The BeatlesThere goes my everything - Jack GreeneBirthdays - In da club - 50 Cent   https://www.50cent.com/Fat Albert TV themeTell me lies - Fleetwood MacHey Jelousy - Gin BlossomsIf I die young - The Band PerryExit - No thanks - Brinley Addington    https://www.brinleyaddington.com/countryundergroundradio.comHistory & Factoids webpage

On today's show, we dive into the future of Trump's “one big beautiful bill”—what could it mean for the country.We'll also break down the latest developments with Diddy, who's been charged with 2 out of 5 counts. What does this mean for his legacy, and how will the music industry and fans respond moving forward?Plus, we revisit the complicated legacy of Bill Cosby. Once a cultural icon, his reputation has been deeply tarnished by serious allegations. We'll also discuss his past criticisms of the Black community—remarks that were once seen as patronizing, but now, in some circles, are being viewed as prophetic.All this and more, right here on Culture No Cap!

Welcome to Bulletproof. I'm Steve Stanulis, and after years of keeping quiet about what I've witnessed in Hollywood, I'm finally ready to pull back the curtain on celebrity crime happening right now. In this pilot episode, I share why I've decided to speak out after living a triple life that nobody could believe - simultaneously working as an NYPD officer, Chippendales dancer, and celebrity bodyguard. Recent events, including someone I used to dance with testifying in the Diddy case, changed everything. You'll hear about my first private investigation case - going undercover as a male escort to catch a criminal extorting a high-powered woman. I literally put myself on escort websites and almost got plastic surgery to look like Ron Jeremy to nail this guy. I'll also share what it was really like working with Kanye West, including having to listen to him defend Bill Cosby in my car. Spoiler alert: he's exactly what you think he is. Unlike other true crime podcasts that rehash decades-old cases, Bulletproof focuses on active celebrity investigations happening right now. I'm not a retired cop telling old stories - I'm a licensed private investigator currently working celebrity crime cases and entertainment industry fraud. This isn't a tell-all - this is an ongoing investigation into celebrity crime you won't hear about anywhere else. Subscribe now and hit that notification bell for bi-weekly episodes exposing Hollywood's criminal underground. Follow me on social media @BulletproofTureCrimePodcast for exclusive content and reveals.   Follow Me!! Website: Film/Production - https://stanulisfilms.com/ Investigation - https://silvershieldinvestigation.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevestanulis Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MrStanulis44 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevestanulis/ Steve Stanulis Awards: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1468541/awards/

The Dukes are back?.. What the hell just happened in Kentucky over the weekend? Where the hell is North, South Carolina? Listen to this lady drive Bill Cosby nuts on an old tv show episode Headlines

Today on the show, Paul and Ben talk about the war on Iran, the guy sent back to Oslo for the JD Vance meme, Coast to Coast with Art Bell and Bigfoot, improv classes, ICE and bounty hunters, the reason Paul keeps smelling his hands, what to do with your tongue during a dentist visit, the Chicago Red Line, minding your own business, the real me, spoilers for MurderBot, the Bill Cosby documentary, and Zohran Mamdani.

Featuring hit three piece: Cars, Crack, and Cocaine. From Episode 92 of Spoken Word with Electronics: https://soundcloud.com/eptc/sets/spoken-word-with-electronics-episode-92 Support the show with a book: http://www.ep.tc/books

Historian Augustine Sedgewick became a father in the summer of 2017. At the time, media events like the Bill Cosby trial were publicly challenging ideals of masculinity and fatherhood. Motivated by care for his son, Sedgewick began to research the history of masculinity and the figure of the dad. His new book Fatherhood approaches the topic through historical examples, from figures like Aristotle and Henry VIII to the work of Sigmund Freud. In today's episode, Sedgewick tells NPR's Steve Inskeep that men – like women – face impossible standards as parents, but are less likely to talk about them.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Fourth episode in a special series of the Make it Plain podcast, ‘What Would Malcolm Say?' where Kehinde Andrews explains what Malcolm's body of work tells us about what is going on in the present. Each episode will also feature a full interview with someone featured in the documentary 'Nobody Can Give You Freedom', which was independently made by Make it Plain. You can watch the entire documentary for free at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZBZyaruoGo&t=136s Film was made by Michael Ellis Films This week Kehinde breaks down what Malcolm would say about Diddy, Tyler Perry, R-Kelley, Cosby and all the other accusations of sexual abuse facing some high profile Black celebrities. You best believe Malcom would be mad both at the lack of protection for Black women and how we have been building up the wrong people in the first place. We shouldn't ben adoring those in the House and then wandering why many are fallen idols. Plus we share the full interview with Sayce Holmes-Lewis from Mentivity from the Nobody Can Give You Freedom film Find out about Mentivity: here https://www.mentivity.com/ Get your copy of Kehinde's book Nobody Can Give You Freedom. Out now in the UK at https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460078/nobody-can-give-you-freedom-by-andrews-kehinde/9780241681176 Out in the US on 9th September https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kehinde-andrews/nobody-can-give-you-freedom/9781645030706/?lens=bold-type-books Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Find out about the Convention for Afrikan People: https://make-it-plain.org/convention-of-afrikan-people/ Written and hosted by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews Artwork by Assata Andrews

“He's been walking through doors. He's been falling through floors. He's been going through a lot lately, but he's still Dad.”   “Ghost Dad is a 1990 American fantasy comedy film directed by Sidney Poitier (in his final directorial effort) and starring Bill Cosby, in which a widower's spirit is able to communicate with his children after his death.”   Show Links Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nRkAUAXT_A   Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Dad   Just Watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/ghost-dad   Socials Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/moviewavepod.bsky.social   Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/moviewavepod   Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviewavepod/   Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@moviewavepod   Intro/Outro Sample Credits “Aiwa CX-930 VHS VCR Video Cassette Recorder.wav” by Pixabay “Underwater Ambience” by Pixabay “waves crashing into shore parkdale beach” by Pixabay   Movie Wave is a part of Pie Hat Productions.

Send us a textSummaryComedian Josh Sneed shares his journey from growing up in St. Bernard, Ohio, to becoming a nationally touring comedian and entrepreneur. He discusses his deep-rooted passion for the Cincinnati Reds, humorous anecdotes from his childhood, and the evolution of his brand, Cincy Shirts. Josh also highlights the importance of community engagement through his new venture, The FieldHouse, and his commitment to fostering a positive environment in youth sports. With insights into his comedic influences and experiences, this episode offers a blend of humor, nostalgia, and inspiration.TakeawaysJosh Sneed is a nationally touring comedian with a rich background in stand-up.He grew up in St. Bernard, Ohio, and attended St. Bernard Elmwood Place High School.Josh's early career included working at Procter & Gamble while pursuing comedy.He has a deep-rooted passion for the Cincinnati Reds, influenced by his father's fandom.Josh shares humorous anecdotes from his childhood and high school experiences.He emphasizes the importance of family and community in his life and career.Cincy Shirts started as a funny t-shirt company and evolved into a local brand.The Field House is a new indoor baseball facility that Josh co-founded.Josh's comedy influences include Conan O'Brien, Bill Cosby, and Dave Chappelle.He aims to create a positive environment in youth sports through his organization, RedLegs.Sound Bites"I was part of a group of funny guys.""I want every single one of these.""I wanted to be on Conan O'Brien." Sponsored by Moerlein Lager House, host of the March 26, 2025 Opening Day Eve Party benefitting the Reds Community Fund!

New York Times best selling author Mark Ebner is an award winning investigative journalist who has covered all aspects of celebrity and crime culture for Spy, Rolling Stone, Maxim, Details, Los Angeles, Premiere, Salon, Spin, Radar, Angeleno, The Daily Beast.com, Gawker.com, BoingBoing.net and New Times among other national and international and internet publications. He has repeatedly positioned himself in harm's way, conducting dozens of investigations into such subjects as Scientology, Pit Bull fighting in South Central Los Angeles, the Ku Klux Klan in Texas, celebrity stalkers, drug dealers, missing porn stars, sports groupies, mobsters, college suicides and Hepatitis C in Hollywood.Ebner has produced for and/or appeared as a journalist-commentator on NBC, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, A&E, The BBC, Channel 4 (UK), National Public Radio, Court TV, Fox News, FX, VH-1 and E! Entertainment Television. He has been a featured guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Today Show, The Early Show, Inside Edition, The Dylan Ratigan Show, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, Fox & Friends, Catherine Crier Live, and a host of other television and radio programs in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom and Asia.Hollywood, Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon -- The Case Against Celebrityhttps://amzn.to/3ZuZgYrBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

GGACP's celebration of National DJ Month continues with this 2014 interview with the late comedian, radio personality and Emmy-winning actor Jay Thomas. In this episode, Jay talks about playing doomed hockey star Eddie LeBec on “Cheers” and tabloid talker Jerry Gold on “Murphy Brown” and shares some brutally candid anecdotes about everything from stealing Bill Cosby's jokes to getting kicked out of a “West Wing” audition to the world's worst cross-country flight. PLUS: Richard Dreyfuss! Cheech & Chong! Joe Piscopo runs afoul of the mob! Jay runs afoul of Rhea Perlman! Gilbert's opening act steals his jokes! And the Lone Ranger “rides” again!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we look at the sprawling career and casework of Gloria Allred. She’s an icon who’s been involved in so many major legal cases, OJ, Bill Cosby, the fight for gay marriage, priest abuse cases and AIDS discrimination. She’s seen it all. She’s been practicing law for nearly fifty years, and in that time she’s been a hero, a villain, and everything in between. • Follow Diversion Audio on Instagram • Explore more: diversionaudio.com This series is hosted by Mary Kay McBrayer. Check out more of her work at www.marykaymcbrayer.com.This episode was written by Mary Kay McBrayerDeveloped by Scott Waxman, Emma DeMuth, and Jacob Bronstein Associate Producer is Leo CulpProduced by Antonio EnriquezTheme Music by Tyler CashExecutive Produced by Scott Waxman and Emma DeMuth Special thanks to:Carter, Stephen L.. Invisible. Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition. Pre-order Mary Kay's forthcoming true crime book 'Madame Queen: The The Life and Crimes of Harlem’s Underground Racketeer, Stephanie St. Clair' here SOURCES https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-04-24-me-1698-story.html https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-09-05-me-463-story.html https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12970625/Distraught-sister-latest-Rex-Heuermann-victim-weeps-outside-court-says-losing-Maureen-wound-never-truly-heals-Long-Island-serial-killer-pleads-not-guilty.html East LA Walkouts https://guides.loc.gov/latinx-civil-rights/east-la-walkouts Girls Schools https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1020228613796 https://www.heri.ucla.edu/PDFs/pubs/briefs/SAX_031909_brief.pdf William Allred https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/8905092/ https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-10-20-mn-14752-story.html https://www.gloriaallred.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/1200518/2021/01/Gloria-Allred-Article-Los-Angeles-Magazine.pdf https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-02-26-me-2875-story.html Rape https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.4679070 Rita Milla https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2007/11_12/2007_12_05_Green_ShatteredFaith.htm https://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/04/03/forgotten-in-the-flock/ https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-gloria-allred-20151113-story.html https://archive.org/details/goodcatholicgirl00bona/page/60/mode/1up?q=%22rita+milla%22 General https://www.gloriaallred.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/1200518/2021/01/Gloria-Allred-Article-Los-Angeles-Magazine.pdf https://www.kveller.com/16-things-you-need-to-know-about-badass-jewish-lawyer-gloria-allred/ https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a539/gloria-allred-0610/ https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/02/gloria-allreds-crusade https://www.law.com/thelegalintelligencer/almID/1202473867559/ Harvey Wienstein https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/08/books/harvey-weinstein-book-kantor-twohey.html?smid=pc-thedaily https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/podcasts/the-daily/harvey-weinstein-lisa-bloom.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/podcasts/the-daily/harvey-weinstein-gloria-allred.html See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Shat the Movies finally kneels before Zod—and listener Chris Lloyd—by reviewing Superman II (1980), the sequel that gave us Terrence Stamp's immortal sneer, Margot Kidder's bathrobe thirst, and Christopher Reeve's blue-eyed beefcake perfection. This episode dives headfirst into the Donner vs. Lester debate, asks how much ejaculate the Fortress of Solitude can handle, and questions Lois Lane's true intentions once Clark Kent drops the glasses—and the powers. Gene and Big D examine everything from Superman's bizarre morality and dubious revenge tactics to the wildly impractical Phantom Zone prison system. They also debate if memory-wiping kisses and cellophane logos deserve a place in superhero canon and why Perry White's newsroom features a threatening photo of Bill Cosby. Whether you're team “Mormon Dad Superman” or “Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex,” this episode delivers laughs, awkward truths, and more than a few inappropriate questions about Kryptonian sex. Plot Summary After banishing Kryptonian rebels General Zod, Ursa, and Non to the Phantom Zone, Superman continues his life as Clark Kent—until a hydrogen bomb explosion in space releases the trio. Landing on Earth, they gain Superman's powers from the yellow sun and quickly set their sights on global domination. Meanwhile, Lois Lane grows suspicious of Clark's identity, prompting him to reveal his secret and sacrifice his powers to be with her. But when Zod and his cronies begin wreaking havoc—and Lex Luthor joins their side—Superman must reclaim his abilities and protect humanity. The final showdown brings the villains to the Fortress of Solitude, where Superman uses brains over brawn to save the world, while also redefining the meaning of romantic boundaries with a memory-erasing kiss. Subscribe Now Android: https://www.shatpod.com/android Apple/iTunes: https://www.shatpod.com/apple Help Support the Podcast Contact Us: https://www.shatpod.com/contact Commission Movie: https://www.shatpod.com/support Support with Paypal: https://www.shatpod.com/paypal Support With Venmo: https://www.shatpod.com/venmo Shop Merchandise: https://www.shatpod.com/shop Theme Song - Die Hard by Guyz Nite: https://www.facebook.com/guyznite

 April 7-13, 1990 This week Ken welcomes author of super cool graphic novel Von Bach, and man behind the fanstic YouTube channel Hammered Out, owenhammer.com/hammered-out.html, Owen "The Hammer" Hammer.   Ken and Owen discuss Hammered out, ABC's reputation, Twin Peaks, the premiere of Twin Peaks, David Lynch, film criticism, media review, how the actors aren't always the best person to have insight into a show they are on, Jim Belushi, Jay Larson, Twin Peaks the Return, the 4 and a half hour Twin Peaks explained Twin Perfect YouTube video, how there IS an explanation for Twin Peaks, avoiding conspiracies, artist intent, the late 80s early 90s meta fiction trend, Animal Man, Perfect Blue, the only bad movies are boring and/or insincere, Donnie Yen, Star Wars, Rogue One, water cooler media, On the Air, people not expecting humor from David Lynch, Fire Walk with Me, mid-season replacements, Comedy Central the Comedy Channel and HA!, how Lost Highway is Lynch's criticism of Quinten Tarantino, superficial readings, missing the point, TM, Eastern Mysticism, Henry Rollins, Bill Cosby, Mad Movies, MST3k, loving Murder She Wrote so watching Twin Peaks, John Waters, Looney Tunes, The Simpsons, David Lynch bringing a cow and a marching band around to publicize Inland Empire, the 1977 Jesus of Nazareth, how Laura Palmer is self aware, murder on TV, what it means to be human, The Incredible Hulk, Alien Nation, Ken Johnson, Dobie Gillis, the lambada, Missing in Action III, America's Funniest Home Videos, Star Trek the Next Generation, pigs getting sunburned, being offended by bungee cord based sneaker ads, and the greatness of Nick at Nite. 

Hugh Hefner was the founder and editor-in-chief of Playboy magazine, a publication with revealing photographs and articles. Hefner extended the Playboy brand into a world network of Playboy Clubs. He also resided in luxury mansions where Playboy Playmates shared his wild partying life, fueling media interest. He was viewed by most of the world as a progressive in the feminist sexual revolution, but what about the dark underbelly of his fantasy empire? Walk with Joel down the dark tunnels beneath the Playboy Mansion to uncover the mind control secrets of Hugh Hefner. He looks into the secret “mini-mansions” where Hefner's associates ran knockoff versions of Hugh's mansion, but with even darker consequences for the women invited to them. He then unravels the connection between Hugh Hefner and the mysterious MK-Ultra Monarch Programming with playmates tied to Brice Taylor author of the tell all book, “Thanks for the Memories”. Lastly, Joel digs into police reports implicating Bill Cosby and Hugh Hefner to suicide and underage activity that reveals who Hefner really was all along. Buy Me A Coffee: Donate Website: https://linktr.ee/joelthomasmedia Follow: Instagram | X | Facebook Watch: YouTube | Rumble Music: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music Films: merkelfilms.com Email: freetherabbitspodcast@gmail.com Distributed by: merkel.media Produced by: @jack_theproducer INTRO MUSIC Joel Thomas - Free The Rabbits YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify OUTRO MUSIC Joel Thomas - Psyop YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify

Michael Freedman joins Nathan on Thinking LSAT to share his story as a trial lawyer in some of the nation's most high-profile criminal cases. Along the way, he shares candid advice for law students about finding their path, building experience, and starting a firm. Michael emphasizes the importance of treating law school like a job, embracing trial work, and nurturing every professional relationship.4:00 – UC HastingsMichael recalls feeling bored during his 1L year but loving 2L because he finally began interacting with real lawyers. Nathan encourages students to approach law school the way Michael did. Michael offers two practical tips for success: treat law school like a 9-to-5 job and intentionally build life balance outside of school.27:10 – Federal Clerkship and Government PositionDespite participating in OCI, Michael didn't land a Big Law job. Instead, he worked during law school for a trial lawyer focused on white-collar defense, which helped him confirm his passion for criminal trial work. The client relationship aspect deeply appealed to him, influencing his decision to clerk after graduation. He landed a prestigious clerkship on the Ninth Circuit. While many of his peers moved into Big Law after clerking, Michael opted for a government role to gain more courtroom experience. When he eventually reached the typical endpoint for federal positions, he chose to start his firm rather than join another existing one.27:23 – Starting the Freedman FirmTo build his practice, Michael accepted every case, no matter the size, emphasizing that no case was too small in those early days. He believes that founding a firm requires an entrepreneurial mindset—one must enjoy thinking about how to acquire clients, how to handle hiring, and how to manage payroll. He later brought on another partner to help handle larger, more demanding cases.33:41 – Big Profile CasesMichael's work eventually led to invitations to co-counsel on major white-collar criminal cases, including representing Bill Cosby, working on R. Kelly's trial, and participating in Harvey Weinstein's appeal. Much of this work was in collaboration with Jennifer Bonjean, a highly respected trial attorney based in Chicago. These opportunities didn't happen by accident. They stemmed from years of deliberate effort in building strong professional relationships. Michael treats his referral sources like clients themselves, ensuring they're proud to be associated with his work and satisfied with the results he delivers.40:41 – Should Our Students Do What You Do?Michael poses a fundamental question to students: Do you know what kind of lawyer you want to be? He encourages students to take advantage of every opportunity to gain hands-on experience. Law firms require a diverse range of personalities and backgrounds to serve their clients effectively. He urges students to attend court and introduce themselves to lawyers, not just to network, but to genuinely learn. A sincere interest in the work can lead to meaningful opportunities.

Chaya Leah Sufrin and Yael Bar tur are two of the most influential Jewish women in America. Known for their compassionate and thoughtful discussions, they discuss topics ranging from antisemitism to The Social Security Act of 1935. Their guests include luminaries such as Barbara Bush, Oprah Winfery, Bill Cosby, and whatever that guy's name is who was married to Kim Kardashian for like two weeks. Seriously, AI is dead. It was a bubble and always will be. It's headed to the garbage bin of history with My Space, Ivy League Universities, and democracy. Unfiltered word vomit is the new intelligence. If typos could talk, this is what they would sound like. Please enjoy 1 hour and 2 minutes of it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit askajew.substack.com/subscribe

In this previously recorded live episode, Instructors BK Spades and Novacaine discuss the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v Wade. Focusing on the story of 30-year-old Adriana Smith, a brain dead woman, whom the State of Georgia is forcing to keep alive (by way of life support) against her families wishes. Then we discuss the reception of Marvels Ironheart before the series drops in June. Unless you're new to the MCU, and some of THOSE "fans", you know how this is going already. Lastly, we get into our 1st 'Final Things' where topics included:+Novacaine giving Claressa Shields her flowers.+BK Spades asks a question that lead to a conversation about Kanye West, Sean 'Diddy' Combs, and Bill Cosby??? #RoeVWade #ProLifeDebate #Evangelicals #ControlVsChoice#Diddy #SeanCombs #IronHeart #Marvel #Disney #Boxing #RemyMa #Papoose #Ironman

In this SEASON 3 FINALE, I sit down with Emmy, Peabody, and Humanitas Award-winning writer and comedy icon John Markus. From memories of his mother's hearty Eastern European cooking to early joke writing for legends like Bob Hope and Joan Rivers. John shares his incredible journey through the world of comedy. Get the inside scoop on his breakout role with the hit sitcom Taxi, and how he rose to become head writer and show-runner on one of the most iconic shows of the 80s that later became controversial because of its star, Bill Cosby. And in a delicious twist, he also lets us in on how he became a member of the Barbecue Hall of Fame and created the hit TV show, BBQ Pitmasters! A hilarious and revealing conversation with this comedy legend, one with an unheard-of surprise ending.

In this episode of Dawnversations with Anthony, we dive into the world of celebrity scandal and public downfall. From household names like O.J. Simpson and Bill Cosby to surprising figures like Martha Stewart and beyond, we reflect on some of the most jaw-dropping "falls from grace" in pop culture. With our usual blend of humor and honesty, we talk about how these moments shaped public perception, the toxic media frenzy that followed, and how we personally reacted when some of our favorite stars shocked the world.Join us for a conversation that's part nostalgic trip, part cultural critique—and all Dawnversations.

Adam and Drew open the show welcoming our guest model and actress Diora Baird to the show. After talking to Diora about some of the upcoming TV and web series work that Diora has coming, the conversation turns to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' custody situation. After taking some calls, they turn to the recent Bill Cosby controversy and the lesser known examples of similar notorious offenders in the entertainment industry.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bill Cosby, a once-celebrated actor and comedian, has faced numerous allegations of sexual assault and misconduct spanning several decades. Over 60 women have publicly accused Cosby of sexual assault, misconduct, or rape, with alleged incidents dating as far back as the 1960s. Many accusers claimed that Cosby drugged them before assaulting them, often under the … Continue reading Episode 457: The Bill Cosby Case

Adam and Drew open the show welcoming our guest model and actress Diora Baird to the show. After talking to Diora about some of the upcoming TV and web series work that Diora has coming, the conversation turns to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' custody situation. After taking some calls, they turn to the recent Bill Cosby controversy and the lesser known examples of similar notorious offenders in the entertainment industry.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we're joined by the one and only JonnyMac - Jon McCallon. We begin with getting him caught up on the last 2 years of the podcast, and come off the rails quickly with talk off Bill Cosby, Pete Rose, and professional wrestling. But hang in there folks, the 2nd half is a great discussion of the Holy Spirit's role in the New Testament and in our lives today.         Exploring the Divine Intersection of Faith and Modernity In this episode of the 'Divinely Uninspired' podcast, special guest JonnyMac joins Penny, Paul, and Jeremy for an in-depth conversation. They kick off with lighthearted banter about Project Pat's unexpected pivot to Christian rap and his Oscar win before jumping into a rich discussion about the complexities of K-12 education, the significance of the Holy Spirit, and the fascinating process of biblical canonization. As they explore the critical role of the apostles' writings and the ongoing influence of the Holy Spirit, the conversation provides listeners with both theological insights and practical applications. Whether you're a seasoned believer or new to faith, this episode offers a compelling look at the foundational elements that shape Christian doctrine and practice. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:23 Project Pat and Oscar Wins 00:51 Podcast Guests and Technical Issues 01:18 Library Setting and Walkup Songs 02:46 Music Discussions: Dark Lyrics and Pumped Up Kicks 03:34 Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Music Preferences 05:15 Jelly Roll and Post Malone 07:12 Comedy and Controversial Figures 12:40 Wrestling Stories and OVW 22:27 Coffee Preferences and Recommendations 26:19 Netflix's 'Wilted' and Rebooting Blossom 27:01 Calculator Sales Pitch Disappointment 27:54 AI in Homework and Education 29:47 Gas Station Adventures and Preferences 31:50 Group Chat Naming Confusion 36:00 What Does Jeremy...and Jon think?  56:05 The Importance of the Holy Spirit 01:01:00 Concluding Thoughts and Future Questions

What's Happening Star Ernest Lee Thomas "Raj" Reveals Untold Stories!Ernest Lee Thomas delivers a powerful and deeply personal account of his journey through fame, adversity, and redemption. He begins with wild, unforgettable moments surrounding his audition for What's Happening!!, sharing how Fred Berry landed the role of Rerun and his first encounters with Haywood Nelson, Shirley Hemphill, and Danielle Spencer. He recalls the support Shirley received from Jimmy Walker and reflects on working with the iconic Mabel King. Ernest discusses the shock of overnight stardom, his eventual fall into despair, and the personal trauma of childhood molestation and racism.He shares an emotional and humorous story about a life-changing meeting with Muhammad Ali and his struggle to finance a film. Ernest explains how he helped bring What's Happening Now!! to life, the behind-the-scenes drama with Fred Berry, and his work with rising stars like Martin Lawrence.He opens up about a painful experience with Bill Cosby and cherished encounters with Sidney Poitier, James Earl Jones, and auditioning for Malcom X for Spike Lee. Ernest also discusses his iconic role as Mr. Omar on Everybody Hates Chris, his chaotic time working with Robert Blake on Baretta, and incredible memories working with Adam Sandler and Robin Williams.From Broadway origins to nearly being cast as Kunta Kinte in Roots, Ernest's story is rich with Hollywood history, spiritual growth, and a triumphant 35 years of sobriety. His honesty, humor, and resilience made for a moving and unforgettable journey. Thank you so much Ernest!That's Classic! Merchandise: http://tee.pub/lic/2R57OwHl2tESubscribe for free to That's Classic YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBtpVKzLW389x6_nIVHpQcA?sub_confirmation=1Facebook: facebook.com/thatsclassictvHosted by John Cato, actor, voiceover artist, and moderator for over 20 years for the television and movie industry. John's background brings a unique insight and passion to the podcast.

On the second day of Diddy's federal trial, all eyes turned to star witness Cassie Ventura. The singer, once signed to Bad Boy records, had a complex relationship with Diddy marked by abuse. But will the jury see her only as a victim? We'll ask one of Bill Cosby's former attorneys, Monique Pressley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian and friend of the pod Erica Rhodes drops by the studio. They talk about what goods or services people like Brad Williams should pay more or less for, anime commercials for pharma products, and wonder who's really taking more drugs for mental health in America—men or women.Adam, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, and Erica then break down today's headlines, including statues of black women, Frontier Airlines firing employees after they harass passengers, and Democrats slamming Trump's baby bonus.To wrap up, Craig Rothfeld hops on Zoom to share his wild ride from faking financial statements and getting indicted, to prison and now working as a prison consultant. He chats about how it's shaped his view on justice, tossing in some thoughts on Bill Cosby and, while he can't go there legally, Harvey Weinstein. Get it on.FOR MORE WITH ERICA RHODES:INSTAGRAM: @ericarhodesYOUTUBE: @ericarhodescomedyWEBSITE: ericarhodescomedy.comFOR MORE WITH CRAIG ROTHFELD:WEBSITE: insideoutsideltd.comFOR MORE WITH JASON “MAYHEM” MILLER:INSTAGRAM: @mayhemmillerTWITTER: @mayhemmillerWEBSITE: magnvs.io/pages/summit?via=mayhemThank you for supporting our sponsors:BetOnlineDeleteMe - Text ACS to 64000 - Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you text ACS to 64000. Message and data rates apply.Homes.comHydrow.com - use code ADAMoreillyauto.com/ADAMPluto.TVLIVE SHOWS: May 24 - Bellflower, CAMay 30 - Tacoma, WA (2 shows)May 31 - Tacoma, WA (2 shows)June 1 - Spokane, WA (2 shows)June 13 - Salt Lake City, UT (2 shows)June 14 - Salt Lake City, UT (2 shows)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(00:00-20:35) This ball club is hot and ready to soar. Doug's not ready to call the Cardinals a World Series contender. We can mourn and find something to feel happy about. Does Martin know what a loomster is? Mouth breathing. Compuscore. Jackson was getting guff all weekend. Lee's Chicken put out a statement regarding Jackson's foot rub take. Stanley Cup and NBA Playoffs.(20:43-41:17) Am I looking at the table or the fixture? Katie Woo talking Cardinals' eight-game win streak in The Athletic. Only Royals and Red Sox with more IP out of their starters. Contreras raking. Good defense. A show based in stupidity and zip code shaming. Essential oils. Take it up with big aromatics. Bud Black got the axe. Rockies stink. "Likes To Recap" Guy.(41:27-1:00:31) Jackson giving a one day grace period. Bill Cosby on the board for the Rams? John Shaw. Audio of Nolan Arenado talking it over with The Cat after eight straight wins. Yogi Berra's 100th birthday. Fighting wars vs. Easter egg hunts. Buster Olney writing about Cardinals keeping or dealing pieces later in the season.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Puddle of Mudd debuts a new song during a Jiffy Lube oil change. The buried lede is that Wes Scantlin is responsible enough to get his oil changed. Plus, we should get rid of the Hollywood Walk of Fame and replace it with an ossuary full of all our best celebs' skeletons. Fortune Kit on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fortunekit

Dennis McNally was the Grateful Dead's publicist in the mid-‘80s, one of many reasons why he's supremely qualified to write his new book about the birth of the counterculture in America's West and East Coast and Britain. ‘The Last Great Dream: How Bohemians Became Hippies And Created the Sixties', a celebration of music, beat poetry, radical thinking, free speech and artistic liberty, seems even more precious now in the light of recent events. All sorts are discussed here, these being some of the highlights …  … how the Summer of Love of ‘67 actually happened in the Fall of ‘66 in Haight-Ashbury. … “rigid, stagnant, terrifying”: early ‘60s America before the revolution.  … the three key cities that “experimented with freedom”. ... how San Francisco “cherished strangeness” and had a self-proclaimed ruler, Emperor Norton, who created his own currency. … how the Grateful Dead - “the ultimate example of the bohemian pulse writ large in music” – spent $1m building a sound system when they were earning $125 a week. … the influence of Private Eye, Beyond The Fringe and That Was The Week That Was on British culture. And of Lenny Bruce, the Hungry I club, Bill Cosby, Woody Allen and Mort Sahl in America. … how Rebel Without A Cause and the Wild One helped establish the West Coast as rebellious. … “there are two flags of freedom – one to make as much money as possible, the other to be as open-minded and thoughtful about everything”. … Eisenhower said “in God we trust!” But which God? … the entire security for the 25,000 crowd at the Human Be-In in Golden Gate Park was two mounted policemen. … “nothing is more fun than researching”. ... how the counter-culture was created with very little money or technology. Order the Last Great Dream here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Great-Dream-Bohemians-Hippies/dp/0306835665Help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dennis McNally was the Grateful Dead's publicist in the mid-‘80s, one of many reasons why he's supremely qualified to write his new book about the birth of the counterculture in America's West and East Coast and Britain. ‘The Last Great Dream: How Bohemians Became Hippies And Created the Sixties', a celebration of music, beat poetry, radical thinking, free speech and artistic liberty, seems even more precious now in the light of recent events. All sorts are discussed here, these being some of the highlights …  … how the Summer of Love of ‘67 actually happened in the Fall of ‘66 in Haight-Ashbury. … “rigid, stagnant, terrifying”: early ‘60s America before the revolution.  … the three key cities that “experimented with freedom”. ... how San Francisco “cherished strangeness” and had a self-proclaimed ruler, Emperor Norton, who created his own currency. … how the Grateful Dead - “the ultimate example of the bohemian pulse writ large in music” – spent $1m building a sound system when they were earning $125 a week. … the influence of Private Eye, Beyond The Fringe and That Was The Week That Was on British culture. And of Lenny Bruce, the Hungry I club, Bill Cosby, Woody Allen and Mort Sahl in America. … how Rebel Without A Cause and the Wild One helped establish the West Coast as rebellious. … “there are two flags of freedom – one to make as much money as possible, the other to be as open-minded and thoughtful about everything”. … Eisenhower said “in God we trust!” But which God? … the entire security for the 25,000 crowd at the Human Be-In in Golden Gate Park was two mounted policemen. … “nothing is more fun than researching”. ... how the counter-culture was created with very little money or technology. Order the Last Great Dream here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Great-Dream-Bohemians-Hippies/dp/0306835665Help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dennis McNally was the Grateful Dead's publicist in the mid-‘80s, one of many reasons why he's supremely qualified to write his new book about the birth of the counterculture in America's West and East Coast and Britain. ‘The Last Great Dream: How Bohemians Became Hippies And Created the Sixties', a celebration of music, beat poetry, radical thinking, free speech and artistic liberty, seems even more precious now in the light of recent events. All sorts are discussed here, these being some of the highlights …  … how the Summer of Love of ‘67 actually happened in the Fall of ‘66 in Haight-Ashbury. … “rigid, stagnant, terrifying”: early ‘60s America before the revolution.  … the three key cities that “experimented with freedom”. ... how San Francisco “cherished strangeness” and had a self-proclaimed ruler, Emperor Norton, who created his own currency. … how the Grateful Dead - “the ultimate example of the bohemian pulse writ large in music” – spent $1m building a sound system when they were earning $125 a week. … the influence of Private Eye, Beyond The Fringe and That Was The Week That Was on British culture. And of Lenny Bruce, the Hungry I club, Bill Cosby, Woody Allen and Mort Sahl in America. … how Rebel Without A Cause and the Wild One helped establish the West Coast as rebellious. … “there are two flags of freedom – one to make as much money as possible, the other to be as open-minded and thoughtful about everything”. … Eisenhower said “in God we trust!” But which God? … the entire security for the 25,000 crowd at the Human Be-In in Golden Gate Park was two mounted policemen. … “nothing is more fun than researching”. ... how the counter-culture was created with very little money or technology. Order the Last Great Dream here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Great-Dream-Bohemians-Hippies/dp/0306835665Help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 100th episode of Our Sins and Woes brings back Jay Pat for a wild, unfiltered conversation about political contradictions and cultural chaos. The two go in on MAGA fans, firmware-level brainwashing, and how talking points feel less like opinions and more like software updates. They dig into the double standard around cancel culture, especially when artists like Cosby are still praised while Kanye gets dragged. There's heat, humor, and enough side-eyes to start a riot. It's exactly the kind of reckless celebration Episode 100 deserves.

Shannon Sharpe finds himself in the hot seat, and Ern and Iso are diving into the drama.

Schick and Nick discuss Shedeur Sanders' slide.  Rece vs Mel.  Schick and Nick vs Spotify.  More on Shedeur.  How'd the Husker Games go?  Consequences of no Spring Game.  Bill Belichick's awkward interview with CBS.  Ty Robinson should run for mayor of Philadelphia.  Bill Cosby drafted Fidone.  Recapping the polls. Connect with us! SchickandNick.com Facebook, Twitter, or email  We would hate it if you missed an episode! So PLEASE subscribe, rate the pod, and throw us a review. It helps us out so much! We'd likey that.  This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or Hurrdat Media YouTube channel! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heath Lambert addresses a challenging question facing many Christians today: What should we do with books and resources from Christian leaders who have fallen into sin or been disqualified from ministry? Learn a biblical framework for approaching this increasingly common dilemma.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction and today's difficult question0:45 The context: Many prominent Christian leaders falling from ministry1:42 Paul's words about finishing well in 2 Timothy 4:6-72:52 Important distinctions in types of disgrace and disqualification3:28 Addressing resources from those disqualified by false teaching4:52 Addressing resources from those disqualified by moral failure6:32 How moral failures can "taint" otherwise sound teaching7:58 Bottom line: Balancing gratitude for past benefit with future discernmentKEY POINTS:- Many once-prominent Christian leaders have failed to "finish the race" well (2 Timothy 4:6-7)- We must distinguish between disqualification through false teaching versus moral failure- Resources from those who taught false doctrine should generally be avoided completely- Even if their other materials contain truth, recommending them risks leading others to their false teachings- Moral failures don't necessarily make a teacher's true statements untrue, but they do "taint" their work-Just as many can't separate Bill Cosby's shows from his actions, Christians may struggle to benefit from resources by morally fallen leaders- Consider finding similar resources from leaders who haven't been disqualified when possible- Truth that impacted you positively remains true, regardless of the messenger's later failings- When using such resources, heavy qualification about what you now know is advisableSubmit your questions for future episodes to markedbyGrace@fbcjax.comSCRIPTURE REFERENCES:2 Timothy 4:6-7 - "I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

The Penn Relays have officially begun at the University of Pennsylvania—my alma mater—and once again, the historic Franklin Field is alive with the spirit of one of the oldest and most prestigious track and field events in the Americas. Hosted annually by Penn Athletics, the Relays are more than just a sporting event—they are a cultural moment, especially for the Caribbean diaspora.You simply cannot mention the Penn Relays without mentioning Jamaica in the same breath. Jamaicans have long been dominant and enthusiastic participants, from high school standouts to collegiate champions. The relays serve as a proving ground for emerging talent and a showcase of track royalty.I remember one year when I had the privilege to volunteer at the games. It was a moment I'll never forget—I met the likes of Bill Cosby, the Hon. Portia Simpson Miller (Jamaica's first woman Prime Minister), and track legends such as Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. The electric atmosphere, the sound of cheering crowds, and the buzz around potential stars from across the U.S. and Caribbean left an indelible mark on me.Yet, something feels different this year. While the 2025 Penn Relays have kicked off with their usual modest energy, there's a noticeable lack of media coverage and buzz. Surprisingly, many locals in Philadelphia I spoke to either weren't aware the Penn Relays were happening or didn't know what the event was at all. This is a stark contrast to years past, when the city would buzz with anticipation and pride.Still, the Caribbean diaspora and college track athletes from around the country are already making their way to the city, bringing with them a growing excitement that's starting to creep in. Although mainstream media has yet to fully engage, the passion of the people remains. A quick keyword search or hashtag scroll for “Penn Relays 2025” yields only a handful of results—disappointing for such a historic event.We remain hopeful that as the week unfolds, coverage will swell and the attention this event deserves will return. In these turbulent and uncertain times, we need events like the Penn Relays. They offer catharsis and community—a moment to celebrate excellence, heritage, and unity.Between the NBA playoffs and the Penn Relays, there's a lot to look forward to this week. Stay tuned—The Neoliberal Round and our YouTube channel may bring you interviews, event highlights, and the heartbeat of the city and its athletes as the games progress.Until then,Renaldo C. McKenzieThe NeoliberalRenaldo McKenzie is Author of Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income Inequality, Poverty and Resistance, President of the Neoliberal Corporation, The Neoliberal, and Creator and Host of The Neoliberal Round Podcast and YouTube Channel.Renaldo is also a two-time graduate of The University of Pennsylvania and currently a Professor at Jamaica Theological Seminary and a Georgetown Liberal Studies Fellow.The Neoliberal Round YouTube channel will be present to capture some of the games live. SubscribeThe Neoliberal Round YouTube Channel by Renaldo McKenzieFirst published in The Neoliberal Journals at The Neoliberal Corporation Moral Magazine website:https://theneoliberal.com/the-penn-relays-begin-at-penn-a-tradition-rooted-in-speed-culture-and-diaspora-pride/The Penn Relays Begin at Penn: A Tradition Rooted in Speed, Culture, and Diaspora PrideDonate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=USSJLFU2HRVAQ

Zak “RedPill78” Paine and Brad Zerbo bring the fire in this jam-packed episode of Altered State, where no narrative is safe and no elite gets a free pass. They kick things off with a brutal takedown of New York AG Letitia James, diving into the criminal referrals now looming over her, including bank, wire, and mortgage fraud, perjury, and a possible illegal residency claim that could upend her entire case against Trump. The irony? She might go down for the same “crimes” she weaponized against him. The duo then pivots to Harvard, celebrating the Trump administration's plan to revoke its tax-exempt status and cut off billions in federal funding. With DEI propaganda, institutional arrogance, and open disdain for America dominating higher ed, Zak and Brad argue it's long overdue. From there, it's full-speed cultural warfare as they shred Disney's Snow White remake, roast Hollywood's collapse, and highlight the rise of independent, faith-based media like The Chosen. They touch on race narratives, broken education systems, AI deepfakes, Raven-Symoné's eerie Hollywood memories, and whether Bill Cosby and Michael Jackson were targeted for bucking the establishment. It's sharp, irreverent, and unapologetically America First.

Celebrity gossip has always had a dark side. Those whispered tales of stars behaving badly, dying mysteriously, or hiding shocking secrets spread through Hollywood parties like wildfire, creating urban legends that live far longer than they deserve. Even in our hyper-connected age, these stories remain strangely persistent – because deep down, we want to believe.Kyle, Ben, and Alejandro gleefully dissect the wildest Hollywood myths you've definitely heard before. Remember when everyone swore Paul McCartney died in 1966 and was replaced by a lookalike named Billy Shears? The hosts untangle the bizarre web of "clues" fans claimed to find in Beatles album covers and songs played backward. Then there's the notorious Richard Gere gerbil rumor – a story so persistent it made its way into the movie "Scream" and prompted Barbara Walters herself to awkwardly address it during an interview.From Mr. Rogers' supposed secret life as a deadly military sniper to the enduring debate about Bert and Ernie's relationship status, we explore why these myths take hold and what they reveal about our culture. The team brings their trademark humor to these dark corners of entertainment history, finding the humanity and absurdity beneath stories that wouldn't die. Whether you're hearing these tales for the first time or fondly remember sharing them on your middle school playground, this episode will make you question what other "facts" you've accepted without evidence.Subscribe now and join our community of curious minds exploring entertainment's strangest corners. Leave a review to tell us your favorite Hollywood urban legend – we might feature it in a future episode!Send us a message!Wicked WanderingsDelve into the enigmatic realms of the mysterious, unearth tales of haunting...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showDeath in Entertainment is hosted by Kyle Ploof, Alejandro Dowling and Ben Kissel.New episodes every week!https://linktr.ee/deathinentertainment

It's not everyday we get a writer with the life and work experience of Charles Kipps to join our crazy podcast, let alone have a therapy session with Sadie and Jeanne.Yes, we talked about everything from Charles producing Aretha Franklin, to our struggles as writers, to Charles' decades of writing experiences ... and he's still selling screenplays to this day! You're not going to want to miss this one ... so much great advice from the legend that is Charles Kipps. (See below for Charles' full bio.)One note of correction: Charles inadvertently stated that Bill Cosby's agent helped him get his first book published, but it was actually Cosby's editor who did. Just wanted to correct that for the record.Resources from this episode: Charles Kipps website—be sure to sign up for his newsletter! Pipeline Podcasts:All OG Pipeline Artists podcasts can be found on pipelineartists.com/listen.YouTube:Watch full (read that as "most ... maybe not any" because Jeanne is tired) episodes on YouTube.Follow us on X:@recklesscr8tive@SadieKDean@jeannevb@pipelineartistsFollow us on IG:@recklesscr8tive@_thesadiedean@jeannevb_@pipelineartistsEnter Pipeline's Contests:Script Pipeline (Screenwriting, TV, First Look, Pitch Contest)Film Pipeline (Short Scripts and Short Films)Book Pipeline (Unpublished and Adaptation)*****Writer/producer Charles Kipps has won an Emmy, Peabody, Humanitas Prize, and Mystery Writers Edgar Award. Among his credits are Exiled: A Law & Order Movie and the 25th Anniversary Columbo special, A Trace of Murder. His film credits include Fat Albert: The Movie as well as independent films Frame of Mind, Zarra's Law, and Anatomy of the Tide. He is currently in preproduction with Someday Sometime, a music driven romantic comedy which he will also direct.Kipps is the author of the Conor Bard Mysteries. The first three titles are Hell's Kitchen Homicide, Crystal Death and Times Square Trouble. The novels chronicle the days and nights of Conor Bard, an NYPD Detective who, while a dedicated cop, considers himself a musician with a day job.  Kipps also wrote two nonfiction books: Cop Without A Badge, which details the exploits of a confidential informant who worked with both local and federal law enforcement; and Out of Focus, which goes behind the scenes of a turbulent year at Columbia Pictures. His new novel is Absolute Threshold, an espionage thriller. It is the first in a series about CIA psychiatrist Harvey Chatham as he combines psychology with spy craft. Kipps received numerous gold records and Broadcast Music awards while writing and producing songs for artists such as Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Melba Moore, and Temptations lead singer David Ruffin for whom he wrote the hit Walk Away From Love. He was a partner in McCoy/Kipps Productions with Van McCoy, whose recording of The Hustle topped the Billboard charts

We sit down with the second half with the legendary Janice Dickinson—Supermodel, author, reality TV icon, and an unapologetic truth-teller—for a conversation that's as wild, real, and iconic as the woman herself. From the moment she enters the room, Janice doesn't hold back. She opens about her past relationships and the betrayal she faced when a close friend—none other than Christie Brinkley—was caught up in a shocking cheating scandal with her then-partner. With unfiltered honesty, Janice dives into heartbreak, girl code, and how she found the strength to move on and demand better. But love wasn't done with her. Janice recounts the serendipitous moment she met her soulmate, Dr. Rocky Garner, on a blind date set up by his son. From their dreamy Chateau Marmont first meeting to his romantic rainy-day proposal over In-N-Out burgers, this real-life love story could be a Hollywood rom-com—except it's all real. Patrik shares the glamorous tale of how he proposed to Pol'—shutting down Rodeo Drive in true fashion—for their televised engagement on E!'s New Money. (Yes, it's now streaming on Peacock!) The conversation then turns to her reality TV resume—from America's Next Top Model to surviving in the jungle on I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! (three times!). Janice spills tea about fellow castmates, grueling stunts, public votes, and why she refused to eat certain local delicacies (bull eyeballs, anyone?). Of course we get into Hot Topics and Janice weighs in on Kanye West's wife Bianca Censori's controversial “outfits,” Jaden Smith's Grammys headpiece moment, and the AI-generated accents that landed Adrian Brody and Felicity Jones Oscar buzz. She's got strong opinions—and she's not afraid to share them. We also talk cancel culture, problematic past tweets, and whether artists like Carla Sofía Gascon should still be celebrated despite offensive remarks. Janice shares her own painful history with Bill Cosby, her role in the early days of the Me-Too movement, and how speaking her truth became part of her healing. Finally, we test her knowledge with a “Supermodel Pop Quiz” where she reveals behind-the-scenes stories about icons like Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Heidi Klum, and Anna Nicole Smith. We reflect on Anna's tragic death—and how deeply personal that loss still feels. As always, we close with a fashion Runway Rundown and a coffee ground reading from Pol' who sees exciting things ahead for Janice, including global travels, new ventures, and a long-overdue moment of public recognition that will put her right back on the throne she deserves. From fashion and fame to heartbreak, healing, and hilarious truth bombs, this episode is pure Janice: raw, radiant, and relentlessly real. This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or the HurrdatMedia YouTube channel! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textIn Philadelphia, a city known for great trial lawyers, our next guest stands out among them.  Brian McMonagle began his career in the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office where in his twenties he became one of the youngest lawyers to prosecute high profile cases in the DA's Homicide Unit.  Since then, Brian has gone on to represent actor Bill Cosby in a criminal trial, musical artist Meek Mill on a controversial probation violation proceeding, and other high-profile clients—among them athletes, politicians, physicians, movie and television personalities, judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and CEOs.  And with all this, as you'll hear in the great discussion we had with him, Brian has not lost his Philly roots, or the common touch.

Ian Maxwell is again speaking out about the conditions that his sister, Ghislaine finds herself in during incarceration while she awaits trial. According to the family her treatment has been inhumane and worse than Hannibal Lector or Bill Cosby.(Commercial at 23:46)To Contact me:Bobbycapucci@protonmail.comSource:https://www.google.com/amp/s/abcnews.go.com/amp/International/ghislaine-maxwells-brother-insists-treated-presumed-innocent-epstein/story%3fidBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Suit up, listeners, because this week we're flying high (or maybe just hovering awkwardly) with The Meteor Man and Blankman.That's right. On this episode of Not A Bomb—Movie Matchup Edition, the guys tackle a pair of African-American-led superhero films. Troy and Brad are joined by their sidekick in film discussion, a man who knows all things comic books and superheroes, Mr Korean Kool himself, John.Listen as we dive into these ‘90s superhero gems that weren't afraid to get a little weird. What happens when a mild-mannered teacher gains superpowers from a mysterious green meteor—only to discover his abilities include talking to dogs and making plants grow? And what's the deal with Blankman's unorthodox crime-fighting tactics and his hilariously named sidekick, Other Guy? Plus, what exactly is going on with Blankman's quirky robot companion, J-5?We'll dive into the neon gang wars and the inexplicably star-studded casts (hello, James Earl Jones rocking that wig) and determine if these films are bombs. More importantly, the guys decide which film is the champion for the week. It's an episode full of laughs, nostalgia, and plenty of homemade superhero charm. Don't miss it!"The Meteor Man is directed by Robert Townsend and stars Robert Townsend, Marla Gibb, Eddie Griffin, Robert Guillaume, James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby, Another Bad Creation, Luther Vandross, Sinbad, Naughty by Nature, Cypress Hill, Big Daddy Kane, and Faizon Jone.Blankman is directed Mike Binder and stars Damon Wayans, David Alan Grier, Robin Givens, Jon Polito, and Jason Alexander.Not A Bomb has has plenty of spooky designs in our Merch store! Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check them out. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.Cast: Brad, Troy, John

When narcissistic, controlling people feel backed into a corner, meaning they're exposed, challenged, or losing control, they tend to react with a range of defensive, aggressive, or manipulative behaviors. Their reactions stem from a fragile ego, a deep-seated fear of losing power, and an inability to process shame or vulnerability in a healthy way. Some of the most high-profile examples of this play out with celebrities who have controlling or narcissistic tendencies and can't handle being held accountable. We're going to do something completely different today. I'm going to dive into three current and past celebrity cases: Ryan Reynolds' role in the legal battle involving Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Bill Cosby's downfall, and Kevin Spacey's courtroom drama, to examine exactly what people with narcissistic tendencies do when they're backed into a corner. More importantly, we'll discuss what you can learn from these situations when dealing with narcissistic, manipulative people in your own life.____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/what-narcissists-do-when-backed-into-a-corner-lessons-from-celebrities-who-lost-control Calibration Exercise: Create a Positive Vibration to Start Your Dayhttps://youtu.be/8wtDzbxzQIsJoin Abby's One Love Collective Community on Patreon!Learn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries with my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries or the Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won't Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to  https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you'll find past episodes. A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you've got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop Say hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When narcissistic, controlling people feel backed into a corner, meaning they're exposed, challenged, or losing control, they tend to react with a range of defensive, aggressive, or manipulative behaviors. Their reactions stem from a fragile ego, a deep-seated fear of losing power, and an inability to process shame or vulnerability in a healthy way. Some of the most high-profile examples of this play out with celebrities who have controlling or narcissistic tendencies and can't handle being held accountable. We're going to do something completely different today. I'm going to dive into three current and past celebrity cases: Ryan Reynolds' role in the legal battle involving Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, Bill Cosby's downfall, and Kevin Spacey's courtroom drama, to examine exactly what people with narcissistic tendencies do when they're backed into a corner. More importantly, we'll discuss what you can learn from these situations when dealing with narcissistic, manipulative people in your own life.____________________________Full blog and show notes: https://abbymedcalf.com/what-narcissists-do-when-backed-into-a-corner-lessons-from-celebrities-who-lost-control Calibration Exercise: Create a Positive Vibration to Start Your Dayhttps://youtu.be/8wtDzbxzQIs Learn how to create and hold healthy, loving boundaries with my newest book on Amazon, Boundaries Made Easy: Your Roadmap to Connection, Ease and Joy https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries or the Workbook: Boundaries Made Easier: https://abbymedcalf.com/boundaries-workbook Want to feel happier and more connected in your relationship? Buy my #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Be Happily Married: Even If Your Partner Won't Do a Thing: https://abbymedcalf.com/book____________________________ Looking for past episodes of the Relationships Made Easy Podcast? Head over to  https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast and https://abbymedcalf.com/podcast-the-archives where you'll find past episodes. A great idea to stay motivated and keep your head in a positive direction is to buy some of my fabulous, inspirational merchandise. Get yourself a t-shirt, mug, tote bag or notebook with that daily reminder that you've got this! https://abbymedcalf.com/shop Say hello on social:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbymedcalfInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbymedcalfthrivingLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/abbymedcalfthrivingYouTube: https://abbymedcalf.com/youtube  Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian, actor, author, and producer Bill Cosby... affectionately nicknamed as "America's Dad" for his portrayal of Dr. Cliff Huxtable on the hit, iconic sitcom, The Cosby Show, has now been accused by over sixty women of rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery, child sexual abuse, and/or sexual harassment. The assaults allegedly began in the mid-1960s, but never got much publicity until 2014. Why? Merch and more: www.badmagicproductions.com Timesuck Discord! https://discord.gg/tqzH89vWant to join the Cult of the Curious PrivateFacebook Group? Go directly to Facebook and search for "Cult of the Curious" to locate whatever happens to be our most current page :)For all merch-related questions/problems: store@badmagicproductions.com (copy and paste)Please rate and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and elsewhere and follow the suck on social media!! @timesuckpodcast on IG and http://www.facebook.com/timesuckpodcastWanna become a Space Lizard? Click here: https://www.patreon.com/timesuckpodcast.Sign up through Patreon, and for $5 a month, you get access to the entire Secret Suck catalog (295 episodes) PLUS the entire catalog of Timesuck, AD FREE. You'll also get 20% off of all regular Timesuck merch PLUS access to exclusive Space Lizard merch.