Mr. Media Interviews by Bob Andelman

Today's Guest: Dylan Ratigan, MSNBC TV host, "The Dylan Ratigan Show" Order 'Greedy Bastards: How We Can Stop Corporate Communists, Banksters, and Other Vampires from Sucking America Dry' by Dylan Ratigan, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above! I know of at least two things that Dylan Ratigan and I have in common. We both follow Piers Morgan and Howard Stern on Twitter, demonstrating that we share a taste for both the refined and unrefined. And we’re both usually working at 4 p.m. daily, which shows neither of us is quite smart enough to game the system — yet. Oh, wait! Three things! We both probably never want to ride another bus again the rest of our lives. DYLAN RATIGAN audio excerpt: "I ultimately believe that the degree of stress we're experiencing, and all of this nastiness, is an indication of how close we are to solutions. I believe the uncomfortableness that we're all experiencing as a result of the horrors on earth now... are an incredible pressure to compel us to solve a lot of these problems over the next 10 years."  Ratigan, host of the daily MSNBC newshour at 4 p.m. known colloquially as “The Dylan Ratigan Show,” hit the road for three days a month, December through March, in a customized Trailways bus. The "Steel on Wheels" tour – which wraps this week with a three-day energy summit from Wednesday, March 30-Friday, April 1, 2011 in Stillwater, Oklahoma -- focused on four major themes: The Spirit Of America, Innovation, The Building Of Our Nation, and The Future Of America's New Generations. The goal of the tour was to give voice to the average American’s possible solutions to some of this country’s most pressing challenges and issues. Of course, in the midst of the tour, the entire world’s focus skidded out of its lane as a result of civil war in the Middle East and the combination tsunami/earthquake/nuclear plant calamity in Japan. But one thing is for sure, as you’ll hear in this interview: Dylan Ratigan is nowhere near running out of hot topics to discuss. Dylan Ratigan Website • Steel on Wheels site • Twitter • Facebook • YouTube • Radio Free Dylan on iTunes Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Joey Lawrence, actor, "Blossom," "Gimmee A Break," "Dancing with the Stars" Order 'Blossom: Seasons 1 & 2' with Joey Lawrence and Mayim Bialik, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the DVD above!   Edyta Sliwinska and Joey Lawrence compete in ABC's Dancing With The Stars (Photo: ABC: Adam Larkey) You’ve gotta give Joey Lawrence credit. He survived being a child and teen TV star, hanging out with Nell Carter for 77 episodes of “Gimme a Break” and “Blossom”—Mayim Bialik— for 114 weekly shows. After that he spent some time establishing himself as a serious actor, even asking to be known as Joseph Lawrence for a time. But when he took the unlikely plunge as a contestant on the third season of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” Lawrence made his presence felt in the land of grown-ups—he did a three-episode stint on “CSI:NY”—and I suspect its been smooth sailing ever since. Lawrence and Melissa Joan Hart are currently starring in a new movie on ABC Family, “My Fake Fiance.” Joey Lawrence • Twitter • Facebook • Order Blossom on DVD from Amazon.com LISTEN! The Mr. Media interview with Mayim Bialik, star of "Blossom"! The Millionaire's Convenient Arrangementby Jane Peden. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Patti Lupone, Broadway singer, "Evita," actress, "30 Rock" 30 Rock - Season 3 - "Goodbye, My Friend" - Alec Baldwin as Jack and Patti LuPone as Sylvia. Photo by: Jessica Miglio/NBC (March 3, 2009) I could spend the next hour talking about Patti Lupone’s incredible history on the Broadway musical stage. We’d start with her recent run starring in Gypsy, for which she won a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award, and which drew no less than Stephen Sondheim himself on closing night. I’d have to mention Sweeney Todd, of course, and Evita. And that she is currently touring the country with Mandy Patinkin in a two-act concert. But then I couldn’t fit in the real reason for her joining me this morning: Patti Lupone was a special guest on “30 Rock.” PATTI LUPONE AUDIO EXCERPT: "Good writing allows an actor to act well. Bad writing, an actor has to figure out how to look good. You're lucky when you have good writing."  Patti Lupone Website • IBDB • Wikipedia • IMDB • Playbill Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Richard Kramer, TV writer,  "Thirtysomething," "My So-called Life," "Tales of the City," "Once and Again"; novelist, These Things Happen Watch this exclusive Mr. Media interview with writer Richard Kramer, writer for TV's "Thirtysomething," "My So-called Life," "Tales of the City" and "Once and Again" and author of the coming-of-age novel These Things Happen, by clicking on the video player above! Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of current and former teenaged girls who can’t believe that the Claire Danes in “My So-called Life” and the Claire Danes in “Homeland” is playing two completely different characters – wink, wink… in the NEW new media capital of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Order 'These Things Happen' by Richard Kramer, available in print or ebook from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above! “Thirtysomething.” “My So-called Life.” “Tales of the City.” “Once and Again.” I feel confident saying that I have seen the complete runs of two television series with which writer, director and producer Richard Kramer has been associated — “Thirtysomething” and “Once and Again.” RICHARD KRAMER podcast excerpt: "It's a coming-of-age story but it's not about teenagers. And it's a coming out story that is not about gayness." And that I may have never seen a single episode of the other two, “My So-called Life” and “Tales of the City.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that. RICHARD KRAMER: "We can't believe how Claire Danes grew up. We think of her at 14, when she was this little girl who just came in to audition for 'My So-called Life,' having done one TV show, and we went, 'Oh, my God, who is this?' She was completely focused and adult at 14." “Thirtysomething” and “Once and Again” were two shows that spoke to me at times when I matched up with their demographic: young, married, and, um, still married, I guess. (Have I ever been not married? It’s so hard to remember.) As for “My So-called Life,” I was long past high school when it enjoyed its short but spirited run. And I’ve never been gay – happy, sure – so Armistead Maupin’s “Tales of the City” was not a show I was drawn to for any reason. But now that Richard Kramer has added the word “novelist” to his resume, his first book, These Things Happen, has almost incidentally rolled together elements of all four of the aforementioned TV series — straight marriage, remarriage, gay marriage, straight teens, gay teens, and lots of delicious sounding food — into one uniquely organized tale. RICHARD KRAMER: "At the beginning, 'Thirtysomething' was about a moment in your life when you could still drop in on your friends, unannounced. And when you could walk through the door and it was not about anything other than fun. But then as you get on a bit, you have to call ahead. You have to book the time." These Things Happen came out in paperback this week and HBO recently committed to a half-hour comedy pilot based on the book and produced by Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions. Not bad, Richard. Not bad. Richard Kramer Website • Facebook • Twitter • Wikipedia • IMDB • Order These Things Happen from Amazon.com Order 'My So-Called Life: The Complete Series' (+ Book), available from Amazon.com by clicking on the DVD cover above! Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Ryan Barton-Grimley, indie film director, The Truth There are essentially nine speaking parts in Ryan Barton-Grimley’s new indie film, The Truth. And two of those parts are in one scene--a couple of actors playing cops who are virtually superfluous to the story--so let’s say seven. Ryan Barton-Grimley, director of The Truth Order The Truth starring John Heard, available by clicking on the DVD cover above! RYAN BARTON-GRIMLEY podcast excerpt: "John Heard -- talk about a saint! We had somebody else, a very notorious actor, notoriously troublesome, cast in that role. He dropped out two days before filming. John Heard came onto our three-week shoot a week in. He saved the day. He's amazing." This is the kind of movie I think Hollywood could learn from in this age of tight budgets and stories that wind out of control. Barton-Grimley tells a taut, suspenseful tale that really leaves the viewer in fear of what revelation—or truth—is coming next. And even when we know, we still don’t know. I heard about The Truth, which stars John Heard, Daniel Baldwin, Erin Cardillo and Brendan Sexton III, because illegal copies of it are flooding the Internet. It’s obviously been the subject of a lot of buzz and curiosity. Cool, huh? Ryan Barton-Grimley Website • IMDB • Order The Truth from Amazon.com Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Ralphie May, comedian Order 'Ralphie May: Too Big to Ignore,' available by clicking on the DVD above! Comedian Ralphie May Ralphie May is the big man on the comedy campus. You know that if you’ve ever seen him—he’s a heavyset southern guy with soft gentle looking facial features. Then he opens his mouth—and, oh my God! You probably remember Ralphie May best from season one of “Last Comic Standing.” Since then he’s proven himself to be one funny, funny MF-er. Which reminds me – if you’re under 18 or easily offended, tune Mr. Media out for the next 30 minutes ad check out the FlyLady or Dr. Blogstein. This show is strictly for grown-ups. Ralphie May Website • Facebook • Twitter • YouTube • Order Too Big to Ignore Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!   The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Britany Nola, Playboy Magazine's Miss November 2012 Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of red-blooded men with no hesitation to look a pretty, naked girl in the eyes… in the NEW new media capital of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Britany Nola I can’t exactly put my finger on why, but I’ve always had this fascination with naked women. Oh, that’s right – it’s because I’m a guy. Most men like women all different ways: colors, races, heights, weights, you name it. And most of all, we like them in various stages of undress. Look, I’m just being honest, okay? Britany Nola is Playboy's Miss November 2012. Order a subscription to the magazine from Amazon.com by clicking on the cover above! BRITANY NOLA audio excerpt: "You can be a smart woman and a together woman but still be comfortable with your body. Women are made to think that there's something wrong with us. We're so afraid of our bodies. You can show a man getting his sliced off at 8 p.m. 'The Walking Dead' is outrageously violent! But God forbid a nipple is shown; it's the end of the world."  And when it comes to Playboy, I’ve had a relationship with the magazine and its editorial features since I was 13. This show has also hosted its share of Playboy editors and Playmates over the years, so it should be no surprise that I invited Miss November 2012, Britany Nola, to drop by and chat today. As you’ll learn, Britany – whose high school graduating class voted her “Most Likely to Be Famous” – is a Canadian by birth, a huge music fan and even has something in common with Barack Obama. Hmmm…. Britany Nola Blogging at SomethingYouSaid.com • Twitter • Instagram • Tumblr • American Ecstasy film trailer (adult content/NSFW) • Playboy Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!   The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Comedian John Caparulo Comedian John Caparulo   Order Meet Cap by comedian John Caparulo, available right now at a great price by clicking on the DVD cover above! Unfunny times demand the most from those among us with a sense of humor. High unemployment, falling wages, rampant homelessness, political divisions, religious intolerance, wars, natural disasters… horrible, unfunny stuff.But every year I look around and am reminded this is the same stuff we endured last year. The names change, the issues vary, but the only really difference is that I’m a year older and I need a good laugh more than ever.And now I’ve put a ton of pressure on my guest, John Caparulo. But he can handle it. Every night, in venues large and small, he mounts a stage somewhere in America and assumes an offensive stance in the face of sometimes hostile enemy fire—you know, hecklers. JOHN CAPARULO podcast excerpt: "Chelsea Handler is funny whether she is doing her act or not. And she knows who she is. A lot of people try to invent a persona or a character on stage and those are the ones you usually see through. She is who she is on her show or when we go to her Fourth of July BBQ. She's the real deal." Caparulo is a comedian with a rising profile, thanks to regular appearances on E!’s “Chelsea Lately,” “The Tonight Show” and a spot on the Blue Collar Comedy: The Next Generation tour. He’s a funny guy, probably closer to Larry the Cable Guy than Jeff Foxworthy in style — which is not a bad position in this country. John Caparulo Website • Facebook • Twitter • MySpace • YouTube • Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Sam Huntington, actor, "Being Human" Sam Huntington, actor, Being Human on Syfy Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience that includes David Naughton, Michael J. Fox, Jayson Werth and, of course, Werewolf Flanders… in the new new media capitol of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! It’s not fair. If you’ve been watching Syfy’s new series, “Being Human” – Monday nights at 9 p.m. – you know what I’m talking about. Being Human: The Complete First Season. Order your copy now by clicking on the DVD above! The ghost, Sally, is always a ghost. The vampire, Aidan, is always a vampire. But Josh — the third leg of TV’s oddest roommate arrangement since the original season of MTV’s “Real World” —only turns into a werewolf every 30 days or so, on the eve of a full moon. SAM HUNTINGTON audio excerpt: "There's that line in the first episode where Sally says, 'At least I don't masturbate to "Nova."' And that implies that she's watched me masturbate to 'Nova.' That's a little uncomfortable. And who knows what else she's seen."  Meanwhile, he has to listen to “I need to suck some blood, blah, blah, blah” and “I can’t touch anyone, blah, blah, blah” the rest of the month. But Sam Huntington, who plays Josh, makes the role come to life anyway in this extremely well-cast, if sometimes overly gory blood fest that mixes elements of “True Blood,” “Nurse Jackie” and a Saturday morning Scooby-Doo cartoon adventure. Sam Huntington Website • Twitter • Instagram • Wikipedia • IMDB Order Will Eisner: A Spirited Life (2nd Edition) by Bob Andelman, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Mike O'Neil, author, Rock the World with Your Online Presence Order Rock the World with Your Online Presence by Mike O'Neill and Lori Ruff, available from Amazon.com by clicking the book cover above! That’s one of the conceits of an online social networking service: I’m someone you should get to know and, by so doing, you will improve your standing in life, members of the opposite sex will find you more attractive and your food will taste better. I can’t swear that any of that is true, but it is the general idea. Whether you’ve dabbled in Facebook, the gold standard in social media, or MySpace, it’s trailer trash cousin, you’ve probably already discovered some of the advantages to be gained by reconnecting with friends and family or being introduced to new acquaintances. But what about your career? MIKE O'NEIL podcast excerpt: "They don't do a great profile before they get going. They jump in, putting in the minimal amount of information without realizing people are looking at their profile to see how worthy you are of their attention. Frankly, there's a lot of competition for their attention. Your profile says, 'I'm worthy of your time and attention'--or it doesn't." While there are limited opportunities to expand your job horizons and opportunities on Facebook, I can tell you first-hand that the place you really need to be is LinkedIn. I have used LinkedIn for several years and have 1,401 business connections on the network. But my experience pales next to that of Mike O’Neil. He is a LinkedIn rockstar, a LinkedIn superstar, a man with 28,000 connections. That’s enough to rank him 24th worldwide. He is also the author of Rock the World with your Online Presence, a rock ‘n’ roll themed primer to getting the most from your LinkedIn experience. Mike O'Neil Website • LinkedIn • Twitter • Facebook • Order Rock the World with Your Online Presence from Amazon.com Lori Ruff Website • LinkedIn • Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • Google+ Mean Business: How I Save Bad Companies and Make Good Companies Great by Albert J. Dunlap with Bob Andelman. Order your copy now by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!