Eyewitness History

On this episode of Eyewitness History, Josh Cohen sits down with legendary guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, founding member of Jefferson Airplane and longtime member of Hot Tuna.

Kaukonen takes us back to the San Francisco music scene that helped transform American rock, sharing memories of his years with Jefferson Airplane, his experiences with Janis Joplin, and what it was like performing at the legendary Woodstock festival in 1969.

He also reflects on the realities of sudden fame, the friendships and relationships that helped shape his career, his lifelong passion for the guitar, and some of his favorite memories from nearly seven decades in music.

Kaukonen discusses what it meant to see Jefferson Airplane inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the importance of passing musical knowledge on to the next generation through Fur Peace Ranch, and what continues to inspire him to pick up a guitar and perform.

Be sure to visit his site at https://jormakaukonen.com/

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Christopher Hitchens remains one of the most influential and controversial writers of his generation. But before the books, the television appearances, the Oxford Union debates and the reputation as one of the great polemicists of his age, he was a young journalist finding his voice.

Steve Wasserman knew that Christopher Hitchens.

Wasserman is a writer, editor, publisher and literary agent who has spent decades at the center of American literary and intellectual life. Over the course of his career, he has worked with and known some of the most important writers and thinkers of the past half-century.

In this episode of Eyewitness History, Steve takes us inside that world.

We discuss Hitchens, including what he was like before he became famous, his extraordinary gifts as a writer and conversationalist, and the qualities that made him such a compelling intellectual figure.

But the conversation goes far beyond Hitchens. Steve and Josh also discuss the craft of writing, the art of editing, the relationship between writers and editors, and the changing world of literary journalism.

Steve also discusses his memoir, Tell Me Something, Tell Me Anything, Even If It's a Lie, and why he chose to tell the story of his life through essays and memories rather than a conventional autobiography.

And Josh discusses his own book, William F. Buckley Jr.'s Guide to Friendship in a Polarized Era, and the enduring importance of intellectual friendships across political and ideological divides.

Topics include:

• Christopher Hitchens before he became famous

• Hitchens as a young journalist

• What made Hitchens such a remarkable writer

• Hitchens's approach to writing and argument

• The relationship between writers and editors

• Steve Wasserman's career in publishing and literary journalism

• The art of recognizing great writing

• Tell Me Something, Tell Me Anything, Even If It's a Lie

• Steve's memories of the literary world

• The importance of intellectual curiosity

• Writing, friendship and ideological disagreement

Steve's Book: https://www.heydaybooks.com/catalog/tell-me-something-tell-me-anything-even-if-its-a-lie/

HeyDay Festival: https://www.heydaybooks.com/harvest/

Josh's Book: https://www.amazon.com/William-Buckley-Guide-Friendship-Polarized/dp/1956454926

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Jennifer Batten was there. She played guitar beside Michael Jackson during the Bad, Dangerous, and HIStory tours and joined him for the legendary 1993 Super Bowl halftime show.

Now, she takes Eyewitness History inside the rehearsals, nerves, spectacle and extraordinary discipline behind Michael Jackson's greatest live performances.

Find out more about her at her website at https://www.jenniferbatten.com/

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Charles Murray has spent decades challenging Americans to think differently about some of the biggest questions facing society.

In this episode of Eyewitness History, Murray discusses his career as a social scientist, the controversies surrounding his work, and the ideas behind books like Losing Ground, The Bell Curve, and Coming Apart.

We also explore his relationship with William F. Buckley Jr., including his appearance on Buckley's legendary program Firing Line. Drawing from my book, William F. Buckley Jr.'s Guide to Friendship in a Polarized Era, we discuss Buckley's approach to debate, friendship, and engaging with those who held opposing views.

This is a conversation about ideas, controversy, intellectual courage, and the people who helped shape modern America.

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In this episode of Eyewitness History, I speak with Daryl Davis, an American R&B and blues musician, author, and race-relations activist whose life has uniquely bridged the worlds of music and social change.

Davis is widely known for an unconventional and controversial approach to combating racism: engaging directly with members of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups through sustained personal dialogue. Over decades of outreach, he has persuaded dozens of Klansmen to renounce their affiliation, and he has documented these encounters in his book Klan-Destine Relationships: A Black Man’s Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan as well as in the documentary Accidental Courtesy: Daryl Davis, Race & America (2016).

Before his activism gained national attention, Davis established himself as a respected professional musician. A gifted boogie-woogie and blues pianist and vocalist, he studied at Howard University and went on to perform with some of the most iconic figures in American music, including Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Bo Diddley. His playing style reflects deep roots in traditional blues and early rock-and-roll piano, and he has been recognized within the Washington-area and national blues community for both his technical skill and stage presence.

 His work is grounded in a belief in communication as a tool for dismantling prejudice, summed up in his view that dialogue, not avoidance, is the most effective response to ignorance and hate.

Here, Davis reflects on his unusual journey, the philosophy behind his outreach to the Klan, and the ways music, conversation, and personal encounter have shaped his understanding of human change.

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In this episode of Eyewitness History, we speak with Jo-Anne Berelowitz, author and art historian, about her captivating auto-fiction memoir Somewhere I Belong. Born in Durban, South Africa, Jo-Anne shares her journey through betrayal, family secrets, and the search for home, tracing her story from her father’s warnings of revolution to uncovering her Jewish grandparents’ history in Lithuania and Russia.

Jo-Anne discusses how identity, displacement, and resilience shaped her life, her career in art history, and ultimately her path to self-discovery. Her story is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the universal quest to find where one truly belongs.

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Our guest today is none other than the incomparable Pat Boone.

With a decades-long career, Pat has graced stages, screens, and airwaves with his golden voice and timeless charisma. From chart-topping hits to silver-screen successes, he's a multifaceted talent who has stood the test of time.

We discuss his career, fame, and why he said no to making a movie with Marilyn Monroe!

Now, I give you Pat Boone!

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On this episode of Eyewitness History, we sit down with Jeffrey Riddick, the screenwriter and producer behind the iconic Final Destination franchise. Riddick shares his journey from aspiring writer to Hollywood powerhouse, revealing the inspirations, challenges, and creative processes that brought one of modern horror’s most enduring series to life.

We dive into:

• The genesis of Final Destination and how Riddick transformed a simple idea into a cinematic phenomenon.

• Stories from the set and behind-the-scenes insights that fans have never heard.

• The challenges of writing suspense, fear, and death in a way that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.

• Jeffrey’s advice for aspiring filmmakers, screenwriters, and anyone chasing creative dreams.

• How horror reflects society’s fears and why it resonates with audiences worldwide.

Whether you’re a diehard Final Destination fan, a lover of film history, or curious about the craft of screenwriting, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the mind of one of Hollywood’s most influential horror storytellers.

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In this episode of Eyewitness History, I speak with Adam Irving, grandson of historian David Irving and head of Irving Books, the publisher managing his grandfather’s works. We discuss David Irving’s career as an author, his legacy in historical debate, and what it means for Adam to balance family ties with the responsibilities of running a publishing house.

Disclaimer: David Irving remains a deeply controversial figure. This conversation is presented for its historical and family perspective and should not be taken as an endorsement of his views.

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In this episode of Eyewitness History, Josh Cohen welcomes actress Lorna Lembeck, who played Randy in the legendary comedy Airplane!. Lorna shares her memories from the set, what it was like to be part of a film that redefined parody, and why the movie continues to resonate with audiences more than forty years later.

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