Podcasts about Miss America

Season 11 of Fixing Healthcare continues its shift away from the traditional top-down model of interviewing CEOs, policymakers and medical leaders to focus this week on something new, different and fascinating: listening to the generation that is inheriting this American healthcare system. In this episode, Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr speak with Grace Lynn Keller, VP at Executive Podcast Solutions, former Miss America contestant and the show's first-ever Gen Z guest. Grace brings a rare vantage point: Professionally, she is immersed in conversations with healthcare executives. Personally, she is part of the generation that consumes health information through social media, wearables and AI tools. For healthcare professionals, the conversation offers an important lens on how Gen Z gathers health information, how they decide when to seek care and what they expect from clinicians, insurers and government leaders. One insight stood out immediately. When asked where she would turn first with a non-emergency symptom, Grace answered without hesitation: ChatGPT. Her answer signals how much the healthcare landscape is changing. While Gen Z may turn to generative AI for initial medical advice, that is only one piece of a broader shift. In this conversation, Grace outlines how her generation is redefining health, prevention and trust. Key insights include: Verification Over Blind Trust. Gen Z does not simply accept what it reads online. Grace describes a culture of cross-referencing, double-checking and comparing sources across platforms before acting. Prevention As Identity. Her generation emphasizes whole foods, ingredient awareness and minimizing processed products. Health is considered a long-term lifestyle investment rather than reactive medical intervention. Wearables As Standard Equipment. Smart watches and rings are commonplace. Continuous data on sleep, movement, heart rate and hormonal cycles shape daily decisions and reinforce prevention. Convenience And Cost Sensitivity. Time away from work, co-pays and scheduling delays influence care decisions. If reliable AI-based treatment were available for routine conditions, many Gen Zers would use it immediately. Mental Health As Mainstream. Therapy is normalized. Work-life balance is considered protective, not indulgent. “Mental health days” may frustrate older generations but are viewed as necessary boundaries by younger workers. Skepticism Of Bureaucracy. Insurance complexity is a major frustration. Deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums and opaque pricing create confusion for first-time independent users. Demand For Transparency. Grace compares healthcare to e-commerce: if nearly every other industry offers clear pricing and frictionless purchasing, why not medicine? Alcohol And Cultural Moderation. Among her peers, alcohol consumption is more situational and less habitual. Health-conscious decision-making extends beyond diet and exercise. Education Gaps. Public school health education was limited largely to sex ed and anti-drug messaging. She sees schools as the only scalable venue to improve health literacy nationwide. There's so much more to this episode. Tune in to find out what the next generation of patients expects from doctors, nurses and healthcare leaders. Helpful links “From TikTok to Telehealth: 3 Ways Medicine Must Evolve to Reach Gen Z” (Fulcrum) “Why younger patients turn away from doctors & toward GenAI” (Fixing Healthcare podcast) “Healthcare Regulators' Outdated Thinking Will Cost American Lives” (Forbes) “ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Doctors and Patients Can Take Back Control of American Medicine” (Pearl's newest book) * * * Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr. Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn. The post FHC #206: What Gen Z expects from healthcare & why it matters appeared first on Fixing Healthcare.

We commend her for taking a stand. Constitutional expert, lawyer, author, pastor, and founder of Liberty Counsel Mat Staver discusses the important topics of the day with co-hosts and guests that impact life, liberty, and family. To stay informed and get involved, visit LC.org.

Guest: Mat StaverOrganization: Liberty CounselPosition: Founder and ChairmanTopic: 1) a case in which mother was banned from taking daughter to church & other religious activities 2) a lawsuit involving an LGBT employee at Liberty University challenging his firing 3) a pageant contestant who would not sign new policy by Miss America organization allowing male participationInterview Location: 2026 National Religious Broadcasters Convention in NashvilleWebsite: lc.org

In this episode, Nick talks about Colbert's The Crybaby, Miss-or Mr America, Chinese Kung Fu Robots, Morocco Murders Mutts, ICE Agitator Busted, Nixon & Trump and Kennedy & The Kid! Use code nickdip50off to get 50% off your first box, plus Free Breakfast for 1 year at http://FactorMeals.com/nickdip50off The FULL SHOW is live streaming & FREE-ONLY on Rumble! Join our LIVE CHAT at 6pm ET every Mon-Thu or watch the FULL EPISODE anytime on demand after 7pm ET. Follow my Channel and get notified! https://rumble.com/c/TheNickDiPaoloShow MERCH - Grab some mugs, hats, hoodies, shirts, stickers etc… https://shop.nickdip.com/ PERSONAL VIDEO FROM ME – Send someone a personal video from me! Go to https://shoutout.us/nickdipaolo  or www.cameo.com/nickdipaolo SOCIALS/COMEDY- Follow me on Socials or Stream some of my Comedy!  https://nickdipaolo.komi.io/

What would you give up to stand for truth? For Kayleigh Bush, the answer was a crown. When Kayleigh Bush was crowned Miss North Florida in August 2024, she had no idea she'd soon face a choice that would make national headlines. Just four weeks after her crowning, she was presented with a revised Miss America contract that redefined "female" to include biological males who have undergone surgical procedures — directly contradicting her Christian faith and Florida law. She refused to sign. And she refused to stay silent. In this episode of Refining Rhetoric, Robert Bortins sits down with Classical Conversations graduate and viral sensation Kayleigh Bush to talk about what really happened, what it cost her, and why she has zero regrets. From a surprise TMZ interview on a Washington D.C. sidewalk to tens of millions of views, Kayleigh shares how her CC education, her faith, and a community rooted in truth gave her the courage to trade a temporal crown for an eternal one. Whether you're a parent raising kids in a world that's redefining womanhood, a student wondering if standing on convictions is worth it, or simply someone looking for a story of genuine courage — this episode is for you. Resources: She Leads America: sheleadsamerica.com Liberty Counsel (Kayleigh's legal representation): lc.org This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by Worldview Academy: Students call Worldview Academy the best week of their lives. Through week-long summer leadership camps for teens, Worldview Academy trains Christians to think and live in accord with a biblical worldview so they can better serve Christ and engage the culture around them. Worldview Academy reinforces what students are learning at home and at church and trains this generation to apply that knowledge to the challenging cultural issues they're facing.  To find a camp near you or learn more about Worldview's weekend conferences and other resources for families, visit www.worldview.org

Jesse Jackson, civil rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, died Tuesday (2/17/2026) morning at age 84. President Trump took a moment to recall Jackson's achievements and their surprisingly close working relationship.A post on X making the rounds this week shows a video of the Adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, echoing through the streets of New York City at five in the morning, amplified and projected over neighborhoods that still carry the scars of September 11, 2001.Just a week after a trans-identifying man went on a rampage in Western Canada, killing six children and two adults, another man who masqueraded as a woman took aim at family members — this time at a local skating rink in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, during a high school hockey game.The Miss America pageant has been known for featuring the most beautiful women in the country, but organizers are now opening the competition up to biological men and removing the crowns of those who disagree. When Miss North Florida Kayleigh Bush refused to sign a contract that featured the pageant's updated policies because it changed the language to claim that men can be considered women and eligible to compete, she was stripped of her title.Become a supporter of Tapp into the Truth: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tapp-into-the-truth--556114/support Tapp into the Truth on Rumble. Follow, watch the older shows, and join the live streams.Aimee's Audios Subliminal Acoustic Fingerprinting“Remember Pop Rocks? Now, imagine they gave you superpowers.” Please let me introduce you to Energy Rocks! Born from the grit and ambition of a competitive athlete who wanted a better, cleaner way to fuel the body and mind, without the hassle of mixing powders, messy bottles, or caffeine crashes. Energy Rocks is a reimagining of energy into something fun, functional, and fantastically effective. A delicious popping candy energy supplement that delivers a rapid boost of clean energy and focus — anytime, anywhere. No water. No mixing. No bulky bottles. Just open, pop it in your mouth, and get ready to rock. Making any time the right time to “Get in the Zone, One Pop at a Time.”Take This Free Quiz To Find Out The Best & Worst Foods To Avoid For Joint Pain!Do you wake up in the morning with stiff joints or pain in your hips, back, knees, or elbows? Then, chances are you're feeling the effects of chronic inflammation taking its toll on your body. The good news is that it is NEVER too late to help get this under control. And the best part is certain foods help you do this naturally, without the need for prescription medications.If recent events have proven anything, you need to be as prepared as possible for when things go sideways. You certainly can't count on the government for help. True liberty requires self-reliance. My Patriot SupplySupport American jobs! Support the show! Get great products at great prices! Go to My Pillow and use promo code TAPP to save! Visit Patriot Mobile or Call (817) 380-9081 to take advantage of a FREE Month of service when you switch using promo code TAPP! Morning Kick is a revolutionary new daily drink from Roundhouse Provisions that combines ultra-potent greens like spirulina and kale with probiotics, prebiotics, collagen, and even ashwagandha. Just mix with water, stir, and enjoy!Follow Tapp into the Truth on Locals Follow Tapp into the Truth on SubstackHero SoapPatriot DepotBlue CoolersKoa CoffeeBrainMDDiamond CBDSauce Bae2nd SkullEinstokBeanstoxBelle IsleHoneyFund"Homegrown" Boone's BourbonBlackout Coffee Co.Full Circle Brewing Co.Pasmosa Sangria  

Democrats reintroduce their Transgender Bill of Rights as a “moral commitment” to trans people. Miss America goes woke and updates its definition of a female to include castrated males. Democrat Sheriff Garry McFadden of Charlotte, North Carolina, was unable to name any of the three branches of government, including the one he works for. Former New York Assemblyman Charles Barron (D) says he's proud that they drove white people out of their communities. Headline USA editor Ken Silva joins the show to discuss the FBI releasing new documents on Thomas Crooks, the alleged attempted assassin of President Donald Trump. Journalist Steve Cortes explains how the Chinese are taking over our colleges and universities. Matthew Marsden joins the show. ► Subscribe to my second YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SaraGonzalesTX?sub_confirmation=1 ► Read Ken Silva's latest reporting on the Thomas Crooks document release: https://headlineusa.com/scoop-thomas-crooks-was-hospitalized-2-months-before-butler-trump-shooting/ ► Watch Steve Cortes' documentary, “The Foreign Student Crisis Destroying American College Admissions”: https://youtu.be/2ykPKDdZaL4?si=7GefxTqDQzbpsi7c Sponsors: ► Toups & Co. Organics Go to https://www.ToupsAndCo.com/GONZALES and use code GONZALES for 25% off your first order. ► BlazeTV Join BlazeTV today at https://www.blazetv.com/sara and get $20 off right now. Timestamps: 00:00 – Transgender Bill of Rights 09:44 – Miss America Goes Woke 15:19 – Dumbass Liberal Sheriff 18:02 – Former State Assemblyman Proud to Remove White People 21:22 – Thomas Crooks Update 34:41 – Chinese Takeover of Our Colleges Connect with Sara on Social Media: https://twitter.com/saragonzalestx https://www.instagram.com/saragonzalestx http://facebook.com/SaraGonzalesTX ► Subscribe on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sara-gonzales-unfiltered/id1408958605 ► Shop American Beauty by Sara: http://americanbeautybysara.com Sara Gonzales is the host of Sara Gonzales Unfiltered, a daily news program on Blaze TV. Joined by frequent contributors & guests such as Chad Prather, Eric July, John Doyle, Jaco Booyens, Sara breaks down the latest news in politics and culture. She previously hosted "The News and Why It Matters," featuring notable guests such as Glenn Beck, Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin, Michael Knowles, Candace Owens, Michael Malice, and more. As a conservative commentator, Sara frequently calls out the Democrats for their hypocrisy, the mainstream media for their misinformation, feminists for their toxicity, and also focuses on pro-life issues, culture, gender issues, health care, the Second Amendment, and passing conservative values to the next generation. Sara also appears as a recurring guest on the Megyn Kelly Show, The Sean Spicer Show, Tim Pool, and with Jesse Kelly on The First TV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FEBRUARY 14, 2026 HOUR 3: In this Valentine’s Day episode, Peter Boyles sits down with in-studio guests Deborah and Jonathan Flora for a fun, wide-ranging conversation. Jonathan shares stories from his time working in professional wrestling, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the big personalities and business of the industry. Deborah talks about her experience in the Miss America world and what it was like navigating Hollywood as a conservative. The hour blends humor, personal memories, faith, and entertainment for an engaging and easygoing discussion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  A native of Upstate SC, Greg received an undergraduate degree in English from Central Wesleyan College and a master's degree in school counseling from Clemson University. A retiree with nearly thirty years' experience in public education, he served as an English teacher, a school counselor, and a supervisor for student teachers. He was honored twice as a teacher of the year district finalist and was selected as the state's school counselor HEART Award recipient. In his community, he is a member of Fort Hill Presbyterian Church and the Oconee County Foster Care Review Board. In addition to being a first-time author, his entrepreneurial spirit is fueled by his position as Co-director of GC Pageants, LLC, and he has had extensive involvement directing and judging in the Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss High School America systems. For fun, he enjoys background acting with Tyler Perry Productions, Amazon TV, ReelShort, and even Divorce Court – thankfully, not as a plaintiff or defendant!   Connect with Greg Email:  gregebearden@gmail.com  Facebook Decisively Reconciled by Greg Bearden

60 years ago Wisconsin created the position of "Fairest of the Fairs". Designed to be an ambassador for all fairs in the state, the program is thriving today. Kiley Allan gets a chance to visit with the first "fairest" that started it all. Connie McCallister, was Wisconsin's 1st Fairest of Fairs and says the format was much more relaxed than it is today. She notes that the original competition mirrored the Miss America pageant, featuring swimsuit and formal wear segments. The actual crowning took place on the grandstand stage of the WI State Fair! McCallister says she lived on the fairgrounds during her term, presenting trophies to 4-H participants, appearing in daily parades, and opening nightly grandstand shows for famous entertainers. After her time as Fairest, she worked briefly in Washington D.C. media before serving as a Lutheran minister for 41 years. McAllister emphasizes that while the competition has changed, the fair remains a vital "gift" that celebrates the hard work of 4-H youth and their animals.Warmer weather this week should help with outdoor chores according to Stu Muck.Post Super Bowl, our emphasis is on athletes and agriculture. Dave Bangert is a dairy farmer in Clark County that sits on the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board. He's also a coach who knows how sports brings communities together. That's why he believes the investment DFW makes annually to partner with the WIAA in Wisconsin makes sense. Bangert says not only does it connect the dots on dairy nutrition in young people's diets, it highlights the connection that dairy farm families have with student athletes and their communities. Paid for by Dairy Farmer of Wisconsin.What happens when the sports spotlight ends? It could be by the athletes choice or not. What's next? For Marcus Landry, a former UW-Madison Badger basketball player, his playing career ended at 35. Stephanie Hoff learns that Landry found agriculture when his wife sent him for eggs. He returned with 14 chickens instead in the back of her Cadillac Escalade. He jokingly refers to it as providing a "life supply of eggs" rather than just a carton. He says those were initially kept in the living room while he built a coop outside. Today Landry and his family share their farm with students and 4-H members from the area as they work on their business plans for life. Learning what they can do, finding self-sustainability and financial literacy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“If service is below you, then leadership is above you.”Cassie Donegan is not your typical Miss America. Raised in a military family and shaped by real adversity, she grew up navigating financial stress, family illness, and the quiet weight of feeling different. But instead of allowing those challenges to harden her, they became the foundation for her purpose. A lifelong artist, performer, and advocate, Cassie now uses her platform to champion access to arts education and remind people that visibility means nothing without authenticity.In this episode, we sit down for a raw, deeply personal conversation about her unexpected road to becoming Miss America 2026. We talk about the behind-the-scenes twists, public perception, and how she stayed grounded through it all. Cassie opens up about reframing trauma, the myth of the perfect background, and the cost of stepping into your calling when the world expects someone else.

Vanessa Williams is an absolute powerhouse. She's a Grammy-nominated recording artist, an award-winning actor and a global cultural icon, known for roles in Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives and currently starring as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada on the West End.At just 20 years old, Vanessa became the first Black woman to win the Miss America crown. It was a historic moment that changed her life overnight. But making history came at a cost: she faced de*th threats, FBI protection and a level of public scrutiny few could imagine.In this episode, we cover:How Vanessa broke barriers as the first Black woman to win Miss America Navigating de*th threats and hate after her win Singing live at the Super Bowl and the OscarsAging on camera and her thoughts on cosmetic surgeryWhat Vanessa's mum told Elton John when they metThis is a conversation about strength, resilience and refusing to be defined by other people.Vanessa Williams is Great Company. If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us: Instagram- @greatcompanypodcastTikTok - @greatcompanypodcast And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: greatcompany@jampotproductions.co.uk This episode is sponsored by The AA, the UK's No.1 breakdown provider. It's OK with the AA, they're the fastest major breakdown provider with more patrols up and down the country, 24/7, 365 days a year. So, if you want that peace of mind and be back on the road in no time - Join today at theaa.com/great T&Cs apply. Verify claims a theaa.com/bestTHE CREDITS Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima RathboneProducer: Helen Burke & Rema MukenaAssistant Producer: Issy Weeks-HankinsVideo: Jake Ji & Josh BennettSocial Media: Laura Coughlan Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this fireside-chat episode, Coach Megan sits down with two of Powerhouse Pageantry's standout success stories: Kirra McCarty (Idaho) and Gabriela “Gabby” Swift (Nebraska), current titleholders in the Miss America Organization teen program. You'll hear two completely different journeys: Kirra: a competitor who placed high early, faced loss and disappointment, then returned with a deeper faith and stronger identity. Gabby: a first-time competitor who stepped into pageantry late, went all-in, and won on her first try—while navigating body image struggles and major life challenges. They'll talk about what actually creates winners: identity, community, perseverance, and faith. What You'll Hear In This Episode How Kirra went from podcast listener → Pageant Academy → Mastermind → titleholder The heartbreak of losing, the fear of trying again, and the mindset shift that changed everything The unexpected “God timing” twist when the Miss America teen age rules changed—twice Why Gabby knew she couldn't DIY her prep: structure, reps, interviews, and staying grounded How Mastermind friendships created daily motivation and accountability during prep The truth about “sisterhood”: what it's actually like in a high-level competitive room Gabby's story of eating disorder recovery and why she shifted her CSI to match her real life Kirra's “if I lose, I can't show my face” fear—and the blunt coaching moment that freed her How both girls learned to balance authenticity + excellence (style, wardrobe, hair, makeup) What makes Powerhouse coaching different: personal strategy, faith-forward identity work, and becoming well-rounded   Get Your Mastermind Ticket Here ➡️  https://howtowinyourpageant.com/event    Connect with Kirra + Gabby Kirra: @kirradmccarty @kirramccartypageant @missamericasteenid Gabby: @gabriellagswift @missamericasteenne Apply to Work with Us: sessions.powerhousepageantry.com/strategy   Click here to access 25 Courses for $47

Vanessa Williams is musical theatre royalty. She's worked with Stephen Sondheim on Broadway and is currently commanding the London stage as the fearsome fashion editor Miranda Priestly in the musical The Devil Wears Prada. She's also topped the American pop charts, starred in Hollywood movies with the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and played key roles in prize winning TV series including Ugly Betty.And before all that she was crowned Miss America 1984 - the first Black American to take the title – although she was later forced to relinquish it in controversial circumstances.Her choices include music from her homeland by Samuel Barber, Jennifer Higdon, Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein, as well as works by Bach and Delius. Presenter Michael Berkeley Producer Katy Hickman

Welcome to season 3 the Little House on the Prairie 50th Anniversary Podcast! We cannot believe we're starting our third year with you all (remember when we thought it was only going to be 50 episodes?). And we're starting this season off with a BANGER. We revisit one of the most moving and unforgettable episodes of the series: “The Lord Is My Shepherd” (Part 1). The episode explores loss, faith, fear, and resilience as the Ingalls face one of their darkest chapters. Together, the trio reflects on the emotional weight of the story, the performances that have stayed with fans for decades, and why this episode continues to resonate so deeply 50 years later. Of course, we add a whole lot of laughs to the conversation, including an off-topic discussion about Miss America, which (somehow) circles back to an unexpected Prairie connection, proving once again that Little House has a way of touching just about everything. Then join us on Patreon, where Alison, Dean and Pamela dish about being super sick post Little House events, their holiday presents and astrological predictions for 2026 (even Dean was into it!)Links and Resources:Haven't signed up for Patreon yet? Get more behind the scenes info and fun conversation we can't do on the podcast...PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/LittleHousePodcastwww.LittleHouse50Podcast.com to connect with our hosts and link to their websites.www.LivinOnaPrairieTV.com  Check out the award-winning series created by Pamela Bob, with special guest stars Alison Arngrim and Charlotte Stewart.Prairie Legacy Productions - the place to go for info about all new Little House events!To learn more about Little House on the Prairie, Visit www.littlehouseontheprairie.comFacebook/Instagram/TikTok:Dean Butler @officialdeanbutlerAlison Arngrim @alisonarngrimPamela Bob @thepamelabob, @prairietvSocial Media Team: Joy Correa and Christine Nunez https://www.paclanticcreative.com/Producer: Tony Sweetwww.ubngo.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/little-house-on-the-prairie-50th-anniversary-podcast--6055242/support.

Nuclear engineer & former Miss America, Grace Vanderhei joins Chuck Todd to break down the realities of nuclear energy—what’s safer than most people think, what genuinely needs fixing, and why public perception has lagged so far behind the science. From how she got into nuclear engineering to how disasters like Fukushima reshaped the industry’s momentum, Grace explains why rare accidents dominate the narrative, even as nuclear power remains one of the safest jobs in the country. The conversation explores America’s aging nuclear infrastructure, the challenges of upgrading decades-old plants, and why rising grid demand from AI is pushing utilities to restart and refurbish reactors instead of building new ones. Chuck and Grace also dig into the promise and limits of small modular reactors, the unresolved problem of nuclear waste storage, and how pop culture—from Homer Simpson to Hollywood—has warped the way we think about nuclear energy, all while pointing listeners to where they can follow Grace’s work and research. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 00:45 Why the ToddCast decided to do the “New Voices” series 01:45 Grace Vanderhei is a former Miss America, now promoting nuclear energy 02:30 Nuclear energy is generally safe, but when it’s not safe it’s catastrophic 03:30 Environmentalists are split on nuclear power 04:45 Demand for power is way up, nuclear power will be needed to meet it 8:15 Grace Vanderhei joins the Chuck ToddCast 9:30 How Grace got into nuclear engineering 13:00 Advances in the tools engineers use 14:30 Fukushima disaster set back momentum in nuclear industry 15:45 Every nuclear facility stores emergency backup parts close by 17:15 Disasters are rare, but capture the public perception of nuclear 18:45 Nuclear tends to be more associated with weapons than energy 20:45 How big of a concern is America’s aging nuclear infrastructure? 23:15 Difficulties with updating decades old nuclear pants? 24:45 Grid demand from AI has led to restarting old nuclear plants 25:30 Refurbishing vs. building new nuclear plants 26:45 The nuclear plant decommissioning process 28:45 Three mile island wasn’t far into decommissioning before refurbishment 30:45 The development of small, modular nuclear reactors 32:15 Small modular reactors are on submarines, not used commercially yet 33:45 Safe, workable SMR’s are still a few years away 35:30 Other countries have surpassed US’s ability to build nuclear power 36:15 Which popular misconceptions are easiest to debunk? 37:30 There are only 6 safer jobs than working at a nuclear plant 38:45 Environmental community has always been divided over nuclear 40:15 Challenges of storing nuclear waste 41:15 There aren’t great current options for storing commercial nuclear waste 43:45 Is Homer Simpson good or bad for perception of nuclear energy? 45:15 Where you can find Grace’s workSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click here to watch the video version on Youtube!America is a quilt of immigration stories, and among those is one that is unimaginable for any child. As an orphan who moved from Ukraine to America just 12 years ago, Anna Leah Jolly is living out her life-changing American Dream. As we celebrate another winter holiday season, learn how she went from a childhood amidst abuse and neglect in Ukraine to now serving as Miss Mississippi 2025 (and Top 10 at the Miss America 2026 competition!) and running her own platform and dance studio!Follow Anna Leah on Instagram @missamericams and @22annaleahjolly!Check out her book Theodore: The Little Bear with Big Feelings!Friends & Fellow Citizens wishes everyone Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!Music Credits: "Joy to the World" by DIXIDD (AudioJungle)Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

We're talking with the newly crowned Miss America 2026, Cassie Donegan. She talks with us about how the arts shaped her and how she is using her voice as Miss America to bring attention to the arts.

Episode 298 of Where Brains Meet Beauty is one of the most emotional and human conversations of the season. Celebrity Esthetician Miranda Sturce and creator, former Miss South Carolina and Bachelor alum Davia Esther Bunch join the show for a raw discussion on ambition, burnout, healing and finding your way back to yourself.Miranda shares how caring for others has been part of her identity since childhood, soothing her father's hands after long labor-filled days. That instinct led her into luxury hotel spas and ultimately her own practice, where touch becomes both artistry and therapy. She talks openly about the emotional weight of being a solo esthetician, the pressure to hold everyone together and the importance of slowing down long enough to feel your own feelings.Davia's story mirrors Miranda's in surprising ways. She trained for years to become a professional ballet dancer, performed in Russia, then had to walk away after injury. That loss spun into pageants, where she won Miss South Carolina and went on to compete at Miss America. Then came The Bachelor, a move that gave her visibility but also forced her to face everything she had been running from. Now she balances content creation with a full-time beauty marketing role, and she speaks candidly about negotiating fair rates, unlearning people-pleasing and finding grounding in storytelling. Her newest dream: writing a memoir, one memory and one messy truth at a time.Together, Miranda and Davia explore what it means to hustle without losing yourself, how to stay human in an industry built on performance and the quiet courage of asking for a pause when emotions break through. It's a reminder that careers anchored in care require caring for yourself too.

2026 Miss America Cassie Donegan, joined American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast hosts Joe Worley and Adam Marr live at Media Row in Baltimore before the 2025 Army Navy Game presented by USAA to talk about how her live has been shaped by her father's experience as a 100% disabled Navy veteran and how sh found resilience through participation in youth arts and theatre programs.

On this episode of Compared to Who?, Heather Creekmore sits down for a candid conversation with Nicole Warren Renard, also known as Nicole the Nomad. Nicole’s journey has taken her through pageants, the Miss America stage, social media influence, and even to competing on Next Level Chef with Gordon Ramsay. But beneath the highlight reel, Nicole opens up about the ever-present challenge of comparison—whether it's sizing herself up against others, herself from different seasons of life, or the high-pressure environments of televised competitions and motherhood. What’s Inside: Facing Comparison in High-Pressure Environments: Nicole reflects on feeling like the "least experienced, least qualified" contestant on Next Level Chef, and how self-doubt and comparison can trip us up—even in the most exciting opportunities. Identity and Confidence: Discover how grounding her worth in Christ empowered Nicole to compete in both pageants and cooking shows without letting failure or criticism define her. Comparison in Motherhood: Nicole shares honestly about the struggles of comparing herself to other moms on social media, and even to her pre-mom self. She offers practical ways to keep your heart and mind anchored in truth during big life transitions. Practical Tips for Freedom from Comparison: Breath prayers and staying in constant conversation with God Practicing gratitude to shift focus away from “not enough” Setting healthy boundaries with social media Keeping an eternal perspective during mundane or behind-the-scenes seasons Life Skills and Pageant Myths: Nicole debunks stereotypes about the pageant world, explains how it developed her confidence and skills, and how she focused on the positive outcomes rather than just winning. Holistic Health & Rhythms: Nicole shares the value of consistency and structure in daily routines for mind, body, and soul health. Faith in the Everyday: Learn how Nicole incorporates prayer and scripture into her daily life, even as a busy new mom, modeling an abiding relationship with God for her daughter. Favorite Quotes: “At the end of the day, if all of that was stripped away, nothing I do or don't do changes the fact that I'm a human created with purpose and that I have value that is given to me through Christ.” “I'm quick to give up on myself and say, well, I don’t know what else it could be… And I compare myself to that.” We Talk About: The mental game of competition and why comparison can knock out even the most talented contestants How gratitude can’t coexist with complaining, and practical ways to cultivate a grateful heart Why embracing every season—including the “unseen” work of motherhood—is building an eternal legacy Sponsored by:WeShare Christian Medical Health Sharing — health care designed with your peace of mind. Get a free, no-obligation quote and waive the $149 application fee by going to: www.weshare.org/heather Connect:Find Nicole on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and more as Nicole the Nomad. Get recipes, travel guides, and more at Nicole the Nomad’s website. Next Steps: Sign up for Compared to Who?'s 40 Day Journey or grab the 40 Day Body Image Workbook on Amazon. Leave a 5-star review and share this episode if it encouraged you! Remember:You can stop comparing—and start living! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

If you've ever wondered why some women seem to skyrocket from “kind of thinking about a pageant” to winning state titles and stepping on the Miss America's Teen stage while you're still stuck spinning your wheels, this episode is your wake-up call. Megan breaks down how getting in the right room with high-level pageant coaching, championship-level peers, and faith-filled mentors can collapse your timeline, shift your identity, and literally change the future you're walking toward—on and off the stage. We're talking real talk on victim vs. victor thinking, why staying “comfortable” is quietly costing you crowns, and how one event and one decision can unlock the clarity, confidence, and community you've been praying for. If you're serious about winning your next pageant—and building the kind of life, faith, and future that actually matches your potential—you need to hear this before you plan your next season. Get Your Ticket Here -> https://howtowinyourpageant.com/event    Click here to access 25 Courses for $47

Send us a textThis week on The Daily Nothings, Meghan sits down in person with Eve Rosemary, an incredible chastity speaker, former Miss Wisconsin Teen USA and the founder of The Everyday Saint.Eve shares how her experience in the beauty pageant world led her to a deeper relationship with Christ, why she chose to embrace chastity, and how she now speaks across the country all about the goodness of chastity!Whether you're a college student, a young Catholic professional, or a twenty-something trying to live modestly in a loud culture, this episode is an inspiring, real, and surprisingly fun look at holiness in everyday life.Listen if you're interested in:Catholic femininity & womanhoodBeauty pageants & faithChastity, modesty & identityLiving Catholic life in your 20s & 30sFemale friendship and mentorship in the ChurchBuilding confidence through faith, not cultureConnect with Eve & The Everyday Saint: https://www.theeverydaysaint.com/ Plus, Meghan recently joined Eve on her own show—don't miss that episode too!Dicussion Questions: How can Catholic women pursue big dreams—like pageants, entrepreneurship, or public speaking—without letting success become their identity? How does the modern beauty industry impact a woman's understanding of her worth, and how can faith reshape what “Beauty” actually means?What does chastity look like today outside of rules and restrictions—and how can it be lived as a confident, joyful way of loving?Tan Digital: Coming from Tan Books is a new app, that is basically an online Catholic bookstore, that you can find in the app store! Just search "Tan Digital" and download today to start your free trial!Receive EXTRA content by joining our Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/TheDailyNothingsPodcast Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://youtube.com/@thedailynothingspodcast?si=zxKuNgKossdwHvQhThanks for listening to The Daily Nothings Podcast! Be sure to subscribe and leave a rate and review.

Paxtyn Moller was chosen as a Beck's Player with Heart for her commitment and passion on and off the court and field. In school, Paxtyn is an officer for FCCLA and participates in volleyball and softball. She is also a founder of the Royal Ball and Summertime Wonderland Pageant. With the Royal Ball, they have been able to raise around $6,600 and give 250 toys to Santa and Mrs. C's Kids over the past two years. The Summertime Wonderland Pageant is currently in its first year, where they have crowned four girls as queen. It requires no less than 10 volunteer hours during their reign, which teaches the kids that it is very rewarding to give back. Paxtyn is also heading to Belize in July for a mission trip with a local church youth group. She is currently South Dakota's Jr Teen Princess of America and has held titles with National American Miss and Miss America. Over the past two years, Paxtyn has volunteered over 1,500 hours with different organizations in South Dakota. She has received several All-State awards for softball and plans to graduate high school a year early in May 2026. To Paxtyn, agriculture means understanding where our food comes from and family tradition. She currently lives on family land that her great-grandfather purchased. She says she has the privilege of being able to watch her grandfather run the farm and work the land, which will one day be passed down to her father, then to her and her sisters. Paxtyn recognizes farming as the foundation of South Dakota's everyday life. It's important to appreciate the farmers, workers, and families who dedicate their lives to caring for the animals, growing crops, and protecting natural resources. Paxtyn plans to attend either USD or SDSU and become a nurse anesthetist.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

She's Kentucky royalty and America's greatest ever MISS AMERICA, the ageless beauty Heather French Henry.As always, Heather is working to alleviate homelessness, especially centered on military veterans who are struggling at life.Heather and Terry Meiners discuss the mission, the White Christmas film artifacts displays, and HALOREA, a stunning collection of charms created by Kentucky's goddess.

What happens when you're too dark to be Miss India... but not American enough to be Miss America?In this deeply vulnerable and powerful episode of The Brave Table, I sit down with Nina Davuluri—activist, entrepreneur, and the first Indian-American Miss America. She takes us behind the scenes of her viral win, the backlash, and how colorism shaped her identity, her advocacy, and her new documentary COMPLEXion.From growing up in a world that worshipped whiteness to dismantling billion-dollar beauty brands' skin-whitening products, Nina doesn't hold back. If you've ever felt not enough—too dark, too loud, too ambitious—this one's for you.What you'll get out of this episode… The shocking moment that shaped Nina's awareness of colorismWhat really happened the night she won Miss AmericaThe real cost of fitting into beauty ideals in Western and South Asian culturesHow Nina helped push major beauty brands like Unilever, L'Oréal, and Johnson & Johnson to drop or rebrand whitening productsHer advice for healing self-worth and reclaiming beauty on your own termsHow her relationship with her now-fiancé reminds us that true connection sees beyond appearance, fame, or abilityConnect with Nina WEB / https://www.ninadavuluri.comIG / https://www.instagram.com/ninadavuluriYT / https://www.youtube.com/@Nina.Davuluri WATCH COMPLEXITY / https://www.amazon.com/COMPLEXion-Nina-Davuluri/dp/B0B8KZ32BG Breathe better with JASPRAs a mama healing from mold toxicity, air quality has become deeply personal for me. JASPR removes 97.1% of mold in just 1 hour. Use code BRAVE for $400 OFF: https://jaspr.co/brave Want more?✨ Buy 2, Get 1 FREE – Chai Tonics Holiday Bundle is here! Gift (or keep!) our signature blends—Focus Flow + Rose Ritual—when you buy 2 blends, you'll get 1 FREE. Use code HOLIDAY to get yours now at https://bit.ly/trychaitonics 

If you've ever wondered about how people go about becoming Rice Street Royalty Queen, Miss New Brighton, or say Aurora - Queen of Snows, and how it differs from titles like National American Miss or Miss America. Here's my experience becoming a candidate for a program, and my encouragement to try out for one yourself. Please leave a 5-star rating and a comment, thanks!-Katherinehttps://katherineglader.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@katherinegladerhttps://www.facebook.com/gladercreativehttps://www.instagram.com/gladercreativehttps://x.com/gladercreative

We break down Nebraska's big loss to Penn State, and John Bishop enters the arena with Connor Happer in Las Vegas.

The 1981 film, Mommie Dearest, is based on a memoir written by the child of which Golden Age Hollywood actress? Play. Share. Listen with Miss America 2026, Cassie Donegan.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What did you think of this episode?As writers, we know that story makes a difference in our success. Jane Herlong shares tips to ensure your story is never forgotten.Welcome to Your Best Writing Life, an extension of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference held in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of NC. I'm your host, Linda Goldfarb. Each week, I bring tips and strategies from writing and publishing industry experts to help you excel in your craft. I'm so glad you're listening in. During this episode, you'll learn about … Finding Your Story PowerMy industry expert is… Jane Jenkins Herlong is a SiriusXM humorist, Hall of Fame speaker, and award-winning author of five books, including Sweet Tea Secrets from the Deep-Fried South, featured in Cracker Barrel nationwide. From farm fields to the Miss America stage, Jane blends Southern-fried humor and wisdom to turn life's trials into laughter.From Found to Told-If you can find it, you can frame it.-What's told well is never forgottenJane's Website!-Speaker Hall of Fame-SiriusXM 97 Radio HumoristJane's YouTube ChannelVisit Your Best Writing Life website.Join our Facebook group, Your Best Writing LifeYour host - Linda Goldfarb#1 Podcast in the "Top 50+ Must-Have Tools and Resources for Christian Writers in 2024". Awarded the Spark Media 2022 Most Binge-Worthy PodcastAwarded the Spark Media 2023 Fan Favorites Best Solo Podcast

In 2024, Cindy's book about her and Mark's experiences living a full-time Van life was published by One Stone Biblical Resources. It is entitled One Hundred Churches: A Three-Year Journey to Witness the Joy of Authentic Christianity. The book is part travel journal, part spiritual roadmap, part autobiography, part devotional, and part vanlife guide.Come along for the ride as Cindy shares the encouraging and informative stories from her book that some of her readers are calling "addictive".

She is a young woman of integrity who gave up her crown rather than accept a lie that boys can be girls. Constitutional expert, lawyer, author, pastor, and founder of Liberty Counsel Mat Staver discusses the important topics of the day with co-hosts and guests that impact life, liberty, and family. To stay informed and get involved, visit LC.org.

In this episode of the Running Through My Vanes podcast, host Travis Van Es interviews Brijatté Garcia, an amateur MMA fighter. They discuss Brijatté's journey into MMA, her faith, and how she balances her spiritual life with the demands of being a fighter. Brijatté shares her experiences with personal growth, the importance of identity in Christ, and the challenges she faces in the fight world. The conversation also touches on the significance of prayer, community support, and the impact of modern issues like lust and identity on young people today. Brijatté emphasizes the need for physical fitness as a form of worship and how it connects to her spiritual journey. The episode concludes with Brijatté's aspirations for the future and her commitment to spreading the message of Jesus through her platform.Brijatté "Miss America" Garcia....Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/brijattemissamericagarcia/Brijatté "Miss America" Garcia....Tik Tokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@brijattegarcia?_t=ZT-8soj27SOJyw&_r=1Peak Fightinghttps://www.peakfighting.com/browse

#235: Kelli Masters is an attorney, a sports agent, business owner, author and speaker.  Kelli fulfilled a childhood dream by becoming a National and World Champion in baton twirling, and Feature Twirler for the "Pride of Oklahoma" Marching Band in the early 1990's.  In 1997 she was crowned Miss Oklahoma, winning awards for talent and community service at the Miss America pageant that year.  Kelli used her scholarship money from Miss America to obtain her Juris Doctorate with Honors from the University of Oklahoma.  She began her law practice as a litigator at Fellers Snider law Firm in 2000, and became a partner in the firm in 2005.  That same year, Kelli became a Certified NFL Sports Agent and founded KMM Sports, a full service sports agency representing athletes in the NFL and other professional sports.  She made history in 2010 as the first woman to represent a top 5 pick in the NFL Draft.  Bleacher Report named Kelli as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Sports Business based upon her trailblazing success in athlete representation, as she has now represented more professional athletes than any woman in history.  In addition, she continues to practice law with her own firm, Dulin Reneau Law Firm, having argued and won cases before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States.  Her first book, High-Impact Life: a Sports Agent's Secrets to Finding and Fulfilling a Purpose You Can't Lose was released in August 2021.  She continues to serve as President and Chief Player Agent for KMM Sports.  Additionally, she is the founder and owner of The Branch, a popular co-working/office/event space in Oklahoma City, and continues to be a sought-after speaker across the nation and around the world.  Kelli is also the founder of High Impact Life Ministries, a women's ministry devoted to helping women of all ages discover and fulfill their God-given purpose.For more on Kelli you can check out her website at kellimasters.com Enjoy the show!

Ash Ruddy, writer, business coach, and former Miss Vermont and Miss America contestant, shares her raw, inspiring story of resilience amid unimaginable trials. Ash chronicles the harrowing yet hope-filled journey of delivering her son, Michael, at just 24 weeks and one day of gestation. In the midst of her journey, God reveals Himself in surprising and unusual ways, including angels! Inspiring! Twenty-Four + One: A Mother's Story of Faith, Love and Miracles (https://a.co/d/fN52tHi)

This October, for our series highlighting former foster youth, we're talking with Ariana Rodriguez, Miss Kentucky and an incredible advocate for foster youth. Ariana grew up bouncing between kinship placements and foster homes. After aging out of the system, she even experienced homelessness, living out of her car. Looking for ways to pay for college, she entered the pageant world, and everything changed. She became the first former foster youth to win the title of Miss Kentucky and went on to place in the Top 11 at Miss America. Now, Ariana uses her platform to lift up other foster youth. She hosts The Lucky Ones podcast, where she shares stories from foster alumni and highlights the challenges of the foster care system. She also started The Lucky Ones nonprofit to provide resources and support for foster youth, helping them thrive and feel seen. Tune in to hear Ariana's story of resilience, hope, and how she's making a difference for the next generation of foster youth. Episode Highlights:  Meet Ariana Rodriguez  Miss Kentucky  Former Foster Youth  The Lucky Ones Podcast & Non-Profit  Advocating for FFY    Find more on Guest: The Lucky One | Miss Kentucky 2025 Ariana Rodriguez The Lucky One Non-Profit Find Ariana on Instagram   Find Ariana on Facebook The Lucky Ones Podcast   Find More on Hope Bridge: Elev8:28 Support Group Visit Our Website  Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook  Foster Our Community Instagram  RSVP for Thanksgiving Together Here!

Ever wonder why Bob Hope still lands with new audiences today? I sit down with Bill Johnson, a gifted Bob Hope tribute artist who grew up in Wichita and found his way from dinner theater to USO stages around the world. We talk about radio roots, World War II entertainment, and how “history with humor” keeps veterans' stories alive. You'll hear how Bill built a respectful tribute, the line between tribute and impersonation, and why audience connection—timing, tone, and true care—matters more than perfect mimicry. I believe you'll enjoy this one; it's funny, warm, and full of the kind of details that make memories stick.   Highlights: 00:10 - Hear how a Bob Hope tribute artist frames humor to build instant rapport. 01:41 - Learn how Wichita roots, a theater scholarship, and early TV/radio love shaped a performer. 10:37 - See why acting in Los Angeles led to dinner theater, directing, and meeting his future wife. 15:39 - Discover the Vegas break that sparked a Bob Hope character and a first World War II reunion show. 18:27 - Catch how a custom character (the Stradivarius) evolved into a Hope-style stage persona. 21:16 - Understand the “retirement home test” and how honest rooms sharpen a tribute act. 25:42 - Learn how younger audiences still laugh at classic material when context is set well. 30:18 - Hear the “history with humor” method and why dates, places, and accuracy earn trust. 31:59 - Explore Hope's USO tradition and how Bill carries it forward for veterans and families. 36:27 - Get the difference between a tribute and an impersonation and what makes audiences accept it. 41:40 - Pick up joke-craft insights on setup, economy of words, and fast recoveries when lines miss. 46:53 - Hear travel stories from Tokyo to Fort Hood and why small moments backstage matter. 50:01 - Learn the basics of using Hope's material within IP and public domain boundaries. 51:28 - See the ethical close: making sure a “reasonable person” knows they saw a tribute.   About the Guest:   With a career spanning over thirty years, Bill has forged his niche on stage, screen, and television as a dependable character actor.   Bill's tribute to the late, great Bob Hope was showcased in New Orleans, LA at Experience the Victory, the grand opening of the National WWII Museum's first expansion project. In the ceremony, Bill introduced broadcaster Tom Brokaw, and performed a brief moment of comedy with Academy Award winning actor, Tom Hanks. Bill continues to appear regularly at the WWII Museum, most recently in On the Road with Bob Hope and Friends, which was under-written by the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation.   Highlights from over the years has included the 70th Anniversary of the End of WWII Celebration aboard the USS Midway in San Diego, and the Welcome Home Vietnam Parade in Tennessee. Additionally, Bill has been honored to appear around the world as Mr. Hope for the USO in locations such as the Bob Hope USO centers in Southern California, the USO Cincinnati Tribute to Veterans (appearing with Miss America 2016-Betty Cantrell),  USO Ft. Hood (appearing with the legendary Wayne Newton), USO of Central and Southern Ohio, USO Puget Sound Area in Seattle, USO Guam, USO Tokyo, USO Holiday Shows in Virginia Beach for US Tours, and a Tribute to the USO on the island of  Maui with country music superstar Lee Greenwood.   Other notable appearances include Tribute Shows for Honor Flight chapters in Alabama, South Carolina, and Ohio, the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, the US Army Ball, the annual 1940's Ball in Boulder, CO, “USO Cuties Show” at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, the Les Brown Jazz Festival in Tower City, PA, and Hosting “So Many Laughs: A Night of Comedy” at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, OH.   Through the years, Bill has been “murdered” on CSI, portrayed Michael Imperioli's banker in High Roller: The Stu Unger Story, as well as, roles in films such as Ocean's 11, Three Days to Vegas, TV's Scare Tactics, Trick Shot, an award winning short film for Canon cameras, and the series finale of Dice, where Bill appeared as John Quincy Adams opposite Andrew Dice Clay.     Bill is currently based out of Las Vegas, NV where he lives with his wife, author Rosemary Willhide, and rescue dog, Brownie.   Ways to connect with Bill:   http://www.billjohnsonentertainment.com http://www.GigSalad.com/williampatrickjohnson     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 ** 01:23 This is your host, Mike hingson, and you are listening to unstoppable mindset. You know, we have a saying here, unstoppable mindset, where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet, and we're going to definitely have unexpected today. This is also going to be a very fun episode. By the time you hear this, you will have heard a couple of conversations that I had with Walden Hughes, who is the president of the radio enthusiast of Puget Sound. And he's also on the on other boards dealing with old radio show. And he introduced me to Bill Johnson, who is a person that is well known for taking on the role of Bob Hope, and I'm sure that we're going to hear a bunch about that as we go forward here. But Bill is our guest today, and I just played a little segment of something for Bill with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, two characters by any standard. Well, anyway, we'll get to all that. Bill, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset, and I'm really honored that you're here with us today.   Bill Johnson ** 02:31 Oh, thanks a million. Michael, it's such a pleasure to be here. Well, this is going to be a fun discussion.   Michael Hingson ** 02:38 Oh, I think so. I think absolutely by any standard, it'll be fun. Well, why don't we start before it gets too fun with some of the early stories about Bill growing up and all that. Tell us about the early bill.   Bill Johnson ** 02:52 Okay, well, I was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, of all places. And I used to say, I used to Marvel watching Hope's Christmas specials with my family that sort of spurred my interest. But grew up in Midwest, went to Wichita State University, and then after graduation, I had a job with an independent film company and a move to Los Angeles seeking my fortune. Well, the film company pulled it in three months, as those things do, and so I was left with my, I guess, my pursuit of the entertainment career from there.   Michael Hingson ** 03:42 So did you what you went to school and high school and all that stuff?   Bill Johnson ** 03:46 Yes, oh yes, I went to Wichita East High I didn't graduate with honors, but I graduated with a B,   Michael Hingson ** 03:56 that's fair B for Bob Hope, right? Yeah.   Bill Johnson ** 04:01 And then I actually went to college under a theater scholarship, wow. And so that, in those days, that would pay for everything, books, class, which delighted my parents, because we were a family of simple means. So that was the only way I was going to go to college was having a scholarship and but as it turns out, it was for the best years of my humble life, because I got a lot of hands on experience in a Wichita State medium sized College, yeah, but back then it was Much smaller, so I had a lot of opportunity.   Michael Hingson ** 04:43 I've actually been to Wichita State. I've been to Wichita and, oh, great, did some speaking back there. And we're probably going to be doing more in the future. But it's an it's a nice town. It's a great town to to be a part of. I think,   Bill Johnson ** 04:56 yes, people are so nice there. And what I. I've noticed living in other places and then going home to visit Wichitas are cleaned. Just something you noticed, the streets are usually pretty clean and foliage is well manicured. So hats off to the city for keeping the place up to date or keeping it clean   Michael Hingson ** 05:22 anyway. Well, yeah, you got to do what you got to do, and that's amazing. And in the winter, everything gets covered up by the snow.   Bill Johnson ** 05:30 Yes, you do get all four seasons in Wichita, whether you like it or not. See there, yeah, it's one of those places where they have that saying, If you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes and it'll change.   Michael Hingson ** 05:43 Yeah. So, so, so there. So you majored in theater in college?   Bill Johnson ** 05:49 Yes, I did. Actually, the official designation at Wichita State was speech communication, ah, so that's what I got my Bachelor of Arts   Michael Hingson ** 06:02 degree in so what years? What years were you there?   Bill Johnson ** 06:05 I was there in the fall of 75 and graduated a semester late. So I graduated in December of 79 Okay,   Michael Hingson ** 06:17 yeah, but that was after basically the traditional golden days and golden age of radio, wasn't   Bill Johnson ** 06:24 it? Yes, it was still in the days of black and white television.   Michael Hingson ** 06:29 But yeah, there was a lot of black and white television, and there were some resurgence of radio, radio mystery theater CBS was on, and I think that was before, well, no, maybe later in 7879 I don't know when it was, but NPR did Star Wars. And so there were some radio, radio things, which was pretty good.   Bill Johnson ** 06:53 And I think our friends in Lake will be gone began.   Michael Hingson ** 06:56 Oh yeah, they were in, I think 71 garrison. Keillor, okay, it'll be quiet week in Lake will be gone my hometown. I know I listened every week. Oh, I   Bill Johnson ** 07:06 did too. So my interest in radio was, I think, started back then.   Michael Hingson ** 07:12 Yeah, I enjoyed him every week. As I love to describe him, he clearly was the modern Mark Twain of the United States and radio for that matter. Is that right?   Bill Johnson ** 07:26 Oh, gosh, well, I, I'm, I'm, I'm glad to agree with you. And a lot of that wasn't it improvised to his weekly monolog. He'd have, oh, sure, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 07:39 he, had ideas. He may have had a couple notes, but primarily it was improvised. He just did it. He just did it.   Bill Johnson ** 07:47 I let some of the episodes you take a lot of find a lot of humor in the fact he's kind of pleased with himself. And he goes, Well, look what we just said, or something. He'll do.   Michael Hingson ** 07:57 Yeah, it was, it was fun. So what did you do after college? Well,   Bill Johnson ** 08:03 after college, when I had moved to Los Angeles, after that, did not work out. I pursued my living as a as an actor, which didn't last long. So I of course, had to get a secondary job, I guess. Let me back up. It did last long, although I didn't have enough to pay my bills. Oh, well, there you go. I had a secondary job as whatever I could find, bartending. Usually, I did a lot of work as a bartender and but you get at least doing something like that. You get the people watch, yeah, oh.   Michael Hingson ** 08:47 And, that's always entertaining, isn't   Bill Johnson ** 08:49 it? Well, it can be, yeah, that's true. Back in my that's where I kind of develop your little stick you do for customers to get them to laugh and maybe tip you. My big thing was that you'd always see a couple, say, making out at the bar because it was kind of dark in there. And I would always say, Hey fellas, you want to meet my wife, Carol? Oh, that's her boss. Don't worry about it. They're having a good time or something like that, just to try to get a few laughs.   Michael Hingson ** 09:23 I've done similar things at airports. I know that the TSA agents have a such a thankless job. And one of the things I decided fairly early on, after September 11, and you know, we got out, and most people, and most of the TSA people don't know it. But anyway, whenever I go through the airport, I love to try to make them laugh. So, you know, they'll say things like, oh, I need to see your ID, please. And, and I'll say things like, Well, why did you lose yours? Or, you know, or you why? I didn't want to see it. It's just a piece of paper, right? You know? But, and I get them to laugh. Mostly, there are few that don't, but mostly they they do. And then the other thing is, of course, going through with my guide dog. And we go through the portal. They have to search the dog because he's got the metal harness on that always sets off the detector. Oh my, yeah. And, and so they say, Well, we're going to have to pet your dog. I said, Well, just wait a minute. There's something you need to know. And I really sound very serious when I do this. You got to understand this before you do that. They go, oh yeah. And they back up, and I go, he only likes long searches. If you don't take a half hour, he's not happy because his tail is going 500 miles a second, you know? Oh, great coming. But it is fun, and we get him to laugh, which is, I think, important to do. We don't laugh at enough in life anyway.   Bill Johnson ** 10:57 Amen to that. It's That's my philosophy as well, my friend. And there's not a lot to laugh about these days. And hopefully we can find the humor, even if we create it ourselves.   Michael Hingson ** 11:11 Yeah, I think there's a lot to laugh at if we find it. You know, there are a lot of things that are not going very well right now, and there are way too many things that make it hard to laugh, but we can find things if we work at it. I wish more people would do that than than some of the things that they do. But what do you do?   Bill Johnson ** 11:31 Yes, yeah, from from your mouth to God's ears, that's a great plan for the future.   Michael Hingson ** 11:39 Well, we try so you you did some acting, and you had all sorts of other jobs. And then what happened?   Bill Johnson ** 11:47 Well, I finally got fed up with the whole bartending thing and the rat race of trying to make it in Los Angeles. I did some commercials. I had a couple of small roles in some independent movies, as they say. But on my first love being theater, I hit the road again doing some regional theater shows to where I finally ended up back in Kansas, once again, that the there was a dinner theater in my hometown of Wichita, and I got hired to do shows there. Oh, so eventually becoming a resident director so and my my family was going through some challenges at the time, so it was good to be home, so I hadn't really abandoned the dream. I just refocused it, and I got a lot of great experience in directing plays, appearing in plays, and I met my white wife there. So so that was a win win on all counts.   Michael Hingson ** 13:00 I first got exposed to dinner theater after college. I was in Iowa, in Des Moines, and the person who was reading the national magazine for the National Federation of the Blind, the magazine called the Braille monitor guy was Larry McKeever was, I think, owner of and very involved in a dinner theater called Charlie's show place, and I don't remember the history, but I went to several of the performances. And then he actually tried to create a serial to go on radio. And it didn't get very far, but it would have been fun if he had been able to do more with it, but he, he did do and there were people there who did the dinner theater, and that was a lot of fun.   Bill Johnson ** 13:45 Oh, gosh, yeah, although I must say that I was sort of the black sheep of the family being in the arts. My My mom and dad came from rural communities, and so they didn't really understand this entertainment business, so that was always a challenge. But there's one footnote that I'm kind of proud of. My grandfather, who was a farmer all his life. He lived on a farm. He was raised on a farm. Every year at the Fourth of July Co Op picnic. The Co Op was a place where they would take the crops and get paid and get supplies and so forth. They would have a picnic for all the people that were their customers every year he would supposedly play the unscrupulous egg buyer or the egg salesman. And so he'd go to the routine, was an old vaudeville routine. He'd go to this poor farmer and say, Here, let me pay you for those eggs. That's here. There's one two. Say, how many kids do you guys have now? For the No, five. 678, say, How long have you and your wife been married? What is it? Seven years, eight, they get the guy go, no, 1011, 12, so that was the bit, and he would do it every year, because I guess he did it   Michael Hingson ** 15:15 really well. Drove the farmers crazy.   Bill Johnson ** 15:18 Yeah, so, so humble beginnings in the lineage,   Michael Hingson ** 15:23 but on the other hand, once you started doing that, at least being in the theater was enough to pay the bills. Yes.   Bill Johnson ** 15:30 So my parents really couldn't complain about that.   Michael Hingson ** 15:34 Well, see, it worked   Bill Johnson ** 15:36 out, yes indeed. And I met my wife, so I'm not complaining   Michael Hingson ** 15:41 about any of it. Now, was she in the theater? Yes, she was a performer.   Bill Johnson ** 15:46 We met in a show called lend me a tenor, and she was the lead, and I was at this point doing my stage management duties. But suffice to say we have gone on and done many shows together since then, and even had been able to play opposite each other a couple of times. So that cool, yeah, that's, that's a you can't ask for better memories than   Michael Hingson ** 16:13 that. No, and you guys certainly knew each other and know each other well. So that works out really well.   Bill Johnson ** 16:20 Yeah, that works out pretty good, except, you know, you sometimes you have to have a conversation and say, Okay, we're just going to leave the theater on the stage and at home. We're at home. Yeah?   Michael Hingson ** 16:32 Well, yeah, there is that, but it's okay. So how did you get into the whole process of of portraying Bob Hope, for example, and did you do anything before Bob of the same sort of thing?   Bill Johnson ** 16:51 Well, interestingly enough, to complete the whole circle of my experience, when I was performing in Wichita, I got a job opportunity here in Lacher. I'm living in Las Vegas now, to move out here and audition, or come out and audition for a new dinner show that was opening at Caesar's Palace. It was called Caesar's magical Empire, and it was, it was in 1996 and during that time, there was this big magic craze in Las Vegas. Everybody was doing magic   Michael Hingson ** 17:27 shows. You had Siegfried and Roy and yeah.   Bill Johnson ** 17:30 So I came out, I auditioned and got hired. And so then it was like, Well, now you got to move. So we moved on a just on hope and a prayer. And luckily, they eventually hired my wife, and so we got to work together there, and I eventually went on to become the, what they called the show director. I didn't do the original show direction, but it was my job to maintain the integrity of the attraction. So during those years it was that was kind of difficult, because you have to listen to being on the administrative team. You've got to listen to all the conflict that's going on, as well as and try to keep the waters calm, keep peace. Yes. So anyway, doing my show and being interactive, you talk back and forth to the audience, and after it was over, you take them out to a next the next experience in their night, when they would go see magic in a big showroom. And a lady came up to me and and she said, say, I've got this world war two reunion coming up next month. I'd like you to come and be, pretend to be Bob Hope. Do you know who that is? And I was like, yes, he's one of my heroes. And so that was the first opportunity, suffice to say, I guess I did. Should have prefaced it by saying, when the magical Empire first opened, we were all playing these mystical wizards and dark characters. Well, that didn't fly. That wasn't any fun. So then the directors, the producers said, well, everybody, come up with your own character, and we'll go from there. And so I created this character named the Stradivarius, because I like to fiddle the room. I get it and   Michael Hingson ** 19:37 but I played it like Bobby and you like to stream people along. But anyway, hey, I wish I would have   Bill Johnson ** 19:42 thought of that. My approach was like Bob Hope in one of the road pictures. So the show would be sort of a fish out of water type thing. Come on, folks. You know, I laughed when you came in that type of thing. Yeah. So when this lady saw the show that. How she got that inspiration?   Michael Hingson ** 20:04 Well, your voice is close enough to his that I could, I could see that anyway.   Bill Johnson ** 20:09 Oh, well, thank you. Sometimes I'd say it drives my wife nuts, because I'll come across an old archival material and say, Hey, honey, how about this one? So she's got to be the first audience, yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 20:23 Well, I'm prejudiced, so you could tell her, I said, so okay,   Bill Johnson ** 20:27 that you would, you'd love to hear it, right? Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 20:31 Well, absolutely. Well, so you went off and you did the the World War Two event.   Bill Johnson ** 20:38 Did the World War Two event shortly after that, the met this, well, I should tell you another story, that shortly after that, a young man came to my show, and during the show, he stopped me and said, say, You remind me of someone very dear to me. Have you ever heard of Bob Hope? And I said, yeah, he's again. I said, one of my heroes. The guy said, Well, you kind of remind me of him. Went on his merry way, and I didn't think much of it. Well, it just so happens. The next day, I was watching the biography documentary of Bob Hope, and all of a sudden this talking head comes up, and it's the same guy I was just talking to in my show the day, the day before, it turns out that was, that was Bob's adopted son, Tony Tony hope. So I took that as a positive sign that maybe I was doing something similar to Mr. Hope, anyway. But then, as I said, The show closed very soon after that, sadly, Mr. Hope passed away. And 2003 right, and so there was, there was no real demand for anything like that. But I didn't let the idea go. I wanted something to do creatively. I continued to work for the same company, but I went over and ran the 3d movie at Eminem's world in Las Vegas 20 years. So I had plenty of time to think about doing   Michael Hingson ** 22:26 something creative, and you got some Eminem's along the way.   Bill Johnson ** 22:30 They keep them in the break room for the employees. So it's like, here's all the different brand I mean, here's all the different flavors and styles. So to have a way and you can tell guests, oh yeah, that's delicious. It tastes like, just like almonds or   22:45 something. Yeah.   Bill Johnson ** 22:47 So based on that, I decided to pursue this, this tribute, and it, I'll tell you, it's difficult getting started at first, you got to practically pay people to let you come and do a show. I'd go to retirement homes and say, Hey, you want to show today. Sometimes they'd let me, sometimes they wouldn't. But the thing about doing a show at a retirement community is they will be very honest with you. If you ain't any good, they'll say, man, no, thanks. Oh, nice try. So know where my trouble spots were,   Michael Hingson ** 23:29 but, but audiences don't treat you as the enemy, and I know that one of the things I hear regularly is, well, how do you speak so much and so well. You know the one of the greatest fears that we all have as a public speaking, and one of the things that I constantly tell people is, think about the audiences. They want you to succeed. They came because they want to hear you succeed, and you need to learn how to relate to them. But they're not out to get you. They want you to be successful and and they love it when you are and I learned that very early on and speaking has never been something that I've been afraid of. And I think it's so important that people recognize that the audiences want you to succeed anyway.   Bill Johnson ** 24:17 That's so true. And you kind of touched on a quote I remember one of the books from Bob hopes. He said how he approaches it. He said, I consider the audience as my best friends, and who doesn't want to spend time with your best friend, right?   Michael Hingson ** 24:34 And I and I believe that when I speak, I don't talk to an audience. I talk with the audience, and I will try to do some things to get them to react, and a lot of it is when I'm telling a story. I've learned to know how well I'm connecting by how the audience reacts, whether there's intakes of breath or or they're just very silent or whatever. And I think that's so important, but he's. Absolutely right. Who wouldn't want to spend time with your best friend? Yes, amen. Did you ever get to meet Bob? Hope   Bill Johnson ** 25:07 you know I never did, although I at one point in my when I was living in Los Angeles, a friend of mine and I, we were in the over the San Fernando Valley, and they said, Hey, I think there's some stars homes near here. Let's see if we can find them. And we said, I think Bob Hope lives on this street. So we went down Moor Park Avenue in Toluca Lake, and we finally saw this home with a giant H on the gate. And it's like, Oh, I wonder. This has got to be it. Well, all of a sudden these gates began to open. And we, kind of, my friend and I were like, and here, here, Hope came driving home. He was, he arrived home in a very nicely appointed Chrysler Cordoba, remember those? And he had one, he just was just scowling at us, like, what are you doing in my life? You know, and they drove it. So that's as close as I got to the real guy. But I wish I could have had the pleasure of seeing him in person, but never, never was fortunate enough.   Michael Hingson ** 26:18 Well, one of the things that's interesting is like with the World Trade Center, and I've realized over the past few years, we're in a world with a whole generation that has absolutely no direct Memory of the World Trade Center because they weren't born or they were too young to remember. And that goes even further back for Bob Hope. How does that work? Do you find that you're able to connect with younger audiences? Do they talk with you know? Do they do they react? Do they love it? How   Bill Johnson ** 26:52 does that go? Well, interestingly enough, a lot of times, if there are younger people at shows, they're usually dragged there by their parents and I have found that they will start chuckling and giggling and laughing in spite of themselves, because that old humor of hopes that, granted, it is corny, but there's some great material there, if presented in the proper context. Yeah. I was funny story. I was doing a show at the National World War Two Museum in New Orleans. They were dedicating a new theater or something, and the color guard was a group of local leaf Marines that were serving in a local base, and they were standing there right before they went on, and this young man kept looking at me, and finally he said, very respectfully, says, I'm sorry, sir, but who are you? So I said, luckily, there was a picture of Bob Hope on the wall. And I said, Well, I'm trying to be that guy. And I said, Hang around a little bit. You'll hear some of the material so, but that's the thing I that you did bring up. An interesting point is how to keep your audience, I guess, interested, even though the humor is 4056, 70 years old, I call it like all my approach history with humor. The first time I did the Bob Hope, as in the national natural progression of things, I went to an open call, eventually here in Vegas to do they were looking for impersonators for an afternoon show at the Riviera in a place called Penny town. It was just a place for Penny slots. And they had, and they hired me. They said you can do your Bob Hope impression there. And so they had a stage that was on a one foot riser. You had a microphone and a speaker and a sound man, and you had to do a 10 Minute monolog six times a day every Yeah, do 10 minutes. You'd have about a 40 minute break. Do 10 more. And I didn't do it every day, but you would be scheduled. Maybe they'd have, you know, have a Reba McEntire one day. They'd have an Elvis one day. Well, so I would it was a great place to try your ad, because, and that's what turned me on to the whole idea of history with humor. Because when I started, I was just doing some of his material I'd found in a hope joke book that I thought were funny. Well, once in a while, people would be playing the slots. Granted, they were looking at the machines. Nobody was looking at me. And once, when I'd have somebody who. Ah, you know, crank the arm, one arm banded against and then, or I make the sound man laugh. And that was my goal. Well, there was a snack bar right in front of us with a rail that people. They weren't tables, but you could go, lean against the rail and eat your I think it was called Moon doggies hot dog stand so you could eat your hot dog and watch Bob. Hope so if I could make the moon doggy people hot dog folks choke on their hot dog while they were laughing. That was like a home run. Yeah. But to keep them interested, tell them something that they will know. For instance, Hope's first show for the troops was May 6, 1941 down in March field in Riverside California. And you start giving dates and specifics that i i can see the people in the audience go, oh yeah, in their mind's eye, they if they were around, then they will go back to that day. What was I doing then? Okay, and so you kind of make the world relevant for them. So that's how I approach World War Two, Korea and Vietnam. Is give dates and places, which you got to be accurate, because the veterans   Michael Hingson ** 31:27 will set you straight. Oh yeah, because they do remember. Oh yes, they were there.   Bill Johnson ** 31:33 So some of them and but it's, it's amazing, as you say, you can tell if the audience is engaged by if they inhale or if they make some complimentary noises during the show. Sometimes I'll get fellas who will sit there and ponder just looking at me, and then they'll come up afterwards and say, Man, I hadn't thought about that in years.   Michael Hingson ** 32:04 Yeah, thank you. And you know you're connecting, yeah, yeah.   Bill Johnson ** 32:09 And because hope represented, I think, a good memory in a kind of a rough time for a   Michael Hingson ** 32:16 lot of folks. Well, he did. He did so much for the troops with the military. And as you said, May 6, 1941, and it went from there. And of course, during the whole war, he was all over and entertaining people and and he was also very active in radio as part of all that.   Bill Johnson ** 32:38 Oh my goodness, I don't know how the man found time to sleep, because if he were alive today, he would love social media and podcasts and things, because he was always trying to get his name in the paper or get some publicity, but he never forgot about his audience. He would want to do a show for the troops, no matter where they were stationed or he said I couldn't look at myself in the mirror if I didn't try.   Michael Hingson ** 33:10 Yeah, well, you do a lot with veterans and so on. So you've kind of kept up that tradition, haven't you?   Bill Johnson ** 33:19 Yes, I have been fortunate enough to play a lot of reunions and some, maybe some uso themed shows, because that first show he did, hope did, in May of 1941 was they just was a radio show that his, one of his writers had a brother stationed it in Riverside, California, and the war hadn't started, so they had nothing to do, right? These guys were bored, and so he said, Let's take our show down there and hope. So hope didn't want to leave the comfort of his NBC studio. It's like, you know, what's the idea? And they said, how big is the crowd? And they said, Well, I don't know, maybe 1000 and of course, you know 1000 people. And you know, in Hope's mind, he says, I'd give my arm and a leg to hear 10 people laugh. 100 people is like a symphony, but 1000 people, yeah, sheer fantasy. So he said, Oh, wait a minute, are you 1000 people? Are you sure? And this guy, Al capstaff, said, Well, maybe two. So that was it. And they went down. And when the audience, of course, they were just hungry for anything, the response was just so great that hope said, well, where has this been? And he said, shortly after that, we teamed up with the USO and been going steady. Ever since, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 35:02 and that's so cool. And again, you've, you've kept a lot of that going to now, we've talked on this show with Walden about reps and the showcase and so on. Are you going to be up at the recreation in Washington in September?   Bill Johnson ** 35:18 Yes, I am. I'll be there, and we're, I believe we're doing a one of the cavalcade of America shows that sort of incorporates a lot of his initial, well, one of his initial tours over in World War Two. But it's because a cavalcade is a recreation. A lot of it's drama, dramatized, but it's, it's and it's encapsulated you go bang, bang, bang across a big section of World War Two and Hope's experience in Europe. But it's, to me, as a fan of that genre, it's fascinating, so I just looking forward to it. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.   Michael Hingson ** 36:04 Well, we ought to, one of these days, we need to just do a Bob Hope radio show or something like that, and get you to come on and get an audience and and, and just do a show.   Bill Johnson ** 36:15 Oh, that would be great. I would love. That would be fun. That would be great, you know. And if there's any naysayers, you just say they said, Why do you want to do radio? Say, well, as hope would say, radio is just TV without the eye strain,   Michael Hingson ** 36:30 yeah, and the reality, you know, I'm one of my favorite characters, and one of my favorite shows is Richard diamond private detective, and I was originally going to actually be at the showcase doing Richard diamond, but I've got a speaking engagement, so I won't be able to be there this time, so we'll do it another time. But I remember, you know, at the beginning of every show, the first thing that would happen is that the phone would ring and he would answer it and say something cute, and it was usually his girlfriend, Helen Asher, who is played by Virginia, or who is, yeah, played by Virginia. Greg and one of his shows started. The phone rang. He picked it up. Diamond detective agency, we can solve any crime except television. That's great. I love that one. I love to use that.   Bill Johnson ** 37:20 I gotta remember that that's a great line, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 37:24 but it's really fun. Well, so you classify yourself as a tribute artist. How do you really get started in doing that, and how do you keep that going?   Bill Johnson ** 37:38 Well, that's, that's a, that's the million dollar question. Basically, I I found all the archival material I could find, and there's a ton of information on Bob Hope on YouTube nowadays, and you need to decide, are you a tribute, or are you an impersonator? Because there is a slight difference.   Michael Hingson ** 38:04 What difference a tribute?   Bill Johnson ** 38:08 Well, first off, an impersonator is someone who resembles someone famous and dresses up in a manner as to portray them, and that can include a tribute artist who may not look identical to the person, but can capture a mannerism or a vocal vocal rhythm to suggest enough that the audience will accept it. I I do it. I am, I feel like I can capture a little bit of his face with some, you know, some of the expressions people have told me my eyes resemble his, as well as wear a hat or something from try to copy a costume from a picture that is very you feel like is iconic of this character. So if you can come out and present that, that's the battle hope would always he began his radio shows, as you recall, by saying where he was and like, how do you do ladies and gentlemen, this is Bob live from Santa Ana Air Base, hope and and then do a two, two line rhyme about his sponsor, usually Pepsodent, just to get on to start the show with a laugh like Pepsodent on your brush and use plenty of traction and none of Your teeth. They'll be missing in action.   39:39 Yeah.   Bill Johnson ** 39:42 Huge, but, but you to to pursue it. As I said, you've just got to, you've got to kind of forage out in the real world and see if see somebody's looking for a show, and hopefully get someone to take a chance. Okay? Give you an opportunity. That's why I went to that open call to do that show at the Riviera. It is difficult to tell jokes at people that are chewing at you, but it's a good learning ground, plus doing the shows at the retirement homes made you prepared for anything because, but I found that I got the strongest response from veteran mentioned some of those history moments, historical moments. And so I thought maybe I'll just focus on this, not to put together the other comedy. And the other experiences are very important too. But the things I have found people remember the most were those shows for the troops. Yeah, and basically, in a nutshell, and they don't remember what did he What did he say? Do you remember a joke? Sometimes they'll tell me a joke, but most, most times, they don't remember what he said, but they remember how he made them feel,   Michael Hingson ** 41:06 yeah, and the fact that he said it, yes, yeah,   Bill Johnson ** 41:10 there's a there's a common joke I'd heard for years, and a friend of mine told me he was a 10 year old kid at Fort Levin fort, Leonard Wood, Missouri. And hope came out and told the joke. The guy goes into a bar. Oh, no, excuse me. Let me back up. A grasshopper goes into a bar. The bartender says, Hey, we got a drink named after you. The grasshopper says, you got a drink named Irving cute. And I'd heard that. Yeah, I guess hope told it and so you never know what what inspires your comedy, but there's a lot of common things I heard growing up that I will find hope said. Hope said it at one point or another in his either his radio show or on one of his specials. So   Michael Hingson ** 41:58 do you think that a lot of what he did was ad lib, or do you think that it was mostly all written, and he just went from a script?   Bill Johnson ** 42:07 That's a good point. He was one of the first performers to use cue cards, okay? And a lot of it was was written, but from what I've read is that he was also very fast on his feet. That's what I thought. Because if something happened, he would come in with a bang, with with another line to top it, yeah. Well, you know, like we were talking about that command performance, where with Lana Turner that he said, she said, Well, they've been looking at ham all night, and you're still here. Ah, big laugh. Haha, yeah. And he said, Now I'm bacon with the double entendre, you know, like, yeah, you burn me, whatever. But that was, I thought that was   Michael Hingson ** 42:51 cute, yeah, and he, and he is, clearly there had to be a whole lot more to him than than writing. And so I absolutely am convinced that there was a lot of bad living. And there was just, he was fast, he was good at it and them, and the more he got comfortable, because of those big crowds that they got him started, the better he became   Bill Johnson ** 43:16 absolutely you can there's a great book by, I know, do you know Bob mills? He was one, was one of Bob Hope's writers wrote a right and he explains the formula behind a lot of their jokes situation, and then it would have a payoff, you know, like, I don't know what happened, but now that you know this is set up in a setup and then the joke. Hope supposedly liked an economy of dialog. He didn't like a lot of language going from point A to point B to tell his joke. That's why the rapid fire delivery. And he had a lot of jokes in his shows. The radio shows had, at least, was it something like 10 jokes a minute?   Michael Hingson ** 44:08 Well, they were, they were very fast. And there were, we've got a few rehearsals of Bob Hope shows. And clearly some of the things that he did, because at first he wasn't getting the reaction that he thought he was going to get, but he pulled it out. And again, it's all because he was fast. He was good.   Bill Johnson ** 44:29 Yeah, I've got some blooper reels from some of the Christmas specials, and he'll try and try and try. And then finally, he'll say, take that card and tear it up, throw it away. And that's funnier than the joke itself.   Michael Hingson ** 44:44 Yeah, than the joke itself. It's really cute. So you obviously like performing. Does that run in your family?   Bill Johnson ** 44:55 Well, not necessarily, as I said, I'm kind of the black sheep of the. Family, because I was in the arts, they would rather have a more what do I want to say? A more safe career, a career choice as a you know, because entertaining, you're always wondering, well, where's my next job? Yeah, as opposed to something else, where you might have a better idea of what are your next paychecks coming? But I do have always had a day job, and this is sort of like my way to flex those creative muscles.   Michael Hingson ** 45:33 So what's your day job today? My   Bill Johnson ** 45:35 day job is I still do technical support for the good folks at Eminem's world on the script. Only they after covid happened, they closed the 3d movie that I was overseeing. And another fellow, when I do tech support, we just basically make sure the lights come on. And as well as I have a job at the College of Southern Nevada, on the support staff, trying to help folks who have English as a Second Language get a job. So I find those are both rewarding challenges.   Michael Hingson ** 46:15 It's a good thing I don't go to Eminem's world because I don't really care if the lights are on or not.   Bill Johnson ** 46:20 Oh, well, there you go. We need somebody here doing rim shots.   Michael Hingson ** 46:26 Yeah, you like dependent people are all alike. You know, you got to have all those lights. Yes, I don't know that I've been to Eminem's world. I've been to the Eminem store in New York City, but I don't think I've been to the one in Las Vegas.   Bill Johnson ** 46:40 I was actually at the opening of that Eminem store in New York City. Funny story, they know they have people that put on the character suits, right? And when I was there to help them kind of get their get acclimated to wearing those suits and then peering in front of people. Well, the kids were doing around, say, two in the afternoon. Well, the New York Times showed up at noon, one pick they wanted a picture of and so I had to put on the I was yellow, the peanut, and this other person that was there put on the red suit, and we walked down on 46th Street and started walking on the street, wave and and carrying on. I thought, Here I am. I finally made it to Broadway. Yeah, and I'm and I'm dressed as a nut so,   Michael Hingson ** 47:30 and you had Hershey right across the street,   Bill Johnson ** 47:32 right across the street, so I don't know. I imagine her, she's still there, probably still going head to head, to this   Michael Hingson ** 47:40 day, the last time I heard they were so well, I don't know, I don't know whether anything really changed with covid, but the last I heard they were   Bill Johnson ** 47:49 well, more powerful, Yeah, funny story.   Michael Hingson ** 47:56 Well, so you will, you travel basically anywhere to do a show? Are there any limits?   Bill Johnson ** 48:03 Or no, I'll go anywhere. My this tribute has taken me as far as Tokyo, Japan for the USO there. I've done shows in the Pacific and Guam I'm not too sure I want to travel internationally these days, but if somebody has an opportunity, I'll think about it. Funny thing happened at that, that show I did in Tokyo, I was, it was, it was a gala for the local uso honor the the troops who were serving in that area. So they had that representative from each branch that was serving our Navy, Marines and the Japan, nation of Japan now has what they call, this, the Civil Defense Group. I believe that's what they call because after World War Two, they signed that document saying they would not have an organized military. But right, they have their civil defense, and so we were honoring them, that there was a group, an Andrew sisters trio, performing, singing and dancing and and I was standing off off stage, just waiting to go on and finish the show. And this, this has been 20 years ago. Let me preface that this older Japanese gentleman came up to me, and he said, I would like to make a toast. And there was a lady in charge who, you know this was. There was some, some admirals there, and leaders of the Seventh Fleet were, were there. So everything had to be approved. Everything went according to schedule. The military events are just boom, boom, boom. And so I said, Well, okay, I need to ask Judy, when this Judy was in charge, when we can do this? And he just said, I want to make a tow. Toast. And I said, okay, but I have to clear it with Judy. Well, I finally got Judy and said that older Japanese man would like to make a toast. And she said, Yes, let him do whatever he wants. Turns out, he was an admiral in the Japanese Navy during during World War Two, and he was attending the event here, although these many years later, just as you know, everyone else was sure. So to bail myself out of it, I went back on said stage and said, And now, ladies and gentlemen, our honored guest would like to make a toast. And he, of course, I can't remember the toast, but as I at the time, I thought that was very sweet and very eloquent. So it's just these incredible little snippets of life you you go through. It's like, how could I ever know, when I was a five year old kid in Kansas, that Monday I'd be chatting with a world war two Admiral from the Japanese Navy, right? Just, it's just mind boggling.   Michael Hingson ** 51:06 So I'm curious. Bob Hope copyrighted a lot of his jokes. Are you able to still use them? Well, that's a   Bill Johnson ** 51:13 good question. Yes, he did. He copyrighted his jokes and everything, however, and I have spoken to the lawyer for the hope estate. There are the, what do you call that? It just flew out of my head that the the laws surrounding   Michael Hingson ** 51:32 intellectual property, copyright laws and intellectual property and public domain, yeah, yeah.   Bill Johnson ** 51:38 The song, thanks for the memory is in public domain, and hope would always change the lyrics to where he went because he hated the song. Supposedly he had, how did I get hung with that old dog of a song?   Michael Hingson ** 51:52 Yeah, well, he kept using it every week, so I can't believe it was too anti song. Yeah,   Bill Johnson ** 51:57 that's true, but the hope is they did copyright his jokes, but as long as I don't write a book and try to sell them as my jokes, I should be fine as well as I am. Allow you the those laws allow you to present impersonate someone, no matter who it is. You could impersonate your next door neighbor, even though he's not famous, as long as you do not do something to harm them, yeah, or represent it in an unflattering way   Michael Hingson ** 52:28 well, and clearly, what you're doing is pretty obvious to anyone who knows at all that it's Bob Hope and that you're trying to do a tribute to him. So I would think it would make sense that that would work   Bill Johnson ** 52:39 well it should and but the final caveat is that a reasonable person must come away from the show knowing full well they did not see the original. You must tell them. And Bob Hope's been gone for   Michael Hingson ** 52:55 many years. Yeah, 22 years now.   Bill Johnson ** 52:59 So that's usually not a problem, but that's how I finished my tribute as vice is, I usually wear a hat to complete the illusion, with the bill flecked up. I'll take the hat off and say, now if I could break character and tell about how hope was named an honorary veteran, and at the age of 94 it was an amendment passed by Congress designated him as an honorary veteran, and it was received unanimous bipartisan support   Michael Hingson ** 53:30 as it should yes and   Bill Johnson ** 53:33 Hope went on to say, sort of all the awards I've received in my lifetime being now being listed among the men and women I admire the most. This is my greatest honor, so that's a good way for me to wrap up my tributes whenever possible.   Michael Hingson ** 53:54 Do you have, oh, go ahead, no,   Bill Johnson ** 53:56 I was gonna say there's another funny story. You know, hope lived to be 100 Yeah, and George Burns.   Michael Hingson ** 54:03 George Burns, lived to be 100   Bill Johnson ** 54:05 lived to be 100 Supposedly, the two of them had a bet as to who would live the longest. Now, the thing is, what were the stakes and how do you collect? Yeah, because some guy, you're not going to be there. But in any event, George Burns was born in the 1890s and so he was older than hope. Hope was born in 1903 George Burns lived to be 100 years and 10 days old. Bob Hope lived to be 100 years and 59 days   54:41 Oh,   Bill Johnson ** 54:42 so hope. Well, the story goes that in his final, final months, he was just he was pretty much bedridden and slept and slept a lot. His wife, Dolores went to his bedside. He had that 100 years 10 day mark, and she said. Well, Bob, you won the bet. You have now lived longer than George Burns. And supposedly, even though he was fat, he was like they thought he was asleep, this huge smile just curled up his lips so he heard, that's great.   Michael Hingson ** 55:18 That's great. Well, if, if you have, do you have something that you could do for us, or do you have something that you could play or something that would give us just a little flavor?   Bill Johnson ** 55:28 Um, yeah, I Well, if you, I would tell your listeners that they want to catch a little bit more. They can go to my website, Bill Johnson entertainment.com, and there's some video clips there, but I like to do is that hope would always, he would always joke about traveling to the event, and that's how I like to begin my shows with him arriving. Since I just flew in on a wing of prayer. I was on the wing because as a soldier, I wouldn't have a prayer nicely. My flight was very nice, but the plane was rather old. In fact, the pilot sat behind me wearing goggles and a scarf. This plane was so old that Lindbergh's lunch was still on the seat. The fasten seat belt sign was in Latin. To get to the washroom, you had to crawl out on the wing. But I come on, folks, I said, to get to the washroom, you had to crawl out of the wing. But hey, I don't know about you, but I have a fear of flying that dates back to my childhood. See, when I was a baby being delivered by the stork, that blasted bird dropped me from 400 feet. Yeah, he did that to stay out of the range my father's shotgun. See, Dad already had my brothers, Eenie, Meenie and Miney. When I came along, he didn't want   56:55 no moat. I get it just   Bill Johnson ** 57:00 it goes along in those words. Well, we are,   Michael Hingson ** 57:05 we are definitely going to have to just work out doing a radio show and getting you to to do a whole show, and we'll have to get some other people to go along with it. We'll figure it out. Oh, that sounds great. I would buy a lot of fun to do. Count me in. Well, I want to thank you for being here. This has been absolutely wonderful to be able to talk about Bob Hope and to talk about you. Even more important, I'm sure that Bob Hope is monitoring from somewhere, but by the same token, you're here and we're here, so we do get to talk about you, which is important to do as   Bill Johnson ** 57:41 well. Well, that's very kind, Michael. I was hopeful that you would be at the rips.   Michael Hingson ** 57:47 I was planning on it because I wanted to, I want to really do the Richard diamond show. I'll, I told you I'd send you the command performance that we talked about Dick Tracy and B flat, or, for goodness sakes, is he ever going to marry Tess true heart? Oh yes. And I'll also send you the Richard diamond that we're going to do the next time I'm able to be at the rep show. It's, it's   Bill Johnson ** 58:06 really hilarious. Oh, that sounds great.   Michael Hingson ** 58:09 But I want to thank you for being here once again. Tell us your website.   Bill Johnson ** 58:14 My website is, it's my name and followed by entertain Bill Johnson, entertainment.com there's there's some video clips there, and some great pictures of some of the folks I've had the pleasure of meeting and performing with. I don't want to name drop, but just to give the the act a little more credence, pictures with Les Brown Jr. Rest his soul. I did it floored. I was able to do a show with Lee Greenwood on the island of Maui Wow, as well as perform with Wayne Newton at Fort Hood, Texas. Wayne Newton actually took over for Bob Hope with the USO when Bob just got too old to travel. Yeah, so, so that's just for a humble, humble guy. It's some incredible stories   Michael Hingson ** 59:19 well, and you're keeping some wonderful memories alive, and we'll definitely have to do something with that. But I want to thank you for for being here and again. Bill Johnson, entertainment.com, so go check it out, folks and and there's a lot of old radio out there online. We've talked about yesterday usa.com or yesterday usa.net they're the same. You can listen. You can go to reps online, R, E, P, S online, and listen to a lot of radio programs there. There are a number of people we've had Carl Amari on who several years ago, did come. Complete redos of all of the Twilight zones, and he made them scripts for radio, which was a lot of fun. Have you ever heard any of those?   Bill Johnson ** 1:00:07 I've never heard. I was a big fan of the show when it was on TV, but I never heard any of the   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:12 radio. Stacy Keach Jr is is the Rod Serling character, but, oh yeah, Twilight radio,   Bill Johnson ** 1:00:19 that's great. I will check it out,   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:22 or we'll send you some that's even better. But I want to thank you for being here, and thank you all for being here with us. I hope you had fun today. It's a little bit different than some of the things that we've done on the podcast, but I think it makes it all the more fun. So thanks for being here. Please let us know what you think. Email me. I'd love to hear from you. Michael, H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H, I at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, love to get your thoughts wherever you're listening. Please give us a five star review. We appreciate those a lot. Tell other people about the podcast. We really would like to get as many people listening as we can, and we want to be sure to do the kinds of things you want on the podcast. So if you know anyone else who ought to be on the podcast, Bill, that goes for you as well, please introduce us. We're always looking for more people to come on unstoppable mindset that we get a chance to chat with. So hope that you'll all do that and again. Bill, I want to thank you one more time for being here. This has been fun.   Bill Johnson ** 1:01:21 This has been a blast. Michael, thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed it.   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:32 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.

Today in The Cabin, we're joined by Grace (Stanke) Vanderhei — former Miss Wisconsin and Miss America! From her favorite Wisconsin spots to her inspiring journey and what she's up to now, this episode's full of Wisconsin pride and heart.The Cabin is presented by the Wisconsin Counties Association and this week we're featuring Ashland County; https://www.wicounties.org/counties/ashland-county/The Cabin is also presented to you by:GHT; https://bit.ly/3YigPJyHo Chunk Nation; https://ho-chunknation.com/The Del-Bar; https://www.del-bar.com/

First timer (or feel like one)? This rapid, heart-to-heart breakdown exposes the five rookie traps that make smart, capable women lose interviews and onstage moments they should win. You'll hear the real “I tried to wing it” story from Miss Nebraska at Miss America, why “looking the part” isn't enough, and how to swap perfection-pressure for connection-power so you walk in prepared, present, and unforgettable. What you'll learn The #1 rookie mindset: “I'll just figure it out” (and why judges can feel it in seconds) Perfection vs. connection: how obsessing over “flawless” backfires in interview Why treating interview like a test (memorizing 365 Qs) tanks your adaptability Image ≠ substance: aligning your internal confidence with your external look The solo-practice trap: how to self-audit (video!) and get the right feedback fast   02:10 Mistake #1: Winging it / DIY (and the Miss America wake-up call) 09:40 Mistake #2: Chasing “perfect” instead of creating connection 13:25 Mistake #3: Treating interview like a test vs. a conversation 15:55 Mistake #4: Over-weighting image and under-training substance 17:40 Mistake #5: Practicing alone — the video review method that works 19:30 Leadership = presence: how you make people feel in every interaction 20:30 Faith, identity, and leading with purpose (why it all shows on stage) 21:45 Free resources + how to plug into community and coaching Learn the Full Interview Mastery System (complete in a weekend): howtowinyourpageant.com/interview    DM ‘365Q' for 365 Practice Interview Questions FREE: www.instagram.com/powerhousepageantry  Apply to Work with Us: sessions.powerhousepageantry.com/strategy Follow Me on IG: www.instagram.com/meganswansonrhodes    Watch on Youtube www.youtube.com/@powerhousepageantry   PODCAST ESSENTIALS & GEAR I USE Blue Yeti Microphone https://amzn.to/3ZodLfr  Webcam https://a.co/d/8lKR6TA   Silver Yeti Glitter Wrap: https://amzn.to/3LiTSjR  Awesome Computer-Attached Light https://amzn.to/3P5WByh    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.   Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nbUVyQqfT5CLYSZO6wWgs?si=abf5437f5e5c413b   Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-powerhouse-podcast-how-to-win-your-pageant-how-to/id1448191693  On this podcast, we talk about… pageant interview questions, how to answer pageant interview, pageant platform example, current events pageant questions, pageant storytelling, pageant coaching, miss interview tips, identity work for women, faith and identity, purpose over performance, self worth vs achievement, you are not what you do, values alignment, limiting beliefs, belief reprogramming, identity shift, core state change, inner child work, mindset reset, confidence from identity, purpose driven life, Christian identity coaching, life after pageants, life after big goal, rebuild confidence after failure, how to find purpose again, sustainable success habits, daily check-in routine, evening reflection practice, morning identity routine, goal setting that sticks, break perfectionism paralysis, progress over perfection, achievement addiction, identity work, mindset coaching, pageant mindset, dopamine trap, burnout recovery, confidence, Christian coaching, neurolinguistic programming

In Episode 521 of District of Conservation, Gabriella recaps her trip to Wisconsin, where she spoke at a permitting reform roundtable with Congressmen Tiffany and Wied, nuclear engineer and Miss America 2023, and others.SHOW NOTES Independent Women Champions American Energy Abundance at Wisconsin Permitting Reform RoundtableICYMI: Reps. Tiffany and Wied Join AFP-WI Roundtable on Federal Permitting ReformIndependent Women's Voice Supports the Bipartisan Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act60 Seconds: Permitting ReformVortex Optics

Ashe in America, Abbey Blue Eyes, Christy Lupo, and Jackie Espada deliver a lively, heart-filled episode blending humor, history, and homemaking. From hilarious Halloween costume ideas and AI beard swaps to product shoutouts for Soft Disclosure, All Good, and Native Path, the hosts keep things both playful and practical. They dive into creative hobbies like crocheting, diamond painting, and baking, exploring how hands-on crafts lower stress and build community. History takes the stage with Harriet Tubman's heroism, Vanessa Williams' groundbreaking Miss America crown, Patty Hearst's capture, and Nathan Hale's legendary sacrifice. The conversation then shifts to forgiveness, guarding against darkness, and biblical reflections on true beauty, challenging the modern obsession with appearances. Add in cozy fall hacks, pumpkin vs. apple debates, and the joy of crafting, and this episode is equal parts fun, faith, and sisterhood.

We addressed a rumor that is being spread about Amy that just came to her attention. Bobby saw a clip of Miss America's friends reacting to her win. Bobby recalls a time he got oddly emotional in relation to that. And we revisit Amy's reaction to Bobby winning Dancing with the Stars. We played the Nepo Baby Game to see if you can guess the famous parents to celebrities. Bobby revealed that he tried to make Eddie's dream come true.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Redefining Loss As the Start Of Something New 

In this series, Jeff and Andy look at historical events that took place on this day.Today in history, the first black Miss America is crowned, the greatest pioneer in country music is born, and a Baltimore politician that wasn't afraid of a bribe, passes away.This series is brought to you by the great Boss Shot Shells.

The first Black Miss America, Vanessa Williams, was crowned in Atlantic City on 17th September, 1983, with the usual fanfare. But within ten months, she had returned her crown, following a nude photo scandal. She had already received hate mail and even death threats - some from racist whites who hated seeing a Black Miss America, others from Black critics who felt her light skin and blue eyes played into white beauty standards. But then, without her consent, Penthouse announced it would publish explicit photos of Vanessa taken years earlier when she was an aspiring teenage model.  In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly consider how Williams rebuilt her career from scratch, via Disney, Broadway, hit songs, and movies; discover the moment the pageant formally apologised to her, after 32 years; and trace the overt and covert racism in Miss America's long history… Further Reading: • ‘On Saturday night Vanessa Williams became the first black woman crowned Miss America' (UPI, 1983): https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/09/18/On-Saturday-night-Vanessa-Williams-became-the-first-black-woman-crowned-Miss-America/9839432705600/ • ‘Why Vanessa Williams Gave Up Her Miss America Crown' (TIME, 2015): https://time.com/3961120/miss-america-scandal-vanessa-williams/ • ‘Miss America 1984: Crowning Moment' (NBC, 1983): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwBmoNXrr0w Love the show? Support us!  Join 

We're kicking off our fundraiser for the Washburn Center for Children, a new Girl Scout cookie flavor for 2026, we have a new Miss America, and "The Conjuring" goes to TVSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we have the closest an election can possibly get, how Miss Alabama did at Miss America, the latest on an Auburn park killing and the passing of a Gadsden grocer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'll explore what actions happening now might be regrettable later.After that, I'll answer the 11 questions asked of Miss America contestants from this weekend's pageant.

Sage Steele is today's guest on the "Success is a Choice" podcast, hosted by Jamy Bechler. Sage is one of the most popular broadcasters out there as a long-time ESPN Sportscenter anchor. If you would like to watch this episode, head on over to https://www.youtube.com/@CoachBechler Episode Time Stamps ... 1:00 - Doing events like Miss America Pageant and the Spelling Bee 1:44 - What her Miss America talent would be 2:00 - Favorite thing to Bake 3:50 - Hardest event to prepare for 6:30 - Growing up as an Army Brat 10:00 - Coming from a mixed family 12:30 - Overcoming a rough start to her broadcasting career 18:30 - Getting hit by a Jon Rahm golf ball 21:15 - Women's sports 25:30 - Going on Bill Maher's show 28:00 - What's next? 31:40 - Wardrobe at ESPN 33:20 - Professionalism during lawsuit Sage Steele was a fixture at ESPN from 2007-2023, hosting countless big events include the Super Bowl, The Masters, The NBA Finals, the World Series. She also hosted the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the Miss America Pageant, and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve just to name a few. She is now host of the Sage Steele show. Connect with Sage ...  INSTAGRAM: @SageSteele  X: @SageSteele FACEBOOK: @OfficialSageSteele WEBSITE: SageSteele.com YOUTUBE:    / @thesagesteeleshow   Learn more about Sage's lawsuit against ESPN:  https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/sage-steele-winner-beat-espn-censors-scored-victory - - - - Each week, the SUCCESS IS A CHOICE podcasting network brings you leadership expert Jamy Bechler and guest experts who provide valuable insights, tips, and guidance on how to maximize your potential, build a stronger culture, develop good leadership, create a healthy vision, optimize results, and inspire those around you. - - - -  Please follow Jamy on Twitter @CoachBechler for positive insights and tips on leadership, success, culture, and teamwork. Check out our virtual sessions for parents, coaches, students, and administrators at FreeLeadershipWorkshop.com. These sessions are free and cover a variety of topics. - - - -  The Success is a Choice podcast network is made possible by TheLeadershipPlaybook.com. Great teams have great teammates and everyone can be a person of influence. Whether you're a coach, athletic director, or athlete, you can benefit from this program and now you can get 25% off the price when you use the coupon code CHOICE at checkout. Build a stronger culture today with better teammates and more positive leaders.  If you like quotes, then you'll want to check out Jamy Bechler's book "The Coach's Bulletin Board". It contains thousands of insights, thoughts, and quotes are contained in this book. Please visit JamyBechler.com/BulletinBoardBook to get your signed copy. - - - -  Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a quick review on iTunes.  Ratings and reviews are the lifeblood of a podcast. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. Thanks again for listening and remember that “Success is a choice. What choice will you make today?” - - - -  Jamy Bechler is the author of nine books including "The Captain" and "The Bus Trip", host of the "Success is a Choice Podcast", professional speaker, and trains organizations on creating championship cultures. He previously spent 20 years as a college basketball coach and administrator.  TheLeadershipPlaybook.com is Bechler's online program that helps athletes become better teammates and more positive leaders while strengthening a team's culture. As a certified John Maxwell leadership coach, Bechler has worked with businesses and teams, including the NBA. Follow him on Twitter at @CoachBechler. To connect with him via email or find out about his services, please contact speaking@CoachBechler.com. You can also subscribe to his insights on success and leadership by visiting JamyBechler.com/newsletter.

In this series, Jeff and Andy look at historical events that took place on this day.Today in history, a serial killer in Nebraska claims her first victim, Miss America has her title stripped, a guitar legend is born, and the lady that sang about Rehab passes away.This series is brought to you by the great Boss Shot Shells.