Podcasts about Instant Mom

Episode 528 - Samantha Rose - Emmy award-winning television writer and bestselling author, specializing in literary support and book collaboration with celebritiesSamantha Rose is an Emmy award-winning television writer and a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who specializes in literary support and book collaboration with celebrities, experts and industry leaders. Her narrative, non-fiction projects fall under the categories of health & wellness, spirituality, personal growth, how-to, business, parenting and memoir, including titles that have been translated into more than 20 foreign languages, featured in the Wall Street Journal, Harper's Bazaar, Time and selected as Reese's Book Club and Target Bookmarked picks. Samantha is the principal of literary development and the head of client relations for Yellow Sky Media, her company in Petaluma, California.On an ordinary Wednesday I received the call every writer wants to get. It was from a New York literary agent who'd been following my blog. She said, “I think you have a book here. I wonder though--could you go a little bit deeper? Keep the humor, but also tell your story with more vulnerability?”More vulnerability? I cringed.I'd already made my personal life very public. Putting myself even further out there felt scary. It also felt daring.I csn say now that writing The Package Deal: My (not-so) Glamorous Transition from Single Gal to Instant Mom was one of the most challenging and liberating experiences of my life.I told my story as honestly and authentically as I could. I extended myself beyond what was comfortable in an effort to help other women like me feel a little more normal and less aloneRedbook called it a “refreshingly honest memoir.” Library Journal praised it as “clear-eyed,” “candid and optimistic.” Fellow stepmothers cheered me as "heartfelt" and "hilarious."I learned that readers respond well to honest storytelling and to storytellers who dare to be seen and heard. By telling my truth, I was giving others permission to tell theirs. Since The Package Deal published in 2009 (Penguin Random House) and premiered on the San Francisco Chronicle bestseller list and as a Target club pick, I've been giving voice to and empowering others who have a story to tell.  I've collaborated with celebrities, experts, entrepreneurs and all sorts of amazing individuals who  need that first shot of courage and clear guidance forward, to help striking the right tone, organizing ideas into chapters, and building your book― word to word― from beginning to end. Translating your voice and singular story onto the page is what I'm trained to do, and I'm uplifted, instructed, and both challenged and inspired by your one and only perspective. So tell me: what's your story? What have you always wanted to share with the world? Together we can manifest the book inside you waiting to be written. https://www.yellowskymedia.com/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

Al & Val return to Coventry with the Mowry twins in Twitches Too! Will they solve the "mystery" and save the day again? Probably, cause it's the same mystery...Twitches Too (October 12, 2007)IMDB WikipediaDirected by Stu Gillard (Scream Team, Full Court Miracle, Going to the Mat, Twitches, Charmed, 90210)Written by Written by Dan Berendsen (Up Up and Away, Scream Team, Eddie's Million Dollar Cookoff, Stuck in the Suburbs, Halloweentown High, Twitches, Cheetah Girls: One World, Hannah Montana movie, Wizards of Waverly Place the movie, Camp Rock 2, Sabrina the Teenage Witch), HB Gilmour (Twitches & Twitches Too), Randi Reisfeld (Twitches & Twitches Too)Starring: Tia Mowry as Alexandra "Alex" Nicole Fielding / Artemis DuBaer (Twitches, Sister Sister, Bratz, The Game, Instant Mom, Christmas movies, Family Reunion)Tamera Mowry as Camryn "Cam" Elizabeth Barnes / Apolla DuBaer (Twitches, Sister Sister, Strong Medicine, Christmas movies)Kristen Wilson as Miranda DuBaer(Dr. Doolittles, Dungeons & Dragons, Stopped acting in 2011)Patrick Fabian as Thantos DuBaer (character actor, Joan of Arcadia, Better Call Saul)Kevin Jubinville as Aron DuBaer (character actor - Doc, Rabbit Fall, Ice Princess, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Murdoch Mysteries)Pat Kelly as Karsh (Twitches)Leslie Seiler as Ileana (Comedy, Inc., Second City Toronto person)Chris Gallinger as Demitri (Cow Belles, stopped acting in 2018)Arnold Pinnock as David Barnes (Twitches, Tru Confessions, New York Minute, Life with Derek, The Listener, Travelers, Murdoch Mysteries)Karen Holness as Emily Barnes (Ultimate Christmas Present, Twitches, Cashing In, Make it Pop, Christmas/Hallmark movies) Jackie Rosenbaum as Beth Fish (Twitches, stopped acting in 2010)Nathan Stephenson as Marcus Warburton (Radio Free Roscoe, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Pearlie, stopped acting in 2012)Jayne Eastwood as Norseng (character actor/voice actor - King of Kensington, Care Bears, ALF, Babar, Material World, Busy World of Richard Scarry, Noddy, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 1-3, Chicago, Little Mosque on the Prairie, Murdoch Mysteries)Synopsis: Twin sisters and twin witches Alex and Camryn didn't meet until they were 21, but their combined power managed to save their home from the forces of darkness. Since then they have been working together to strengthen their magic powers.Fun Facts: Just like in the first Tia stepped in the play Tamera's part for a small scene when Camryn's party started. Tamera stepped in the play Alex when Camryn sees Marcus studying with Alex and gets jealous.Next Movie: Minutemen ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Michael Boatman is known for his roles as New York City mayoral aide Carter Heywood in the ABC sitcom Spin City, as Samuel Beckett in the ABC drama series China Beach, as 101st Airborne soldier Motown in the Vietnam War movie Hamburger Hill and as sports agent Stanley Babson in the HBO sitcom Arli$$. He also starred in The Good Fight, the Paramount+ spinoff of The Good Wife, Instant Mom, and The Jackie Thomas Show as well as guest-starring on Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, Ghosts, Madame Secretary, Anger Management and countless other shows.

If you haven't already listened to Episode 211, with Michaela, you've got to check it out!But before you do, I had this quick clip from the conversation. And this actual clip was actually deleted only because it didn't really fit with what was going on with the conversation we had in Episode 211. Michaela and I had an instant connection over a TV show called Instant Mom. Instant Mom became one of my favorite shows over the summertime because it was really, really fun to watch. And it has Tia Mowry, one of my favorite actors, who I love back when she was in Sister Sister.One thing that I've noticed is that, especially in a lot of the Disney movies, stepmoms have a bad rap. As a result, being a stepmom isn't something that we would aspire to be.I wanted to drop this quick clip on what Mikayla had to share about Instant Mom.Check out Instant Mom on:Paramount+: https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/instant-mom/BET+Amazon Prime ⭐⭐⭐GET ORGANIZED HQ⭐⭐⭐You're invited! Learn from over 100 intelligent women sharing tips, tricks, advice, and secrets on everything from budgeting and meal planning to decorating and organizing your life with Trello. Grab your free ticket here: www.realhappymom.com/getoragnizedhqCheck out these top tips for some of the speakers here: https://www.realhappymom.com/top-tipsABOUT MICHAELADr. Michaela Bucchianeri is a clinical psychologist, speaker, and coach living in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, with her husband and two stepsons. Blending the science of psychology and the art of stepmom-ing, Michaela helps women in this unique role to create a stepmom identity that's all their own– so they can worry less, shift their energy to whatever lights them up, and start having way more fun!CONNECT WITH MICHAELAWebsite: https://www.theanxiousstepmom.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theanxiousstepmom/Twitter: https://twitter.com/anxiousstepmomPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/theanxiousstepmom/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanxiousstepmomCheck out this unique resource exclusively for listeners of Real Happy Mom:  https://www.theanxiousstepmom.com/realhappymomCHECK OUT THE FULL EPISODE: https://www.realhappymom.com/211NEXT STEPSGrab Your Freebies: https://www.realhappymom.comCheck Out the Course: https://courses.realhappymom.com

Al and Val discovered they were twins with magic powers in this Mowrie sister classic! Twitches (October 14, 2005)IMDB WikipediaDirected by Stu Gillard (Scream Team, Full Court Miracle, Going to the Mat, Twitches Two, Charmed, 90210)Written by Melissa Gould (Beverly Hills 90210, Lizzie McGuire), Dan Berendsen (Up Up and Away, Scream Team, Eddie's Million Dollar Cookoff, Stuck in the Suburbs, Halloweentown High, Twitches Two, Cheetah Girls: One World, Hannah Montana movie, Wizards of Waverly Place the movie, Camp Rock 2, Sabrina the Teenage Witch), HB Gilmour (Twitches & Twitches Two)Starring: Tia Mowry as Alexandra "Alex" Nicole Fielding / Artemis DuBaer (Twitches Two, Sister Sister, Bratz, The Game, Instant Mom, Christmas movies, Family Reunion)Tamera Mowry as Camryn "Cam" Elizabeth Barnes / Apolla DuBaer (Twitches Two, Sister Sister, Strong Medicine, Christmas movies)Kristen Wilson as Miranda DuBaer(Dr. Doolittles, Dungeons & Dragons, Stopped acting in 2011)David Ingram as Aron DuBaer (Anne with an E)Patrick Fabian as Thantos DuBaer (character actor, Joan of Arcadia, Better Call Saul, Jennifer Robertson as Ileana Warburton (Comedy, Inc., Wingin' It, Schitt's Creek, Ginny & Georgia)Arnold Pinnock as David Barnes (Tru Confessions, New York Minute, Life with Derek, The Listener, Travelers, Murdoch Mysteries)Karen Holness as Emily Barnes (Ultimate Christmas Present, Cashing In, Make it Pop, Christmas/Hallmark movies, Synopsis: Reunited on their 21st birthday, twin sisters (Tia Mowry, Tamera Mowry) use their magic powers to save their kingdom from the forces of darkness.Fun Facts: Originally, Tia was supposed to play Camryn and Tamera was supposed to play Alex, but the two wanted their roles to be switched.Next Movie: Cow Belles ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Are you frustrated with your husband's lack of Parenting Boundaries & Even More Anxious When Your Bio Kids Go to Him Before You, Stepmom?In today's laser coaching episode, Kim explores the WHY behind the WHAT of her expectations for raising teens.

Have you ever lost your kid in a store? That is a frightening experience. I'm confident Mary, the mother of Jesus can relate to the fear, hurry and worry of frantically searching for your child. In today's Shortie, it's time to think about how hurry and worry may be stealing our joy, robbing us of connections with our stepkids, and creating needless anxiety in our stepmom role.⚔ It's time to ARMOR UP! ⚔Luke 2:41-52✅Beverage☕️

How do you bring honor to your hunka-hunka and your family members in your household?  Well, there's one specific way you can do this very thing, without compromising your own honor. Want to know what it is?Press play!  Welcome my guest, Michelle Castro, Wife, Mama, Podcaster, and Christian Business Coach as she discloses that one thing that took her a bit more than a bit of time to fully understand the depth and power of this ONE THING.

So, you know, when you hit the ground running? The day takes off.  And your plans, if you're a planner like me, the planner, it is not directing your attention to where you need to go, and all of a sudden, later on you realize you're blowing up, you're losing your cool there's no fruit of the Spirit. The self-control has gone south!

Are You Having a Stepmom Identity Crisis? 3 Tips on How to Survive Second Wife Syndrome for Good.  Shortly after a difficult resign-firing in 2014, my hunka-hunka and I, then dating, were sharing a glass of pinot on a teeny tiny balcony overlooking a busy part of a Houston downtown neighborhood.  Sidebar story - After being wined and dined for almost two years, I said yes to a job 900 miles south because I sensed God's leading me there. The timing was off...but I figured I was right to go.  Bill and I had gotten serious quickly, but deep down, even though I knew he was the man I was to marry, I was afraid.  Let me articulate that differently.  I remember specifically saying to Bill quite confidently, "I don't want to hurt you, but I want to push you away kind of thing" and “I don't want to need you,” (or anybody else for that matter). Long after the fact I realized the leading was a teaching time lean into God instead of lean into the power of Jen. Can you relate?  Is there a time when you've declared your need for NOT needing someone?  Listen in for 3 tips on Surviving and what to do to keep the momentum going as you implement these strategies for Smart Stepmoms.Catch the Sacred Shortie, #129, here.Want to save families and prevent divorce & re-divorce? Will you partner with me on my mission to mentor and coach 12,000 women in 2023?  Many are struggling as they blend new families, and the odds are not stacked in their favor.  However, GOD IS FOR STEPMOMS & STEPFAMILIES!  Let's save families and prevent re-divorce, together!How you can be part of the movement to save families:1. Share the podcast!2. Leave a 5-star review!3. Join the FB group & get connected!Here are the best ways for you and me to connect and grow together!Step 1: Subscribe to the PodcastStep 2: Join the Mailing Lists to get first dibs on the good stuff!Step 3:Join the Brave Stepmoms FB Group >>>https://urlgeni.us/facebook/braveStep 4: Prevent Stepmom Burnout, Get the Free Download!Step 5: When you are ready: Learn How to Stop Walking on Eggshells >>>https://www.stepfamilypodcast.com/clarityStep 6:

My expert guest, Cheyanne Cleyman, spills all when she answers these questions:

For television he has directed episodes of “The Upshaws,” “Family Reunion,” “Frasier,” “Friends,” “The George Lopez Show,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Hannah Montana,” “Instant Mom,” “Evening Shade,” “Sister, Sister,” and many others, as well as several pilots. For five seasons he was also producer/director for the hit series “Girlfriends.” In recognition of his work in television, he was invited to be the Pankey Chair/Filmmaker in Residence at Chapman University.              

Sheldon Epps conceived and directed the Duke Ellington musical Play On! which received three Tony Award nominations, and was produced at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, where it received four Jefferson Awards including Best Musical. The Pasadena Playhouse production was filmed by PBS for broadcast as part of the “Great Performances” series. He also conceived and directed the highly acclaimed musical revue, Blues in the Night. The Broadway production was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical of the Year, and the London production, which he also directed, was nominated for two Laurence Olivier Awards, and ran for over a year on the West End before being broadcast in Europe by Thames Television. His 2018 production of the show in Los Angeles received unanimously positive critical acclaim and set box office records at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Arts. Mr. Epps was honored to be the Artistic Director of the renowned Pasadena Playhouse for two decades (1997-2017) and is widely credited with the rejuvenation and rebirth of that respected theatre company. His directing credits at The Playhouse include the record breaking production of Fences (starring Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett), Kiss Me Kate, Twelve Angry Men, Intimate Apparel, Blues for an Alabama Sky, The Night Is a Child, As Bees In Honey Drown, Blue, Play On!, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Old Settler, The Real Thing, On Borrowed Time, Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting, Blues in the Night, Purlie (a co-production with the Goodman Theatre), and the world premiere productions of the musicals Sleepless In Seattle, Breaking Through, and Ray Charles Live! He inaugurated Hothouse at The Playhouse, the theatre's hugely successful new play development program. He also co-directed the Broadway production of Baby It's You!, which was originally produced at The Playhouse. He now continues his association with the theatre as Artistic Director Emeritus. Under his leadership, The Pasadena Playhouse once again established a reputation for outstanding productions distinguishing themselves in their artistic excellence and theatrical diversity. During his tenure several productions successfully transferred to Broadway, off Broadway and numerous theatres all over the country. Among many other honors he received the NAACP Community Service Award and the prestigious James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award for his many accomplishments during his tenure at The Playhouse. For television he has directed episodes of “The Upshaws,” “Family Reunion,” “Frasier,” “Friends,” “The George Lopez Show,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Hannah Montana,” “Instant Mom,” “Evening Shade,” “Sister, Sister,” and many others, as well as several pilots. For five seasons he was also producer/director for the hit series “Girlfriends.” In recognition of his work in television, he was invited to be the Pankey Chair/Filmmaker in Residence at Chapman University. He has also taught acting, directing and theatre management at Yale School of Drama, USC, UCLA, University of San Diego, Occidental College, and Cal State LA among others. He was honored to receive the coveted Alumni Achievement Award from his alma mater Carnegie-Mellon University. He is a long-time member of the Executive Board of the Society of Directors and Choreographers and served as Chair of the SDC Foundation Board of Trustees. He is also on the board of the Ten Chimneys Foundation. Mr. Epps is a two-time recipient of the Theatre Communications Group/Pew Charitable Trust National Theatre Artists Residency Grant, which supported his four-year tenure at The Old Globe as Associate Artistic Director. Currently, he is honored to serve as Senior Artistic Advisor at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC. # # #

Why yes we ARE back for season 5 of You Might Know Her From with nothing less than an Emmy winner, babies! Sheryl Lee Ralph joins us for a candid conversation about her decades-long career on stage and screen. You might know her from: Abbott Elementary, Moesha, Sister Act 2, To Sleep with Anger, Ray Donovan, A Piece of the Action and the original Broadway productions of Thoroughly Modern Millie and Dreamgirls. Sheryl is a powerhouse quadruple threat: actor, singer, dancer, and producer who knocked us out as Deena Jones in Dreamgirls and just won an Emmy for her work as Barbara Howard in Abbott Elementary. We cover everything from her Broadway beginnings, to her disco one hit wonder, “In the Evening,” to sharing a memorable opening night with Carol Channing. Plus, working with Michael Bennett, Charles Burnett, Sidney Poitier, and Robert DeNiro. And why you don't want an orangutan as a scene partner Buckle up bebes, because your dreams are just about to come true! Follow us on social media: @damianbellino || @rodemanne Discussed this week: Sheryl Lee Ralph won an Emmy for Abbott Elementary Jimmy Kimmel bit at Emmy's Selma Blair is on Dancing with the Stars Jojo Siwa lesbian drama on tik tok We miss Tom Bergeron  Tyra's whoops on DWTS Former guests Natalie Zea promoting La Brea and Caroline Aaron in the Maisel clip Sheryl & former guest Lisa Ann Walter were fast friends  Husband is Penn State Senator Vincent Hughes  Played Deena Jones in the original Broadway cast of Dreamgirls, directed by Michael Bennett “Steppin to the Bad Side” choreo Produced Thoughts of a Colored Man on Broadway in 2021 The Dreamgirls movie was bad and didn't ask Sheryl to cameo Played Muzzy in the original Broadway cast of Thoroughly Modern Millie. Role was originated by Carol Channing in the movie screaming “Raspbbbbberrrrries” out of a moving plane Carol Channing had to erase the black woman from her family in order to “make it.” Her close friendship with Pearl Bailey Wants to do Mame, Hello Dolly, Madame Rose. Damian suggesting Sunset Boulevard Won Indie Spirit award for To Sleep with Anger (dir Charles Burnett) DeVon Nixon was her son in To Sleep with Anger and he's now on Snowfall (Not DeVon Franklin) Her husband in that movie (Richard Brooks) plays her husband on Abbott First movie was directed by Sidney Poitier: A Piece of the Action (1977) Played Dee, the stepmother on Moesha Wanted to be like Patty Duke on The Patty Duke Show or Sally Field on The Flying Nun Moesha jumped the shark in 6th season where Frank (the dad) had a secret son and the writers were determined to add unnecessary drama. Sheryl left the show.  Has gay cred: longtime HIV activist, played Margo Channing in Applause, produced the Sylvester musical.  Dancers in Applause were Shaun T and Leslie Odom Gay disco anthem “In the Evening”  Would call her Instant Mom co-star, Tia Mowry if car broke down Starred opposite Robert DeNiro in Mistress Jon Voight DOES wear a white scarf to dress up  Mother is fashion designer Ivy Ralph who created the kariba suit Sheryl's Dreamgirls premiere dress Stars as Rita in Oliver & Company but singing voice went to Ruth Pointer Co-starred I'm the 1994 live action Flintstones movie and had to do a scene with an orangutan  Was a judge for Shade the Rusical on s6 of Drag Race which was particularly rough. They sang live.  Sang one song at 54 Below for Jen Tepper in honor of 20th anniversary of Millie Carol Channing on Wendy Williams Former guest Da'Vine Joy Randolph should play Pearl Bailey  Carol Channing + Pearl Bailey special (1969) Lea Michele opened Funny Girl and there were lots of videos, then she got COVID Funny Girl had to bring in someone last minute bc of so much COVID (Barbara Tirrell as Mrs Meeker) Rosie was set to see Lea too. She has a new gf who's a TikTok person Rosie's sign off is “TikTok ya don't stop”

Mark Curry is an actor, comedian and host best known for playing Mark Cooper in the hit ABC sitcom, Hangin with Mr. Cooper. With a background in standup comedy, Mark tours worldwide, selling out comedy clubs and theaters with his lively energy and natural stage presence. His standup can also be seen on the HBO special, One Night Stand, Comedy Central Presents and HBO Def Comedy Jam. In addition to his live comedy performances, Mark is also a seasoned actor in both the comedy and drama spaces, having appeared in Martin for Fox, The Jaime Foxx Show, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, Instant Mom for Nickelodeon, Black Jesus and the ABC Family drama The Secret Life of the American Teenage alongside Shailene Woodley. On this podcast MArk chops it up with fellow Bay Area native Dominique DiPrima.

Show Notes Episode 20 In this Episode Heather discusses: Personal thoughts on adoption Encouraging adoption quotes Links Mentioned: fortheloveofadoption.com https://for-the-love-of-adoption.ck.page/adoption-101 Adoption. It's surrounded with so much confusion and misinformation. And how many people never move forward with adoption because of this? Hi, I'm Heather. I'm not an adoption coach or consultant, and I'm not with an adoption agency. I'm a mom to two amazing kids I've been blessed with through adoption. And on this journey, I've learned and continue to learn a lot. Most of all, I believe that if God has put adoption on your heart, it's there for a reason. And you shouldn't let all the steps keep you from building your family through adoption. I'm here to offer you hope and encouragement, and to talk about everything from types of adoption, things to know before you adopt, funding your adoption, including grants, the home study process, making the most of your adoption wait, talking to your kids about adoption, and so much more. Adoption can be hard, but many of the best things in life often are. You know what, though? It can also be amazing. I'm here to share what I've learned. I hope hearing from someone that has gone this road before you encourages and motivates you to take a step of faith and see where it leads. I'm doing this all for the love of adoption. Let's dive in. Hello, friends. Welcome to Episode 20 of the for the love of adoption show. How am I already on episode 20? I have no idea. Today, I'm just going to kind of talk about adoption, not my normal episode where I'm talking about tips or just different things. Today, I just want to talk about some different things on my heart about adoption. So last weekend, we got to spend an awesome time with our kids birth mom and her daughter and her family. It was incredible. We went to a waterpark. They were celebrating our kiddos birth mom's daughter's 10th birthday. She invited us and we were like Absolutely. And I was so glad that we went and spent that time it was. It was wonderful. We spent the night there. And it was just so many great memories. She wants us to come again in the future. And we plan to invite her to our kids parties. And it was just awesome. It was just such a special time of bonding time. I loved seeing my kids with her. I just love that they know their story. I love that they know where they came from, and that she loves them and that she made the decision she made out of love and that they get to grow up and know her just means so much to us. So that's something that's on my heart. Something else I just want to talk about is kind of some of the stuff that being an adoptive mom has been like what are some of the differences and maybe being an adoptive mom versus biological mom. So one thing in the beginning, there is so much paperwork. Oh my gosh, one of the funny little sayings that I loved when we were in the process was “no morning sickness so far, but the paper cuts are horrible.” I will say though, that once the paperwork is done and you bring your baby home, that waiting period that the birth mom has to change your mind. it can feel intense. You're caring for your babies every need from the day you bring them home and you worry about them and you love them like any parent. And imagining that they can be taken back as hard. Although the truth is that that's rare, the thoughts still there. And that's a pretty big deal. Another thing about being an adoptive mom is like I was mentioning earlier how we spent last weekend with our kids birth mom and her family, there's extra people to love. That's one huge difference in my mind that makes adoptive moms different. We now care for an extra person, our child, but then also the birth mother or maybe the birth parents or maybe extended family on their side with open adoption. And no that's not the case for everyone. But it is becoming more and more common. And this makes me happy. When we first started the adoption process. I absolutely could not imagine an open adoption. I knew I was going to prefer closed. But the more I learned about open adoption and how it was generally better for everyone involved, especially the child I became more open to the idea this person was going to change our lives forever by choosing us. Why wouldn't we want to know her and have her be a part of our lives. No one else is ever going to give you a gift like this. In my opinion. It's an absolute honor to have her as a part of our lives. We love having the privilege of knowing her and spending time with her. There are plenty of extra people to love. Another thing that stands out is unexpected disappointments come up.  Adoption is not easy. Not only is there tons of paperwork, training, fundraising, there's also disappointments when you find out that your profile was shown but you weren't chosen again. Or you plan a meeting with your child's birth mom but it falls through. Also the actual adoption finalization that can be a bit anti climatic. I've seen adoption finalization that happened at court with pictures and celebrations that followed. Ours involved getting a letter in the mail. Don't misunderstand, we were so excited we will receive that adoption finalization letter! But it wasn't exactly what we were expecting as far as a finalization celebration, although we did make our own little celebration after that so it worked out. Another thing with being an adoptive mom is just unexpected emotions. I can still remember that day we walked in and we met our children's birth mom, I had no idea at that moment how much I would care for her. A lot of people don't seem to get this or just how we could be comfortable having such a relationship with her. But some people do get it. And you're not probably gonna get it if you're not in this adoption world. If you're not someone that's adopted and has an open adoption, it's probably not going to make sense. And that's okay. Other adoptive parents with close adoptions have told me that they're jealous of our open adoption, that they wish they had that. I'm thankful that we do. Here's the thing, our children's birth, mom and us share a love for these sweet children. That's something really special with open adoption. I'm honored to have this amazing extra person in our lives. We're blessed to be our kids parents. And she's the reason that that's even the case.  Another thing, explaining I love adoption, and I'm passionate about it. So I actually love questions and enjoy talking about it. And I don't always intend to tell strangers and acquaintances that we adopted. But I end up telling pretty much everyone because I love it. I'm proud of it. I could get away with telling no one because my kids look like me. Everyone comments on that, even birth mom and her family. But I'm too passionate not to talk about it when I have the time. Plus, maybe somebody is interested in adoption, and I can help them. And that matters to me. Let's be honest, adoption can be overwhelming, right? In sometimes when you're thinking about adoption, when you're considering it. You just need to know where to start. You just need to know, what do I do? Like, how do I figure this out? And what are the basics of what I need to know? Can somebody just tell me the basics? Well, I have put together an eight page guide, that is adoption 101. It talks about types of adoption, things to know before you adopt adoption terms, how to find adoption support, which is very important. Adoption costs, which we all need to know right? The steps to take to adopt books to read about adoption, and even talking to your child about adoption. This is a jam packed eight page guide, that really we'll just lay out the basics for you. Because again, adoptions overwhelming it is I get it. And sometimes we just need to be able to see something that kind of just talks us through okay, what do I do? And what do I need to know. That's why I created this this eight page guide, I spent a lot of time on to really fill it with what I thought was the most important things you need to know to consider adoption and just get started. If you decide it's right for you, you can get this completely free. Just go to for the love of adoption.com. And scroll to the middle of the homepage, you will see an image that says adoption 101. Because look, if adoptions on your heart, I believe that calling is there for a reason. And this eight page guide can just help break things down and help you get started. So make sure you go grab that today. Just overall, I know that adoption is a heavy topic. It is not all rainbows and unicorns, right? And although I talk about it in a more positive light than some, it's because I believe that we get to choose what we focus on. And we know adoption is hard. We know it involves tragedy. But that's not where I'm going to focus. I'm not going to dwell on that. We chose adoption so we're going to make the most of it. We're going to love our kids, we're going to let them know their story. We're not going to hide things from them, we're going to be honest with them, we're going to love their birth mom the best we can because she chose us. She picked us. I mean, that's pretty cool. I would never want to deprive her of a relationship with them. So like I've said before, for as long as they can have a healthy relationship with her, we are all for it. We love it. So anyway, today was just a little bit different on this 20th episode. Just wanted to share some of my thoughts on adoption, some of the funny things that you go through when you choose to embark on an adoption journey. But most of all, just to say, yes, adoption is hard, but it's amazing. I wouldn't change how we built our family. And I love that I get to help encourage others. I also just want to leave you with some adoption quotes. I love inspirational quotes. And there's just something about finding a quote that just really speaks to you that I think is just so powerful. And I have some of my favorite adoption quotes here. So I thought you might enjoy hearing some of these. “I hold my daughter in my arms arms and I thank God for bringing her to me. If the standard route for creating a family at work for me, I wouldn't have met this child. I needed to know her. I needed to be your mother. I know now why all those events happened or didn't happen so I can meet this little girl she is in every way my daughter I am carrying my funny gift from God and all is good.” That is from Nia Vardalos. Instant mom is the name of the book. Another one from her “Because now I know what I've been waiting for. I know exactly why the other processes didn't work. I know I was supposed to wait for this little girl. “ “Indeed, for all of us who are believers our present circumstances and futures aren't defined by our past. Our identities are found in Christ alone, as believers in Christ were adopted into God's family. Adoption. It's a beautiful thing.” That's from Kelly Rosati. Wait no more one family's amazing adoption journey. Here's a funny one I love. “I have four children two are adopted, I forget which two.” That's from Bob Constantine. And if I'm mispronouncing any of these names, which I'm sure I am please forgive me. “A son or daughter in any human family is either born to or adopted by the parents. By definition a child can't be both but with God were both born of him and adopted by him.” Jerry bridges in Holiness Day by Day Transformational Thoughts for your Spiritual Journey.” “Adoption has the dimension of connection not only to your own tribe, but beyond widening the scope of what constitutes love ties and family. It's a larger embrace. By adopting we stretch past our immediate circles and by reaching out via an unexpected sense of belonging to others.”That's Isabella Rossellini.  I love that quote because again, it takes me back to that connection we have to our kids biological family. “ Adoption was a bumpy ride, very bumpy, but God was it worth the fight.” Mariska Hargitay “I think adoptions a blessing all around when it's done right.” Hugh Jackson “My birth mother brought me into this world but it was my adoptive parents who gave me life.” Christina Roma “Time and experience have taught me a priceless lesson, any child you take for your own becomes your own if you give of yourself to that child. I have born two children and have seven others by adoption and they're all my children equally beloved and precious.” Dale Evans. “Somehow destiny comes into play.These children end up with you and you end up with them. It's something quite magical.” Nicole Kidman “By choice we've become a family first in our hearts in finally and breath and being. Great expectations are good, great experiences are better.” Richard Fisher “My life has been shaped by the decision two people made over 24 years ago, they decided to adopt a child they got me and I got a chance at the kind of life all children deserve.” Karen Fowler in Reflections on Motherhood. “Anyone who ever wondered how much they could love a child who did not spring from their own loins know this. It's the same. The feeling of love is so profound. It's incredible and surprising.” And that again is Nia Vardalos from Instant Mom. So anyway, guys, I just wanted to chat about adoption a little bit, share some thoughts, share these quotes. I hope this was just an encouraging little episode for you today. And I'll end this 20th episode with a little quote of my own, “I believe that if adoption is on your heart, it was put there for a reason, and that regardless of any obstacles that seem to be in your way, it will become a part of your story, if you trust and take the next step.” Thanks so much for listening in today. And did you know that I offer a full library of free resources to help you along on your adoption journey. Just go to fortheloveofadoption.com and scroll to the bottom of the homepage, you will be able to access all kinds of PDFs there to help you along different stages of your adoption journey. And if you've enjoyed this at all, if you could please leave me a review and rating it helps more than you know. Talk to you next time.  

Ahoy mateys! Captain Eric here with another episode of This Week In #Nickelodeon History! This episode covers every Nickelodeon show that premiered or ended from December 19th - December 25th including Instant Mom, Double Dare, and The Penguins of Madagascar! Also including my Top 5 Nickelodeon Christmas specials! If you would like to support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/spongepod/support Captain Eric's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ7sB5EK79oGZDuOnKjDuQA Captain Eric's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spongebobpodcast/ Captain Eric's Twitter: https://twitter.com/imreadypodcast --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/spongepod/message

Tia Mowry [Sister, Sister, The Hot Chick, The Game, Instant Mom] talks with Anna about attending The Hot Chick cheerleading-camp, the formative experience of Sister, Sister, Angelina Jolie, The Goonies, being a twin, collecting crystals, heartbreak, empathy, Dealbreakers and more. Later in the episode, Anna and April offer some qualified and unqualified advice to a caller trying to start a new life and find the right partner.Learn more about April and LEVEL by visiting  www.levelconnections.comOrder Dealbreakers now. On sale wherever books are soldManscaped Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, at Manscaped.com/ANNA. It’s Dad Bod season. Time to get smooth.Best Fiends Download the 5 star-rated puzzle game, Best Fiends FREE today on the App Store or Google Play. That’s FRIENDS without the R – Best Fiends!Please subscribe to Anna Faris is Unqualified on Apple Podcasts and follow us on social media:Instagram @UnqualifiedTwitter @UnqualifiedFacebook @Anna Faris is UnqualifiedMusic by: Mondo Cozmo @mondocozmoProducers: Michael Barrett, Rob Holysz, Jeph Porter, Kasper SelvigResearcher: Margot BarrettProduction Services: Rabbit Grin Productions rabbitgrinproductions.comDistributed by: Simplecast

This week, I share the incredible mom journey of my friend from undergrad at Stanford University- who in the midst of earning her doctorate in Education at Drexler University, inherited the raising of her teen cousin when her mother died suddenly almost 10 years ago. Her God daughter went on to graduate from high school, and this year, earns her Bachelor's degree (in a pandemic, no less)!Dr. Melinda Kelly Johnson is passionate and caring leader. She is the newly selected executive director for Compass Philly, a nonprofit which provides strategic guidance and pro bono consulting to local nonprofits.She is also the Founder and Board President of Johnson Manor of Faith and Education, a nonprofit organization that educates and edifies students through holistic, academic, and faith-based instruction.  Melinda served as director of operations at the Institute for Women's Health and Leadership at Drexel University for 11 years, and as program administrator at the university's Office of Research Administration for nearly four years before that. Early in her career she served as a mortgage consultant/financial representative at AIG.Melinda serves as board member of the Center for Aquatic Sciences at Adventure Aquarium, as well as Woodbury City Public Schools. She previously served as vice president of the Black Alumni Council of Drexel University.JMFE – Johnson Manor of Faith and EducationHost:Ekua Walker, NP in Child Development and CEOChief Encouragement Officer of Www.MomsChangingtheWorld.orgProduction Partner: Koby BlanksonPodcast Art: Joel and Esther Ishler

Award-winning actress, writer, director and producer, Eileen Grubba, shares her thoughts on her powerful journey of overcoming life-threatening illness and disabilities, fighting for inclusion in the entertainment industry, and living outrageously in the face of fear. Learn more about her perspective as we discuss:her mentors and friends at the Actors Studio why "game changers" like Einstein, Beethoven & Helen Keller are criticalher dream roles and passion projectsand her training at the FBI!Guest BiographyEileen Grubba is an award-winning actress, lifetime member of The Actors Studio, member of the Television Academy, and Brand Ambassador for Global Disability Inclusion. Her TV appearances include HBO’s Watchmen, CBS’s SWAT, ALL Rise, Criminal Minds, NBC’s New Amsterdam, Game Of Silence, Netflix’s The Politician, ABC’s Stumptown, FX’s Sons of Anarchy, Bones, Fear The Walking Dead, HBO’s Hung & Enlightened, Benched, Instant Mom, CSI: Miami, The Mentalist, Cold Case, Nip/Tuck, The Closer, Monk and more. She has been nominated for multiple Best Actress awards for Indie films, with wins for Best Ensemble Cast in the female lead. She was honored with the WeSpark Award at Idyllwild Film Festival 2020 for social impact on the entertainment industry and won Mary Austin Excellence in Screenwriting Awards in 2019 and 2020, as well as many awards for her disability-inclusive short films. She is an advocate for the hiring of performers with disabilities in film, television and advertising, serves on the SAG/AFTRA National PWD Committee, and was selected for the 2020 CBS Leadership Pipeline for directing. She is a national public speaker for events supporting challenged patients, disability inclusion, eradicating bullying, and empowering women. In 2019 she went through training at the FBI’s Citizen Academy for community leaders and was keynote speaker for their graduation.Eileen narrowly survived a viral attack on her spine caused by a vaccine that left her paralyzed. She spent years of her childhood in a wheelchair, and every year since trying to stay on her feet. She is also a cancer survivor.Connect with Eileen:WebsiteTwitterInstagramFacebook---Lady Grey is an award-winning international entertainer and educator. She has been at the helm of numerous performing arts organizations and has performed everywhere from Broadway to the Sydney Olympics. She currently serves as Artistic Director of Lady Grey's Lovelies and continues to work as a mentor and empowerment coach.Connect with Lady GreyFacebookInstagramWebsite

Instant Mom will be expanding to offer online learning units for prospective and new foster parents! Hear a sneak preview of that latest venture, as well as some teasers about a slightly new format for the Instant Mom podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/elizabeth-friedland/message

Things I'm learning about our new son Ethan have more,to do with ME than HIM. The post Instant Mom Update appeared first on 88.3 The Journey.

On today's episode, I have a lovely conversation with fellow Stepmom Caitlin about;Becoming a Step parent to a toddler (Pros, challenges & differences)Letting go of the fantasy and embracing your realityThe Importance of Stepmom Self-CareGrab a cup of tea or coffee, get comfy and listen close to the story of Stepmom Caitlin McKitterick.Connect with us on Instagram and Facebook.  SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEWXO About our Guest:Caitlin McKitterick (M.Sc, BA) is a Canadian-based stepmom coach, wife and stepmom of a four-year old boy. On her blog www.bubblytobedtimestories.com, you will find the ramblings of a bachelorette-turned-stepmom on how she strives to live a balanced, inspired and fulfilled life amidst the chaos of a blended family.  Connect with our Guest:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bubblytobedtimestories Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bubblytobedtimestories/ Website: https://bubblytobedtimestories.com/   

My guest today is Nicole Walters, Founder and CEO of Inherit Learning Company. I first crossed paths with Nicole when I witnessed her quit her job on Periscope. Little did I know that this would lead to years of me following her journey online, eventually becoming part of her Richfriend community and finding a forever mentor. Today, Nicole shares her journey behind the business including the story of how she became an instant mom and full-time entrepreneur at the same time! In this episode, Nicole shares: How she became a mom of 3 in 30 days The importance of doing the "next right thing" Why reprioritizing and redefining your dreams and goals are necessary in life How now is not the time to start something new and what you should do instead Connect with Nicole online: https://www.instagram.com/nicolewalters/ https://nicolewalters.com/ Hear more about Nicole's motherhood journey: The Nicole Walters Podcast Episode 1, Part 1 The Nicole Walters Podcast Episode 1, Part 2 Be sure to check out Nicole's new TV show "She's the Boss" coming in 2021. While you wait, check out the sneak peak now. Connect with me: https://instagram.com/lawannmoses_ https://facebook.com/lawannmoses Shop: https://LaWannMoses.com/shop Support the show (http://paypal.me/lawannmoses)

Our Entertainer series pivots in health with TV star of Instant Mom and chef, Tia Mowry. Tia talks about taking care of yourself during flu season.

My next guest is Nancy Grace. She's an award-winning legal journalist, victims-rights advocate and New York Times bestselling author of four books, including Objection!; The Eleventh Victim; Death on the D-List; and Murder in the Courthouse. Nancy headlines Oxygen's Injustice with Nancy Grace, hosts the daily Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on SIRIUSXM and appears regularly on ABC's 20/20 and Nightline, as well as on Daily Mail TV. She is founder and publisher of CrimeOnline.com, a digital platform that investigates breaking crime news, highlights missing people and helps solve unsolved homicides. Please welcome to Money Making Conversations Nancy Grace.My next guest is Mark Curry. He is an actor, comedian, and host, best known for playing ‘Mark Cooper’ in the hit ABC sitcom, HANGIN’ WITH MR. COOPER. With a background in standup comedy, Mark tours worldwide, selling out comedy clubs and theaters with his lively energy and natural stage presence. His standup can also be seen on the HBO special, ONE NIGHT STAND, COMEDY CENTRAL PRESENTS, and HBO’s DEF COMEDY JAM. In addition to his live comedy performances, Mark is also a seasoned actor in both the comedy and drama spaces, having appeared in MARTIN for FOX, THE JAMIE FOXX SHOW, Tyler Perry’s HOUSE OF PAYNE, INSTANT MOM for Nickelodeon, BLACK JESUS, and the ABC Family drama, THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER, alongside Shailene Woodley. Please welcome to Money Making Conversations Mark Curry.My next guest is Pinky Cole. Bringing vegan options and food awareness to Atlanta has always been a life dream of Cole, Founder and CEO of Slutty Vegan. Opening the conversation on vegan food options for people who have never considered them in communities that have such high numbers in hypertension, cholesterol, obesity, and a host of other food-borne ailments, is momentous. At Slutty Vegan we combine superb taste with plant based ingredients so you can remain vegan and get a little naughty. Please welcome to Money Making Conversations Pinky Cole.My next guest is Candace Holyfield. Affectionately known as “The Six Figure Spa Chick”, Holyfield is the founder and the creative mind behind the Queen Spa Expo (specifically created for minority spa professionals) and The Black Spa Magazine. She is best known for her Award-Winning spa parties and her business instructional classes designed to empower millennial business owners. She has written over 30 e-books (for spa professionals) and has been invited to speak on mainstages internationally. A trailblazer in her own right, Holyfield has assisted over 500 spa owners not only launch their salon but create a six-figure income while doing so. Her work in the industry has not gone unnoticed. Please welcome to Money Making Conversations Candace Holyfield.https://www.moneymakingconversations.comhttps://www.youtube.com/MoneyMakingConversationshttps://www.facebook.com/MoneyMakingConversations/https://twitter.com/moneymakingconvhttps://www.instagram.com/moneymakingconversations/ Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

My next guest is Mark Curry. He is an actor, comedian, and host, best known for playing ‘Mark Cooper’ in the hit ABC sitcom, HANGIN’ WITH MR. COOPER. With a background in standup comedy, Mark tours worldwide, selling out comedy clubs and theaters with his lively energy and natural stage presence. His standup can also be seen on the HBO special, ONE NIGHT STAND, COMEDY CENTRAL PRESENTS, and HBO’s DEF COMEDY JAM. In addition to his live comedy performances, Mark is also a seasoned actor in both the comedy and drama spaces, having appeared in MARTIN for FOX, THE JAMIE FOXX SHOW, Tyler Perry’s HOUSE OF PAYNE, INSTANT MOM for Nickelodeon, BLACK JESUS, and the ABC Family drama, THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER, alongside Shailene Woodley. Please welcome to Money Making Conversations Mark Curry.https://www.moneymakingconversations.comhttps://www.youtube.com/MoneyMakingConversationshttps://www.facebook.com/MoneyMakingConversations/https://twitter.com/moneymakingconvhttps://www.instagram.com/moneymakingconversations/ Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Amanda and Jenn discuss pageturners, novels with a strong sense of place, some romance, and more in this week’s episode of Get Booked. This episode is sponsored by The History of Literature – A Podcast, Amulet Books and Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko, and Sweet Sorrow by David Nicholls. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Questions 1. I’m in the mood for a steamy pirate romance, but not one that’s cheesy or over the top ridiculous (which unfortunately is all I’ve been able to find.) My favorite romance authors are Tessa Dare and Sara Maclean, mostly because of the feminist tone and whimsy. Thanks for keeping me company while I commute to work! -Brooke 2. I’m reading Where The Crawdads Sing. Omg! I’m flying through this book. I love that the marsh is a character. Can you recommend a book that has that same feel? I’ve also read Moloka’i and loved it! I live in NC but have spent some time in Hawaii. I would love southern/beach/island. I also wouldn’t mind something set in Europe or Africa but please no middle America. I like something I can spend some time with so please no graphic novels or short stories. Thank you so much! -Jessica 3. I’m 47 and went thru a divorce two years ago. I’m looking for romance novels that involve women that have been married for many years and are rejoining the dating world and finding love. I’ve not been brave  enough to do so yet and need inspiration.  -Lee 4. Hello! I’ve been a chick lit fan since I read the first Bridget Jones book in 2000ish.  I’ve read many of the popular authors from the last 20 years or so.  I mostly like ones set in the United Kingdom, that are contemporary and of the romantic comedy type.  No dukes, lords or highlanders, not too much graphic sex, not too much real high stakes drama.  Just fun, wacky, romantic comedy hijinx!  Some popular authors I’ve read and enjoyed in the past are Helen Fielding, Marian Keyes, Jojo Moyes, Sophie Kinsella, Jill Mansell, Katie Fforde, Jenny Colgan, Jane Green, and Louise Rennison. Pretty much all of the early 2000’s chick lit staples.  I’ve been looking for something light and fun to read this summer,  and would love to discover some new chick lit authors and titles. Hopefully some with a bit more diversity!  I recently read and loved Queenie. Thanks so much! I’m a big fan of the podcast and looking forward to your suggestions.   -Tamara 5. Hey guys! I was really hoping you could help me out of a reading slump I’m in. I’m in college, and reading usually two books for my classes a week (at least) that are pretty heavy and dense, as well as a bunch of academic articles. So, during the school year I find myself not reading as much for fun, save for comic books. Summer just started however, and I’ve been so excited to relax and read, but now I can’t find the motivations or want to read any of the books I have. I think I need lighter, more fun material; a page turner. I read pretty much any genre, but mostly sci-fi and fantasy, and sometimes historical fiction. My two favorite authors are Donna Tartt and N.K. Jemisin. Also, no graphic novel recommendations please, as I find myself still able to read those.   -Scarlett 6. My husband and I are considering adopting/fos-adopting a child. And like the reader I am, it always makes me feel more comfortable to read as much about it as I can before jumping in. I’m looking for books about the adoption process. Can be fiction or nonfiction. Memoir or biography would be great. I just recently read “Instant Mom” by Nia Vardalos and that really fit what I’m looking for. I’m looking for material from the perspective of the people doing the adopting, NOT from the perspective of the person being or having been adopted (which is what I keep finding). Books can be either book or audio format. Fiction is fine if it is something I can read to relate to or get inspiration from. Thank you so much for your help! -Ally 7. I have recently become a romance obsessed reader. I mostly read M/M romance and I love the jock and the “what is sports and who cares” guy trope. What I would like is an F/F version of this trope. I am thinking of something like a member of the US Women’s National Soccer Team and a woman who does not get sports. (Yes, I have a crush on Megan Rapinoe. Who doesn’t?) Although I love YA, I would really love it if these were adults so being an athlete is the job of one of the women. I am totally happy with sexy times on the page. (The hotter, the better.) Thank you so much! -DyAnne Books Discussed The Rogue Pirate’s Bride by Shana Galen Captured by Beverly Jenkins Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique (tw: rape of a child) All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld (tw: violence against women incl. sexual assault, harm to animals) The Switch by Beth O’Leary His Perfect Partner by Priscilla Oliveras (cw: family member with cancer) The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged by Ayisha Malik Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan Rebelwing by Andrea Tang A Big Ship At the Edge of the Universe by Alex White  To the End of June by Cris Beam Motherhood So White by Nefertiti Austin Fire and Ice by Rachel Spangler Roller Girl by Vanessa North

Wendi and Dfernando's seventeenth episode and their guest interview is Academy Award nominated & multi-award winning actress, screenwriter, playwright and producer Nia Vardalos.  Born and raised in Canada, Nia Vardalos is an alumna of the Chicago-based Second City comedy repertory company.  She gained global attention with her 2002 film adaptation of MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, which she had written and starred in as a one-woman play in Los Angeles.  Based on her personal experiences and family, the film was a critical success and remains the highest-grossing romantic comedy film of all time. Vardalos went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Writing (Original Screenplay), a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.  The film inspired the CBS series MY BIG FAT GREEK LIFE and led to a 2016 sequel MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2, which she also wrote and starred in and featured the original film’s cast. Vardalos’ other notable films: CONNIE AND CARLA, which she also wrote and starred in, opposite Toni Collette and David Duchovny; made her directorial debut with the film I HATE VALENTINE’S DAY; MY LIFE IN RUINS with Richard Dreyfuss (the first American production given permission to film at the Acropolis); and co-wrote with Academy Award winner Tom Hanks the film LARRY CROWNE. She continues to write screenplays, but regularly returns to television.  Her first appearances as an actress were on numerous hit television series like THE DREW CAREY SHOW, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, BOY MEETS WORLD and TWO GUYS, A GIRL AND A PIZZA PLACE.  Other notable television appearances have been on DROP DEAD DIVA, COUGAR TOWN, GREY’S ANATOMY, LAW & ORDER: SVU, JANE THE VIRGIN, THE CATCH, GRAVES, CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND and most recently the TV movies SAME TIME, NEXT CHRISTMAS, POISONED LOVE: THE STACEY CASTOR STORY and CHRISTMAS ROMANCE AL DENTE.  From 2015 to 2017, Vardalos and Ian Gomez co-presented the first two seasons of ABC TV’s THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW.   She made her Broadway debut in THE 24 HOUR PLAYS 2006 as Mary in Julia Cho’s THE FIRST TREE IN ANTARCTICA, directed by Andrew McCarthy, followed by the 2009 The Actors Fund's CHANCE & CHEMISTRY, a centennial celebration of Frank Loesser. A chance meeting with Tony Award & Emmy Award winning director Thomas Kail (HAMILTON, IN THE HEIGHTS, FX’s FOSSE/VERDON) led to her adapting for the NY stage Cheryl Strayed’s 2012 book TINY BEAUTY THINGS, where she originated the role of Sugar.  The play had 2 acclaimed runs at The Public Theater in 2016 and 2017 and had a limited run at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2019.  On May 6, 2020 Vardalos and the entire original cast of the play did a live-stream reading of the play as a benefit for The Actors Fund.   After thirteen distinct in vitro fertilization attempts had failed, Vardalos’ struggle to become a mother ultimately led her and then husband Ian Gomez to adopt.  She went on to tell her journey in her New York Times best-selling book INSTANT MOM, which was published in 2014.Also on Episode 17, Wendi brings up cryotherapy, hot flashes, and the weekly RIPE & ROTTEN REPORT mentions Comedy Central's Emmy Award winning series DRUNK HISTORY, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Broadway's HAMILTON and Wim Hof's deep breathing method. Follow us on our Instagram: Wendi McLendon-CoveyDfernando ZarembaGENERATION RIPE... and our guest Nia Vardalos and her TwitterRemember to subscribe to GENERATION RIPEVisit Dfernando Zaremba's website: dfernandozaremba.com

Michael Boatman is an actor of great versatility. He is perhaps best known for his six year run on the hit comedy series “Spin City” for which he received two NAACP Image Awards, while simultaneously doing double duty as sports agent Stanley Babson on the HBO series “Arli$$.” Most recently, Boatman completed a recurring role on MADAM SECRETARY, on the Network. Prior to that he did double duty as a series regular on Nickelodeon’s “Instant Mom,” opposite Tia Mowry, and recurred as Charlie Sheen’s best friend on the FX series “Anger Management.” In addition, he had a recurring role on CBS’ “The Good Wife.” Boatman was born in Colorado Springs and grew up in Chicago as the oldest of three children. He studied theater at Western Illinois University, playing major roles in plays ranging from “Purlie Victorious” to “The Seagull” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” He performed at the Kennedy Center in the Irene Ryan National Competition, for which he won the Best Supporting Actor award. After graduating, Boatman was cast as Motown in the film “Hamburger Hill.” It was there that he met lifelong friends Steven Weber and Don Cheadle. Shortly after, he moved to Los Angeles where he starred in the award-winning ABC drama “China Beach.” Following that series run, he starred in “Muscle” opposite Alan Ruck and then moved on to the much-loved series “Spin City” for six seasons. Over the years, Boatman has recurred on shows such as “The Larry Sanders Show,” “Living Single,” “The Jackie Thomas Show,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Sherri” opposite Sherri Shepherd. Boatman has appeared in numerous movies for television, including “In the Line of Duty: Street War,” the PBS special, “The Trial of Bernard Goetz” and ABC’s “Once Upon a Mattress.” Boatman’s feature films include the lead role of J.J. Johnson in “The Glass Shield,” “Woman Thou Art Loosed,” “Bad Parents,” “Peacemaker” and Sidney Lumet’s “Running on Empty,” among others. His theater work includes “Master Harold and the Boys” at the Roundabout Theatre Company on Broadway starring opposite Danny Glover, “The Glass Menagerie” in San Francisco and “Tiny Mommy” at Playwright’s Horizons. Most recently, Boatman starred in San Diego’s Old Globe production of “Robin Hood!”

M. Dickson is a comedian and writer in LA. She has worked on shows you have seen like Superstore, Instant Mom, Disenchantenment, the MTV VMA's, etc. We grew up near each other and traveled in distant circles until we performed together in the Rocky Horror Show in 2014, after which her career catupulted. I take full credit. We chatted about her career, how she got to meet Craig T. Nelson AND Steven Tyler, being a gay woman in the writing world, and of course, what we are watching. Support the show (http://patreon.com/lightersidepodcast)

Jessica Butler is the co-creator of the hit Nick at Nite series, "Instant Mom." She and her husband writer/producer Warren Bell created the show based on her experiences as a stepmother. She says she felt there was nothing on TV that represented how families can co-parent together. She also wanted to dispel the trope of the wicked stepmother, which does more harm to families than people realize. RaiseMagazine.com focuses on telling stories of non-traditional families. Butler is a stepmother of two sons, and an adoptive mom to one son and wanted to see her stories and other non-traditional stories represented online. So she launched Raise Magazine, a lifestyle site for modern mothers, featuring stories of stepparenting, adoption, foster care, surrogacy, and non-traditional families. Warren Bell and Jessica Butler co-created "Instant Mom" on Nick at Nite based on their family. Butler says she creates content for fellow stepmoms who are navigating a new marriage, instant motherhood, and co-parenting all at once, as well as for women who are stepdaughters themselves. A recent poll from Pew Research Center revealed that 44% of women in America -- nearly half -- have a step relationship. While most stepparenting sites cater solely to stepmoms, Raise covers single motherhood as well, providing a community for moms who are navigating co-parenting from the other side, along with challenges like dating as a parent. Jessica Butler and her son Levon. As an adoptive mother in an open adoption, she offers her perspective to hopeful and current adoptive moms, as well as birth moms and adoptees, through conversations on open and closed adoptions, interracial and kinship adoptions, and the day-to-day challenges of raising an adopted child. Raise also profiles former foster youth and current foster parents on their experiences with the system. The Raise site is currently building a team of experts in the fields of adoption, foster care, health and wellness, pediatrics, and assisted reproductive technology to serve as consultants to its growing community of modern families. She says she hopes Raise becomes a community for families who feel like they don't fit into the traditional family mold. In fact, does anyone still fit into that mold? There are so many different types of families in the world now but we don't see those stories on TV or in film. You can find out more about Jessica and her community at RaiseMagazine.com.

We introduce the beautiful and talented Stephanie Charles from Tyler Perry's and BET+ new series, RUTHLESS. Stephanie plays one of the lead characters, “Sarah,” a very vulnerable, yet strong woman. She is the wife of “Andrew,” (Blue Kimble) and FBI agent that went undercover to investigate an extremist cult. “Sarah” (Stephanie Charles) gets a little suspicious and worried since her husband has not checked in with her since he went undercover. As time continues to go by, “Sarah” starts to take matters in her own hands and as the series goes on you will see “Sarah” do things to save her marriage and her family while discovering many mysterious situations that leave the audience in “ah!.” Tyler Perry's Ruthless is a one-hour riveting story of a young woman who becomes entangled into a scandalous cult of powerful sex-crazed fanatics. Who must not play along with until she can find a way to free herself for her young daughter. Starring not only Stephanie Charles, but along side, Melissa L. Williams (“Tyler Perry's The Oval”), Matt Cedeño, (“Power”), Lenny Thomas (“The Blacklist”) and many others. Set to air March 19th, will be the first 24-episode one-hour drama and will be available to stream with new episodes launching every Thursday. This is the first new original series from TYLER PERRY to stream on BET+, a joint venture between BET Networks and Tyler Perry Studios. You many also recognize Stephanie Charles from the comedic series, The Paynes, by Tyler Perry and the OWN Network. Stephanie played one of the daughters to “Curtis” and “Ella,” an early to mid 20's woman, who is beautiful, intelligent and outgoing , but is a very naive single mother. “Nyla," who volunteers at her church and after school programs, she is trapped into an abusive relationship, but finds solace in her church and is more interested in helping others and helping herself. Stephanie was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Haitian parents. When she was 2 years old she moved to Haiti to live with her grandmother. In Haiti she learned how to speak both English and Haitian Creole. She then moved to Los Angeles when she was 7 years old and grew up in the LA area. From a young age, Stephanie loved performing arts and excelled at singing, acting and dance. She really got the acting bug when she was 12 years old and would perform scenes from movies with her little brother for her family and anyone who would watch. When she was 16 she booked her first professional acting jobs, a commercial for JC Penny and Churches Chicken. Soon after that she booked her first role on a TV show, City Guys. After that she never turned back and knew acting is what she loved and wanted to do. Stephanie's love for music and singing also became very prevalent in her life in her later teens and early 20's. In 2007, Stephanie put acting on hold and moved to New York City for music. She formed an R&B/Hip Hop girl group called MRZ. Smith and they were signed to the Universal/Motown label. They were in New York for about two years and then the label moved them to Atlanta for another year and a half. After the group broke up, Stephanie moved back to Los Angeles to fully pursue acting full time. Since her move back to LA, Stephanie has been working consistently in television, film and digital projects. Some of her recent highlights include roles on Hometown Hero, NCIS, Instant Mom, The Start Up, Adulterers, Bones and many more. Some of Stephanie's artistic influences include Regina Hall, Angelina Jolie, Jada Pinnkett-Smith, Beyonce, Brandy, Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson.When Stephanie has free time, she enjoys bike rides at the beach, dancing and singing at local venues. Follow: @officialStephanieCharles Web: www.stephaniecharles.net About the show: ► Website: http://www.ashsaidit.com ► Need Goli Gummies? https://go.goli.com/1loveash5 ► For $5 in ride credit, download the Lyft app using my referral link: https://www.lyft.com/ici/ASH584216 ►For discount Pangea Products: https://embracepangaea.grsm.io/ashsaiditmedia3226 ► Want the ‘coldest' water? https://thecoldestwater.com/?ref=ashleybrown12 ► Become A Podcast Legend: http://ashsaidit.podcastersmastery.zaxaa.com/s/6543767021305 ► Review Us: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ash-said-it/id1144197789 ► SUBSCRIBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/c/AshSaidItSuwanee ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1loveash ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashsaidit ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/1loveAsh ► Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AshSaidItMedia ► Blog: http://www.ashsaidit.com/blog ► Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/1LoveAsh/ ► Newsletter: manage1.com/subscribe?u=2a2ca3b799467f125b53863http://ashsaidit.us11.list-c8&id=a6f43cd472 #atlanta #ashsaidit #ashsaidthat #ashblogsit #ashsaidit® Ash Brown is a gifted American producer, blogger, speaker, media personality and event emcee. The blog on AshSaidit.com showcases exclusive event invites, product reviews and so much more. Her motivational podcast "Ash Said It Daily" is available on major media platforms such as iTunes, iHeart Radio & Google Play. This program has over half a million streams worldwide. She uses these mediums to motivate & encourage her audience in the most powerful way. She keeps it real!

We introduce the beautiful and talented Stephanie Charles from Tyler Perry's and BET+ new series, RUTHLESS. Stephanie plays one of the lead characters, “Sarah,” a very vulnerable, yet strong woman. She is the wife of “Andrew,” (Blue Kimble) and FBI agent that went undercover to investigate an extremist cult. “Sarah” (Stephanie Charles) gets a little suspicious and worried since her husband has not checked in with her since he went undercover. As time continues to go by, “Sarah” starts to take matters in her own hands and as the series goes on you will see “Sarah” do things to save her marriage and her family while discovering many mysterious situations that leave the audience in “ah!.” Tyler Perry's Ruthless is a one-hour riveting story of a young woman who becomes entangled into a scandalous cult of powerful sex-crazed fanatics. Who must not play along with until she can find a way to free herself for her young daughter. Starring not only Stephanie Charles, but along side, Melissa L. Williams (“Tyler Perry's The Oval”), Matt Cedeño, (“Power”), Lenny Thomas (“The Blacklist”) and many others. Set to air March 19th, will be the first 24-episode one-hour drama and will be available to stream with new episodes launching every Thursday. This is the first new original series from TYLER PERRY to stream on BET+, a joint venture between BET Networks and Tyler Perry Studios. You many also recognize Stephanie Charles from the comedic series, The Paynes, by Tyler Perry and the OWN Network. Stephanie played one of the daughters to “Curtis” and “Ella,” an early to mid 20's woman, who is beautiful, intelligent and outgoing , but is a very naive single mother. “Nyla," who volunteers at her church and after school programs, she is trapped into an abusive relationship, but finds solace in her church and is more interested in helping others and helping herself. Stephanie was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Haitian parents. When she was 2 years old she moved to Haiti to live with her grandmother. In Haiti she learned how to speak both English and Haitian Creole. She then moved to Los Angeles when she was 7 years old and grew up in the LA area. From a young age, Stephanie loved performing arts and excelled at singing, acting and dance. She really got the acting bug when she was 12 years old and would perform scenes from movies with her little brother for her family and anyone who would watch. When she was 16 she booked her first professional acting jobs, a commercial for JC Penny and Churches Chicken. Soon after that she booked her first role on a TV show, City Guys. After that she never turned back and knew acting is what she loved and wanted to do. Stephanie's love for music and singing also became very prevalent in her life in her later teens and early 20's. In 2007, Stephanie put acting on hold and moved to New York City for music. She formed an R&B/Hip Hop girl group called MRZ. Smith and they were signed to the Universal/Motown label. They were in New York for about two years and then the label moved them to Atlanta for another year and a half. After the group broke up, Stephanie moved back to Los Angeles to fully pursue acting full time. Since her move back to LA, Stephanie has been working consistently in television, film and digital projects. Some of her recent highlights include roles on Hometown Hero, NCIS, Instant Mom, The Start Up, Adulterers, Bones and many more. Some of Stephanie's artistic influences include Regina Hall, Angelina Jolie, Jada Pinnkett-Smith, Beyonce, Brandy, Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson.When Stephanie has free time, she enjoys bike rides at the beach, dancing and singing at local venues. Follow: @officialStephanieCharles Web: www.stephaniecharles.net About the show: ► Website: http://www.ashsaidit.com ► Need Goli Gummies? https://go.goli.com/1loveash5 ► For $5 in ride credit, download the Lyft app using my referral link: https://www.lyft.com/ici/ASH584216 ►For discount Pangea Products: https://embracepangaea.grsm.io/ashsaiditmedia3226 ► Want the ‘coldest' water? https://thecoldestwater.com/?ref=ashleybrown12 ► Become A Podcast Legend: http://ashsaidit.podcastersmastery.zaxaa.com/s/6543767021305 ► Review Us: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ash-said-it/id1144197789 ► SUBSCRIBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/c/AshSaidItSuwanee ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1loveash ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashsaidit ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/1loveAsh ► Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AshSaidItMedia ► Blog: http://www.ashsaidit.com/blog ► Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/1LoveAsh/ ► Newsletter: manage1.com/subscribe?u=2a2ca3b799467f125b53863http://ashsaidit.us11.list-c8&id=a6f43cd472 #atlanta #ashsaidit #ashsaidthat #ashblogsit #ashsaidit® Ash Brown is a gifted American producer, blogger, speaker, media personality and event emcee. The blog on AshSaidit.com showcases exclusive event invites, product reviews and so much more. Her motivational podcast "Ash Said It Daily" is available on major media platforms such as iTunes, iHeart Radio & Google Play. This program has over half a million streams worldwide. She uses these mediums to motivate & encourage her audience in the most powerful way. She keeps it real!

In this “What would they do?” episode, I ask Oscar-nominated screenwriter, actress, & bestselling author Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Instant Mom) and #1 NYT bestselling memoirist and Oprah book club pick Cheryl Strayed (Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things) writing & career questions that stump me (and maybe you, too!). Idols to the rescue! What a comfort to learn that they still struggle in many of the ways I do—and what a relief to hear their best workarounds. I don’t have to tell you we’re living in crazy times. If you're reading this with one ear tuned to news of the dumpster fires in Washington, and/or other noisy alerts, alarms, and amusements, stay close. I fell in love with Cheryl and Nia together after seeing the stage production of Tiny, Beautiful Things in Pasadena. Nia was playing the lead role of Sugar—Cheryl's advice columnist alter ego—and although Cheryl's book was one of my favorites, I was wholly unprepared for experiencing the material live. And, can you believe it—these ladies are just as wise, funny, and profoundly open-hearted as you’d imagine or hope for after experiencing their work. All three of us, as you’ll hear, are currently in the thick of creative blocks. Doing our best to find our way. And yet, it feels like the writing gods were smiling on us as we hashed out our processes on air. (Well, the tech Gods were a little harder to appease. You'll notice a few scratchy cell-phone reception moments, but we do what we can, people, from our homes and in our pajamas.) I feel like the luckiest person with a call-in conference line and a dream. And, triply so because I get to share these once-in-a-lifetime conversations with you.Write on!Linda

Today's episode is brought to you by "Odessa on the Delaware: Introducing FBI Agent Marsha O'Shea". I sincerely hope you will enjoy this thrilling crime novel. You can purchase it here: AmazonHoward Michael Gould began his career on Madison Avenue before moving to Los Angeles, where he has worked as a screenwriter and playwright as well as executive producer and head writer on a number of network comedies. Last Looks is his first novel and was turned into a movie titled Waldo starring Charlie Hunnam and Mel Gibson. The Six Wives of Henry Lefay, Instant Mom, Shrek the Third.Thank you for listening. If you have a moment to spare please leave a rating or comment on Apple Podcasts as that will help us expand the circle around our campfire. If you have any questions please feel to reach out to me via my website http://www.johnhoda.com 

Bill welcomes novelist Howard Michael Gould to the show. Howard spent five years working on Madison Avenue, winning three Clios and numerous other awards. In television, he was executive producer and head writer of CYBILL when it won the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series, and held the same positions on INSTANT MOM and THE JEFF FOXWORTHY SHOW. He wrote and directed the feature film THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY LEFAY, starring Tim Allen and Jenna Elfman. He is the author of two novels, LAST LOOKS and BELOW THE LINE, both featuring tortured, eco-maniacal private eye Charlie Waldo. The film version of LAST LOOKS, starring Charlie Hunnam and Mel Gibson and directed by Tim Kirkby, is currently in post-production. Don't miss it!

Ep.4 FULL EPISODE (re-uploaded due to tech difficulties) about being a STEP MOM! It has it's challenges and adjusting can just be plain ol AWKWARD! This Episode we discuss the responsibility of being an additional parent and EVERYTHING that comes with it! We Talk parenting, co-parenting, and how to find a nice balance within the marriage. And of course the very serious things to consider prior to dating someone with children. Be sure to follow our guest and her music DAY'NAH @iamdaynah on all social media platforms. Don't forget to grab your copy of the Winter Munaluchi at 30% off using the code LOVESPEAKS

Today on The Stacks, author and journalist Vanessa McGrady talks with us about her new book, Rock Needs River, a memoir about becoming a mother through open adoption. We also talk about micro-aggressions , dark and twisty memoirs, and some of Vanessa's favorite books about adoption. Everything we talk about on today's episode can be found below in the show notes. The Stacks participates in affiliate programs, and shopping through the links below (mostly Amazon) helps support the show, at no cost to you. Books Rock Needs River by Vanessa McGradyThe Pritikin Program for Diet and Exercise by Nathan Pritikin and Patrick M. McGradyAll You Can Ever Know by Nicole ChungBorn with Teeth by Kate MulgrewGod and Jetfire by Amy SeekThe Kid by Dan SavageCorduroy by Don FreemanThe Wizard of Oz by L. Frank BaumThe Bible by Christian Art PublishersThe Poisonwood Bible by Barbara KingsolverMayfly by Jeff Sweat Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García MarquezOne Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García MarquezPriestdaddy by Patricia LockwoodGirl Boner by August McLaughlinBetween the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi CoatesHeavy by Kiese LaymonHunger by Roxane GayBecoming by Michelle ObamaEducated by Tara WestoverLove, Lucy by Lucille BallThe Glass Castle by Jeannette WallsWhen You Read This by Mary AdkinsHe's Just Not That Into You by Greg BehrendtThe Rules by Sherri SchneiderShared Tables by Kaumudi MaratheA Higher Loyalty by James ComeyMen Explain Things to Me by Rebecca SolnitFear by Bob WoodwardGreat Again by Donald TrumpIsabel AllendeAnna QuindlenBarbara KingsolverMaya AngelouBarbara (Stanny) HusonThe Hormone Reset Diet by Sara Gottfried M.D.Instant Mom by Nia VardalosTwilight by Stephanie MeyerA Clockwork Orange by Anthony BurgessBeloved by Toni MorrisonHarriet the Spy by Louise FitzhughThe Diary of Anne Frank by Anne FrankMany Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. WeissNumber the Stars by Lois LowryFear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. ThompsonThe 13th Continuum by Jennifer Brody Everything Else "I Won't Let My 4-Year-Old Daughter Grow Up Stepping Aside for Sexism, Like I Did" (Vanessa McGrady, Jezebel)"Why Men Need To Stop Making This Joke About Women And Money" (Vanessa McGrady, Forbes)The Kinship CenterThe Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939)Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977)Mad Max (George Miller, 1977)The Is Us (NBC)Frozen (Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, 2013)Ep. 20 Between The World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates -- The Stacks Book Club (The Stacks)Amazon KindleMy Big Fat Greek Wedding (Joel Zwick, 2002)Beloved (Jonathan Demme, 1998) Connect with Vanessa: Vanessa's Website | Vanessa's Twitter | Vanessa's Instagram Connect with The Stacks: Instagram | The Stacks Website | Facebook | Twitter | Subscribe | Patreon | Goodreads | Traci's Instagram To contribute to The Stacks, join The Stacks Pack, and get exclusive perks, check out our Patreon page. We are beyond grateful for anything you're able to give to support the production of this show. If you prefer to do a one time contribution go to paypal.me/thestackspod. Sponsors Audible- to get your FREE audiobook download and FREE 30 day trial go to audibletrial.com/thestacks. My Mentor Book Club - for 50% off your first month of new nonfiction from My Mentor Book Club go to mymentorbookclub.com/thestacks The Stacks received Rock Needs River from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. For more information click here. The Stacks participates in affiliate programs. We receive a small commission when products are purchased through links on this website, and this comes at no cost to you. Shopping through these links helps support the show, but does not effect opinions on books and products. For more information click here.

Shelby Christensen is a Physical Therapy Assistant, first time competitor, and a SWEET soul. She shares how her blended family is following the journey the Universe has set out for them, and how she is remaining healthy and mindful through the process.

When Nia Vardalos, the Academy Award nominated actress, began her career she was faced with the reality that not many in Hollywood were interested in hiring a Greek actress. In response to her early struggles Nia became proactive; her semi-autobiographical first screenplay "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" soon followed. Initially unable to get her movie made, Nia then decided to adapt her screenplay into a one-woman show for the theater. (She was inspired to do this after seeing Julia Sweeney perform her one-woman show "God Said Ha!") To help build an audience Nia handed out fliers at her church. The Greek community in Los Angeles soon embraced the show en masse. Fellow Greek-American actress Rita Wilson and her husband Tom Hanks came to the play and the rest is indie film history. How Nia navigated that experience -- and how years later she went through the experience of adopting her daughter (a journey that she writes about in her best selling book "Instant Mom") is incredibly inspiring. Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Nia Vardalos was born and raised in Winnipeg, Canada, and is classically trained. After graduating from Toronto's Ryerson Theater School, she performed in Shakespeare and many musicals, later taking a job in the box office of The Second City so she could watch the shows for free. One fateful night, the lead actress fell ill and Vardalos convinced producers that she had memorized the show and to let her fill in. The next day she was hired, going on to write/perform in twelve Second City revues and winning Chicago's Jeff Award for Best Actress. After a few years living in Los Angeles, unable to get a film job, she wrote, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. It continues to hold the title of #1 Romantic Comedy of all time. She received an Academy Award nom for best Screenplay, Golden Globe nom for Best Actress, and won the Independent Spirit Award and People’s Choice award. She is the screenwriter/actor/producer of "Connie and Carla", “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2”, lead actor in "My Life in Ruins", and "For a Good Time Call", with Tom Hanks is the co-writer of "Larry Crowne", plus is the actor/writer/director of "I Hate Valentine's Day." Vardalos is the author of INSTANT MOM, a New York Times bestseller, the true story of adopting her daughter as a toddler from American Foster Care. Social workers confirm that, to date, the information from her book has placed over 1300 children in permanent homes. Vardalos also donates all proceeds to adoption charities. Some of her television credits include co-hosting ABC’s “The Great American Baking Show”, and guesting on, “Dr. Ken”, “The Catch”, “Graves”, “Law & Order: SVU”, "Grey's Anatomy", "Curb Your Enthusiasm”, “Jane The Virgin”, hosting "Saturday Night Live”, and voicing Angie Diaz in Disney’s animated series "Star Vs. the Forces of Evil." Besides her years with The Second City, stage credits include “Jennie” in Theate20’s COMPANY directed by Gary Griffin. (winner Best Actress Broadway Theater Award). Directed by Thomas Kail (HAMILTON), and performed for two consecutive seasons at THE PUBLIC, Vardalos plays SUGAR in TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS, her adaptation based on the bestselling book by Cheryl Strayed. Vardalos wrote the play over the course of three years. Nia Vardalos currently volunteers with adoption charities, including matching prospective parents with children living in foster care. She volunteers at her twelve year old daughter’s school, mentors five writers per year, and currently lives in Los Angeles. Vardalos calls herself a Fearless Idiot because she believes it’s best to leap without asking questions.

The Total Tutor Neil Haley will interview Notlim Taylor Of NBC's Marlon. Born and raised in Southern California, actress Notlim Taylor will make her prime-time sitcom debut with her newest role in the much anticipated NBC comedy series “Marlon” premiering August 16. The sitcom, starring Marlon Wayans as the title character, follows his life as a co-parent and father of two, Notlim will star as his daughter ‘Marley Wayne' alongside Essence Atkins portraying her mom and Marlon's ex-wife ‘Ashley Wayne,' and Amir O'Neil as ‘Zachery Wayne.' Marley Wayne is a wise beyond her years 4.0 student who relates to the calm, composed nature of her mother in contrast to the crazy, larger-than-life personality of her father; traits which Notlim herself shares with her character.     MORE ABOUT NOTLIM Introduced to the world of entertainment at just six years old, Notlim and her younger brother looked to their father, an actor himself, for guidance as bourgeoning performers and for their individual careers. Notlim made her television debut in 2013 as recurring character ‘Lola' in the BET comedy series “Real Husbands of Hollywood” starring Kevin Hart. She has also been seen as a guest star on the Nickelodeon comedy “Instant Mom” and the award-winning ABC comedy series “Black-ish.”             

October 30 - November 5, 1993 Today Ken welcomes comedian and television writer M. Dickson tothe show. Ken and M. discuss selling a show to Hollywood, writing a book,hair metal, New Jersey, coming from a Water Park family, meetingMichael Jackson, meeting a fake Michael Jackson, living a cablelatch key kid existence, Sesame Street. loving Jim Henson, MuppetTreasure Island, Dinosaurs, Rescue 911, Kiddie Pool birth,bloopers, The Olson Twins Halloween act outs, Halloween II, RichardMulligan, Empty Nest, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, PaulaPoundstone, Punky Brewster, Facts of Life, Aiding Designing Women,Kate & Allie, Instant Mom, Sister Act, fangs for the memories,The Simpsons, Fresh Prince, Ken's hatred of the Greek system,Telemovies, hating Baby Jessica, Blossom, The Coach Reboot, TheMayflower Madam, the forbidden fruit of Ren and Stimpy, The DelRubio Triplets, Hang Time, the superiority of Saved by the Bell TheNew Class, Kids Inc, California Dreams, Superstore, issues shows,John Larroquette Show, Action Jackson, Beverly Hills 90210, LittleRichard, Home Improvement, Jim Varney, Must See TV, Mad About You,the power of jokes, Roy from Wings, loving the X-Files hating theSightings, the Energizer Bunny, TGIF and real cops becoming fakecops and vice versa.

Listen to a rebroadcast of That's Entertainment when I interviewed Academy Award & Golden Globe nominated actress Nia Vardalos.  Nia is best known for her outstanding performance in the movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which she directed, produced and wrote the screenplay. She also published her first book, "Instant Mom," where she talk about what is like to be a new mother after adopting a child.  Nia also made a guest appearance on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" where she played a denfense attorney.  Also, check out Nia Vardalos in the premiere of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" in theaters, this Friday on March 25th.   Like That's Entertainment on fb.  Go to www.facebook.com/thatsentertainment.radio Like That's Entertainment on twitter - thatsentertain1   

Listen in as we review the new films Earth to Echo, Transformers: Age of Extinction and interview Haley Pullos, who stars in the TV shows General Hospital and Nick's Instant Mom and who is celebrating her Sweet Sixteen Birthday this week. Catch all this and more with your hosts Keefer Blakeslee and Brianna Hope Beaton joined by KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Gerry Orz, Katherine Starr, Madeline Rose, Raven Devanney, Kendyl Powell and Kayla Powell.

Listen in as we review the new films Earth to Echo, Transformers: Age of Extinction and interview Haley Pullos, who stars in the TV shows General Hospital and Nick's Instant Mom and who is celebrating her Sweet Sixteen Birthday this week. Catch all this and more with your hosts Keefer Blakeslee and Brianna Hope Beaton joined by KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Gerry Orz, Katherine Starr, Madeline Rose, Raven Devanney, Kendyl Powell and Kayla Powell.

Recently, Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) opened the door to her very private world and released a new book called Instant Mom. If you've ever felt as if your heart was the key to your happiness and fulfillment, you will feel as if this treasure Nia Vardalos offers up is for you.

Michael Boatman is an actor, a voice-over talent and an author. He was only one of two actors to be in every episode of “Spin City” (Richard Kind was the other actor), was in HBO’s “Arli$$, “Anger Management,” “China Beach,” and is currently in “Instant Mom.”

TV writer Jessica Butler discusses how she broke in to television, getting hired on the writing staff of the USA drama "In Plain Sight" and creating the upcoming sitcom "Instant Mom" for Nickelodeon.

Nia Vardalos is a rare jewel in the entertainment industry. Recently, she opened the door to her very private world and released a new book called Instant Mom. If you've ever felt as if your heart was the key to your happiness and fulfillment, you will feel as if this treasure Nia Vardalos offers up is for you.

Advertising opportunities now available for Kim's interview with Instant Mom author Nia Vardalos, the writer and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Call (626) 398-8652 for details!

Sara Dimerman in conversation with Nia Vardalos. Over the course of this episode you will learn more about: Nia's honest and heart moving account of the journey towards adopting their daughter The importance of grieving the loss of what might have been Whether the internet is a good place to begin when researching adoption The bumpiest spots on the road to adoption The ecstasy and challenges once a child has been adopted Why Nia chose to write Instant Mom and how it is helping other families navigate through the adoption process  

Host Dawn Davenport interviews Nia Vardalos, actress (of  My Big Fat Greek Wedding fame), author of a new book Instant Mom, and foster care adoptive mom. We’ll talk about her years of struggling with infertility and how she ended up adopting from foster care. adopting a child in the US, adopting from foster care, fost-adopt, fos-adopt, domestic adoption Blog summary of the show and highlights can be found here: Blog summary of the show Highlights More Creating a Family resources on infertility and foster care adoption can be found here. Support the show (https://creatingafamily.org/donation/)

Join me for another special morning edition of That's Entertainment as I interview Academy Award nominated writer, actor, director and producer, Nia Vardalos. Nia is best known for her Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee for best performance by an actress in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Nia was also recognized for her writing for Best Original Screenplay. She also published her first book, "Instant Mom," on what is like to be a new mother after adopting a child. Now Nia can be seen making a guest appearance of NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" where she will play a denfense attorney. Tune in as I talk with Oscar nominee, Nia Vardalos on Tuesday, January 29 at 10:30am ET.

OMG!!! Twitches is one of Piper's FAVORITE movies of ALL TIME!!!! The tween entertainment reporter PIPER REESE must have been interviewing someone else when TIA MOWRY walked by...so...we left the red carpet for a few minutes to catch up with Tia! She was so nice to stop on her way into the Chidrens' Dream Awards to talk with PIPER...ToTaLLy made PIPER'S day! TIA is PiPeRiFiC! Check it out, y'all! BTW...The event was amazing! It was very interesting to learn about Children Uniting Nations! We're very excited to hear more about their work! Congratulations, Tia! PIPER on iMDB: http://imdb.me/PiperReese REGISTER on PIPERSPICKS.TV: http://piperspicks.tv/INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/PipersPIcksTVTWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/PipersPicksTVFACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/PipersPicksTV ©2011 Piper's Picks® TV