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Part II of our crossover episode with The Bang-Bang Podcast! Van and Lyle are joined by Sam Ratner, Policy Director at Win Without War, and Andy Facini, Communications Director at the Council on Strategic Risks, to discuss WarGames, John Badham's Cold-War techno-thriller that accidentally foresaw the age of algorithmic warfare. What begins as a teenage prank—Matthew Broderick's David Lightman breaking into what he thinks is a computer game—quickly becomes a meditation on automation, deterrence, and human judgment in systems built to annihilate. Together, the group unpacks how WarGames' “WOPR” supercomputer prefigures today's AI decision-making, where machines learn to “take men out of the loop.” They trace how the film's closing revelation (“The only winning move is not to play”) echoes across four decades of nuclear strategy and modern debates over escalation, autonomy, and control. The conversation ranges from NORAD and machine learning to the moral limits of deterrence, the psychology of Cold-War adolescence, and the comic absurdity of believing one can win an unwinnable game. Like Dr. Strangelove before it, WarGames shows us a military machine that runs on fear, faith, and code, and a civilization learning to live with its own programmed self-destruction.Subscribe to the Un-Diplomatic Newsletter: https://www.un-diplomatic.comSubscribe to The Bang-Bang Podcast: https://www.bangbangpod.com/Further ReadingSam's professional pageAndy's professional page“Strategy & Conscience (The Book Review We Need),” by VanTelehack, a retro internet simulator recommended by AndyThe Imagineers of War: The Untold Story of DARPA, by Sharon WeinbergerThe Closed World: Computers and the Politics of Discourse in Cold War America, by Paul N. EdwardsThe Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner, by Daniel Ellsberg
Free crossover episode with The Bang-Bang Podcast! Van and Lyle are joined by Sam Ratner, Policy Director at Win Without War, and Andy Facini, Communications Director at the Council on Strategic Risks, to discuss WarGames, John Badham's Cold-War techno-thriller that accidentally foresaw the age of algorithmic warfare.What begins as a teenage prank—Matthew Broderick's David Lightman breaking into what he thinks is a computer game—quickly becomes a meditation on automation, deterrence, and human judgment in systems built to annihilate. Together, the group unpacks how WarGames' “WOPR” supercomputer prefigures today's AI decision-making, where machines learn to “take men out of the loop.” They trace how the film's closing revelation (“The only winning move is not to play”) echoes across four decades of nuclear strategy and modern debates over escalation, autonomy, and control.The conversation ranges from NORAD and machine learning to the moral limits of deterrence, the psychology of Cold-War adolescence, and the comic absurdity of believing one can win an unwinnable game. Like Dr. Strangelove before it, WarGames shows us a military machine that runs on fear, faith, and code, and a civilization learning to live with its own programmed self-destruction.Subscribe to the Un-Diplomatic Newsletter: https://www.un-diplomatic.comSubscribe to The Bang-Bang Podcast: https://www.bangbangpod.com/Further ReadingSam's professional pageAndy's professional page“Strategy & Conscience (The Book Review We Need),” by VanTelehack, a retro internet simulator recommended by AndyThe Imagineers of War: The Untold Story of DARPA, by Sharon WeinbergerThe Closed World: Computers and the Politics of Discourse in Cold War America, by Paul N. EdwardsThe Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner, by Daniel Ellsberg
What does it mean to truly use your voice—to tell stories, bring words to life, and inspire others even when life throws challenge's your way? My guest this week, Amber Ba'th, embodies that Unstoppable spirit. Amber is a professional voice actor, a Bible narrator for the Dwell app, and a functional nutritionist who turned a life-changing diagnosis into a deeper calling. Amber opens up about performing on stage, finding her place in the booth, and learning resilience after being diagnosed with transverse myelitis. Her story reminds us that creativity and courage don't fade—they evolve. I think you'll be moved by her honesty, her strength, and her Unstoppable commitment to sharing her voice with the world. Highlights: 00:10 – Hear how early curiosity in theater grew into a lifelong love for performance. 03:21 – Learn how family roots in the arts shaped a career in acting and voice. 07:21 – Discover why live theater creates a unique audience experience you can't get in film. 14:03 – See how studying Theater Arts Administration opened doors beyond the stage. 17:24 – Find out what moving to LA taught her about auditions, hustle, and opportunity. 25:37 – Get the real entry point into voiceover and why COVID pushed her to record at home. 27:26 – Understand the scope and process of narrating the entire CSB Bible for the Dwell app. 32:07 – Learn how leaning into “villain” characters can expand your VO range. 35:06 – Take why acting classes matter for believable, persuasive voiceover reads. 38:05 – Hear her journey with transverse myelitis and how she reframed ability. 43:47 – See how diet changes and self-advocacy supported healing and daily function. 54:14 – Learn practical nutrition tips VO pros use to protect tone and clarity. About the Guest: Hi, I'm Amber Ba'th—pronounced By-ee-th! I'm a Philadelphia native with roots in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. I earned my BFA in Theatre Arts Administration from the legendary Howard University, and from the very beginning, storytelling and performance have been a huge part of my life. Whether through stage, screen, or sound, I believe creative expression has the ability to inspire, uplift, and connect people. That belief and my faith in Christ, has guided every step of my journey in the entertainment industry. With over 20 years of experience in theater and film, I've worn many hats—actor, voice actor, producer, company manager, and coach. My early days at Philadelphia's Freedom Theatre gave me the foundation to work on national tours and major productions, such as The Fabric of a Man (national stage and film), and the national tour of If This Hat Could Talk under Tony Award-winning director George Faison. I've also stepped in front of the camera, appearing in Ice Cube's Friday After Next and national print campaigns for McDonald's that landed me in Essence, O Magazine, and Woman's World. Voice acting has become one of my deepest passions. I've had the privilege of lending my voice to projects for Delorean, Holler Studios, Amazon, Make Originals, and most notably, narrating the greatest story ever told for the Dwell Bible App; just to name a few. I'm known for being versatile—able to bring warmth, humor, authority, and charisma into every read. Whether a character needs to feel animated, compassionate, bold, or simply relatable, I approach every project with creative precision and care. I've been fortunate to learn from incredible mentors like Nick Omana, Art Evans, Queen Noveen, Linda Bearman, Al Woodley, Joyce Castellanos, JD Lawrence, and Rolonda Watts, and to collaborate with talent across every corner of this industry. I'm always growing, always listening, and always grateful. My goal is not only to entertain but also to reflect God's grace through my work. Faith is my anchor—it's the reason I'm able to keep showing up in this ever-changing field with joy and purpose. Outside of my career, I'm a mother of two, and I live with a “different ability” that has only strengthened my walk and testimony. I believe that what God has for me is for me, and I want other artists to feel empowered to claim that same truth for themselves. As someone in the faith, You are royalty—act like it, speak like it, know it. I'm here to tell stories, give voice to vision, and ultimately to help others feel seen, heard, and deeply valued in this industry. Ways to connect with Amber: LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamamberbath/ IG- https://www.instagram.com/iamamberbath/ YouTube- YouTube.com/@iamamberbath Website- www.iamamberbath.com About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well, hello everyone. Wherever you happen to be, I am Michael Hingson, and this is unstoppable mindset. We are really excited that you're here with us today. And we have a fascinating guest who was referred to us by another fascinating guest who is coming on unstoppable mindset, and we'll get to all that, I am sure. But Amber bath is how she pronounces her last name by eth. I'm saying that right. I assume that is correct. Oh, good. Never want to get it too wrong, you know. Anyway, Amber is a voice actor and does a lot of different things. And we learned about Amber from someone who we were referred to by Walden Hughes, that reps in yesterday USA, and Walden has been on unstoppable mindset a couple of times. Amber, do you know Walden? I know I don't. Well, then we can spread all sorts of rumors and you'll believe everyone, right, absolutely. Anyway. So anyway, what Linda Berryman, you know, so that works. Anyway, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. It's really a joy and a pleasure to have you, and thank you for being here. Amber Ba'th ** 02:42 Thank you for having me. This is such an exciting moment. Well, Michael Hingson ** 02:46 I'm anxious to learn all about voice acting and some of those things. But why don't we start by maybe you telling us a little bit about kind of the early Amber growing up and all that sort of stuff. Well, always a good place to start. You know, a Amber Ba'th ** 03:02 long time ago Michael Hingson ** 03:03 in a galaxy, far, far away, yes, Amber Ba'th ** 03:07 oh my gosh. Well, I I'm a suburbian girl here. I'm from the suburbs, actually Philadelphia. I was actually born in DC, raised in Philly, went back to DC, then moved all the way across country to La La Land. Is that where you are now, I'm not. I'm actually back in DC. Michael Hingson ** 03:33 Go figure. Right now I'm, I'm really curious to hear the history of all these moves. But anyway, so you were raised in Philadelphia. Did you ever meet Rocky Balboa? Just checking, Amber Ba'th ** 03:45 no, just ran the steps. You did run the steps. I did run the steps. Yeah, actually got a heat stroke. But I did. I was, I was young at the time, and it was super hot. And you know, it's like, yeah, you know, I'm gonna run the steps. Ran the steps, and just shouldn't have Michael Hingson ** 04:04 done that, not in the middle of the day. No, when did he run them? It was in the morning, wasn't it? Amber Ba'th ** 04:11 Yeah, he always ran in the morning. So no, I was this was in the heat of the day. Michael Hingson ** 04:16 So huh, we all have our growth issues that we have to deal with so so you but you were raised in Philadelphia, and you went to school there and so on, and what kind of were your interests and so on, growing up Amber Ba'th ** 04:32 theater, I was really, I mean, I come from A family who has always been in the spotlight. I had two aunts who actually had a touring show titled The sisters, the Stuart sisters. And, you know, I've always been wanting either to dance, to sing, to act. That was just. Just my thing. Michael Hingson ** 05:02 So they you came by, it pretty honestly. Then exactly anything else. They were actors in the show. Amber Ba'th ** 05:10 They were, yeah, one was a singer and one was an actress. Michael Hingson ** 05:12 Yes, oh, cool, yeah. Well, and what was the show about? Amber Ba'th ** 05:18 Actually, it was about Harriet Tubman, Sojourner, Sojourner, truth. And it was it they actually toured different toward the country and talked about the Underground Railroad and and and how they were able to escape and free other, other slaves. Michael Hingson ** 05:42 Now that show isn't whether it's your parents or not, but that show is not on now. It's not running. Amber Ba'th ** 05:50 This was a stage play. This was many, many years Michael Hingson ** 05:52 ago, right, right, yeah, but they but no one has continued. I would think it would be a very valuable thing to keep around you. Amber Ba'th ** 05:59 Would think it would be that, you know, the traditional way, but we kind of moved in different directions, you know. So Michael Hingson ** 06:06 everything closes eventually. The fantastics eventually closed, and that was on for the longest time, yeah? Well, even cats was on for a long time. Oh, yeah. I, I think, although I don't know, but the producers, I think, has closed, Amber Ba'th ** 06:22 yeah. And I really wanted to see that. I saw the film, but I wanted to see the stage play. Michael Hingson ** 06:28 Oh, the stage play was much better than the film, I'm sure. You know, I don't know what it is about Matthew Broderick, but he just doesn't sound natural in films. But we went to see it. It was in August of 2001 and we were living in New Jersey, and I was in New York, because that's where we had our offices, on the 78th floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center. And on a Tuesday in 2001 in August, I went over to the theater where the producers was, and I figured, I'll see if I can get tickets. Because my wife, Karen, who was now she's my late wife. She and I were married for 40 years, and then she passed away. But anyway, we I decided that we would try to see it, and I went over to the theater, and I said, so I want to see if I can get two tickets to the producers. And I knew that the media had said all the news media said, you can't get a ticket before March of 2002 and I said, well, but the deal is that my wife is in a wheelchair. Can we by any chance get a matinee to to go see it? And the guy said, I'm sorry, there's just nothing until at least no December. And I said, Well, okay, is there any chance of any other time other than the weekend, or anything that we could get? And he said, Well, just wait a minute. And he goes away, and he comes back and he goes, What are you doing Saturday night? I went, I guess I'll go see the producers, right? And we did. We got to see the original cast, of course, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane and Katie Huffman, who played Ulla. And was so wonderful to see that show. We had seen Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. And then we saw Nathan Lane, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. So we had seen them all perform before, but that was so fun to see. Amber Ba'th ** 08:27 That's awesome, yeah, yeah. Michael Hingson ** 08:29 And I think that the film wasn't nearly as good as the play, but Amber Ba'th ** 08:34 I'm sure it wasn't. So my theater is so dear to me. I I don't know, it's something about the willingness, suspension of disbelief, of breaking out of reality and just, you know, getting away from it all, and just sitting and enjoying yourself, laughing at just sometimes it can be nonsensical. Sometimes it can be sort of reality, you know, whatever, whatever genre you like, and it's nothing like being in the audience when you're when you're having when you're in there as live theater. So it's always a great opportunity to go and see a show, if you are able. Michael Hingson ** 09:18 Why is it so much more fun, and so many people feel as you do about that, as opposed to going to a movie, Amber Ba'th ** 09:29 it's, it's a it's a cultural thing for me, and it's immersing yourself in the culture of theater, seeing the different nuances. There's sometimes there's interaction, like, they'll break the fourth wall. Sometimes in that, in every show, is not the same. That's the great thing about theater, because you could go to a show on a Monday and then you go back to see it on a Friday, and it's like, totally different. Yeah, you. Michael Hingson ** 10:00 It was 93 or 94 whenever they had the big baseball strike. And I went to see Damn Yankees, which has always been one of my favorite movies, because I've always been a ray Walston fan anyway, but went to see it, and during the the and I don't remember who was, who was in it, but at one point, Mr. Applegate, the devil, said, we've got to do something to to disrupt this whole baseball thing and get Joe Hardy back in line with what we want. He said, I got it. Let's organize a baseball strike right there in the middle of the theater. I mean, you know that that had to be ad libbed and just done, but it was so funny to see. Amber Ba'th ** 10:44 Yeah, you never know what you're gonna get. You know, it's always exciting to see. And Michael Hingson ** 10:49 I think that the reason that I like theater over over movies is, in part, you're hearing a lot more. Even though there's still audio and electronics, you're still hearing the PA system. You're not hearing the PA system as much. You're really hearing voices exactly you're hearing and seeing so many things. We did go to see Damn Yankees again a few years later, we had moved to New Jersey by that time, and Jerry Lewis was playing Mr. Applegate. Wow. It was the only time he ever did anything on Broadway and and did such a wonderful job. It was incredible, really. Amber Ba'th ** 11:26 You know, it's the last show that I actually saw. Was Daniel at the sight and sound Oh and oh my goodness, I'm gonna go back. I'm gonna go see Noah. But I was literally sitting on the floor at the end aisle, and when the animals came out, I could actually reach out and touch them if I wanted to. But it was just so beautifully done. It was so amazing. It I can't, I can't even there are words that can't describe the the acting, the set, set design, the sound, everything about that show was amazing. Michael Hingson ** 12:12 We went to see the Lion King. Karen's brother got us tickets. He was a certified ski guide in France, and he was coming back for the summer with his family, and got all of us tickets. So we went to see Lion King. It was a matinee on a Wednesday, and we got into the theater and the show started. And I knew kind of how it started, with the music and so on, but there's still nothing like hearing it live. But we it live. But we, we, we were listening. And then at one point, of course, the hyenas come in, and they meet with scar but in the play, in the in the musical, they come in from the back of the theater, down the stairs, and Karen, of course, being in a wheelchair, sitting in her chair on the aisle, and the hyenas are growling and they're coming by, and one of them gets right up next to her and goes, you've never seen a lady in a wheelchair jump out of her chair. Oh, it was so funny, but we were talking about it later, and she said, It wasn't long before you got completely used to all these animals, these puppets, and you didn't think of them as anything but the actual animals, wow, which, you know, you you you get in a theater, which you don't get the same in the movies at all. But it was, it was a lot of fun. We actually did get to go backstage afterward and meet some of the actors, and I actually got a chance to look at one of the animals, which was kind of fun. Amber Ba'th ** 13:47 That's awesome, you know, I'm sorry. The other thing is that when you are in live theater, there's an intermission, and you get to actually mix and mingle with other people, other theater goers. So that's always another thing. I mean, you know, going to the movies. Yeah, you see other people walking back and forth, but they're, you know, rushing for their seat, going to the restroom, getting, you know, and going to the concessions. But there are moments where they're either taking pictures. Sometimes the cast members may come out during intermission, take pictures, and it's more of an interaction with everybody. Michael Hingson ** 14:24 We went to see God spell once in San Diego, and what we didn't know was there was a guy out there who was coming up to people and wanting to clean their windshields and so on. And what we didn't know until later was that was the actor who played John. He was in character. He was being a servant. It was, it was great. That was so clever. That's awesome. So what did you do for college? Well, I went, as if we don't know, Amber Ba'th ** 14:55 and I know, right? I went to Howard University. Yeah, and I majored in theater arts administration, uh huh, yeah. So it's the funny thing about that was I always, you know, was in the theater, and my mother told me, I am not paying for you to be an actor. I'm like, Well, I don't know anything else. And this particular year, when I came in, they had just started the theater arts administration program, and I said, Well, I can't do acting. I don't know anything else. This is it. And I really didn't know what that entailed until I got in and I said, Hmm, let's see I get to know the behind the scenes aspects. I can also be a producer to director. I could, you know, basically tell people what to do. That is for me, Michael Hingson ** 15:50 there you go. So you so you got your degree in that. How come your mother wouldn't pay for you to be an actor? Amber Ba'th ** 15:59 Because, I mean, back then it was just like, you know, that's something that that's not a real job, no. And even though she did it, they think like that, you know, that's not a real job. You know, it'll never amount to anything. You won't you get, you won't get where you want to be, you know. So I said, you know, I don't know anything else but, but this so, you know, so thank God that that was something that was there when I did come in there. Michael Hingson ** 16:27 Well, so you, you got your degree in theater arts, production, administration, administration, and so you, you learned how to tell everybody what to do, which sounds a good thing to do, right? And so then what happened after college? Amber Ba'th ** 16:47 Well, after college, I was I had always been one of those types that said, Oh no, I just got out of college, and maybe two days later I don't have a job, and I'm always worried about that, but I had someone, a classmate, say, You know what, I think you'd be a good fit for this. And what is she talking about? And I don't know if you recall HBO taxicab confessions, uh huh. Okay, so they actually came to DC, and, you know, they chose me. I was chosen to be their production assistant, and I was in the follow vehicle with the cab, you know, all that kind of stuff. And it was like, Okay, this is a lot. This is a lot. They never aired it because a little too risque. But, I mean, they could air it now, but, you know, and they asked me to come to LA, you know, as, and that was a funny thing, because when, before then, I said, oh gosh, I'll never go to LA. It's like Sodom and Gomorrah. And so I wound up going to LA they said, you know, I'll give you, you know, get you a round trip ticket, you know, you can either stay, you can go back, you know, giving me that option. And I took it. I took it, and it was the best thing that I've Michael Hingson ** 18:14 ever done. What did you do when you got out here? Amber Ba'th ** 18:17 When I got out there? I, of course, I was working with them for a little bit, and then I decided, You know what, I want to be an actress. This is what this is. I'm here. I am in Hollywood. Michael Hingson ** 18:29 Mom, not withstanding. Amber Ba'th ** 18:33 I said, Oh my gosh. And of course, what did I do? I got whatever most actors got was a waitress, a way a serving job, you know, just something enough that I could act flexible enough that I could actually go on auditions and things like that. And I did. I went on auditions. I met a lot of different celebrities. I was in McDonald's had their quote, unquote, adult happy meal that I actually was the poster girl for. I was like, Oh my goodness. And I was in magazines, you know, things like that. And then one day, a friend of mine who graduated with me in theater arts administration, she was actually doing a production, a touring play as the company manager, which is like a tour manager. And she she got another invite to be the company manager on TD Jason's TD Jakes show, and she really wanted to take that so the producer said, Well, you're gonna have to find a replacement. So she called me up and I started working on a show with David Talbert called the fabric of a man who had starred Shamar Moore, and we toured for. Oh, wow. This is interesting, because I didn't really think about this until I started talking. We toured until let's see 910 and I remember because something happened in Houston, Texas, and we had to refund money to all of the audience members, and we're leaving. And what I would do after each show is make sure that the hotel was was taken care of, everything was taken care of. And we went home. Everyone went to their destinations, and we went home. And that morning, I called the hotel, and he told me that different people were still there, and I'm and I just didn't understand why, you know, at the time, because it was really early in the morning in LA and so I'm calling, and I'm like, Well, what's happening? He said, You don't know what's going on. And I said, No. He said, planes are going down everywhere. And I'm like, What are you talking about? I turned on the TV, and that's when I saw the second plane going into the tower. And I just Oh my gosh, this is kind of bringing back some stuff, because I am a woman of faith, and I actually prior to us leaving for seven days, prior to us going to to to Houston. I kept having these dreams about a plane going down in a field, you know, but it would be continuous things. And then the next night, there were planes. There were planes. Looks like two planes colliding. Then there was, I saw people falling out of the sky, and I was like that, this is not making any sense. I didn't know anything. I mean, I was, I didn't know what was going on. And I just kept dreaming these dreams. This is what's happening. Then when we when we were leaving Houston, I had a dream prior to us leaving of the exact shape, color of this plane that went down in the field. And we were, I was at the airport, and I'm looking, and I'm like, okay, that's not the plane that I saw. And so I get on the I get on the plane, and as I'm about to settle in, about to, you know, leave Houston, go to LA, there's a man dressed in Arab garb with, you know, something on his head. And I don't know why I said this, but I just said, I hope he doesn't want to jack the plane. And I went to sleep, and i The dream that I had was that I really saw who was falling out of the sky, but they had on business suits. So when I called the hotel and he told me this, it, it just took over me. You know, I was in shambles. I was like, What? What did I just dream? What happened? Something is not right. I didn't know what was wrong with me at the time. I thought there was something actually wrong with me. Like, why am I dreaming this? What is happening? So that was just something that you happened to ask me the question, and that brought it back. And then I'm thinking about you, you know, so, Michael Hingson ** 23:44 ah, you know, so many people, many people that I've talked to who didn't at first know what was happening, and they they either turn on their TV, or they were at an airport or something, and they saw the second plane hit the towers and they thought it was a movie. And I've heard so many people say that then, of course, they realized that it wasn't a movie. But you know, a lot of people just thought it was a movie at first, because nobody could imagine it. And you know, that is true. How who would have thought that somebody would deliberately crash airplanes like that into the towers and into the Pentagon? And, of course, now the the one falling out of the sky was that flight 93 in Pennsylvania, Yes, uh huh. And eventually, when you saw the plane, or whatever that was, the plane that you dreamed about, exactly, yeah, uh huh, and that's not surprising. Yeah, there are so many stories of of different things that people experienced that day. We didn't know anything about what was going on until actually we got out of the. Towers, and both towers had collapsed, and my wife was the first one who told us that aircraft had been hijacked and so on. And of course, people say to me all the time, well, of course, you didn't know because you couldn't see it. Excuse me, the last time I checked as I tell people Superman and X ray vision are fiction, and the reality is the airplane hit about 18 floors above us on the other side of the building, no one knew all the way down the stairs, the hundreds of people that I interacted with going down the stairs didn't know what happened. We figured, we figured an airplane hit the building because we were smelling burning jet fuel fumes as we were going down the stairs. So we figured an airplane hit the building. But we had no details. We had no information. Blindness. Didn't have anything to do with it at all. But yeah, it's, it's just one of those things. Well, so you were in, you were still in the business of telling people what to do, which was really good. And how did you eventually, then get into voice acting? Amber Ba'th ** 26:04 Well, I had always first, it's funny because you people who get into voice acting, oh, I really want to get into voice acting, and they think it's just this one thing that was me. I i always like to do voices. I like to play around with different things. My favorite is the villain. I don't know what it is, but I like to play the villain. But what happened was, Michael Hingson ** 26:30 you and Cruella de Vil, okay, Amber Ba'th ** 26:34 it was actually covid. You know, it was. The thing was that I literally was a preschool teacher at the time. And, you know, because after I left, I left LA, I got married and I had kids, and, you know, that kind of thing. So I was back in DC, and so, you know, after that, I covid happened, and I don't want to say it forced me, but it forced me. Nudged me, you know? And I said, you know, this would be great, because different things were happening. Where I was meeting people on on an on an app called clubhouse, and I said, Oh, this is cool. And I've always loved audio dramas too. So I actually about a $40 mic. I bought an eye rig, and I just hooked it up, and I just started talking. And I was in some acting workshops, some improv workshops. I was cast in an audio drama on clubhouse, you know? So it was, I was like, Oh, this is fun, you know, I like talking to myself anyway, so why not? So I created space in my walk in closet, and there you have it. Michael Hingson ** 28:00 And the rest, as they say, is history. That's right. So what kind of roles have you had, and what kinds of voices and so on, have you created and done? Amber Ba'th ** 28:11 Well, I I actually, I did the Bible, you know. And whenever I tell the person I narrated the Bible, they're like, the whole Bible, yeah, the whole Bible, technically, that would be 66 books that I narrate, yeah, you know. But yeah, I did the whole Bible for a Bible app, the CSB version for the dwell app, and it was just amazing, because just a little story behind that, I was someone wanted me to narrate their book, and they said that, you know, we want you to narrate it, but we don't want to use your name. We want you to. We want to, we want to use your voice, but we want the narrow, the author to be the narrator. Is this like a ghost Narrator or something, really, that's a Michael Hingson ** 29:10 little strange, you know? And, oh, we'll give you this Amber Ba'th ** 29:13 amount of money. Like, okay? And then I actually was praying about it. And, you know, the Lord spoke to me, and he said, I gave you that voice. So I had to decline. And then someone else came to me to narrate a book, and they were taking forever. Oh, it's not ready yet. It's ready. It's not ready yet. And I said, look, okay, I can't do this. I had auditioned for the Bible. And normally it takes, it's like a 2448 hour turnaround time to really know if you if this is for you. Yeah, and I didn't hear anything for about maybe three weeks. And I was like, I guess they found their person. And. I get an email saying that we got good news. You just booked the CSV version. I think I dropped whatever I had in my hand and fell before and, you know, it was just, it was just amazing. So, you know, because what I what happened was I read the Bible every day, and this particular and I read it in a year. So this particular year, I decided to listen to it, and, you know? And I said, You know what, Lord, it would be cool if I could narrate this. And then I had this audition, and I was blessed to read the Bible, and I did it in less than a year. Michael Hingson ** 30:41 Wow, yeah, it's clearly, you know, it's a long thing. Do you know who Carl Omari is? No. Carl Omari, well, he's probably most known for having recreated the Twilight Zone radio broadcasts. So he, years ago, he took all the Twilight Zone episodes. He got permission from Rod Serling estate, and he created radio broadcasts of them, but he also did the Living Bible, and he got people like Michael York to to be involved in other actors and so on. So I know having, and I own a copy, and I didn't even know about Carl doing it at the time, but it's 98 hours long. It's a long it's a big one. Amber Ba'th ** 31:22 It's a long one. It is long. But, yeah, that was exciting. Also, I recently just narrated a book called heaven, not by Patricia Robinson, and it's very Orwellian. I should say, you know, I, as I was renarrating it, I'm like, this stuff is happening now. And she wrote it years ago. And I'm talking about, as my children would say, in the 1900s you know. So it was, it was amazing. It was amazing to do that and and I love it, but I do love animated characters. So one of the characters that I never actually thought that I was someone to do impersonations. You know, it's like I got my own voice. You don't need to do anybody else voice. But I was in a workshop for with a good friend, Chris Woodsworth, and he's over in the UK. And he said, Well, what do you like to do? And I said, I like villains. So he thought of a villain, and I never would have thought about Isma from the Emperor's New Groove, and when I was researching, when I was going over the lines, I had to stop myself, because it scared me, because I said, Wait a minute, I really sound like her. Michael Hingson ** 32:56 All right, really creepy. We need to hear you sound like a villain. Amber Ba'th ** 33:00 Oh, my goodness, Isma. Okay, so Isma is Cronk. Why did I think that you got this one simple thing? It's like you're a dude, a really, really big stupid monkey named Cronk. And do you want to know something else? I never licked your spinach puffs, never Oh, oh, gosh, oh, goodness. And then, you know, I love, it's the last the laugh that a villain does. I did that, you know, I, I did one. It's called a micro animation called house in the Outlands, and I played a character named sathagawa. And it was one of those, you know, one of those. It was so cool. You know, Michael Hingson ** 33:49 I've, I've always been impressed with listening to voices and so on, and voice acting, to a large degree, one of the things that I that really made me appreciate a lot of it was, of course, James Earl Jones playing Darth Vader on Star Wars. And then I had the opportunity, while I was in New York once, to go see James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer in Othello. What an amazing performance, because at the end, when Othello falls on his sword, you know, you know what's going to happen. People have read the play. It's not like Othello is a secret, right, right? The whole crowd just went when he did that. I mean, they were so drawn in by the power of both of their voices and the acting, which is, I've just always loved the fact that people can do that. Amber Ba'th ** 34:48 Yeah, it's it's amazing. Sometimes I listen to myself and I'm like, That's me. Michael Hingson ** 34:56 Well, your prejudice. So I. But still, it's just amazing how people can can do so much with with voice collecting old radio shows, as I do, it's really fascinating to to hear all the old shows and the different things that that people do, and the way they can sound so natural doing so many different kinds of voices and so on. And I think we've lost that art, to a degree, at least for a lot of people who try to go off and recreate radio shows, it sounds forced. And we've we've not been able to really train people, although I think one of the things that the radio enthusiast of Puget Sound wants to do is to actually start providing some acting classes to teach people how to use their voices in really doing radio shows, right. Amber Ba'th ** 35:54 Yeah, yeah, you're so right. I mean, when I was I was actually a a moderator and assistant to a improv workshop coach. I always told students it is so imperative to take acting classes. I mean, I know with voiceovers, it's a lot of it's commercial and things like that, but you have to understand that when you are conveying a message, you know, I don't care how great your voice sounds, if the listener cannot feel, you cannot really get into what you're saying. Or even, let's just say it's a commercial for food. If they can't say, Okay, I gotta go and get some food. Now, you know, then you didn't do your job, right? You know? And I tried to let I said, Listen, it's not just people, you know. They will say, Oh, I'm selling burgers. No, you're not. You're not selling burgers. You know, it's people are hungry. You know, you're telling people this is what they should do because you're hungry, it's mouth watering, yeah, you know, describe what you're eating, and you have to do it in such a way, in such in such a short amount of time, that it just leaves people salivating, you know? And that's, that's what they want, that's what sells the food, the product, or or whatever, whatever it is that you are sharing. So I really tell students, please take acting classes. Yeah, you have to see it, envision it. Sometimes you got to get up and, you know, move around. Sometimes when you're doing auditions, or when you're actually doing a session or performances, you know, and nobody can see you. Michael Hingson ** 37:50 And it's about the voice. I know that the again, reps the radio enthusiast at Puget Sound does a number of radio recreations. I participated in a couple, but one of the things that I do, and a few of the actors who have been around for a long time, Margaret O'Brien and Beverly Washburn and other people like that, before they will undertake one of the parts that they're they're asked to do in recreating a radio show, they go back and listen to the original show because they want to get into the character. You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.
This week, John and I were dormmates for a few days while he got settled in his new apartment (helloooo outdoor shower!) and I had my first dinner party (a massive success, according to Matthew Broderick!)Then, we walked Taylor's new album, gave "The Wizard of Oz" a review (80 years late?), and cold called some Bravolebs for our favorite segment, "Phone a Bravo Friend"!Plus, after 10 years of begging, I got to interview Howard Stern this week! (available on the SiriusXM app)For more interviews and behind-the-scenes tea, tune in to Andy Cohen Live weekdays on Radio Andy by subscribing to SiriusXM. Use my link https://sxm.app.link/AndyCohen for a free trial! Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Daddy Diaries ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
When does comedy become more than a laugh? Ben Mangrum of MIT joins RtB to discuss his new book, The Comedy of Computation: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Obsolescence (Stanford UP, 2025), which in some ways is organized around “the intriguing idea that human knowledge work is our definitive feature and yet the machines we are ourselves made are going to replace us at it.” Comedy has provided a toolbox (Charles Tilly calls them "collective repertoires") for responding to the looming obsolescence of knowledge workers.John's interest in Menippean satire within science fiction leads him to ask about about the sliding meanings of comedy and its pachinko machine capacity; he loves the way Ben uses the word and concept of doubling,; Ben explains how the computer may either queer (in an antisocial way) or get assimilated into romantic heteronormative pairings. John asks about Donna Haraway's 1985 A Cyborg Manifesto and teh way it denaturalizes gender roles and the way new technological affordances (from the Acheulean axe that Malafouris discusses to the Apple watch) redefine human roles. Ben delves into the minstrelsy pre-history of the photo-robots going as far back as the late 19th century. They unpack the distinctively American Leo Marxian optimism of The Machine in the Garden (1964) that spreads back as far as the proto-robots like The Steam Man of the Prairies(1868) and good old Tik-Tok in the Wizard of Oz novels. John asks about double-edged nature of Ben's claim that comic “genericity provides forms for making a computationally mediated social world seem more habitable, even as it also provides Is for criticizing and objecting to that world." First you get description says Ben--and then sometimes critique. John asks about the iterability of the new: how much of what seems new actually New New (in the sense of that great 1999 Michael Lewis book, The New New Thing)? Mentioned in the episode: The Desk Set a play William Marchand and a movie starring Katherine Hepburn. How might a computer be incorporated into the sociability of a couple? Her (Spike Jonze,, 2013) computer meets human makes the rom-com into a coupling machine. WarGames (1983( ends with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy (not Ione Skye—silly John!) paired. But also with Broderick and the formerly deadly computer settling down to “how about a nice game of chess”? Black Mirror as the 2020's version of the same dark satire as the 1950's Twilight Zone. John asks about Stanislaw Lem's Cyberiad, and the comic coupling of Kirk and Spock and the death-as-computer comedy of Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979). Leo Marx, The Machine in the Garden (1964). Dave Eggers: the joke structure as critique in The Circle and The Every. John Saybrook wrote in the New Yorker about an eye-opening conversation with Bill Gates in 1994. Istvan Csicsery-Ronay's Seven Beauties of Science Fiction on the “fictionalization of everyday life" Recallable Books: Elif Batuman The Idiot (2017) Richard Powers, Plowing the Dark (2000) Sally Rooney, Conversations with Friends (2017) Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
When does comedy become more than a laugh? Ben Mangrum of MIT joins RtB to discuss his new book, The Comedy of Computation: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Obsolescence (Stanford UP, 2025), which in some ways is organized around “the intriguing idea that human knowledge work is our definitive feature and yet the machines we are ourselves made are going to replace us at it.” Comedy has provided a toolbox (Charles Tilly calls them "collective repertoires") for responding to the looming obsolescence of knowledge workers.John's interest in Menippean satire within science fiction leads him to ask about about the sliding meanings of comedy and its pachinko machine capacity; he loves the way Ben uses the word and concept of doubling,; Ben explains how the computer may either queer (in an antisocial way) or get assimilated into romantic heteronormative pairings. John asks about Donna Haraway's 1985 A Cyborg Manifesto and teh way it denaturalizes gender roles and the way new technological affordances (from the Acheulean axe that Malafouris discusses to the Apple watch) redefine human roles. Ben delves into the minstrelsy pre-history of the photo-robots going as far back as the late 19th century. They unpack the distinctively American Leo Marxian optimism of The Machine in the Garden (1964) that spreads back as far as the proto-robots like The Steam Man of the Prairies(1868) and good old Tik-Tok in the Wizard of Oz novels. John asks about double-edged nature of Ben's claim that comic “genericity provides forms for making a computationally mediated social world seem more habitable, even as it also provides Is for criticizing and objecting to that world." First you get description says Ben--and then sometimes critique. John asks about the iterability of the new: how much of what seems new actually New New (in the sense of that great 1999 Michael Lewis book, The New New Thing)? Mentioned in the episode: The Desk Set a play William Marchand and a movie starring Katherine Hepburn. How might a computer be incorporated into the sociability of a couple? Her (Spike Jonze,, 2013) computer meets human makes the rom-com into a coupling machine. WarGames (1983( ends with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy (not Ione Skye—silly John!) paired. But also with Broderick and the formerly deadly computer settling down to “how about a nice game of chess”? Black Mirror as the 2020's version of the same dark satire as the 1950's Twilight Zone. John asks about Stanislaw Lem's Cyberiad, and the comic coupling of Kirk and Spock and the death-as-computer comedy of Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979). Leo Marx, The Machine in the Garden (1964). Dave Eggers: the joke structure as critique in The Circle and The Every. John Saybrook wrote in the New Yorker about an eye-opening conversation with Bill Gates in 1994. Istvan Csicsery-Ronay's Seven Beauties of Science Fiction on the “fictionalization of everyday life" Recallable Books: Elif Batuman The Idiot (2017) Richard Powers, Plowing the Dark (2000) Sally Rooney, Conversations with Friends (2017) Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When does comedy become more than a laugh? Ben Mangrum of MIT joins RtB to discuss his new book, The Comedy of Computation: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Obsolescence (Stanford UP, 2025), which in some ways is organized around “the intriguing idea that human knowledge work is our definitive feature and yet the machines we are ourselves made are going to replace us at it.” Comedy has provided a toolbox (Charles Tilly calls them "collective repertoires") for responding to the looming obsolescence of knowledge workers.John's interest in Menippean satire within science fiction leads him to ask about about the sliding meanings of comedy and its pachinko machine capacity; he loves the way Ben uses the word and concept of doubling,; Ben explains how the computer may either queer (in an antisocial way) or get assimilated into romantic heteronormative pairings. John asks about Donna Haraway's 1985 A Cyborg Manifesto and teh way it denaturalizes gender roles and the way new technological affordances (from the Acheulean axe that Malafouris discusses to the Apple watch) redefine human roles. Ben delves into the minstrelsy pre-history of the photo-robots going as far back as the late 19th century. They unpack the distinctively American Leo Marxian optimism of The Machine in the Garden (1964) that spreads back as far as the proto-robots like The Steam Man of the Prairies(1868) and good old Tik-Tok in the Wizard of Oz novels. John asks about double-edged nature of Ben's claim that comic “genericity provides forms for making a computationally mediated social world seem more habitable, even as it also provides Is for criticizing and objecting to that world." First you get description says Ben--and then sometimes critique. John asks about the iterability of the new: how much of what seems new actually New New (in the sense of that great 1999 Michael Lewis book, The New New Thing)? Mentioned in the episode: The Desk Set a play William Marchand and a movie starring Katherine Hepburn. How might a computer be incorporated into the sociability of a couple? Her (Spike Jonze,, 2013) computer meets human makes the rom-com into a coupling machine. WarGames (1983( ends with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy (not Ione Skye—silly John!) paired. But also with Broderick and the formerly deadly computer settling down to “how about a nice game of chess”? Black Mirror as the 2020's version of the same dark satire as the 1950's Twilight Zone. John asks about Stanislaw Lem's Cyberiad, and the comic coupling of Kirk and Spock and the death-as-computer comedy of Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979). Leo Marx, The Machine in the Garden (1964). Dave Eggers: the joke structure as critique in The Circle and The Every. John Saybrook wrote in the New Yorker about an eye-opening conversation with Bill Gates in 1994. Istvan Csicsery-Ronay's Seven Beauties of Science Fiction on the “fictionalization of everyday life" Recallable Books: Elif Batuman The Idiot (2017) Richard Powers, Plowing the Dark (2000) Sally Rooney, Conversations with Friends (2017) Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies
When does comedy become more than a laugh? Ben Mangrum of MIT joins RtB to discuss his new book, The Comedy of Computation: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Obsolescence (Stanford UP, 2025), which in some ways is organized around “the intriguing idea that human knowledge work is our definitive feature and yet the machines we are ourselves made are going to replace us at it.” Comedy has provided a toolbox (Charles Tilly calls them "collective repertoires") for responding to the looming obsolescence of knowledge workers.John's interest in Menippean satire within science fiction leads him to ask about about the sliding meanings of comedy and its pachinko machine capacity; he loves the way Ben uses the word and concept of doubling,; Ben explains how the computer may either queer (in an antisocial way) or get assimilated into romantic heteronormative pairings. John asks about Donna Haraway's 1985 A Cyborg Manifesto and teh way it denaturalizes gender roles and the way new technological affordances (from the Acheulean axe that Malafouris discusses to the Apple watch) redefine human roles. Ben delves into the minstrelsy pre-history of the photo-robots going as far back as the late 19th century. They unpack the distinctively American Leo Marxian optimism of The Machine in the Garden (1964) that spreads back as far as the proto-robots like The Steam Man of the Prairies(1868) and good old Tik-Tok in the Wizard of Oz novels. John asks about double-edged nature of Ben's claim that comic “genericity provides forms for making a computationally mediated social world seem more habitable, even as it also provides Is for criticizing and objecting to that world." First you get description says Ben--and then sometimes critique. John asks about the iterability of the new: how much of what seems new actually New New (in the sense of that great 1999 Michael Lewis book, The New New Thing)? Mentioned in the episode: The Desk Set a play William Marchand and a movie starring Katherine Hepburn. How might a computer be incorporated into the sociability of a couple? Her (Spike Jonze,, 2013) computer meets human makes the rom-com into a coupling machine. WarGames (1983( ends with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy (not Ione Skye—silly John!) paired. But also with Broderick and the formerly deadly computer settling down to “how about a nice game of chess”? Black Mirror as the 2020's version of the same dark satire as the 1950's Twilight Zone. John asks about Stanislaw Lem's Cyberiad, and the comic coupling of Kirk and Spock and the death-as-computer comedy of Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979). Leo Marx, The Machine in the Garden (1964). Dave Eggers: the joke structure as critique in The Circle and The Every. John Saybrook wrote in the New Yorker about an eye-opening conversation with Bill Gates in 1994. Istvan Csicsery-Ronay's Seven Beauties of Science Fiction on the “fictionalization of everyday life" Recallable Books: Elif Batuman The Idiot (2017) Richard Powers, Plowing the Dark (2000) Sally Rooney, Conversations with Friends (2017) Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science
When does comedy become more than a laugh? Ben Mangrum of MIT joins RtB to discuss his new book, The Comedy of Computation: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Obsolescence (Stanford UP, 2025), which in some ways is organized around “the intriguing idea that human knowledge work is our definitive feature and yet the machines we are ourselves made are going to replace us at it.” Comedy has provided a toolbox (Charles Tilly calls them "collective repertoires") for responding to the looming obsolescence of knowledge workers.John's interest in Menippean satire within science fiction leads him to ask about about the sliding meanings of comedy and its pachinko machine capacity; he loves the way Ben uses the word and concept of doubling,; Ben explains how the computer may either queer (in an antisocial way) or get assimilated into romantic heteronormative pairings. John asks about Donna Haraway's 1985 A Cyborg Manifesto and teh way it denaturalizes gender roles and the way new technological affordances (from the Acheulean axe that Malafouris discusses to the Apple watch) redefine human roles. Ben delves into the minstrelsy pre-history of the photo-robots going as far back as the late 19th century. They unpack the distinctively American Leo Marxian optimism of The Machine in the Garden (1964) that spreads back as far as the proto-robots like The Steam Man of the Prairies(1868) and good old Tik-Tok in the Wizard of Oz novels. John asks about double-edged nature of Ben's claim that comic “genericity provides forms for making a computationally mediated social world seem more habitable, even as it also provides Is for criticizing and objecting to that world." First you get description says Ben--and then sometimes critique. John asks about the iterability of the new: how much of what seems new actually New New (in the sense of that great 1999 Michael Lewis book, The New New Thing)? Mentioned in the episode: The Desk Set a play William Marchand and a movie starring Katherine Hepburn. How might a computer be incorporated into the sociability of a couple? Her (Spike Jonze,, 2013) computer meets human makes the rom-com into a coupling machine. WarGames (1983( ends with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy (not Ione Skye—silly John!) paired. But also with Broderick and the formerly deadly computer settling down to “how about a nice game of chess”? Black Mirror as the 2020's version of the same dark satire as the 1950's Twilight Zone. John asks about Stanislaw Lem's Cyberiad, and the comic coupling of Kirk and Spock and the death-as-computer comedy of Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979). Leo Marx, The Machine in the Garden (1964). Dave Eggers: the joke structure as critique in The Circle and The Every. John Saybrook wrote in the New Yorker about an eye-opening conversation with Bill Gates in 1994. Istvan Csicsery-Ronay's Seven Beauties of Science Fiction on the “fictionalization of everyday life" Recallable Books: Elif Batuman The Idiot (2017) Richard Powers, Plowing the Dark (2000) Sally Rooney, Conversations with Friends (2017) Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/systems-and-cybernetics
When does comedy become more than a laugh? Ben Mangrum of MIT joins RtB to discuss his new book, The Comedy of Computation: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Obsolescence (Stanford UP, 2025), which in some ways is organized around “the intriguing idea that human knowledge work is our definitive feature and yet the machines we are ourselves made are going to replace us at it.” Comedy has provided a toolbox (Charles Tilly calls them "collective repertoires") for responding to the looming obsolescence of knowledge workers.John's interest in Menippean satire within science fiction leads him to ask about about the sliding meanings of comedy and its pachinko machine capacity; he loves the way Ben uses the word and concept of doubling,; Ben explains how the computer may either queer (in an antisocial way) or get assimilated into romantic heteronormative pairings. John asks about Donna Haraway's 1985 A Cyborg Manifesto and teh way it denaturalizes gender roles and the way new technological affordances (from the Acheulean axe that Malafouris discusses to the Apple watch) redefine human roles. Ben delves into the minstrelsy pre-history of the photo-robots going as far back as the late 19th century. They unpack the distinctively American Leo Marxian optimism of The Machine in the Garden (1964) that spreads back as far as the proto-robots like The Steam Man of the Prairies(1868) and good old Tik-Tok in the Wizard of Oz novels. John asks about double-edged nature of Ben's claim that comic “genericity provides forms for making a computationally mediated social world seem more habitable, even as it also provides Is for criticizing and objecting to that world." First you get description says Ben--and then sometimes critique. John asks about the iterability of the new: how much of what seems new actually New New (in the sense of that great 1999 Michael Lewis book, The New New Thing)? Mentioned in the episode: The Desk Set a play William Marchand and a movie starring Katherine Hepburn. How might a computer be incorporated into the sociability of a couple? Her (Spike Jonze,, 2013) computer meets human makes the rom-com into a coupling machine. WarGames (1983( ends with Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy (not Ione Skye—silly John!) paired. But also with Broderick and the formerly deadly computer settling down to “how about a nice game of chess”? Black Mirror as the 2020's version of the same dark satire as the 1950's Twilight Zone. John asks about Stanislaw Lem's Cyberiad, and the comic coupling of Kirk and Spock and the death-as-computer comedy of Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979). Leo Marx, The Machine in the Garden (1964). Dave Eggers: the joke structure as critique in The Circle and The Every. John Saybrook wrote in the New Yorker about an eye-opening conversation with Bill Gates in 1994. Istvan Csicsery-Ronay's Seven Beauties of Science Fiction on the “fictionalization of everyday life" Recallable Books: Elif Batuman The Idiot (2017) Richard Powers, Plowing the Dark (2000) Sally Rooney, Conversations with Friends (2017) Listen and Read here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society
Episode SummaryIn this sparkling episode of Hospitality Meets, I sit down with the unstoppable Michelle Moreno, founder of QAB Leadership (Is that really it's name Michelle?)From accidentally elbowing Leonardo DiCaprio to fangirling over Sarah Jessica Parker in the dark, Michelle's journey through hospitality is as wild, funny, and inspiring as it gets.With a career that's taken her from London's hottest openings to Mykonos, India, and Mauritius, Michelle's story is one of resilience, humour, and never taking herself too seriously. Along the way, she's learned that imperfection is a superpower, leadership should be fun, and sometimes the best brand names are the ones people trip over.Expect celebrity encounters, cultural adventures, brutal honesty, and some cracking wisdom on careers, confidence, and carving your own path.Key TakeawaysImperfection = Strength – You don't have to be polished to be powerful.Hospitality is Chaos & Magic – From elbowing Leo to opening 50+ restaurants, it's never dull.Leadership with Laughter – Fun belongs in business; we're a long time dead, so lighten up.Follow the Adventure – Careers aren't linear; they zigzag through countries, cultures, and crises.Community is Everything – LinkedIn, kindness, and connection can change your career trajectory.Memorable Quotes"When you say QAB quickly, it sounds like Crap Leadership. But hey, people remember it”"I elbowed Leonardo DiCaprio in the stomach. Not on purpose… just because I was shit”“Life isn't about change, it's about evolution”“We're a long time dead, so let's make leadership fun”“I met Sarah Jessica Parker… and made a tit of myself in front of Matthew Broderick two nights in a row”Final ThoughtsMichelle's story is a glorious reminder that success isn't about straight lines or spotless CVs, it's about saying yes, laughing at the chaos, and evolving along the way. From Nobu in Mykonos to “crap leadership” in London, her career proves that hospitality is a serious industry where fun, imperfection, and humanity always win.Show PartnersA big shout out to Today's show partner, RotaCloud, the people management platform for shift-based teams.RotaCloud lets managers create and share rotas, record attendance, and manage annual leave in minutes — all from a single, web-based app.It makes work simple for your team, too, allowing them to check their rotas, request holiday, and even pick up extra shifts straight from their phones.Try RotaCloud's time-saving tools today by heading to https://rotacloud.com/philThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Tonight we depose Matthew Broderick and crown Steven Weber as the new king slut. Even more dawg jealousy, business mens, secret twins, shit fiddlin' Mitch and a hot pair of heels. Sah-de-mwah! We are Graham. Would anyone risk it all for Jennifer Jason Leigh? Place an ad for a Single White Female, this week on Doom Generation!
Sing "Nants' Ingonyama," "Hakuna Matata," and "Mamela lelando we" as NostalgiaCast returns to Pride Rock for a discussion of THE LION KING, starring the voices of James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, and Matthew Broderick. Rachel Wagner and Stanford Clark of the Talking Disney Classics podcast join Jonny and Darin to chat about the film's long-lasting legacy, stunning animation and adult Shakespearean themes, and place within the '90s Disney Renaissance.
"Shall we play a game?" Okay, let's play, "Where the hell are this kid's parents?" In 1983's War Games, our teenage techie (played by Matthew Broderick) is able to skip school for a week, hack into computers, and get arrested for espionage without even getting grounded. Now though, is truancy this kid's lightest offense? How does this film's "computers are people too" storyline hold up in our AI age? And why is Ally Sheedy's character such a fast runner? The Old Roommates stop their 300th game of tic-tac-toe and discuss this blockbuster through their middle-aged lens. "Dial up" and join them.Old Roommates can be reached via email at oldroommatespod@gmail.com. Follow Old Roommates on social media @OldRoommates for bonus content and please give us a rating or review!#JohnBadham #MatthewBroderick #AllySheedy #dabneycoleman
From Sherlock Holmes to CSI, we’ve always been fascinated by the clues people leave behind. But did you know your handwriting can reveal not just personality, but also help catch criminals? Internationally-renowned graphologist Emma Bache joins Helen live in the studio and even examines our listeners' handwritings A recent report raised questions about couples and children having different surnames after the law changed in South Africa allowing men to take their wife's name - so what does that mean here in the UAE? Madeleine Mendy is in charge of our Family Law clinic today Recent research shows that flexibility is the number one factor for mums looking to return to the workplace, with nearly 77 percent ranking it as absolutely essential. But what does flexible work really look like in practice? Matthew Broderick, Founder of APEX Mystery Shoppers and Beyond Careers' Rowen Astrom are here to help And talking about balancing work in the real estate industry, wellness and motherhood with Sam Arnell of Haus & Haus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week on Totally 80s and 90s Recall, Dave, Rob, and Kurt are joined by special guests Brad and Sean to dive into the wild world of 1980s comedy movies with a March Madness–style 16-team bracket. From slapstick to satire, the guys break down some of the funniest and most quotable films of the decade, pitting classics head-to-head until only two comedies reigns supreme. Each matchup sparks laughs, heated debate, and plenty of nostalgia as the crew tries to decide which flick really captured the comedic spirit of the 80s. The bracket is stacked with heavy-hitters like National Lampoon's Vacation, Stripes, and Coming to America, each bringing its own brand of outrageous humor and iconic performances. But the competition doesn't stop there—parody powerhouses like Spaceballs square off against teen comedy staples such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The panel wrestles with tough questions: does a cult classic deserve to topple a box office giant? Should quotability matter more than critical acclaim? And just how much does nostalgia play into picking a true champion? With Brad and Sean stirring the pot and adding their own favorites into the mix, the bracket becomes a hilarious walk down memory lane. Whether it's Chevy Chase bumbling his way through family road trips, Eddie Murphy redefining comedy stardom, or Matthew Broderick convincing us to skip school in style, this episode is packed with laughter, debate, and plenty of “you had to be there” 80s moments. It's the ultimate comedy showdown, and only two films can survive the bracket madness! Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/totally-80s-and-90s-recall/PC:1001051135 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/totally-80s-and-90s-recall/id1662282694 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/11dk5TUoLUk4euD1Te1EYG?si=b37496eb6e784408 Contact Us: Website: https://totally80s90srecall.podbean.com/ Email: 80s90srecall@gmail.com LinkTree:https://linktr.ee/80s90srecall
Eric, Jeff, Styles, Sheek and Jadakiss got together in Yonkers to have a bracket-style debate on who is the most gangsta of all the characters in the 1986 American teen comedy film Ferris Bueller's Day Off, written and directed by John Hughes and starring Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara and Alan Ruck. This side-splitting conversation gets heated over matchups like Mr. Bueller vs. Mrs. Bueller or Grace the Secretary vs. Abe Froman, the Sausage King of Chicago. The deep consideration of every character is equally thoughtful and hilarious - who do you have as the most G in this film? Let us know!!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to another episode of I'll Show You Mine! This time, Elyse is showing James ‘WarGames' from 1983. Matthew Broderick stars as David Lightman, a young hacker who accidentally logs onto a military supercomputer while attempting to find new video games and nearly starts WWIII.Join us as we talk about the depiction of computers and hacking, the plausibility of a computer working the way the WOPR does, and the killer score by Arthur B. Rubinstein.Our theme song is by us! James Sparkman and Elyse Wietstock.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Twitch at @isympodcastIf you like the show please share it with a friend or leave a review on Apple Podcasts, and if you want access to post-show content, downloadable art, and more, visit illshowyoumine.show and click “Patreon!”
Well listeners, it's taken 5 seasons, but finally Nick & Taylor can obsess over one of the greatest terrible movies ever conceived in the mind of Roland Emmerich. Follow your hosts as they hide in the subway systems, blow the crown off the Chrysler Building, and proudly proclaim: “that's a lot of fish!”. Join in as we celebrate our 100th episode! It's… Godzilla (1998)... starring… Matthew Broderick? __________Taylor Zaccario…Host, Director, Producer, WriterNick Zaccario…Host, Director, Producer, Editor
In Episode 136, astrologers Kristina Martin and Tara Redfield take a deep dive into the enduring 28-year coupling between Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker and her Tony Award winning husband, Matthew Broderick. We begin with Sarah's chart, revealing a trendsetting Aries Sun conjunct Venus, highlighting her pioneering spirit and strong valuation of independence. Her Capricorn Moon points to childhood hardships and an emotional need for a solid career and reputation, while Saturn in Pisces brings structure to a romantic, glamorous world—much like the one she created in SATC. Matthew's chart also features an Aries Sun and Venus, but it's opposed by a Libra Moon, softening his Aries energy and contributing to the schoolboy charm he's known for. A stabilizing Saturn/Moon trine suggests maturity in his home life, and an Aquarius stellium reveals a zany, rebellious side. Together, their conjunct Suns create a powerful mirroring effect, and a Sun/Moon opposition provides a supportive, comfortable, and emotionally secure foundation. A Moon/Chiron sextile indicates a profound ability to heal each other, while Moon/Neptune shows an intuitive sync. However, mutually challenging Venus/Moon aspects can create difficulties in domestic agreements, and a Mercury/Pluto opposition may bring tendencies toward paranoia and secrecy. So, how does this iconic couple's synastry ultimately rate? Tune in to discover the final Venus score we gave them! Book a Reading with us! Connect with Kristina Martin Book a Reading www.klmastrology.com astrologyklm@gmail.com www.instagram.com/klmastrology Connect with Tara Redfield Book a Reading www.anotherdaygreener.com anotherdaygreener@gmail.com www.instagram.com/anotherdaygreener/ www.tiktok.com/@anotherdaygreener
Matthew Broderick and Alan Ruck were at the Vancouver Canadians baseball game on Saturday. And they got to sing during the 7th inning stretch! Plus: Thomas Müller scores his first goal for the Whitecaps A Canucks superstar gets married And, three pictures you'd like your potential date to send you That and more on today's Nat & Drew Show!
Brandon, Brett, and Stoney flip the calendar back to 1986 to relive a teen comedy classic starring Matthew Broderick as one of cinema's most popular characters. We're talkin' Ferris Bueller's Day Off this month on The Movie Review Rewind Podcast!
“He was on his way to the Dean's list, but he wound up on the hit list.” “The Freshman is a 1990 American crime comedy film written and directed by Andrew Bergman, and starring Marlon Brando, Matthew Broderick, Bruno Kirby, Maximilian Schell, Penelope Ann Miller, and Frank Whaley.” Show Links Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7FmZb9_hRI Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Freshman_(1990_film) Just Watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-freshman Socials Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/moviewavepod.bsky.social Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/moviewavepod Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviewavepod/ Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@moviewavepod Intro/Outro Sample Credits “Aiwa CX-930 VHS VCR Video Cassette Recorder.wav” by Pixabay “Underwater Ambience” by Pixabay “waves crashing into shore parkdale beach” by Pixabay Movie Wave is a part of Pie Hat Productions.
Rachel and Irene welcome fabulous drag queen Bianca del Rio (winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6)! They dive into hilarious ghost stories, including Bianca's “haunted" furniture mishap in Palm Springs, Irene's spectral romance on Staten Island, and tales of New Orleans' creepy charm. Plus, get the scoop on Bianca's upcoming New York theater debut with Matthew Broderick. Don't miss this episode packed with paranormal laughs and drag queen wit! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
EPISODE 100 - “LIGHTS! CAMERA! KARGER! TCM's DAVE KARGER HELPS US CELEBRATE 100 EPISODES” - 8/11/25 We're thrilled to celebrate the 100th episode of FROM BENEATH THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN with a very special guest: DAVE KARGER, beloved host of Turner Classic Movies and one of the most respected voices in entertainment journalism. In this milestone episode, Dave joins us to discuss his fascinating new book, 50 Oscar Nights: Iconic Stars & Filmmakers On Their Career-Defining Wins, a dazzling journey through Academy Awards history told through unforgettable moments, behind-the-scenes stories, and personal reflections. Whether you're a film buff, an Oscars obsessive, or just love a great Hollywood tale, this conversation is the perfect way to help us celebrate our 100th episode. SHOW NOTES: Sources: 50 Oscar Nights: Iconic Stars & Filmmakers On Their Career-Defining Wins (2024), by Dave Karger; Wikipedia.com; TCM.com; IBDB.com; IMDBPro.com; Movies Mentioned: The Breakfast Club (1985), starring Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheed, and Anthony Micheal Hall; Sixteen Candles (1984); starring Molly Ringwald & Anthony Michael Hall; Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), starring Matthew Broderick & Alan Ruck; Children of a Lesser God (1986), starring William Hurt & Marlee Matlin; Breathless (1983), starring Richard Gere & Valerie Kaprisky; Tootsie (1982), starring Dustin Hoffman & Jessica Lange; Laura (1944), starring Dana Andrews & Gene Tierney; Seven Chances (1925) starring Buster Keaton; Citizen Kane (1941), starring Orson Welles & Joseph Cotton; On The Waterfront (1954), starring Marlon Brando,Eva Marie Saint, & Karl Malden; Rainman (1988), starring Dustin Hoffman & Tom Cruise; Stella Dallas (1937), starring Barbara Stanwyck & Anne Shirley; Reveille with Beverly (1943), starring Ann Miller; Penny Serenade (1941), starring Cary grant & Irene Dunne; Boys Don't Cry (1999), starring Hilary Swank & Chloë Sivegny; Norma Rae (1979), starring Sally Field & Beau Bridges; Sophie's Choice (1982), starring Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, & Peter MacNicol; Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week we are beginning our random ass season of four films. The first is Ben Stiller's panned-at-the-time film, "The Cable Guy." Join us as we discuss the history of the film and its earlier days as a Chris Farley film. Then, we dive into the film itself describing what we loved and did not love so much. Finally, we each pair the film with another for a pair of double bills.Thank you so much for listening!Created by Spike Alkire & Jake KelleyTheme Song by Breck McGoughFollow us on Instagram: @DoubleBillChillLetterboxd: FartsDomino44
Mike Isaacson is the Artistic Director and Executive Producer of The Muny, the third person to hold this position in The Muny's 106 -year history. During his 14 seasons, he has produced 89 Muny shows, 37 new to The Muny stage. He is also a 9 Time Tony Award winning Broadway producer. After his first season at The Muny, The Riverfront Times wrote, “Under the leadership of executive producer Mike Isaacson the quality of Muny productions rose like the proverbial phoenix.” During his tenure, Isaacson has changed the look and feel of The Muny, overseeing a transformation in every aspect of production that culminated in 2019 with the arrival of the theatre's extraordinary James S. McDonnell stage, a state-of-the art stage house that includes revolutionary LED technology, automated sets, and a host of other innovations. In 2016, The Muny embarked on an unprecedented $100 million capital campaign, raising within 5 years a record amount for any theater in the U.S. During the COVID lock-down summer of 2020, Mike produced and created The Muny 2020 Variety Hour, five live online shows that reached a worldwide audience of more than 400,000. For the summer of 2021, The Muny was one of two theaters in the U.S. to reopen, and produced five full productions, receiving acclaim for their artistry and their presence. The 2022 season's productions received 21 nominations from the St. Louis Theatre Critics Circle, more than any other theater in St. Louis. In 2023, The Muny bested its record with 26 nominations, and for it's 2024 season, The Muny received a record 30 nominations – a record for The Muny and for the Theatre Critics Circle. During his time, The Muny's education and outreach programs have grown in number, and their artistic endeavors now incorporate all aspects of theater making – production, performance and administration. The Muny kids and teens are now recognized nationally for their excellence, inspiring a national program where teens from throughout the U.S. audition annually come to St. Louis to be a part of a Muny production. For 27 years, with his partner Kristin Caskey, Mike has produced more than 40 Broadway musicals and plays, national tours, off-Broadway plays, and London productions. This Spring on Broadway, they are producing Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years, co-starring Nick Jonas and Adrienne Warren. In 2023, they produced the highly acclaimed Broadway revival of Parade, starring Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, now on a national tour. Parade also received “Best Revival of a Musical” as well as “Best Musical Revival” from both The Drama Desk and The Outer Critics Circle. In 2022, they produced Neil Simon's Plaza Suite starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, which subsequently had a record-breaking run at London's Savoy Theater. Other recent Broadway productions include David Byrne's American Utopia, for which they received a special 2021 Tony Award. It also became a multi-Emmy Award nominated film by Spike Lee for HBO, for which he also served as an executive producer. In 2015, he received the Tony® award for “Best Musical” for the ground-breaking Fun Home. Other producing highlights include Dolls House, Part 2, The Humans (2016 Tony® Award, Best Play); Bring It On The Musical (2013 Tony® nomination for Best Musical); Red (2010 Tony® Award, Best Play); Legally Blonde the Musical (2011 Olivier Award, Best Musical); Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002 Tony® Award, Best Musical); You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown; If/Then; The Seagull; Burn This, Caroline, or Change; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest starring Gary Sinise, and Death of a Salesman (1999 Tony® Award). For the IPN, he served as producer for the Broadway productions of Spamalot (2005 Tony® Award, Best Musical), Ragtime (revival) and The Color Purple. All told, his productions have received more than 139 Tony® Award Nominations, and 40 Tony® Awards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this week's show, we take a look at 1983's WarGames starring Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, Dabney Coleman, and John Wood. . Be sure to let us know what you think of the movie, and the podcast. Thanks and enjoy! ADAMSNERDS.COM
Chris and Rob talk about Godzilla 1998, and try to figure out what went wrong for this film. Help support the show and discover articles and more by heading on over to our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/whydoesthisexist.Buy us Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whydoesthisexistSupport us on Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-does-this-exist--5418632/support Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/wdtepod Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whydoesthisexist Like, Dislike, Comment and Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY23JJcBuc904cgAZpnDOiQ Know of any other weird happenings in pop culture? Let us know at whydoesthisexistshow@gmail.com.
We unconventionally decide to start with news this week by discussing Sarah Jessica Parker on WWHL, Matthew Broderick's roots in Ireland, the Real Housewives of London trailer, Paige DeSorbo dating that same guy, Social Network 2, Ari Aster's next film, Eddington, and ever more than that. (00:00 - 26:36)We then dive in to this week's episode of The Valley (season 2 episode 14) - "New Rings". (26:36)We then discuss this week's episode of Next Gen NYC (season 1 episode 7) - "Georgia's New Bowling Alley Club". (1:20:40)If you enjoyed this episode and need more Turtle Time in your life, join the Turtle Time Patreon and become a Villa Rosa VIP to hear exclusive bonus content! We're recapping the Vanderpump Rules series from the beginning each week.And if you need even more Turtle Time in your life, follow us on TikTok or Instagram. And please, if you want to watch some of the fun things we do, subscribe on YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this episode, three kids — Charlie from Brooklyn, Knox from Denver, and Sienna from Houston — join LKBH host Todd Loyd to discuss the great outdoors — and how nature makes them feel. The kids and Todd then hike up an enormous imaginary mountain to travel to the Land of Qook-a-lackas … arriving JUST at the right moment to help a Qook-a-lacka friend, Qwiffin (played by the amazing Maulik Pancholy), grow a "memory garden." What is a memory garden?!Qwiffin explains: "Well, it's a garden, but instead of being made out of dirt and seeds and the power of photosynthesis, it grows in a different way: It grows from our memories of being outdoors in nature." The kids and Todd help Qwiffin brainstorm amazing memories of nature in all four seasons: ❄️,
Sarah Jessica Parker has spent decades as Carrie Bradshaw, but here’s the twist: she’s never actually watched herself do any of it. Not the sex, not the shopping, not even the typing. So is it the ultimate act of self-care, or just a lil bit lazy? Plus, everyone’s talking about texting less—until they’re the ones left on read. We unpack the modern crisis of communication overload, from parenting to work to friendships, and why it’s never as simple as just putting your phone down. If you thought podcasts were just for your ears, think again. Vodcasts are taking over and we feel… conflicted about it. Are you sick of our faces yet? We certainly are. And our recommendations, including a documentary on Jessie’s roman empire, Holly’s 1923 binge, and Mia’s new comfort TV show. Support independent women's media Recommendations Mia recommends Overcompensating on Prime Video and If I Could Be My Silhouette by Jacqui Oberg Jessie recommends Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster documentary on Netflix Holly recommends 1923 on Paramount Plus Listen to Parenting Out Loud Parenting Out Loud: The Death Of The Dining Table & 'Outdated' Schooling What To Listen To Next: Listen to our latest episode: Ethical Flirting Rules & The Sister Who Just Won't Change Listen: The Lick Ick & The Patron Saint of Betrayed Women Listen: And Just Like That…Carrie Won’t Talk About Her Vagina Listen: Jessie & The Inside Scoop On The Project's Cancellation Listen: Meghan Sussex, Emma Grede & The Rebrand of 'Hustle' Listen: The Books That Changed Our Lives Listen: Indy Clinton, A Private Investigator & The Anonymous Women Running Scared Listen: The Test Everyone In Hollywood Wants You To Do Listen: The 36 Questions We All Need To Ask Watch Mamamia Out Loud: Mamamia Out Loud on YouTube What to read: When Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick first met, they were dating different people. MIA FREEDMAN: 'Was Carrie always a monster or did we just not notice?' 'I gave him my seat.' Christine Dawood on losing her husband and son on the Titanic sub. Father and son Jay and Sean were supposed to be on the Titanic sub. They pulled out last-minute. THE END BITS: Mamamia studios are styled with furniture from Fenton and Fenton GET IN TOUCH: Feedback? We’re listening. Send us an email at outloud@mamamia.com.au Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message. Join our Facebook group Mamamia Outlouders to talk about the show. Follow us on Instagram @mamamiaoutloud and on Tiktok @mamamiaoutloud CREDITS: Hosts: Mia Freedman, Jessie Stephens & Holly Wainwright Group Executive Producer: Ruth Devine Executive Producer: Emeline Gazilas Audio Producer: Leah Porges Video Producer: Josh Green Junior Content Producers: Coco & Tessa Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A CLASSIC ROCKER FINDS OUT HE HAS A LOVE CHILD FROM THE 80's, some insane Movies announced and A wild list of celebrities and how they caught their significant others cheating… it's like celebs are just like us guys!CRAP ON FRIDAY Rick Moranis has been gone way too long. Even those new "Ghostbusters" movies didn't lure him back to Hollywood. But I am quite excited to announce that he WILL return to once again play Dark Helmet in "Spaceballs 2"!!! Bill Pullman will return as the hero Lone Starr, too. And Mel Brooks will be back as Yogurt . . . and, presumably . . . President Skroob. (He played both characters in the original.) Josh Gad co-wrote the script, and he's expected to be in it, too. Pullman's son Lewis Pullman has also been cast, along with Keke Palmer . . . but there's no word who they're playing. There's also no word on any other returning cast members. Obviously, John Candy, Joan Rivers, and Dick Van Patten won't be back, since they're no longer with us. Mel released the first teaser yesterday. There's no footage, since filming hasn't begun yet. It starts with a text crawl that makes fun of all the "Star Wars" prequels, sequels, sequels to the prequels, prequels to the sequels, and TV spin-offs. Then it lists all the "Dune", "Jurassic Park", "Avatar", and Marvel movies, plus DC's TWO attempts to start a cinematic universe . . . and just about every other overdone franchise you can name. Then, after a quick appearance from Mel, we get a shot of Rick Moranis' cracked helmet, and the tagline: "The Schwartz Awakens in 2027." Which sounds like a possible title but it's spaceballs and mel brooks so it could be anything. Here is Mel making his announcement. Jerry Seinfeld Proposes ‘Live-Action Sequel' to 'Bee Movie'Jerry Seinfeld has people buzzin' with this idea!The comedic genius posted about the possibility of a “live-action sequel” to his 2007 animated hit Bee Movie.“Bee Movie, which came out nearly 20 years ago, is #4 on Netflix,” he wrote on Instagram showing a hand holding a tennis ball with a honey bee on it. The next slide was the movie's poster, an image of Seinfeld's character Barry B. Benson similarly straddling a tennis ball.“Today, my friend Spike Feresten, one of the writers on the film, was playing tennis and this happened."He continued, “Clearly a sign. Time for a live-action sequel..?" DreamWorks' Bee Movie, which Seinfeld produced, co-wrote, and starred in along with Renée Zellweger, has become a cult favorite since its release.Bee Movie also featured the voices of Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Megan Mullally, Oprah Winfrey, and several celebrities appearing as animated versions of themselves, including Larry King, Ray Liotta, and Sting.Saint Louis' own Nelly and Ashanti are putting their lives on TV for all to see. They announced an upcoming reality show called Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together.A show synopsis says Nelly and Ashanti "rekindle their love, navigate the ups and downs of being newlyweds and new parents, and juggle their careers."The eight-episode series will air on Peacock starting June 26th.A DNA Test Connects Billy Idol To A Son He Didn't Know He HadDetails on the lovechild Billy Idol didn't know he had until a few years ago have surfaced.Idol's daughter, Bonnie, shared in the new doc, 'Billy Idol Should Be Dead', "My husband just surprised me with a DNA test as a Christmas present [a few years ago]. Then a few weeks later, I get the results back on the app and open it and I'm like, who is this? This Brant. His info reads, 'New York, 1985, looking for my biological dad.' I was like, ‘What?'"Brant, Idol's lovechild, grew up believing his dad was someone else until a different DNA questioned his mother's claims about his father. After confronting his mom, she told Brant, "Well, it's pretty crazy, but back in the day, we broke up and I actually spent a weekend with Billy Idol."Fans have done the math and calculate that Brant was conceived during Idol's wildly successful 1984 'Rebel Yell' tour.Idol has whole-heartedly accepted Brant as family, saying, "I really enjoyed being a dad. I always wanted a boy and a girl, and I finagled my way into a boy and a girl. I actually had a son that I didn't realize, who I fathered on the Rebel Yell tour without knowing it. So I somehow finagled this as well."Brant was at Idol's Walk of Fame ceremony back in 2023.Prime Video Will Soon Show Double The AdsAmazon Prime Video is about to double the number of commercials shown per hour on its ad-supported membership level. An Adweek report got the news from an Amazon spokesperson about the amount of commercials going to "four to six minutes per hour" from the two to three minutes that Prime users are used to. In 2024, subscribers who had ad-free access were forced to pay an extra $3 a month to maintain the status. Jay-Z Loses $1 Million NBA Finals Bet Jay-Z is out $1 million after losing a bet on the NBA Finals. Jay placed a bet prior to the series, banking on the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the championship in five games. After Wednesday night's Thunder loss to the Indiana Pacers, OKC can't win the series unless they do it in six or seven games. Jay-Z would have won $3.5 million if the bet had cashed in. With a net worth of $2.5 billion, we're sure Jay-Z will be alright. Ok you guys remember Spinal Tap? The Album cover debate with the label and why it became an all black cover or as Nigel would say NONE MORE BLACK? It was because the original had a woman on all fours with a dog leash on and it was deemed sexist…. To which Nigel replies “Whats wrong with being sexy? Well get this, Sabrina Carpenter announced her new album yesterday, and it's causing a lot of controversy. It's called "Man's Best Friend", and the cover has Sabrina on all fours, in front of a man who's pulling a handful of her hair. A women's advocacy group in Scotland called it "regressive", saying it reduces women to, quote, "pets, props, and possessions," and promotes "an element of violence and control." Sabrina's fans are defending it as SATIRE, and a commentary on how badly women are treated. And some are pointing out that the first single, "Manchild", actually makes FUN of men. HERE IS A CLIP OF THATMeanwhile, in the new "Rolling Stone" cover story, Sabrina talks about being criticized for the sexual imagery in her stage show. She says, quote "It's always so funny to me when people complain. They're like, 'All she does is sing about this.' But those are the songs that you've made popular. Clearly you love sex. You're obsessed with it." She adds, quote, "I truly feel like I've never lived in a time where women have been picked apart more, and scrutinized in every capacity. I'm not just talking about me. I'm talking about every female artist that is making art right now." Pope Leo isn't even the most famous guy in his family. The "New York Times" researched his family tree, and found out that he's related to a bunch of celebrities. The link is an ancestor from about six generations back. He name was Louis Boucher de Grandpre, and he was born in Quebec.And because of him, Leo is distant cousins with Justin Bieber, Justin Trudeau, Angelina Jolie, Hillary Clinton, Jack Kerouac, and Madonna. It's interesting that Leo would be related to Madonna, given that the Catholic Church has condemned her several times . . . most famously when she released her "Like a Prayer" video in 1989. A few years ago, Madonna reached out to Pope Francis, asking to meet with him to discuss "important matters." She told him, quote, "I've been ex-communicated 3 times. It doesn't seem fair." If you've ever wondered how the creators of "Friends" came up with the character of Joey Tribbiani . . . we might just have the answer this morning. Joey Lawrence claims Matt LeBlanc's character was based on HIS character Joey Russo from "Blossom". Lawrence says, quote, "Joey Russo was so successful that when they were creating 'Friends', they wanted a 25-year-old version of that." Supposedly, Matt's character wasn't even originally called Joey, but they changed it because the "Blossom" character was so successful. Joey even claims that Matt was sent to tapings of "Blossom" where he would, quote, "sit up in the audience with a yellow notepad and take notes on how I portrayed Joey Russo." He says they wanted Matt to bring the "innocence" of Joey Russo to Joey Tribbiani, so the character could, quote, "get away with his womanizing." I guess the Grammys were sick of hearing about whether Beyoncé deserved to win Best Country Album for "Cowboy Carter". So, they just announced a major change. For next year's Grammys, the award formally known as Best Country Album will now be called Best Contemporary Country Album . . . and they will also be adding a new category: Best Traditional Country Album. There's a lot to unpack here. And one year after Beyoncé wins makes the timing of this all the more clickbait-y. According to the Grammy website, "traditional country music", quote, "adheres to the more traditional sound structures of the country genre, including rhythm and singing style, lyrical content, as well as traditional country instrumentation such as acoustic guitar, steel guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, piano, and live drums." Where "contemporary country music", quote, "remains reminiscent and relevant to the legacy of country music's culture, while also engaging in more contemporary music forms." Someone tweeted, "Morgan Wallen and Post Malone better not be in the traditional country category at the Grammys, because in what world are they traditional country?" Wait, hold up. When Morgan collaborated with Alvin and the Chipmunks, that wasn't traditional country??New in Theaters: "How to Train Your Dragon", "Materialists", and "The Life of Chuck" There's nothing like a good breakup story. Here are seven times a celebrity found out their partner was cheating in an unconventional way: 1. Demi Moore learned that Ashton Kutcher was having an affair in 2011, from a Google Alert. When she called him on it, he admitted it right away. Her response was, quote, "Are you [effing] kidding me?" 2. Britney Spears started dating lawyer David Lucado in 2012. But in 2014, her father found out there was paparazzi footage of David kissing another woman. He bought it to prevent it from being released, and Britney broke it off. 3. Kourtney Kardashian dumped Scott Disick in 2008, after finding texts on his phone from a contact called, quote, "my wife." They did the on-and-off thing until 2015, when photos emerged of Scott with another woman in France. 4. Elizabeth Hurley found out Hugh Grant was cheating on her in 1995, when he got arrested for GETTING IT ON with Sunset Boulevard prostitute Divine Brown in his car. They didn't break up until 2000, and they're still friends. 5. Laura Dern found out Billy Bob Thornton was being unfaithful when the news broke that he had ELOPED with Angelina Jolie in 2000. She was away making a movie, and she never saw it coming. 6. Eva Longoria's marriage to NBA star Tony Parker ended in 2010, after she found inappropriate texts with another woman on his phone. 7. This one's ancient history, but it was a HUGE tabloid story back in the day: In 1958, actress Debbie Reynolds was missing her husband, Eddie Fisher, because he was supposedly away on tour. So she decided to give her friend Elizabeth Taylor a call . . . and who answered Liz's phone? Eddie FREAKIN' Fisher. (!!!) Eddie left Debbie and married Liz, but that only lasted five years.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
MUSICTwo men broke into Macklemore's Seattle home on Saturday and bear-sprayed the nanny while his kids were asleep in their rooms. The nanny escaped and called 911, and the thieves reportedly made off with thousands of dollars' worth of items. Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins announced that his National Wrestling Alliance has inked a deal for its matches to be streamed on Roku. · A guitar pick used by Kurt Cobain when Nirvana taped their MTV Unplugged in 1993 is being raffled off to raise money for the Royal College of Music in London. It's $5 to enter and will be drawn in November. An unlikely bromance between Bob Dylan and Machine Gun Kelly is brewing. The rock legend has narrated a trailer for MGK's upcoming album, Lost Americana. RIP: Bonnaroo founder Jonathan Mayers has died, with 'Billboard' working to confirm his age and cause of death TVViola Davis, Conan O'Brien, Ryan Murphy, and Henry Winkler are among this year's inductees to the Television Academy Hall of Fame. “Their transformative leadership and innovative work have made a lasting impact on the medium, and the Television Academy is proud to honor their legacy.”· Roseanne claims she was asked to guest star on "The Conners" . . . as a GHOST.· MrBeast is giving his fiancée an experience she'll never forget. MOVING ON INTO MOVIE NEWS:Before Harrison Ford took the role as Hans Solo in 'Star Wars', George Lucas' team hand delivered the script to Al Pacino, hoping he'd play the captain of the Millennium Falcon. The vest that Matthew Broderick wore in the 1986 film “Ferris Bueller's Day Off” could soon be yours to own. Sotheby's estimates the vest could fetch between $300,000 and $600,000. The auction runs through June 24. Orlando Bloom spent $13,000 on a procedure to remove microplastics from his blood, but experts are skeptical that it actually works.· AND FINALLYYesterday, we talked about the best movie dads, and today, we have a list of the best TV dads.AND THAT IS YOUR CRAP ON CELEBRITIES!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Released in 1986 and written and directed by the legendary John Hughes, Ferris Bueller's Day Off follows high school senior Ferris Bueller, played by Matthew Broderick, as he pulls off the ultimate skip day.With his hypochondriac best friend Cameron Frye and his girlfriend Sloane Peterson, Ferris embarks on a wild adventure through Chicago — while dodging the suspicious Principal Rooney, his furious sister Jeanie, and his parents, who think he's home sick in bed.What unfolds is a blend of clever trickery, slapstick comedy, and some surprisingly emotional moments that made this film more than just a teen romp — it became an anthem for living in the moment.If you are new to the podcast then please consider following us on the platform that you love, we can be found most anywhere that you listen to your favorite podcasts. Please leave us a rating and review if you listen on iTunes and a 5 star rating if you listen on Spotify. If you like what you hear then please share the show with your friends and family. If you would like to help support the podcast by donating a small amount or any custom amount you choose then please visit the following link:https://retrolife4u.com/supportThis is not a membership or anything just a way for you to help support us without paying a reoccurring monthly fee when you feel like you are able to help. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for shows or you have a question you would like us to read on air then email us at retrolife4you@gmail.com You can find us on social media at the following places:FacebookInstagramTik TokYouTubeRetro Life 4 You Website
Perfectly combining medieval fantasy and 80s cheesiness, Richard Donner's 1985 film features tragic romance, revenge, swordfight, and of course, magic. Featuring command performances from Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Matthew Broderick the film was a box office dud, but forty years on, should it get another chance?Sarah Jefferson Carter, writer and director of the new show Queendom Come, joins Derick to discuss this magical movie.For more info, head to underratedmoviepodcast.comPatreon:https://patreon.com/UnderratedMoviePodcastInstagram:https://instagram.com/underratedmoviepodcastTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@underratedmoviepodcastYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAbpTHWyBle7yKJv4-gR_g
Bueller? ...Bueller? In this episode, Megan and Jeni dive into the 80s classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off. They chat about Matthew Broderick's Broadway roots, Alan Ruck playing a teen at 29, and Jennifer Grey's nose job regret. Plus, the surprising connection between Ferris Bueller and High School Musical that you definitely didn't see coming!Follow us on social!Instagram: @whatwerewatchingpod TikTok: @whatwerewatchingpod
Kerry and Collin plowed through this comedy starring Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito as two feuding neighbors at Christmastime. The experience of watching the film caused one of them to ponder, "why are we doing this podcast?" There are so many other questions, though. What makes the old, white iMacs so special? How long would it actually take to make an elaborate Christmas light trail, cook an even more elaborate dinner and then cover your entire house with Christmas lights? What did DeVito do to prepare in promoting this film back in 2006? All these questions, plus Kerry gives three movies from the "1,001 Movies You Mist See Before You Die" book. Are any of them worth seeing? Recommended short film: "The Christmas Light Killer" Book films covered: "Papillon" (1971) "Buffalo 66" (1998) "The Conformist" (1970)
It's week 3 of our NYC series and we're certainly not having a day off, it's acting legend Matthew Broderick! Star of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Producers, The Lion King, and so many more, Matthew is a born and bred New Yorker so it was meant to be! We got details of his morning coffee routine, sharing the milk with his cat, what it was like working with Marlon Brando, spending time in Ireland, visiting his mum every weekend and the delicious food they ate, eating around London & New York while working on the West End & Broadway, and we find out whether Matthew or his wife SJP has a bigger wall of shoes! What a treat to be at the top of The Standard High Line with Matthew pointing out all of the best hot spots in NYC out the window, thank you so much for joining us Matthew!! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
"It is equally treacherous when you are very successful as when you are trying to get your foot in the door in terms of keeping the sense of who you are.” -- Asaad Kelada, producer/director, The Facts of LifeIn Part 2 of their conversation with Asaad Kelada, Susan and Sharon talk with the director about the gifts and pitfalls of success; his reputation as a director who brings harmony to the most disharmonious sets in Hollywood; and the challenge of breaking into the “Hollywood TV Club” for an Egyptian with “a name with all of these vowels!”.In a career spanning four decades, Asaad Kelada has directed over 340 episodes of television, including Rhoda, Phyllis, The Tony Randall Show, Benson, WKRP in Cincinnati, One Day at a Time, Night Court, Valerie, Who's the Boss, Family Ties and The Office -- as well as four seasons of The Facts of Life and over five seasons of Who's The Boss?. THE CONVERSATIONHow directing his first episode of network television - "Rhonda Questions Her Life and Flies to Paris" - felt like coming home.THE “TIES” THAT BIND: An old friend, Gary David Goldberg, asked Asaad personally to direct the pilot of Family Ties.Michael J. Fox ad-libbed the “P” in “Alex P. Keaton” when picking up a call from his girlfriend -- and it got the biggest laugh of the night. That's when Asaad knew the show was going to be a hit.Michael J. Fox was actually the SECOND choice to play Alex Keaton. Matthew Broderick was first.ON PERSISTENCE: Observing and learning for five years to direct his first episode of television. “People would wave at me and say hello, but were they looking at an insane man, or were they looking at someone who was just determined? How am I being perceived by persisting and persisting? Was I somebody who was really deluded? When doesn't he take no for an answer? I think I just outlasted them.” Directing “Les on a Ledge” for WKRP in Cincinnati.DIRECTING WHO'S THE BOSS?: Tony Danza had a photographic memory and hated rehearsal. Katherine Helmond and Judith Light loved to rehearse. Plus, the kids? Everyone had to be directed differently, but it all had to come together.The “Requiem” episode of Who's The Boss? is where Tony Danza and Asaad really connected. After that, he was invited to stay -- for four years.WHO REALLY WAS THE BOSS? “No question -- it was Tony Danza. Tony was volatile. He made everybody feel good -- until he didn't.”GETTING TO KNOW BENSON: Asaad only directed two episodes of Benson -- but he and Robert Guillaume became lifelong friends.“LOOKOUT FOR CLORIS LEACHMAN!” -- “I was told ‘She may try to take over, she is always changing things -- and she is a flirt. Maybe you can use that to tame her'.”WELCOME TO THE “TV CLUB”: “Even when you get accepted into the TV club, it is a temporary membership. And it can be revoked at any time.”So join Susan and Sharon -- and Asaad -- as they talk Danny Pintauro, Alyssa Milano, Jan Hooks, The Last Resort, Julie Kavner, Todd Bridges, Designing Women, Justine Bateman, Chuck Lorre -- and getting stuck in the bathroom with Benson!AUDIO-OGRAPHYFind out more about Asaad Kelada at IMDB.STILL IN FLUX: Watch Season 2 and 3 of The Facts of Life for free on Tubi.Season 1 and 3 are available for sale on Amazon Prime.Buy the complete season on DVD at Ebay. Check YouTube for other episodes.Watch Asaad Kelada Television Academy interviews on YouTube.VITAL READINGCheck out Democracy Docket here.Learn more about the ACLU here.Check DontGetPurged.org to make sure your name has not been purged from voter rolls!Let your voice be heard! Call your reps. Make 5 Calls makes it easy.CONNECTVisit 80sTVLadies.com for transcripts.Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies mailing list.Support us and get ad-free episodes on PATREON. This year is the 45th anniversary of President Carter's Crisis of Confidence speech. Get Susan's new play about it: Confidence (and the Speech) at Broadway Licensing.
Just in time for Mother's Day, we are celebrating two, very special mothers this week…educator, mother (of 8), grandmother (of 13) and dear friend, Barbara Forste, and her daughter, award-winning actress, producer and publisher, Sarah Jessica Parker. Barbara Forste is a lifelong supporter of the arts and of literacy and education. She worked in market research for Procter & Gamble, as a second grade teacher, and as a child-wrangler at the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Opera and the American Ballet Theater. She is a co-founder and director of The Children's Circle, a national association for the education of young children. Her very busy daughter, Sarah Jessica Parker, has worked in theater since 1976 from the title role in Annie, to most recently with her husband, Matthew Broderick, in the revival of Neil Simon‘s comedy play, Plaza Suite. From theater to television and film, Sarah Jessica is known most widely for her portrayal of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City and its sequel, And Just Like That; as well as the films based on the show, Sex and the City, and Sex and the City 2. Sarah Jessica is the publisher of SJP Lit, her own imprint in partnership with Zando Books. She recently executive produced the documentary, The Librarians, a film highlighting librarians across the country who have been fighting against book bans. It will be available for streaming soon. Adelphi University hosted us at their annual Writers & Readers Festival this year where we were delighted to hold this conversation in front of a live audience of students, teachers, readers and writers. The Writers & Readers Festival was founded by Adelphi alumna and bestselling novelist Alice Hoffman. This is a conversation about how mothers can pass down their love of reading to change their children's lives and ours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ali Stroker is a trailblazing actor and advocate who joined the Little Kids, Big Hearts podcast as a guest Qook-a-lacka on our episode focused on inclusion. Today, Ali is back — out of character, as her amazing self — to talk with LKBH Host Todd Loyd about her own experiences with disability and inclusion. ❤️ She reflects on what Scarlett and Zach said on the episode: "When I hear Scarlett talking about horseback riding: It felt like she was explaining something that was so normal. And that, to me, is progress."❤️ She shares her own personal motto — Turning Limitations into Opportunities: "It can apply to somebody with a disability or not because as human beings, we have limitations. It's part of existing in the world." ❤️ She talks about being a mom with a disability — and how being a mom in a wheelchair affects her parenting and her son's independence. ❤️ She talks about the power of "inclusive playgrounds." "I never had one inclusive playground growing up, and to this day, I still go to the playground and I have this like funny feeling in my stomach because it was a place of confusion and shame and frustration for me as a child ... Every kid deserves that freedom and that ability to play in an outdoor space with their friends."❤️ She talks about a moment when she was in 1st grade and her PE teachers included her in a lesson on "how to skip," which changed her life. "Thirty-one years later, I still remember it because it felt like I was included and someone had taken a little bit of time to get creative and make me feel like I was learning a new school too, and that I could be a part of the group in moving...And that meant everything to me, everything!" ❤️ She talked about her children's book "Ali and the Sea Stars," which was based on her own experience as a six year old being introduced to musical theater by her neighbor on the Jersey Shore. "It basically set my entire life journey of becoming a musical theater and actress and everything that I do now." ❤️ She shares advice for kids with disabilities who want to try something new that hasn't been done before. Ali Stroker is a Tony Award winner for her role as ‘Ado Annie' in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! She made history as the first actor in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway in Deaf West's acclaimed revival of Spring Awakening and the first actor in a wheelchair to win a Tony. She was a series regular on the Netflix series, Echoes, and starred in the Lifetime holiday film, Christmas Ever After. Ali recurred in the final season of Netflix's Ozark and in Hulu's Only Murders in the Building. She co-wrote the novel, The Chance to Fly and its sequel, Cut Loose!; and she wrote the children's book, Ali and the Sea Stars. She was recently seen opposite Matthew Broderick in Babbitt at Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC and played 'Lady Anne' in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Richard III. She's performed her one woman show all over the country. Her mission to improve the lives of others through the arts is captured in her motto: “Turning Your Limitations Into Your Opportunities.”Learn more on our episode webpage: https://playsparkler.org/inclusion/Watch on our Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/@LittleKidsBigHearts
Meg finds the cracks Adam Berwid fell through thanks to changes in NY State mental health laws. Jessica checks out Steve Epstein's midtown Mecca for pinball wizards: Broadway Arcade.Please check out our website, follow us on Instagram, on Facebook, and...WRITE US A REVIEW HEREWe'd LOVE to hear from you! Let us know if you have any ideas for stories HEREThank you for listening!Love,Meg and Jessica
Grab your depressed best friend and hop in the stolen Ferrari, because we're SKIPPING SCHOOL on today's episode, all about John Hughes' classic, decade-defining teen romp, Ferris Bueller's Day Off! Along the way we discuss our own teenage truancy stories, Matthew Broderick's unbeatable charm, and Alex's CRAZY weekend getting stranded in the desert! Follow us on TT, YT, and IG @filmbrospod Head to our PATREON to hear weekly discussion episodes, watch video episodes, and more!!
How many celebrities have done some horrible things in the past that we've all forgotten about? That is the theme of this week's episode, and you'd be surprised how many that question applies to.First, Benton tells the tale of Woody Allen's questionable relationship with his former daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Then, Anna relays the tragic tale of Matthew Broderick and Jennifer Grey's deadly car accident inn Ireland. Finally, the two discuss an episode of Cursed Films, profiling the fatal on set accident during the filming of The Twilight Zone: The Movie. Our TV doc this week is Season 1: Episode 5 of Cursed Films, "The Twilight Zone: The Movie"
On this kidventure episode, two kids — Scarlett and Zach — talk about their disabilities and share their experiences with inclusion (on inclusive playgrounds and in other contexts). As Scarlett explains, inclusion "means that everybody can play, no matter your disability or how you walk or how you roll or anything like that."After a chat on Earth, the kids and Todd travel on the colors of the rainbow to the Land of Qook-a-lackas, where they meet a Qook-a-lacka friend, Quinnly, who is trying to figure out how the Qook-a-lackas and their new neighbors, the Link-a-doos, can play TOGETHER. The Qook-a-lacka's favorite sport, Quibble, is played on the ground with a big ball — while the Link-a-doos' favorite sport, Loop-a-launch, is played in the sky with a little bouncy ball. The kids and Todd help Quinnly to brainstorm a whole new game (Quibble Launch!), which has special rules and a two tier playing field that is perfect for the new neighbors to play together!Little Kids, Big Hearts was THRILLED to be joined on this episode by guest star Ali Stroker, who plays the role of Quinnly. Ali Stroker is a Tony Award winner for her role as ‘Ado Annie' in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! She made history as the first actor in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway in Deaf West's acclaimed revival of Spring Awakening and the first actor in a wheelchair to win a Tony. She was a series regular on the Netflix series, Echoes, and starred in the Lifetime holiday film, Christmas Ever After. Ali recurred in the final season of Netflix's Ozark and in Hulu's Only Murders in the Building. She co-wrote the novel, The Chance to Fly and its sequel, Cut Loose!; and she wrote the children's book, Ali and the Sea Stars. She was recently seen opposite Matthew Broderick in Babbitt at Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC and played 'Lady Anne' in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Richard III. She's performed her one woman show all over the country. Her mission to improve the lives of others through the arts is captured in her motto: “Turning Your Limitations Into Your Opportunities.”Sound design and mixing is by Ryan Marth, and the ukulele music you hear is by actor and composer Bill English.The Little Kids, Big Hearts team wants to say a big, public "THANK YOU" to Inclusion Matters by Shane's Inspiration, the amazing organization that helped us find the brilliant, insightful kids who appear on this episode, Scarlett and Zach. Inclusion Matters by Shane's Inspiration is an international non-profit organization that creates play, dignity and social equity for children with disabilities through inclusive playgrounds and education programs that unite children of all abilities. Scarlett and Zach played — and met "buddies" — on inclusive playgrounds created by this organization, which has built these sensory- and literacy-rich playgrounds in the US, as well as Mexico, Israel, Canada, Ecuador, Russia, Argentina, South Africa, Armenia, the Dominican Republic, and beyond. THANK YOU!!! Learn more about Inclusion Matters on its website: https://inclusionmatters.org/Please learn more about the episode online at https://playsparkler.org/inclusion/Also...Little Kids, Big Hearts now has a YouTube channel. Please join our growing community on YouTube! Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/@LittleKidsBigHearts
What does it truly mean to run a regenerative business, not just design regenerative buildings?In this episode of Practice Disrupted, Evelyn Lee sits down with Matthew Broderick, President and CEO of Ashley McGraw Architects, Susanne Angarano, Principal at Ashley McGraw and Founder of Vaysen Studio, and Josie Plaut, Associate Director of the Institute for the Built Environment at Colorado State University. They delve into the concept of building an architectural practice that is itself alive, evolving, and contributing to a greater good, moving beyond conventional business models. The conversation explores the crucial distinction between regenerative design and regenerative business, highlighting that regenerative business principles, rooted in living systems, developmental psychology, and transformative education, can apply to any organization. The guests discuss their journey implementing these practices at Ashley McGraw, the mindset shifts required—such as moving from a "culture fit" to an "essence contribution" approach, fostering agency throughout the firm, and reorienting client relationships towards true partnership. They challenge common assumptions and the tendency to think "we already do that," emphasizing the conscious effort needed to develop people as intentionally as projects and create genuine organizational vitality. "Fundamentally, regenerative business differs from conventional or progressive business practices. It's based on the science and workings of living systems. That's how the world actually works rather than these human impositions that we place on it." - Josie Plaut The episode concludes by touching on the deep, sometimes challenging, but ultimately rewarding work involved in transforming how a firm operates and develops its people. Guests:Matthew Broderick, AIA, is a President and CEO of Ashley McGraw Architects. Matthew has been instrumental in guiding the firm's growth over three decades, expanding from 10 people to 85 across offices in Syracuse, Boston, and DC. While experienced in designing significant higher education and sustainable projects, he considers the evolution and development of the firm itself to be his greatest design project, reflecting his deep commitment to organizational health and regenerative principles. Susanne Angarano, CID, IIDA, Assoc. AIA, is a Principal at Ashley McGraw Architects and the Founder of Vaysen Studio, Susanne brings a rich background in educational planning, interior design, and effective stakeholder engagement. She focuses on creating architectural spaces deeply rooted in their specific culture, context, and sustainability goals. Her training as an interior designer provides a unique lens through which she approaches regenerative practice and organizational development within the firm.Josie Plaut: Serving as the Associate Director of the Institute for the Built Environment at Colorado State University, Josie specializes in guiding organizations toward regenerative practices. Her work focuses on helping businesses align their core strategies with broader social and ecological well-being, drawing on the theory and application of regenerative business principles derived from living systems thinking and developmental psychology.This episode is for you if:You lead or work in an architecture firm (especially mid-sized) and feel restless with traditional business models. You're interested in organizational development and fostering a culture where everyone's creativity and initiative can thrive. You want to understand the difference between regenerative design and regenerative business practices. You are curious about practical ways to shift towards a more...
Crazy Technology Month comes to a close with our Patreon Pick, WarGames starring Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, and Dabney Coleman! It feels like this film has been forgotten, but everyone buckle up…the phrase “uncomfortably prescient” comes to mind while watching it. Don't worry, Paul and Erika are here to inject a lot of bathroom humor to keep things light!You can follow That Aged Well on Bluesky (@ThatAgedWell.bsky.social), Instagram (@ThatAgedWell), and Threads (@ThatAgedWell)!SUPPORT US ON PATREON FOR BONUS CONTENT!THAT AGED WELL MERCH!Wanna rate and review? HERE YOU GO!Hosts: Paul Caiola & Erika VillalbaProducer & Editor: Paul Caiola
Initially an actress ('Les Miserables', 'Aspects of Love', et al.), Merri found herself out West some years back where she quickly made a name for herself at Liberman/Hirschfeld Casting, then Liberman/Patton Casting, working on such shows as Seinfeld, Party of Five, HBO's Band of Brothers, the feature film My Big Fat Greek Wedding and the Miramax feature film "Playing By Heart", starring Sean Connery and Angelina Jolie. In 2000, Merri moved to Dreamworks Studios as the Casting Executive in charge of TV Pilots and Series- including "Spin City", “Freaks and Geeks” and the critically acclaimed "The Job", starring Denis Leary. She was then offered a position as the Director of Casting for Dramas and Movies at ABC Television, overseeing the casting of the series "Alias", "NYPD Blue", "The Practice" and the made for television movies "Gilda Radner - It's Always Something" and "The Music Man", starring Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth, to name just a few. Merri then returned to the East Coast to teach and coach actors – something she still does (and loves) as time permits, when Tara Rubin offered her a Senior Casting Director position where she's been happily ensconced ever since, working on, among many others - the Broadway, touring and international companies of THE WHO'S TOMMY, COMPANY, AIN'T TOO PROUD, JERSEY BOYS,THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, LES MISERABLES, SCHOOL OF ROCK, MISS SAIGON, A BRONX TALE, CLUELESS the Musical, TREVOR the Musical (2023 Artios Award) and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (2024 Artios Award) The TRC office is also responsible for the casting of Billy Crystal's series “Before” for Apple TV and the Broadway productions of The Outsiders, SIX and Death Becomes Her, just to name a few Merri also casts for many theaters regionally – including The Papermill Playhouse, Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Old Globe, Seattle Rep, The Goodman and The La Jolla Playhouse. She is the very proud Casting Director of the critically acclaimed web series SUBMISSIONS ONLY and also boasts having cast many other independent TV & film projects, workshops and readings. In 2024, Merri took on some passion projects on the side, as well. These include the highly acclaimed and starry concert production of “FOLLIES” at Carnegie Hall for Transport Group's annual benefit gala, and a reading of a new play at The Actors Studio written by Lyle Kessler (“Orphans”) and directed by Academy Award winner Bobby Moresco – starring Chazz Palminteri, Tim Blake Nelson and Gina Gershon. In addition, Merri is now also the Casting Director at The South Carolina New Play Festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Tickets for Brandon's upcoming 4/20 show in NYC are available here! Support the podcast by subscribing to our Patreon to get access to hundreds of hours of bonus content, early access to upcoming episodes, and the ability to chat with the hosts! www.patreon.com/mediumpopcorn Brandon and Justin review the batshit 90's Jim Carrey dark comedy, "The Cable Guy". They discuss dealing with strangers, Matthew Broderick struggling to keep up with Carrey, and what Ben Stiller as Chip might've been like. Leave us a voice message to share your thoughts and/or movie suggestions at (347) 464-8214 MP Links: - patreon.com/mediumpopcorn - youtube.com/@MediumPopcornPodcast - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/medium-popcorn Hosts: Brandon Collins Justin Brown Medium Popcorn Podcast "Medium Popcorn" is a production of Casa de Collins LLC. Special thanks as always to our producer Lluvia Gilliam.