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In this episode, Michael welcomes Master Mingtong Gu. Master Mingtong Gu is an internationally recognized teacher of Wisdom Healing Qigong, founder of the Chi Center and the Wisdom Healing Qigong community, and a leading voice in energy healing, mind-body medicine, and embodied spiritual awakening. Drawing from ancient Chinese healing traditions and decades of personal practice, his work helps people reconnect with the body as a source of healing, consciousness, resilience, and transformation. His latest book, Coming Home to Embodied Awakening, explores how returning to the body restores wholeness, inner peace, and human connection in an age of distraction and AI. Conversation Highlights Include: -A powerful exploration of how modern life keeps people trapped in the mind, disconnected from the body, and separated from their deeper humanity. -Why so much suffering comes from living externally—searching for love, peace, fulfillment, and healing outside ourselves instead of within. -An honest conversation about embodiment as the practice of returning to the body again and again, especially in an age of distraction, technology, and AI. -How healing begins when people stop resisting what they feel internally and start meeting the body with compassion, presence, and awareness. -A profound reframe of the body not as a machine, object, or "rental vehicle," but as a sacred expression of life itself. -What happens emotionally and spiritually when people reconnect with their bodies and begin to experience groundedness, wholeness, self-love, and inner peace. -A beautiful reflection on meditating in the middle of Times Square and discovering stillness, presence, and sacredness within chaos and noise. -The story of a childhood near-death experience, forgotten trauma, asthma, and the realization that the body remembers what the mind forgets. -Why healing is not linear, but a spiral of awareness, growth, detoxification, and returning to deeper levels of Truth and consciousness. -A practical framework for transformation through acceptance, activation, and appreciation—moving from inner contraction into embodiment, empowerment, and gratitude. Michael closes the episode with a guided meditation on presence, observation, embodiment, sacred silence, and anchoring Heaven on Earth through awareness.
Weekend recaps (00:00-16:11). Dua Lipa & Callum Turner get married (16:49-21:54). Charli D'Amelio family fallout (21:55-35:57). Scooter Braun says he “doesn't know” Taylor Swift + Scooter Braun takes Sydney Sweeney to Times Square (37:11-45:27). Taylor Swift x Toy Story 5 (45:28-52:48). Weekly Watch Report: Obsession, Euphoria, Hacks, Your Friends & Neighbors + more! (54:18-1:42_34). CITO LINKS > barstool.link/chicks-in-the-office.You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/chicks-in-the-office
The most loaded episode of Receipts & Reactions to date. John Cash pulls up the receipts on four stories that have the culture completely out of pocket... and gives you everything the internet is talking about, unfiltered. This week: Drake makes Billboard history with three albums dropping simultaneously... and the song that broke Michael Jackson's all-time record is called "Janice STFU." Tony Hinchcliffe tells a George Floyd joke at Kevin Hart's Netflix roast and sends the internet into full meltdown... and Kevin Hart has to hit The Breakfast Club to explain himself. Floyd Mayweather gets declared a father by default because he refused to show up to court... and gets ordered to pay almost a million dollars in back child support. And Red Lobster announces it's closing its Times Square flagship location on June 14th after 23 years. Plus: it's Pride Month. Love is love. We see you. ───────────────────────────────────── IN THIS EPISODE ───────────────────────────────────── DRAKE — ICEMAN, HABIBTI & MAID OF HONOUR Drake dropped three albums simultaneously and made history. ICEMAN debuted at #1, HABIBTI at #2, and MAID OF HONOUR at #3 on the Billboard 200... the first artist ever to hold the top three spots at the same time. Then "Janice STFU" debuted at #1 on the Hot 100, making Drake the solo male artist with the most #1 singles in Billboard history... surpassing Michael Jackson's record of 13. John breaks down the numbers, delivers the quip of the year, and asks the debate question your comments section won't stop arguing about. THE ROAST OF KEVIN HART — NETFLIX CONTROVERSY On May 10th, Netflix aired The Roast of Kevin Hart live from the Kia Forum in LA. Tony Hinchcliffe's George Floyd joke ignited immediate backlash. Chelsea Handler called it racist. Kevin Hart went on The Breakfast Club to defend himself and said, "Remove me from it. I didn't say it." John has the full breakdown, the actual joke, the fallout, and the talking points including what Katt Williams said that night that nobody is discussing. FLOYD MAYWEATHER — DEFAULT JUDGMENT, DEFAULT DAD A Nevada court declared Floyd Mayweather the father of a four-year-old girl named Price Moorehead... the daughter of a dancer at his own Las Vegas strip club, Girl Collection. Floyd was served legal papers twice, ordered to take a DNA test, and ignored all of it. The judge gave him a default judgment and ordered him to pay $933,050 in back child support plus $32,850 per month. Floyd has paid $151,000. There's also a $7.3M IRS tax lien. And a $340 million Showtime lawsuit. John's got all the receipts. RED LOBSTER — TIMES SQUARE CLOSING JUNE 14TH The Times Square flagship location at 5 Times Square is closing permanently on June 14th, 2026 — ending a 23-year run in one of the most visible dining locations in the world. The building is being converted to residential apartments. John gives the Cheddar Bay Biscuits the send-off they deserve. ───────────────────────────────────── CONNECT WITH JOHN CASH ───────────────────────────────────── Stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere podcasts are available. Instagram: @JohnCashShow | X/Twitter | TikTok: @JohnCashShow X/Twitter: @_JohnCash TikTok: @JohnCashShowPodcast www.TheJohnCashShow.com Subscribe, leave a review, and tell a friend — or tell an enemy. Either works. ───────────────────────────────────── DISCLAIMER ───────────────────────────────────── The views and opinions expressed on The John Cash Show Podcast are solely those of the host and do not represent the views of any network, sponsor, or affiliated organization. This episode contains adult language, mature content, and commentary on sensitive cultural topics. Listener discretion is advised. All information is sourced from publicly available news reports and presented for entertainment and commentary purposes only. ───────────────────────────────────── SOURCES ───────────────────────────────────── Variety | Rolling Stone | Billboard | CBC Music | Men's Journal | The Hollywood Reporter | Just Jared | Washington Times | TMZ Sports | Yahoo Sports | Sports Illustrated | Black America Web | ABC7 New York | CBS New York | Restaurant News via Yahoo Finance
Chagee is having some success in the U.S. Red Lobster is leaving Times Square. And there are two economies in the U.S. Interested in a more in-depth look at weekly Restaurant News? Listen to..The Week in Restaurants: https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/article/week-restaurants
Back in 2014, a woman called Stephanie contacted me at The Rialto Report. She described herself as ‘a designer of erotic costumes' and shared some memories of the old days when she said she'd made garments for many people in the early adult film business. Vanessa del Rio, Gloria Leonard, Bambi Woods, and others, she said. I must admit I didn't follow up very quickly – after all, I reasoned, isn't the point of erotic films just to take your clothes off? A dumb reaction, I know, but a little while later, I did pick up the phone and called her, and the conversation we had was as surprising as it was entertaining. Yes, she had made extravagant costumes for porn stars and sex films, and strippers, sex-club members, cross-dressers, hookers, and drag queens – but that was just the tip of the iceberg. She told me how she'd emerged from a difficult childhood to become a successful, Black burlesque dancer in the seedy Times Square bars and theaters of 1960s and 1970s New York. In fact, she'd used the stage name, Tanqueray. She'd been part of numerous illicit schemes to sell stolen goods. She'd had a regular column called ‘Tattle Tales' in the men's magazine, High Society that detailed her outrageous sexploits. It was a fascinating life story populated by mobsters, pimps, thieves, and dancers, and even Donald Trump's coke dealer (allegedly) made an appearance. “It was a time when 10,000 men in New York City knew my name,” she said. When I spoke to her she was in her 70s, long retired, and suffering from ill-health, money issues, and the feeling that she'd been long forgotten. I liked her: she was always smart, often filthy, invariably rude, and usually hilarious. She called me ‘White Boy' and told me I needed to be fashionable. And after many years of being taken advantage of, she was also suspicious and short-tempered – which she readily admitted. After our first call, we kept in touch, exchanging greetings cards and sometimes meeting up in Madison Square Park. She was lonely she said, but not enough to make any new friends. Very few people were worth the effort. And then in 2019, something unexpected happened. A hugely popular social media account called Humans of New York, which features interviews with everyday New Yorkers, ran into Stephanie in the street in her Chelsea neighborhood and featured her in a post. Brandon Stanton, the creator of Humans of New York, was initially struck by her style but was drawn in by the same crazy stories that she'd told me. “My stripper name was Tanqueray,” Stephanie told Brandon. “Back in the seventies, I was the only Black girl making white girl money and I danced in so many mob clubs that I learned Italian.” That first post went viral, with millions following her life story over the next weeks as it unfolded on Facebook and Instagram posts. And so began the third act in Stephanie's life: suddenly she was an overnight sensation – after over 70 years of waiting. People from all over the world wanted to get in touch with her. In truth, the least surprised person was Stephanie herself. She took her newfound fame in her stride, remaining as unfiltered, coarse, and caustic as she'd always been. Stephanie and I recorded many of our conversations, and this is her story. This podcast is 39 minutes long. Photos courtesy of Humans of New York. ——————————————————————————————————————————————– Stephanie and Carmine * The post Tanqueray – I've Always Been Different, Part 1: Podcast 163 appeared first on The Rialto Report.
On May 19, 2026, 914INC. proudly celebrated its 16th annual Wunderkinds Awards with a special cocktail reception at the Mamaroneck Beach & Yacht Club. This year's event honored 26 exceptional professionals under the age of 35 who were handpicked by the magazine's editors for their standout talent, innovative thinking, and meaningful contributions to the Westchester community. Featured in the May/June 2026 issue, these rising stars represent the future of the region's business landscape. A warm congratulations goes out to all of this year's honorees, along with a sincere thank you to the event sponsors who helped make this memorable celebration possible.Westchester Talk Radio host Andrew Castellano spoke with Alexa Amato, a Content Manager at Love Social Media. Alexa talks about how she caught the eye of the agency through a standout, interactive LinkedIn application. She expressed her deep passion for the analytical side of the business as well as storytelling, viewing herself as a bridge to help clients share their narratives positively. Amato has worked on major projects, including a Times Square billboard book release and attending the "Realies", an awards event celebrating Instagram Reels.
Broadcasting straight from the chaos and glamour of New York City, Pol' and Patrik sit down with Nikki Exotika for one of the wildest, funniest, and most emotional episodes of Undressed with Pol and Patrik yet. IMPORTANT NOTE: This episode was taped just TWO WEEKS before Nikki Exotika underwent emergency quadruple bypass heart surgery after suffering a terrifying medical crisis that made headlines everywhere today. The shocking health scare surrounding the 90 Day Fiancé star exploded across entertainment news and social media, making many of the emotional conversations in this episode feel incredibly chilling and emotional in hindsight. From plastic surgery confessions and “too much” beauty standards to love, heartbreak, bullying, and surviving near death, Nikki leaves absolutely nothing off the table. We kick things off talking about Nikki's iconic look, over-the-top lips, surgeries, and why she refuses to blend in. Nikki opens up about transitioning at just 17 years old, being kicked out of her family home during high school, surviving homelessness in New York City, dancing in Times Square clubs, and ultimately finding her chosen family in the LGBTQ+ nightlife world. She also reveals the shocking story of traveling to Canada for gender confirmation surgery at just 19 after a trans friend literally showed her the “perfect vagina” in a nightclub bathroom! We also dive DEEP into the drama surrounding 90 Day Fiancé and her heartbreaking relationship with Igor. Nikki finally addresses the rumors, the lies, the social media attacks, and whether Igor REALLY knew she was trans before the show. She gets brutally honest about the pain of reality television, online bullying, AI-generated fake audio clips claiming she paid Igor $100,000, and why she still believes he was her twin flame after nearly 20 years of love, friendship, and unfinished business. Things take an emotional turn when Nikki opens up about her previous life-threatening breast reconstruction complications and how the trauma changed her perspective on life, relationships, and love. Looking back now after her current heart surgery and medical emergency, many of these moments feel hauntingly prophetic. Of course, we also cover: • Plastic surgery addiction and “Million Dollar Barbie” transformations • Caitlyn Jenner, Cassandra Cass, Trantasia, and trans pageant culture • Dating straight men vs. women • Toxic reality TV edits and online hate • Nikki's upcoming trip to Moldova to possibly reunite with Igor • Miami Pride, comedy shows, modeling campaigns, and her upcoming memoir • Why Nikki says she NEVER wants another relationship if it's not with him Then it's time for our signature Armenian Coffee Reading, where Pol' reads Nikki's emotional coffee grounds and sees heartbreak, unfinished love, emotional wounds, and a possible second chance still lingering in her future. Will Nikki and Igor reunite in Moldova? Is closure finally coming? Or is this love story still unfinished? And trust us… the laughter never stops. Between dick jokes, plastic surgery disasters, “Gordita” moments, SnowWhite90210 chaos, and Patrik threatening to personally measure Igor's manhood in Moldova, this episode is classic UNDRESSED. Subscribe to our audio: linktr.ee/undressedpod Follow Pol Atteu: Instagram: @polatteu Tiktok: @polatteu Twitter: @polatteu www.polatteu.com Follow Patrik Simpson: Instagram: @patriksimpson Tiktok: @patriksimpson www.patriksimpson.com Follow SnowWhite90210: Instagram: @snowwhite90210 Twitter: @SnowWhite9010 www.snowwhite90210.com Watch Gown and Out in Beverly Hills on Prime Video. www.gownandoutinbeverlyhills.com #UndressedPodcast Armenian Coffee Reading SnowWhite90210 SnowBubu is a Perfect gift! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Joe Piscopo Show 5-20-26 22:36- Scott Jennings, host of "The Scott Jennings Show" on the Salem Radio Network , CNN contributor and the author of "A Revolution of Common Sense: How Donald Trump Stormed Washington and Fought for Western Civilization" Topic: Primary overview 47:30- Gen. Jack Keane, a retired 4-star general, the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst Topic: President Trump warns of "another big hit" on Iran; Xi and Putin meeting in Beijing 58:24- Anthony Anzivino, owner of Capricci Pizzeria Panineria & Restaurant in Howell Township, NJ Topic: Ocean County spotlight 1:09:09- Stephen Moore, "Joe Piscopo Show" Resident Scholar of Economics, Chairman of FreedomWorks Task Force on Economic Revival, former Trump economic adviser and the author of "The Trump Economic Miracle: And the Plan to Unleash Prosperity Again" Topic: New York taxing at nearly double the rate of most states; Other economic news of the day 1:20:09- John McLaughlin, CEO of McLaughlin & Associates who was a pollster for former President Donald Trump Topic: Primary results 1:42:24- Mike Davis, Founder of the Article III Project, Former Law Clerk for Justice Neil Gorsuch, and Former Chief Counsel for Nominations for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Topic: Alleged Charlie Kirk shooter's lawyer looking to seal evidence in court; Other legal news of the day 2:04:46- Tom Harris, President of Times Square Alliance Topic: Happenings in Times Square this Summer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Despite being busy doing press tours for two hit shows, Michelle Pfeiffer always has time for pizza and champagne nights with Dakota and Elle Fanning.“We all want the white pizza,” says Pfeiffer on their menu preference but admits she does a controversial order, “I do like pineapple on white pizza.” Pfeiffer joins guest host Margaux Anbouba, Vogue's Senior Beauty and Wellness Editor on The Run-Through podcast to talk about her roles on The Madison on Paramount+ and Margo's Got Money Troubles on Apple TV with her co-star and pizza party goer Elle Fanning.Off screen, Pfeiffer has been working on top secret formulas for her fragrance company Henry Rose which she launched in 2019. “The truth is memory and scent are right next to each other in the brain,” explains Pfeiffer. “They're absolutely intertwined. In fact, it's the only part of the brain where there's crossover. And that's why fragrance is so powerful.” Plus, Chloe Malle recaps the Gucci Times Square extravaganza and the Dior Cruise show in Los Angeles, and is joined once again by editors Taylor Antrim and Marley Marius to break down all the culture they're looking forward to this summer. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Weekend recaps (00:00-21:19). Shoutout Kevin Jonas (21:20-31:06). Harry Styles kicks off his tour in Amsterdam (32:14-45:48). Tom Brady makes catwalk debut at Gucci event in Times Square (45:49-50:41). Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet, Kendall Jenner & Jacob Elordi go on double date (50:42-1:03:08). Elsie Hewitt says she's parenting on her own after split with Pete Davidson (1:04:34-1:10:26). Alex Cooper announces pregnancy with husband Matt Kaplan (1:10:27-1:15:09). Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin expecting their first child together (1:15:10-1:20:06). Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce out and about in NYC (1:20:07-1:40:47). Weekly Watch Report: Off Campus, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Your Friends & Neighbors + more! (1:41:45-2:32:53). CITO LINKS > barstool.link/chicks-in-the-office.You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/chicks-in-the-office
Zhailon Levingston is a Louisiana-raised storyteller, director, and activist who co-directed CATS: The Jellicle Ball, an immersive reimagining of the classic musical that premiered in 2024 at New York City's Perelman Arts Center. The production earned him an OBIE Award (co-directing) as well as a Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for Outstanding Direction of a Musical. Zhailon's first “Broadway” job was selling tickets to Broadway shows in Times Square. In 2017 he sold concessions for multiple Broadway theaters. At 27 years old, he became the youngest Black director in Broadway history, directing the Broadway production of Chicken and Biscuits. His other directing credits include Wonderful Town at New York City Center Encores!; Reconstructing at Brooklyn Academy of Music (co-directed with Rachel Chavkin); Little Miss Perfect (Olney Theater Center); Patience at Second Stage Theater; and Table 17 at MCC Theater (Lortel Award nominee for Outstanding Direction) and currently at Los Angeles' Geffen Playhouse. Levingston is a board member of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, Artistic Director of Inheritance Theater Project, and co-created a ‘Theater of Change' course at Columbia University School of Law that is still being taught today. Once a year he returns to his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana to direct. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Elizabeth Gillies (Dynasty) is here to celebrate 200 episodes of The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul podcast! Welcome to AOK 200, friends. To celebrate this milestone, actress, singer, Broadway star, and Ginger Ale's #1 fan Liz Gillies joins Robert in the Welcome to Times Square studio for a wildly fun and heartfelt conversation. From acts of kindness on the set of Dynasty and backstage at Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway to what we can learn from older generations, Liz reminds us why honesty may be the kindest act of all. The two Jersey kids dive deep into kind waters, covering everything from child acting, Broadway mishaps, and comfort TV shows all the way to witchy intuition, social media chaos, backstage hijinks, and the emotional support powers of - you guessed it - Canada Dry ginger ale. This positive podcast episode features: The life-changing sacrifices Liz's parents made for her as child actor Liz's future Broadway dream roles, including Winifred in Hocus Pocus the musical and an immersive Dynasty musical? Special surprises from her star friends Seth MacFarlane and Elaine Hendrix Plus: ADHD tangents, disco naps, miniatures, Real Housewives, Love on the Spectrum, and one very ambitious immersive Dynasty pitch. This episode is positively unhinged in the best way — a reminder that kindness is simply showing up. A big shoutout to friends of the AOK who made this episode possible, namely: Kindness is Free empowers the next generation of youth by instilling the values of respect, equality and compassion for others. Powered by Welcome to Times Square, the billboard experience that lets YOU be a star for a day. Special shoutout to our favorite Schmackary's Cookies and longtime listener Jen of Jen's Pretty Pegs, who helped us surprise Liz with a beautiful kind act. For a hand-painted and whimsical keepsake like Liz's check out Jen's art at: www.jensprettypegs.com. ELIZABETH GILLIES is an actress, singer and director known for her roles as ‘Fallon Carrington' in the popular Netflix series, Dynasty and ‘Jade West' in the generation defining Nickelodeon series, Victorious. Gillies returned to her Broadway roots last year, starring in the acclaimed Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors as “Audrey”. A few of her TV credits include The Hunting Party, The Orville, White Collar, Family Guy and the FX series, Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll where she starred opposite Denis Leary for two seasons. On the film side, Gillies can be seen in Vacation, Arizona, Animal, Catwoman: Hunted and Spread, which she also produced. In addition to her acting career, Gillies is a singer who performs regularly to sold out audiences across the country. She has two records out with her longtime friend and collaborator, Seth MacFarlane. Got kindness tips or stories? Please email us: artofkindnesspodcast@gmail.com Follow Liz: @lizgillz Follow us @artofkindnesspod / @robpeterpaul Support the show! (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok) Music: "Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio. We are supported by the Broadway Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
10am hour of The K&C Masterpiece! So long Astros, hello Rockies - recapping the Rangers weekend that was. Are we all appreciating the greatness of SGA or is he a reflection of how far the NBA has fallen? Baseball Nuggets: After taking over Times Square, the Mets stun the Yankees.
Enter the Upside Down! The worlds of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Stranger Things collide in issues #3–4, and the stakes have never been higher. Leo, Mikey, Will, Lucas, and Dustin venture into the Upside Down to uncover the mystery behind the Demodogs terrorizing New York City—but what they find feels all too familiar…Meanwhile, in Baxter Stockman's lab, Eleven faces a battle unlike any other as she struggles to reclaim control of her mind from the mad scientist. Her unlikely ally? Raphael. Yeah… that Raphael. This mental showdown might be one of the wildest moments in the entire crossover.Back in NYC, chaos reigns as Demodogs overrun the streets and New Yorkers are rounded up like cattle. With time running out, the Turtles and the Hawkins crew unite in Times Square for one last stand to send the Upside Down back where it belongs. But can they actually survive something this massive?This is it—the explosive, bizarre, and action-packed conclusion to one of the strangest (and most fun) crossovers in comics. Don't miss it!#TMNT #StrangerThings #TMNTxStrangerThings #UpsideDown #Demodogs #ComicPodcast #ComicReview #NinjaTurtles #Hawkins #GeekCulture #ComicBooks #CrossoverEvent #Otakuology #PodcastLife #NerdCulture
Al & CLo: The Subway Series Will Be Broadcast LIVE in Times Square, The Giants Schedule Seems Easy, Al has a story about Montreal strippers To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Subway Series Will Be Broadcast LIVE in Times Square To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and www.youtube.com/thePOZcast For all episodes, please check out www.thePOZcast.com This special episode is brought to you by our dear friends at Blood Cancer United. An organization very near and dear to me. I'm here to remind you to give to causes that make a difference. You want to help but you don't know where to start? Blood Cancer United is at the top of my list. They are the global leader in helping patients and families with blood cancer, and your dollars fund research, patient support, and advocacy. Please give today here: Thank you for supporting this important mission. Learn more and donate here: https://pages.lls.org/voy/nyc/nyclls26/aposner CHAPTERS: 00:00 – 500 Episodes: Introducing Geoffrey Rogow Adam opens the milestone episode, introduces Geoffrey Rogow — journalist, survivor, founder, author — and sets the tone for the most personal conversation in the show's seven-year history. 03:00 – Who Were You Before? The Person Before Treatment Geoffrey's life before diagnosis: 30 years old, living in New York and Sydney, feeling infallible, driven by professional ambition. And Adam's contrast — a father of two at 45, diagnosed only because he went to a cardiologist after his brother-in-law died. 07:00 – The Diagnosis: Two Very Different Moments Geoffrey's blood clot in the night that saved his life. Adam's cardiologist scan that caught a mass nobody expected. The two very different ways a diagnosis lands — one like a movie, one like a text message. 13:00 – Four Days vs. Six Weeks: The Window Before Treatment Geoffrey had four days between diagnosis and chemotherapy. Adam had six weeks. What that difference does to your mind, your fear, your processing — and why no two cancer stories are the same. 17:00 – The Thing Nobody Tells Young Adults: Fertility The Vanderbilt study that found 50% of young adults diagnosed with cancer are never told about their fertility options before treatment. Geoffrey's sperm banking story. Adam's moment of levity. The organizations that exist to help — and why you should use them. 23:00 – Chemotherapy: The Reality Nobody Films Steroids that make you feel like Batman. Fatigue that puts you to bed at 1 PM. The taste of treatment — Geoffrey's: a burning Nike Air Max. Adam's: Sour Patch Kids and Shrek's condom. The rhythm of treatment cycles and the crash that follows. 30:00 – Hair Loss: The Moment It Hits You Not just the hair on your head — all of it. Geoffrey's Jewish mohawk and the cat photos. Adam's man bun, the shower, the wall of clumps, the hairdresser call. Why the eyebrows and eyelashes are the part nobody prepares you for. 37:00 – Going Out in Public Without Eyebrows Geoffrey at his best friend's wedding, feeling like a freak. Adam at a bar mitzvah two weeks post-treatment, cancer beanie and all. Why "you look great" hits differently when you don't recognize yourself in the photos. 42:00 – Tribes, Villages & Crisis Language Geoffrey's lesson: his tribe was too small — just his wife and the cat. The mistake he'd change. Adam's: an oversharer married to a shield, learning to lean on his guy friends so his wife didn't have to carry everything. What "crisis language as a couple" actually means. 49:00 – Tolerance for Bullshit: The Larry David Effect What cancer does to your patience for other people's bravado. Geoffrey's bar story, running out into Times Square and crashing full speed into Elmo. The anger that's real, and the work it takes not to carry it forever. 55:00 – The Biannual Check-In: A Framework for Purposeful Change A scheduled, structured personal evaluation every six months — professional path, relationships, health, direction. The check-in that led Geoffrey to leave the Wall Street Journal after 21 years. Why you can't make the changes when the warning lights are flashing; you have to make them later, in clarity. 61:00 – Scanxiety: The Incurable Side Effect of Survivorship Geoffrey's scan is next Wednesday. He started thinking about it two weeks ago. The reality that scanxiety doesn't diminish with time — it sometimes gets worse. What helps, what stops helping, and why there's no permanent answer. 66:00 – After Treatment: The Part Nobody Celebrates The financial reality: bill negotiations, illegal anesthesiologist charges, state-specific protections, hospital programs for lower-income patients. Life insurance rejection at 35. Career decisions constrained by healthcare costs. The bills that arrive 18 months later asking "didn't I already pay this?" 73:00 – Ambition After Cancer: Don't Change the Level, Change the Lane The advice from career coach Michelle Woodward: keep the same level of ambition even if you have to find a different lane. Geoffrey's Hong Kong trip — the first time after treatment he felt like himself professionally again. Adam's silver lining of leaning into tech during treatment. 79:00 – Writing It Down: The Value of Documentation Adam's Super Whisper app diary — before and after every treatment session. Geoffrey's 14 years of running away from his cancer story, and what writing the book finally unlocked. Why every survivor should find their version of processing. 85:00 – I'm Alive: Now What? — The Book Geoffrey's nine-chapter guide for survivors — money, career, physical health, mental health, family planning, caregiving, purpose, the business of advice — built around real people's stories paired with expert guidance. Pre-order at after-treatment.com/the-book. 91:00 – Are You Getting the Support You Need? Geoffrey's question for Adam — and for every survivor. The cancer imposter syndrome that comes with a high-survival-rate diagnosis. Why you can't let anyone take away what you went through, and why the work doesn't end at remission. 97:00 – North Stars: What Keeps You Focused Geoffrey's: a willingness to change his North Star — short-term, practical, written down, evaluated regularly. Adam's: being the best example for his kids and leaving the world better than he found it. How cancer changes your definition of success. 104:00 – 500 Episodes: Thank You Adam closes the milestone episode with gratitude — for the guests, the listeners, seven years of consistency, and what comes next. TAKEAWAYS: 1. The Diagnosis Is Never Like the Movies — Except When It Is Geoffrey's came in an ER at 30. Adam's in a text from his cardiologist. No two stories are the same — but both changed everything. 2. 50% of Young Adult Cancer Patients Are Never Told About Fertility Options A Vanderbilt study found half of young adults aren't counseled on fertility preservation before treatment starts. The window is measured in days. Make sure this conversation happens first. 3. The Biannual Check-In Is the Most Powerful Tool for Purposeful Change Twice a year, scheduled, with a workbook: evaluate your path, relationships, and direction — in calm, not crisis. The check-in that led Geoffrey to leave 21 years at the Wall Street Journal. 4. Don't Change the Level of Your Ambition — Change the Lane If cancer takes away what you were world-class at, find another lane at the same level. Don't shrink. Redirect. That's not a lesser life — it's a different one. 5. Your Relationship With Time and Bullshit Changes — But Differently for Everyone Every survivor agrees on two things: time feels different, and their tolerance for bullshit has shifted. Geoffrey went full Larry David. Adam found unexpected clarity. The work is figuring out which version of you emerged. 6. Cancer Exposes Your Crisis Language as a Couple The couples who survive this well learn how to communicate what they need, what not to say, and what to let breathe. It's practiced, not instinctive. 7. Scanxiety Is Real, Incurable, and Changes Over Time What helped before may stop helping. Survivors need to plan for this, not be surprised by it. 8. The Financial Reckoning Comes Long After Treatment Ends Medical bills stay higher forever. Many are negotiable. Some are illegal. Own the advocacy, ask the questions, build the spreadsheet. 9. Write It Down — In Whatever Form Works for You Adam used Super Whisper before and after every treatment. Geoffrey wrote a book 14 years later. The form doesn't matter. Externalizing the experience gives you a time capsule you can go back to. 10. Are You Getting the Support You Need? Just the honest, periodic question. What you went through is not nothing — and the work doesn't end at remission. 11. You Are Different Now — Not Better or Worse. Different. Not better, not worse. Fundamentally changed in ways that can't be fully accounted for. That difference isn't a loss. The work is learning to live in the new timeline.
Reisen Reisen - Der Podcast mit Jochen Schliemann und Michael Dietz
Ein neuer Blick auf die Mutter aller Städte: Giulia Becker und Chris Sommer in New York City. Ausgerechnet die Drinnies, möchte man meinen. Aber das passt: Die beiden kennen New York City sehr gut, haben dort sogar schon live auf der Bühne gestanden. Im neuen Reisen-Reisen-Podcast-Studio entwickelte sich ein wundervolles, lustiges und auch nachdenkliches Gespräch über einen Ort, der so vieles ist: einerseits eine der Hauptstädte dieser Welt, andererseits gelegen in einem gerade alles andere als einfachen Land. Sollte man derzeit in die USA reisen? Auch darüber sprechen wir mit Giulia und Chris. Und über dieses Kribbeln, diese Sehnsucht, die wir alle vier spüren, wenn wir den Namen dieses Ortes hören. Die Blicke auf Manhattan und Brooklyn, die Fahrten auf den riesigen Brücken. Giulia und Chris berichten zudem von Besuchen in Jazz- und Comedy-Clubs, in Musicals, in Harlem und von diesen krassen Gegensätzen zwischen Arm und Reich, die man einfach nicht übersehen kann. Wir sprechen auch über den neuen Bürgermeister der Stadt, der die Hoffnung eines ganzen Landes ist. New York mit den Drinnies - kommt mit in zwei ganz besondere Folgen.—Höre alle DRINNIES Episoden überall wo es Podcasts gibt! Besuche Giulia und Chris auf Instagram: @giuliabeckerdasoriginal und @chris.sommer
Welcome Back to the Brunch Breakdown Podcast! On #TheMenu: Musicians coming down with “Blue Dot Fever”, Would You Watch ALL of the World Cup for $50,000 in the middle of Times Square? Also, Dan's Back in the Office Full Time, Chris wants parents off their phones, and DD Hates The Brunch Breakdown! Plus Music, Beer, and More! See Yinz At The Table for another Delicious episode! Thank you for listening. Check out the SOUNDS OF BRUNCH Playlist on Spotify! WATCH Full Episodes of the @BrunchBreakdown Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, & Facebook. LISTEN on AMAZON, Audible, Spotify, Apple, and Everywhere You Get Your Podcasts. FOLLOW us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and GoodPods!
Sorg is on the road in Michigan for Wrestling Mayhem Show 1004, joined by Rizz, Mad Mike, and Producer Missy for a chaotic week in pro wrestling. The crew breaks down WWE Backlash, Asuka's possible farewell, Danhausen and Minihausen's breakout WWE moment, Lil Yachty's surprisingly great wrestling energy, the John Cena Classic announcement, WWE/TKO roster cuts, creator reaction-stream takedowns, and AEW's golf course wrestling experiment with Darby Allin and PAC.
Sorg is on the road in Michigan for Wrestling Mayhem Show 1004, joined by Rizz, Mad Mike, and Producer Missy for a chaotic week in pro wrestling. The crew breaks down WWE Backlash, Asuka's possible farewell, Danhausen and Minihausen's breakout WWE moment, Lil Yachty's surprisingly great wrestling energy, the John Cena Classic announcement, WWE/TKO roster cuts, creator reaction-stream takedowns, and AEW's golf course wrestling experiment with Darby Allin and PAC.
KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews the national touring company production of “Hell's Kitchen” at the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco. FULL TEXT: Following the release of her debut album in 2001, Songs in A Minor, singer songwriter Alicia Keys became an instant superstar, a position firmed up by a series of successful albums and Grammy Awards over the course of the next decade. So it is not surprising that a jukebox musical would at some point emerge. And thus we have Hells Kitchen, which runs at the Orpheum Theatre through May 24th. Most jukebox shows fall into two categories: a history of the performer's career, with the songbook performed in the order the songs were recorded, with occasional numbers shoehorned into the story, or an original story retconned to make the songs fit the plot. Hells Kitchen presents new songs and shoehorned ones in a sanitized autobiography. The show focuses on Alicia Keys' life at the age of seventeen, as she and her single mom reside in a high-rise inthe gentrifying neighborhood west of Times Square. She fights with her mom over an older boy and winds up learning piano from an elderly woman living in the building's public room. The low stakes — who didn't fight with their parents at that age? means there's minimal forward movement. Despite the piano lessons, we never learn of Ali's talent, nor her ambitions. The songs themselves, well it's hard to follow lyrics distorted by melisma and drowned out by orchestration. The reconstructed old songs are unrecognizable, and the new ones have no center. Many songs start small and turn into a cacophany, with random dancers performing aerobics disguised as choreography. This may work at a Demi Lovato concert, or a Warriors Halftime Show, but doesn't quite fly inside a stage musical. There are pleasures, most notably in the work of Kennedy Caughell as Jersey, Ali's mother, Desmond Sean Elliott as Davis, Ali's dad, and most notably, Roz White as Miss Liza Jane, the pianist who teaches Ali how to be a musician. And while Alicia Keys isn't there to perform them, her songs all work within her own specific musical ballpark. It's Alicia Keys without Alicia Keys, one supposes. Ultimately, none of the complaints matter. The show ran two years on Broadway, over 750 performances. Costing 22 million dollars to produce, the show made back only 60% of its capitalization. This tour is an attempt to make up the difference, and judging by the ovation opening night at the Orpheum, it just might. Hells Kitchen runs at the Orpheum through May 24th. For more information, go to atgtickets.com. I'm Richard Wolinsky on Bay Area theatre for KPFA. The post Review: “Alicia Keys' Hells Kitchen” at the Orpheum in San Francisco appeared first on KPFA.
Producer Jess always wanted to go to Times Square for NYE...until she did.
Here, we have quick crime roundups from coast to coast, including an update on the Renne Good case out of Minneapolis, Minn. Featuring audio from 1010 WINS in New York, KCBS Radio in the Bay Area, KRLD 1080 in Dallas, KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia and Drivetime with DeRusha out of WCCO News Talk in the Twin Cities.
Here, we have quick crime roundups from coast to coast, including an update on the Renne Good case out of Minneapolis, Minn. Featuring audio from 1010 WINS in New York, KCBS Radio in the Bay Area, KRLD 1080 in Dallas, KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia and Drivetime with DeRusha out of WCCO News Talk in the Twin Cities.
Here, we have quick crime roundups from coast to coast, including an update on the Renne Good case out of Minneapolis, Minn. Featuring audio from 1010 WINS in New York, KCBS Radio in the Bay Area, KRLD 1080 in Dallas, KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia and Drivetime with DeRusha out of WCCO News Talk in the Twin Cities.
Here, we have quick crime roundups from coast to coast, including an update on the Renne Good case out of Minneapolis, Minn. Featuring audio from 1010 WINS in New York, KCBS Radio in the Bay Area, KRLD 1080 in Dallas, KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia and Drivetime with DeRusha out of WCCO News Talk in the Twin Cities.
At ten, Gil Penalosa tried to convince his parents to let him quit school and turn pro. He was ranked second in tennis in Colombia. The catch: 99% of tennis in Colombia was played in private clubs — and Gil's family wasn't a member of any. He played on a public park court across from his house, and routinely beat the wealthy kids on their own courts.You can see the rest of the life unfolding from there. Former Parks Commissioner of Bogotá, where he helped build more than 1,000 new parks and grew the Cyclovía program from 17 km to 130 km — now adopted in 350+ cities worldwide. Founder of 8 80 Cities. Two-term chair of World Urban Parks. Runner-up in the 2022 Toronto mayoral race after entering 100 days out and pulling 100,000 votes against an entrenched political establishment.In this episode — recorded in person at the Toronto Botanical Gardens during the Urban Ravine Summit, where I'd just delivered the opening keynote — Gil and I dig into what cities already know how to do, and the courage most are missing to actually do it. We talk about why public engagement is broken in most cities, and what real listening looks like (hint: it involves pizza, juice, and a school at 3 p.m.). Why tree canopy averages mask brutal equity gaps — and the unprecedented redistribution Gil would push for if he were mayor. Why walking is the most underrated urban idea on Earth, and why "becoming a bicycle city" is the most overrated. And why elections, more than any master plan, are what actually change cities.We also talk about the dying Cyclovía he inherited as commissioner and grew tenfold; Janette Sadik-Khan's pedestrianization of Times Square; Anne Hidalgo's car-free schoolyards in Paris (350 and counting); the Texas border towns where every public school is locked at 4 p.m. while one in three children doesn't have a park within walking distance; what Tirana, Malmö, and Rotterdam are doing that more famous cities aren't; and the simple thing Gil does mid-run when his heart rate hits 145 — which I have since tried, and which works.Plus the line I haven't been able to stop replaying since we sat down: "Engagement shouldn't be tokenism. It should be real listening."Find Gil at gpenalosa.ca and 880cities.org. Sign up for his free Cities for Everyone webinar series — every other Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET.
Here, we have quick crime roundups from coast to coast, including an update on the Renne Good case out of Minneapolis, Minn. Featuring audio from 1010 WINS in New York, KCBS Radio in the Bay Area, KRLD 1080 in Dallas, KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia and Drivetime with DeRusha out of WCCO News Talk in the Twin Cities.
Here, we have quick crime roundups from coast to coast, including an update on the Renne Good case out of Minneapolis, Minn. Featuring audio from 1010 WINS in New York, KCBS Radio in the Bay Area, KRLD 1080 in Dallas, KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia and Drivetime with DeRusha out of WCCO News Talk in the Twin Cities.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 9, 2026 is: gallivant GAL-uh-vant verb To gallivant is to go or travel to many different places for pleasure. Gallivant is a somewhat informal word that is often applied when the user of the word does not approve of such pleasurable traveling. // They've been gallivanting all over town instead of studying for their finals. See the entry > Examples: “These days, she can be found gallivanting around the Upper West Side, catching the latest Broadway shows and occasionally hopping onstage to belt show tunes with the waitstaff at her beloved Times Square restaurant, where she remains hands-on with the business.” — McKenzie Beard, The New York Post, 18 Feb. 2026 Did you know? Back in the 14th century, gallant, a noun borrowed from the French word galant, referred to a fashionable young man. By the middle of the next century, it was being used more specifically to refer to such a man who was attentive to, and had a fondness for, the company of women. In the late 17th century, this “ladies' man” sense gave rise to the verb gallant to describe the process a suitor used to win a lady's heart, and “gallanting” became synonymous with “courting.” It's this verb gallant that is the likely source of gallivant, which originally meant “to act as a gallant” or “to go about usually ostentatiously or indiscreetly with members of the opposite sex.” Today, however, gallivant is more likely to describe pleasurable wandering than romancing.
Happy Friday! The Cubs keep winning. Is the NL Central the toughest division in baseball? Maysn Winn (Cards) and Chandler Simpson (Rays) triple to help their teams win on the road. Grisham and Judge contribute to a Yankees blowout, and the AUSL takes on Times Square. Finish Your Breakfast.
Join Jordan, Commish, Pitt Girl, Big Sky Brigit, Canadian Correspondent Joey, special guest PITT BASKETBALL SHOUTING along with our VP of Podcast Production Arthur. We talk about Leaf being sued by the NFLPA after the insane Presidents' Day cards, the AFCA Coaches new playoff recommendations, VOLLEYBALL IN JERRYWORLD, Fox is looking for a Sickos Committee member to stay in a Box in watch all the World Cup Games in Times Square, all Sickos must apply, Toronto GM drama and hey they got the first overall pick??? then it's our annual EUROVISION PREVIEW! We break down the European Song Contest, how it works and when it happens, Eurodance, a Philly Phanatic mascot of sorts, mess in San Marino, the favorites, Commish has no clue what is going on here but listens to music and makes jokes, Moldova the home of our VP, Sweden is taking this seriously, is Denmark this year's Indiana? does that make sense??? and oh so much, much more!Join our Patreon for just $3 or $5 a month. https://www.patreon.com/cw/SickosCommitteeBuy some of our merch from https://thesickoscommittee-shop.fourthwall.com/Check out our Linktree for all our discount codes https://linktr.ee/sickoscommitteeSubscribe to our blog at https://sickos-newsletter.beehiiv.com/Subscribe to our YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@sickoscommitteeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On May 31 – June 2, in NYC, the industry-defining NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference is taking place. In this Suite Spot episode we are pulling back the curtain on what to expect at this year's landmark event. Joining us on the Suite Spot is Alexi Khajavi, President of Hospitality, Travel, and Real Estate at Questex. In this exclusive preview, Alexi breaks down the 2026 NYU IHIF agenda and shares why this year's gathering is more critical than ever for hospitality leaders, hoteliers, and investors. Tune in now. Ryan Embree: Welcome to Suite Spot, where hoteliers check in, and we check out what’s trending in hotel marketing. I’m your host, Ryan Embree. Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Suite Spot. This is your host, as always, Ryan Embree here with another hospitality event preview with a very familiar guest, very excited about this conversation. It’s spring, so right around the corner, we know what’s next, one of the premier events of the hospitality event calendar. Here to talk with me, a frequent guest, Alexi Khajavi, Questex, President, Hospitality and Real Estate. Alexi, thank you so much for joining me again here on the Suite Spot. Alexi Khajavi: Ryan, great to see you. Great to be back. Ryan Embree: Yes, it has been too long since we last spoke. We were out in Denver together at the Hospitality Show there on stage. Alexi, you were talking about everything that happened over the course of an entire year. I feel like from October to where we sit right now, in the middle of spring, it’s felt like a complete change. Whirlwind. I’m not even sure if when this episode’s released how much there could be even more change, but since then, so ground us. Give us a little sense of the state of hospitality and the sentence EE everything that you’re feeling right now. Alexi Khajavi: What we saw each other end of October in Denver, just at the conclusion of the hospitality show. And I guess, yeah, to your point, every day is, like an like a year or or seven years for that matter. So, six months on I mean, some consistencies, and I suppose the consistency is the volatility just in the geopolitics, macroeconomics, local state of affairs. And that does have a knock on effect on, on tourism and hospitality certainly. But some of the themes are consistent and that is that it is a, a continued challenging operational environment. rev pars have which we talked about rev pars, we were starting to see some normalization after they had been really on a only an up into the right performance for the prior three years. We started seeing that slowing down in Q3, Q4 of last year. And that has continued. One of the, the aspects, and a lot of people are talking about it, is a Ks shaped economy. And so you’re still seeing some, some interesting and pretty exciting, RevPAR ADR growth on the luxury side of that upper part of the K, if you will. And in the lower K of the market, you’re, you’re seeing increasing and continued challenges. Right? And I think everyone is sort of asking two questions around that, which is one is how much more runway of growth does the luxury market have? And then in on, on the sort of upper upscale midscale and economy, is the economic conditions going to encourage a trading down of the consumer. Speaking to David Pepper, for example, from Choice yesterday, they are seeing some positive RevPAR growth in that upper upscale, which, they’ve got a lot of hotel stock in. So I think the question is and we’re seeing some data that the customer is still traveling. They still see both on the leisure sh leisure side from the experience economy, travel as not being discretionary and not being something that they’re willing to give up, but something that they may trade down for make it more economical, domestic tourism, and drive to staycations those types of things versus the international travel, which certainly was in demand for the last three years. Corporate travel, I think that’s, that’s directly tied to GDP and the economy. But again, corporate travel has actually been coming back. It lagged leisure tourism recovery. So that’s been, performing quite well. Again, business is done face to face. It’s why we do live events in the, in, in, in the sectors in which we serve. So, continued operational challenge, questions around demand, a lot of impact from AI on demand, and how that demand is coming to your brand.com or to your property website, how they’re searching. SEO is in massive disruption. So, it’s not a typical recovery at this point. It’s, it’s fragmented, it’s bifurcated. It depends what part of the market you are in. There’s divergent recovery that’s sort of replacing that, that high tide lifts all boats. That uneven demand is translating into really kind of diversity of performance. And so it depends what markets you’re in. So the operating side is, is is tough. It is becoming harder and it is becoming more expensive. And yet there are some tools out there, AI and others, and technology generally that’s offering a lot of opportunity for optimization, efficiency, productivity in those areas, which will flow through to the bottom line. And then we’re also seeing, kind of a bifurcation in the capital markets. On, on, on the big side, there is a ton of capital that is chasing hospitality, moving from other asset classes whether it be office or retail or industrial. And they’re moving into hospitality for all the reasons that it’s operational real estate. It’s a tailwind market from the experience economy, despite the fact that we are cyclical, right? It goes up and down, but there’s a ton of liquidity. There’s a, there’s a wall of money that’s chasing, the asset class ranging from your owner operator franchisee, which is looking to grow from three properties to 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, whatever it may be, to institutional capital, which really never looked at a hospitality in general. So that’s creating more diversity in the type of investors which is coming into the market. So again, all of that challenge could unlock the transaction market. And then with those transactions, we see this regeneration of capital CapEx is deployed, and that’s really good for the industry. I mean, nobody likes to see falling net operating incomes, in running hotels. But that being said, it means that people have to be hyper-focused on how to run those hotels more efficiently. Why we run the hospitality show. And at the same time, NYU coming up, a lot of new capital coming into the market, a lot of capital chasing that, trying to figure out where the deals are, where to deploy that capital. And again, that’s why we have events like IHIF EMEA in Berlin, which was a few weeks ago. And to your point, NYU IHIF coming up in five weeks. Ryan Embree: It’s so many storylines in our industry right now that we’re chasing. We’d even touch on the upcoming summer, summer World Cup and events like the Olympics here in a couple years that are also gonna have a massive shift in international travel, which has been down. So again, so many challenges, but also think opportunistic time right now in hospitality and being at a spot like NYU is one of those places to capture those opportunities, to learn more about that from your peers, to have those conversations. Networking, I mean, I’ll, I’ll turn our attention there with some impressive numbers from the event. 2200 delegates, 450 plus C-suite executives, 400 plus investors, and $132 billion in assets under management there. So it’s impressive, like I said, impressive feat and number that you have all gathered in, one of the hospitality meccas of the world, which is New York City. What makes this event different from other hospitality events, and why is it a really a can’t miss for, for hoteliers investors this year? Alexi Khajavi: Yeah, I would say it’s a couple of things. One which you touched upon, which is, New York City financial capital of the world, it is the gateway city for the us it is, a hospitality driven economy. But it’s also one of the most thriving, financial market economies, in the US and certainly the world as well. So, that if you were to think, where do you hold an investment forum in any sector, but for that matter, in hospitality, New York, no better place, right? The money is there, the banks are there, the professional services are there, the brokers are there and many of the, the top brands are on the Eastern Shore board from DC and Maryland, up to the city here. So, it is just simply having it in New York. Second, it’s got a 40 year history associated with the New York University and the School of Hospitality and the John Tisch Center of Hospitality. It’s the only event where a portion of every dollar and revenue spent there goes towards supporting the next generation of hospitality professionals. So, we continue to partner with NYU and the School of Professional Studies. There, it’s an incredible partnership, which we’re just privileged and delighted to continue. And the fact that labor and talent is a massive challenge for the industry that, that you’re, you’re supporting a school which is turning out some of the most talented future hospitality professionals in the world by attending or sponsoring that’s goodwill. And, and we’re just delighted to be able to support that. So, that, again, I think is another anchor for why NYU is just such a special event and is different from a lot of the other good events that are, that are out there. And then lastly, NYU is part of a global portfolio of hospitality investment forums. And so, we have our event in Berlin. We have an event in Manchester, UK. We have an event in Athens, Greece, which is focused on the branded resi and the resort, segment, which is international and frankly, one of the fastest growing segments in hospitality. And then we have our Asia event in Hong Kong. So, we’re able to still bring in that global capital, those global operators that want to do business, want to bring their brands, want to deploy capital, want to invest in the us. So it’s not just a New York show, it’s not just a US focused show, but it’s a North America event where how do operators, how do investors, and how does the ecosystem of professional services come in and facilitate and drive deals to invest in the US and North American hotel market and all those things coming together, make it vibrant, make it diverse, make it one of the most active deal making conferences in the circuit. It really is for the investors to connect, with each other, but also the rest of the segments and the stakeholders, as it’s very diverse and fragmented industry. So deals get done. I mean, it was just on a in a conversation, a few weeks ago talking about a deal that’s been, announced since then. But they met in New York last June and really kicked off those conversations there at New York. And that ultimately consummated in a deal, in the fourth quarter of, of, of last year. We know that that’s what our value proposition is, and we know that’s why people spend their time with us and invest in, in NYU and we expect it to be even more vibrant and active on the deal making side, this June. So it should be should be a good event. Ryan Embree: That’s why I was gonna say, I had the privilege of attending for the first time last year, and I think the biggest difference for me was just the energy and the buzzing, and it just, it felt like what you said, it felt like deals were moving forward, whether that was the first time someone was connecting and networking, or whether it was something where these, these deals are not done in a vacuum or a silo that they take time, they take effort, and they take meetings like this, right? This connection, sometimes it’s, especially in a challenging market, can be the thing that brings a deal across the finish line. So it was palpable in the air when we were at that event last year. And it was a, it was a who’s who in hospitality too. You turned one way as a brand leader over here. Next is a president of asset management company. It really was an an extremely impressive event. I wanna get your thoughts, Alexi. You mentioned the sister events, the IHIF emea, which just wrapped up here at the end of March, obviously completely different markets that we’re talking about, but I still think holistically, there’s probably some lessons, feedback and sentiment that you could probably share that will translate into NYU, right? And some of those themes that are gonna make it there. What was your kind of, I guess, overall sentiment about the event and how just the energy and hotelier’s feeling was around that event? Alexi Khajavi: Yeah, I mean to go back to the start of the podcast, every day, there’s been something else. There’s been a, a ton of volatility in the market, a lot of uncertainty in, in the world. We still have a, a conflict, going on in, in Europe with, Ukraine and Russia. We now have a conflict happening in the Middle East. You’ve got macroeconomic conditions of still tariffs and the inflation that is causing interest rates still remain elevated, albeit they’ve, they’ve come down, over the last sort of 12 months. Elevated however, to historical, all of that creates uncertainty in the market. And as an investor said in, in Berlin, we can, we’re very good at penciling in risk and quantifying, the impact of that risk on both present day valuation. And a 20 year IRR, what is harder to pencil in is volatility and uncertainty. The certainty of risk is fine because you can quantify, the impact that that risk will have on the business. What you can’t is the uncertainty. And so with that, what we saw in Berlin, however, is that really is driving a lot of engagement around the expertise and the speakers and the sessions. We really pride ourselves on not having the same speakers every year saying the same things. We always leave a portion of our programs sort of unfinished, if you will, or, started but un unfinished because, because of that volatility in the market. So we saw a huge amount of engagement with people in the, in the sessions, in the rooms, which is interesting because at the end of the day, it is a deal making conference. And people are in meeting rooms, they’re up in suites they’re in the lobby and they’re, they’re engaging with each other, they’re there to do business. But we saw a lot of engagement, increased engagement with the sessions that we had. We then saw those individuals that were in a session often go out of the session and engage with each other and engage with speakers. And so one of the things that we’re doing is creating content fueled networking. So, a session will then lead to a round table where the speakers will stick around and the delegates or the folks that were in that session as an audience are able to then continue that conversation and go deeper and get into an actual conversation rather than just sort of a q and a that’s, that’s tagged on at the end. So it really created a, I think, a huge amount of engagement and peer-to-peer conversations. And really, I think people seeking a perspective. When, when you’re in a volatile market, really the most important thing you can do is to, to talk to your peers, to talk to your competitors, to talk to your mentors and get different perspectives to try and create some fidelity of what didn’t work or what has working, or what are the things that you’re trying out that’s really exciting. I mean, we really love that because, an open market, a transparent market, and an engaged market on the buy side and the sell side is a more informed market. Everybody needs that, right? It just makes markets more efficient. It make every, makes everybody better operators, and it creates a transparency as to where those opportunities are. And that’s, that is a, a tide that does lift all boats. The other thing I would say, Ryan, is, is that there’s always this question in an, an investment forum, like IHIF, like NYU as to what the sentiment is. And we’ve been tracking investor sentiment for the last five years now, since, January of 2020, which was an interesting time to first sentiment. Yeah. And it’s interesting because it certainly went down during COVID, no news flash there. It quickly rose up from 22 to 21 to 24, and then it’s leveled off since then. And it’s kind of just, a few index points gone, gone up or down depending on all of this volatility Liberation day last year, which was the first day of April, if I’m not mistaken, which was actually right during IHIF was created a lot of pessimism. It, however, was replaced with some optimism as interest rates fell down. So the sentiment to that question was, was actually quite positive. I think maybe through just the density of volatility or the consistency of volatility. People are somewhat getting used to it and separating noise from substance. And, and really there are the, there are more deals coming to market. We are seeing a diversification of capital coming into the market, lot of high net worth, lot of family office, a lot of institutional capital, sovereign wealth pension funds. And what that’s creating is more demand. So you’re starting, when we talk to the brokers, you’re starting to see a number of underbids in terms of a mandate comes to the market. A transaction occurred, but there was 6, 7, 8 under bidders in that transaction that shows interest, it shows appetite and it shows that the bid ask gap to a certain extent is narrowing. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean in all cases that valuations have come down. I think buyers would like them to, but at the end of the day, I think capital, and we’re seeing capital become more confident and have more conviction in the market, but that also there are regeneration opportunities through CapEx deployment, through repositioning and through other levers that they have to pull, that they can take an asset that is performing at x and through CapEx and better operations and better plans, better brand, make it X plus y. And that was really the sentiment coming out of Berlin that the market is opening up, that there is a diversity of capital coming into it that’s creating a lot more demand and through a number of different sort of challenges, or let’s just say realities on the operator side, you are seeing a higher interest in selling. And I think that that will start to, to narrow the bid ask gap and look the unlocking of the market. We’ve been waiting for it for two, three years. It’s been a challenging market, but I think everyone’s seeing some optimism. I think the wishlist is, is that we reduce the amount of volatility in the market, but that’s an uncontrollable from your and and my perspective, we don’t have much control of that. Ryan Embree: Yeah. But I think the industry’s skin is, is thickening to that, right? And we’ve talked about that, how it’s our new normal is the constant state of change. And I also think it’s something, I’m not sure if we’ve talked about or thought about this too much, but we really saw worst case scenario just six years ago of being like, where everything dropped to none. When we’re assessing risk, we’re a lot more battle test. This industry is a lot more battle tested than maybe previous than it had previously. So some of these uncontrollables, like you mentioned, that yes, they are headwinds, yes, they are challenges, but it’s those investors right now that see opportunities that assess that risk and say there could be some really, really great upside at a at a time right now. And one of the places also where there is a lot of uncertainty, but I would, I would almost phrase it in the sense of a, of a positive uncertainty is the impact that AI is gonna have on our business in the future. And the gains and dividends that we can yield from those have really just scratch the surface. And we talked about this, and I wanna bring that into the conversation ’cause it’s hard to not talk about it anymore, right? It, I think we don’t go a, a podcast episode without bringing it up and people filling out their bingo cards on AI and technology. But I want, I wanna take us back to where we were a year ago, and maybe we can do this an exercise. Alexi, what would you grade right now, our industry, which historically has been maybe on the lighter end of the spectrum of a technology adoption, but what would you, what grade would you give it? Because I think we’re at this weird inflection point where hoteliers and brands and management companies and really everybody’s starting to look and saying, alright, we’ve implemented some ai. Where are the dividends? Where are the results? How do I measure these successes? What, what grade would you give and how do you think we can improve there? Alexi Khajavi: You know, that’s a, that’s a great question because it’s not an easy one to answer. Sure and not to cop out of giving you a specific answer, I would give it a a non-applicable, because the reality is, is that technology as a whole, in terms of using technology as a tool to optimize the hospitality market, I would certainly give ourselves a c plus. I think that’s historically been where we have failed for many reasons, which we can we don’t need to go into right , we know, we know that. But I think, I think AI right now is there is an overestimation of its impact on the near term, and there’s an under appreciation for its impact on, on the long term. Love that that’s, that’s quickly, quickly changing. I mean, if you, to your point, if you just look at the last six months, massive wholesale change, and I, so I think that that’s changing very quickly that people are starting to appreciate this. This is enormous, both in its capacity to be a force of good as well as its capacity to be a, a force of bad, to sort of broadly call it as such. But that being said, I think there’s sort of two themes around ai. One is on the, on the sort of operational side, AI has, has largely, I think been distributed as a individual choice through the industry and the departments. And the overall, whether you’re on the brand side or the operator side or the investor side, I know that there are mandates and there are committees and everybody’s sort of got their own playbook to how they’re using ai. But at the end of the day, it’s gonna come down to any individual that’s using it or not using it in their respective role. And that’s all over the map. Some people are using it, some people are not. And, and frankly, I think those that are using it are going to be better off for their r and d and just their effort to try and figure it out. Because the more you use it, the better off you become at using. It’s, it’s a tool like any tool, right? You, you need how to use how to use that tool in order for it to do the job you want it to do. So in that case, I think we’re probably no different than some other industries, which are certainly spending a lot of money on it and trying to figure it out. The other aspect of it though, that I think is really interesting is that it is already changing, particularly those frontline manager roles. A GM, for example, that is using AI will have more time to do the things that a GM should be doing, rather than all of the back office stuff, which AI can do at scale and at pace, and to a high degree of quality with oversight and q and a being done, not just to let AI go do all those things, but that, that frees up your general manager to go do the things that really drives guest satisfaction. Respond to RFPs, take care of guests, drive revenue, be present in the local market so that you’re capturing demand drivers, in your local city or wherever you may be. So, I think if that individual GM is using AI effectively to free them up to do what a GM really should be doing, and probably why that person went into being a GM in the first place, then I think we’re gonna start to see the progress. But we haven’t really started to measure it yet. I also see on the positive side, other industries, IE healthcare are also realizing that AI is doing a lot of back office work at a very high level, or high degree of, of quality. And that’s now freeing up their own people. And what they’re finding is, is that maybe we should be engaging, empowering those roles in a hospital or healthcare broadly to be taking care of patients in a more human hospitable way. And so, in some degree, I think the long-term impact will be that other industries are now going to start looking at hospitality as being a, at the vanguard of driving human powered experiences that will drive back to revenue and premiumization and ultimately profits. So we’ve always looked to other industries for, God, we’re, so, we’re Luddites, how do you do this? What, how do teach us in hospitality? I, I think we’re going to start to see other industries look to us to, how do you actually take care of a guest, a customer for that matter? How do you do that to create loyalty to, to a, to increase average order value or ticket receipts. So I think that’s the opportunity to answer your question in terms of one area that I think is directly and already being deeply impacted is distribution and search. Search is been a, a topic of discussion for the last 30 years. And we’ve largely gone through this used SEO to fine, the white hat, the black hat the right levers to pull your all tags, your meditechs, I mean, the whole thing, right? Brand equity, la la, la. Well, AI replaces all that in one fell swoop, and nobody really knows how that’s going to play out. But on the sort of doomsday perspective, it completely wipes out your brand equity online in a search engine. On the positive side, it reinforces it because AI is simply pulling from algorithms and behaviors on the internet to sort of drive, it’s, it’s results. But again, we don’t know the answer to that. And I think already revenue management, sales and marketing distribution, those are the areas where I think in the next six months, we’re gonna be having a conversation that is gonna be completely different than the conversation we’re having today. And we’re gonna be focusing a lot on that because that is one of the areas that today is being completely upended. Ryan Embree: I one hundred percent agree with you. I think that’s where a lot of the hunger and the appetite and thirst for knowledge right now of why maybe there’s more engagement in those sessions than you’ve seen before, is because I think people are starting to, if they haven’t already started to understand the gravity of where we’re at in this inflection point and the massive disruption that this is going to cause and do not want to be left behind. And I think you’re right. There was a fascinating point you made in there about the GM and their role, and we all, the big fears around AI are, are AI replacing jobs? And I would say when it comes to hospitality, it could really upend what the, the role of a job, right? Your GM might start looking a lot more like the GM of 40 years ago when you first got into hospitality, or where you weren’t having to do those tasks. And we almost have to learn this new job. It might be the same title as general manager, but you’re doing completely different things, which is a fascinating topic to talk about because we’ve been training these young hospitality professionals in the way of what a GM is today. That role could look completely different here in the next three to five based on the, on the speed and acceleration of these, of AI tasks that they’re doing. So it, I could talk about it all the time. We do talk about it all the time, I feel like, but it’ll be very interesting to see that impact that it’s making. I wanna switch back to NYU, and this is one of my favorite questions because there’s so much intention in these, in these shows, and that’s why I love doing these episode, these preview episodes, because you get to, to learn all the work that goes in, you’ve told me before you start on these events, day after, sometimes even now hours after that first one ended. So this year’s theme sharpening the edge. Talk to us a little bit about how the team settled on this and, and the story behind it and how you’ve incorporated it into the programming a little bit. Alexi Khajavi: Yeah, I mean, sharpening the edge is, an ode to the investment, nature of the event. It’s a deal making conference and it’s in New York. And so it’s a very sort of public market Wall Street saying, where do you find your edge or where do you find your alpha compared to another investor? If all you’re doing is chasing, the broad returns of a market or an asset class for that much, or for that matter, then you’re, you’re gonna be, at the whipping end of the overall broader market. It’s not a good place to be in a volatile market like this. And it doesn’t drive the outsized returns that investors are looking for. So it really is a tip of the, the cap to where we are. We’re in New York, we have a lot of Wall Street, public Market, New York Stock Exchange, synergies there, Sarah Eisen from CNBC, comes up and moderates the CEO panel. Most of the CEOs head down for interviews, on Wall Street and CNBC and Squawk Box and so forth. And we have that partnership still with CNBC this year. So, but as you shift it to what’s happening in the capital markets as it relates to real estate and more specifically to hospitality, private equity has been the dominant capital type in hotel investment. And that’s been the case for the last decade. And today that’s really no longer the case. It’s PE is still extremely active, but it’s more diversified in terms of across investor types. So we’re seeing, again, as I said, family offices, high net worth, a lot of sovereign, a lot of institutional capital that is growing materially, that is looking to hospitality to, to deploy capital. And with that, you’re seeing a lot of opportunities around value add. PE is really your value add investor, right? They’re looking for an underperforming asset or an asset that has the ability to perform at a higher level that’s sharpening the edge, that’s driving alpha. And so PE is really looking at this as a great opportunity as institutional capital comes in and is looking for stable, more stable returns, securitized assets, and an annuity like return over a longer hold period. It’s a great opportunity for private equity to exit in a market in which it’s been tough to exit. That being said, global hotel and fund allocations in hospitality and real estate has been tough, but it’s growing and it’s coming back. And so you’ve got a lot more money coming back into the market. And, and that’s really, a positive thing. We having events across Asia, Europe, and the us it allows for us to drive that cross-border capital. US capital has been less active, but despite all the challenges, we still see a lot of, international capital, which wants to invest in the us. So that kind of diversification of capital is a real, real positive for the market. It, it means more liquidity, it means more exit opportunities to get off, on the off ramp for PE or any other investor. As more capital comes in, it offers more opportunities to exit. It provides or, or enables less sort of seasonality, if you will, in the marketplace, right? There’s less of that volatility in the marketplace as all as well. So really the sharpening the edge is about having the education, the networking, and the quality of people in the room that have the money are looking to deploy and know how to create alpha. Getting those individuals together to hear from each other, engage with one another, and ultimately, build relationships with the ecosystem that helps a deal get done, transact that transacts, underwrites that deal, and then drives that alpha from an operating value creation perspective. Those are the folks that are in the room at NYU. Ryan Embree: And you’re right in the middle of it. I mean, I remember waking up at the, the marquee and seeing Chris Nasetta on CNBC and a few hours later seeing him just a couple hundred feet up on stage in front of me. I mean, that’s the possibilities right there. Alexi Khajavi: And talking to people, right? I mean, this is the beauty of the hospitality industry is there’s really good people, right? They’re just, at the end of the day, you may be running a public company, and on TV, you’re sitting there talking to a franchisee of a Hampton that wants to meet the CEO. So it really kind of creates this very magical engagement where the fifth floor, sixth floor, seventh floor, eighth floor of the marquee are just a hive of activity with the best and the brightest from a franchisee to Chris Nasetta, to your point, there’s not many places that create that access and that transparency and cross engagement from such a diverse, but focused, sector, as NYU. So it’s a real, real special place to be. Ryan Embree: A thousand percent. And last year you used this forum to really get us fired up for some of the sessions in educations. And now you’re talking about, especially with your experience here earlier in the year, people being more open to that, being more thirsty and, and hungry for that information, looking up and down the programming. Because we know you spoke to last year the detail and depth that your team goes to create these panels, and sometimes even putting on stage opinions that differ, that go head to head to one another, to try to get that friction to try to get a rise out of that engagement. Looking up and down the agenda this year, which sessions, if you had to pick a few, do you have your eyes on? Alexi Khajavi: Well, there’s some, some obvious ones, but always at NYU, we’ve got some, some exciting ones as well. And the first one, our first session actually Monday morning, Anthony Scaramucci, the Mooch, who is an investor himself actually owns a restaurant as well, but certainly, podcaster and just an expert, on the economy, politics, the Trump administration having worked, I think 10 days, there, if I’m not mistaken. So, he’s gonna kick us off. We always have a marquee name that’s relevant to the industry, but he really has his finger on the pulse as to, one, what are all the geopolitics and the macroeconomics, in the overall state of the economy and the country, what impact is that having on the investment markets on where the opportunities are? Alexi Khajavi: And as he runs a restaurant what is he seeing? What does he think specifically of the hotel space? So I think that’s, again, that’s, that’s just not something that you get at any of the other hotel investment forums, but you get that and you’ll get it right, served with breakfast on Monday morning. So we kick off big and we kick off bold on Monday. Obviously Monday has, is a great day. We have the CEO council on Monday as well. Or sorry, the CEO panel that’s the five top brands, again, interviewed by Sarah Eisen, which they have a great rapport with. And that really does set the tone for what they’re seeing as the opportunities. Clearly they are on top of demand and where RevPAR and ADRs and occupancies are going, how they’re performing and what the differences are by chain scale. There will be a lot of conversation around how much gas in the tank does luxury have I’m sure you’ll hear differing views on that. And then are we gonna see a return to some of the midscale and upper upscale, as potentially people trade down but still travel and where’s economy, where’s extended stay? We’ve also seen these brands make some interesting investments in new concepts, graduate hotels, which is last year, yo hotels glamping and branded resi. That’s a big day. In fact, we’ve got a full day of content on branded resi with active developers developing properties right now that are branded resi mix of hotel, mixed use, retail, hospitality and so forth. And then capital markets. Capital markets our Cap Talks session is probably one of our most popular, and that’ll be a mix of both active US investors as well as foreign capital, international capital investors, sovereign Wealth, as well as private equity, which continue to look to deploy capital in the US. Alexi Khajavi: We then have Danny Meyer, who’s the founder, and CEO of Union Square Hospitality, Shake Shack. And obviously a number of other incredible Union Square restaurants in the city here. But and then you’ve got your breakouts where you will be focusing a lot on the investment development market. Asset management is a key thing, how do you drive Alpha through the operations of these hotels? So there’s a ton of content. We’ve left a lot of time for networking. We know that’s where the deal making is the eighth floor, which is the lobby level. We’ve extended the event to include the Broadway Lounge, which is this beautiful lounge overlooking Times Square. We’ll have, food and beverage in there throughout the days. Great space to network amongst all the delegates, including the ninth floor where we’ve got Marriott and Hilton taking that space. So it’s just a ton going on. And the program’s out, it’s 90% there. We still got a few couple of marquee names that we’re going to announce over the next few weeks. But really, if you’re gonna be, if you’re in hospitality, investment development and operations where you’re driving Alpha, there really is no other place to be on the first and 2nd of June. You’ve gotta be there. Ryan Embree: Yeah. I can attest to it again, first time last year have the privilege of attending officially announcing the Suite Spot will be back at NYU this year. We can’t wait. Our associate producer’s gonna be traveling with me this time. This is her first time. And there is even a first timers meet and greet that you do as well at the event, which I had the privilege of partaking in networking last year. What type of tips for any hoteliers investors that might be considering or even attending the first time, what, what one piece of advice would you drill down for this event as the best piece? Ryan Embree: I would definitely get on the app. I know that the serendipitous meeting, which to your point, you bump into the CEO of Hilton or Marriott for that matter, is great. And that’s, there’s good value in that, but we have about 70, almost 80% of all delegates are on the app. That’s great. And that’s a great place to find people and to be found and it also gives you all the other information as the agenda speaker bios, but it allows for you to reach out to other delegates. So I would definitely do, that’s, something that can be sometimes just overlooked or just not not done. And then I would go to the Sunday evening reception if it’s your first time that’s at the marquee, six o’clock, we get about 500 people there. A good mix of veterans and, and first timers. I would certainly do that. I would try and plan out your days ahead. It’s amazing how with all that, with all everything that’s going on, you can easily kind of get sidetracked. So if there are some sessions that you wanna see, you can bookmark them in the app and make sure that you, you don’t miss those. But, I would, get some sleep, stay hydrated and be prepared to have some full days of education, networking and just a whole lot of fun. Ryan Embree: Yeah. And some of the receptions that are after hours at the end of the day, are absolutely amazing too. And I know you have sponsors that kind of do that, sometimes onsite, sometimes offsite, encourage, those to attend that in full force as well. Hospitality, we definitely know how to, to host a party, that’s for sure. So Alexi, we appreciate you hosting us here on the Suite Spot and previewing this year’s 2026 NYU. We are counting down the days until June. Thank you again to my audience to learn more information. Obviously visit the website, make sure you register. Any final thoughts before we wrap up today, Alexi? Alexi Khajavi: No, just very much looking forward to seeing you there and the other 2400 people that will be joining us. So, looking very much forward to it. And appreciate your time. Ryan Embree: All right, thank you, Alexi. Thank you for listening to The Suite Spot and hope to see you at NYU in June in New York City. To join our loyalty program, be sure to subscribe and give us a five star reading on iTunes. Suite Spot is produced by Travel Media Group. Our editor is Brandon Bell, with Cover Art by Bary Gordon. I’m your host Ryan Embree, and we hope you enjoyed your stay.
In the final hour, DVD has another Vrabel-Russini saga story. How much money would it take for you to live in a transparent cube in Times Square for a month and watch sports?
A former FedEx driver was sentenced to death Tuesday for abducting and killing 7-year-old Athena Strand after delivering a package of Barbie dolls to her Wise County home. In other news, Dallas City Council members are pushing back after Mayor Eric Johnson blasted them for approving “bloated” budgets; Dell announced its intention to re-incorporate in Texas from Delaware late Monday; and one of Dallas' most celebrated soul food restaurants is headed to New York's Times Square. Kitchen + Kocktails will open a location in New York City this summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Every business owner looks forward to that big break—the moment that you land a big client or a major retailer, or do something that puts you on a national stage. But those opportunities don't just reward you. They can also expose you—especially if you have to take on debt or ramp up production or do things you haven't done before. Four years ago, when Liz Picarazzi won a high-profile installation for her trash enclosures in Times Square, it was exactly that kind of opportunity. Her enclosures were put to the test in as public and as challenging an environment as she could imagine. And, by any reasonable measure, they failed. In pursuing that opportunity, Liz took a risk that led to what she calls the worst day of her professional life. It also turned out to be, as she tells Lena McGuire, the best thing that could have happened to her business. That moment forced changes she might never have made otherwise, pushing her to innovate faster and sending her business on a very different trajectory.Meanwhile, Lena is dealing with a quieter version of the same problem: what it really takes to move your business forward. She knows her systems need an upgrade. She's bought the software. But like a lot of owners, she's stuck in the messy middle—paying for the future while still trapped in the past, with no time to bridge the gap. How do you choose between tasks that generate revenue immediately and those that will improve operations over time?
While out in NYC for the 420 weekend, Conway pulled up to chop it up with us at Torches in Times Square — an old-school cigar lounge turned legendary New York dispensary and speakeasy-style smoke spot. Big up Torches for the hospitality and the great vibes all weekend!This wasn't your typical rap interview.We got into Conway's personal journey with cannabis, the strains he came up smoking, and how both hip-hop and weed culture shaped his path early on in Buffalo.We also talk:
This is the noon All Local for Tuesday, May 5, 2026
It's finally time for Jan, Jan, Jan! As Jan Brady, America's most memorable middle child on the beloved TV sitcom, The Brady Bunch, Eve Plumb has been an enduring icon of American pop culture for over 60 years. Now in an engaging, intimate memoir, she shares the behind-the-scenes story of her colorful and impressively versatile Hollywood career and revelatory recollections of her off-camera life along the way-complete with many photos from her private archives.Recognized world-wide as Jan Brady, the wonderfully misunderstood middle sister on television's The Brady Bunch, actress Eve Plumb has embraced the association that seemed destined at age 10 when she was cast on The Brady Bunch. The iconic 1970s TV series has been in perpetual reruns for five decades and is well known by three generations of children and adults. Her engaging memoir reveals that her stint on The Brady Bunch was only the beginning of her TV career, a young lady with the confidence and spunk that her on-screen character often humorously lacked.Eve Plumb's six decades as a TV and stage actress reads like a veritable history of the golden age of TV. Her long career began when a talent agent in her Los Angeles neighborhood suggested that the six year old audition for a national TV commercial. She was cast and many commercials followed (including Barbie commercials). Within a year, Eve was being cast in guest star roles, often multiple episodes, in the top TV series of the 60s and 70s: Gunsmoke, Lassie, Family Affair, Mannix, The Big Valley, It Takes a Thief, The Virginia & Here's Lucy.Following five seasons of ABCs anchor Friday night show, The Brady Bunch, and recording albums and touring nationally with The Brady Kids singing group, Eve was cast as the lead role in Dawn, Portrait of a Teenage Runaway, at age 17. A dramatic departure from the sweet Brady family, the NBC hit TV movie came with a "parental discretion" warning in the opening titles. The movie's success sparked the highly-rated sequel with Eve Plumb: Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn.Continuous guest star roles filled her young adult life as an actress on highly rated TV shows, including The Facts of Life, One Day at a Time, Fantasy Island, Love Boat, Wonder Woman, and a multi-episode sitcom called The Brady Brides, featuring Eve as a young newlywed, along with Maureen McCormick from the original series.Eve brought her acting experience to the New York stage. Tony-winning Broadway Producer Ken Davenport cast Eve in the lead role for the Times Square debut of Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating, and Marriage, with a six month run. She also appeared on stage in NY and regionally in "Love, Loss and What I Wore."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.
Tiki Barber surprises the room by revealing he still owns a massive collection of magazines from his college days. They also debate the New York Knicks' chances in Game 6 against the Atlanta Hawks while dealing with Josh Hart's injury. Additionally, a discussion ensues regarding the unusual plan for multiple Times Square ball drops and the state of the New York Mets. 01:50 - Josh Hart Injury Status 06:41 - NFL Dead Period Discussion 12:26 - Collecting Old Scorecards 15:35 - Tiki's Playboy Collection 22:30 - Multiple Ball Drops 26:41 - Sean Manaea's Mets Performance 34:17 - Likability Of Rebuilt Teams 46:18 - Trading Brian Burns Debate
Thank you for tuning in to Episode 319 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. Full show notes with photos can be found on my website. This week's segments included: On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins Brainstorming From the Armchair Knitting in Passing In my Travels KAL News Events Life in Focus On a Happy Note Quote of the Week Thank you to this episode's sponsors: Stitched by Jessalu- Check out all of Jessalu's bags and accessories at NH Sheep and Wool - May 9 & 10 in Deerfield NH & at the Webs Tent Sale- May 15-17 in Northampton, MA, Massachusetts Sheep & Wool- May 23 & 24 in Cummington, MA On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins Log Cabin Blanket Pattern: Log Cabin Square by Julie Harrison. Free crochet pattern available on Ravelry. Video tutorial available on the Little Woollie Makes YouTube Channel Yarn: Legacy Fiber Artz Minis (mostly from Advent calendars 2023 & 2024) Hook: I (5.5 mm) Ravelry Project Page Inspired by Rachel (treehousefiberarts on Instagram) and Sue & Chelsea (Legacy Fiber Artz on Instagram). Check out the Floss Toss Ravelry Group for details on their Scrappy Blanket CAL. Ends December 21st (but you don't have to finish. 2 prize drawings will be done). My color placement is inspired by this project/pattern available on Ravelry. Inspired to pick it back up after see Sue (from Legacy Fiber Artz)'s version on their latest podcast episode. She bordered with cream before seaming. I love it. You can see a peek in this Instagram post. I bordered one square with a worsted weight Cascade 220 black yarn which I didn't like. Tune in to hear my tale of woe after I decided to machine wash squares before weaving in all of the ends. 23 squares (I think) Jelly Roll Blanket Pattern: Crocheted Jelly Roll Blanket by Kay F Jones Hook: H (5.0 mm) Yarn: Legacy Fiber Artz Steel Toes Mini Skeins + other minis from stash Ravelry Project Page I was inspired by KnitwithNat's blanket- check it out on Instagram. Progress: I finished 2 columns and nearly done with the third Inclinations Cowl Inclinations Cowl by Andrea Mowry ($7.00 Knitting Pattern available on Ravelry & her website. Needles: US 2 (2.75 mm) Yarn: 2 skeins of handspun Color A: Fiber Addict Designs 100% Merino in the Wild Plum Colorway- Ravelry link. Color B: Candombe, I think the fiber is from Malabrigo- Ravelry link. My Ravelry Project Page Progress, I am finally onto the decrease section. Pucker Brush Farm BFL Sweater Spin Fiber: 16 oz of multi colored BFL roving from Pucker Brush Farm (purchased at Rhinebeck 2025), 4 oz Merino in a mustard color & 20 ounces of Grey Shetland from Forever in Fiber on Etsy Ravelry Project Page I am planning to knit a Traveler sweater inspired by Emily Curtis' handmade version- click here for her Ravelry Project Page. I was thrilled to see a recent post on Emily's Instagram that she made a YouTube video about this spin/knit. Finished spinning the first 4 oz of Shetland and started spinning another. I wound off 2 bobbins of the Pucker Brush onto storage bobbins and then wound off the Shetland onto storage bobbins. Midnight Orchid Socks Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry) Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Yarn: Patons Kroy Stripes in the Midnight Orchid colorway Ravelry Project Page About the yarn: skinny stripes of cream with contrast colors- greens, ochre and mauvy purples. Progress: Cast on both socks on two separate needles. Sunday Brunch Socks Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry) Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Yarn: Woolens & Nosh Targhee Sock in the Sunday Brunch at the Breakfast Club colorway; club colorway Ravelry Project Page About the yarn: mini skein in a medium denim blue. Self striping- tan, navy, mustard, pink, coffee w/ milk brown. Progress: several inches into the first sock's foot Merry Christmas Kevin Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry) Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Yarn: Legacy Fiber Artz, Steel Toes in the Merry Christmas, Kevin colorway Ravelry Project Page Progress: a few inches to the first leg. Knit on these in Saturday in NYC, during Book of Mormon. Brainstorming I knit a swatch out of DK cream yarn I had in stash with colorwork in handspun. I haven't taken the time to check gauge after washing it, but that may be my next colorwork yoke sweater. I love using the Ravelry advanced search to search by gauge. DK Tank & similar fingering weight version (DK) Top Sol by Mochi Knits $9.77 US knitting pattern available on Ravelry or the designer's website. (Fingering weight yarn) the Claire vest- available on Ravelry or the designer's website. Summer Raffia Clutch Bag by Anna Ushakova -$4 crochet pattern available on Ravelry or $7.50 on Etsy From the Armchair Books Good People by Patmeena Sabit. Amazon Affiliate Link. Buckeye by Patrick Ryan. Amazon Affiliate Link. River is Waiting by Wally Lamb. Amazon Affiliate Link. Musicals Beauty and the Beast- this show is touring through next November. Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York- check out our video set to the opening song. Book of Mormon (this show is also touring if you want to see it in a city near you) Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases. Knitting in Passing I had a nice chat with a little boy and his grandmother on the train during MA school vacation week. He was absolutely mesmerized. In My Travels NYC for Riley & Aila's birthdays! Friday: Thrifting, shopping, coffee, FAO Schwartz (for JellyCat Cafe but they didn't have any openings). We met Laura for dinner at Serendipity in Times Square. Saturday: we scored Rush tickets for Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York, did a little more shopping and eating (got in some NYC pizza of course) then to see the show at 2p which Laura joined us for. Then we all had dinner at Dos Caminos before our 7p Book of Mormon Show. At home, we heated up a cinnamon roll Laura went all the way downtown to get us from Losers. Sunday: we got bagels and then coffee, finished the TikTok video to the Two Strangers opening song and then hit the road. Stay tuned for a YouTube video of our adventures. KAL News Splash Pad Party '26 Details Event runs 5/22-7/31 Splash Pad Party Registration is open as of 5/1 View Stats and/or Verify Registration here. Check out our Sponsor List Splash Pad '26 Official Rules Enter your FOs using the Summer Celebration Form. Then come over to this Ravelry Thread to share pics and let us ooh and ahh with you! Submit something incorrectly? Need help? Fill out this Support Form & we'll be in touch. Find official SPP'26 images you can use on social media in this Google folder. Splash Pad RAVELRY Links Start Here Thread Pro Shop Exclusive Items Thread Coupon Codes Thread Questions Thread Events NH Sheep and Wool - May 9 & 10 in Deerfield NH Coggeshall Farm Fiber Festival- May 16 in Bristol, RI Webs Tent Sale- May 15-17 in Northampton, MA Massachusetts Sheep & Wool- May 23 & 24 in Cummington, MA Life in Focus 26 in 2026 List E- Events- go to at least 26 ticketed events (17 as of 4/25!) L- Literary pursuit- read at least 65 books (24 as of 4/27) N- NYC- go visit Laura at least once (scheduled for April) Q-Quarterly review of calendar/photos & goals (to make Year in Review easier and faster)- calendar it! March done S- Socks- knit 26 pair- 6 done so far. W- Wheel- sit down at my spinning wheel every month (put reminders on my calendar at the beginning of each month to help remind me) Jan, Feb, March, April done On a Happy Note During a short spell of what actually felt like Spring weather, Dan and I went to our friend's daughter's high school lacrosse game and then out for dinner after. I joined Dan for his weekly card game. We played Five Crowns, which I really enjoy. We had dinner with Dan's cousins who we don't see often and then with an old high school friend of Dan's who he hasn't seen in over 25 years! He and his wife were lovely. Fun chat. We brought Hattie to Beauty and the Beast, looking all beautiful in her Belle dress. She had an absolute blast. My work friends were reminiscing about this funny old cell phone commercial video we used to love watching it. Check out show notes for link to the video Quote of the Week " I think one of the things that makes theater special is first of all, it's one of the last places you put your phone away." - Lin-Manuel Miranda " I know the world is filled with troubles and many injustices. But reality is as beautiful as it is ugly. I think it is just as important to sing about beautiful mornings as it is to talk about slums. I just couldn't write anything without hope in it." - Oscar Hammerstein ------ Thank you for tuning in! Contact Information: Check out the Down Cellar Studio Patreon! Ravelry: BostonJen & Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group Instagram: BostonJen1 YouTube: Down Cellar Studio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/downcellarstudio Sign up for my email newsletter to get the latest on everything happening in the Down Cellar Studio Check out my Down Cellar Studio YouTube Channel Knit Picks Affiliate Link Bookshop Affiliate Link Yarnable Subscription Box Affiliate Link FearLESS Living Fund to benefit the Blind Center of Nevada Music -"Soft Orange Glow" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/ Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases.
Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/JMWamVoY-FY In this spotlihg episode of 356, Charlie Malouf and Bo Pennebaker highlight the historic launch of the Ashley Luxe Collection, described as the largest launch in Ashley's history. Bo shares insights on the significance of this new offering, which is exclusive to Ashley stores. Unlike past product rollouts that primarily targeted internal markets and existing customers, this launch represents a new level of ambition, including eye-catching digital billboards in Times Square and robust social media engagement. Visit https://www.storiesfromtheriver.com for more episodes. Broad River Retail brought this show to you. Visit https://BroadRiverRetail.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broad-river-retail
BROADWAY CELEBRATES EARTH DAY: The 5th Annual Broadway Celebrates Earth Day concert takes place Saturday, April 25 from 11am–3pm in Times Square's Duffy Square in front of the iconic red steps, rain or shine. Hosted by the Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) and the Times Square Alliance, the free public performance serves as a marquee event for the NYC Department of Transportation's city wide “Car-Free Earth Day”, joyfully mobilizing the theatre community and fans to combat climate change and advance sustainable solutions. The plaza will feature a special exhibit from The Climate Museum and be full of family-friendly activities from leading partners in climate advocacy, including Headcount, Materials for the Arts, and the Wildlife Conservation Society for a complete day of art meeting action. Not in NYC? Tune in from anywhere in the world via livestream on the Stars in the House YouTube channel. DANIEL TAYLOR, Owner of 44&X (Forty-Four and Ten) ABOUT DAN: Dan Taylor is originally from Arizona. His mother ran a restaurant in Missouri, and he helped out there with his sister before building a very different career — running medical companies in the Midwest for more than a decade. When Dan decided it was time for a reset, he began winding down those businesses. After visiting New York a few times, fell in love with New York and decided to make the move 4 years ago. He lives just outside of Manhattan in downtown Jersey City. Dan officially took over ownership of the Hell's Kitchen favorite, 44&X, on February 1st, 2026, from former owners Bruce Horowytz and Scott Hart, after 25 years.
In this podcast extra, listen to Jay McInerney on The Beat, plus a special digital conversation with Ari Melber in Times Square, where he discusses his new book and his social life in New York City. Plus, revisit McInerney's past appearances on The Beat. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Opie is back with Mark Normand, Vic Henley, and Carl Ruiz in studio. Mark stops by unannounced with his new Comedy Central special and massive Times Square billboard. Carl goes full sugar apocalypse while Dr. Ian Smith (Blast the Sugar Out) loses his mind trying to stop him.Wild stories, Tampa lingerie modeling chaos, polar bear depression, bear invasions, and nonstop degenerate laughs. Peak Opie Radio energy.Guests: Mark Normand, Vic Henley, Carl Ruiz, Dr. Ian Smith5/9
* Medical marijuana licensing via BudDocs with one visit then telehealth renewals * 7 month renewals handled by email or text with quick online payment * Same day approval and dispensary access * Florida dispensary deals and first time discounts up to about 60 percent * Cannabis products include vapes pills oral and flower * Friday Free Show with Ross and Sam * Battery toy dog from 1985 South Korea later copied by China * Toy barks walks flips now about 20 dollars * IP theft discussion and impact on creators * BDM Appreciation Week and party push * Joke about faking BDM proof with screenshots * Studio banter and system jokes * Weight loss comments and awkward compliments * BDM perks include extra weekly show for 12 plus years * BDM Facebook group low conflict no politics community * Group helps boost posts votes and member causes * Example helping kids contest with mass voting * Joke about multi level kid marketing * Sponsor roll call multiple brands * Sam knee injury jumping off truck hitch * Gender dynamics strong woman vs chivalry * Compliments vs inappropriate comments * HOA conflict setup and chaotic Zoom meetings * HOA fees dues and poor communication * Legal cases and risk of special assessments * Florida condo crisis context and regulations * Extreme assessments trapping owners * Murder in neighborhood discovered after fact * Lawsuit against HOA for negligence and wrongful death * Insurance refusing coverage for violence * HOA lack of transparency and meeting issues * Debate over lighting rules and enforcement * Resident frustration and board hostility * Protest joke ideas and neighbor feud stories * Muppet themed burlesque show at Hourglass Brewing * Burlesque as art comedy and nudity mix * Jury Duty style hidden camera show concept * Dog birthday party culture and social gatherings * Fairvilla Megastore read and product variety * Orlando Science Center new immersive Dome * Dome features large screen audio seating and events * Potential live shows and immersive content * Sailing couple incident in Bahamas investigation * Dinghy explanation and boating terms * Suspicious voicemail and lack of urgency * Alcohol and relationship issues noted * Difficulty proving murder without evidence * Sublime touring with Jakob Nowell debate * Caller with 7000 DVDs and resale struggles * Decline of physical media and nostalgia for extras * LA trip Disneyland and Comedy Store visit * Surprise sets by major comedians * Criticism of LA traffic homelessness and infrastructure * NYC trip plans Broadway shows and Times Square chaos * 9 11 memorial etiquette and enforcement complaints * Malcolm in the Middle revival news * Anime criticism and changing media standards * Everest base camp tourism and insurance scam * Fake medical evacuations for payouts * Vietnam cave travel discussion and risks * Toilet paper debate crumple vs fold * Pest control stories and killing rats * Ethical discomfort with animal killing * Bidet vs toilet paper discussion * BDM event reminders and Uber safety * Membership cancellations and returns * Listener life update sober and doing well * Closing jokes and sign off tone ### Social Media [https://tomanddan.com](https://tomanddan.com) [https://twitter.com/tomanddanlive](https://twitter.com/tomanddanlive) [https://facebook.com/amediocretime](https://facebook.com/amediocretime) [https://instagram.com/tomanddanlive](https://instagram.com/tomanddanlive) Where to Find the Show Apple Podcasts: [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-mediocre-time/id334142682](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-mediocre-time/id334142682) Google Podcasts: [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2FtZWRpb2NyZXRpbWUvcG9kY2FzdC54bWw](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2FtZWRpb2NyZXRpbWUvcG9kY2FzdC54bWw) Tom & Dan on Real Radio 104.1 Apple Podcasts: [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-corporate-time/id975258990](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-corporate-time/id975258990) Google Podcasts: [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2Fjb3Jwb3JhdGV0aW1lL3BvZGNhc3QueG1s](https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2Fjb3Jwb3JhdGV0aW1lL3BvZGNhc3QueG1s) Exclusive Content [https://tomanddan.com/registration](https://tomanddan.com/registration) Merch [https://tomanddan.myshopify.com/](https://tomanddan.myshopify.com/)
This week, Cameron, Derek, Emily and Marty cover a ton: American Idol's Songs of Faith Night, which was way more Jesus-heavy this year than last, British Christian rapper DC3 making MOBO Awards history, and the story of Forrest Frank's new indie band having to ditch their name days before releasing their debut album.In RELEVANT Recommends, we talk to Madison Ryann Ward — an amazing, soulful singer (and former D1 volleyball player) who walked away from Rick Rubin's label after rededicating her life to Christ, and is now showing up everywhere and absolutely thriving. In Slices, we cover a guy who's selling a compass that only points to the Olive Garden in Times Square, and the story of 12 tons of stolen Kit Kat bars giving some pretty great April Fool's fodder.At the end of the episode, we have a great edition of One Has to Go!Highlights:00:00 — Intro / Derek Minor's new single "Up" 07:35 — RELEVANT Buzz: American Idol Songs of Faith Night 15:00 — RELEVANT Buzz: DC3 wins two MOBO Awards 17:30 — RELEVANT Buzz: Forrest Frank's new band 24:50 — RELEVANT Recommends: Madison Ryann Ward 33:00 — Slices: Compass pointing to the Olive Garden in Times Square 35:15 — Slices: Someone stole 12 tons of Kit Kat bars 38:30 — One Has to Go: Holidays / Florida animals / Blockbuster night / MTV cartoons / Sports video games 49:00 — OutroAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy