Podcast appearances and mentions of Richard Stratton

Goodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years.Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices.A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/1198501/advertisement

Goodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years.Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices.A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/1198501/advertisement

Goodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years.Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices.A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/1198501/advertisement

Goodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years.Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices.A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.Buty the book https://amzn.to/47Y6EOuThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/1198501/advertisement

Join Presley and Andrew as they explore the seedy underworld of the LA gigilos and the events surrounding a 15 year old murder or something. IDK the plot is really confusing.Links to Everything: https://linktr.ee/seasononepodSpoiler Show Synopsis: American Gigolo is a Showtime television adaptation of the 1980 film of the same name. In the series we see Julian Kaye (played by Jon Bernthal) being exonerated for a murder he spent fifteen years in prison for. Julian was a male prostitute, or gigolo, from the age of 15 when his mother sent him off to get out of his unfavorable home situation. Once freed, he tries to adjust to life outside and uncover the circumstances of his framing. He takes up somewhat of a reluctant partnership with Det. Joan Sunday (played by Rosie O'Donnell), the detective who put him away. During this process of returning back to a normal life, he hopes to reconnect with his lover Michelle (Gretchen Mol). Michelle's son Colin (played by Gabriel Labelle) is on the lamb after falling in love with his teacher and escaping with her to create a new life. Colin's lover, Elizabeth, is accidentally killed by Richard Stratton's (Leland Orser) lawyer/right hand man, Panish. Detective Sunday hunts for clues to solve both murders and Julian, Michelle, and Richard search for Colin (who we find out is Julian's biological son). Colin is taken for ransom by a man called McGregor who worked for Olga (Julian's former boss) and who now works for Richard. Isabelle (played by Lizzie Brocheré), Olga's successor, contacts McGregor and brings Colin back to Julian and Michelle. In the end of the series, we see Julian and Michelle planning to start back up where they left of, creating a life together, only for Michelle to pull the plug when she sees Colin and Richard start to repair their shattered relationship.

Goodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years.Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices.A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.

Goodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years.Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices.A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.

In this inaugural episode of Deity Deep Dives, Anjel testifies their devotion to Seshat, Egyptian Goddess of math and science and “she who is foremost in the house of books”. This episode is one part information about the Goddess Seshat and one part personal gnosis as Anjel shares their devotional practice and how it has inspired this podcast and their scientific aspirations. This episode is also a dedication to Anjel's tarot teacher, friend and mentor, Richard Stratton who passed away around this time in 2020. Anjel shares a poem written by Richard about Egypt as they bonded in their love of the Goddess of books and record keeping. Show notes and transcripts available here. Stickers of this and other deities are available on our Etsy.

Smuggler's Blues: A True Story of the Hippie Mafia Goodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years. Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices. A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.

Smuggler's Blues: A True Story of the Hippie Mafia Goodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years.Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices.A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.

Smuggler's Blues: A True Story of the Hippie Mafia Goodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years. Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices. A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.

Smuggler's Blues: A True Story of the Hippie Mafia Goodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years.Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices.A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.

William Ryerson and Richard Stratton both produce TV serial dramas. Ryerson's shows are designed to influence the public opinion and behaviour of cultures.

Welcome to the eleventh episode of the Science Witch Podcast! In this episode, Anjel interviews Amy Blackthorn of Blackthorn's Botanicals and they talk about how to respectfully and thoughtfully develop your own smoke cleansing practice, as well as information about the history of two resins that have important significance to the ancient word and modern witchcraft: frankincense and myrrh. Amy also talks about her upcoming new book project and shares some wisdom and insight in working with these plant allies in a myriad of ways beyond just smoke cleansing. At the end of the episode Anjel shares a remembrance of their friend, Richard Stratton, who passed away early in December, and reads a brief poem that he had written. Show Notes Sacred Smoke: Clear Away Negative Energies and Purify Body, Mind, and Spirit Blackthorn's Botanical Magic: The Green Witch's Guide to Essential Oils for Spellcraft, Ritual & Healing Blackthorn's Botanical Brews: Herbal Potions, Magical Teas, and Spirited Libations Fred Soll Incense

This week, Fiona joined by Matt, Nat, Josh, and Strat from the Merely Roleplayers Podcast for ‘Sleepaway’, a game of horror, dreams, and summer camp, written by Jay Dragon.In ‘Sleepaway’, players play as camp counselors at a not-so-ordinary summer camp besieged by a strange and ominous cryptid known as the Lindworm. Isolated from civilization, the summer camp is seen as a beacon of safety, a refuge for misfit kids defined by their marginalization. As counselors of this summer camp, the players have each been traumatized by the Lindworm, in their own way. Whilst they remember little of that time, they don’t want anyone else to suffer at the hands of the Lindworm, and they’ll do anything to keep the camp safe no matter what.You can find out more information about ‘Sleepaway’ and Jay Dragon’s other products on itch.io.Timestamps:Merely Roleplayers Trailer: 00:00:00Intro: 00:00:47Recap and gameplay overview: 00:01:09One-shot start: 00:04:06Gameplay overview - Rituals: 01:08:33Outro and credits: 01:44:18CreditsThe 'What Am I Rolling?' podcast was created, recorded, and edited by Fiona Howat.The WAIR logo was created by Fiona Howat.This episode’s players were Matt Boothman, Natalie Winter, Josh Yard, and Richard Stratton Matt Boothman, Natalie Winter, Josh Yard, and Richard Stratton from the Merely Roleplayers Podcast.This episode’s RPG one-shot was ‘Sleepaway’, a game of horror, dreams, and summer camp, written by Jay Dragon. You can find out more information about ‘Sleepaway’ and Jay Dragon’s other products on itch.io.The theme music was '8-bit march' by Twin Musicom (twinmusicom.org), licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 License.The additional music in this episode:‘Seclusion’ by The Tides‘Amber’ by VYEN‘Maestro Tlakaelel’ by Jesse GallagherIf you want to find out more about the podcast, check out the 'What Am I Rolling?' podcast website: www.WAIRpodcast.com.Fancy getting in touch? Email the podcast at whatamIrollingpodcast[@]gmail.com.Follow the podcast on Twitter and Instagram (@WAIR_Podcast) for the latest news on episodes.#AdventurersNeedNotApply

Screenwriter Richard Stratton is welcomed to a cup of coffee in the green room. In this episode, Mr. Stratton recounts how his background growing up during the Civil Rights movement in the 60’s led to his writing often centering around social activism. He also discusses how being a writer requires self-discipline to force yourself to sit down and work on your writing every day. He suggests that just before bed at night, think about what it is you want to do the next day, write it down, and follow that plan if they want to become disciplined. Summary Writers require discipline, but it’s really a great profession. You are your own boss and can do it on your own time. Stop talking about that great novel you haven’t written yet, and write it! You don’t want to lose excited energy by telling everyone about it. Write it out, don’t talk it out.Whether or not you write your novel, make sure you set yourself down work on your craft daily.CHECK OUT VIP IGNITE’S FREE MODEL AND ACTOR BOOTCAMPhttps://vipignitesummit.comFOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VIPIGNITEhttps://vipignitelive.com/CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/vipigniteliveCHECK US OUT ON INSTAGRAMhttps://www.instagram.com/vipigniteCHECK US OUT ON TWITTER:https://www.twitter.com/vipigniteCHECK OUT THE HOLLYWOOD MINDSET WEBSITE HERE:https://www.hollywoodmindset.comCHECK OUT THE COFFEE IN THE GREEN ROOM PODCAST HERE:https://www.coffeeinthegreenroom.comCHECK OUT THE VIP IGNITE LIVE PODCAST HERE:https://www.vipignitelivepodcast.comCHECK OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING HERE:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLzqEyOGiBnMwTyocXsmB8oyki-Sz22zTSupport the show (https://ammsociety.com/webinar-registration-34135909)

This week, Fiona joined by Matt, Nat, Josh, and Strat from the Merely Roleplayers Podcast for ‘Sleepaway’, a game of horror, dreams, and summer camp, written by Jay Dragon.In ‘Sleepaway’, players play as camp counselors at a not-so-ordinary summer camp besieged by a strange and ominous cryptid known as the Lindworm. Isolated from civilization, the summer camp is seen as a beacon of safety, a refuge for misfit kids defined by their marginalization. As counselors of this summer camp, the players have each been traumatized by the Lindworm, in their own way. Whilst they remember little of that time, they don’t want anyone else to suffer at the hands of the Lindworm, and they’ll do anything to keep the camp safe no matter what.You can find out more information about ‘Sleepaway’ and Jay Dragon’s other products on itch.io.Timestamps:Merely Roleplayers Trailer: 00:00:00Intro: 00:00:47Gameplay overview - Character Creation: 00:02:39Character Creation: 00:03:33Gameplay overview - Moves: 00:50:18Gameplay overview - Setting Elements: 00:51:58Setting Elements: 00:53:11The Lindworm: 00:57:49Inviting the Lindworm to the one-shot: 00:59:57Gameplay overview - Creating the summer camp: 01:01:27Creating the summer camp: 01:01:45Outro and credits: 01:23:48CreditsThe 'What Am I Rolling?' podcast was created, recorded, and edited by Fiona Howat.The WAIR logo was created by Fiona Howat.This episode’s players were Matt Boothman, Natalie Winter, Josh Yard, and Richard Stratton Matt Boothman, Natalie Winter, Josh Yard, and Richard Stratton from the Merely Roleplayers Podcast.This episode’s RPG one-shot was ‘Sleepaway’, a game of horror, dreams, and summer camp, written by Jay Dragon. You can find out more information about ‘Sleepaway’ and Jay Dragon’s other products on itch.io.The theme music was '8-bit march' by Twin Musicom (twinmusicom.org), licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 License.The additional music in this episode:‘Seclusion’ by The Tides‘Amber’ by VYEN‘Maestro Tlakaelel’ by Jesse GallagherIf you want to find out more about the podcast, check out the 'What Am I Rolling?' podcast website: www.WAIRpodcast.com.Fancy getting in touch? Email the podcast at whatamIrollingpodcast[@]gmail.com.Follow the podcast on Twitter and Instagram (@WAIR_Podcast) for the latest news on episodes.#AdventurersNeedNotApply

On this episode of the VIP Ignite Live podcast, Deneen White interviews award-winning writer, filmmaker and producer Richard Stratton. He shares some of the dangerous experiences he's had along his path to success. He also shares secrets he's learned as a writer that any actor, model, and musician can apply to their career...and the simplicity of those secrets will shock you.Make sure you check out this episode of the VIP Ignite podcast.CHECK OUT VIP IGNITE'S FREE MODEL AND ACTOR BOOTCAMPhttps://vipignitesummit.comFOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VIP IGNITE https://vipignitelive.com/CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/vipigniteliveCHECK US OUT ON INSTAGRAMhttps://www.instagram.com/vipigniteCHECK US OUT ON TWITTER:https://www.twitter.com/vipigniteCHECK OUT THE HOLLYWOOD MINDSET WEBSITE HERE:https://www.hollywoodmindset.comCHECK OUT THE COFFEE IN THE GREEN ROOM PODCAST HERE:https://www.coffeeinthegreenroom.comCHECK OUT THE VIP IGNITE LIVE PODCAST HERE: https://www.vipignitelivepodcast.comCHECK OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING HERE:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLzqEyOGiBnMwTyocXsmB8oyki-Sz22zT

Let’s be honest, in the entertainment industry, it’s not who you know, but who knows you. Just like in the mafia.In this episode of Coffee In The Green Room, Deneen White interviews award-winning writer, filmmaker and producer Richard Stratton. Richard explains the writing process and what it is takes to be a successful writer, produce and filmmaker. The secrets he shares may surprise you.If it’s still in your mind, it is worth taking the risk.– Paulo CoelhoIf you find yourself sharing all of your ideas and goals, you have to listen to this episode to find out what one small tweak you can make that will change your life forever.CHECK OUT VIP IGNITE’S FREE MODEL AND ACTOR BOOTCAMPhttps://vipignitesummit.comCHECK OUT OUR FREE WEB CLASS HERE: https://ammsociety.com/webinar-registration-3413590936832485CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/vipigniteliveCHECK US OUT ON INSTAGRAMhttps://www.instagram.com/vipigniteCHECK US OUT ON TWITTER:https://www.twitter.com/vipigniteCHECK OUT THE HOLLYWOOD MINDSET WEBSITE HERE:https://www.hollywoodmindset.comCHECK OUT THE COFFEE IN THE GREEN ROOM PODCAST WEBSITE HERE:https://www.coffeeinthegreenroom.comCHECK OUT THE VIP IGNITE LIVE PODCAST HERE: https://www.vipignitelivepodcast.comCHECK OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING HERE:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLzqEyOGiBnMwTyocXsmB8oyki-Sz22zTSupport the show (https://ammsociety.com/webinar-registration-34135909)

In this episode we discuss the day Paul made contact with Richard Stratton in the Hoa Lo Prison, the East German propaganda movie Pilots In Pajamas, and the photo of Paul that Life Magazine purchased from the East Germans which they later used as their October 1967 cover after deceptively altering that photo. At the very end of this episode you will also get to hear one of my favorite Paul Galanti flying stories which took place many years later, after he returned from Vietnam. *Here's the link which shows the Life Magazine cover using the altered photo along with two original photos which shows what Paul was really doing during the East German photo shoot:* https://www.facebook.com/TheYankeeAirPirate/posts/297581834993194

When the curtain closes, will the company be left to watch the world unravel, or in a position to weave something new?Programme notesCheck out Blackshaw Theatre Company's audio drama productions at the Wandsworth Arts Fringe In Your Living Room festival:Some Treachery: A Miss McSkimming Mystery by Richard StrattonAudience with the Ghost Finder by M. J. Starling (that's an old pen name of Matt's!)The Final Adventure of Frankie Fightwell by Chris BuxeyBlack Shuck by Duncan HandsGreat Expectations, adapted from Charles Dickens' novel in association with Cyphers TheatreOur promo this episode is for Dames and Dragons, a tale about banding together with your friends to battle gods who are terrible people, told using Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition.Season creditsSTARRING Ellie Pitkin, Alex Pankhurst, Josh Yard and Dave; Chris Starkey, Chris Buxey and Chris; Helen Stratton, Ellen Gould, Natalie Winter and Strat as themselves (sort of) (various)SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCES BY Ellie Pitkin as Nia and The Space Jam Continuum podcast's Chris MacLennan as CANDICEGAME DESIGNED AND RUN BY Matt Boothman, using the Powered by the Apocalypse engineMUSIC BY Matt BoothmanEDITED AND PRODUCED BY Matt BoothmanIN ASSOCIATION WITH Blackshaw Theatre CompanyFind usOn Twitter @MerelyRoleplayOn Facebook at Merely Roleplayerswww.MerelyRoleplayers.com

Author: Richard Stratton Book: IN THE WORLD: From the Big House to Hollywood Publishing: Arcade (February 4, 2020) Synopsis (from the Publisher): The Hollywood Ending of an Adrenaline-Filled and, By Turns, Harrowing and Funny Odyssey of Crime and Redemption in America’s War on Drugs Smuggler’s Blues, the first book in Richard Stratton’s memoir of his […] The post RICHARD STRATTON – IN THE WORLD: From the Big House to Hollywood appeared first on KSCJ 1360.

Embattled and desperate aboard the Air Errol, the company race to send their friends on to safety.Programme notesWatch the National Theatre's production of Jane Eyre on Youtube until Thursday 16 AprilWatch the Globe Theatre's production of Hamlet on Youtube until Sunday 19 AprilLook out for weekly new monologues by Philip Ridley on Tramp Theatre's Youtube channelFind audio dramas like Some Treachery: A Miss McSkimming Mystery by Richard Stratton and The Final Adventure of Frankie Fightwell in the Blackshaw Arts Hour podcast feedCheck out The Isolation Sessions on the Ragged Scratch podcastOur promo this episode is for Seasons of Skyrend, a weekly custom Dungeons & Dragons podcast and fellow member of the UK & Ireland TTRPG Podcasters community.Season creditsSTARRING Ellie Pitkin, Alex Pankhurst, Josh Yard and Dave; Chris Starkey, Chris Buxey and Chris; Helen Stratton, Ellen Gould, Natalie Winter and Strat as themselves (sort of) (various)SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCES BY Ellie Pitkin as Nia and The Space Jam Continuum podcast's Chris MacLennan as CANDICEGAME DESIGNED AND RUN BY Matt Boothman, using the Powered by the Apocalypse engineMUSIC BY Matt BoothmanEDITED AND PRODUCED BY Matt BoothmanIN ASSOCIATION WITH Blackshaw Theatre CompanyFind usOn Twitter @MerelyRoleplayOn Facebook at Merely Roleplayerswww.MerelyRoleplayers.com

Frank talks with Richard Stratton about his new book: "In The World: From the Big House to Hollywood".  If you missed the first part of their discussion, you can listen to it here https://omny.fm/shows/morano-in-the-morning/6am-hour-february-23rd-richard-stratton-on-going-f

To save the future, the company must learn to call on their past. Trouble is, it's an all-or-nothing proposition - you can't bring back the good bits without the bits that haunt you...Programme notesListen to Some Treachery: A Miss McSkimming Mystery on The Blackshaw Arts Hour podcast.Trouble at Sea: A Miss McSkimming Mystery is at the Bedford in Balham, south London on Sunday 10 May. It's a Blackshaw Theatre Company production, written by Richard Stratton and starring Natalie Winter. Find out more here - tickets on sale soon!Listen to seasons 1 and 2 of the Ragged Scratch podcast - and if you like what you hear, consider supporting the show on Patreon.Our promo this episode is for Darker Days Radio, our colleagues from the UK & Ireland TTRPG Podcasters community.Season creditsSTARRING Ellie Pitkin, Alex Pankhurst, Josh Yard and Dave; Chris Starkey, Chris Buxey and Chris; Helen Stratton, Ellen Gould, Natalie Winter and Strat as themselves (sort of) (various)SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCES BY Ellie Pitkin as Nia and The Space Jam Continuum podcast's Chris MacLennan as CANDICEGAME DESIGNED AND RUN BY Matt Boothman, using the Powered by the Apocalypse engineMUSIC BY Matt BoothmanEDITED AND PRODUCED BY Matt BoothmanIN ASSOCIATION WITH Blackshaw Theatre CompanyFind usOn Twitter @MerelyRoleplayOn Facebook at Merely Roleplayerswww.MerelyRoleplayers.com

After being convicted on marijuana and hashish smuggling charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison under the 'kingpin statute,' Richard Stratton devoted himself to learning about the law in the prison library. Eventually, he filed affidavits, represented himelf in court and, after eight years of incarceration, got his conviction overturned. Hear how Stratton became a marijuana kingpin, a prisoner of the war on drugs, and a skilled legal representative for himself and others behind bars. Today he is a producer, director and writer for film and televison, and he has authored a memoir trilogy of books (Smuggler's Blues, Kingpin and In the World) about his eventful life.

6am hour February 23rd: Richard Stratton on going from Prison to Movie producer

In the early 1950s, the U.S. government purchased the world’s supply of LSD as just the first step in a debauched program code-named MK-ULTRA. In an exclusive interview, Ike Feldman, one of the operations kingpins, talks to Richard Stratton about deadly viruses, spys, and bad trips. “I was a very minor missionary, actually a heretic, but I toiled wholeheartedly in the vineyards because it was fun, fun, fun. Where else could a red-blooded American boy lie, kill, cheat, steal, rape, and pillage with the sanction and blessing of the All-Highest?” CIA contract agent George Hunter White Welcome To Lewt News. This is Just the tip of a much larger story...As this story paints a picture in your mind only you can determine your own conclusion...now enjoy the rest of the episode.   [Like The Podcast? Support It] patreon.com/lewtnews *Don't Forget To Review On iTunes and Google* --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lewtnews/message

Well, we kinda lied and said we wouldn’t have a podcast this Friday. Turns out, we recorded one anyways. This week, we take a dive into Libellus Sanguinis 2: Keepers of the Word. This sourcebook covers three clans of the Dark Ages: Toreador, Tremere, and Brujah. Book one details the Toreador of the Dark Ages, art in the Dark Medieval world, religion and the Courts of Love. Book two explores the Usurper clan’s attempt to be viewed as legitimate, their internal organization, spread across Europe, and the Telyavelics. Book three details the Brujah and their roots in pre-Carthage. It also explores the role philosophy and Olympian ideals, as well as their current status in the Dark Medieval world. Libellus Sanguinis 2: Keepers of the Word was written by Cynthia Summers, Richard Stratton, and Jackie Cassada. It was published October 1, 1998 by White Wolf Studios.

Frank Morano discusses the debate over legalizing marijuana with former drug smuggler and author Richard Stratton and Dr. Thomas Madejski, the President of the Medical Society of the State of New York. 

Writer/producer Elle Johnson is currently an Executive Producer on the Amazon series Bosch. Previously she has worked on other TV series including CSI: Miami, Law & Order, Ghost Whisperer, Saving Grace and The Glades. Listen to this episode to find out how a New York City parole officer's daughter became a Los Angeles TV writer. Watch episodes of Bosch. Read more about The Passionistas Project. ----more---- FULL TRANSCRIPT: Passionistas: [00:00:00] Hi and welcome to the Passionistas Project Podcast. We're Amy and Nancy Harrington and if you enjoy listening to the show, please consider becoming a patron. Just a small donation of one dollar a month can help us keep the project going and you'll get rewards like buttons, access to premium content and invites to Passionistas Project events. Today we're talking to writer/producer Elle Johnson. In addition to her current role as Executive Producer on the Amazon series Bosch, Elle has worked on the TV series CSI: Miami, Law and Order, Ghost Whisperer, Saving Grace and The Glades. So please welcome to the show Elle Johnson. Elle Johnson: Thank you it's really wonderful to be here. Passionistas: What are you most passionate about? Elle Johnson: [00:00:40] This is going to sound bizarrely selfish but I am most passionate about telling my stories. I have gotten to a point in my career, in my life, where I realized that the way I best communicate with the world and also the way I best process life is through telling stories. Writing them down. I came to writing late in life, or later I wasn't one of these people who started out as a kid and knew that I just wanted to be a writer. I had to discover that for myself. And once I discovered that that was the thing that made me happiest, I just wanted to learn how to be the best writer I could be and tell stories the best way that I could. As I've written I've come to realized that I'm what I would refer to as a method writer in that I like to have an experience with something. So in order for me to write about something I feel like if I haven't already had a personal experience with it or some involvement with it, I like to go out and get that personal experience with it and kind of use that to inform my writing. And so that's enabled me to learn about everything and anything in the world that I want to and kind of insert myself into situations that I have no understanding of or no business being a part of. But suddenly I can learn about another part of the world. And to me that is I think the thing that drives me as a writer is being able to find stories that I can make my own and tell my stories. Passionistas: [00:02:19] How do you translate that into what you do for a living? Elle Johnson: [00:02:23] The great thing about being a television writer is so much of writing TV is exploring other worlds. And I primarily write cop shows. My dad was a parole officer in Manhattan for 30 years. My uncles were homicide detectives. I have a lot of law enforcement in my family and so I'm really comfortable with that world and also kind of with that character. It's a very particular personality who goes into law enforcement. I really feel like I understand that. So while I generally have ended up working on cop show. And when you do a cop show, usually what happens is you have the detectives kind of walking in and out of different worlds. Whoever the victims are, whoever the suspects are you're usually entering their world. And that's what makes it fascinating for me because it makes it, I get to enter worlds. I get to decide OK this this week I want to discover what's going on in the world of fashion or in the world of anthropologists or just whatever it is. And then you get to do kind of a deep dive and really explore that. And the best experience or one of the best experiences that I had in my career was working on a show called The Glades. And we had been approached about or asked by the network if we could find a way to do a story about NASCAR. And I said, "I'm a black girl from Queens. I don't know anything about NASCAR." But I started to do research and I realized it was this incredible world that in many ways was similar to being a writer or being in television in that they worked, most of the year. Like their season was I think you know 10 out of 12 months and the intensity of it and the passion with which they approached it I thought, "OK I kind of get what this world is." And I went to the Daytona 500 as part of my research and NASCAR opened their doors to me. They got me a hot pass. I was in the pits. I was meeting drivers. I was in the garages all of a sudden. And I just fell in love with this world and started going to races. And writing that episode I really had to kind of have my own experience with NASCAR and it ended up being a fantastic experience. NASCAR gave us cars to put it in our show. They gave us the trucks. We shot at a Homestead in Miami. We had four drivers in our episode. And it just ended up taking over my life. But it was such a wonderful experience because I really got to do a deep dive and understand that world. So much so that they invited me at the end of the year to their championship dinner and put me on panels and flew me out to Las Vegas to participate. And it's just like I was included in this family and that's exactly the kind of experience I want to have as a writer where you say, "OK I don't know anything about this world but I'm going to find out about this world." And I really found out about a great. Passionistas: [00:05:25] Tell us your path to becoming a writer/producer. Elle Johnson: [00:05:27] I really didn't know what I want to do after college. And the smartest thing I did. Through all of the mistakes that I've made was saying to myself that I needed to take time to figure out what my passion was. Like what it was that I really wanted to do. So right after college I rode a bicycle across country with a group of students called the Ride for Life and we were raising money for Oxfam America and Save the Children. So it was during that bike ride where we biked back from San Francisco to Boston that I just kind of allowed myself to think about what do I want to do with my life? And being on the road on a bicycle, seeing the country thinking, seeing the country and meeting all kinds of different people and really just seeing how other people lived, helps me to understand that I had stories that I wanted to tell. At the end of the ride, I ended up taking a job working at the American University in Cairo — an intern at the school. And I started my job was to write grant proposals for Egyptian students like soliciting American companies primarily like Raytheon. A lot of kind of defense contractors who were giving money to educate Egyptian students. And so I started, that was kind of my first quote unquote writing job writing those grants and proposals. And while I was in Egypt I just started writing stories about my life in the states like short stories. When I got back to the states I got a job as a technical writer for a small company called Lutan Technologies that had created the computer program that allowed the Bank of Boston to track asset backed securities. I know this sounds crazy. It was that it was the computer program that allowed them to track their home mortgage loans or mortgage loans. And it was one of the first computer programs that did that and it was a startup company. I mean I didn't realize I was in a startup computer company but I was. And I was tasked with writing the technical manual to explain to the bankers how to use the system. I was a fine arts major. So this was not in my wheelhouse at all but I needed to use the system and figure out how to write it clearly so that people could understand. So I sort of started doing a little bit of technical writing and while I was doing technical writing I realized this was not the type of writing I wanted to do. I wanted to write stories and short stories. So I applied for a Rotary scholarship to go to the University of East Anglia in England and learn creative writing. I did that for a year and started writing screenplays and while I was in England I was like, "Okay I've tried all these different types of writing. I want to try to get into film and television." So I went back to New York where I'm from and managed to get a job on a television show as a script coordinator, was my first job in television. I did not know what a script coordinator was but they said don't worry about it will teach you what it is and it's basically using the computer program to generate the scripts that someone showed me how to do it. And all of a sudden I was surrounded by these professional television writers and working very closely with them and taking notes for them and working on the scripts and seeing how scripts come together and I was like, "Okay this is what I want to do." I want to write TV for the reason that I saw that there was so much that you could learn every day as you're trying to write your episode. And also unlike film, television you have to produce a script. Like what you write is going to be produced because they need something for air. So something's going on the air whether it's good or bad and you're going to have something going on the air. And I thought this is great. This is a way to actually get your stuff made. And that was really my entree into writing for television. And when I was writing on this show I met a writer by the name of Eric Overmeyer who became my mentor and has helped me throughout my career. He gave me my very first job in television and he's hired me on other shows including Bosch where he was the showrunner. He also hired me to work on Law and Order. He got me a job on a show called Street Time that was about parole officers and parolees which he knew was in my wheelhouse because my dad was a parole officer. So through that one job basically I found my mentor and kind of got my career. Passionistas: [00:10:05] And what show was that? Elle Johnson: [00:10:07] It was a show called The Cosby Mysteries staring Mr. Bill Cosby as a forensic expert in the NYPD. It was a very quirky show. His character had a housekeeper who had been a dancer and she was a very eccentric woman who never clean the house and she was played by Rita Moreno. He had a sidekick who was a young African-American kid who, the actor's name was Dante Beze and he left the show to become Mos Def. So it was just in terms of the people who were involved with it was kind of incredible. And on that show were a bunch of writers also who who worked on Law and Order. And it filmed in New York on Pier 62 which at that time, before it got built up into the pier that it is now, was kind of well known as a Mafia dumping ground for bodies. Just like abandoned pier situation that has since been refurbished and is now a place where a lot of television shows shoot. But it was kind of like the one hour drama ghetto. Law and Order was filming out of there and a show called Homicide was filming out of there. And Eric Overmeyer who was a writer on The Cosby Mysteries when that show got cancelled went to work on Homicide. And I at that time was just trying to figure out how to actually become a working writer — make the jump from being a script coordinator to a working writer. So I'd moved out to L.A. and Eric Overmeyer and Tom Fontana were like, "Oh okay she's serious about becoming a writer because she actually moved out there." So Eric approached me about writing an episode of Homicide. And I was so grateful for the opportunity to do a freelance. He was doing something that at the time I didn't realize how incredible a gesture it was. He offered to split a script with me. Which I now realize is taking money out of his own pocket to give me an opportunity. But at that time Homicide was an NBC show and it was always on the bubble. They never knew if they were going to come back or not. So he offered me this with the caveat that they didn't know if they were going to have enough episodes or not. And as it turned out they ended up saying you know we can't give you an episode because we have a writer on the show and her grandfather was a writer and he needed a credit to keep his health insurance which is a situation that happens all too frequently in this business. You know it's so hard to have a consistent career and sometimes you just need to do a freelance episode to keep your health insurance. And I totally understood that. So they were gonna give him the episode that was supposed to go to me. His name was Julius Epstein. And if you know anything about writing you know that he is one of the twins who wrote Casablanca. So if I had to be bumped by anybody needed health insurance I was like, that's totally fine go for it. During the course of all of this happening Jerry Seinfeld decided that he was not going to continue with Seinfeld. So he told NBC. And NBC basically panicked and picked up all of their shows including Homicide. So all of a sudden they had more episodes so the guys say Homicide came back to me and said, "Oh we can give you an episode you can have one." I was like great. So I ended up writing the first part of a two parter. It was the ninety ninth episode. It was a big shoot out in the station. And they'd also said to me they wanted to do a story in the world of parole. And so they knew that I was a parole officer's daughter and that I would have a bunch of stories. So I went through my mental file of all the stories my dad had ever told me and came up with this story a very personal story to him that had really influenced him. There was one of the few parole officers killed in the line of duty in New York. He was gunned down in the streets by his parolee. So I kind of knew a little bit of the inside story of who they thought it was and why it had happened. And so I basically just pitched them that story and that was the story that I ended up writing. My first episode of television. It was directed by Kathryn Bigelow. It was a great experience and a great way to get my feet wet in television. Passionistas: [00:14:42] So then how do you make the transition from writer to producer? Elle Johnson: [00:14:46] Making the transition from getting a freelance episode to staff writer is the first difficulty as well. So I was already in Los Angeles when I got this freelance episode. But I was working as a secretary at Sony Animation. And my boss was a lovely gentleman who understood that I wanted to be a writer and that this was kind of a day job for me. And that I was going to get out of there at 5 and go home and start writing. I had written this freelance episode and was in the process of just trying to get a staff job. The writer who helped me was a gentleman named Kevin Arkadine. A friend of my sister's who was in the industry got in touch with him and said, "Will you read this woman's samples and give her notes? She's trying to get into the business." And Kevin said to me later that he does this favor once a year for people. So I was once a year favor of reading my script. He gave me notes. I didn't agree with all of the notes but I executed all of the notes because he'd spent the time to give me notes and I thought I want to show him that I can execute his notes. So he did his notes and gave him the script back and he was impressed. And when he got his own show he called me to come in and interview to be a writer. And that ended up being my first staff job on television. And he'd said to me because I had not only taken his notes but executed them, that he knew that I could do the job because I'd already kind of proven it to him. So it was a show called Rescue 77. It was about firefighters and it was another great experience because we, I knew nothing about firefighters especially firefighters in L.A. So one of the first things that they had to do was go out on ride along with various fire departments. Sleep over in the station houses. I mean it was incredible in terms of doing research. And I went to a bunch of different station houses and rode with the paramedics and the firefighters. And they loved having people because according to them, it seemed busy to me, but according to the firefighters inevitably have when you have a ride along nothing happens. So it was like a superstition like great somebody in a station house so it's going to be quiet nothing's going to happen we'll be able to sit down and have dinner. It seemed busy to me but to them they're like others is the great we're not getting as many calls because you're here. But it was just kind of my entree into the power of being able to call someone up and say, "Hey I'm writing a television show. Can I come and do some research?" And then like the door gets opened and suddenly you're invited into all kinds of people's different worlds. And you can see how they do their jobs and how they live. So that was my first staff writer job and I have been lucky enough to have worked every year since then. I've always had either a job on staff or have managed to sell a piece of development. That show Rescue 77, I think we only lasted five episodes. So this was at a time when it was primarily network television. We were on I think it was the UPN, like the Paramount Network, but there weren't too many choices in terms of television at that time. So we're dealing with a network and it was my first experience of being on a set and feeling the panic when network executive shows up unannounced which I then learned means that you're going to be canceled. Like at first you think, "Oh how wonderful they're coming to check up on your show." And then all of the more seasoned people are like, oh no, this is what this means, because they don't ever come to check up after a certain point especially not like on the fifth episode. So we were canceled when the network executive showed up and everyone's like all right we're canceled. So after that you know I had an agent and my agent was great in terms of getting me onto my next gig. Passionistas: [00:18:55] At what point did you make the step to be a producer as well? Elle Johnson: [00:18:58] So on Rescue 77 I was a staff writer and then I went on another show. I think I was a staff writer again on a show called Ryan Caufield which is a show about a 21-year-old rookie police officer. And that was another show again that lasted I think I think we got canceled after maybe seven or eight episodes. At that point I was able to get on a show called Any Day Now, which was more a character driven show starred Annie Potts and Lorraine Toussant as friends, two women who had grown up together in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement. And it kind of followed their lives when they were little girls and also adult women. And we cut back and forth between their lives and their stories and it was a great show. I was a story editor on that and I stayed on that show for two years and made it into the Co-Producer ranks before Annie Potts decided that she she wanted to stop acting for a while. I think that lasted for a year and then she did another show. But because that show went down. I kind of ended it as a Co-Producer. And at that point Eric Overmeyer stepped back into my life. He'd met a gentleman who was doing a show about parole officers. The gentleman named Richard Stratton who had been like America's biggest pot smuggler had done 20 or was sentenced to 25 years in the federal pen for smuggling pot and he found a loophole in his sentencing and got out. And of course with that kind of background the only place that will take you was Hollywood. So he was able to sell his show about his experiences being a parolee and being a pot smuggler. And he'd met with Eric looking for writers. And Eric was like I have just the person for you about a show that includes a parole officer and his parolee. And so I met with Richard Stratton and he ended up hiring me to be on the show called Street Time which was a Showtime show that was like completely in my wheelhouse. It was so great we got to tell a lot of my dad's stories. You know a lot of kind of parole stories that I don't think I would have ever been able to put anywhere else because they were so specific. And it was a really interesting experience for me as a young writer. It was a very small room. I think we had I think we had there were only four of us in total. And I was the only writer kind of in a lower level producer range everybody else was an EP or a Co-EP but very seasoned writers but they didn't have the same experience as I did having a parole officer for a father. And a lot of the show also dealt with the families of the parolee and the parole officers. So I know I had a ton of stories and kind of understood what it was like to be raised in a parole officer's house. And in terms of building confidence and navigating that experience I was interesting to be in the room with Richard and myself and then these kind of TV writers who were used to writing cop shows and they'd be like, OK well in this episode you know we had a storyline where one of the parole officers had to kill a parolee in the line of duty. And the other writers were talking about how, "Yeah we want to do a follow up episode where the parole officer is kind of wracked by guilt over having had to kill this parolee and how that affects him." And I remember Richard and I looked at each other and started laughing and we're like, "That's not how the parole officer feels." And we were kind of just talking about from our experiences what we knew would have been going on and the parole officers had it's like it's him or me. This is part of the job. He's not racked with guilt. He did what he had to do. And so it was interesting to be in a situation where even though there's a lower level writer I kind of had experiences that could make the show more authentic. And that was another show where I met met a writer, a wonderful writer named Clifton Campbell who then became definitely another mentor to me and has hired me on other jobs. He was the creator and showrunner of the show called The Glades. That he then hired me to work on because we had such a good experience working together on Street Time. So a lot of it is relationships. A lot of it for me is getting into a room and doing the job and doing the job well with integrity knowing that you are mimicking somebody else's voice. You're there to make the showrunner job easier your job is as much as you want to infuse the stories with parts of yourself and tell your stories which I definitely want to do your main job is to execute the show and help the showrunner and get the voice of the show. So having learned that and having learned how to do that, that's always kind of kept me in good stead because I feel like people value that I'm going to come on a show and really try to give them what they need and what they want so that they're not constantly having to rewrite me. That they know that I'm going to try and hand in a script that's going to be as close to their voice as possible. As network ready as possible. And through that experience I kind of started to develop a set of rules for myself about how to how to be in a room what I wanted to be in terms of a writer. And I remember early on just through observation and how I interacted on a staff. I came up with three rules that seemed to be the way that you had to comport yourself in a writers room. One was even if you didn't respect someone you always had to respectful because I want to be respected. But even if I don't agree with someone or I think you know always treat people with respect. The second thing was to do every note even if I don't agree with the note our I don't think it's going to work. I have to try it and prove it. Like execute the note. If it doesn't really work then at least you can say I didn't. It doesn't work. I tried it. I've really tried it but then it might work. Find a way to make it work. So execute every note. And my last rule was more of a self-preservation one which was the money always wins. Which is you know we're artists we all want to we try to be good craftsmen you want to write something that's artful but at the end of the day you know the Medici is paying for them the Medici is the studio and the network and if they want something you have to give it to them because you'll get the note once and you might be like ah, I'm not going to. I'm not going to do that. And then you'll get the note again and you'll get the note and you'll get the note and you'll get the note until you execute the note or they fire you. So the money always wins. So you know we're there to not only execute the vision of a creator of a show but to provide a brand to provide something that the network is buying. And you have to find a way to maintain your integrity. Tell stories that you want to tell but also give the people who are buying it what they want. Passionistas: [00:26:46] We're Amy Nancy Harrington and you're listening to the Passionistas Project Podcast and our interview with Elle Johnson. Check out Elle's work on the TV series Bosch on Amazon.com, Now here's more of our conversation with Elle. What challenges do you feel like you've faced as a woman and as a black woman in Hollywood? Elle Johnson: [00:27:04] My experience as a woman of color writing in Hollywood has been I am... The reason I get in the room is because they're looking for a woman of color. They are specifically looking to fill that quota. They either feel like they have, there's a female character in the show so they're like oh we need a woman's perspective. There's a minority character in the show that they feel like they need that perspective and I kind of click off a couple of boxes for them. That's the reason that I get the first job usually. But then the reason that I get hired again by the same people is because I'm good. Yes I feel like that in a weird way, it's you know it feels like okay, maybe I'm being hired for something that seems like well it's limiting. But once they get in the door it's like I realized that my responsibility is to prove that I can write the show and write it really well. And also bring a perspective that people might not have. I know some writers feel like oh you don't want to be that person in the room where you're always pitching the black story or their gender story. And I feel the opposite way I feel like that's my responsibility. It's my... because nobody else is going to tell those stories. People are not... and I understand that to a degree when you're in a room and it's predominantly white men. They're not thinking from that perspective. So I have to bring that perspective. And always point out, "Hey there's another way of looking at this situation." Or you know this character has no life. I've been in rooms where you know you have kind of the black female character. She's usually a lieutenant. An interesting thing kind of happens where you're on a show and they're staffing a show and people will realize that they they're not representing women or they're not. You know they want to have a person of color. And that and usually that person is usually delegated to like the lieutenant or somebody who's not there on the periphery there. They're there in a high position. But you don't end up having to tell a lot of stories about them because they're not the main focus. I remember hearing someone joking about how if you watch television you would think that every judge in America is a black woman because that's what they cast because it's like, "oh right we need to put a black woman in here" or "we need to put a person of color." So they stick them into a role that you really don't get to see the full life of that person. There are a mouthpiece. You know they have a position of power but it's in terms of the story it's not really ever the main focus of the story. So I've been in situations and shows where you have the lieutenants or you know that that one character where it's like you don't go home with them. They seem to have no life. It's almost as though they only exist in the gaze of the main lead character who's usually a white man. And I feel like my job is to try to fill that character out. Like what do they do when they go home. I've been on shows where I've said, "If this character for our Christmas episode ends up having Christmas with the main character because they have no family or friends I'm going to slash my wrists." Like this is completely ridiculous. This person has loved ones. They have friends. They have a life outside of this office. Please do not make them show up at somebody else's Christmas. Let's give them a life. And let's make a bigger story for them. So I feel like that is part of my job. To fill out the world of these other characters and say you know there's more going on with them than just the job. Let's do for these characters as we do for all the other characters. Passionistas: [00:30:54] Do you have a mantra that you live by? Elle Johnson: [00:30:57] Over the years I have had several mantras. It's really interesting that you ask that because I I'm a person who likes to make New Year's resolutions. So I like I love the holidays. I love December because I start to close out the year mentally and reflect on what I've done and start to think about what I'm going to do next year. And project into the next year. And over the course of my career, particularly when I first started out, I would come up with these mantras that I'd be like okay this is the mantra for the year going forward. And I remember one of my earlier ones was "You know it you must do. It's inside of you for a reason. Don't deny yourself any longer." And I would say that to myself every day. Like I'd wake up and be like "OK. You know what you must do. It's Inside of you for a reason. Don't deny yourself any longer." And that's how I kind of got myself to be a writer. And one of my other mantras was it had to do with... "There's magic in the ether. You can do whatever you want. And you're responsible for whatever you have or don't have." But I love the idea of you know sometimes you look at a situation you look at like how do I become a television writer? How do I do this? How do people do this? And for me it was there's magic in the ether. You just got to go for the magic. There's there's something out there, I don't know, I can't explain how it happens but I'm going to believe that there's magic in the ether. And I'm going to make it happen somehow. Right now it's you know December I'm kind of trying to figure out what my mantra for the year going forward is. Two years ago my mantra was "This is the year that you're going to fail at everything. And I decided that I was just going to start swinging hard. I knew I was going to fail. This is the year that you can make mistakes. You're going to fail. You're going to fall on your face and it's OK. But you got to take those big swings, big risks for big rewards. So my mantra was "This is the year that you fail at everything." And I really approached it as just try to try and allow yourself to fail miserably and see what happens. Passionistas: [00:33:18] How did it turn out? Elle Johnson: [00:33:18] It was great. You know, that was a year when I believe I had started pitching pilots for the first time. And I sold a pilot like my first time out it was an amazing experience. But I was willing to fail. And that was also one of the things that someone had said to me early on in my career when I first moved out to Los Angeles from New York he said you have to gamble Vegas style. You've picked something that you know it's impossible. There's no reason why you should succeed at this. So you're already gambling. So if you're going to gamble don't do scratch off if you're going to gamble gamble all of it. All of it go all end. Gamble Vegas style. And I was like You're right that's how you do it just go all in. There's no plan B. This is working. I'm spending everything on the table and that mindset of like this has to work because what else I going to do that works. Passionistas: [00:34:24] So the journey so far what do you consider the most courageous thing you did? Elle Johnson: [00:34:29] Moving out to L.A. I know I was... I'm a born and bred New Yorker... Didn't learn to drive 'til I was 21. The idea of having to come to a city where I owned a car and car insurance that alone was like, "How do people do that? What is that? I don't understand that. There's no subway? How will I exist here?" So the decision to leave my life in New York which included a boyfriend who was a neurosurgeon and African-American. My mother wanted to kill me like that relationship. I ended that relationship because I realized I that wasn't my life. I had to try this. I had to come out to L.A. and my parents were not supportive at all. They like you're insane you're ruining your life. We're watching you ruin your life and getting on a plane and coming out to sleep on somebody's couch with no job. And I'm like I'm just going to get a day job and trying right. Passionistas: [00:35:38] Worked out okay. Elle Johnson: [00:35:38] Yeah it worked. It worked out. Yes. Passionistas: [00:35:42] Have you ever thought of quitting? Elle Johnson: [00:35:45] No. Once I started it was like I'm doing this. This is you know I tell people who young writers who are coming up like, "Don't get out of line. Once you're in line don't get out of line because the person behind you is going to take your spot. You're going to move up. Just stay in line and keep doing what you're doing. You only fail when you stop trying. So just don't stop trying. It's still trying. You're still you can still do it. Keep stay in line and keep doing what you're doing." Passionistas: [00:36:16] What's your secret to a rewarding life? Elle Johnson: [00:36:19] Secret to a rewarding life is finding a way somehow to do what I want to do which is write. Finding a way to tell my stories and within my career early on I realized that I had to learn craft to get on shows that would challenge me even if it wasn't exactly the type of show that I wanted to write. Finding a way to express myself and to learn craft and really write well. So that now, 20 years in, I'm at a place where I kind of look around and not that I can pick and choose but that I can be more selective in terms of the things that I do. So you know as I get older I just realizing you only had a limited time and what do you want to spend time doing taking shows that maybe have fewer episodes but you love the material. This last year I've been an Executive Producer on Bosche which is a dream job. A show that I love. It's just writing about L.A. Writing about cops in L.A. Writing the Harry Bosch character. Getting to work with Michael Connelly who's in our room is an amazing experience. And working with Eric Overmeyer again who was the showrunner who brought me on. It just it was an incredible experience. But I only did half a year this year so that I could work on another show... Helped develop another show about Madame C.J. Walker. Which is she was the first African American millionaire in the late 1800s early 1800s. And telling her story of how she created an empire of haircare products for black women. It's just such an amazing story and I had to do it. I've really wanted to work on this show. The only way I could do it was if I spent half of my time on Bosch and the other half working on this show. So I was co-running it with a woman named Janine Sherman Barrois, who runs a show called Claws. We were both in our writers room she was on Claws. I was on Bosch during the day. At 5 o'clock, we meet and start a second writers room to break the Madam C.J. story. But we were both so passionate about this story and the woman who created it. Nicole Jefferson Asher was this incredible feature film independent film writer. So the three of us were kind of like working on other projects full time and then coming together in the evenings to break the story because we wanted to. It's like I want to do this and that's what makes me happy even though it was like you know you're working until 10:00 at night doing two shows at the same time. But we were so passionate about the material and that's what makes me happy. Being able to work on stories tell stories that I want to tell. And incredibly like it having no time at all somehow you figure out how to fit it all in because you just you have to tell these stories. Passionistas: [00:39:23] What's your definition of success? Elle Johnson: [00:39:25] My definition of success is being happy. Being happy doing what you're doing. Being satisfied and being able to pursue something that is of interest and value to you. That's my definition of success. Passionistas: [00:39:42] Thanks for listening to the Passionistas Project Podcast and our interview with Elle Johnson. Check out Elle's work on the TV series Bosch on Amazon.com. And be sure to subscribe to the Passionistas Project Podcast so you don't miss any of our upcoming, inspiring guests.  

On this episode of the VIP Ignite podcast, your host Deneen White is excited to speak with Richard and Antoinette Stratton. Richard Stratton is an award-winning writer and filmmaker. His fiction and journalism have appeared in numerous magazines including GQ, Esquire, Details, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Spin, Playboy and Story Magazine. Nation Books published his collection of journalism, Altered States of America: Outlaws and Icons, Hitmakers and Hitmen. Stratton's article, Godfather and Son published in Playboy, won the 2011 New York Press Club Award for Crime Reporting. Much of Stratton's work is based on his own experience.In June 2018, A&E debuted Gotti: Godfather and Son, a four-hour documentary series based on Stratton's magazine article Godfather and Son about the relationship between John Gotti Senior and John Gotti Junior. Stratton is the executive producer and director of the docu-series. Stratton is currently writing book three of his memoir trilogy. In addition, he recently completed a web docu-series on MK ULTRA to air at the end of November. Stratton, an avid reader who enjoys exercising and meditating lives in New York City with his wife, Antoinette, and is the father of five children.Antoinette Stratton has many years of experience as a manager in the entertainment industry. She oversees and co manages Richard Stratton's career with a managing partner. She reads every contract, agreement and makes pivotal decisions daily for his work.

On this episode of the VIP Ignite podcast, your host Deneen White is excited to speak with Richard and Antoinette Stratton. Richard Stratton is an award-winning writer and filmmaker. His fiction and journalism have appeared in numerous magazines including GQ, Esquire, Details, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Spin, Playboy and Story Magazine. Nation Books published his collection of journalism, Altered States of America: Outlaws and Icons, Hitmakers and Hitmen. Stratton’s article, Godfather and Son published in Playboy, won the 2011 New York Press Club Award for Crime Reporting. Much of Stratton’s work is based on his own experience. In June 2018, A&E debuted Gotti: Godfather and Son, a four-hour documentary series based on Stratton’s magazine article Godfather and Son about the relationship between John Gotti Senior and John Gotti Junior. Stratton is the executive producer and director of the docu-series. Stratton is currently writing book three of his memoir trilogy. In addition, he recently completed a web docu-series on MK ULTRA to air at the end of November. Stratton, an avid reader who enjoys exercising and meditating lives in New York City with his wife, Antoinette, and is the father of five children. Antoinette Stratton has many years of experience as a manager in the entertainment industry. She oversees and co manages Richard Stratton’s career with a managing partner. She reads every contract, agreement and makes pivotal decisions daily for his work.

Frank Morano moderates a panel discussion featuring Mathew Mari (criminal defense attorney), Richard Stratton (drug dealer turned author), Aaron Commey (airplane hijacker turned activist) and Elias Husamadeen (President of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association).  They discuss the criminal justice reform efforts in Washington, drugs and a host of other issues.

Frank Morano breaks down the life and crimes of James "Whitey" Bulger in the aftermath of his murder.  He talks with Richard Stratton, a marijuana importer turned author and screenwriter, Michele McPhee, a longtime Boston investigative journalist, who broke the news of Whitey's murder and Mike Vecchione, the former head of the Rackets Bureau in the King's County D.A.'s office.  If you know about Whitey Bulger or thing you do, this podcast is for you. 

Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with Richard Stratton. He uses late 19th century industrial ceramic techniques to make sculptural vessels that are steeped in the aesthetics of modernist architecture. In our interview we talk about how mud larking on the banks of the Thames reignited his interest in English industrial ceramics, the importance of research on aesthetic development, and selling ceramics in the NZ fine art market. For more information on Richard visit www.richard-stratton-ceramics.nz. This interview is part of a New Zealand series taped in April and May of 2018. I want to send a special thank you to the Ceramics Association of New Zealand for their support in making the series. To join the association, or to subscribe to their journal Ceramics New Zealand, visit www.ceramicsnz.org.     Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, I need your help to keep this show on the air. We need 5 new patrons to reach our monthly fundraising goal. Visit www.patreon.com/redclayrambler to pledge your support and become a sustaining member. We have a batch of rewards to offer including the new Vintage Radio shirt, handmade pots, posters and much more. Visit www.patreon.com/redclayrambler to sign up today.

The mob is an oft-romanticized organization. That doesn't mean it's a good thing. For example, imagine trying to be a father while also dodging hits and feds. John Gotti Jr. did imagine it and decided it wasn't for him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just how much do the company regret not buying that wagon-mounted Gatling gun? And will they want to know the names of all the folks they killed?With Ellie Pitkin, Helen Stratton, Richard Stratton, and Alexander PankhurstCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)twitter.com/MerelyRoleplayfacebook.com/MerelyRoleplayersPromo: The Prestige (www.kaiju.fm/the-prestige/)

Content warnings for this season: gun violence, blood, deathIt's deputy vs deputy as the battle of Amnesty escalates. How much of this town's going to be left, after the law's done cleaning it up?Starring:Ellie Pitkin as Ellie West-DesperadoAlexander Pankhurst as Alex LawmanHelen Stratton as Helen StetsonRichard Stratton as Strat StetsonCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)Playing a Wild West version of Simple World by Avery Alder (buriedwithoutceremony.com/little-games)

Just exactly what are these four jokers capable of, push comes to shove?With Ellie Pitkin, Helen Stratton, Richard Stratton, and Alexander PankhurstCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)twitter.com/MerelyRoleplayfacebook.com/MerelyRoleplayersPromo: The Space Jam Continuum (www.kaiju.fm/the-space-jam-continuum/)

Content warnings for this season: gun violence, blood, deathCornered in the midst of a conflict they want no part of, the company plans their getaway. But given the situation, that getaway ain't exactly going to be clean.Starring:Ellie Pitkin as Ellie West-DesperadoAlexander Pankhurst as Alex LawmanHelen Stratton as Helen StetsonRichard Stratton as Strat StetsonCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)Playing a Wild West version of Simple World by Avery Alder (buriedwithoutceremony.com/little-games)Promo: Legion of Renob (legionofrenob.com)

We kept the mic running through our break, as the players debated the best route through or out of this morally stodgy situation.With Ellie Pitkin, Helen Stratton, Richard Stratton, and Alexander PankhurstCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)twitter.com/MerelyRoleplayfacebook.com/MerelyRoleplayersPromo: Dames and Dragons (www.damesanddragons.com)

Content warnings for this season: gun violence, blood, deathEnter the rumoured Posse from Purity. They got a powerful hunger for justice and some of 'em are plain itching for a showdown.Starring:Ellie Pitkin as Ellie West-DesperadoAlexander Pankhurst as Alex LawmanHelen Stratton as Helen StetsonRichard Stratton as Strat StetsonCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)Playing a Wild West version of Simple World by Avery Alder (buriedwithoutceremony.com/little-games)Promo: Seasons of Skyrend (skyrendpodcast.com)

With 100 dead presidents in hand, the company tools up for their trip into town.With Ellie Pitkin, Helen Stratton, Richard Stratton, and Alexander PankhurstCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)twitter.com/MerelyRoleplayfacebook.com/MerelyRoleplayersPromo: The Redacted Files (www.theredactedfiles.com/)

Content warnings for this season: gun violence, blood, deathThe company gets wind of trouble at the tin mine, and learns the law's a fragile thing out on the frontier; sometimes to uphold it, you gotta undermine it a little.Starring:Ellie Pitkin as Ellie West-DesperadoAlexander Pankhurst as Alex LawmanHelen Stratton as Helen StetsonRichard Stratton as Strat StetsonCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)Playing a Wild West version of Simple World by Avery Alder (buriedwithoutceremony.com/little-games)

The company decides just how wild they all are. Who's the strong, silent type and who'll be quick on the draw?With Ellie Pitkin, Helen Stratton, Richard Stratton, and Alexander PankhurstCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)twitter.com/MerelyRoleplayfacebook.com/MerelyRoleplayersPromo: Loremasters (www.kaiju.fm/shows/loremasters/)

Content warnings for this season: gun violence, blood, deathFour strangers ride on into a town that's stranger still. They're on the hunt for a dangerous outlaw - and they might not be the only ones.Starring:Ellie Pitkin as Ellie West-DesperadoAlexander Pankhurst as Alex LawmanHelen Stratton as Helen StetsonRichard Stratton as Strat StetsonCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)Playing a Wild West version of Simple World by Avery Alder (buriedwithoutceremony.com/little-games)

Let's start at the beginning for once in our lives. Who in tarnation are these four, and what is it they're about? (Not sponsored by Bounty.)With Ellie Pitkin, Helen Stratton, Richard Stratton, and Alexander PankhurstCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)twitter.com/MerelyRoleplayfacebook.com/MerelyRoleplayers

Captain Ironface's opening night gets a hostile reception. The company identifies the source of the manifestations, but can they stage their intervention in time?Starring Ellie Pitkin, Vikki Weston, Alexander Pankhurst and Richard Stratton as themselvesCreated and hosted by Matt (@merelymj) - visit mattboothman.com to read Audience with the Ghost Finder by M. J. Starling (the play the company performs at the Ariadne)In association with Blackshaw Theatre Company (www.blackshawonline.com)twitter.com/MerelyRoleplayfacebook.com/MerelyRoleplayers

Richard Stratton | Kingpin: Prisoner of the War on Drugs

Richard Stratton : Smuggler's Blues: A True Story of the Hippie MafiaGoodfellas meets Savages meets Catch Me If You Can in this true tale of high-stakes smuggling from pot's outlaw years.Richard Stratton was the unlikeliest of kingpins. A clean-cut Wellesley boy who entered outlaw culture on a trip to Mexico, he saw his search for a joint morph into a thrill-filled dope run smuggling two kilos across the border in his car door. He became a member of the Hippie Mafia, traveling the world to keep America high, living the underground life while embracing the hippie credo, rejecting hard drugs in favor of marijuana and hashish. With cameos by Whitey Bulger and Norman Mailer, Smuggler's Blues tells Stratton's adventure while centering on his last years as he travels from New York to Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to source and smuggle high-grade hash in the midst of civil war, from the Caribbean to the backwoods of Maine, and from the Chelsea Hotel to the Plaza as his fortunes rise and fall. All the while he is being pursued by his nemesis, a philosophical DEA agent who respects him for his good business practices.A true-crime story that reads like fiction, Smuggler's Blues is a psychedelic road trip through international drug smuggling, the hippie underground, and the war on weed. As Big Marijuana emerges, it brings to vivid life an important chapter in pot's cultural history.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/1198501/advertisement