Explore every episode of the podcast The ALL NEW Big Wakeup Call with Ryan Gatenby

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. 

William King, founding member of the Commodores, called in to chat about his career and the band's participation in the upcoming 2020 Ultimate 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.  (From November 18, 2019)

Comedy legend Judy Gold called in to chat about her new book "YES, I CAN SAY THAT: When They Come for the Comedians We Are All In Trouble." (From July 28, 2020)

Legendary best-selling author Dean Koontz joined us for a chat about dogs and his new book, "Devoted."  (From April 2, 2020)

25 years after the death of Kurt Cobain, former Nirvana manager Danny Goldberg discusses his book "Serving the Servant: Remembering Kurt Cobain."
(From April 2, 2019)

From March 11, 2020: Film and TV director Barry Sonnenfeld (Men In Black, Addams Family, Get Shorty) talks about his career with some slightly naughty talk, as well as his book "Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother: Memoirs of a Neurotic Filmmaker."  Enjoy one of my final pre-covid interviews where we are blissfully unaware of the garbage insanity ahead.

In my most popular, most shared, and most downloaded interview of all time, featuring my favorite comments from YouTubers about my "annoying Chicago accent," Dan Howell and Phil Lester (Dan and Phil) talk about their book "The Amazing Book is Not on Fire" and an upcoming appearance at the Chicago Theater. (From April 21, 2016)

We remember TV legend Phil Donahue with this interview from July 29, 2020, where he was joined by his wife and fellow legend Marlo Thomas to discuss their book "What Makes a Marriage Last."

Sam Calagione is the legendary brewing superstar who started Dogfish Head, who has written four books and is considered the man behind the massive growth of the micro-brew industry. Sam shared his super secrets for a great party and his innovative takes on classic drink recipes that can take any Labor Day celebration to the next level.  We also discussed two famous roommates that helped him in the early days.

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)

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

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.

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.

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)

Emmy Award-winning comedy writer Jill Twiss ("Last Week Tonight with John Oliver") returns to the show for a lively chat about her book "Major Makes History." (From September 28, 2021)

Comedy and musical legend Weird Al Yankovic returned to the show for a chat about the success of his album "Mandatory Fun" and an upcoming tour. (From 5/20/16)

Toto keyboardist Steve Porcaro visited the show for a chat about his career, a summer tour, and his first-ever solo album. (From 5/13/16)

Dr. Jen Wademan joined the show to talk back-to-school eye exams and her partnership with Zeiss to recognize Children's Eye Health and Safety Month.  

Dr. Jen Wademan, OD, is an optometrist dedicated to promoting a modern approach to eyecare with cutting-edge technology and innovative products while showcasing a general love of eyewear.  Dr. Wademan is an author and eye health contributor covering topics like nutrition and eye health, contact lens practical insights and the importance of comprehensive eye exams in children.

Returning guest Tucker Perkins visited the show once again to talk back-to-school bus safety and how propane-fueled busses lead to healthier kids who don't choke on a cloud of diesel fumes like I did for most of my school years.

Tucker Perkins is the president and chief executive officer for the Propane Education & Research Council, a position he’s held since 2017. He has extensive experience in the propane industry, including operating his own propane retail company in Virginia, Premier Propane, as well as holding executive positions at Inergy Propane and Columbia Propane. Perkins holds a B.S. in civil engineering from Virginia Tech and an MBA from the University of Richmond.

Kathryn Nicolai's podcast "Nothing Much Happens" was literally a life-changer for me, as I've been able to have more consistent and restful sleep night after night. I couldn't recommend it more highly.  (From 10/20/20).

KATHRYN NICOLAI, the Michigan-based writer and creator of the enormously successful podcast Nothing Much Happens, is an architect of coziness, writing soothing stories that both ease the reader into peaceful sleep and teach the principals of mindfulness so that waking hours likewise become sweet and serene. She leans on her seventeen years of experience as a yoga and meditation teacher to seamlessly blend storytelling with brain training techniques that build better sleep habits over time. She is the owner of Ethos Yoga.

Joanna Ho is one of our favorite guests, and it was a pleasure to have her on the show once again, this time to talk about her book "We Who Produce Pearls: An Anthem for Asian America." Joanna is now a member of our 4-Timers Club!

Longtime Rolling Stone columnist Rob Sheffield joined us in 2016 to discuss his book "On Bowie."

We unlock the massive and highly-secured Big Wakeup Call Vault and retrieve my 2014 interview with "Karate Kid" and "Cobra Kai" star Ralph Macchio.

We celebrate the opening of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and the U.S. Women's Gymnastics team and revisit  my 2018 interview with 7-Time Olympic Gymnastics medalist Shannon Miller. Shannon talked about her career, and we shared our experiences as cancer survivors as we recognized National Cancer Survivors Month.

From 2018: "Kids In The All" legend Mark McKinney joined the show (appearance #2!) to chat about the season finale of his show "Superstore" and some favorite KITH sketches

We go deep into the archives to 2012 for a chat with comedian, actor, and "Bob's Burger's" star Eugene Mirman.

Jenny Boyd, model, actress, sister-in-law to George Harrison & Eric Clapton and wife of Mick Fleetwood (twice), discusses her memoir Jennifer Juniper.

(From 4-2-20)

Baseball legend Dave Winfield discusses his Hall-of-Fame career as one of the few people to be drafted in three major sports.  (From 5-23-17)

Chicago's very own Josh Johnson returned to the show for a chat about his first one-hour Comedy Central special, Trevor Noah Presents Josh Johnson.
(From 6-15-21)

We're back from our Summer break and happy to once again have consumer expert Alanna Shipley for DoorDash to share some fun and helpful travel tips.

About Alanna: Alanna Shipley is the Head of Audience Insights and Consumer Insights Expert at DoorDash, where she is responsible for establishing, defining, and growing the Marketing Insights function. Alanna discovered her appreciation for insights (or as she calls it, “the psychology of business”) early on in her career and has been building on her research expertise since 2005 through work across a variety of categories and industries, including P&G and Levi Strauss & Co. Alanna is also passionate about using her skillset to inform brands’ social responsibility and workplace diversity efforts, and was the co-founder of LS&Co’s Black ERG (Project Onyx); a group that influenced many changes by using research to challenge the norms and shed light on opportunities for the organization and its leaders.  She is a midwest born (Cincinnati, OH), California hearted (because she strongly dislikes winter), nomad traveler (because she loves experiencing different cultures), who is also an extreme extrovert (ENFP Myers Briggs) that would love to be a talk show host if insights didn’t work out (which is why she self identifies herself as “Corporate Oprah”).

Bestselling author Dan Gutman joins the show to discuss the 20th anniversary of the "My Weird School" series and the 100th "My Weird School" book Miss Nichol Is in a Pickle! 

Dan Gutman is the New York Times bestselling author of 185 books for young readers, including the "My Weird School" series, the "Baseball Card Adventure" series, and the "Genius Files." Dan’s books have received nineteen state book awards and ninety-two state book award nominations. Called “an expert at merging humor with history” by School Library Journal, Dan’s books now span many subjects, including history, sports, science, and humor.

Scott Aukerman first appeared on The Big Wakeup Call back in 2014 to discuss the season one DVD of the Comedy Bang! Bang! TV show. Here on his 20th appearance, we discuss the origin of the TV show and what could have been a spinoff, the 15th anniversary of the podcast, the CBB action figures, CBB book, and the Bang! Bang! Into Your Mouth Tour that will visit the Chicago Theater on August 3rd.

Jennifer Donnelly discusses her newest book Beastly Beauty.

Jennifer Donnelly is the author of A Northern Light, which was awarded a Printz Honor and a Carnegie Medal; Revolution, named a Best Book by Amazon, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and the Chicago Public Library; and many other books for young readers, including Lost in a Book, which spent over 20 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. She lives in New York's Hudson Valley. 

Singer-songwriter and "The Voice" alum (Team Blake) Gina Zo called in to talk about her time on the show, what she experienced in the music industry following her appearance, and a story of self-empowerment that led to her embracing her personal truth.

Gina's band Velvet Rouge has a new single coming out soon - check them out on Bandcamp and Spotify!

From May 17, 2018: Kate Walsh called in to chat about season 2 of her critically-acclaimed series "13 Reasons Why," which returns to Netflix on Friday. Kate revealed all spoilers for the newseason (which unfortunately could not be included on the podcast version for legal reasons -- sorry!), gave us an update on her health (following surgery to remove a thankfully benign brain tumor) and talked about the joys and challenges of turning 50.

From October 30, 2019:  It was a fun visit with returning guest Felicia Day as she called in to promote her newbook "Embrace Your Weird."  We talked about our experiences as weird kids and how we were able to harness our mutual weirdness and turn it into a career.  With help from her book, you can do it, too!

From October 9, 2020: Amy Bruni is an expert in the world of paranormal investigating.  You’ve seen her on the popular tv shows “Ghost Hunters” and “Kindred Spirits.”  She’s the author of a newbook, “Life With the Afterlife: 13 Truths I Learned About Ghosts,” which is available now where you buy your books. 

Award-winning ABC News correspondent Deborah Roberts called in to talk about her book Lessons Learned and Cherished: The Teacher Who Changed My Life.

Deborah Roberts is an award-winning ABC News Correspondent and co-anchor of the prestigious news magazine, "20/20". A media veteran, Roberts has traveled the world for her reporting. She also served as a substitute anchor for "Good Morning America" as well as a guest co-host on "The View."

 Her in-depth coverage of current events has earned her a Peabody Award for the "20/20" special, "Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor." She has been awarded multiple Emmy Awards for her international and national coverage of world events, including the AIDS crisis in Africa and maternal mortality in Bangladesh.

Chef Michael Symon guested on the show for the first time in a decade to talk about his career, how to make sure a restaurant is keeping food and the dining room clean and safe, and shared a recipe as grilling season finally arrives in the Midwest.

Chef Michael Symon is a celebrity chef, restaurant owner and the author of six award-winning cookbooks, including four on the New York Times best-selling list. Symon can be seen serving up recipes and dishes on ‘Symon’s Dinners – Cooking Out’ and the Food Network’s ‘Burgers, Brew & ‘Que’. Plus, be sure to catch his newest show --- ’24 in 24”: Last Chef Standing’ later this Spring.  The James Beard Award winner owns several successful restaurants and has received multiple honors during his decades long career.

Michelle Strong, Verizon Business Director Small & Mid-Size Business, joined the show to discuss Verizon's "Small Business Days."

 Michelle Strong is the Director for Small and Midsize Businesses at Verizon Business. In this role, Michelle is responsible for leading a team of over 115 sales professionals in the Mountain West Territory of the US to care for America’s smallest businesses (1-9 employees) across 11 states. 

 Based out of Denver, CO, Michelle leads on developing strategies that support long term revenue growth for the small businesses that are the lifeblood of the American economy. In her role, she focuses on creating a culture of performance excellence combined with the highest integrity, and developing a team of continuous learners focused on caring for all customers.

 Michelle is a results driven leader known for driving employee engagement and leadership development across her teams, and she has held a variety of leadership positions across Verizon Business. In her last role as Director of Strategic Sales, Michelle led the largest agent partnerships across the country, including Victra, TCC, and Wireless Zone. Before that, Michelle served as the Director of Retail Sales for the Mountain Territory, serving more than 1.3 million customers and managing over 900 employees across 50 corporate retail stores.

 Michelle holds an MBA from Bellevue University and a B.S in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska. Michelle sits on the Board of Directors for a non-profit organization called More Than a Phone, which provides phones and data plans to victims of domestic violence.

 Michelle lives in Denver, CO with her two sons. She is an outdoor enthusiast who loves to camp, rock climb, and cheer her boys on during their endless sports.

From October 5, 2018: Paget Brewster joined the show to talk about her new movie The Witch Files. We also discussed Criminal Minds and working with Paul F. Tompkins on The Thrilling Adventure Hour. Plus: an inside scoop on the making of a Drunk History segment.

From September 26, 2016: Comedy legend and Chicago's own Tom Dreesen discusses his comedy career and his appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (more than 60!), along with a DVD set:  THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: THE VAULT SERIES. 

ABOUT TOM DREESEN (2016 BIO):

Tom Dreesen’s life is equal parts comedy and philanthropy. He excels at both, and has created an extraordinary legacy in both arenas. Dreesen has made over 500 appearances on national television as a stand-up comedian, including more than 60 appearances on The Tonight Show. He was a favorite guest of David Letterman, and frequently hosted the show in Letterman’s absence. He was also a favorite guest of Johnny Carson.

For 13 years he toured cross country and opened for Frank Sinatra, and has appeared countless times in Las Vegas, Tahoe, Reno and Atlantic City with artists like Smokey Robinson, Liza Minnelli, Natalie Cole and Sammy Davis, Jr. Tom has acted in numerous television shows – fromColumbo to Murder She Wrote – and appeared in motion pictures including Man on the Moon and Spaceballs. He has recorded comedy albums, starred in his own TV comedy special, Dreesen Street, and hosted a late night talk show in Chicago, Night Time Starring Tom Dreesen.

He is currently appearing to rave reviews around the country in his one-man show “An Evening Of Laughter and Memories of Sinatra.” Dreesen’s comic style is down-to-earth, warm and unpretentious. Daily Variety called him “a thorough pro… one of the most respected family comedians of our time.” Larry Wilde ,author of The Great Comedians said about Tom’s performances. “Excellent Material, Impeccable Timing, Tom Dreesen is the Quintessential Comedian.” Frank Sinatra, who called himself a “saloon singer,” characterized Dreesen as a “saloon comedian.” “We’re a couple of neighborhood kind of guys,” said Sinatra.

Dreesen has also made an indelible mark with his philanthropic activities. For 30 years he has lent his talent to over 100 charities, and founded a “Day for Darlene” to benefit Multiple Sclerosis Research. He ran 26 miles on three occasions for the event, which is named for his late sister who was afflicted with MS.

And he’s still going strong. A proud veteran of the United States Navy, he continues to perform for US troops all over the world, and recently appeared at numerous bases in Iraq. Tom Dreesen’s hometown of Harvey, Illinois named a street after him. He was a 2005 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

Heidi Brasher is the Senior Director of Movement Engagement, Strategy, and Innovation at YMCA of the USA.  In this role, she helps leverage innovation and strategy at the national level in support of the diverse needs of the 2,600+ local YMCAs and their communities across the country. Heidi’s work within the Y Movement spans over 20 years, with local program development experience in the areas of early care, afterschool, day camp and teen programming.

Heidi Brasher joined the show to talk about this year's Healthy Kids Day, taking place at your local YMCA.

For more info, visit:  YMCA.ORG/HKD.

Singers, Songwriters, Partners, and YouTube stars Sam Tsui and Casey Breves joined the show for a fun chat about their new book Why Do We Sing? Sam & Casey also sang a song inspired by the book! 

Sam Tsui and Casey Breves are married singers, composers, and content creators who live in Los Angeles with their daughter, Elaia, and cat, Alfie. They are graduates of Yale University, where they met singing in an a cappella group together. With original songs and covers that have been viewed and streamed over a billion times, they’ve connected with fans around the world both online and on tour—and they are now thrilled to be sharing their love of music with fans.

TikTok: @TheSamTsui • YouTube: TheSamTsui • Instagram: TheSamTsui • SamTsui.com

Andrew Nelson discusses his new book from National Geographic, Here Not There.

An award-winning writer and editor for National Geographic Traveler, Andrew Nelson has roamed all 50 states as well as numerous countries for the magazine and website. He served as director of editorial projects for National Geographic Travel in Washington, D.C., and has taught in institutions such as Loyola University New Orleans and the College of Charleston. He lives in Washington, D.C.  Follow Andrew on Instagram @andrewtyrrellnelson

Aida Salazar chats with Ryan about her new book Ultraviolet.

Aida Salazar is an award-winning author and arts activist whose writings for adults and children explore issues of identity and social justice. She is the author of the middle-grade verse novels The Moon Within (International Latino Book Award Winner), Land of the Cranes (Américas Award Winner), the picture book anthology, In the Spirit of a Dream, and the picture book biography Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter (International Latino Book Award Winner). She is a founding member of Las Musas, a Latinx kidlit debut author collective. Her short story "By the Light of the Moon" was adapted into a ballet production by the Sonoma Conservatory of Dance and is the first Xicana-themed ballet in history. She lives with her family of artists in Oakland, California.

Chantal Nchako visited the show for a fun and lively chat about her childhood growing up in Cameroon, her early career, current project Diarra From Detroit, now airing on BET+, and working with the incredible Eddie Murphy in her upcoming role in the much-anticipated Beverly Hills Cop: Alex F, premiering on Netflix July 3rd.


Chantal Nchako is a French West African actress. Her multicultural and global experiences are instrumental in her work as an actor and humanitarian. Raised in Douala, Cameroon, her adaptability and captivating stage and screen presence are a fusion of her international heritage.

She developed a strong sense of poise and confidence from her cultures, spiritual background, travels, and strong family ties around the world. She is an ardent athlete and loves to ride horses to Liberate her positive flow of energy. Chantal’s diverse training, experience and professionalism as an actor gained her standout roles in Off-Broadway plays, TV and films. Her work has garnered her rave reviews and interviews in leading newspapers and industry journals, including the Huffington Post, Broadway World, Backstage and New York Theatre. Chantal is fluent in French, Italian and the Bamileke dialect from her native home in Bangoulap.

She studied Shakespeare at the British American Drama Academy at Oxford University with the Great John Barton, earned her BFA at Howard University and her MFA at the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts (U.S.C). While at U.S.C she was the first recipient of the Robert Plumleigh Scholarship and also the recipient of the Ava Greenwald Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding MFA Actor. At U.S.C. Chantal was amongst the first MFA students to be accepted and cast in the professional training program at the prestigious Williamstown Theater Festival, the Tony Award Winning resident summer theatre. She played the lead role, Ella, in Sam Shepard’s play. Curse of the Starving Class, directed by Jason Mc Dowell-Green.

At U.S.C, Chantal spearheaded the initiative to diversify the MFA repertory, resulting in the production of the first black play, Twilight Los Angeles 1992. written by Anna Devere Smith. After this successful initiative, Chantal set into motion the plan to teach August Wilson classes in the U.S.C. MFA program: introducing Ruben Santiago Hudson and Michele Shay to help sustain the diversity initiative. During 2020, to support U.S.C’s advocacy of Black Lives Matter, Chantal opened up the dialogue for a town hall discussion. The dialogue defined the inclusion process as an ongoing university priority, bringing together a wide range of stakeholders, including MFA alumni, current students, faculty and university leadership to add balance to the process.

Chantal is a resident faculty member at Silva Arte e Danza musical theatre academy in Siracusa, Sicily and the founder and designer of Choobiz, a luxury shoe line made in Italy.

It was fun re-living childhood memories of action figures and local UHF TV programming with Brad Balukjian as we chatted about his new book THE SIX PACK: On the Road in Search of WrestleMania. 

Brad Balukjian  has chosen two careers – journalist and scientist
– which converge on pursuit of the truth. He has been published in Rolling Stone,
Smithsonian, National Geographic, and many others. His first book, The Wax Pack: On
the Open Road in Search of Baseball’s Afterlife, hit #7 on the LA Times bestseller list and was named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2020. He is a Research Associate at the California Academy of Sciences, and he discovered 17 species of insects (green flash bugs) in Tahiti, one of which he named after Harrison Ford. He lives on the road, where he’s in an open relationship with his VCR.

It's always fun when we have a returning guest, and after talking about weirdness in the Middle Ages last time, we discussed weirdness in the U.S. Government with his book WEIRD BUT TRUE!  KNOW IT ALL: US GOVERNMENT.

Michael Burgan is a historian specializing in writing biographies and current events for younger audiences. His published works include Who Was Henry Ford?, Who Was Theodore Roosevelt?, Breaker Boys: How a Photograph Helped End Child Labor, The Creation of the U.S. Constitution, and Weird But True Know-It-All: Middle Ages. Additionally, Burgan is also a playwright and studied at the University of Connecticut.