Today, it is estimated that approximately 3 percent of incarcerated people in the United States are innocent. Thankfully, there are Innocence Projects across the country who are dedicated to investigating and litigating claims of innocence. Without them, these innocent people would have no path to exoneration.

In this episode, I sit down with Jason Gichner, the Executive Director of the Tennessee Innocent Project. Since its founding in 2019, the Tennessee Innocence Project has won 9 exonerations, representing more than 230 years collectively served for crimes these people did not commit. The Tennessee Innocence Project’s 9 exonerations also represent 25% of all known exonerations in the history of Tennessee and they have achieved all of this in just 5 years. 

In our conversation, Jason and I talk about the factors that lead to innocent people being convicted. We discuss specific cases of their clients like Ricky Lee Webb, who served a 47-year sentence (the 4th longest in the history of the U.S.) for a murder he did not commit. Jason and I talk about how the Tennessee Innocence Project does its work and what new laws and policies could be put into effect in both Tennessee and nationwide to help prevent innocent people from being incarcerated. 

The Innocence Project is such an important organization. As Jason said in our conversation, this is a political issue – no one wants innocent people behind bars. I hope you will find this episode inspiring, and you’ll want to learn more about what we all can do to help support their important work.

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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Eleni Giannopoulos is the woman behind the great Eleni’s cookies.  Driven by a desire to start her own company along with a love of baking and an old family recipe, Eleni launched Eleni’s back in the mid-90s.  Since then, she has gone on to create a storied, nationally recognized cookie brand.  CBS News couldn’t have put it any better, “Eleni’s is an international favorite sought after by celebrities and cookie lovers everywhere.”  

Eleni’s cookies can be found in grocery and specialty stores throughout the country and enjoys a celebrity cult following from everyone to Oprah to Drew Barrymore to the Clooneys. Eleni’s is known too for its custom baking projects.  

She has done everything from cookies for the White House, to a replica of Elton John’s country house for his birthday, to specialty cookies for every HBO hit from Game of Thrones to The Sopranos. 

In this conversation, Eleni and I talk about how she got started and the challenges and excitement of being a women entrepreneur.  She shares all her amazing stories from the almost thirty years she has been creating art “from scratch.”  

This episode is an inspiring story of how one woman, with the support of her family and friends, can go on to build an incredible brand and career doing what she loves.

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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It’s hard to believe that it was 50 years ago this year that Saturday Night Live made its debut on television. A four-part docuseries is coming out this week on Peacock, SNL 50: Beyond Saturday Night, which will give fans a look inside the show's making. Who knew that The Interview was so timely? I am doing the same in this week's episode.

It was such a delight to sit down with 7-time Emmy Winner, Lindsay Shookus. For over twenty years, Lindsay worked in and became head of the talent department at SNL. Not only did she have one of the most exciting and, as she would say, ‘pinch me’ careers that exist in entertainment (managing, booking, and discovering the talent for one of the greatest and longest-running comedy shows ever on television), but she learned so many important life lessons along the way.

After leaving SNL in 2023, Lindsay has gone on to speak to thousands of people about the wisdom she gained during her time on the show and the importance of cultivating relationships with people during your career. Lindsay is also the Co-Founder of ‘Women Work F***ing Hard’ – a group connecting and boosting women.

In this conversation, Lindsay gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the production of SNL. She shares so many stories and experiences from her time there: from getting Snickers bars and vodka for the amazing Betty White to discovering Kristen Wiig on a tape, to getting a boost to her career from Alec Baldwin.  

Lindsay and I also talked about what it’s like to work in that high-energy, 24/7 environment and incorporate that type of all-encompassing work with being a mother. We explore the important lessons learned from her time on SNL and how she approaches her life and work today.

I loved taping this episode with Lindsay – she is down to earth, hilarious, and incredibly wise. I know you’ll love listening to her amazing stories about life behind the scenes at SNL and the lessons she learned along the way.

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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Colorectal cancer, the disease that claimed the life of "Black Panther" actor Chadwick Boseman at age 43, was once considered an “old person’s” illness. It no longer is.

The National Cancer Institute says early-onset colorectal cancer is now the No. 1 cause of cancer death in people 20 to 49 years old.

It gets worse. Studies show that cancer that develops in younger people tends to be more aggressive.

So, why are Gen Xers, millennials, and Gen Zers developing a disease they never would have dreamed of getting not that long ago?

To help answer this question, I am so honored to be joined by Dr. Andrea Cercek, a board-certified medical oncologist who specializes in the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Cercek is also the founder and co-director of the Center for Young Onset Colorectal and Gastrointestinal Cancer – this clinic – dedicated to serving the specific needs of people under 50 who have these cancers, is the first of its kind in the world.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Cercek about the possible causes for this rise in colorectal cancers, what we can do to reduce our risk of developing colorectal cancer, and about the exciting treatment options that are being developed at MSK to cure colorectal cancer without the often-crippling side effects of radiation, chemo, and surgery. 

One of the beneficiaries of Dr. Cercek’s research and treatment is her former patient, Kelly, who also join us in this conversation. Kelly was just 29 with an 8-month-old baby when she was-diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Thanks to the immunotherapy treatment that Dr. Cercek’s team discovered, Kelly is now cancer-free, did not have to have chemo, radiation, or surgery, and has gone on to live a full and healthy life.

To learn everything you need to know about colorectal cancer, and to hear one woman’s inspiring story, this episode is for you!

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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An African safari trip is on every person’s bucket list. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Because of the cost, difficulties of travel, and the variety of places to visit, a trip to Africa is one that we all want to make sure that we get right. 

So many of us know we want to see incredible animals and breathtaking landscapes – but we have no idea where to start! Thankfully, that is where &Three Collective comes in.

&Three was started by three friends who met as expats in London. With one now based in the US, one in London, and one in Sydney - they are bound by their obsession with Africa. They became a travel company dedicated to Africa - in search of experiences that are wild, luxurious, private and unique.

Along their travels over the years, &Three met Africans who, by birthright, were the true experts in the region, exposing them to experiences that you cannot research or find on your own.

&Three was born from three women’s dream of offering these same incredible experiences to others.

With &Three, travelers embark upon a collaborative planning process. No two itineraries are alike; everything is custom to the traveler and their needs and desires.

I was so lucky (and, of course, was making my own safari plans as we spoke) to speak to one of these wonderful women magicians behind &Three…Claudia Church.

In this episode, Claudia and I talk about the dos and don’ts of safari planning, where and when to start planning, the most amazing places to visit, and the awe-inspiring experiences one can have on the African continent….

I learned so much from my conversation with Claudia, and for any of you who have always dreamed of going on safari or want to go on a trip planned by these incredible women, this episode is for you!

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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In this episode, I sit down with Nicholas Fox Weber, art historian and Executive Director of the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. He is also the author of fifteen books, among them iBauhaus, Le Corbusier, Balthus: A Biography, and Patron Saints.

Weber is a gradu­ate of Colum­bia Col­lege (B.A., major in Art History), Yale Uni­ver­sity (M.A., Art History; Fellowship in American Art), and the University of Groningen (PhD).  He lives in Connecticut, Paris, and Ireland. Despite all his professional accomplishments, Nick’s heart is focused on his humanitarian work in Senegal. Nick is the founder ofLe Korsa,a not-for-profit organization in Senegal.

I admire Nick so much. We all see things in life that we wish we could change or people that we’d like to help – yet we are all so busy with our own lives that it is the rare among us that does something – Nick is one of those people. After a trip to Senegal with a Parisian doctor about twenty years ago, Nick saw communities that needed access to health care, education, and basic amenities. Ever since, Nick has worked tirelessly to support clinics, schools, and other life-saving initiatives in Senegal through Le Korsa.  

My son John and I visited Senegal in February of 2023, and we witnessed Nick’s incredible work firsthand. Every bit of resources directed toward Le Korsa make such an impact. Donations to Le Korsa go directly to projects in Senegal, from digging wells to buying academic supplies to helping patients receive medical care.

In this conversation, Nick and I discuss his work in Senegal, how and why he got started, and about his spectacular and purposeful life as an art historian, author, and humanitarian.

This episode is just the kind of inspiration that is so fitting this holiday season! To learn more about Le Korsa, visit https://www.aflk.org/

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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Today, Leslie sits down with journalist, lawyer, political commentator, and writer Gordon G. Chang about his latest book, “Plan Red: China's Project to Destroy America”.

Described by The New Yorker as a “longtime uber hawk on China”, Chang’s latest thesis outlines what he believes is an existential threat from China towards the U.S. and the current world order.

Leslie talks with Gordon about his current perspective on U.S.-China relations and his recommendations on what the U.S. can do today to avert what he believes are China’s nefarious plans toward the U.S. and the Western World.

A graduate of Cornell and Cornell Law School, Chang lived in mainland China for nearly two decades as a Partner and Counsel for Baker McKenzie and Paul Weiss.

Chang has given briefings at the National Intelligence Council, the Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S. State Department, and the U.S. Department of Defense. He has testified before the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

His writings on China and North Korea have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The International Herald Tribune, and National Review, among other publications. Chang has also appeared as a guest and commentator on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, and Bloomberg Television, as well as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

In this riveting episode, Leslie discusses Chang’s compelling perspective. For anyone interested in U.S.-China relations – an extremely relevant and important topic today – this episode is for you!

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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Today Leslie sits down with Preston Konrad and Lisa Manice - Co-creators of Preston Lane – a new luxury home care company. 

Preston Konrad is a lifestyle expert, creative director and television personality based out of New York City. He spent his early career as a creative director and marketing genius working for storied brands like Ralph Lauren, Belstaff and American Eagle Outfitters. Preston started his own marketing and consulting business for companies about twelve years ago. When Preston is not offering style tips to his almost 1 million Instagram followers, Preston can be regularly seen on The Today Show, Access Hollywood, Good Morning America and more.

Lisa Manice is the other half of this juggernaut duo and brings decades of marketing genius and business successes to the table. Lisa is a visionary business leader and expert in forging win-win partnerships that accelerate growth for global companies, private equity firms, and celebrities. Prior to joining forces with Preston Konrad, Lisa served as an executive of Belstaff, Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger and Tiger Chark.

Preston and Lisa saw a gap in the marketplace with high end home care goods at an affordable price, and instead of developing this idea for another company (they have been launching and marketing brands on behalf of clients for decades) - they decided to launch their own line for the first time.

Preston Lane’s products boasts all natural ingredients, and beautiful packaging at affordable prices. Its entire line of hand soap, dish soap, countertop sprays and candles grace every home both with beautiful design and gorgeous scents that are safe for you and your family. They are the perfect gift for everyone this holiday season!

Preston Lane was launched just this past summer and in that short time, their products are lining the shelves at Nordstroms, they just opened a pop-up store at Hudson Yard and have announced an incredible partnership with Centric Brands. Preston Lane is on its way to becoming everyone’s answer to elevated home care.

This episode is for all of you budding entrepreneurs out there or all of us who have fantasized about starting their own company. In it, Leslie speaks with these brilliant and hilarious partners, Preston and Lisa, about their inspirations and gathers their expert advice on dos and don’ts for starting and marketing a products company.

For a master class on what it takes to launch a successful company, this episode is for you! If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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In the aftermath of the horrific attack by Hamas on the people of Israel on October 7th, I and many others were shocked to witness not a clear and staunch condemnation of terrorism, but an explosion of ugly antisemitic sentiment and protests. 

These attacks extended to Jewish thought leaders and authors, many of whom had speaking engagements and book deals cancelled. Jewish owned bookstores and publishing houses were boycotted.

Author, podcaster, and founder of Zibby Media, Zibby Owens responded by speaking out and taking action.

Zibby reached out to fellow Jewish authors to ask them to write essays about their experiences after October 7th. Over 100 Jewish authors and advocates responded, and the result is this amazing book edited by Zibby entitled, On Being Jewish Now. All proceeds from On Being Jewish Now benefit Artists Against Antisemitism of which Zibby is also a cofounder.

In today’s episode, I speak with 5 of these courageous contributors: Lisa Barr, author of the bestselling Women on Fire and The Goddess of Warsaw,  Judy Batalion, bestselling author of The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler’s Ghettos which has been optioned by Steven Spielberg, Alyssa Rosenheck a celebrated interiors photographer who has been recognized by Architectural Digest as one of the top photographers in the country in addition to being a writer, author and advocate, David Kaufman a writer, editor and columnist for The New York Post, and last but certainly not least, Nicola Kraus – bestselling author of The Nanny Diaries among several bestselling works.

In this conversation, we talk about the antisemitism these authors and advocates have faced since October 7th, their essays in the book, what it feels like to be Jewish in this moment, what they are doing to combat antisemitism and hate and what we should all be doing to support our Jewish friends and neighbors.

I admire guests Lisa, Judy, Alyssa, Nicola and David so much for all that they are doing, Zibby for putting this important book together and everyone who is both a contributor to this book and standing up against Antisemitism in ways big and small.

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About 38 million people have diabetes in the United States. 1 in 300 Americans will develop diabetes in their lifetime; 1 in 15 with a family history of the disease.  Inexplicably, cases of Type 1 diabetes in America are on the rise.

In recognition of National Diabetes Month, this week’s episode features a group of extraordinary women who are working to raise funds and awareness to put diabetes out of business: Allison Aston, Dr. Natasha Leibel and Lynn Starr.  

Allison Aston is a parent of a child with Type 1 Diabetes.  She is Senior Vice President Partnerships, Events and Charitable Giving of Veronica Beard and through her work featuring Breakthrough TD1 as its highlighted charity through its VB Gives Back program, has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for diabetes research and awareness. 

A leading expert in diabetes treatment, Dr. Natasha Leibel is the Director of the Pediatric Diabetes Program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Lynn Starr is Breakthrough T1D’s chief global advocacy officer. She provides strategic and operational leadership to advance the organization’s mission globally through legislative, regulatory and health policy actions.  She and her daughter were both diagnosed with Type 1 as adults. 

In this episode, this illustrious group of guests talk about what it is like to be a parent with a child who is managing the disease, current treatment options, the exciting new therapies that are delaying its onset and the groundbreaking research that could lead to the eradication of this disease.   

To learn all you need to know about diabetes and its promise for the cure and for a daily boost of inspiration, this episode is for you!

If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

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