This season on my podcast, Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am highlighting My Entertainment Idols.

Today I got to speak with Actress Nancy McKeon whom I grew up watching on the hit TV series The Facts of Life, and also enjoyed watching her on Lifetime TV's The Division and CBS Style & Substance (co-starring Jean Smart). 

Now, Nancy is making her Off-Broadway debut in the new play Pen Pals  by Michael Griffo. Nancy is heading back into the show for its final week (February 5th-9th, 2025)!

I had the best time speaking with Nancy because it felt like I was talking to an old friend!

In this interview, Nancy is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:

• How Double Dare's Marc Summers helped her get involved with Pen Pals
• What she would write to her younger self, if she sent Pen Pal Letter
• When there was a time the world didn't live up to hear dreams
• The nerdiest thing she does to wind down after a long day
• So much more

Nancy returns to Pen Pals for the show's final week, February 5th-9th, 2025!

Pen Pals is the extraordinary story of two friends that unfolds over decades. With a rotating cast of renowned actors, no two performances will ever be the same. 

Bernie and Mags live in two different countries, they’ve never met, and yet they’re best friends. Because they’ve been pen pals for over fifty years. Since they were teenagers, they’ve shared every aspect of their lives with each other. The trivial bits, the most intimate details, all the happiness, all the heartache. They’ve told each other things they wouldn’t dare tell another soul. Even though Bernie lives in New Jersey and Mags is from England, the women are closer to each other than anyone else in the world. 

Come witness the journey of their lifetime. In their own words.

Pen Pals is proud to partner with the Susan G. Komen® and will donate 5% of the total ticket sales and 100% of all customer donations collected to Susan G. Komen®, whose mission is to save lives by meeting the most critical needs in our communities and investing in breakthrough research to prevent and cure breast cancer.

Click here to watch this audio interview in video format!

• Theme Song by Bobby Cronin
• Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell
• Edited by Adam Rothenberg
• Underscore Music by Cutique

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

An actress, director, and producer best known for playing the role of Jo Polniaczek on the beloved long-running 1980s sitcom, The Facts of Life. She starred in and produced the sitcom Can’t Hurry Love and starred with Jean Smart in the sitcom Style & Substance. She portrayed Inspector Jinny Exstead on the Lifetime police drama The Division from 2001 to 2004. She also directed two episodes. 

Nancy starred in numerous made-for-TV movies in the 1980s and 1990s, some including A Cry for Help: The Tracey Thurman Story, in which she portrayed the title role of Tracey Thurman, and Firefighter portraying the first female firefighter in Los Angeles County. Strange Voices, she portrayed a woman with schizophrenia. Love, Honor and Obey; The Last Mafia Marriage, mini series with Eric Roberts.

She produced many of these movies through her film company, Forest Hills Entertainment. In 1999, she wrote and directed her own short film, A Wakening. The film won two film festival awards. 

This season on my podcast, Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am highlighting My Entertainment Idols.

Today, I am going back in time and Behind-The-Curtain to bring you this blast from the past, my 2013 interview with Nicki French, award-winning international recording artist, known for her smash hit dance version of Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart."

In this interview, Nicki is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:

• How she handles her success 
• What she loves about musical theatre
• How she decides what songs to record
• What she loves about the creative process in putting an album together
• So much more

• Theme Song by Bobby Cronin
• Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell
• Edited by Adam Rothenberg
• Underscore Music by Cutique

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Nicki was born in Carlisle, Cumbria to Mum Eileen and Dad Joe. Music was destined to be in the family – dad played the drums when he was younger, and mum the violin. Nicki’s brother, Tim, is very musical too – a guitarist and singer who is a fabulous song-writer. However, her two sisters, Allison and Carolyn, stayed away from music – probably plenty to listen to already in the household!

The family moved down to Tenterden in Kent when Nicki was four years old. Always a keen singer, one of her early memories was sitting next to the radio, listening to the new chart rundown and singing along to all the songs, when Auntie Sally, her Godmother, came in and said to mum and dad, "She’ll be a singer when she grows up!"

The first ‘gig’ came at the age of seven, when Nicki was chosen to sing a solo - the first verse of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" at the Infants’ School Christmas Concert! From then on there was no turning back! A few years later she won the local talent contest, and within the year had joined her first band, Krisp, run by Tim and his friend Kelvin. They worked the most salubrious places – working mens’ clubs and holiday camps – wooh!

From the age of 16, Nicki studied Music and Drama at West Kent College in Tonbridge, Kent, passing her ‘A’ Levels two years later. At the annual college musical, she played the lead role of Laurey in Oklahoma!, earning rave reviews for her performance. She then moved up to London and started auditioning for bands and theatre shows. 

Not many know that Nicki actually was part of a duo in the early 1980s – name of Whisky and Sofa! They released a song called "Dirty Den," about the Eastenders character! It was played on the Radio One Breakfast Show and that was about it! Amazing though, it was written by an extremely well-known writer, Barry Mason. He wrote "The Last Waltz" for Engelbert Humperdinck and "Delilah" for Tom Jones. Credibility sadly was NOT in existence on "Dirty Den."

Nicki started working the pubs and clubs, moving onto gay pubs and clubs a short while later – The Spread Eagle in Shoreditch was her first! However the most exciting show for Nicki was at the Player of the Season annual dinner/dance at Tottenham Hotspur FC – her team! They had just signed a new player and were introducing him to the fans – a player by the name of Paul Gascoigne, and Gazza and all the other players got up on stage with her to perform a couple of songs – a special moment. 

Nicki had been working on the gay scene for some time, when she made one of her regular visits to perform in a club in Cardiff, which was also the fateful night she met a certain Mr John Springate, who was to have quite an influence on her career from then on! John and Nicki hit it off straight away, and started what was to become a long association with his recording studio. 

In 1991 Nicki was booked as the leading lady in a series of revue shows on a cruise ship, touring Europe and beyond and covering shows such as Mack and Mabel, Oklahoma!, Paint Your Wagon, Calamity Jane, along with more general tributes to Stage and Screen. Nicki has always loved Musical Theatre, and even now would relish the opportunity to take part in a big production, particularly in the West End. 

Also in 1991, Nicki met Gavin, a trumpet player – they met on stage at the London Palladium, where they were both working in the band for the Irish songstress Rose-Marie! Eighteen months later they married in Nicki’s parish church in Tenterden, St Mildred’s, where she had been in the Church choir as a teenager, and a teacher at the Sunday School for over two years – she even ran it at one point! 

Early in 1994 John approached Nicki to be the vocalist on a dance version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" for his friends Gary and David who were starting up a new record company, Energise. Although at first unsure if it would suit her, she put her vocals down, and the first version was pressed up, and available on 12” vinyl. A few months later Mike Stock took on the track, re-jigged it and made it into the massive worldwide hit it was – the first release, and success, of his new record company, Love This Records. 

"Total Eclipse of the Heart," produced by Mike Stock and Matt Aitken, became the first big hit of 1995 by a new artist, reaching number five in the UK charts. It went to number two on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest placing in the UK by a UK artist since the 1980s, and spent six months in the chart there. It also reached number one in Australia, Japan, Brazil, Israel, Spain, Holland and Canada. Although she didn’t manage to fit in all the places, Nicki started touring extensively around the world with Gavin, finding that "Total Eclipse of the Heart," and Nicki’s lively stage show, were a huge success wherever they went. The touring has never really stopped either, and Nicki absolutely loves it! 

To cap a great 1995, Nicki’s success continued at the annual Dance Music Authority Magazine Awards in the USA, where she was honored to win all three awards she was nominated for - Best Female Vocalist, Single of the Year and Most Promising Newcomer. 

Nicki managed to achieve the often elusive international recording success, and in the summer of 1995 released her debut album, Secrets, which sold over 50,000 copies in its first week of sale in the USA. A second album in 1997, French Revolution, includes tracks co-written by Nicki.

In March 1996, Nicki embarked on her first visit to Brazil, totally unaware of the extent of her success in the South American territories, where no less than nine of her songs have been huge hits, particularly "Did You Ever Really Love Me?" (her personal favorite) and "Te Amo." Brazil is still one of Nicki’s favorite places to do shows, where she performs with a live band organized and run by Gino Martini, who has been Nicki’s guitarist over there since the very first tour. 

In 1997 Nicki was approached by Jim Steinman, the original writer of "Total Eclipse of the Heart," and famous for his work with Meatloaf, Celine Dion, Cher and Barbra Streisand to name but a few. He had heard the French Revolution album, and wanted to work with Nicki. She then recorded a couple of tracks for his new record company, Ravenous. 

Nicki carried on doing live shows around the world, then in August 1999 had another call from John Springate – the song he had for her this time was entitled "Don’t Play That Song Again," written by John and Gerry Shephard (they were in the Glitter Band together back in the 1970s), and they were planning to enter it for Song for Europe – was she interested? John had never realized that Nicki was a HUGE fan of the Eurovision Song Contest – he does now! They recorded the track in two takes, and the song was put forward for selection. It then went through all the elimination rounds, and after the Radio 2 listeners voted it into the final four, Nicki ended up back in the Top of the Pops studio again, to perform the song live on BBC1. That was February 20, 2000 – a day she will remember forever.

Nicki comfortably won the public’s vote – and support – thus fulfilling her childhood dream of representing her country at Eurovision in Stockholm, an experience she classes as ‘the most magical week of my life’. Although it didn’t win, the UK delegation did win one award – for Best Party during the week of rehearsals! Nicki’s popularity in Sweden since then is such that she was one of the headline acts at Stockholm Pride in 2001. In the Summer of 2003 she was invited to return and performed again – this time with her live band and singers. The audience reaction was amazing – even better than 2001, proving that there’s nothing like properly "live" music! 

In the lead-up to Eurovision 2000, Nicki took part in many television and radio interviews, and a lot of people noticed how natural she was in front of the camera, which has seen her move more into presenting work. 

In January 2003, Nicki was the only British artist to feature in an all-star line up for an ABC Television special in Los Angeles, The Disco Ball – a 30-Year Celebration, which was filmed at the Shrine Auditorium, home of the Oscars Ceremony, and included Gloria Gaynor, Whoopi Goldberg, KC & the Sunshine Band, Chic, Irene Cara, Usher, Village People…..The show has since been repeated on TV around the world many times. Then, in 2005 she travelled to Sydney, where she headlined the Australian Mardi Gras celebrations, a huge honor. 

Nicki has taken part in many television programs in her career, including Top of the Pops, GMTV, The Big Breakfast, MTV, FBi, The Cable TV Awards, After 5, Newsround, Esther, Nickelodeon, UK Living, Night Fever, BBC Breakfast and A Question of Pop. In 2003 she took part in The Weakest Link – Eurovision Special, and won! - generating £13,000 for Cancer Research. 

In the past few years, Nicki has been in demand for her acting, as well as her singing skills, and has managed to combine the two with some wonderful theatre roles. 

This season on my podcast, Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am highlighting My Entertainment Idols.

A few weeks ago, I conducted an e-mail interview with Alt/Pop Singer-Songwriter Rachael Sage about her new reimagined album Another Side.

Today, I am so excited to dive even deeper into the release of this album.

In this interview, Rachael Sage is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:

• Running her own record label, MPress Records
• Staying true to herself & beliefs
• The power of community
• Gay Pride Month
• So much more

You can watch the video edition of this episode here.

• Jill Richmond Johnson, Publicity Director MPress Records
• Theme Song by Bobby Cronin
• Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell
• Edited by Adam Rothenberg

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Since founding her own label MPress Records two decades ago, NYC-based folk-pop artist Rachael Sage has steadily released a slew of vibrant, dynamic albums described by Goldmine Magazine as "mesmerizing...thoughtful, pensive and flush with an emotional flourish, all carefully and adeptly executed." 

She has toured with an eclectic list of artists including Rufus Wainwright, Ani DiFranco, Beth Hart, Howard Jones, and Grammy® winners Shawn Colvin and Judy Collins – with whom she also recorded a critically-acclaimed duet of Neil Young's "Helpless."

In addition to being a six-time Independent Music Award-winning musician and producer, Rachael is also a John Lennon Contest Grand Prize winner who has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, SXSW, and toured globally from Japan to Berlin with her band, The Sequins. Rachael is also a visual artist and former ballet dancer who performed with the New York City Ballet.

A self-described "cancer thriver", she is additionally a philanthropic advocate who has raised money for a wide range of causes, including Foundation For Women's Cancer, WHY Hunger, American Refugee Committee, and National Network For Youth (NN4Y).

Her 2020 album Character yielded the Billboard-charting single "Blue Sky Days", and her side-project Poetica, an adventurous fusion of poetry with jazz, classical and Americana musical elements in the vein of Leonard Cohen and Laurie Anderson debuted in October 2021. 

Rachael's sparkling cover version of the Yazoo classic "Only You", from her full-length album The Other Side, reached #32 on the Mediabase Top 40 radio chart. Her singles "I Made A Case (feat Howard Jones)" and “Deepest Dark” are also available.

Her companion acoustic album Another Side was just released on May 17, 2024. You can stream it everywhere you listen to music & order hard copies from Rachael's website.

This season on my podcast, Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am highlighting My Entertainment Idols.

Today, I am going back in time and Behind-The-Curtain to bring you this blast from the past, my 2010 interview with Jo Dee Messina, 2-time Grammy Award nominee, and Country Music Superstar.

In this interview, Jo Dee is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:

• Whom she still wants to work with
• The best advice she's given, but not taken for herself
• Who she would dream about while sleeping
• If she ever thought about quitting music
• So much more

For the print edition of this interview, and see some photos of Jo Dee with me and my dad, click here!

Now, here’s a little Behind-The-Curtain Story….

In 2010, Jo Dee was embarking on her most intimate tour to date, the Music Room Series Tour, where she left the big stadiums behind, and came to smaller clubs and venues, like her NYC stop at Michael Feinstein’s cabaret club Feinstein’s at the Regency.

I was very fortunate to get a pair of press tickets to see the show, and interview Jo Dee right after. The kindness Jo Dee showed me during and after the interview is something I have never forgotten. She took her time answering my questions, even though there was a crowd of people waiting for her at the VIP after party. She made me feel as if I was the only person she had to talk to that night. After we were done, she let me take a picture with her, and then, asked my dad if he wanted a picture with her, and told him to come up to take one. We truly felt like royalty being with Jo Dee.

Here’s an additional Behind-The-Curtain story for you…

When I started recording the interview on my phone, Jo Dee asked if this was going to be published as an audio interview or in print format. At that time, I didn’t have a way to share the audio, but now, all these years later, I do, and it’s through this podcast.

So, as you listen to this interview, I hope you feel all the excitement, fun, and laughter we had together. 

• Angela Villanueva, MSO PR
• Theme Song by Bobby Cronin
• Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell
• Edited by Adam Rothenberg
• Underscore Blast From The Past Intro Music by Cutique
• Underscore Intro Music by Collin Scudder

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Jo Dee Messina is a trailblazing country music artist, known for her powerful vocals and chart-topping hits. With the breakout song “Heads Carolina, Tails California,” she became a household name and went on to achieve nine No. 1 hits and sixteen Top 40 songs. Jo Dee’s success made her the first female in country music history to celebrate three consecutive multi-week, chart-topping songs.

In addition to her studio accomplishments, Jo Dee’s passionate and high-energy performances have captivated audiences across the country. She shares her hit tunes, emotionally-driven songs, and personal testimony, connecting with fans and inspiring them with her authenticity.

As an independent artist, Jo Dee embraced her strong, empowered persona and founded Dreambound Records. Jo Dee’s dedication to presenting her story with honesty has allowed people to see beyond the surface and connect with her music on a deeper level.

With a decorated past and an unwavering drive for the future, Jo Dee continues to pour her heart and soul into her music and everyone she encounters. Her latest single, “Just To Be Loved,” adds to her legacy as a timeless name in the music industry.

This season on my podcast, Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am highlighting My Entertainment Idols.

Today, I am going back in time and Behind-The-Curtain to bring you this blast from the past, my 2010 interview with then 3-time Tony nominated Broadway Actress Kelli O'Hara.

Now, here’s a little Behind-The-Curtain Story….

In 2010, I got to attend the opening night of Kelli O’Hara’s one-woman show Beyond The Ingenue at Michael Feinstein’s cabaret club, Feinstein’s at the Regency on the Upper East Side in NYC.

In addition to seeing the concert, I got to interview Kelli live, at the VIP after party. When you listen to this episode, I hope you feel all the excitement that I felt, and was swirling around me, while talking to Kelli at that opening night party.

When this interview took place, I did not have a podcast, so I had to transcribe the interview into print format. Now I do have a podcast, and I am so excited to share this interview with you.

In this interview, Kelli is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:

• Who inspired her to become a performer
• The Best Advice she has received
• A Strange or Unusual Talent she has
• Favorite way to stay in shape
• So much more

To read the interview, and see a photo of me & Kelli, click here!

• Dan Fortune, Fortune Creative
• Theme Song by Bobby Cronin
• Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell
• Edited by Adam Rothenberg
• Underscore Intro Music by Cutique

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Kelli O'Hara has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway's great leading ladies. She recently starred in the Tony Award-winning revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center, enrapturing audiences and critics alike with her soulful and complex interpretation of Nellie Forbush, and garnering a third Tony nomination.

A native of Oklahoma, Kelli received a degree in opera, and, after winning the State Metropolitan Opera Competition, moved to New York and enrolled in the Lee Strasberg Institute.

She made her Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde and followed it with Sondheim's Follies, Sweet Smell of Success opposite John Lithgow, and Dracula. In 2003 Kelli committed to a production of The Light in the Piazza at Seattle's Intiman Theatre. The show landed on Broadway in 2005 and earned Kelli her first Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations. She moved from one huge critical and commercial success to another when she joined Harry Connick on Broadway in the 2006 Tony award-winning production of The Pajama Game, for which Kelli received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Award nominations. Kelli has worked regionally and Off Broadway in Sunday in the Park with George at Reprise, My Life With Albertine at Playwright's Horizons, and Beauty at the La Jolla Playhouse.

In addition to her critically acclaimed performance as Eliza Doolittle in the New York Philharmonic production of My Fair Lady, Kelli has performed a solo concert at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops conducted by Rob Fisher. She has sung at Carnegie Hall with Barbara Cook and with the New York Pops under Steven Reineke, at the Kennedy Center with Marvin Hamlisch and the National Symphony Orchestra, with the New York Philharmonic also under Hamlisch, the Boston Pops under Keith Lockhart, Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Cooper Union, Joe's Pub, the Philly Pops conducted by Peter Nero, OCPAC, Broad Stage, and a sold-out run at Café Carlyle. She performed at the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors as part of the Barbra Streisand tribute and sang "God Bless America" at Yankee Stadium at Game 6 of the World Series. She recently performed on PBS's Memorial Day Concert Live from Wash- ington, D.C. Upcoming engagements take her to the Ravinia Festival, Kennedy Center and Tilles Center.

Among her film and television credits are Sex & The City 2, Martin Scorsese's short The Key to Reserva opposite Simon Baker; The Dying Gaul starring Patricia Clarkson and Campbell Scott; Blue Blood (NBC pilot), All Rise (NBC pilot), Alexander Hamilton (Maria Reynolds) starring Brian F. O'Byrne (PBS), NUMB3RS (CBS), All My Children, the upcoming animated series Car Talk, and numerous live performances on national television shows.

Kelli's recordings include South Pacific (Sony), The Light in the Piazza (Nonesuch records; Grammy nomination), The Pajama Game (Sony; Grammy nomination), The Sweet Smell of Success (Sony), My Life with Albertine (PS Classics), Dream True (PS Classics), Jule Styne Goes Hollywood (PS Classics), and her solo album Wonder in the World on Ghostlight Records.

This season on my podcast, Baring It All with Call Me Adam, I am highlighting My Entertainment Idols.

Today, I am going back in time and Behind-The-Curtain to bring you this blast from the past, my 2019 interview with Olivia Newton-John, 4-time Grammy award winner and Sandy from the mega hit movie musical Grease.

This was my third, and what turned out to be my final time interviewing Olivia. I was given 10 minutes to conduct a telephone interview with her.

Now, here’s a little Behind-The-Curtain Story….

When this interview took place, I did not have a podcast, so I had to transcribe the interview into print format. Now I do have a podcast, and I am so excited to share with you my original phone conversation with the one, the only Olivia Newton-John.

At the time of this interview, Olivia's autobiography, Don't Stop Believin' was recently released, which is what brought us back together.

In this interview, Olivia is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:

• How she keeps her positive outlook
• What she learned about herself from writing her autobiography
• How she has adapted to the changes in the music industry
• What she still hopes to achieve
• So much more

If you want to read the interview, and see some photos of Olivia, you can do that here!

• Michael Caprio, Caprio Media Design
• Theme Song by Bobby Cronin
• Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell
• Edited by Adam Rothenberg
• Underscore Intro Music by CueTique

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Olivia Newton-John’s appeal seems to be timeless. With a career spanning more than five decades she is still a vibrant, creative individual adored by fans around the globe. Born in Cambridge, England in 1948, the youngest child of Professor Brin Newton-John and Irene, daughter of Nobel Prize winning physicist, Max Born, Olivia moved to Melbourne, Australia with her family when she was five.

Her first big break was winning a talent contest on the popular TV show, Sing, Sing, Sing, which earned Olivia a trip to London. By the age of fifteen she had formed an all-girl group called Sol 4 and, in 1963, Olivia was appearing on local daytime TV shows and weekly pop music programs in Australia. When she eventually took her prize-winning trip to London, she teamed up with her friend from Melbourne, Pat Carroll (now Pat Farrar), to create a double act, “Pat & Olivia,” and the duo toured army bases and clubs throughout the UK and Europe. Olivia cut her first single for Decca Records in 1966, a version of Jackie DeShannon’s "Till You Say You’ll Be Mine,” and in 1971, she recorded a cover of Bob Dylan’s "If Not For You," co-produced by Bruce Welch and fellow Aussie and friend, John Farrar, whom she continues to collaborate with today.

Olivia’s U.S. album debut, Let Me Be There, produced her first top ten single of the same name, with Olivia being honored by the Academy Of Country Music as “Most Promising Female Vocalist” and a Grammy Award as “Best Country Vocalist.” This proved to be only the beginning of a very exciting career. With more than 100 million albums sold, Olivia’s successes include four Grammy Awards, numerous Country Music, American Music and Peoples Choice Awards, ten #1 hits including “Physical,” (which topped the charts for ten consecutive weeks making it the #1 single of the ‘80s), and over 15 top 10 singles. In November 2015, Billboard Magazine listed “Physical” at #8 on their “Top 100 Songs Of All Time” list and in 2010 listed it as “The Sexiest Song of All Time.” In addition, in 2015 Olivia was ranked #20 on Billboard’s “Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists” and most recently was ranked #7 on Billboard’s “Greatest Of All Time Hot 100 Women Artists.”

In 1978, her co-starring role with John Travolta in Grease catapulted Olivia into super-stardom. This film’s best-selling soundtrack featured the duets "You’re The One That I Want" and "Summer Nights," with Travolta, as well as her mega-hit, "Hopelessly Devoted To You." To date Grease remains the most successful movie musical in history. Her other feature film credits include Funny Things Happen Down Under, Toomorrow, Xanadu, Two Of A Kind, It’s My Party, Sordid Lives, Score: A Hockey Musical, and A Few Best Men.

Her charmed life has not been without its share of upset. In the early 90’s, Olivia successfully overcame her first journey with breast cancer, which inspired her self-penned and produced album, Gaia, her most personal album reflecting upon her experiences with cancer. As a breast cancer “thriver,” Olivia has become increasingly well known and respected for talking openly about her personal journey with breast cancer and for promoting public awareness of the importance of early detection for more than 25 years.

This led her to announce her partnership with Austin Health and the creation of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre (ONJCWC) on the Austin Campus in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia. In April 2008, Olivia led a team of fellow cancer survivors, celebrities and Olympians on a trek along the Great Wall of China and raised more than $2 million to find a new way to treat cancer and build the ONJCWC. After continuing the fundraising efforts and helping to raise nearly $200 million, the ONJCWC, opened in June 2012, and provides a comprehensive range of services and facilities for cancer treatment, education, training and research including a wellness center for the mind, body and spirit (ONJCancerCentre.org). In 2014, Olivia was thrilled when the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute opened on the grounds of the ONJCWC. The strategic co-location of research laboratories and research-training within a clinical environment enables clinicians and researchers to work together to integrate clinical medicine with basic and translational cancer research for the ultimate benefit of cancer patients.

In 2006, Olivia received the AO (Officer of the Order of Australia) in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to the entertainment industry as a singer and actor, and to the community through organizations supporting breast cancer treatment, education, training and research, and the environment. In 2010 Governor General Quentin Bryce invested Ms. Olivia Newton-John AO OBE as an Officer of the Order of Australia at a ceremony in Canberra. That year she also received the “Lifetime Achievement Award,” presented by friend John Travolta at the G’Day L.A. Gala.

In 2008, Olivia married “Amazon John” Easterling and, together they are spreading the word about the importance of preserving the Rainforest and the health values found in the botanicals of the Amazon. They currently serve on the Board of the ACEER Organization (Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research) to help the indigenous people of the Amazon gain ownership and title to their land. In September 2009, they also joined forces with Prince Charles’ The Prince’s Rainforest Project to further stress the global importance of preserving the Rainforest.

In April 2014, Olivia began her residency at the Flamingo Las Vegas with Summer Nights, a musical journey through her career in movies and music. To coincide with the show, she released Hotel Sessions an EP collection of songs recorded in hotel rooms in Melbourne over a ten-year period with her nephew Brett Goldsmith. The CD is dedicated to her late sister Rona Newton-John, who was always supportive of Olivia and Brett working together. Due to the popularity of the Las Vegas show, a 2-CD set, Summer Nights – Live in Las Vegas was released. The show, original scheduled for one year turned into a hit three-year concert residency that received acclaim from both critics and fans. Olivia was thrilled that a portion of every ticket sold to her Flamingo shows benefited the Wellness Programs at the ONJCWRC.

In 2017 Olivia revealed the very personal news that her breast cancer had returned and metastasized to her sacrum. The outpouring of love and support from around the world prompted the following statement from Olivia: “I am really grateful for and touched by the worldwide outpouring of love and concern. Thank you. I am feeling good and enjoying total support from my family and friends, along with a team of wellness and medical practitioners both here in the US and at my Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia. I’m totally confident that my new journey will have a positive success story to inspire others!”

2018 proved to be a big year for Olivia. In addition to focusing on her health and recovery, Olivia joined John Travolta for a special Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Grease 40th Anniversary event to celebrate the milestone. 

In November 2018, it was announced that her Gaia Retreat & Spa claimed the coveted 2018 “Global Hotel of the Year” honor at and international gala ceremony which recognizes and honors the world’s finest hotels for their luxury offerings and delivery of exceptional guest services.

In February 2019 Olivia is proud to release the skincare range, Retreatment Botanics, inspired by the heart of Gaia Retreat & Spa. The natural, luxury formulas are Australian made, vegan, certified palm oil free by the Orangutan Alliance and contain powerful native extracts. “We created a range you can take home and enjoy a Gaia Retreatment any time,” says Olivia.

2019 is already off to a great start with Olivia receiving the appointment as a Companion (AC) of the Order of Australia (General Division) – the highest Australian honor, for her eminent service to community health, particularly people living with cancer, through support for medical research, and as a songwriter and performer. The Order of Australia is the principal means of recognizing meritorious service of its citizens and outstanding members of the community at a national level.

This season on Baring It All with Call Me Adam I am highlighting My Entertainment Idols.

Today, I am going back in time and Behind-The-Curtain to bring you this blast from the past, my 2017 interview with then Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb.

At that time, Lisa was getting ready to release her new family album Lullaby Girl, and celebrating the 23rd Anniversary of her platinum-selling hit song "Stay (I Missed You)." 

In this interview, Lisa is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:

• The creative process behind Lullaby Girl
• When there was a time that Lisa felt like saying "Reality Bites"
• What is something she didn't want to see "The Way It Really Is"?
• A quirk her friends made fun of her for
• So much more

This interview was recorded over the telephone and I am sharing our original phone conversation with you, the listener. This interview has been edited down from it's original version. If you want to read the full interview, you can do that here!

• Gina Tolentino, Missing Pieces Group
• Theme Song by Bobby Cronin
• Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell
• Edited by Adam Rothenberg
• Underscore Intro Music by CueTique

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Grammy nominated Lisa Loeb is a singer-songwriter, producer, touring artist, author and philanthropist who started her career with the platinum-selling Number 1 hit song "Stay (I Missed You)" from the film Reality Bites. A trailblazing independent artist, Lisa was the first pop musician to have a Number 1 single while not signed to a recording contract. She followed that remarkable feat with the hit singles "Do You Sleep," "I Do," and "Let's Forget about It" and the albums Cake and Pie and No Fairy Tale, among others.

Lisa continues to craft irresistible pop songs for the 21st century, while designing Lisa Loeb Eyewear, writing children's books, and supporting non-profit causes. The Los Angeles based mother of two is well-known to parents and kids for her albums Catch the Moon (with Elizabeth Mitchell) and Amazon Music exclusives, Nursery Rhyme Parade! and Feel What U Feel (featuring Craig Robinson and Ed Helms). She has also published two picture book-CDs for Sterling Children’s Books: Lisa Loeb’s Songs for Movin’ and Shakin' and Lisa Loeb’s Silly Sing Along.

In addition to these family albums, Lisa's Camp Lisa raises funds for The Camp Lisa Foundation to allow kids, who wouldn't normally have the opportunity, to go to summer camp, and in 2015, the American Camp Association, New England named Lisa Loeb as their Camp Champions Honoree.

Lisa's recent film and television appearances include Netflix’s Sandy Wexler, TV Land’s Teachers, Amazon’s Creative Galaxy, @Midnight with Chris Hardwick, Last week Tonight with John Oliver, About a Boy, and Hot Tub Time Machine 2. Lisa is currently touring around the United States and Canada, releasing new styles of her signature eyewear through Lisa Loeb Eyewear, and will soon be releasing music videos to coincide with her Amazon Music family record, Feel What U Feel.

This season on Baring It All with Call Me Adam I am highlighting My Entertainment Idols.

Today, I am going back In time and Behind-The-Curtain to bring you this blast from the past, my 2016 interview with Mel B, who you know as Scary Spice from the Spice Girls.

In 2016, Mel B was getting ready to star in Chicago the Musical on Broadway in the role of Roxie Hart.

I had the opportunity to speak with Mel B during Chicago the Musical's Press Day.

In this interview, Mel B is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:

• What she relates to most about Roxie Hart
• How she balances work and motherhood
• How she likes to Spice Up Her Life
• What is one thing that she wants, that she really, really wants
• So much more

Mel B played the role of Roxie from December 28, 2016-February 19, 2017.

If you want to watch the video version of this interview, you can see it here.

• Heath Schwartz, Boneau/Bryan-Brown
• Photo of Me & Mel B - Joseph Marzullo
• Theme Song by Bobby Cronin
• Edited by Peter Pavlakis
• Podcast by Liam O'Donnell
• Underscore Intro Music by CueTique

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

After seeing Marc Summers' new Off-Broadway show, The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers, I am so honored to have been granted the opportunity to speak with him for My Entertainment Idols, a special series on my podcast Baring It All with Call Me Adam.

In this interview, Marc is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:

• What he learned about himself from performing The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers
• How Marc allows himself to get messy without reverting back to old habits
• What is something Marc has done post cancer that he wouldn't have done prior to his diagnosis
• Who are some of Marc's Entertainment Idols
• We bring Double Dare into 2024
• So much more

I grew up watching Marc as the host of Nickelodeon's Double Dare, and have been a fan ever since. I always wanted to be on Double Dare & I finally got to live out that childhood dream, when I got to go up on stage at Marc's one man show, during the game show segment.

Wait until you hear the Behind-The-Curtain story I tell Marc during this interview about that moment in his show!

The Life and Slimes of Marc Summers plays at New World Stages in NYC through June 2, 2024.

• Joe Trentacosta, JT Public Relations
• Theme Song by Bobby Cronin
• Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell
• Edited by Adam Rothenberg

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

With one of the most diverse and eclectic careers in the entertainment industry, Marc is probably best known for putting Nickelodeon on the map as the host of Double Dare. He also hosted What Would You Do? as well as the first live special on Nickelodeon launching the Nickelodeon Studios in Orlando, Florida.

Marc has hosted two talk shows on Lifetime, History IQ on The History Channel, as well as Unwrapped, one of the longest-running shows on Food Network. He was the original host of Next Food Network Star when Guy Fieri won, and he has also covered many news stories while appearing as a regular on ABC’s Home Show.

Marc was the Executive Producer of both Dinner Impossible and Restaurant Impossible, as well as a shark special on Discovery. He is also a frequent guest on Guy’s Grocery Games and has been in several episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins, And Dives.

Marc has appeared on OPRAH three times, with Howard Stern twice, and in a classic episode of The Tonight Show with guest Burt Reynolds. Google it – It is all spontaneous!

So excited to begin Season 5 of my podcast, Baring It All with Call Me Adam!

This season I am focusing on My Entertainment Idols.

I am thrilled to kick off this season with Singer, Songwriter & Actor Brentley Gore, who you know from NBC's '90s television series California Dreams.

Last year, I got to interview Brentley who played Matt Garrison on California Dreams, along with Jennie Kwan who played Samantha 'Sam' Woo when they came to NYC for the California Dreams Reunion Concert.

NOW, Brentley has released his newest solo album, At The Ready, and I am so proud to say I am a fan of it.

In this NEW interview, Brentley is Baring It All with Call Me Adam about:

• The meaning behind his new album, At The Ready
• His creative process for writing an album
• When he had to put on a brave face, but was really struggling inside
• How Brentley would portray Matt Garrison on California Dreams today
• Who are some of Brentley's Entertainment Idols
• So much more

At The Ready is available to stream on all digital music platforms.

• Scott Appel, Scott Appel Media
• Theme Song by Bobby Cronin
• Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell
• Edited by Adam Rothenberg

Website: www.callmeadam.com

Facebook: @CallMeAdamNYC

Instagram: @CallMeAdamNYC

Brentley Gore is a multi-talented performer and creative professional with over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry. He is best known for his role as Matt Garrison on the hit television show California Dreams, which aired in over 48 countries and established him as a teen star. In addition to his acting career, Brentley is a talented singer-songwriter and musician. He has released several albums as a solo artist, including Up Until Now, which includes a mix of songs recorded with his previous band King Straggler, as well as solo recordings. Many of the songs on the album were recorded with the late producer Don "Redcloud" Smith, who had credits on albums by artists such as Tom Petty, Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones. Brentley is also a gifted stage actor, winning the Ovation Award for his performance in the off-Broadway musical The Fantasticks.

In addition to his performing career, Brentley has also worked behind the scenes in the entertainment industry. He has served as a professor of performance and song craft at the prestigious American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Brentley was also the founder of the Los Angeles Performing Arts Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the performing arts. In the fall of 2022, he had a starring role in the rock opera, Staring Into Nothing in Los Angeles.