Mr. Media Interviews by Bob Andelman

2010: Since leaving the print world, Jim Gaines has been in a couple of interesting online media situations. His most recent was as editor of FLYP—yup, with a 'Y' where you’re expecting an 'I'—which he calls a “proof-of-concept experiment in digital storytelling.” You can see it for yourself a www.FlypMedia.com. Shortly, I’ll force him to explain what that means under threat of a lifetime editorial consulting and personal services contract with the New York Post.

2010: I have to share this story; it made me laugh. I don’t know too much about the boy bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s except that they were extremely popular and that, because my son was born in 1996, I missed that entire era of pop. So I went online to school myself on 98 Degrees, in anticipation of today’s guest, singer Jeff Timmons, joining me on the show to talk about his latest work.

2010: There are two sure things we can do to make ends meet today: 1) Take any job that provides at least some income to pay the bills; and 2) Cut back on expenses. This is where “Good Morning America” consumer reporter Elisabeth Leamy can help. In addition to her regular reports on the ABC morning show, Elisabeth just published a new book called Save Big! It’s packed with an array of clever ideas to save a lot of money in this time of need.

2010: Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee didn’t just co-author the new book Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid, they actually live together as a couple. My experience, many years removed, is that working on a book with my spouse, a gifted editor, wa s that to continue doing so would generate the title, “Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid… Couple is Divorced.” But I digress.

2010: Joining me to talk about the film "Bring It On: Fight to the Finish" is one of its stars, Christina Milian. If you have kids, they probably will remember her as Tina from Disney Channel's "Movie Surfers."

2009: One of the most daring challenges in writing novels for young adults is transferring the four-color escapades of superheroes to narrative form and still retaining the boldness ad glory of the comic book medium—while adding meat to the bones of the structure. I think Thomas E. Sniegoski (website) accomplished that—and more—with his new novel "Legacy," detailing the generational handover of the “Raptor” crown. "Legacy" is a rip-snorting good roll in the costumed character hay.

2008: My first book, "Stadium For Rent," features dozens of editorial cartoons drawn by future Pulitzer Prize winning artist Clay Bennett. Back then, Bennett was poking fun at local issues and political figures for the St. Petersburg Times. His style is sneaky—clean lines and bold images let him club you over the head with his message while you’re still chuckling. Bennett left the Times for Christian Science Monitor, where he ultimately won his Pulitzer. Today, he’s with the Chattanooga Times Free Pre

2011: I have made it a policy to almost never comment on a woman’s shape, figure or apparent weight loss or – God forbid – weight gain. It’s a no-win situation. But for two reasons, I’m going to make an exception to that policy today in my interview with Amy Parham. First it’s because she’s written a new book called 10 Lessons from a Former Fat Girl: Living with Less of You and More of Life. I figure she opened the door there.

2010: Can I be honest with you? The whole “Real Housewives” phenomenon slipped right past me. Oh, I don’t think they missed me; a middle-aged, bald-headed stooge is probably not their key demographic. I can think of plenty of Real Housewives of St. Petersburg! But I digress. Kelly Bensimon is a beautiful woman, one who can give the usual girls of Playboy a run for their money in my book, any day.

2010: Valentine Roncalli is 35 and feeling every bit of her years. While her friends and siblings all have families of their own, she lives in her 80-year-old grandmother’s home, amongst all of her grandmother’s trinkets and memories, Valentine wants a man. Gianluca is that man. The suave Italian lights her up like a Roman candle. That’s the issue novelist Adriana Trigiani confronts in her second Valentine story, "Brava, Valentine."