ABDUL MALIK ABBOTT’s story is one of inspiration, determination, and excellent timing, as he got into filmmaking just when hip-hop was about to rule the world.  Working his way up from production assistant to sound technician to editor, he eventually became an in-demand director for music videos, especially those featuring Black artists.  Among Abdul’s credits are a number of videos he made with Jay-Z, including the hugely popular “Dead Presidents” and the Platinum-selling video album “Streets Is Watching.”  He also directed the feature film State Property and a number of award-winning short films.

 In their wide-ranging conversation, Dan and Abdul discuss the impact of Star Wars, Abdul’s encounters with Jay-Z, Spike Lee, Luc Besson, Denzel Washington, and Will Smith – and what it’s like to be one of the few Black people on a film crew.

And a lot more.  With an awesome, eclectic soundtrack.

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Professional magician and comedian RACHEL WAX – who’s appeared on “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” and is a regular at Speakeasy Magick in NYC – joins Dan for a spellbinding discussion about her career change from fashion designer to stage performer, why she won’t do kids’ birthday parties, and – more seriously – what it’s like to be a woman working in such a traditionally male-dominated field.  With remarkable candor, she speaks about having to deal with misogynistic remarks and behavior not only from certain members of the audience – but even from some of her fellow magicians.

Rachel and Dan also talk about their all-time favorite magicians, many of whom inspired her as a performer – including her own father, Dr. David Wax, who now occasionally works as his daughter’s opening act.

Ladies and gentlemen….you just might not believe your very own ears……

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Emmy-winning actor MATTHEW RHYS (The Americans, The Beast in Me) joins Dan to talk about many of his favorite ACTORS and how they’ve influenced the course of his own career.

Their discussion spans eras and covers a vast array of artists and styles: leading men (Burton, O’Toole, Brando, Pacino), leading women (Hepburn, Streep),    character actors, scary actors, comic actors, up-and-comers -- as well as the films that contributed to the emergence of those legends, like The Lion in Winter, On the Waterfront, Taxi Driver, and many more.

Dan also asks Matthew about his own approach to acting, how he adapted his natural “Welsh” accent into speaking with an “American” one, and how tough it is to play “seductive” characters.  Also: what he learned about acting from John Candy.

And as always, lots of amazing clips, for context and fun.

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It’s the return of FIRSTS, with a fresh roster of Let’s Talk Ten All-Stars:

Dan Persons, Simone Farber, Moosie Drier, Kathleen Fisher, Danny Peary, Roxanne Kincaid, Laurie Gwen Shapiro, Kerry & Lisa Weeks, Kristen Lopez, Dan Riba, Sarah Schmidt, Andrew Laposha, Lori Cardille, and John Ashton – all here to share some of their first meaningful pop cultural experiences.

With fourteen different stories, it’s an epic event that somehow goes by in a flash -- full of lovely memories, plenty of laughs, more than a few life-changing revelations, and even a little bit of childhood fear and pathos.  It’s intimate, unguarded, genuine storytelling at its very best.

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Since our listeners have been very, very good this year, Let’s Talk Ten is celebrating the season with a wide-ranging, enthusiastic salute to classic RANKIN/BASS holiday specials. Rudolph, Frosty, the Little Drummer Boy, the Miser Brothers – they’re all here, along with the amazing RICK GOLDSCHMIDT, the official historian/biographer for Rankin/Bass Productions, serving as our expert guide.

Rick fondly remembers the genius of Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass; their extraordinary collaborators Romeo Muller, Johnny Marks, Maury Laws, Jack Davis, Paul Coker Jr.; with show business legends like Burl Ives, Mickey Rooney, Fred Astaire, and Billie Mae Richards (a.k.a the voice of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer).  Meanwhile, Dan chimes in with questions like: Why was the Girl Doll on the Island of Misfit Toys, anyway?  And why did Rankin/Bass never do a Hannukah special?

To top it all off, a special seasonal BONUS FEATURE: A musical performance from Kathleen Fisher and Steve Markle that's so delightful, you just might find yourself singing along.  And why not?  It's the holidays.

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Legendary film writer and critic DANNY PEARY’s previous episodes (#40 - #41: Movies I Loved When I Was a Kid) were so enormously popular that host Dan Fisher invited him back to talk about whatever he wanted.

 Here, then, are fascinating stories of Danny’s student years at Wisconsin and USC -- and his memorable encounters with legendary directors and performers: Liv Ullman, Jean-Luc Godard, Robert Altman, Fritz Lang, actress Erica Gavin, director/editor Mark Robson, John Carradine, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Dolly Parton, bluegrass icon Jimmy Martin, and Elliot Gould.

 Whether you’re a film fanatic or just enjoy being in the presence of a master storyteller, you’ll want to sit in on this warm and revealing conversation.

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KRISTEN LOPEZ returns to the show, for a thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining conversation about representation of the physically and mentally disabled in cinema.  As a professional film critic and as a disabled person herself, she brings a perspective that is not only personal but also steeped in her extensive knowledge of film and its history.

 Her new book, “Popcorn Disabilities”, examines how Hollywood has dealt with disabled characters (and the actors who portray them) over the last century, when they’ve been seen at all.  But she also points out where films have gotten it right, and how the power of the medium can continue to be used to enlighten, educate, and entertain in the future.

 In their wide-ranging talk, Kristen and Dan cover everything from silent-era Chaplin and Lon Chaney films; to cult classics like Freaks and Sign of the Ram; to more currently familiar titles like Children of a Lesser God, Forrest Gump, Million Dollar Baby, Scent of a Woman (hoo-ah!), and many more – with insight, sensitivity, and believe it or not, the occasional laugh.

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Award-winning screenwriter LARRY KARASZEWSKI (Ed Wood, The People Vs. O.J.: American Crime Story) and Dan happen to share two mutual passions: movies from the 1970’s, and everything to do with the Oscars.  

 For this episode, they combine these into a historical overview of, arguably, the greatest decade for American cinema, as chronicled by its Academy Award winners and nominees – with plenty of discussion over which films and artists (in their opinions) should really have won or at least have been nominated. (A format “borrowed” from their friend Danny Peary, from his book Alternate Oscars.)

In just ten years, so many stone-cold classics: The Godfather, The Exorcist, Chinatown, Nashville, Jaws, Taxi Driver, Network, Annie Hall, Star Wars, The Deer Hunter, All That Jazz – plus criminally underseen but noteworthy films like Diary of a Mad Housewife, The Heartbreak Kid, and Blue Collar.  Larry and Dan talk about these and many more magnificent films in great detail, with love.

For any self-proclaimed film fanatic, this might be essential listening.  Or at least, with an abundance of amazing clips, it’s nearly as fun as going to the movies.

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For our third annual Halloween celebration, actress Lori Cardille joins the party to talk about her starring role in the cult classic “Day of the Dead”, the legacy of George Romero, and most dear to her heart – memories of her father Bill Cardille, a.k.a. “Chilly Billy Cardille”, host of Pittsburgh’s long-running monster-movie show, “Chiller Theater”.

 There will be shrieks of terror and howls of laughter as Lori and Dan also discuss their all-time favorite horror movies, Lori’s childhood disdain for them, and Dan’s thoughts on those store-bought Halloween costumes that used to come in a box.

With plenty of surprises and vintage clips, this one’s so much fun, it’s scary.

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We’ve all been asked this question at least a few times in our lives: “If you were stranded on a desert island and could bring only one thing – what would you bring?”

 Now -- narrow that selection down to just one movie, one album, or a boxed set of the entire run of a television series.  If that were the case, what would you bring?

 Entertainment journalist/interviewer WILL HARRIS (The A.V. Club, Vulture) and his college-age daughter ALLY are put into this imaginary conundrum, forced to make tough pop-cultural choices in such categories like So-Bad-It’s-Good Movie, TV Comedy or Variety Series, and the complete works of just one Musical Artist or Band. 

 Like the castaways on Gilligan’s Island, these two made the best of their situation, so a fun time was had by all.  Listeners can have fun, too -- by playing along with their own desert island pop-culture picks.

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