Mary Amons, formerly of The Real Housewives of DC, opens up about her experience on the short-lived but infamous Bravo series that was canceled after just one season following the Salahi White House crash scandal. Amons reveals that none of the cast knew the Salahis were planning to crash the White House state dinner, though producers were suspicious enough to break the fourth wall and film them asking for the invitation. She shares behind-the-scenes insights about working with production, including her hands-on involvement in setting up scenes and camera work, which stemmed from her genuine interest in the filmmaking process. Fifteen years later, Amons reflects on how different the reality TV landscape was in 2010, when social media wasn't the powerful platform it is today and Bravo offered no structured support to help cast members leverage their exposure after the show's abrupt cancellation.

The conversation takes a personal turn as Amons discusses navigating divorce while raising five children, acknowledging the trauma her reality TV experience caused them—something she learned about in their therapy sessions. She explains why she wasn't ready to capitalize on the opportunities that briefly appeared after the show, admitting she needed time for professional and personal growth. Now, with her children grown and supportive, Amons is focused on her thriving design business and an exciting new partnership with Baker Furniture, where she'll be speaking about timeless design at the Washington Design Center. She's finally ready to launch the lifestyle brand she's envisioned for years, drawing on her classic, Ralph Lauren-inspired aesthetic. With a recent full-page article in Us Weekly marking the show's 15th anniversary bringing renewed attention, Amons discusses the challenges of organizing a reunion with cast members scattered across the globe and her commitment to maintaining a "kinder, gentler" approach to reality television that prioritizes family and authentic connection over drama.

In this heartfelt interview, Lindsay Wagner celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Bionic Woman by sharing the remarkable origin story of how she almost turned down the role that would define her career. Wagner reveals that she initially dismissed the "crazy script" about people jumping off buildings until her mother convinced her to accept the role as a birthday gift for her younger sister, who was a devoted fan of The Six Million Dollar Man. What was meant to be a single episode where Jamie Summers would die turned into a cultural phenomenon after an overwhelming public outcry, including letters from children's hospitals, demanded the character's return. The subsequent episodes brought Jamie back through cryogenic preservation and eventually launched a groundbreaking series that would change television history.

Wagner discusses her collaborative creative process with producer Kenny Johnson, revealing how they worked scene-by-scene to ensure Jamie Summers embodied both strength and sensitivity rather than becoming just "a man in a skirt." She explains how the show's mandate to include three or four bionic moments per episode led to innovative storytelling that balanced action with humor and humanity, from cleaning kitchens at super-speed to addressing real-life challenges faced by women. Wagner also reflects on winning an Emmy for Best Actress in a Dramatic Series—not for being an action hero, but for the dramatic depth she brought to the role. The interview touches on modern bionic technology, concerns about losing human connection in an increasingly mechanical world, and the serendipitous timing that led to the series premiere airing on her sister's birthday, making this 50th anniversary celebration even more meaningful for the entire family.

Real Housewives of Dallas stars Kameron Westcott and Kary Brittingham join the Neil Haley Show to discuss their new podcast "Cam and Kary Do Dallas" and their journeys on reality television. Kameron explains how fellow housewife Cary Deuber put her name in the pile for casting after years of volunteering full-time in Dallas charity work, and how she decided to document her journey creating Sparkle Dog Food on television to take her brand to the next level. Kary reveals a similar path, with Cary Deuber wanting her on the show since the beginning, but waiting until season four felt right. Her motivation was clear: financial independence. After four and a half years running her jewelry line Camo by Kary while on a budget and allowance from her husband, she wanted to make her own money and take her business to new heights. Both women candidly discuss the fear and uncertainty of joining reality TV, especially being "unfiltered" and not knowing what would come out of their mouths on camera.

The duo dives deep into their podcasting venture, explaining how their frequent phone conversations and complementary energies—Kameron bringing thoughtfulness while Kary brings unfiltered boldness—made launching a podcast the natural next step. They reveal their unique approach of not discussing topics beforehand to capture authentic, natural reactions, and their mission to differentiate themselves by bringing on other Housewives to discuss their entrepreneurial journeys and empower women. Kameron and Kary discuss the unexpected challenges of podcast production, from selecting compelling topics that will interest the majority of listeners to editing hours of rambling content down to 40 entertaining minutes. They emphasize their goal of helping viewers understand the real them beyond the small glimpses shown on the show, and their passion for encouraging women to support each other instead of sabotaging one another—a lesson Kameron sees even among her 13-year-old daughter's peers. The podcast launches January 13th on all major platforms, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday.

Twilight Saga star Kiowa Gordon joins Caregiver Dave on the Neil Haley Show for an extraordinary conversation about his unexpected journey into Hollywood. Kiowa shares the remarkable origin story that sounds almost too good to be true: at 18, his Sunday school teacher Stephanie Meyer (author of Twilight) told him about an open casting call for her next movie, Twilight: New Moon, suggesting he audition to play a werewolf. As a self-described "slacker in high school," Kiowa didn't take it seriously until his mom came into his room a month after the audition to tell him he'd landed the role of Embry Call. He discusses the surreal experience of "wolf camp" where the production put the actors through training to pack on muscle, gaining 10 pounds between getting cast and filming, and reveals they never even made him take his shirt off at the audition—they just assumed he'd look fine under it.

Kiowa reflects on the wild fan phenomenon that followed, from receiving fan mail asking for autographs to traveling the country for Twilight conventions where hundreds of fans would show up for hours of meet-and-greets. He describes the "vampire balls" where fans dressed up like they were at prom, and how he and fellow wolf pack members would surprise fans camping out overnight at premieres by playing acoustic guitar and singing songs. Now at 30 and in the best shape of his life, Kiowa discusses his current projects including the CW's Roswell reboot, where he plays a military family member hunting aliens alongside his brother character, and the Netflix World War II miniseries The Liberator. Shot entirely on blue screen to create a graphic novel aesthetic, The Liberator tells the story of Lieutenant Felix Sparks and his company of American and Mexican-American misfits fighting Nazis across Europe. Kiowa also opens up about fatherhood to his six-year-old daughter and witnessing his mother's caregiving journey through family illness and loss.

NBC's Good Girls stars Retta and Mae Whitman join the Neil Haley Show to discuss their dramedy about three suburban mothers who turn to crime to solve their financial problems. Retta explains her character Ruby Hill, a happily married mother of two whose sick child drives her to join her friends in a desperate grocery store robbery, while Mae describes playing Annie Marks, a young mother fighting for custody of her daughter after having her at 16 or 17. Both actresses emphasize the show's unique approach to the antihero concept, presenting complicated women making desperate choices with genuinely good intentions. Mae highlights how the show masterfully blends multiple genres—starting as a grounded family drama before sweeping viewers into a thrilling world of crime, all while maintaining a comedic tone that makes the entire experience both tense and entertaining.

The conversation explores why audiences root for these characters despite their criminal actions, with Retta noting the classic antihero formula of doing bad things for good reasons. Mae passionately discusses the importance of seeing unapologetic female antiheroes on television, characters who are complicated, make mistakes, and face consequences while still having good hearts. She contrasts this with the abundance of male antiheroes on TV who rarely face the same scrutiny. Both actresses explain how the show's realism—from robbing a grocery store instead of a major bank to the fact that Annie works there and knows it gets robbed regularly—makes the premise believable and relatable. They invite viewers to tune in Mondays at 10 p.m. Eastern on NBC to follow these women's journey and see where their desperate choices lead them.

Hip-hop pioneer Eric B joins the Neil Haley Show to share the incredible story of how he and Rakim revolutionized rap music in the 1980s. From working at radio station WBLS in New York to assembling a compilation of talented MCs from across the Tri-State area, Eric explains how a chance meeting at a dance in Long Island led to one of hip-hop's most legendary partnerships. He recounts their groundbreaking deals, including being the first rap group to receive a million-dollar album advance and three million dollars for publishing, and shares the dramatic story of turning down Russell Simmons' advice to accept $400,000 from Island Records when MCA offered double at 2 a.m. in a New York nightclub. Eric also discusses their historic world tours, from taking the Concorde to play London and New York on the same day to performing in Helsinki, Finland, where young white audiences showed that music transcends all boundaries.

Beyond his music career, Eric B reveals his diverse ventures into boxing management, working with champions like Floyd Mayweather and Riddick Bowe, and his time at All-American Communications learning television and film production. He emphasizes his business acumen, describing how he reads P&L statements "in his sleep" and contracts "for fun," which enabled him to set industry benchmarks that changed hip-hop forever. Eric announces the highly anticipated Eric B and Rakim reunion tour starting April 8th in Boston, describing it as a family celebration where they'll take their kids, friends, and fans who've always wanted to experience tour life. He reflects on the longevity of their legacy, the support from younger artists like Nas, and how he became the "bad guy" among his peers for demanding fair compensation, inadvertently raising the bar for all rappers entering the business.

Actress Michele Greene takes listeners behind the scenes of the beloved legal drama LA Law, where she portrayed attorney Abby Perkins from 1986 to 1991, earning an Emmy nomination in 1989. Greene shares the remarkable story of landing the role at just 24 years old without even auditioning—creator Steven Bochco simply called and offered her the part after working with her on Bay City Blues, his short-lived baseball series. She reveals she had to choose between LA Law and a role opposite Andy Griffith, ultimately making the decision that would define her career. Greene provides intimate character analysis of Abby Perkins, describing her as a nice girl from Ohio trying to balance demanding career ambitions with traditional roles as wife and mother, distinguishing her from other characters who always had snappy comebacks and perfect responses.

The interview explores Greene's current life as a published novelist with two books released through Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins, both young adult novels that have been in development for television and film. She discusses her five-year hiatus from acting to focus on raising her adopted son as a single parent, her work as artistic director of an emerging theater, and her extensive theater performances at the LA Shakespeare Center. Greene opens up about her caregiving responsibilities for her 91-year-old mother who lives in an assisted living community and her experience serving as guardian for two elderly cousins who passed away in 2018. She enthusiastically promotes the upcoming LA Law reunion event at the LAX Westin on February 2nd and 3rd, describing the emotional experience of the entire cast reuniting on "The Talk" in September—the first time they'd all been together since the show ended.

In this compelling interview, Michael Harney from Netflix's groundbreaking series Orange is the New Black discusses the show's fourth season launch and its profound impact on representation in television. Harney reflects on his journey to the role after working with creator Jenji Kohan on Weeds, explaining how he immediately said yes when approached for the project because he knew the quality she would create. He shares his initial uncertainty about the show's potential success, never imagining it would become the cultural phenomenon that helped establish Netflix as a major player in original programming. Harney emphasizes how the show's diverse cast gives voice to marginalized communities that have been oppressed and underrepresented, making his work feel like activism within the entertainment industry.

The conversation delves deep into the importance of backstory in the show's storytelling approach, which Harney considers essential to its success. He explains how revealing why people wind up incarcerated and why prison workers take certain actions allows viewers to identify personally with the characters and realize "that could be me." Harney thoughtfully discusses the complexities of the justice system, acknowledging that it's not black and white but rather a systemic struggle that often fails to find what really happened in situations. He addresses issues like housing mentally ill individuals in prisons rather than appropriate facilities, expressing hope that the show will raise questions and potentially inspire real-world changes in how society handles incarceration and justice.

Hollywood icon John Schneider joins the show to discuss his bold new venture that's disrupting the traditional film distribution model. Drawing on his extensive career from "The Dukes of Hazzard" to "Smallville" and Tyler Perry productions, Schneider reveals how he's built Cineflix DoD (Digital on Demand)—a distribution platform designed specifically to protect independent filmmakers from being exploited by traditional distributors who offer "pennies on the dollar" and eventually cut creators out of their own deals. Inspired by the wisdom of his "Dukes of Hazzard" co-star Denver Pyle who told him he had "the strength of your ignorance," Schneider explains his tenacious approach to creating a Netflix-style competitor that puts filmmakers at the center of both the storytelling and the financial chain, ensuring they receive most of the profits to fund their next projects without having to apologize to investors.

Schneider unveils the premiere of "Like Sun," a psychological crime drama starring Don Shanks (Michael Myers from "Halloween" and "Smothered"), which launches with an innovative collective viewing experience on Thursday night at 8 PM Central. Drawing inspiration from Walt Disney's personal approach on "The Wonderful World of Disney," Schneider has designed a unique interactive event where audiences can stream the film simultaneously to recreate the communal feeling of going to the movies in the 1960s, followed by a live Q&A session filmed from his studio's screening room—just like a film festival. This groundbreaking approach allows independent filmmakers, actors, and film enthusiasts to ask questions about the creative process, casting, and filmmaking while experiencing the magic of cinema in the digital age. Schneider's mission is clear: transform how people think about independent filmmaking and distribution by putting power back in the hands of storytellers and creating opportunities for diamonds in the rough to succeed without getting exploited by the industry's traditional gatekeepers.

Actress Jasmine Savoy Brown shares her remarkable journey from 600 auditions to landing breakthrough roles on HBO's "The Leftovers" and Freeform's "Stitchers." Brown candidly discusses the struggles before her big break, including couch surfing throughout Los Angeles for over a year, working graveyard shifts at a diner, and booking only a handful of commercials and small co-star roles despite constant auditioning. When she finally received the call about booking "The Leftovers," she immediately began weeping with emotion, catching her team off guard with the depth of her reaction. Her role as Evie Murphy in season two brought a much-needed lightness to the dark HBO drama about 2% of the world's population mysteriously disappearing—her character is a vibrant 17-year-old who sings, plays softball, and is full of life before disappearing with her friends after an earthquake, setting up the season's central mystery.

Brown also discusses her contrasting role on "Stitchers" as Nina, a confident comic book store employee and video game nerd who becomes a love interest, allowing her to showcase polar opposite characters from dark HBO drama to lighter Freeform procedural within the same period. She emphasizes the significance of wearing her natural hair on television, revealing she's turned down roles that required straightening her hair because making a statement about the beauty of African American natural hair is important to her. Fans responded enthusiastically to her character breaking stereotypes—being both a proud geek about comic books and video game history while still being portrayed as beautiful and desirable rather than in the typical "unattractive nerd" light. Brown credits the entire production team for creating such a strong character while acknowledging her pride in representing natural hair positively. Though "The Leftovers" season three won't premiere until spring 2017 and "Stitchers" renewal status for her character remains uncertain, Brown maintains optimism, joking that since Nina didn't die, she's assuming she'll return to continue the fan-favorite storyline.