HGTV star Matt Blashaw joins our 6-Timers Club as we talk about sustainable energy for your home.  Matt shares tips on the many benefits of using propane in both new construction and remodeling/renovating homes. Matt will share his own experience of living in a propane-equipped homestead that includes appliances, energy sources and back-up power.

This episode is supported by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).
Find more information at  www.Propane.com/ForMyHome

Director, writer, comedian, singer and songwriter Gino McKoy called in to discuss his directorial debut on the sci-fi-horror-comedy, "Lumina."

Also written and produced by McKoy with a cast headed by veteran Eric Roberts, the film follows an odd foursome who desperately search for their friend who's mysteriously disappeared.  Their quest evolves into a change-of-pace thriller with endless, threatening twists and turns--all laced with a little welcomed humor.

Lumina's back story includes:  the first feature filmed entirely in Morocco, one of the few movies completed during the first year of the pandemic and the exclusive single release of "Everything to Me," which is featured on the official soundtrack of the film

Arriving at the start of the annual wave of Halloween films, "Lumina" hits the theaters in a special return engagement on Friday, September 20, 2024. 

Comedian and actor John Fugelsang called in to discuss his new tv show Page Six TV, shared stories of interviewing George Harrison and Paul McCartney, and talked about his upcoming appearance in Chicago at the Athenaeum Theatre as part of the "Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour." (From Sep. 25, 2017)

From May 26, 2020: Garrett Reisman is a former NASA mission specialist Astronaut and is now a senior advisor for Space X. Garrett called in to lend his unique insight into the upcoming NASA/Space X launch.

From October 30, 2020: Jordan Wolfe is an actor, singer, writer, composer and zombie aficionado.  He is the creator of “The Night of the Living Dead - The Musical!”  The original concept recording is out now wherever digital music is sold.   Note: This interview is complete and uncensored, containing material not included in the on-air version.

From July 24, 2020: Mark Feuerstein joined the show for a chat about his current, recent, and upcoming projects, including his latest movie, "Babysplitters," which is now available on demand and all digital platforms.  We also discussed "Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later," "Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Flight Attendant," "The Babysitters Club," and of course "Royal Pains."

From October 16, 2020: Amber Nash is voice of Pam on the Emmy-Award winning animated classic “Archer."  Amber called in to promote the newest season of the show.

Celebrity Chef Claire Robinson returned to the show following a 9-year absence to share some fun food tips for fall.  Claire and I both agreed we will not wait until 2032 to chat again.

Grace Harry joined the show for a conversation about her book The Joy Strategist: Your Path to Inner Change.

Grace Harry is an artist, entrepreneur, creative muse, pleasure instigator, and speaker. After an illustrious 30-year career in entertainment, Grace, “The Joy Strategist,” found her calling leading what she calls “the Revolution of JOY.” Through her popular playdate community “Play with Grace,” she helps everyday people welcome joy back into their lives. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, HelloGiggles, Vogue Online, The Times UK, The London Evening Standard, and many more. 

Antonia Deignan visited the show to talk about her debut book, Underwater Daughter: A Memoir of Surviving and Healing.

About the Author:

Antonia Deignan is a mother of five children by choice, a dancer by calling, and a writer by necessity. She was born on the East Coast but spent most of her life in the Midwest, where she danced with multiple dance companies and raised her children. She opened her own dance studio and directed a pre-professional dance company before a bike accident wish-boned her path, and her identity. Her work has been published in print magazines and online. Now retired, she resides in a beloved island home in Martha’s Vineyard, where she continues to be inspired and write. This is her first book. https://antoniadeignan.com

Renovation experts and hosts of “Fixer to Fabulous”, Dave and Jenny Marrs, along with Daikin Comfort Technologies, have announced the launch of a new initiative called the “Sustainability Series” to highlight ways we can perfect the air we share. This 6-part miniseries will be aired on HGTV during prime time, starting in October.

Dave and Jenny joined us from their family home  to share some simple and lasting solutions that we can all get on board with to be part of the movement. They’ve got the scoop on incorporating daily positive changes, big and small, to make an environmental impact in our homes, our communities, and for the health of our entire planet.

You know Rachel Renée Russell as the author of The Dork Diaries, the bestselling blockbuster series chronicling the life and misadventures of middle school students, Nikki Maxwell, and her best friends, Chloe and Zoey. With humor and wit, Rachel’s books encourage tweens to embrace their individuality and always let their inner Dork shine through. The illustrator is Rachel’s daughter Nikki Russell and together they’ve had 19 consecutive NYT bestsellers! We discussed their latest collaboration, DORK DIARIES #15: TALES FROM A NOT-SO POSH PARIS ADVENTURE.

 Peter H. Reynolds is New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of many books for children, including Happy Dreamer, The Word Collector, Say Something!, Be You!, and Our Table. He is also the illustrator of When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left by Marc Colagiovanni.  His newest picture book is co-authored by his 12- year-old son, Henry Rocket Reynolds.  All We Need is Love and a Really Soft Pillow is a tender and timeless tale about what matters most: love.

Peter H. Reynolds went for a walk with his son, Henry Rocket, and declared “This is it; this is all we need! Love.” Henry Rocket listened and added, “...and a really soft pillow.” Peter nodded, “Okay. Love, and a really soft pillow.” Henry thought about this, “What about chocolate?” he asked. His father replied, “Right, Love, chocolate, and a really soft pillow.” On they went. And after playing this game, Peter and Henry agreed that when they boiled it down, all they really needed was love... and a pen and paper to write it all down, before they forgot this rather fantastic idea!

Tracy Wilson and Holly Frey talk about their popular podcast, Stuff You Missed in History Class. (From November 6, 2019)

October is National Eczema Awareness Month, which provides a timely reminder of the many people who have dry and sensitive skin issues. We visited with nationally renowned dermatologist, and skincare influencer Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky to share simple ways to help manage serious skin issues. What many people don’t realize is that everything from lotions to sunscreens to the laundry detergent someone uses can create serious skin issues. In fact, more than 31 million Americans live with eczema, a chronic, systematic disease that results in annual economic burden of five billion dollars. 

We continue our series of returning guests with author Joanna Ho discussing her newest children's book Say My Name.

Joanna Ho is the New York Times bestselling author of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, Eyes that Speak to the Stars, Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma, The Silence that Binds Us, and One Day. She has been an English teacher, a dean, a vice principal, and a professional development mastermind. Her passion for equity in books and education is matched only by her love of homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoor adventures, and dance parties with her kids. Visit her at www.joannahowrites.com.

Ariane Szu-Tu, Senior Editor at National Geographic Kids Books, returned to the show to talk about a delightful new book for kids and adults alike, Weird but True DISNEY: 300 Wonderful Facts to Celebrate the Magic of Disney.

ARIANE SZU-TU is a senior editor for National Geographic Kids Books. In her time at Nat Geo Kids, she's edited a range of children's books on a variety of fun topics, specializing in books for ages 8-12. Books she's worked on include the 100 Things series, Weird But True Know-It-All series, Not-So-Common Cents, Pirate Queens, Ultimate Book of Reptiles, Kids vs. Plastic, How to Survive in the Age of Dinosaurs, and many more. She lives in Falls Church, Virginia, with her husband, daughter, and dog.

Brian Abrams returned to the show for a fun conversation about his new book “You Talkin’ to Me?”: The Definitive Guide to Iconic Movie Quotes ."

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brian Abrams is the author of many best-selling oral histories, tackling the subjects of Late Night with David Letterman, Gawker, Die Hard, and the Obama presidency. He was dubbed “the Ken Burns of presidential alcoholism” upon publication of his first book, Party Like a President: True Tales of Inebriation, Lechery, and Mischief from the Oval Office.

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and Mike Caralis, 
nationally renowned cybersecurity expert with Verizon, shared important information on how individuals and small businesses can keep their information safe from criminals.

Anne Gudger visited the show for a chat about her new book The Fifth Chamber.

About the Author

Anne Gudger is an autobiographical essayist who writes hard and loves harder. She’s been published in Real Simple, Cutbank, Cutthroat, The Los Angeles Review, The Normal School, The Rumpus, and the Columbia Journal, among others, and has been a Best of the Net nominee twice. She is also the co-founder of Coffee and Grief, a reading series that’s been thriving since March 2020 and hosts five curated readers every month reading on grief. Anne lives in Banks, Oregon with her beloved husband. The Fifth Chamber is her first book.

From June 22, 2020:  Award-winning international film director Peter Medak called in for a chat about his latest movie, "The Ghost of Peter Sellers."

In September 1973 Peter Sellers embarked on the production of a 17th Century pirate comedy in Cyprus for Columbia Pictures (Ghost in the Noonday Sun). Sellers lost confidence with the film as soon as it began and desperately tried to sabotage it, firing the producers in the first week and then setting his sights on his friend the director, Peter Medak. At its core lies the story of an unraveling production but also the tale of a young director firmly on a path to greatness. Medakhad made 3 back-to-back successes; most notably 'The Ruling Class' in 1972 with Peter O'Toole (nominated for the Palm D'Or). This film changed his career forever. After 43 years the wounds have barely healed for Medak and this is his opportunity to tell the story and finally release the weight associated with its failure. The Ghost of Peter Sellers is a comic-tragic feature doc about what it takes to be a film director and survive your biggest disaster.

From October 27, 2016: Legendary actress Tippi Hedren called in to discuss her life and career. 

From February 24, 2021: Dylan Lane joined the show to talk about the return of his classic show Chain Reaction on Game Show Network.

From April 8, 2021: Marc and Angel Chernoff, The New York Times bestselling authors of GETTING BACK TO HAPPY discussed their latest book, 1000+ LITTLE HABITS OF HAPPY, SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIPS.

Greg Proops discusses his career and new book "The Smartest Book In the World."
(From May 7, 2015)

Greg Proops is a revered stand-up comic from San Francisco, and he records his chart-topping podcast “The Smartest Man in the World” from live shows around the world as well as Cleveland. Mr. Proops has been a voice actor in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and played Bob in Bob the Builder. He has been a guest on @Midnight on Comedy Central; Red Eye; The Late, Late Show; and Chelsea Lately. He lives in Hollywood.

From October 31, 2019: Alicia Dennis is People Magazine's Senior Editor of Crime.  She's also the host of “People Magazine Investigates,” on Investigation Discovery.  We talked about what's in store for the newest season.

From November 18, 2019: William King, founding member of the Commodores, called in to chat about his career and the band's participation in an upcoming disco cruise.  Topics: How "Night Shift" wasn't originally considered to be released as a single, opening for the Jackson 5, and the dedication of their fans.  

Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes called in to talk about the wildly successful podcast "Greeting Out" and new book inspired by the show, GREEKING OUT: Epic Retellings of Classic Greek Myths.

Kenny Curtis has more than 30 years in children’s programming as a performer, writer, and producer. He is one of the creators of National Geographic Kids’ Greeking Out podcast series, which he hosts and cowrites alongside his daughter, Jillian Hughes. Together, Kenny and Jillian have helped develop a number of well-known kids content offerings for partners and platforms like Pinna, Tinkercast, Kidz Bop, and 8 Pound Gorilla Records. But Kenny may be best known as the human behind the long-running radio program The Animal Farm on SiriusXM’s original family music channel, Kids Place Live. 

Jillian Hughes is a professional writer with her heart in the kids and family industry. She’s a writer for National Geographic Kids’ Greeking Out podcast series and has contributed to other platforms including Pinna, Tinkercast, and iHeart. She also works as a copywriter crafting marketing collateral for numerous industries. While she enjoys working with all her clients, she is especially partial to collaborating with Kenny—who just happens to be her Dad.

From October 24, 2017: Nick Selby is a police detective with more than 20 years of experience fighting cyber criminals.  He's also the author of "The Cyber Attack Survival Manual."  We discussed the dark web, the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to protecting their identities, how hacking is not just a kid in a basement anymore, and why you maybe shouldn't have a smart adult toy.

From January 3, 2018: Tommy Wiseau called in to talk about a special screening of "The Room" in theaters nationwide from Fathom Events. We discussed the success of the film, his new projects, and how a broadway musical version of "The Room" is in the works.

HGTV Star Matt Blashaw joins our 5-Timers club as we talk emergency preparedness, getting your home ready for winter, and hints and tips for homeowners.

New York Times Bestselling Author Karina Yan Glaser joined the show today for a chat about her new book, "The Vanderbeekers Ever After," the conclusion to the popular series.

Karina Yan Glaser is the New York Times best-selling author of The Vanderbeekers series and A Duet for Home. A former teacher as well as employee of New York City's largest provider of transitional housing for the homeless, Karina is now a contributing editor at Book Riot. Karina lives in Harlem, New York City, with her husband, two children, and an assortment of rescue animals. One of her proudest achievements is raising two kids who can’t go anywhere without a book. Visit her at www.karinaglaser.com,

Ovie Mughelli played nine years in the NFL, signed by the Atlanta Falcons in March 2007 and was a 4th round draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens in 2003. One of the biggest fullbacks in the NFL, Ovie had a breakout 2010 season, earning his first Pro Bowl, representing the starting fullback position for the NFC and also the first Pro Bowl in the fullback position for the Atlanta Falcons franchise. A fullback in college for Wake Forest, Ovie was selected for All ACC First-Team in that position. Ovie called in to try to settle down Bears fans a bit, and to share some tailgating and viewing party tips.

Carmen Ordonez is a leading on-air lifestyle and travel expert, TV Host, Spokesperson and founder behind Viva Fashion. She has appeared in several media outlets including The New York Times, The TODAY Show, Univision, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, CNN, Telemundo and InStyle Magazine to name a few. She is currently the host of "ION Style" on the ION Television Network and shares her practical lifestyle advice on various TV shows including Telemundo's Un Nuevo Dia and Univision's Desiderata America.  Carmen joined the show for a chat about events and activities during Hispanic Heritage Month.

From November 30, 2017: We remember Moody Blues drummer and founding member Graeme Edge as we revisit our chat about 50th anniversary shows of "Days of Future Passed," including a PBS special, as well as the third annual Moodies Cruise. 

From August 11, 2020: Academy Award-nominated Actor James Cromwell visited the show for a chat about his movie Emperor.

JAMES CROMWELL BIO

James Cromwell earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Farmer Hoggett in the international smash BABE, and reprised his role in the hit sequel, BABE: PIG IN THE CITY. In 2018, he appeared notably in the Steven Spielberg/Universal blockbuster JURASSIC WORLD: ANCIENT FUTURES. He recently appeared opposite Meryl Streep in THE LAUNDROMAT for Steven Soderbergh, and will be seen in the period drama EMPEROR alongside Bruce Dern and Ben Robson. Cromwell appeared in THE PROMISE alongside Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale, and in MARSHALL alongside Chadwick Boseman and Sterling K. Brown, with other films including the Academy Award-winning THE ARTIST football dramedy THE LONGEST YARD opposite Adam Sandler, I, ROBOT alongside Will Smith, Oscar-nominated features THE GREEN MILE (Frank Darabont), THE QUEEN (Stephen rears), SECRETARIAT (Gary Ross), SPIDERMAN III (Sam Raimi), and LA CONFIDENTIAL (Curtis Hanson) among many others. Cromwell starred in STILL MINE opposite Genevieve Bujold (Toronto Film Festival Premiere / Top Ten Canadian Films of 2012), winning the Best Actor Award at the 2013 Canadian Film Awards, a Genie Award, and the Best Actor Award at the Seattle International Film Festival for his performance.

Cromwell won a 2013 Emmy Award for his turn opposite Jessica Lange and Lily Rabe on American Horror Story: Asylum. He currently recurs on HBO's Succession opposite Brian Cox, was just seen in two very different season-long arcs concurrently: on Epix's Berlin Station opposite Richard Jenkins and on Starz' Counterpart opposite J K Simmons. He earlier starred opposite Lee Pace on AMC's Halt & Catch Fire, in HBO miniseries The Young Pope opposite Jude Law and Diane Keaton, and continues his recurring role in the TBS comedy The Detour playing Jason Jones' mysterious, wily father-in-law. He played erudite defense attorney Warren Daniels on the TNT/Steven Bochco series Murder in the First, Andrew Mellon on HBO's Boardwalk Empire, starred on the ABC series Betrayal as billionaire industrialist Thatcher Karsten, and appeared on the Fox series 24 as Jack Bauer's father Phillip Bauer. He earned multiple Emmy Award nominations for his work on the HBO original series Six Feet Under, the HBO movie RKO 281, and the NBC drama ER. His body of work encompasses dozens of miniseries and MOWs, including TNT's A Slight Case of Murder, HBO's Angels in America, West Wing, Picket Fences, Home Improvement, L.A. Law, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Born in Los Angeles, Cromwell grew up in New York and Waterford, Connecticut, and studied at Carnegie Mellon University (then Carnegie Tech). His father, John Cromwell, an acclaimed actor and director, was one of the first presidents of the Screen Directors Guild. His mother, Kay Johnson, was a stage and film actress.

Tracy Ifeachor visits the show to promote her USA Network series "Treadstone."

USA Network’s new series Treadstone explores the origin and present-day actions of the infamous covert program – as seen in the Jason Bourne movies -- that uses behavior modification protocol to turn recruits into nearly superhuman assassins. The action-packed thriller follows the action across the globe -- from D.C. to Berlin to Paris and beyond – tracking sleeper agents as they’re mysteriously “awakened” to resume their dangerous missions.

One of the show’s leads is British-Nigerian actress Tracy Ifeachor.Tracy plays Tara Coleman, an investigative journalist who turned her back on her career after getting too close to a dangerous truth. Now she must put the past behind her to get to the bottom of an international conspiracy.

Tracy recently completed a season-long arc on CW’s Legends of Tomorrow and starred in ABC’s hit series Quantico. She was the female lead in NBC’s Crossbones opposite John Malkovich and also appeared in the UK cult favorite, Doctor Who.

Roshani Chokshi (www.roshanichokshi.com) is the author of the instant New York Times best-selling first book in the Pandava series, Aru Shah and the End of Time, and its four sequels. She also wrote the New York Times best-selling YA books The Star-Touched Queen, The Gilded Wolves, The Silvered Serpents, and The Bronzed Beasts. The Pandava novels were inspired by the stories her grandmother told her as well as Roshani's consuming love for Sailor Moon. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and often draw upon world mythology and folklore. Chokshi is a member of the National Leadership Board for the Michael C. Carlos Museum.  

Roshani visited the show to talk about her new book The Spirit Glass.

Author Kelly Yang called in for a fun chat about her new bookTop Story: A Front Desk Novel.

KELLY YANG is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books for young readers, including the Front Desk series: Front Desk, Three Keys, Room to Dream, Key Player and Top Story, New From Here, and Finally Seen. Front Desk won the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature and was chosen as a Best Book of the Year by multiple organizations, including NPR, the Washington Post, and the New York Public Library. Kelly’s family immigrated to the United States from China when she was a young girl, and she grew up in California, in circumstances very similar to those of Mia Tang. After attending college at the age of 13, she graduated UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School. She is the founder of The Kelly Yang Project, a leading writing and debating program for children in Asia and the United States. Her writing has been published in the South China Morning Post, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. To learn more about Kelly and her books, visit kellyyang.com

Michael Thomas Ford is the author of numerous works for both adults and young readers, including Suicide Notes as well as some of the earliest books about the HIV/AIDS crisis and several books about the LGBTQ community. A five-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award, he has also been a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award, the Bram Stoker Award, the Firecracker Alternative Book Award, and the Ignyte Award. He lives in rural Appalachia with his husband and dogs. Michael called into the show for a discussion of his new book Every Star That Falls.

CHRISTINA SAUER is an associate editor for National Geographic Kids Books. She’s edited numerous titles including the Go Wild! series and National Geographic Readers. An avid supporter of STEAM education, Christina has had the privilege of creating children’s media for Disney Junior and NASA. When she’s not editing, Christina can be found reading with a cup of tea or hiking the mountains of Virginia. Christina visited the show to talk about a new book from National Geographic Kids, Can't Get Enough Horse Stuff.

TUCKER PERKINS is president and CEO of The Propane Research and Education Council. Tucker called in to share information on how propane-fueled school buses are safer and healthier for children, and have been shown to help improve performance in the classroom.

Carmen Agra Deedy visited the show to talk about her new book, Carina Felina. 
Carmen also gave us a Big Wakeup Call first when she read from the book on the show!

CARMEN AGRA DEEDY is one of America's foremost storytellers. Her many award-winning books include The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet!; Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, which received a Pura Belpré Honor; and her New York Times bestseller 14 Cows for America. Carmen was born in Havana, Cuba, and lives with her family in Atlanta, Georgia. You can learn more about her work at carmenagradeedy.com.

Aaron Blabey is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author with around 30 million books in print. He is the creator of three gigantically popular book series for kids – The Bad Guys, Pig the Pug and Thelma the Unicorn - and is also the co-executive producer of The Bad Guys movie by DreamWorks Animation and the upcoming Netflix movie-musical adaptation of Thelma the Unicorn.  Aaron called in for a fun chat about his new book Cat on the Run.

Steve Binder is an Emmy and ACE award-winning producer, director, writer, educator, and Golden Globe nominee. He was the creator, director, and producer of ELVIS, The ‘68 Comeback Special and now the author of Elvis ’68 Comeback: The Story Behind The Special.  Great Elvis Stories!

Scott Aukerman joins our exclusive 20-Timers Club as we talk about “Comedy Bang! Bang! The Podcast: The Book,” and “Comedy Bang! Bang! the Podcast” (not the book), including a history of "The Backyard Era" and helpful hints on being a part of the show through the "open door policy."

Musician and writer Warren Zanes was a guest on the show for a chat about his new book: Petty: The Biography.

Warren Zanes holds a Ph.D. in visual and cultural studies from the University of Rochester. He was a member of the Del Fuegos, and continues to record music. His work has appeared in The Oxford American, and he has served as a V.P. at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is currently the Executive Director of Steven Van Zandt's Rock and Roll Forever Foundation.

From June 18, 2018:

Al Roker gave us a call for a chat about his new book Ruthless Tide: The Heroes and Villains of the Johnstown Flood, America's Astonishing Gilded Age Disaster. After asking Al for some tips on getting up early and maintaining energy while working on multiple projects, we had a discussion about the history behind the event, the parallels that can be drawn between then and now, and how experiencing many weather events helps to inform his writing.

We go way, way back into the archives for a fun (and funny) visit with Kristen Schaal that almost got me fired! We discuss a "Bob's Burgers" live tour and her appearances on "30 Rock."  (From May 1, 2013)

From May 7, 2015: Comedian and Whose Line Is It Anyway?  star Greg Proops phoned in for a discussion about his book The Smartest Book In the World.

From September 17, 2015: Margaret Cho visited the program to talk about her new Showtime Special, MARGARET CHO: psyCHO and upcoming tour dates, including one in Chicago The Chicago Theater.

From March 29, 2020: Comedian and Actress Jane Lynch called in to talk about her career in comedy, including her role as Alice in The Real Live Brady Bunch at the Annoyance Theater in Chicago, and her new gig hosting a revival of The Weakest Link.