Duologue with Leslie Heaney

In today's episode, I am so thrilled to share my conversation with author, activist, and storyteller, Susan Lieu.

Susan is a multi-hyphenated artist whose work has captivated audiences nationwide. Her award-winning solo show, 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother, evolved into her debut memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter.

This emotionally raw memoir was Apple’s Book of the Month and has been featured in The New York Times and NPR. Through her storytelling, Susan explores themes of grief, intergenerational trauma, identity, and resilience.

In The Manicurist’s Daughter, Susan reflects on her life as the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, her mother’s tragic death from a botched tummy tuck when she was just 11 years old, and her journey to uncover truths about her family and herself. Her story is both heartbreaking and empowering, touching on the complex relationships immigrant women have with body image and beauty standards.

In this episode, Susan and I delve into her family’s incredible journey from Vietnamese refugees to American business owners. We discuss what it was like for her to grow up navigating two cultures, the challenges of confronting her mother’s death, and the broader implications of societal pressures on women—especially immigrant women.

Susan’s story is one of strength, vulnerability, and empowerment. It is equal parts poignant, funny, and inspirational—a conversation you won’t want to miss. 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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Following the devastating fires in California, I kept hearing story after story of Pacific Palisades residents having been dropped by their insurance company just a few months before the deadly fire. The same thing happened this past fall in Florida – Floridians couldn’t afford their increased premiums, so when Hurricane Milton hit – they had no coverage.

In fact, Florida insurance rates have gotten so high that people are beginning to leave the state - insurance premiums, in some cases, surpassing their mortgage payments. Insurance companies also get away with underpaying or slow-paying the insured… leaving people helpless and hopeless.

Thankfully, there are people out there like my next guest, Chip Merlin, Founder and President of the Merlin Law Group. Chip has dedicated his practice to representing and advocating for the insured in disputes with their insurance companies nationwide.

Chip has been called the “Babe Ruth of Hurricane lawyers” and “Master of Disaster” for his nationwide catastrophe work in helping policyholders after Hurricane Katrina. The Florida Association of Public Adjusters awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Award for his advocacy on behalf of policyholders. He is on the Board of Directors of United Policyholders, has been a guest commentator on CNN and Fox News, and is also past Chair of the Insurance Bad Faith Litigation Group of the American Association of Justice.

In this episode, Chip and I discuss the state of the insurance crisis in the US, from California to Florida to NY, and what we, the insured, can do to protect ourselves from insurance companies' malfeasance, and what our state governments should do to protect the insured over the insurers.  

To protect your property and your family, this is an episode you will not want to miss. 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 in the US, close to 70% of all students are below proficiency in math and reading, and close to 90% of low-income students are below proficiency. With an overwhelming majority of our students graduating below proficiency in all academic subjects, the United States is in the middle of an educational crisis.  Thankfully my next guest Dr. Kimberly Nix Berens is working to address this crisis. 

Dr. Berens is the author of Blind Spots: Why students fail…and the science that can save them. She is also the Founder of Fit Learning.  Fit Learning is a powerful system of instruction based in behavioral science and the Technology of Teaching, which has transformed the learning abilities of thousands of children worldwide. For more than 20 years, her system of instruction has produced one year’s worth of academic growth in only 40 hours of training. Dr. Berens has helped grow Fit Learning to an organization with more than 30 locations worldwide.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Berens about the state of the US education system today and about the science that shows how children learn and how our education system could have better outcomes.  We talk about her learning instruction method and how with the right instruction, a child that have been labeled as having learning differences or ADHD, may likely be a child who is just being taught subjects in the wrong way.  

This conversation was so helpful for me as a parent – it is a must listen for every parent who wants to learn about how their kids should learn and about what we can do to support our kids who may learn differently. 

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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This episode is brought to you by The Scout Guide. To learn more about the Scout Guide and how to become a franchisee visit franchise.thescoutguide.com and mention The Interview with Leslie Heaney!

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It is an honor and a privilege to introduce my next two guests, James Patterson and Tim Malloy.

James Patterson is one of the most successful authors of all time, having sold over 425 million books. He is perhaps best known for his Alex Cross series, which has been adapted into films such as Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. In addition to his fiction, Patterson has collaborated on New York Times bestsellers with notable figures, including Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Viola Davis. Recently, he has ventured into nonfiction and co-authored Filthy Rich alongside Tim Malloy, which explores the life of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Tim Malloy is a seven-time Emmy Award winner and a veteran reporter with extensive experience in local and network television. He has worked as an investigative reporter, documentary filmmaker, and author. Malloy and Patterson are friends and neighbors in Palm Beach and have collaborated on various projects, including a documentary that highlights underserved communities in Florida. They both appeared in the Netflix documentary based on their bestselling book, Filthy Rich. 

Their latest collaboration, American Heroes, pays tribute to some of the greatest heroes in the United States Armed Forces. American Heroes emphasizes the courage, bravery, character, and patriotism of recipients of the three most significant military awards: The Medal of Honor, The Silver Star, and the Distinguished Service Cross.

In this episode, Patterson, Malloy, and I discuss their incredible book American Heroes, their past collaborations on Filthy Rich, how they began their careers, and why these inspirational stories about real American heroes are vital for us to hear.Patterson and Malloy are not only brilliant but also hilarious. It was a joy and privilege to sit down with them both. I am very excited for you to listen!

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In honor of President’s Day this past Monday, we are re-releasing this incredible episode about the women who made Teddy Roosevelt.

In this episode, Leslie sits down with Ed O’Keefe — an award-winning TV producer, reporter, and author. While as a Harvard Kennedy School Fellow, O’Keefe stumbled upon some unpublished letters between Theodore Roosevelt and two of the most important women in his life: his daughter Alice and his sister Bamie.

As a lifelong admirer of Roosevelt, Ed delved into the influence these relationships had on Roosevelt and his rise to the Presidency in his debut novel, “The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt – The Women Who Created a President”.

Ed and Leslie talk about Roosevelt’s incredible life and legacy and the women in his life that gave its shape and meaning, they explore Roosevelt’s legacy and the incredible museum that is being built in his honor in North Dakota led by Ed as the new CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation.

For history lovers, this is an episode you don’t want to miss! If you enjoy the show, please rate and review. Be sure to follow us on Instagram @TheInterviewWithLeslie. A new podcast is released every Wednesday.

Tune in next week when Leslie is joined by bestselling author, James Patterson, and Quinnipiac Poll Analyst, Timothy Malloy, as they discuss their new book “American Heroes”.

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It turns out that many celebrities, politicians, and CEOs look to astrology before making any plans – they consult their astrologer before a political race, before accepting a role in a movie, or before they decide on an acquisition.

Before a financial advisor, spouse, or therapist – they call their astrologer – and not just any astrologer - but they call my next guest - astrologer to the stars, Rosie Cutter.

Looking to the celestial as a guide is nothing new for the rich and famous. JP Morgan is famous for saying that millionaires don’t need astrologers; billionaires do, and Nancy Regan was famous for consulting her astrologer before all of President Regan’s important decisions.

Cutter knows first hand how important guidance can be and has cultivated trusted relationships with those in and out of the spotlight.

In this episode, Rosie breaks down the difference between tarot reading, palm reading, and astrology, how she came to this incredible career, and what the stars are saying for all of us this year…I had a reading with Rosie to get ready for this conversation, and let me say – she was spot on. This lady knows what she is talking about!

If you are ever curious about having a reading done or want to know what this year has in store, 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, 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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