Legendary character, said to deliver gifts to children on Christmas Eve
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**If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). You can also chat at TheHotline.org or text START to 88788. All three options are available 24/7, free, and completely confidential. There are additional resources on the Hotline's website, including safety planning tools and guides for supporting loved ones.** On December 10, 1987, 22-year-old Christi Jo Nichols met with a domestic violence counselor to talk about the abuse she was facing at home. That night, Christi and her husband, Mark, took their two young children out for dinner and photos with Santa. Afterward, they brought the kids home then went to the bar where Christi worked. It was the last time anyone ever saw her. The next morning, Christi was gone, but her car and all of her belongings were still at home. Blood was later found inside the house and in Mark's car, yet he insisted she left on her own. More than three decades have passed, and Christi has never been found. But her family is still searching, waiting for the answers that will finally bring her home. *On the night of December 10, 1987, 22-year-old Christi Jo Nichols went out with her husband, Mark. By the next morning, she was gone. Her car and belongings were left behind, and blood was later found in their home and in Mark's car. Christi's body has never been found, and Mark Nichols remains the only suspect. If you have information in this case, you are asked to call the Nebraska State Patrol at (402) 479-4049.* Editor: Shannon Keirce Research/Writing: Haley Gray SUBMIT A CASE HERE: Cases@DetectivePerspectivePod.com SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/detperspective/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/detperspective FIND DERRICK HERE Twitter: https://twitter.com/DerrickL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DerrickLevasseur Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DerrickVLevasseur CRIME WEEKLY AND COFFEE Criminal Coffee Company: https://www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Crime Weekly: https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop ADS: 1. https://www.TryMiracle.com/Detective - Use code DETECTIVE for 3 FREE towels and to save over 40%! 2. https://www.TryFUM.com - Use code DETECTIVE to get a FREE gift with your Journey Pack! 3. https://www.HomeAglow.com/Detective - Get your first 3 hours of cleaning for only $19!
Santa Claus, Rudolph, and The Grinch—oh my! hehe, Merry Christmas my little honeybee!
Top Stories for November 15th Publish Date: November 15th PRE-ROLL: SUGAR HILL ICE SKATING From the BG AD Group Studio Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. Today is Saturday, November 15th and Happy Birthday to Macho Man Randy Savage I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by Gwinnett KIA Mall of Georgia. Six finalists named for GCPS Teacher of the Year Housing Matters: Car club to deliver food, clothes to the homeless John McCutcheon to headline 'A Song for Ukraine' benefit concert in Lawrenceville All of this and more is coming up on the Gwinnett Daily Post podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen daily and subscribe! Break 1: Kia Mall of Georgia STORY 1: Six finalists named for GCPS Teacher of the Year And then there were six. From 141 local honorees to 25 semifinalists, Gwinnett County has narrowed it down to six incredible educators vying for the 2027 Teacher of the Year title. These finalists—representing elementary, middle, and high schools—are more than just teachers. They’re innovators, mentors, and champions for their students. Whether it’s Tram Nguyen, Stephanie Guynn, Dr. Lisa Babbage, Austin Hannon, Dr. Candice Richardson or Batavia Sumlin, each finalist brings something extraordinary to the table. The winner will be announced Jan. 29 at a district celebration. Until then, these six are already heroes in their classrooms. STORY 2: Housing Matters: Car club to deliver food, clothes to the homeless Sky-high prices and relentless demand have left too many Gwinnett residents stuck—some in overpriced hotels, others with nowhere to go. It’s heartbreaking. Cruising for a Cause This Sunday, Nov. 16, the Sinnerz Society car club is doing more than flexing their rides—they’re delivering food, warm clothes, and supplies to the homeless. Founder Rafael Diaz says, “It won’t last long, but it’s something.” The group meets at 12:30 p.m. at the BP on Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth. Got a car? Great. Don’t? Doesn’t matter—just join. The caravan rolls out at 1:30. Follow @sinnerzsociety on Instagram for updates. STORY 3: John McCutcheon to headline 'A Song for Ukraine' benefit concert in Lawrenceville Grammy-nominated folk legend John McCutcheon is bringing his music—and his heart—to the Lawrenceville Arts Center on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 5 p.m. for A Song for Ukraine, a benefit concert unlike any other. Partnering with HelpingUkraine.US, McCutcheon aims to raise funds for displaced Ukrainian children. “This is more than a concert,” he said. “It’s about hope, resilience, and standing together.” The evening will also feature Ukrainian bandura player Olena Kovban, a child vocalist, and an art sale showcasing works created by children in Kharkiv’s underground shelters. Tickets start at $50, with VIP options available. Proceeds go directly to humanitarian aid. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info. We’ll be right back Break 2: Ingles Markets STORY 4: Mall of Georgia to host Tree Lighting Ceremony on Saturday Santa’s already made himself comfy at the Mall of Georgia, but the real holiday magic kicks off tonight with the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. From 5 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 15, expect festive chaos: the Grinch, Papa Elf, live reindeer, face painting, crafts, and even Bubbles Over GA. The tree lights up at 7 p.m., followed by a cozy outdoor screening of *The Polar Express*. And, of course, Santa’s ready for his close-up. The Santa Photo Experience runs through Dec. 24 (hours vary). Got pets? Bring them for photos on Nov. 23, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Special needs families can reserve a sensory-friendly session on Nov. 23, 8:30–10 a.m. STORY 5: Power of Impact Gala & Awards to celebrate small business growth across Gwinnett Mark your calendars: the Gwinnett Chamber Foundation’s first-ever *Power of Impact Gala & Awards* is happening Dec. 3 at Bear’s Best Suwanee. The night kicks off with a 6 p.m. reception, followed by dinner and awards at 7. It’s all about celebrating the small businesses and leaders driving Gwinnett’s growth—and proceeds go straight to supporting the Foundation’s mission of helping local businesses scale and thrive. Honorees include Dr. William “Bill” Russell (Legacy Leader) and Georgia Power (Corporate Champion). Tickets and sponsorships are available now at GwinnettChamberFoundation.org/PowerofImpact. Don’t miss it! Break 3: BUFORD HOLIDAY FESTIVAL STORY 6: Study: Gwinnett Library delivers big value to community The Gwinnett County Public Library isn’t just a place for books—it’s a powerhouse of community impact. A new study from UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government found the library delivers $92.5 million in benefits, turning every $1 of public funding into $3.40 of value. Think about it: 3.5 million checkouts, 240,000 program attendees, 1.4 million Wi-Fi connections, and over 13,000 uses of meeting rooms. From job applications to tutoring sessions, it’s a lifeline for so many. “Every dollar multiplies into real outcomes,” said Executive Director Charles Pace. Stronger families, smarter students, connected communities—it all starts here. Learn more at gwinnettlibrary.com. STORY 7: Georgia Gwinnett College to offer first master's degree Big news for Georgia Gwinnett College: the Board of Regents just gave the green light for GGC’s first-ever graduate program—a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Secondary Education. Classes could kick off as early as spring 2027, pending final approval. “This is huge,” said GGC President Dr. Jann L. Joseph. “We’re not just offering affordable bachelor’s degrees anymore—we’re stepping up to meet the demand for skilled, well-prepared teachers.” With Gwinnett County Public Schools hiring 92% of GGC’s education grads, this new program is set to make waves, opening doors for students, alumni, and career changers alike. We’ll have closing comments after this Break 4: THE SUGAR HILL HOLIDAY Signoff – Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.gwinnettdailypost.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the BG Podcast Network Show Sponsors: www.ingles-markets.com www.kiamallofga.com 2025 Buford Holiday Festival & Parade All-In-One Flyer Holiday Celebration 2025 – City of Sugar Hill Ice Rink – Downtown Sugar Hill NewsPodcast, CurrentEvents, TopHeadlines, BreakingNews, PodcastDiscussion, PodcastNews, InDepthAnalysis, NewsAnalysis, PodcastTrending, WorldNews, LocalNews, GlobalNews, PodcastInsights, NewsBrief, PodcastUpdate, NewsRoundup, WeeklyNews, DailyNews, PodcastInterviews, HotTopics, PodcastOpinions, InvestigativeJournalism, BehindTheHeadlines, PodcastMedia, NewsStories, PodcastReports, JournalismMatters, PodcastPerspectives, NewsCommentary, PodcastListeners, NewsPodcastCommunity, NewsSource, PodcastCuration, WorldAffairs, PodcastUpdates, AudioNews, PodcastJournalism, EmergingStories, NewsFlash, PodcastConversations See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jordana and Jared celebrate 8 years of the U Up? podcast in this special anniversary episode! They reflect on memorable moments, listener favorites, and their funniest dating stories over the years. They revisit memorable moments like the infamous ‘poop story', RFDB milk family, and Jordana choking with laughter because of a naughty Santa joke. =The hosts also reflect on awkward celebrity encounters, including their chat with Mel Robbins, and explore how humor and vulnerability shape dating conversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're diving headfirst into another round of our Main Street Magic Mailbag: Listener Q&A — one of our favorite series because we truly never know what questions are coming. They're funny, thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes just delightfully odd… which makes them perfect. We kick things off with a question about the biggest Disney purchase we regret.We break down the decisions we would absolutely not make again. Next up, we get hit with a brutal “Would you rather?” dilemma: Would you rather never try new Disney foods and drinks again, or never try new attractions? It's the kind of question that makes you choose between your taste buds and your thrill-seeking heart. We also chat about how we'd redesign an attraction queue to make it more interactive, and we come up with a few ideas that would turn waiting in line into part of the fun.From there, the holiday spirit sneaks in with a whimsical question about which job we'd choose if we worked in Santa's workshop. Would we be toymakers, bakers, reindeer wranglers, or something even more chaotic? We break down the roles that fit us and the roles that would absolutely backfire.We also explore what it would be like to spend Christmas in a Disney movie universe. With so many magical worlds to choose from — animated, live-action, wintery, colorful — we debate where we'd want to celebrate the season.Then, a big one: What must-do experiences should first-time visitors, especially kids around 8 and 11, absolutely not miss? We cover attractions, shows, character moments, and little magical touches that make a first visit unforgettable. We also squeeze in a mini conversation about iconic Disney shirts and how quickly they become conversation starters.Next, we look at the top items still lingering on our Disney bucket list — the experiences we haven't crossed off yet but can't wait to someday. Finally, we wrap things up with a delicious question: What type of new food booth would we add to EPCOT's Food & Wine Festival? We dream up flavors, themes, and creative menu ideas we'd love to see join the festival lineup.It's a fun, lively, listener-fueled episode filled with Disney talk, holiday vibes, park tips, food dreams, and plenty of laughs. Grab your headphones and enjoy another round of Main Street Magic Mailbag!
In this episode, I'm sharing the simplest, most profitable holiday events you can add to your calendar — even in the middle of the December chaos. These ideas are designed to increase revenue, visibility, and loyalty without overwhelming you or your team.BLOG for this episodeI talk about why you don't need to compete with free community events, why age-specific offerings (especially for babies) are incredibly strategic, and how a few thoughtful touches can make small, curated events feel premium and sell out quickly.In this episode, I cover:• Why the holiday season feels overwhelming — and how to keep events simple• Why free events aren't your competition• The power of baby-focused and age-specific programming• How to use small group sizes to your advantage• High-impact, low-lift event ideas you can run immediatelyIf you want to boost revenue without burning out this holiday season, this episode will give you everything you need.PROFITABLE PLAY RESOURCES:BLOG for this episodePlay Cafe Academy & Play Makers SocietyGetting Started With Your Play Cafe [YouTube Video Playlist]What's Working In The Indoor Play Industry 2025 GuideFund Your Indoor Play Business [Free Training]Indoor Play Courses & 1:1 Consulting WaitlistMichele's InstagramMichele's WebsitePlay Cafe Academy YouTube ChannelETSY Template ShopPrepare Your Indoor Playground For a RecessionPlay Cafe Academy & Play Makers SocietyQuestions and Support: Support@michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy & Play Makers Society: http://bit.ly/3HES7fDQuestions and Support: Support@michelecaruana.com Simplify and Scale with 50% OFF WellnessLiving: https://discover.wellnessliving.com/playcafeacademyActive Campaign Free Trial: https://www.activecampaign.com/?_r=D6IYK3HG
Spending the holidays at Disneyland is pure magic — but it can also be busy, overwhelming, and expensive if you don't plan ahead. In this episode, I'm walking you through everything you need to know about Holidays at Disneyland 2025 — from decorations and entertainment to crowd strategies, food, and festive must-dos.You'll learn:
SUMMARY: What's our stance on using cologne? Matt's giant skeleton needs a Santa hat. Paul is seeing yellow. We bemoan the latest news about Congress outlawing recreational weed use in 2026. Plus 2026 tour dates for Jokers of Magic announced, how to shut down stupid baby questions in Scoop Mail, and a New Zealand Scoopardy.
JoBros Terrible Towel Twirl - Congrats To Paul Skenes our Cy Young Award winner... Yankee Rumors... We read the Facebook comments - We check in with the Pittsburgh Scanner - Does Bob have an onlycheeks acct? - Best of luck to our Buddy Bill Crawford from WDVE - Fat Storm Troopers at the Cam Heyward Star Wars Bar - Thin Ice... Santa is watching - Have anything fun for the show... Want to say hi... Listen on iHeartRadio click the little mic and leave us a talkback messageSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Man was shot by his own dog. Man stole a bus but did a great job driving it, according to police. Man who murdered his wife will be playing santa at the local swap meet. // Weird AF News is the only daily weird news podcast in the world. Weird news 5 days/week and on Friday it's only Floridaman. SUPPORT by joining the Weird AF News Patreon http://patreon.com/weirdafnews - OR buy Jonesy a coffee at http://buymeacoffee.com/funnyjones Buy MERCH: https://weirdafnews.merchmake.com/ - Check out the official website https://WeirdAFnews.com and FOLLOW host Jonesy at http://instagram.com/funnyjones - wants Jonesy to come perform standup comedy in your city? Fill out the form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfvYbm8Wgz3Oc2KSDg0-C6EtSlx369bvi7xdUpx_7UNGA_fIw/viewform
Light the Lights, Novi's FREE Holiday tree lighting event, is back and better than ever. Come out to 12 Mile Crossing at Fountain Walk on Friday November 21st from 6-9pm to kick off the holidays with Santa and some fireworks as we light up our holiday tree. Celebrate with the Novi Community and expierence the joy of the holidays. Special thanks to Vibe Credit Union, our presenting sponsor for the event.
WINNERS FIND A WAY, host Trent M. Clark sits down with Mitch Allen — founder of Hire Santa, Shark Tank deal-maker, and serial entrepreneur behind 12 businesses — for a fun, insightful, and deeply practical conversation on turning big ideas into lasting impact. What started as a simple act of Christmas cheer evolved into a thriving enterprise — connecting Santas around the world and spreading holiday joy year-round. But behind the red suit and laughter lies a masterclass in leadership, preparation, and purpose. From building and selling companies to mentoring leaders in the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), Mitch shares candid lessons about scaling, learning from failure, and leading leaders — the toughest role of all. Together, Trent and Mitch dive into:
Pilot tells passengers it will be okay! LauRen is totally booked up War of the Roses Kissing Stats3 in the QCCan't Beat LauRenDate em and Dump em LauRen is using Santa against her kids already High tech cheating in school See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Howard Tullman, American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, educator, writer, lecturer, and art collector, joins Lisa Dent to discuss his latest article, “Why Santa Isn't Going to Save Starbucks“
Fluent Fiction - Danish: Home for the Holidays: Rediscovering Family Bonds Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/da/episode/2025-11-12-08-38-20-da Story Transcript:Da: Røgen fra skorstenen steg op mod den klare efterårshimmel.En: The smoke from the chimney rose towards the clear autumn sky.Da: Indenfor i det store familiehus summede der af liv.En: Inside the large family house, there was a buzz of life.Da: Nikolai sad stille for sig selv i et hjørne af stuen, omgivet af hustandslyden af latter og klingende glas.En: Nikolai sat quietly by himself in a corner of the living room, surrounded by the household sounds of laughter and clinking glasses.Da: Det var den tid på året, hvor hans familie samlede sig for en tidlig julefest.En: It was that time of year when his family gathered for an early Christmas party.Da: Juletræslysene blinkede i så mange farver, mens ilden knitrede i pejsen.En: The Christmas tree lights blinked in so many colors while the fire crackled in the fireplace.Da: Han havde ikke fejret jul med familien, siden han flyttede til udlandet for nogle år siden.En: He hadn't celebrated Christmas with the family since he moved abroad a few years ago.Da: Nikolai var vendt hjem for at være en del af denne særlige aften, men han følte sig uventet som en gæst i sit eget hjem.En: Nikolai had returned home to be part of this special evening, but he unexpectedly felt like a guest in his own home.Da: Traditioner havde ændret sig.En: Traditions had changed.Da: Der blev talt hurtigere, og nye indvendige vittigheder fyldte rummet.En: Conversations were faster, and new inside jokes filled the room.Da: Det føltes som om, han aldrig ville kunne være en del af samme samstemte rytme som de andre.En: It felt as if he would never be able to be part of the same coordinated rhythm as the others.Da: Signe, hans sprudlende kusine, bemærkede hans tilbagetrukne natur.En: Signe, his lively cousin, noticed his withdrawn nature.Da: Hun kom over og gav ham et stort knus.En: She came over and gave him a big hug.Da: "Nikolai!En: "Nikolai!Da: Du skal være med, kom nu!"En: You need to join in, come on!"Da: sagde hun med et smil, der kunne smelte sne.En: she said with a smile that could melt snow.Da: Hun hev ham med over til gruppen af fætre og kusiner, der spillede en leg med røde og hvide nissehuer.En: She pulled him over to the group of cousins who were playing a game with red and white Santa hats.Da: Nikolai prøvede at deltage med et smil, men følte sig klodset.En: Nikolai tried to participate with a smile but felt awkward.Da: Signe blev ved med at opmuntre ham.En: Signe kept encouraging him.Da: "Husk, julen handler om at være sammen!"En: "Remember, Christmas is about being together!"Da: sagde hun og skubbede en kop rødgløgg i hans hånd.En: she said and pushed a cup of warm gløgg into his hand.Da: Sidst på aftenen, mens de sad om pejsen, blev Nikolai omsider modig nok til at tale.En: Later in the evening, as they sat around the fireplace, Nikolai finally gathered the courage to speak.Da: "Jeg har savnet jer alle sammen.En: "I've missed you all.Da: Det har været hårdt at være væk så længe," begyndte han.En: It's been hard being away for so long," he began.Da: Stemningen blev stille, og familiens ansigter blev alvorlige med forståelse.En: The room grew quiet, and the family's faces turned serious with understanding.Da: "Vi har også savnet dig, Nikolai," sagde Signe, blidt.En: "We've missed you too, Nikolai," Signe said gently.Da: "Du er altid en del af os."En: "You are always a part of us."Da: De begyndte at dele historier fra deres tid sammen, mindede om tidligere jule og grinede af de fjollede hændelser, der bandt dem.En: They began sharing stories from their time together, reminiscing about past Christmases, and laughing at the silly events that bound them.Da: Nikolai følte en varme indeni, som han ikke havde forventet.En: Nikolai felt a warmth inside that he hadn't expected.Da: Det var som om, han blev viklet ind i et usynligt familietæppe, fyldt med kærlighed og accept.En: It was as if he was being wrapped in an invisible family blanket, filled with love and acceptance.Da: Da natten skred frem, flød samtalerne frit, og latteren blev dybere.En: As the night went on, conversations flowed freely, and the laughter grew deeper.Da: Nikolai vidste nu, at selvom traditionerne ændrede sig, var hans familie stadig den samme.En: Nikolai now knew that even though the traditions had changed, his family was still the same.Da: Deres kærlighed var uændret.En: Their love was unchanged.Da: Han smilede, mens han så flammerne slikke mod brændet, og følte endelig, at han var kommet hjem.En: He smiled as he watched the flames lick the wood, and finally felt that he had come home. Vocabulary Words:chimney: skorstenenclear: klareautumn: efterårgathered: samledegazed: såcrackled: knitredemoved: flyttedeunexpectedly: uventetguest: gæsttraditions: traditionercoordinated: samstemtelively: sprudlendewithdrawn: tilbagetruknehug: knusencouraging: opmuntrecups: kopgløgg: rødgløggcourage: modigreminiscing: mindedesilly: fjolledewrapped: viklettales: historierbound: bandtinvisible: usynligtacceptance: acceptflowed: flødunchanged: uændretlicked: slikkefinally: somremained: stadig
On today's show, Jase has summer sorted, Mike's a strict secret Santa and Keyzie hates money. TIME-CONSCIOUS:(00:00) Intro: 3 Punch Combo(03:58) The Kids V Keyzie(09:12) The Kids V You (13:40) Secret Santa on the Big Show(18:10) Telly Time(22:21) Intro: Reburger Report(24:52) Improv Returns(28:32) The winning ticket(32:48) Summer Camping with Jizz(35:44) Cricket Chat(38:48) Intro: MOIST(40:55) What's On The Dinner?(45:11) The Fox Club(48:39) MEATPATTYNIPS69(52:07) Bye! Follow The Big Show on Instagram Subscribe to the podcast now on iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!Featuring Jason Hoyte, Mike Minogue, and Keyzie, "The Big Show" drive you home weekdays from 4pm on Radio Hauraki.Providing a hilarious escape from reality for those ‘backbone’ New Zealanders with plenty of laughs and out-the-gate yarns.Download the full podcast here:iHeartRadioAppleSpotifySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tessa Stoneman hasn't been able to get long-time friend and business partner Nicholas Boone out of her head since they shared a single kiss in college. Even when she dated Nicholas's best friend. Now that she's giving up her position at GameNerdz to strike out on her own—and now that she's single—maybe it's the right time to see if there's still something between them. Nicholas knows once Tessa leaves the company she helped found, they might drift apart. Before she starts her own company in the new year, he wants to woo the woman he fell in love with during college. So he poses as her Secret Santa, gifts her with items from the song “Santa Baby,” and plans a big reveal at the company holiday party. But when his best friend wants to rekindle his romance with Tessa, will Nicholas lose his last chance? Tessa Stoneman's been lowkey obsessed with her business partner, Nicholas Boone, since they shared a one kiss in college. Fast forward to now: she's single, leaving her job at GameNerdz, and wondering if it's time to finally see if there's still something there… Enter Nicholas. He's been in love with her since forever, and he's got one shot to make her his—posing as her Secret Santa, sending her gifts straight out of Santa Baby. But wait… her ex (and his best friend) is back and wants a second chance. Will Nicholas win her over at the company holiday party—or lose her for good? This Christmas the geek finally gets the girl… Secret Santa Baby is a second-chance, friends-to-lovers, geek-gets-the-girl romance that is guaranteed to give a little spice, a whole lot of Santa, and a happily-ever-after. Amazon: https://bit.ly/4hISvKt ♥ ♥ ♥ RMR Patreon: https://bit.ly/48uPxqg AR – Patreon: https://bit.ly/47zzd5F BRAND NEW ALEXA RILEY: https://bit.ly/3h0y68D Other Mentions Willing Prey by Ali Oleander Cowboys of Devil's Ditch Series by Vanessa Vale Chasing Ghosts by Jisa Dean ♥ ♥ ♥ RMR Website: https://bit.ly/3ifFIyw Weekly New Release: https://bit.ly/30iDete Follow Read Me Romance on Instagram: https://geni.us/uUVdVeY Join Read Me Romance Headquarters on FB: https://geni.us/IdL7B
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It's 55 degrees in the office and the weather is starting to turn after a "do nothing" Sunday, and a relatively peculiar week in the world of Two Buttons Deep. We recap exactly how we prepared for a video shoot, Jack's peak at this new Saratoga restaurant, and how we feel about toddler skin care and a caterpillar found in someone's food at a chain restaurant in Albany.EPISODE NOTES:Nobody Asked Me, But... (0:17)Starbucks and Walmart are chatting on the 'gram
This week, the boys are roasting the absolute worst holiday characters ever created — the ones that make you wish Christmas came with a recall policy. From Zwarte Piet, the racist relic the Netherlands refuses to retire, to Spuds MacKenzie's beer-soaked Santa phase. We're unwrapping the tackiest, creepiest, and most problematic icons of the season, and asking: who thought this was festive? Then in Emails From The Listeners, a listener writes in about his girlfriend's ex getting the backdoor access he never could, and the guys try to explain America's insane tipping culture to a confused Italian newcomer. In News, we cover the bizarre case of the woman convicted of cyber farting — yes, literal weaponized flatulence. And finally, Not The Drag Queens returns with the infuriating story of an Oklahoma teen who brutally assaulted two girls and somehow got probation — proving once again, it's not the drag queens hurting people. It's the privileged bros the justice system keeps protecting. Got a question, comment or topic for us to cover? Let us know! Send us an email at fratchatpodcast@gmail.com or follow us on all social media: Instagram: http://Instagram.com/FratChatPodcast Facebook: http://Facebook.com/FratChatPodcast Twitter: http://Twitter.com/FratChatPodcast YouTube: http://YouTube.com/@fratchatpodcast Follow Carlos and CMO on social media! Carlos: IG: http://Instagram.com/CarlosDoesTheWorld YouTube: http://YouTube.com/@carlosdoestheworld TikTok: http://TikTok.com/@carlosdoestheworld Twitter: http://Twitter.com/CarlosDoesWorld Threads: http://threads.net/carlosdoestheworld Website: http://carlosgarciacomedy.com Chris ‘CMO' Moore: IG: http://Instagram.com/Chris.Moore.Comedy TikTok: http://TikTok.com/@chris.moore.comedy Twitter: http://Twitter.com/cmoorecomedy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Richard Reyes has been playing the character of Pancho Claus in Houston and the Rio Grande Valley for over 40 years. Pancho Claus is a Tex-Mex Santa that grew out of the Chicano civil rights movement and is often referred to as being Santa's cousin from the South Pole. In addition to running programs throughout the year to assist kids and teens who are struggling, he coordinates toy drives year round and parades along city streets on Christmas morning with low-riders and a jazz band to deliver meals and gifts to children from low-income families. Having raised over $20,000, he and his team of volunteers are set to distribute over 10,000 presents this year. Richard calls Houston, Texas home.
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The SKATCAST Network presents:The SKATCAST Show #200 with the Script KeeperToday's Skit-SKATs:[ Santa Claus: Crime Fighter | 0:50 ] - "Sad Santa" - Santa misses Batman and a visit to hell is made to see how he's doing.[ Adventures of Gunner Halifax | 8:05 ] - "Beebus Bordak Yeah!" - Gunner and the crew do space things during the start of Beebus Bordak Birthday Bash!Thank you for listening! Have the best Tuesday of the week Boss Turds!!!Visit us for more episodes of SKATCAST and other shows like SKATCAST presents The Dave & Angus Show plus BONUS material at https://www.skatcast.com Watch select shows and shorts on YouTube: bit.ly/34kxCneJoin the conversation on Discord! https://discord.gg/XKxhHYwu9zFor all show related questions: info@skatcast.comPlease rate and subscribe on iTunes and elsewhere and follow SKATCAST on social media!! Instagram: @theescriptkeeper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scriptkeepersATWanna become a Patron? Click here: https://www.patreon.com/SkatcastSign up through Patreon and you'll get Exclusive Content, Behind The Scenes video, special downloads and more! Prefer to make a donation instead? You can do that through our PayPal: https://paypal.me/skatcastpodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Santa fe con gol de Mosquera sueña con meterse en los ocho.
In this episode of Talk Nerdy, Cara is joined by founder and chief designer of the toy company Heroes Will Rise and a former Professor of Industrial Design at RISD, Cas Holman. They discuss her new book, Playful: How Play Shifts Our Thinking, Inspires Connection, and Sparks Creativity. Follow Cas: @casholman
In this heartfelt Christmas episode of The Purpose of Motherhood Podcast, Ashlee shares practical, faith-filled ways to slow down, simplify, and make the holidays truly meaningful for your family.
As the holiday season approaches, Page County residents eagerly anticipate the 10th annual Chamber Holiday Festival, a beloved event that has grown from a modest community open house into a vibrant celebration. In this episode of "The Valley Today," host Janet Michael talks with Gina Hilliard, president of the Luray-Page Chamber of Commerce, to discuss the festival's evolution and the many ways it brings the community together. From Humble Beginnings to a Holiday Extravaganza Initially, the festival offered little more than photos with Santa and a few cookies at the Chamber's visitor center. However, over the past decade, it has blossomed into a large-scale event that now features a wide array of activities. Gina enthusiastically describes how families return year after year, making the festival a cherished part of their holiday traditions. The event, held at the historic train station in Luray, now includes themed photo booths—this year's "Polar Express" train motif promises to delight children and adults alike. A Feast for the Senses Attendees can look forward to festive treats such as cookies, popcorn, hot cocoa, and holiday punch, all provided free of charge. Fire pits for s'mores, live holiday music, and performances by local choirs and schools add to the magical atmosphere. Children can participate in Santa's workshop, crafting ornaments and cards to take home, while families enjoy the bustling holiday market filled with unique gifts, homemade treats, and stocking stuffers. Community Collaboration and Giving Back The festival's success relies on the support of local businesses, volunteers, and sponsors. Gina emphasizes the importance of community involvement, inviting businesses to sponsor various aspects of the event—from the kids' craft area to the hot chocolate stand. Volunteers, often employees of sponsoring companies, help ensure the festival runs smoothly, reinforcing the spirit of giving that defines the season. Beyond the Festival: A Season of Local Engagement Transitioning from the festival, Janet and Gina highlight the countywide "shop small" promotion, which encourages residents to support local businesses not just on Small Business Saturday, but throughout the entire holiday season. Shoppers can submit receipts from local stores and restaurants for a chance to win generous shopping sprees, with prizes funded by community sponsors. This initiative, Gina notes, extends to all three towns in Page County—Luray, Stanley, and Shenandoah—ensuring that the benefits of shopping local are felt across the region. A Calendar Full of Holiday Cheer In addition to the festival and shopping promotion, the Chamber organizes a variety of events to keep the community engaged. From business networking socials to educational seminars, there is no shortage of opportunities for residents to connect and celebrate. Notably, the Chamber's partnership with local organizations and businesses ensures that these events remain accessible and inclusive. Staying Connected For those seeking more information, Gina directs listeners to the Chamber's website and social media pages, where event details and updates are readily available. She encourages anyone interested in volunteering or sponsoring to reach out, underscoring the Chamber's commitment to fostering a strong, supportive community. Conclusion: A Season to Remember Ultimately, the Chamber Holiday Festival and its companion events exemplify the warmth and togetherness that define Page County during the holidays. As Gina and Janet's conversation reveals, these traditions not only create lasting memories for families but also strengthen the bonds that make the community thrive year after year.
Traffic control and a shortage of volunteers have officially grounded Santa's sleigh in the small town of Piopio in the Waitomo District. At the Christmas eve parade Santa would normally float in via SH3, however the rising cost of closing the highway and managing traffic means Santa will instead park-up on a side street near the village with other floats. Chair of the Project Pio Pio Trust Melanie Simpson spoke to Lisa Owen.
Alonso & Jacks are here to help us preview the Netflix (and Disney+) movies that we will be covering this year! Those movies are...A Merry Little Ex-MasPremiere Date: November 12Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Oliver Hudson, Jameela Jamil, Pierson Fode, Melissa Joan HartSynopsis: Recently divorced Kate hopes for one last perfect family Christmas before selling her home, but her plans go awry when her ex-husband arrives with his younger and very successful new girlfriend.A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (Disney+)Premiere Date: November 14Starring: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, Nick JonasSynopsis: After the Jonas Brothers finish their London tour, all they want is to get home for Christmas. But missed connections and mounting setbacks test their bond. Each brother faces personal challenges — Kevin longs to branch out, Joe reconnects with someone from his past, and Nick feels the pressure of leadership. As they struggle to make it home, they rediscover the Christmas spirit and the importance of family. The film features new original songs and surprise celebrity cameos.Champagne ProblemsPremiere Date: November 19Starring: Minka Kelly, Tom Wozniczka, Thibault de MontalembertSynopsis: A business executive travels to France to acquire a prestigious champagne brand before Christmas, but her plans are derailed when she falls for a charming Parisian — only to learn he's the founder's son.Jingle Bell HeistPremiere Date: November 26Starring: Olivia Holt, Connor Swindells, Lucy Punch, Peter Serafinowicz, Poppy DraytonSynopsis: Small-time thieves Sophia and Nick set their sights on robbing a famous London department store on Christmas Eve. Forced to partner up, their growing feelings and hidden secrets threaten both the heist and their future.My Secret SantaPremiere Date: December 3Starring: Alexandra Breckenridge, Ryan Eggold, Tia MowrySynopsis: A single mom disguises herself as a man to land a job as the resort's seasonal Santa. Romance with the hotel manager complicates her double life and puts everything at risk. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What better way to kick off the holidays than learning from the master of Christmas cheer himself? In this special throwback episode, Santa Claus joins host Crystal Vilkaitis to share timeless tips for retailers on creating magical in-store experiences, boosting team morale, and surprising customers with moments of delight.From setting up a North Pole nook to hosting Elf Happy Hour and adding personalized touches that make customers feel special, this episode is packed with festive ideas to help retailers make the most of the season. [2:05] How retailers can manage the holiday rush and stay organized[3:12] Santa's tips on boosting staff morale and creating a cheerful work culture[5:12] How to create magical, Instagram-worthy in-store experiences[7:09] Unique ideas like scavenger hunts, flash sales, and AR experiences[10:25] Strategies to surprise and delight customers in unexpected ways[13:32] Personalization tips that make every shopper feel special[15:35] The future of retail and why connection will always matter mostJoin the Rooted in Retail Facebook Group to continue the conversation Join our newsletter for all the latest marketing news for retailers Show off your super fandom by getting your Rooted in Retail Merch!
Alonso IS BACK to review Mistletoe Murders: Death of a Humbug, which we originally covered back in January after its debut on Hallmark+. Now that it's finally aired on the Hallmark Channel, we're re-releasing our full review for everyone to enjoy! Season 2 kicks off next week! ABOUT MISTLETOE MURDERS: DEATH OF A HUMBUGA murder leads Emily and Sam to a scavenger hunt orchestrated by the victim.AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR MISTLETOE MURDERS: DEATH OF A HUMBUGNovember 28 & December 5 2024 on Hallmark+, October 31 2025 on Hallmark ChannelCAST & CREW OF MISTLETOE MURDERS: DEATH OF A HUMBUGSarah Drew as Emily LanePeter Mooney as Sam WilnerBRAN'S MISTLETOE MURDERS: DEATH OF A HUMBUG SYNOPSISThe Fletchers Grove real estate party is FINALLY HERE!!! A guy dressed as Santa comes in and kills the vibe. It's Glen. He owns the bookstore, and he's very passive-aggressive about how no one in this town comes to his bookstore. Glen has a past. He's banned from the diner, and everyone seems to hate him. He gives presents to everyone and tells Emily that he picked this one specially for her—it's rare he finds a fellow mystery lover.The night continues, and Emily sees Glen in his Santa suit scurrying quickly outside. She goes to follow him, finds his hat on the floor, and then sees a car speed off. Just as that happens, she hears a scream. She runs inside and sees Sue, who was throwing the party. She's crying as she looks at Glen, who has been stabbed in the heart.When Emily gets home, she opens the gift. It's a special green edition of A Christmas Carol. We get a flashback of Emily visiting the bookstore and meeting Glen. She tells him about this edition of A Christmas Carol that her parents used to read to her. He remembered and tracked the book down. As she opens it, a letter falls out, inviting her to a very special event at the law offices tomorrow at 8 p.m. What is Glen up to?!So, she goes to tell Sam, and he says, “How would you feel about me being a plus-one so I can take a gander?”They show up, and the video plays—it's Glen, predicting his own death and setting up a treasure hunt. Sam tries to get everyone to give him their books so he can search for clues. They're like, “Nah. There's treasure to find!”It doesn't take Emily long to find the first clue using a UV light on her book. She thinks the other books have clues too and that they all need to work together on it. She gets two others on board—a hot dog stand owner named Harry and Brooke Carmichael. But Glen's nephew, Fred, says he and his wife don't want to participate (mainly Fred's wife—she didn't like Glen).To make matters worse, there's one book still missing. She thinks maybe he gave it to the diner owner, Sue, but Sue says she threw the book out.Sam finds out that Glen had Huntington's disease. After Fred finds this out, he decides that they want to participate. Even though they're missing one book, they decide to put all the clues together and try to figure out what they're pointing to. It has something to do with a precious memory. Fred says, “The only memory I can think of with Glen is him reading Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Emily says, “Go see if he has that book in the bookstore. Maybe there's a clue.”As they're walking towards the store, Emily sees the car that sped off and notices a letter that clearly came from Glen in the front seat. Just then, Fred realizes the bookstore is unlocked. Sam goes in first and finds a guy there.It's Fred's brother Noah. They haven't seen each other in a long time. Apparently, when their mom got sick, Noah left. Sam takes Noah in for questioning and presents him with some pretty tough evidence—they found Glen's Santa suit in the trunk and the USB drive with Glen's video on it from the lawyer's office, which was stolen. He gives reasons for all of it, but it's not looking great.Fred tells Emily that he did finally go find the book and found a USB drive! They agree to all get together tomorrow to watch what's on it.As Emily's going home, an SUV speeds at her, and she has to tuck-and-roll out of the way.The next day, they all get together, and it's another video with a very cryptic clue. We find out that someone is sitting in a car, listening in on their conversation.Later, the group gets back together, but Fred is nowhere to be found. Turns out he was attacked from behind. He says he doesn't know who did it. Sam gets a call—they found Fred's wife's DNA on the Santa suit. She says she found out that the first editions were missing and went to talk to Glen. She found him dead and knew it wouldn't look good that she found him, so she put the suit on and ran out.Emily finds Noah in the diner—he's been released. She convinces him to join the group in solving the mystery. He comes to her store and sees there's a hole in the wall—she has a leak. He says he thought maybe it was one of the secret compartments these old buildings have. That gives them the idea to look for one in the bookstore, and they find it! Inside is a suitcase—a go-bag, if you will. They discover a folder with a plane ticket to Switzerland for the day of the party and a brochure for a place in Switzerland for end-of-life care. He was planning to leave and die in Switzerland. Emily recalls that the tape says, “If you're seeing this, that means I'm gone.” He didn't know he was going to be murdered. He was just planning on disappearing.They find the final clue and watch the video. Suddenly, Harry, the hot dog guy, is gone, and so are all the books. Emily puts it together—he killed Glen and was just trying to solve the mystery. She goes to confront him in the cemetery where the final clue leads to. We find out that he showed up to steal the first edition A Christmas Carol and threatened to kill Glen to get it. Glen laughed in his face, knowing he was dying. That offended Harry, so he stabbed him.Emily then fights him, takes him down, and puts him in plastic cuffs to get the treasure! She figures out it was the lawyer who hired this guy, and he gets arrested.She gets the group back together and hands out what Glen left for everyone. It's very sweet.The movie ends with Emily coming down to her store and seeing Sam fixing her wall. They end up making out HARD!!! She says, “Let's go for a walk in the snow.” She has to go change, and that's when he gets a phone call—he's been investigating Emily and noticed some discrepancies in her story. He got a call from his higher-up to drop any and all research into her. So, clearly, she isn't who she says she is. The episode ends with him asking her, “Who are you really?” Fade to black. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Top Stories for November 8th Publish Date: November 8th From the BG AD Group Studio Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. Today is Saturday, November 8th and Happy Birthday to Margaret Mitchell I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by Gwinnett KIA Mall of Georgia. Lawrenceville's Hooper-Renwick Themed Library earns Redevelopment Project of the Year honors Rick Case Bikes for Kids Accepting Bicycle Donations Gwinnett Tech boards earn statewide honors for exemplary leadership and governance All of this and more is coming up on the Gwinnett Daily Post podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen daily and subscribe! Break 1: Kia Mall of Georgia STORY 1: Lawrenceville's Hooper-Renwick Themed Library earns Redevelopment Project of the Year honors The Hooper-Renwick Themed Library in Lawrenceville just snagged the title of Medium Redevelopment Project of the Year at the Metro Atlanta Redevelopment Summit—and honestly, it’s well-deserved. This isn’t just a library. It’s a reimagining of the historic Hooper-Renwick School, once the only public school for Black students in Gwinnett County. Now, it’s a space that blends the past and present—a library, a museum, a place for storytelling and connection. The project preserves the school’s legacy while creating a vibrant community hub. STORY 2: Rick Case Bikes for Kids Accepting Bicycle Donations Got an old bike collecting dust? Rick Case Bikes for Kids is back, and they’re asking the community to help spread some holiday magic. Through Dec. 20, Rick Case dealerships are accepting gently used bicycles to give to kids who might not otherwise have one. For 44 years, this program has delivered over 122,000 bikes to children through groups like Boys & Girls Clubs, Habitat for Humanity, and local schools. “A first bike is unforgettable,” says Rita Case, CEO of Rick Case Automotive Group. “For many of these kids, it’s their first taste of freedom.” Drop-offs are easy—locations in Duluth and Roswell are open daily. STORY 3: Gwinnett Tech boards earn statewide honors for exemplary leadership and governance Gwinnett Technical College is having a moment—two big milestones worth celebrating. First, the Gwinnett Tech Foundation Board of Trustees was named a 2025 Role Model Board, a pretty big deal in the world of technical education. Why? Because it’s only given to boards that go above and beyond in leadership, advocacy, and making a real difference. And then there’s this: for the 16th year in a row, every single member of the Gwinnett Tech Board of Directors earned certification. Sixteen years! That’s dedication. “These achievements show just how committed our boards are to student success and workforce development,” said Dr. Glen Cannon, Gwinnett Tech’s president. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info. We’ll be right back Break 2: Ingles Markets STORY 4: Stolen trailer leads Gwinnett police to cache of guns and drugs in Doraville home What started as a stolen trailer report in Norcross turned into something much bigger—a stash of guns and drugs uncovered in Doraville, according to Gwinnett County police. It began on Oct. 30, when officers used Flock license plate readers to track the stolen trailer to a vehicle tied to Matthew Davis. A visit to Davis’s home revealed the trailer, now sporting a swapped license plate. But that wasn’t all. A search warrant led officers to more than 30 firearms, fentanyl, meth, and prescription drugs inside the house. No charges yet, but detectives are asking for tips. STORY 5: Mall of Georgia preparing for the holidays and visits with Santa Santa’s back at the Mall of Georgia, and he’s ready for his close-up! You can catch him at the Simon Photo Experience all the way through Christmas Eve. Pro tip: hours vary, so snag a reservation if you can. But Santa’s not just sticking to photos—he’s making the rounds. On Nov. 15, he’ll join the Grinch and Papa Elf for the Tree Lighting Ceremony (7 p.m.), complete with live reindeer, face painting, and *The Polar Express*. Got a furry friend? Pet photos with Santa are happening Nov. 23, 6:30–8:30 p.m. And for families with special needs, there’s a quieter event Dec. 7, 8:30–10 a.m. STORY 6: FIRST LOOK: COhatch Lawrenceville set to open Monday COhatch is bringing its coworking magic to Lawrenceville, opening Monday, Nov. 10, at 190 S. Clayton St. This isn’t your typical office—it’s 30 private offices, four meeting rooms, event space, and even a patio for when you need a little fresh air (or just an excuse to work outside). The vibe? Community-focused. Think high-speed internet, shared kitchens, and spaces designed to connect people from all walks of life. “We want to create inspiring spaces right in the heart of neighborhoods,” says COhatch CEO Matt Davis. STORY 7: Gwinnett Stripers Launch 'Hooked on Books' Reading Program The Gwinnett Stripers are stepping up to the plate with *Hooked on Books*—their first-ever free reading program for elementary students in Gwinnett County. Here’s the deal: read four books, “round the bases,” and score two free tickets to a 2026 Stripers game. Teachers and staff? You’re in on the free tickets, too. Schools can join in two ways: - **Campus Assembly:** Chopper the Groundhog and friends bring the hype with a 30-minute pep rally (if you’re within 15 miles of Coolray Field). - **Virtual Option:** A fun video and all the details sent straight to you. The program runs Jan. 12–March 16, with an April 1 deadline. Details at GoStripers.com. We’ll have closing comments after this Break 4: Ingles Markets Signoff – Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.gwinnettdailypost.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. 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Thanksgiving guy has had ENOUGH! NO CHRISTMAS... NOT YET!
This episode, Brendan Low returns to talk about his new children's book "The Boy Who Became Santa", a wonderful book to help explain why so many Santas are around at Christmas time.
Send us a textThis week, we're diving into episode 2 of Finding Mr. Christmas season 2, where contestants faced off in a gift-tossing challenge that required them to shoot presents into Santa's sleigh, followed by a reindeer-themed photo shoot that was equal parts festive and chaotic.We talk through who shined, who surprised us and how this round managed to feel both ridiculous and kind of endearing. No cringe moments here—just plenty of Christmas charm, a few unexpected connections and the kind of wholesome fun that keeps us coming back for more.So whether you're launching gifts into a sleigh or just trying to keep your holiday spirit on target, tune in as we unwrap another round of festive matchmaking. Support the showThank you for listening to this episode of Love on the Pod! Subscribe, Rate, and Review: Don't miss an episode—subscribe to Love on the Pod on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review us! Shop Our Merch: https://www.loveonthepod.com/category/all-productsConnect with Us: Email: loveonthepod@gmail.com Instagram: @LoveOnThePod Visit Our Website: For show notes, episodes and more, visit https://www.loveonthepod.com. Stay tuned for our next episode, where we'll discuss another holiday favorite. See you next time!
We're sharing A Few of Our Favorite Things (at Disney) as we unwrap everything that makes the season bright across Walt Disney World. From twinkling lights and life-sized gingerbread houses to peppermint treats and exclusive merch drops, this episode is packed tighter than Santa's sleigh with festive favorites, personal stories, and plenty of holiday cheer.We'll each reveal our top picks across five merry categories: favorite resort décor, park treats, shopping spots, photo ops, and those underrated little moments that make Disney at the holidays truly unforgettable. Maybe it's the smell of gingerbread wafting through the lobby, the glow of the EPCOT tree at night, or the quiet magic of a stroll down a decorated Main Street, U.S.A. — these are the details that bring the holidays to life for us, and we can't wait to share them with you.So grab a mug of cocoa, wrap yourself in your coziest Disney spirit jersey, and let's dive into the season of magic, music, and memories. Whether you're visiting Walt Disney World this year or celebrating from home, this episode will bring a little extra sparkle to your season.
Our panellists beg: please, Santa, do not bring us a Christmas election. Red, yellow and green traffic lights are outdated because a fourth colour might be added to intersections. There's a big innovation in menstrual products and thank god, it's not AI! Peanut allergies have fallen fast, yet the PB sandwich remains a schoolyard crime. Why no one's allowed to celebrateThe Great Peanut Comeback just yet. If you're too afraid to share your opinions on social media, that's okay! Fill out this listener questionnaire instead: www.cbc.ca/BecauseSurvey
Episode 201: Christmas in Red Lodge, Montana Looking for a holiday getaway that feels straight out of a postcard? This week on The Family Vacationer, we're taking you to Red Lodge, Montana, a small-town winter wonderland where Christmas magic comes alive. Red Lodge, once a bustling coal-mining town in the 1800s, is now best known as the gateway to the Beartooth Highway. But come December, it transforms into a festive haven filled with twinkling lights, family traditions, and a community spirit that makes the holidays unforgettable. Joining us is Sherry Weimer, director of the Red Lodge Chamber of Commerce, who shares why families should plan a Christmas trip to this hidden gem. In this episode, you'll hear about:The Red Lodge Christmas Stroll — a Hallmark-worthy tradition with parades, fire pits, caroling, and Santa's grand entrance. Family-friendly winter fun at Red Lodge Mountain, from skiing to skating in the town park.The best cozy stops for cocoa, pastries, and kid-approved treats (don't miss the monster ice cream sandwich!).How local shops and restaurants keep the holiday spirit alive with decorated windows, late-night shopping, and tasty surprises. Unique Red Lodge holiday experiences, like Santa skiing on Christmas Day.Where to stay — from historic hotels to mom-and-pop motels, B&Bs, and Airbnbs.Insider tips for planning your family's first Christmas trip to Red Lodge. If you've ever dreamed of celebrating Christmas in a storybook setting, Red Lodge might just be the perfect destination for your family. Plan your trip: redlodge.comDon't forget — we'll be circling back to our special Episode 200 in December! Plus, stay tuned for details on Rob's upcoming book, The Family Vacationer: A Parent's Guide to Meaningful Travel, coming soon.
This week on The Mismatched Podcast we dive into tight chests and the health concerns we shouldn't ignore (hello, WebMD panic). We also admit our weird little addictions and why yelling “FOCUS!” at people isn't exactly the cure for anything. We discuss which Patterson kid gave their parents a run for their money
In this impactful and inspiring episode of Unstoppable Mindset, host Michael Hingson sits down with Ronald Cocking—performer, educator, and co-founder of the Looking Glass Studio of Performing Arts—to reflect on a remarkable life shaped by rhythm, resilience, and love. Ron's journey into the performing arts began at just five years old, when his passion for tap dance ignited a lifelong commitment to dance and musical theater. From his first professional role at age 15 in My Fair Lady to founding one of Southern California's most impactful arts schools, Ron's story is one of dedication, creativity, and community. But perhaps the most moving part of Ron's story is his 49-year partnership—both personal and professional—with the late Gloria McMillan, best known as Harriet Conklin from Our Miss Brooks. Together, they created a legacy of mentorship through the Looking Glass Studio, where they taught thousands of students across generations—not just how to act, sing, or dance, but how to live with confidence and integrity. Ron also reflects on the legacy Gloria left behind, his continued involvement in the arts, and the words of wisdom that guide his life: “Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” “To find happiness, take the gifts God has given you and give them away.” This is more than a story of a career in the arts—it's a touching tribute to passion, partnership, and purpose that will leave you inspired. Highlights: 00:48 – Hear how early radio at home shaped a lifetime love for performance. 03:00 – Discover why drumming and tap both trained his ear for rhythm. 06:12 – Learn how a tough studio change led to ballet, jazz, and tumbling basics. 08:21 – See the “sing with your feet” method that makes tap click for students. 10:44 – Find out how a teen chorus role in My Fair Lady opened pro doors. 13:19 – Explore the drum-and-tap crossover he performed with Leslie Uggams. 15:39 – Learn how meeting Gloria led to a studio launched for $800. 18:58 – Get the long view on running a school for 44 years with family involved. 23:46 – Understand how Our Miss Brooks moved from radio to TV with its cast intact. 32:36 – See how 42nd Street proves the chorus can be the star. 41:51 – Hear why impact matters more than fame when students build careers. 43:16 – Learn what it takes to blend art and business without losing heart. 45:47 – Compare notes on marriage, teamwork, and communication that lasts. 48:20 – Enjoy a rare soft-shoe moment Ron and Gloria performed together. 56:38 – Take away the “teach to fish” approach that builds lifelong confidence. About the Guest: My father was a trumpet player, thus I heard music at home often in the early 50's and was always impressed and entertained by the rhythms and beats of Big Band music… especially the drummers. Each time I would see Tap dancers on TV, I was glued to the screen. It fascinated me the way Tap dancers could create such music with their feet! In 1954, at age 5, after begging my Mom and Dad to enroll me in a Tap class, my Dad walked in from work and said “Well, you're all signed up, and your first Tap class is next Tuesday. I was thrilled and continued studying tap and many other dance forms and performing and teaching dance for all of my life. In my mid teens, I became serious about dancing as a possible career. After seeing my first musical, “The Pajama Game” starring Ruth Lee, I new I wanted to do musical theatre. I got my first professional opportunity at age 15 in “My Fair Lady” for the San Bernardino Civic Light Opera Association and loved every minute of it… and would continue performing for this organization well into my 30's I met Gloria McMillan in the late 60's while choreographing a summer musical for children. Gloria's daughter was doing the role of Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”. Then, about 3 or 4 years later I would meet Gloria again and the sparks flew. And, yes, she was Gloria McMillan of “Our Miss Brooks” fame on both radio and television. Wow, was I blessed to have crossed paths with her. We shared our lives together for 49 years. On November 4, 1974, Gloria and I opened a performing arts school together named “The Looking Glass Studio of Performing Arts”. We would teach and manage the school together for 44 years until we retired on June 30, 2018. We moved to Huntington Beach, California and spent 3 beautiful years together until she left to meet our Lord in heaven on January 19, 2022. Ways to connect with Ron: Lgsparon@aol.com About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hi there, wherever you are and wherever you happen to be today. Welcome to unstoppable mindset. I'm your host, Mike hingson, and today we get to chat with Ron Cocking, who is Ron. Well, we're going to find out over the next hour. And Ron was married for many years to another person who is very famous, and we'll get to that, probably not as well known to what I would probably describe as the younger generation, but you're going to get to learn a lot about Ron and his late wife before we're done, and I am sure we're going to have a lot of fun doing it. So let's get to it. Ron, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Ron Cocking ** 01:59 Thank you. I'm so glad to be here. Michael, this. I've been looking forward to this. Michael Hingson ** 02:04 I have been as well, and we're going to have a lot of fun doing it. Ron Cocking ** 02:08 Do you one note on that last name? It is cocking. Cocking, he comes right? Comes from a little townlet in the coal mining country of England called Cockington. Michael Hingson ** 02:20 I don't know why I keep saying that, but yeah, cocky, no 02:23 problem. Michael Hingson ** 02:24 Well, do you go up to the reps recreations at all? Ron Cocking ** 02:28 Oh my gosh, Gloria. And I know you and Gloria, did do you still do it? I've it's on my schedule for September. Michael Hingson ** 02:35 I'm gonna miss it this year. I've got a speech to give. So I was going to be playing Richard diamond at recreation. Well, I'll have to be Dick Powell another time, but I thought that you you were still doing 02:50 it. I'm planning on it cool. Michael Hingson ** 02:53 Well, tell us about the early Ron cocking and kind of growing up in some of that stuff. Let's start with that. Ron Cocking ** 02:59 Well, the early part of my story was when I was born just a little before television came in, before everyone had a TV in their home. How old are you now? If I maybe, you know, I am now 76 Michael Hingson ** 03:12 Okay, that's what I thought. Yeah, you're one year ahead of me. I'm 75 Ron Cocking ** 03:16 I was born in 49 and so my earliest remembrances my mom and dad and my brother and I lived with our grandfather, and we had no television, but we had this big it must have been about three to four foot tall, this big box on the floor in a very prominent spot in the living room. And that was the Sunday afternoon entertainment. I remember my family sitting around, and I listened and I laughed when they did, but I had no idea what was going on, but that was the family gathering. And just, I know we'll talk about it later, but I I just have this notion that at that time I was laughing, not knowing what I was laughing at, but I bet I was laughing at my future Michael Hingson ** 04:02 wife, yes, yes, but other things as well. I mean, you probably laughed at Jack Benny and Amos and Andy and Ron Cocking ** 04:09 yeah, I remember listening to all those folks, and it was just amazing. Then when television came about and my father was a trumpet player, and I loved his trumpet playing, and he practiced often at home. He would sit in his easy chair and play some tunes and scales and that sort of thing. But what captured my ear and my eyes when I went to on rare occasions when I could go to his engagements, it was always the drummer that just stuck out to me. I was mesmerized by the rhythms that they could produce. And when TV came about, I remember the old variety shows, and they often would have tap dancers like. Had a stair gene, Kelly, Peg Leg Bates and the Nicholas brothers, and I just, I was just taken back by the rhythms. It sounded like music to me. The rhythms just made me want to do it. And so I started putting that bug in my parents ears. And I waited and waited. I wanted to take tap dance lessons. And one day, my dad walks in the back door, and I said, Dad, have you signed me up yet? And he said, Yep, you start next Tuesday at 330 in the afternoon. So I was overjoyed, and I went in for my first lesson. And mind you, this was a private tap class. Total Cost of $1.25 and we had a pianist for music, no record player, live piano, wow. And so I, I rapidly fell in love with tap dance. Michael Hingson ** 05:56 And so you did that when you weren't in school. Presumably, you did go to school. Ron Cocking ** 06:00 Oh, yeah, I did go to school. Yeah, I did well in school, and I enjoyed school. I did all the athletics. I played little league, and eventually would be a tennis player and water polo and all that stuff. But all through the years, after school was on the way to the dance classes. Michael Hingson ** 06:16 So you graduated, or I suppose I don't want to insult drumming, but you graduated from drumming to tap dancing, huh? Ron Cocking ** 06:24 Well, I kept doing them both together. I would dance, and then when my dad would practice, I would beg him to just play a tune like the St Louis Blues, yeah, and so that I could keep time, so I pulled a little stool up in front of an easy chair, and one of the arms of the chair was the ride cymbal, and the other one was the crash cymbal, and the seat of the chair was my snare drum. I would play along with him. And eventually he got tired of that and bought a Hi Fi for my brother and I, and in the bedroom I had a Hi Fi, and I started to put together a set of drums, and I spent hours next to that, Hi Fi, banging on the drums, and I remember it made me feel good. One day, my mom finally said to me, you know, you're starting to sound pretty good, and that that was a landmark for me. I thought, wow, somebody is enjoying my drumming, Michael Hingson ** 07:18 but you couldn't do drumming and tap dancing at the same time. That would have been a little bit of a challenge. A challenge. Ron Cocking ** 07:23 No, I would practice that the drums in the afternoon and then head for the dance studio later. And in this case, I was a local boy. I grew up in Riverside California, and my first tap teacher was literally maybe two miles from our house. But that didn't last long. She got married and became pregnant and closed her studio, and then I she recommended that I go see this teacher in San Bernardino by the name of Vera Lynn. And which I did, I remember walking into this gigantic classroom with a bunch of really tall kids, and I was maybe seven or eight years old, and I guess it was kind of an audition class, but after that evening, I she put me in the most appropriate classes, one of which was ballet, which I wasn't too excited about, but they all told me, If you're going to be a serious dancer, even a tap dancer, you need to get the basic body placement from ballet classes. And I said, Well, I am not going to put any tights and a T shirt on. But they finally got me to do that because they told me that the Rams football team took ballet class twice a week at that time. Ah. Said, no kidding. So they got me, they they got you. They got me into ballet class, and then it was jazz, and then it was tumbling, and so I did it all. Michael Hingson ** 08:43 I remember when we moved to California when I was five, and probably when I was about eight or nine, my brother and I were enrolled by my mother. I guess my parents enrolled us in a dance class. So I took dance class for a few years. I learned something about dancing. I did have a pair of tap shoes, although I didn't do a lot of it, but I, but I did dance and never, never really pursued it enough to become a Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire. Well, few of us do. I didn't dislike it. It just didn't happen. But that was okay, but it was fun to, you know, to do it and to learn something about that. And so I even today, I I remember it, and I appreciate it. So that's pretty cool. Ron Cocking ** 09:32 Well, you would understand what I always told my students, that tap dancing is like singing a song with your feet. Yeah. And I would sing, I would say, you all know, happy birthday, right? So I would sing it, and they would sing it along, and then I'd said, then I would sing it again, and I would sing it totally out of rhythm. And they would wrinkle their nose and look at me and say, okay, so what are you doing? And I'd say, Well, you don't recognize it because the rhythm is not correct. So then I would. Would tap dance Happy birthday, and I'd say, you sing along in your mind and I'm going to tap dance it. And that would always ring a bell in their mind, like, Oh, I get it. The rhythm has to be right on the button, or the people aren't going to recognize Michael Hingson ** 10:16 that was very clever to do. Ron Cocking ** 10:18 Yeah, thank you. And they got it, yeah, they got it, yeah, Michael Hingson ** 10:22 which is even, even more important. That's pretty clever. Well, so you did that, and did you do it all the way through high school, Ron Cocking ** 10:30 all the way through high school? And I think when I was 15, I was, I think I was in the eighth grade, maybe ninth, but I was 15 and got my first chance to I was cast in a professional show for San Bernardino civic light opera Association. And the show was My Fair Lady, and it was my English and journalism teacher at the junior high who had been cast. He was a performer also, but something came up and he couldn't follow through, so he had given the association my name, and I was out in the backyard. My mom came out. Said, Hey, San Bernardino clo just called and they want, they want to see it tonight at seven o'clock. So I put on my dance clothes and went over, and the director, by the name of Gosh, Gene Bayless, came out, and he showed me a couple of steps. And he said, Yeah, let's do it together. And he said, Boy, you unscramble your feet pretty well there kid. And he he looked over into the costumers and said, measure this guy. Let's put him in the show. So I was beside myself. And long story short, I Gosh, I'm over the over the years, I my first show was at age 15 with them, and I participated, did shows with them, until I think my last show, I was about 38 years old, and that last show was anything goes with Leslie uggums, wow. Michael Hingson ** 11:52 So what part did you play on my fair lady? Ron Cocking ** 11:55 I was just a chorus kid. I remember in the opening when Eliza sings, that wouldn't it be lovely? Wouldn't it be lovely? I was a street sweeper. I remember I had a broom, and there were three of us, and we were sweeping up that street and working in and around. Eliza Doolittle, of Michael Hingson ** 12:11 course, being really spiteful. You just said a little while ago, you were beside yourself. And the thing that I got to say to that, quoting the Muppets, is, how do the two of you stand each other? But anyway, that's okay, good in the original Muppet Movie, that line is in there. And I it just came out so fast, but I heard it. I was going, Oh my gosh. I couldn't believe they did that. But anyway, it was so cute, very funny. That's great. So and then you were, you eventually were opposite Leslie UB, Ron Cocking ** 12:39 yes, that was one of the high points talking about dancing and drumming at the same time. In fact, I used to give a drum a basic drum summer camp where I would teach tappers the basics of music notation, quarter notes, eighth notes, 16th notes. And then we would put a tap orchestra together. Everybody had their own music stand and their own drum pad. I would conduct, and we would play little pieces, and they would they would drum a rhythm, tap, a rhythm, drum, a rhythm, tap, a rhythm. And so anyway, it came full circle. One of the highlights of my dance slash drumming career was this show I did with Leslie uggums, the director had done this prior, and he knew it would work, and so so did the conductor in the entre Act. The top of the second act, the pit orchestra starts and plays like eight measures. And then there were six of us on stage, behind the main curtain, and we would play the next 16 bars, and then we would toss it back to the pit, and then toss it back to us, and the curtain would begin to rise, and we were right into the first song that Leslie uggums sang to get into the second act. Then she wanted to add a couple of songs that she liked, and she was very popular in with the audiences in San Bernardino, so she added a couple of songs, and I got to play those songs with her and and that was just so thrilling. And I with the scene finished, I had to have my tap shoes on, on the drum set. I had to hop down from the riser, and came out, brought one of my Toms with me, and played along with another featured tap dancer that kind of took over the scene at that point. So it was, it was really cool. Michael Hingson ** 14:31 So with all this drumming, did you ever meet anyone like buddy rip? Ron Cocking ** 14:35 No, I never met any famous drummers except a man by the name of Jack Sperling, which was one of my drumming idols, Michael Hingson ** 14:44 Donnie Carson was quite the drummer, as I recall, Ron Cocking ** 14:48 yeah, he did play yeah and boy, his his drummer, Ed Shaughnessy on his on The Tonight Show was phenomenal. Yeah, he's another of my favorites, yeah, Michael Hingson ** 14:57 well, and I remember. I guess Johnny Carson and Buddy Rich played together, which was kind of fun. They Ron Cocking ** 15:07 played together, and so did Ed Shaughnessy and Buddy Rich did a little competition on the show one time I realized, yeah, Michael Hingson ** 15:15 right, yeah. Well, and it's interesting to see some of the performers do that. I remember once trying to remember whether what show it was on, maybe it was also a Tonight Show where Steve Martin substituted for Johnny, but he and the steel Canyon, the Steve Canyon band, came out. Of course, he was great on the band, and then flat and Scruggs or flat came out. Or which one? Yeah, which one did the banjo flat, I think, but they, but they banjo together, which was fun? Ron Cocking ** 15:51 Oh, wow, yeah, yeah. Steve Martin is a tremendous band. He is, Whoa, yeah. I, Michael Hingson ** 15:56 I have a hard time imagining fingers moving that fast, but that's okay, me too. I saved my fingers for Braille, so it's okay. So where did you go to college? Ron Cocking ** 16:07 I went to for two years to Riverside City College, Riverside Community College, and then I went for two years to San Bernardino Cal State, San Bernardino, and I was majoring in English because I thought I may want to do some writing. But in the meantime, I became married, I became a father, and so I was trying to work and study and maintain a family life, and I just couldn't do it all. So I didn't quite finish a major at Cal State San Bernardino. I continued actually a nightclub drumming career. And now, now we're getting up to where this our performing arts studio began between Gloria and I. Michael Hingson ** 16:50 So was it? GLORIA? You married first? Ron Cocking ** 16:53 No, okay, no, Gloria was married. Gloria was a prior, prior marriage for 20 some years, or 20 years, I guess. And I had been married only two years, I think. And when we first, well, we actually met while we were both. I'll tell you the story in a minute, if you want to hear it. Sure, the first time I ever met Gloria Macmillan, I had no idea who she was, because she her name was Gloria Allen at the time that was, that was her married name that she took after the arm is Brooks TV show. Well, she took that the new name before the TV show even ended. But I was choreographing a children's summer musical, and the director came up said, hey, I want you to meet this young lady's mom. So the young lady was Gloria's daughter, her oldest daughter, Janet. And I said, Sure. So he said, This is Gloria. Allen, Gloria, this is Ron. And we shook hands, and I said, Nice to meet you. And that was it. And so the show happened. It ran for a couple of weeks, and Gloria was a wonderful stage mom. She she never bothered anyone. She watched the show. She was very supportive of her daughter. Didn't, didn't stage manage Michael Hingson ** 18:09 whatsoever, which wasn't a helicopter mom, which is good, Ron Cocking ** 18:12 definitely that, which was just really cool. So and so I was maybe three, four years later, so Gloria obviously knew that I could dance, because she had seen me choreographed. So I got a phone call from Gloria Allen, and I said, Okay, I remember her. She wanted to meet because she was thinking about starting an acting school and wanted someone to teach actors some dance movement. So I went over for a interview and took my little at that time, about two and a half year old, daughter, three year old, and we chatted, and oh my gosh, I just this, this beautiful woman swept me off my feet. And of course, I by the end of the conversation, I said, Gosh, you know, we talked about how we would integrate the acting and the dance, and I said, Can I have your phone number? Nope, I got the old well, we'll call you. Don't call us. And so I had to wait for a few days before I got a call back, but I got a call back, and I don't remember a lot of details, but the sparks flew really, really quickly, and we started planning our school. And if you can believe that this was 1973 when we started planning, maybe it was early 74 and we invested a whole total of $800 to get ourselves into business. We bought a record player, some mirrors, some paint, and a business license and a little shingle to hang out front. We had a little one room studio, and we. Opened on November 4, 1974 and we would close the studio on June 30, 2018 Wow. Michael Hingson ** 20:08 Yeah. So you, you had it going for quite a while, almost, well, actually, more than 40 years. 44 years. 44 years, yes. And you got married along the way. Ron Cocking ** 20:20 Well along the way, my my wife always said she fell in love with my daughter, and then she had to take me along with her. Yeah. Well, there you go. So we were together constantly, just running the school together. And then eventually I moved over to San Bernardino, and it was, gosh, some 1213, years later, we got married in on June 28 1987 and but nothing really changed, because we had already been living together and raising five children. GLORIA had four from a private prior marriage, and I had my little girl. So we we got all these five kids through elementary and junior high in high school, and they all went to college. And they're all beautiful kids and productive citizens, two of them still in show biz. Her son, my stepson, Christopher Allen, is a successful producer now and of Broadway shows. And our daughter, Barbara Bermudez, the baby that Gloria fell in love with. She's now a producer slash stage manager director. She does really well at big events with keynote speakers. And she'll, if they want her to, she will hire in everything from lighting and sound to extra performers and that sort of thing. And she's, she's just busy constantly all over the world, wow. Michael Hingson ** 21:43 Well, that's pretty cool. And what are the other three doing? Ron Cocking ** 21:47 One is a VP of Sales for it's a tub and shower company, jacuzzi, and the other one is a married housewife, but now she is a grandmother and has two little grandkids, and they that's Janet, the one that I originally had worked with in that children's show. And she and her husband live in Chino Hills, California, which is about 40 minutes from here. I live in Huntington Beach, California now, Michael Hingson ** 22:14 well, and I'm not all that far away from you. We're in Victorville. Oh, Victorville, okay, yeah, the high desert. So the next time you go to Vegas, stop by on your way, I'll do that, since that's mainly what Victorville is probably most known for. I remember when I was growing I grew up in Palmdale, and Palmdale wasn't very large. It only had like about 20 703,000 people. But as I described it to people, Victorville wasn't even a speck on a radar scope compared to Palmdale at that time. Yeah, my gosh, are over 120,000 people in this town? Ron Cocking ** 22:51 Oh, I remember the drive in the early days from here to Vegas in that you really felt like you could get out on the road all alone and relax and take it all in, and now it can be trafficking all all the Speaker 1 ** 23:04 way. Yeah, it's crazy. I don't know. I still think they need to do something to put some sort of additional infrastructure, and there's got to be another way to get people to Vegas and back without going on i 15, because it is so crowded, especially around holidays, that one of these days, somebody will get creative. Maybe they'll get one of Tesla's tunnel boring tools, and they'll make a tunnel, and you can go underground the whole way, I don't know, Ron Cocking ** 23:32 but that would be, that would be great. Something like that would happen. Michael Hingson ** 23:38 Well, so you you started the school and and that did, pretty cool. Did, did Gloria do any more acting after our Miss Brooks? And then we should explain our Miss Brooks is a show that started on radio. Yes, it went on to television, and it was an arm is Brooks. Miss Brooks played by e vardin. Was a teacher at Madison High, and the principal was Osgood Conklin, played by Gail Gordon, who was absolutely perfect for the part. He was a crotchety old curmudgeon by any standards. And Gloria played his daughter, Harriet correct. And so when it went from radio to television, one of the things that strikes me about armas Brooks and a couple of those shows, burns and Allen, I think, is sort of the same. Jack Benny was a little different. But especially armas Brooks, it just seems to me like they they took the radio shows and all they did was, did the same shows. They weren't always the same plots, but it was, it was radio on television. So you, you had the same dialog. It was really easy for me to follow, and it was, was fascinating, because it was just like the radio shows, except they were on television. Ron Cocking ** 24:56 Yeah, pretty much. In fact, there were a lot, there's lots of episodes. Episodes that are even named the same name as they had on the radio, and they're just have to be reworked for for the television screen, Michael Hingson ** 25:08 yeah, but the the dialog was the same, which was so great, Ron Cocking ** 25:13 yeah, yeah. And to see what was I going to add, it was our Miss Brooks was one of the very few radio shows that made the transition to television with the cast with the same intact. Yeah, everybody looked like they sounded. So it worked when they were in front of the camera. Yeah, Michael Hingson ** 25:33 it sort of worked with Jack Benny, because most of the well, all the characters were in it, Don Wilson, Mary, Livingston, Dennis day, Rochester, world, yeah. And of course, Mel Blanc, yeah, oh. Ron Cocking ** 25:49 GLORIA tells a story. She she and her mom, Hazel, were walking down the street on the way to do a radio show in the old days in Hollywood, and here comes Mel blank, he says, he pulls over. Says, Hey, where are you girls headed because I know that he probably recognized them from being at at CBS all the time, and they said, We're headed to CBS. He said, hop in. Oh, that's where I'm going. So Mel Brooks gave her a ride to the Mel Blanc, yeah, would have been Michael Hingson ** 26:15 fun if Mel Brooks had but that's okay, Young Frankenstein, but that's another story. It is. But that's that's cool. So did they ever? Did she ever see him any other times? Or was that it? Ron Cocking ** 26:30 No, I think that was it. That's the one story that she has where Mel Blanc is involved. Michael Hingson ** 26:36 What a character, though. And of course, he was the man of a million voices, and it was just incredible doing I actually saw a couple Jack Benny shows this morning and yesterday. One yesterday, he was Professor LeBlanc teaching Jack Benny how to play the violin, which was a lost cause. Ron Cocking ** 26:59 Actually, Jack Benny was not a bad view. No, Michael Hingson ** 27:01 he wasn't violent. No, he wasn't. He had a lot of fun with it, and that stick went straight in from radio to television, and worked really well, and people loved it, and you knew what was going to happen, but it didn't matter. But it was still Ron Cocking ** 27:16 funny, and I'm sure during the transition they there was a little bit of panic in the writers department, like, okay, what are we going to do? We got to come up with a few shows. We got to get ahead a little bit. So the writing being just a little different, I'm sure that's part of the reason why they went back and kind of leaned on the old, old script somewhat, until they kind of cut their teeth on the new this new thing called television Michael Hingson ** 27:39 well, but they still kept a lot of the same routines in one way or another. Ron Cocking ** 27:45 Yeah, when they work, they work, whether you're just listening or whether you're watching, Michael Hingson ** 27:48 right, exactly what other shows made it from radio to television with the cast Ron Cocking ** 27:53 intact? You know, I am not up on that number. I Michael Hingson ** 27:57 know there were a couple that did. RMS, Brooks was, well, oh no, I was gonna say Abbott and Costello, but that was different, but our Miss Brooks certainly did. If Ron Cocking ** 28:09 the Bickersons did, I forget the two actors that did that show, but that was a really, Francis Michael Hingson ** 28:13 Langford and Donna Michi could be, but I think burns and Allen, I think, kept the same people as much as there were. Harry bonzell was still with them, and so on. But it was interesting to see those. And I'm awake early enough in the morning, just because it's a good time to get up, and I get and be real lazy and go slowly to breakfast and all that. But I watched the Benny show, and occasionally before it, I'll watch the burns and Allen show. And I think that the plots weren't as similar from radio to television on the burns and Allen show as they weren't necessarily in the Benny show, but, but it all worked. Ron Cocking ** 28:58 Yeah, yeah. That's why they were on the air for so long? Michael Hingson ** 29:02 Yeah, so what other kind of acting did Gloria do once? So you guys started the school Ron Cocking ** 29:10 well after she well, when we started the school, we found ourselves, you know, raising five children. And so I continued playing nightclub gigs. I had one, one nightclub job for like, five years in a row with two wonderful, wonderful musicians that were like fathers to me. And Gloria actually went to work for her brother in law, and she became a salesperson, and eventually the VP of Sales for a fiberglass tub and shower business down here in Santa Ana. So she drove that 91 freeway from San Bernardino, Santa Ana, all the time. But in, Michael Hingson ** 29:47 yeah, you could do it back then, much more than now. It was a little better Ron Cocking ** 29:51 and but in, but twist in between, she managed. Her mom still did a little bit of agency. And she would call Gloria and say. Want you to go see so and so. She did an episode of perfect strangers. She did an episode with Elliot of the guy that played Elliot Ness, stack the show Robert Stack the show was called Help Wanted no see. I guess that was an in but wanted, anyway, she did that. She did a movie with Bruce Dern and Melanie Griffith called Smile. And so she kept, she kept her foot in the door, but, but not, not all that much she she really enjoyed when John Wilder, one of her childhood acting buddies, who she called her brother, and he still calls her sis, or he would call her sis, still. His name was Johnny McGovern when he was a child actor, and when he decided to try some movie work, he there was another Johnny McGovern in Screen Actors Guild, so he had to change his name to John Wyler, but he did that mini series called centennial, and he wanted Gloria for a specific role, to play a German lady opposite the football player Alex Karras. And they had a couple of really nice scenes together. I think she was in three, maybe four of the segments. And there were many segments, it was like a who's who in Hollywood, the cast of that show Michael Hingson ** 31:28 does that was pretty cool. Ron Cocking ** 31:32 But anyway, yeah, after Gloria finished armas Brooks, she became married to Gilbert Allen, who, who then became a Presbyterian minister. So Gloria, when you said, Did she continue acting? There's a lot of acting that goes on being a minister and being a minister's wife, and she would put together weddings for people, and that sort of thing. And she did that for 20 years. Wow. So she Gloria was a phenomenon. She did so many things. And she did them all so very well, in my Speaker 1 ** 32:04 opinion. And so did you? Yeah, which is, which is really cool. So you, but you, you both started the school, and that really became your life's passion for 44 years. Yes, Ron Cocking ** 32:16 we would get up in the mornings, go do a little business, come home, have a little lunch, go back about 132 o'clock, and we would normally crank up about four after the kids get out of school, and we would teach from four to nine, sometimes to 10. Go out, have some dinner. So yeah, we pretty much 24/7 and we had had such similar backgrounds. Hers on a national radio and television scale, and mine on a much more local, civic light opera scale. But we both had similar relations with our our moms after after the radio tapings and the TV things. GLORIA And her mom. They lived in Beverly Hills, right at Wilshire and Doheny, and they had their favorite chocolate and ice cream stops. And same thing for me, my mom would take me there, two doors down from the little studio where I was taking my tap classes. There was an ice cream parlor, haywoods ice cream. And that was, that was the the lure, if you go in and if you do your practicing, Ronnie, you can, I'll take it for an ice cream so that I did my practicing, had plenty of little treats on the way, so we had that in common, and we both just had very supportive moms that stayed out of the way, not, not what I would call a pushy parent, or, I think you mentioned the helicopter, helicopter, but it Michael Hingson ** 33:37 but it sounds like you didn't necessarily need the bribes to convince you to tap dance, as you know, anyway, but they didn't hurt. Ron Cocking ** 33:46 No, it didn't hurt at all, and it was something to look forward to, but I I just enjoyed it all along. Anyway, I finally got to to really showcase what I could do when I was cast as the dance director in the show 42nd street. Oh, wow. And I was lucky. We were lucky. San Bernardino clo was able to hire John Engstrom, who had done the show on Broadway. The earlier version that came, I think it was on Broadway in the mid or to late 70s. He had worked side by side with Gower Champion putting the show together. He told us all sorts of stories about how long it took Gower to put together that opening dance. Because everything in the opening number you you see those steps later in the show done by the chorus, because the opening number is an audition for dancers who want to be in this new Julian Marsh show. So the music starts, the audience hears, I know there must have been 20 of us tapping our feet off. And then a few seconds later, the curtain rises about two and a half feet. And then they see all these tapping feet. And then the main curtain goes out, and there we all are. And. I my part. I was facing upstage with my back to the audience, and then at some point, turned around and we did it was the most athletic, difficult, two and a half minute tap number I had ever done, I'll bet. But it was cool. There were five or six kids that had done it on Broadway and the national tour. And then during that audition, one more high point, if we have the time, we I was auditioning just like everybody else. The director had called and asked if I would audition, but he wasn't going to be choreographing. John Engstrom was so with there was probably 50 or 60 kids of all ages, some adults auditioning, and at one point, John pulled out one of the auditioners, and he happened to be one of my male tap dance students. And he said, Now I want everybody to watch Paul do this step. Paul did the step. He said, Now he said, Paul, someone is really teaching you well. He said, everybody that's the way to do a traveling timestamp so and that, you know, I'll remember that forever. And it ended up he hired. There were seven myself and seven other of my students were cast in that show. And some of them, some of them later, did the show in Las Vegas, different directors. But yeah, that, that was a high point for me. Speaker 1 ** 36:19 I'm trying to remember the first time I saw 42nd street. I think I've seen it twice on Broadway. I know once, but we also saw it once at the Lawrence Welk Resorts condo there, and they did 42nd street. And that was a lot of that show was just a lot of fun. Anyway, Ron Cocking ** 36:39 it's a fun show. And as John said in that show, The chorus is the star of the show. Speaker 1 ** 36:45 Yeah, it's all about dancing by any by any definition, any standard. It's a wonderful show. And anybody who is listening or watching, if you ever get a chance to go see 42nd street do it, it is, it is. Well, absolutely, well worth it. Ron Cocking ** 37:00 Yeah, good. Good show. Fantastic music, too. Well. Michael Hingson ** 37:03 How did you and Gloria get along so well for so long, basically, 24 hours a day, doing everything together that that I would think you would even be a little bit amazed, not that you guys couldn't do it, but that you did it so well, and so many people don't do it well, Ron Cocking ** 37:21 yeah, I don't know I from, from the the first time we met, we just seemed to be on the same wavelength. And by the way, I found out as time went by, Gloria was like Mrs. Humble. She wasn't a bragger, very humble. And it took me a while to find out what an excellent tap dancer she was. But when we went to the studio in the early days, we had, we just had one room. So she would teach actors for an hour, take a break. I would go in teach a tap class or a movement class or a ballet class. I in the early days, I taught, I taught it all. I taught ballet and jazz and and and and Michael Hingson ** 38:01 tap. Well, let's let's be honest, she had to be able to tap dance around to keep ahead of Osgoode Conklin, but that's another story. Ron Cocking ** 38:09 Yeah. So yeah, that. And as our studio grew, we would walk every day from our first studio down to the corner to a little wind chills donut shop wind chills donuts to get some coffee and come back. And about a year and a half later, after walking by this, this retail vacant spot that was two doors from our studio, we said, I wonder if that might be, you know, something for us, it had a four lease sign. So, long story short, we released it. The owner of the property loved knowing that Gloria Macmillan was that space. And so luckily, you know when things are supposed to happen. They happen as people would move out next to us, we would move in. So we ended up at that particular studio with five different studio rooms. Wow. And so then we can accommodate all of the above, acting, singing classes, all the dance disciplines, all at the same time, and we can, like, quadruple our student body. So then we made another move, because the neighborhood was kind of collapsing around us, we made another room and purchased a building that had been built as a racquetball club. It had six racquetball courts, all 20 by 40, beautiful hardwood. We made four of them, five of them into studios, and then there was a double racquetball racquetball court in the front of the building which they had tournaments in it was 40 by 40 we moved. We made that into a black box theater for Gloria. And the back wall of the theater was one inch glass outside of which the audiences for the racquetball tournaments used to sit. But outside the glass for us, we had to put curtains there, and out front for us was our. Gigantic lobby. The building was 32,000 square feet. Wow, we could it just made our heart, hearts sing when we could walk down that hallway and see a ballet class over here, a tap class over there, singers, singing actors in the acting room. It was beautiful. And again, it was just meant for us because it was our beautiful daughter, Kelly, who passed away just nine months after Gloria did. She's the one that said, you guys ought to look into that. And I said, Well, it's a racquetball court. But again, the first moment we walked in the front door, you start. We started thinking like, whoa. I think we could make this work. And it worked for another 20 years for us and broke our hearts to basically rip it apart, tear the theater down, and everything when we were moving out, because we we couldn't find another studio that was interested in in coming in, because they would have had to purchase the building. We wanted to sell the building. Yeah. So anyway, of all things, they now sell car mufflers out of there. Michael Hingson ** 41:02 That's a little different way, way. Yeah, social shock, did any of your students become pretty well known in the in the entertainment world? Ron Cocking ** 41:11 I wouldn't say well known, but a lot of them have worked a lot and made careers. Some of our former students are now in their 50s, middle 50s, pushing 60, and have done everything from cruise ship to Las Vegas to regional some national tours, even our son, Christopher, he did the national tour of meet me in St Louis with Debbie Boone, okay, and he's the one that is Now a successful producer. He's his latest hit. Well, his first, what can be considered legitimately a Broadway hit show was the show called shucked, and it opened about two years ago, I think, and I finally got to go back to New York and see it just a month before it closed. Very hilarious. Takes place in Iowa. The whole show is built around a county in which everybody that lives there makes their living off of corn, making whiskey. And it is a laugh, way more than a laugh a minute. But anyway, we had one of Gloria's acting students who was hired on with a Jonathan Winters TV sitcom called Davis rules. It ran for two seasons, and here he was like 16 or 17 years old, making, I think it was. He was making $8,000 a week, and he was in heaven. He looked like the Son he played, the grandson of Jonathan Winters and the son of Randy Quaid and so he, yeah, he was in heaven. And then after that, he did a very popular commercial, the 711 brain freeze commercial for Slurpee. The Slurpee, yeah, and he made the so much money from that, but then he kind of disappeared from showbiz. I don't know what he's doing nowadays, Speaker 1 ** 43:00 but it's, it's, it's interesting to, you know, to hear the stories. And, yeah, I can understand that, that not everybody gets to be so famous. Everybody knows them, but it's neat that you had so many people who decided to make entertainment a career. So clearly, you had a pretty good influence on a lot of, a lot of kids. Ron Cocking ** 43:20 Yes, I over the years, Gloria and I felt like we had 1000s of children of our own, that they that we had raised together. It's really a good feeling. And I still get phone calls. We got a phone call once a few years back from from one of our students who had been trying to crack the nut in New York, and she called us like 530 in the morning, because, of course, it was Yeah, but she had just signed her first national tour contract and was going to go out with the show cabaret. So fortunately, we were able to drive up to Santa not let's see, it's just below San San Jose. The show came through San Jose, and we got to see her up there. But those kinds of things are what made us keep teaching, year after year, all these success stories. Of course, we have former students that are now lawyers. Those are actors. Well, we Michael Hingson ** 44:17 won't hold it and we understand, yeah and they are actors, by all means. How many teachers did you have in the studio when you had the big building? Ron Cocking ** 44:26 Gosh, at one time, we had 10 or 12 teachers, teaching vocal teachers, two or three ballet teachers, jazz teachers, and you both taught as well. And we both continued teaching all through that time. We never just became managers, although that's that was part of it, and mixing business with art is a challenge, and it takes kind of a different mindset, and then what an unstoppable mindset you have to have in order to mix business with performing, because it's too. Different sides of your brain and a lot of patience and a lot of patience. And guess who taught me patience? Uh huh, Gloria Macmillan. Michael Hingson ** 45:09 I would Conklin's daughter, yes, and I'll bet that's where she learned patience. No, I'm just teasing, but yeah, I hear you, yeah. Well, I know Karen and I were married for 40 years, until she passed in November of 2022 and there's so many similarities in what you're talking about, because we we could do everything together. We had challenges. Probably the biggest challenge that we ever had was we were living in Vista California, and I was working in Carlsbad, and the president of our company decided that we should open an office, because I was being very successful at selling to the government, we should open an office in the DC area. And so we both got excited about that. But then one day he came in and he had this epiphany. He said, No, not Virginia. I want you to open an office in New York. And Karen absolutely hated that she was ready to go to Virginia and all that. Speaker 1 ** 46:15 But the problem for me was it was either move to New York or take a sales territory that didn't sell very much anymore. The owner wasn't really willing to discuss it, so we had some challenges over that, but the marriage was strong enough that it that it worked out, and we moved to New Jersey, and Karen made a lot of friends back there, but, you know, we always did most everything together. And then when the pandemic occurred, being locked down, it just proved all the more we just did everything together. We were together. We talked a lot, which is, I think one of the keys to any good marriages, and you talk and communicate. Ron Cocking ** 46:56 Yes, in fact, when after we closed the studio in 2018 it took us a few more months to sell our home, and then when we moved down here, it was only about, I don't know, I don't know if it was a full year or not, but the pandemic hit and but it really didn't bother us, because we had, we had been working the teaching scene for so many years that we basically Were done. We basically walked out of the studio. We did. Neither of us have the desire to, well, let's continue in at some level, no, we cherished our time together. We have a little porch out in front of our home here, and it gets the ocean breeze, and we would sit for hours and chat. And oddly enough, not oddly, one of our favorite things to do, we have a website that we went to that had, I think, every radio show of armas Brooks ever made. And we would sit listen to those and just laugh. And, in fact, Gloria, there are some. She said, You know what? I don't even remember that episode at all. So yeah, that that was an interesting part. But yeah, Gloria and I, like your wife and you really enjoyed time together. We never talked about needing separate vacations or anything if we wanted to do something. We did it Speaker 1 ** 48:16 together, yeah, and we did too. And you know, for us it was, it was out of desire, but also was easier for us, because she was in a wheelchair her whole life. I was I'm blind. I've been blind my whole life. And as I tell people, the marriage worked out well. She read, I pushed, and in reality, that really is the way it worked, yeah, yeah. Until she started using a power chair. Then I didn't push. I kept my toes out of the way. But still, it was, it was really did meld and mesh together very well and did everything Ron Cocking ** 48:49 together. That's fantastic. I'm proud of you, Michael, and it really Michael Hingson ** 48:53 it's the only way to go. So I miss her, but like, I keep telling people she's somewhere monitoring me, and if I misbehave, I'm going to hear about it. So I got to be a good kid, Ron Cocking ** 49:04 and I'll hear I'll get some notes tonight from the spirit of Gloria McMillan too. I prayed to her before I went on. I said, please let the words flow and please not let me say anything that's inappropriate. And I think she's guided me through okay so far. Michael Hingson ** 49:20 Well, if, if you do something you're not supposed to, she's gonna probably hit you upside the head. You know, did you two ever actually get to perform together? Ron Cocking ** 49:30 Oh, I'm glad you asked that, because, well, it had been years since I knew that she was a darn good tap dancer. In fact, I had a tap dancing ensemble of of my more advanced kids, and if they wanted to dedicate the extra time that it took, we rehearsed them and let them perform at free of charge once they made it to that group, they they did not pay to come in and rehearse with me, because I would spend a lot of time standing there creating so. So we were doing a performance, and we wanted to spotlight, I forget the exact reason why we wanted to spotlight some of Gloria's career. Talk about radio a little bit. And I said, Gloria, would you do a little soft shoe routine? And because we had invited a mutual friend of ours, Walden Hughes, from the reps organization, and he was going to be the guest of honor, so I talked her into it. At first she wasn't going to go for it, but we had so much fun rehearsing it together. And it wasn't a long routine, it was relatively short, beautiful music, little soft shoe, and it was so much fun to say that we actually tap danced together. But the other times that we actually got to work together was at the old time radio conventions, mostly with reps, and that's really when I got to sit on stage. I was kind of typecast as an announcer, and I got to do some commercials. I got to sing once with Lucy arnazza. Oh, life, a life boy soap commercial. But when Gloria, Well, Gloria did the lead parts, and oh my gosh, that's when I realized what a superb actress she was. And if I don't know if you've heard of Greg Oppenheimer, his father, Jess Oppenheimer created the I Love Lucy shows, and so Gloria loved Jess Oppenheimer. And so Greg Oppenheimer, Jess Son, did a lot of directing, and oh my gosh, I would see he came in very well prepared and knew how the lines should be delivered. And if Gloria was not right on it, he would say, No, wait a minute, Gloria, I want you to emphasize the word decided, and that's going to get the laugh. And when he gave her a reading like that man, the next time she went through that dialog, just what he had asked for. And I thought, Oh my gosh. And her timing, after watching so many armist Brooks TV and listening to radio shows. GLORIA learned her comedic timing from one of the princesses of comedy timing is Eve Arden, right? They were so well for obvious reasons. They were so very similar. And if you have time to story for another story, do you know have you heard of Bob Hastings? He was the lieutenant on McHale's navy. McHale's Navy, right? Yeah. Well, he also did a lot of old time radio. So we went up to Seattle, Michael Hingson ** 52:32 our two grandkids, Troy Amber, he played, not Archie. Was it Henry Aldridge? He was on, Ron Cocking ** 52:40 I think you're right. I'm not too up on the cast of the old time radio show. Yeah, I think you're right. But anyway, he was there, and there was an actress that had to bow out. I don't know who that was, but our grandsons and Gloria and I, we walked in, and as usual, we say hi to everybody. We're given a big packet of six or eight scripts each, and we go to our room and say, Oh my gosh. Get out the pencils, and we start marking our scripts. So we get a phone call from Walden, and he said, hey, Ron Bob. Bob Hastings wants to see Gloria in his room. He wants to read through he's not sure if he wants to do the Bickersons script, because he you know, the gal bowed out and right, you know, so Gloria went down Michael Hingson ** 53:23 couple of doors, coming Ron Cocking ** 53:26 Yes, and she so she came back out of half an hour, 40 minutes later, and she said, well, that little stinker, he was auditioning me. He went in and she went in and he said, Well, you know, I don't know if I want to do this. It doesn't seem that funny to me. Let's read a few lines. Well, long story short, they read the whole thing through, and they were both, they were both rolling around the floor. I'll bet they laughing and so and then jump to the following afternoon, they did it live, and I was able to watch. I had some pre time, and I watched, and they were just fantastic together. I left after the show, I went to the green room, had a little snack, and I was coming back to our room, walking down the hall, and here comes Bob Hastings, and he says, oh, Ron. He said, Your wife was just fantastic. So much better than the other girl would have been. So when I told GLORIA That story that made her her day, her week. She felt so good about that. So that's my Bob Hastings story. Bob Hastings and Gloria Macmillan were great as the Bickersons. Speaker 1 ** 54:29 Yeah, that was a very clever show. It started on the Danny Thomas show, and then they they ended up going off and having their own show, Francis Langford and Donna Michi, but they were very clever. Ron Cocking ** 54:42 Now, did you realize when now that you mentioned Danny Thomas? Did you realize that Gloria's mom, Hazel McMillan, was the first female agent, talent agent in Hollywood? No, and that's how you know when the. They moved from from Portland, Oregon, a little city outside of Portland. They moved because Gloria's mom thought she had talent enough to do radio, and it wasn't a year after they got here to LA that she did her first national show for Lux radio at the age of five. That was in 1937 with with Edward G Robinson. I've got a recording of that show. What's what show was it? It was a Christmas show. And I don't remember the name of the of it, but it was a Christmas show. It was Walden that sent us. Sent Michael Hingson ** 55:33 it to us. I'll find it. I've got it, I'm sure. Ron Cocking ** 55:35 And so, yeah, so, so Gloria was a member of what they called the 500 club. There was a group of, I don't know, nine or 10 kids that by the time the photograph that I have of this club, it looks like Gloria is around 12 to 14 years old, and they had all done 500 or more radio shows. Wow, that's a lot of radio show. There's a lot of radio So Gloria did, I mean, I got a short my point was, her mom was an agent, and when Gloria was working so consistently at armas Brooks, she said, Well, I'm kind of out of a job. I don't need to take you. GLORIA could drive then. And so she came back from the grocery store, Ralph's market near Wilshire and Doheny, and she came back said, Well, I know what I'm going to do. I ran into this cute little boy at the grocery store. I'm going to represent him for television. And she that's, she started the Hazel McMillan agency, and she ran that agency until she just couldn't anymore. I think she ran it until early 1980s but she, my god, she represented people like Angela Cartwright on the Danny Thomas show and Kathy Garver on, all in the family a family affair. Family Affair. Yeah. Jane north. Jane North went in for Dennis the Menace. He didn't get the role. He came back said, Hazel, I don't think they liked me, and they didn't. They didn't call me back or anything. Hazel got on that phone, said, Look, I know this kid can do what you're asking for. I want you to see him again. He went back and they read him again. He got the part, yeah, Michael Hingson ** 57:21 and he was perfect for it. Ron Cocking ** 57:22 He was perfect for that part was, I'm sorry. Michael Hingson ** 57:27 It's sad that he passed earlier this year. Ron Cocking ** 57:29 Yeah, he passed and he had, he had a tough life, yeah, Michael Hingson ** 57:36 well, you know, tell me you, you have what you you have some favorite words of wisdom. Tell me about those. Ron Cocking ** 57:45 Oh, this goes back to the reason why I came across this when I was looking for something significant to say on the opening of one of our big concert programs. We used to do all of our shows at the California theater of Performing Arts in San Bernardino, it's a really, a real gem of a theater. It's where Will Rogers gave his last performance. And so I came across this, and it's, I don't know if this is biblical, you might, you might know, but it's, if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. And that's what I felt like Gloria and I were trying to do. We wanted to teach these kids as as professionally. We treated our students as they were, as if they were little professionals. We we expected quality, we expected them to work hard, but again, Gloria taught me patience, unending patience. But we knew that we wanted them to feel confident when the time came, that they would go out and audition. We didn't want them to be embarrassed. We want we wanted them to be able to come back to us and say, Boy, I felt so good at that audition. I knew all the steps I was and I and I read so well it was. And thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And so that aspect of it, we felt that we were feeding them for a lifetime, but we also were creating all of these arts patrons, all these lovers of the arts, 1000s of kids now love to go to musicals and movies and plays because they've kind of been there and done that at our studio. And so anyway, that's and whether, whether or not it was their confidence in show business or whether it was their confidence we've had so many calls from and visits from parents and former students saying, Boy, I just was awarded a job. And they said my my communication skills were excellent, and I owe that to Gloria. I was on the beach the other day, and I looked over and there was this young man and his wife. I assumed it was his wife. It was they were setting. Up their beach chairs, and I looked and I say, Excuse me, is your name Brandon? And he said, No, but he said, Is your name Ron? And I said, Yes. He said, No, my name is Eric. And I said, Eric puentes. And so we reminisced for a while. He took tap from me. He took acting from Gloria, and he said, you know, he was sad to hear of Gloria's passing. And he said, You know, I owe so much to Gloria. I learned so much about speaking in front of groups. And he is now a minister. He has his own church in Redlands, California, and he's a minister. And of all the billion people on the beach, he sits next to me. So that's one of those things when it's supposed to Michael Hingson ** 1:00:41 happen. It happens. It does. Yeah, well, and as we talked about earlier, you and Gloria did lots of stuff with reps, and I'm going to miss it this time, but I've done a few, and I'm going to do some more. What I really enjoy about people who come from the radio era, and who have paid attention to the radio era is that the acting and the way they project is so much different and so much better than people who have no experience with radio. And I know Walden and I have talked about the fact that we are looking to get a grant at some point so that we can train actors or people who want to be involved in these shows, to be real actors, and who will actually go back and listen to the shows, listen to what people did, and really try to bring that forward into the recreations, because so many people who haven't really had the experience, or who haven't really listened to radio programs sound so forced, as opposed to natural. Ron Cocking ** 1:01:46 I agree, and I know exactly what you're saying. In fact, Walden on a couple of at least two or three occasions, he allowed us to take some of Gloria's acting students all the way to Seattle, and we did some in for the spurred vac organization Los Angeles, we did a beautiful rendition of a script that we adapted of the Velveteen Rabbit. And of all people, Janet Waldo agreed to do the fairy at the end, and she was exquisite. And it's only like, I don't know, four or five lines, and, oh my gosh, it just wrapped it up with a satin bow. And, but, but in some of our kids, yeah, they, they, they were very impressed by the radio, uh, recreations that they were exposed to at that convention. Speaker 1 ** 1:02:37 Yeah, yeah. Well, and it's, it is so wonderful to hear some of these actors who do it so well, and to really see how they they are able to pull some of these things together and make the shows a lot better. And I hope that we'll see more of that. I hope that we can actually work to teach more people how to really deal with acting from a standpoint of radio, Ron Cocking ** 1:03:04 that's a great idea. And I know Walden is really sensitive to that. He Yeah, he would really be a proponent of that. Michael Hingson ** 1:03:10 Oh, he and I have talked about it. We're working on it. We're hoping we can get some things. Well, I want to thank you for being here. We've been doing this an hour already.
It's Christmastime, listeners!!! The delightful Kimberly Sustad is back, and so are we! Join us for one of our favorite movies of the year, The Santa Class. Email us at hotchocmovie@gmail.com. Music by: Christmas Waltz by SoundGallery
Patrick is here to help us break down another episode of Finding Mr. Christmas! ABOUT FINDING MR. CHRISTMAS S02E02The hunks team up to launch gifts into Santa's sleigh, then soar sky-high as reindeer in an Entertainment Weekly photo shoot, where the winning team's advantage shakes up the competition.AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR FINDING MR. CHRISTMAS S02E02November 3rd 2025 | Hallmark ChannelFINDING MR. CHRISTMAS SEASON 2 CAST:Angel Garet, 38 — Charlotte, N.C.Craig Geoghan, 33 — Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.Davey Fisher, 34 — Lake Tahoe, Nev.Drake Kuyper, 27 — Denver, Colo.Gabriel Thaxton, 32 — Laramie, Wyo.Logan Shephard, 30 — Cincinnati, OhioMarcus Brodie, 32 — Hamilton, OhioRobbie Simpson, 35 — New York, N.Y.Rustin Sailors, 37 — San Diego, Calif. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Q3 earnings look like a prelude to a Santa rally, capping off another strong year for stocks. Sticking with a holiday theme, we can give thanks later this month for the outsized contribution of tech stocks to investor returns. But the AI narrative driving stocks in recent years is by now well understood and valuations look stretched. This week, we spend much of our time with Marija Veitmane, Head of Equity Strategy at State Street Markets, on where else to look for growth opportunities in global equity markets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sadie and Christian are answering your questions in this fun, anything-goes episode! They're chatting about everything from how to actually survive a long-distance relationship, to whether Christian was low-key intimidated by Sadie's fame when they first met . Plus, they get into being an Auburn fan, their new nighttime fam routine, Santa in the Huff house, their favorite things about each other, how they handle disagreements without the drama, and if keeping secrets from your husband is ever okay. This Episode of WHOA That's Good is Sponsored By: Upgrade your sleep—or give the gift of better rest! Go to https://trymiracle.com/WHOA and use the code WHOA to claim your FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF. https://helixsleep.com/sadie — Get 27% off sitewide today! https://drinkag1.com/whoa — Get a FREE Welcome Kit with an AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3 plus K2, when you first subscribe! Chapters: 00:50 DIving into the DMs 01:43 Fave thing about each other 03:58 New nighttime routine with Honey & Haven 07:17 Being an Auburn fan 12:25 What life lessons are we learning right now? 25:02 Teaching Scripture to the girls 29:28 Santa 36:40 Long-distance relationships 38:51 Was Christian intimidated by Sadie's fame? 42:55 What part of marriage should be talked about more? 45:57 How to handle being asked to keep a secret from your husband 47:37 How to work through disagreements with each other - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
One stock defies politics: Axon… They found unity (reducing deaths) in a divisive topic (policing).Coca-Cola's holiday commercial is here, and it's AI-generated… headlines show hate, but data shows love.The publicly traded stock is Beta… they do electric airplanes, but the real business is Charge Cubes.Plus, the cool new business is waiting (literally)... waiting on line for you (aka “Line Dudes”)Got a question for David Risher, CEO of Lyft? Leave us a voicemail here: https://tboypod.com/shoutouts/form/shoutouts $KO $MDLZ $AXONNEWSLETTER:https://tboypod.com/newsletter OUR 2ND SHOW:Want more business storytelling from us? Check our weekly deepdive show, The Best Idea Yet: The untold origin story of the products you're obsessed with. Listen for free to The Best Idea Yet: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/NEW LISTENERSFill out our 2 minute survey: https://qualtricsxm88y5r986q.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dp1FDYiJgt6lHy6GET ON THE POD: Submit a shoutout or fact: https://tboypod.com/shoutouts SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tboypod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tboypodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tboypod Linkedin (Nick): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-martell/Linkedin (Jack): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crivici-kramer/Anything else: https://tboypod.com/ About Us: The daily pop-biz news show making today's top stories your business. Formerly known as Robinhood Snacks, The Best One Yet is hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Supreme Court Ruling on tariffs within weeks.... Say goodbye to the penny! November heading for a potential fall. Splits - Are they back? PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter NEED A NEW CTP - How About a Crypto ETF? (IBIT) INTERACTIVE BROKERS Warm-Up - Supreme Court Ruling on tariffs within weeks.... - Say goodbye to the penny - November heading for a potential fall - Prediction - When will US Government Reopen - New Term - AI Washing Markets - OpenAI - even more deals - Palatir Earnings - Serepta FLOP -AMAZON BLOWOUT - Splits - Are they back? Election Day - Updates? The SAME Stories are making their way around - Seasonally good time for equities - Don't fight the Fed - Earnings trend - Buybacks again Under/Over on When US Government Opens - November 10th - Under/Over? November Outlook - On the heels of a good October... - Question: How much more is in the tank for blowouts? Earnings season is about over and what are other catalysts - Aside from Santa? - More NVDA excitement? More OpenAi deals??? - So much good news is priced in it is hard to imagine HUGE upside AI Washing - AI washing is a deceptive marketing tactic where companies exaggerate or falsely claim to use artificial intelligence in their products to appear more innovative and advanced. - It is also used when layoffs occur to say that there is less need for employees due to advances in technology. - Corporate giants Amazon, UPS and Target each announced layoffs in recent weeks totaling more than 60,000 jobs cut this year. Amazon - Great earnings - stock up HUGE to ATH ater the report - Amazon beats by $0.38, beats on revs; guides Q4 revs in-line - Reports Q3 (Sep) GAAP earnings of $1.95 per share, $0.38 better than the FactSet Consensus of $1.57; revenues rose 13.4% year/year to $180.17 bln vs the $177.91 bln FactSet Consensus. - Co reports Q3 operating income, excluding items, of $21.7 bln vs prior guidance of $15.5-20.5 bln. - North America segment sales increased 11.2% yr/yr to $106.27 bln. - International segment sales increased 14.0% yr/yr (+10% CC) to $40.90 bln. - AWS segment sales rose 20% yr/yr (+20% CC) to $33.01 bln. - Advertising Services rose 24% yr/yr (+22% CC) to $17.70 bln. - Co issues in-line guidance for Q4, sees Q4 revs of $206-213 bln vs. $208.41 bln FactSet Consensus. Co guides to Q4 operating income of $21-26 bln. OpenAi and Amazon - OpenAI has signed a $38 billion deal with Amazon Web Services, and will immediately start accessing Nvidia's graphics processing units. - This is one of OpenAI's biggest moves away from Microsoft, which was the company's exclusive cloud provider until earlier this year. - The partnership gives OpenAI the flexibility to scale infrastructure through 2026 and beyond. - Under the agreement announced on Monday, OpenAI will immediately begin running workloads on AWS infrastructure, tapping hundreds of thousands of Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs) in the U.S., with plans to expand capacity in the coming years. - Amazon up another 5% Palantir Earnings - Palantir Technologies prelim Q3 $0.21 vs $0.17 FactSet Consensus; revs $1.18 bln vs $1.09 bln FactSet Consensus - Palantir Technologies sees Q4 revs $1.327-1.331 bln vs $1.18 bln FactSet Consensus - Stock up slightly - been on a rager lately.... ATH - Stock down 8% on Tuesday - most of the good news is priced in? AMD Earnings - Advanced Micro Devices beats by $0.03, beats on revs; guides Q4 revs above consensus (250.05 -9.60) - Reports Q3 (Sep) earnings of $1.20 per share, $0.03 better than the FactSet Consensus of $1.17; revenues rose 35.6% year/year to $9.25 bln vs the $8.
This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth! Use promo code HALLMARK to get 40% off at cozyearth.com---Brian is back this week to dive into the latest holiday release: Christmas on Duty.ABOUT CHRISTMAS ON DUTYFormer rivals Blair and Josh must work Christmas duty together. When a snowstorm threatens holiday deliveries to the base, they're forced to cooperate and save the season.AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR CHRISTMAS ON DUTYNovember 1, 2025 | Hallmark ChannelCAST & CREW OF CHRISTMAS ON DUTYJanel Parrish as Blair BirchParker Young as JoshBRAN'S CHRISTMAS ON DUTY SYNOPSISThe movie kicks off with some fun animation — which, by the way, is apparently why we only get 24 movies this year.We meet Blaire Birch, who's ready to compete against Josh Cannon. During the competition, there's plenty of playful banter, but at the end, Blaire drops a bomb: she's taking Josh's spot in the infantry. He's very offended. Turns out, their dads were rivals too.Six years later, it's almost Christmas break. Blaire's only taking two days off — she's all about that work life. After a training session, she spends time with her dad, a Sergeant, who's hoping for a more traditional Christmas this year since Blaire's mom has passed.They go to the Marine Christmas festival party, and Blaire is shocked to see Josh Cannon there! He's now a company commander. The two immediately start arguing and, naturally, decide to compete again — right then and there. In their rush outside, they knock over the party cake. Their commanding officer is not amused and assigns them to Christmas duty — meaning they'll be spending 24 hours straight together.Meanwhile, a huge snowstorm is threatening to delay the children's Christmas gifts, though they're still expected to arrive by Christmas Eve.When Blaire and Josh show up for their Christmas duty, Josh has brought his own decorations — including an inflatable Santa. But when they find out the toy delivery has been canceled due to the storm, they agree to team up to save Christmas! Their plan: figure out what all the kids want, take a five-ton truck that can handle the roads, and track down the gifts themselves.As they travel, they start to open up. Blaire shares about the loss of her mom, and the walls start to come down.At their first stop, they discover the employee forgot to pull all the gifts. At the next, the owner's accidentally locked out — so Josh climbs through an air duct to grab a skateboard. (Mission: accomplished.)More driving, more heart-to-hearts. But then they're delayed by a Christmas Eve parade. Obviously, they take the chance to hop out, enjoy the show, and share a slow dance.Later, they stop for gas and run into Ezra from Finding Mr. Christmas. He offers to help them find gas if they help him with some Christmas party thing. It's… weird, but yay for Ezra, I guess.On the way back, their truck breaks down, leading to an argument just when things were finally going well. Ugh! Luckily, Josh's sister is a truck expert and walks him through the fix.They get back on the road and return — but late. Mission failed. The boss blames Josh and threatens to discharge them, but Blaire takes the blame instead. Josh feels terrible and goes to the boss to come clean, saying it was both their fault. The boss agrees to let it go — if they deliver the rest of the gifts dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus.When Josh shows up to get Blaire (with his dad in tow), their dads start arguing — but nothing a snowball fight can't fix.They deliver the rest of the gifts, share a kiss (or three), and celebrate Christmas together with their families. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Some nights, memory lies. It edits what really happened — swaps faces, softens edges, turns a shadow into Santa. But what if those changes aren't mistakes… what if they're protection? Tonight, we explore the thin border where childhood wonder, digital curiosity, and the afterlife all blur together. A Christmas Eve sighting that was never what it seemed. A ghost that answers through a phone screen. A friend who returns after surgery… to say goodbye. Three moments, decades apart, all asking the same question: how much can we trust what we remember — and what if the truth is far stranger than the story? Because sometimes the glowing light in the hallway isn't a man in red. Sometimes a “spirit app” knows a name it shouldn't. And sometimes, death doesn't stop a promise—it just keeps it from the other side. These are the stories that pull the veil tight, the ones that leave you wondering if belief is comfort or evidence. From the cold quiet of Idaho nights to the hum of a Canadian basement, every whisper and shadow leads back to one question: do ghosts haunt us… or by what we can't bear to forget? Love real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:
O'Shea and TJ react to Saturday Night's Main Event including two new World Champions crowned with CM Punk beating Jey Uso for the World Heavyweight Championship and Jade Cargill destroying Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women's Championship. Plus, find out what happened when TJ finally met his GOAT, Asuka, backstage at Monday Night RAW in Anaheim. The new TNA World Heavyweight Champion Mike Santana joins the show! Mike shares how his wrestling journey started, why a letter to Santa from his daughter profoundly changed his life, the importance and responsibility he feels becoming the 1st ever Puerto Rican TNA World Champion, and the TNA locker room's feelings about their invasion angle with NXT. Santana also chooses his "Bar Fight Crew" and which wrestlers he'd travel back in time to fight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices