Flip It On Its Head

There's an all-too painful reality of our time right now, it it's got to do with guns used in mass shootings in the United States of America. No other industrialized nation deals with this issue the way we do, and it's become so pervasive that gun deaths are now the leading cause of death for children in this country but rank no higher than fifth in other countries. Someone who knows this painful fact all too well is Melody Herzfeld, who was in her classroom at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on February 14th, 2018 when a gunman entered with an AR-15 assault rifle and murdered 14 students and 3 teachers. And while she bravely recounts the horror of that day in a transparent attempt to shine a light on a path forward to dealing with guns, she also discusses how she and her kids threw themselves into theater, music, art as a way to start to heal. And how the New York Broadway community came to their aid, right when they needed it most. FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD is so lucky and pleased to have Melody as a guest, I hope everyone listens with an open mind and an open heart.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High Theater students perform SEASONS OF LOVE from RENT at the 2018 Tony Awards.

https://youtu.be/FUP4jY8kOGg

After Parkland: What we’ve learned tracking school shootings for 5 years

Perspective piece in The Washington Post, by John Woodrow Cox and Stephen Rich

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/02/14/school-shootings-parkland-5th-anniversary/?utm_campaign=wp_the7&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_the7&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F391e765%2F63eb76e51b79c61f8791098d%2F596bd0409bbc0f403f97be09%2F28%2F53%2F63eb76e51b79c61f8791098d&wp_cu=46a673f28ca5fff7258d8a311d1107b1%7C1a1f923a-45af-11e0-a478-1231380f446b

If you're at all like me, you are not only never done learning, but you'll take your education wherever you can. Well, I got an education recently from four of the most remarkable high school students and I wanted nothing more than for them to educate all our listeners. I'm so happy to welcome Phoebe, Stephanie, Madison and Sydney, all high school Seniors at William A. Hough High School in Cornelius, North Carolina, to FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD. I had the pleasure of watching and listening to them present the Senior A.P. Research projects, thanks to their wonderful A.P. Research Advisor, Mrs. Jackie Smith. These four thoughtful, engaged and diligent young people will absolutely wow you with what they uncovered in their projects and through their research. As one of their last acts in their high school careers, they sat down with me at our local library for my very first live and multi-guest episode ever. You're gonna love listening to them, I promise!

Malcolm Gladwell's episode of Revisionist History about Brown v Board of Education titled Miss Buchanan's Period of Adjustment

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5oTapxBG4wPgqOepnfzM9U?si=RJOt2Kc6T_CB9kBNSMh3uw

Jonathan Catherman's wonderful podcast Raising Them Ready, available on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4mXt4KadeqbnOuoi597Uq6?si=OIM8kZ3PQCqbu8QaEv70rg

or wherever you get your podcasts.

Lots of people make career changes, even I've made what I believe is a significant one, but no one I know has made one as drastic and impactful as my old friend Cameron Sellers. After a career in the United States Army where he rose to the rank of Colonel in the Civil Affairs Division, serving in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Korea, he retired and yielded to a calling he felt deeply to become a Catholic priest. And if that isn't enough of a fascinating journey, there's also the part where Cameron was born in Seoul, South Korea and immediately left at an orphanage. After being adopted by his parents who raised him in Arizona, his journey of assimilation countered his questions about his cultural identity and, most importantly, his purpose. But at every step of that journey he took opportunities to look at his life differently and, most importantly, trust his instincts and his guides to lead him where he knows he needs to be. Anyone making a significant change, in their career or their personal life, could do worse than to listen to Cameron on this episode of FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD.

The show that brought Cameron and I together, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA streams on Peacock. https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/battlestar-galactica/8522076936060621112

When was the last time you purchased a newspaper? I mean a legit walk-up-to-the-news-stand-plunk-your-money-down-and-get-the-paper experience. I bet it's been a minute. And that's precisely why my guest, veteran New York Times journalist Nick Madigan, is the perfect person to join FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD to discuss the state of newspapers in the age of the internet. Nick's 45 year career, primarily with the Times as well as stints with the Palm Beach Post and the Baltimore Sun and others gives him the kind of perspective that will help us all look at how we consume news. With the advent of click bait, pay walls, Twitter and Tik Tok, newspapers continue to be the most important source of vital information we all need to process this moment in our history.

HIDDEN BRAIN: "Who Foots The Bill When Newspapers Disappear?" December, 2018. By Shankar Vedantam, Rhaina Cohen & Tara Boyle

https://www.npr.org/2018/12/09/675092808/starving-the-watchdog-who-foots-the-bill-when-newspapers-disappear

"Struggling Communities Hardest Hit By Decline In Local Journalism", Medill School of Journalism Research Project on state of local news

https://www.medill.northwestern.edu/news/2022/struggling-communities-hardest-hit-by-decline-in-local-journalism.html

Can you imagine standing on a stage, alone, with just a mic in your hand and trying to make people laugh? Now imagine not being able to dream of doing anything else! Steve Mazan is a working comic, and for the past 20+ years he has devoted his life to the pursuit of his comedy career. And just when his career had gotten off the launch pad in the early 2000's, he was diagnosed with a form of liver cancer that could very well have ended his life. But his bigger concern was that he would die before getting booked to perform on The Late Show with David Letterman. But instead of letting his diagnosis waylay his pursuit, he got creative and determined and made it his mission to get booked on his comedy hero's show, and all of it is the subject of a wonderful documentary called Dying To Do Letterman. Steve's journey makes for a great watch, it's truly inspirational and we talk about that and a host of other bits of his story on this edition of FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD.

Find the documentary about Steve's journey, DYING TO DO LETTERMAN, here: https://www.amazon.com/Dying-Do-Letterman-Steve-Mazan/dp/B00AHSLH0C/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2QEMEW27MPWJ0&keywords=dying+to+do+letterman&qid=1681813642&s=digital-text&sprefix=dying+to+do+letterman%2Cdigital-text%2C73&sr=1-1

Holy Week seemed like a great time to share my conversation with Father Ed Beck, an author, playwright and, most importantly, a Passionist Roman Catholic priest who also doubles as the Faith & Religion Commentator for CNN and other major news outlets. Father Ed and I met at my old parish in Los Angeles and have known one another for a minute. I've turned to him for advice and guidance as a practicing Catholic, a religion I was raised with, left as an 18-year-old, only to return to in my early 30's. When I asked Ed to join me on FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD, I'd planned on asking him to shed light on why so many people seem to be looking at religion differently over these past few decades as participation in organized religion has dwindled. But like a lot of good conversations with smart people, our chat turned into something bigger than I'd planned. Like many Catholics who were horrified by the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic church revealed by reporting in the Boston Globe in 2002, I had to decide if I was going to look at my own journey of faith differently. Ed and I did not shy away from having a frank discussion about the Church's failings and how it affected many of the faithful, to say nothing of those who were the victims of abuse. I appreciate Father Ed's candor and expertise and hope everyone who listens feels the same.

Father Ed Beck's writings can be found on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Edward-L.-Beck/author/B001ILIDFE?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY IS DUE FOR A REVIVAL, by Timothy Keller

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/02/christianity-secularization-america-renewal-modernity/672948/

The debut episode of FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD features a wonderful conversation with my old friend, entrepreneur Lori Barzvi who created a business based on a product she developed that, after many years of fits and starts and ups and downs, she learned how to sell on Amazon. After successfully marketing and selling her product, it blossomed into an entire brand that a larger business purchased from her for $2M. But the success she achieved only came after she bore the brunt of grief and loss. Lori lost her brother, Guy Barzvi, on 9/11, and a few short years after that her father lost his battle with cancer. Despite encountering the types of roadblocks that could have been the reasons to give up, she persisted in honor of her brother and her father. Her story will make anyone starting an endeavor whose conclusion is uncertain want to keep going no matter the challenge.

RUN THE WORLD (GIRLS), by Beyonceé Knowles, Terius Nash, Adidja Palmer, Thomas Wesley Pentz, David Taylor and Nick van de Wall

FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD is a compelling podcast that features inspiring conversations with individuals who have managed to overcome life's challenges and turn them into opportunities for growth and transformation simply by looking at things differently. Hosted by Reese Golchin, a Gen-X husband and father living in a small, Southern town of 13,000, this show explores various aspects of life, including personal, professional, and spiritual journeys, through the lens of those who have experienced them firsthand.

Throughout the the show, you'll hear from a diverse range of guests like:

And so many, many more! Each episode will be a powerful testament to the human spirit and the resilience that we all possess.

Whether you're looking for inspiration to make changes in your own life, or simply enjoy hearing stories of triumph over adversity, FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD is the perfect podcast for anyone interested in learning how to look at life a bit differently. Tune in to hear honest, thought-provoking conversations that will leave you feeling inspired and empowered to take on whatever challenges come your way.