Able Cafe The Podcast

Michael and Cookie discuss personal superpowers, while Martin and Michael pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman and Stan Lee. Our guest for this episode, New Republic CEO, Josh Kaplan. Josh and Michael talk about changing the world with a pair of shoes. In the first visit to the Able Cafe Reading Room, writer, Cole Laddusaw (ep. 3 guest), reads from his first novel, “Villian.”

Michael, Cookie, and Martin talk about surviving the pandemic and the current struggle for racial equality. Our guest is Los Angeles based writer, Cole Laddusaw. Cole talks about favorite movies, how to correctly fry an egg, and his debut novel, "Villian."

Guest: Sugar Ray frontman Mark McGrath

Michael and Cookie share heartwarming, heartbreaking memories of their lives in the 90’s. They discuss the power and meaning of music, Michael’s radio days, dear friends, Young Life, love, and the ravages of cocaine addiction. Sugar Ray frontman Mark McGrath and Michael chat about Mark’s life-long love of and historical study of music. They discuss Mark’s connection with the group of friends which would eventually become Sugar Ray, the band’s rise to prominence, legacy, and the current state of the music industry. Then Mark and Michael play the “Creative Things That Changed Your Life” game.

Meet “Able Cafe the Podcast” host and creator Michael C. Cooney -- a filmmaker, activist, and writer born with cerebral palsy. Teaming up with Michael on his podcast is Filipino-American family musician, C.J. Pizarro aka Mista Cookie Jar. The guest for this episode is DJ and radio personality, Martin Corbett. Martin was born with spina bifida. Michael and Martin reminisce and muse over their lifelong friendship, junior high school memories, how much they hated each other when they first met, their disabled rivalry, wheelchair basketball, girls, super powers, Stan Lee, the absurdity of growing up disabled in the 80s, the comic value of the word “crippled,” and Martin’s missing leg. Following the interview with Martin, Michael and C.J. discuss words and labels in today's society.