Nick Egan Times | Universal Media Network

Larry Namer joins the Nick Egan Times for an extraordinary conversation spanning more than five decades in Hollywood, television, cable, entertainment and international media.

Larry Namer is the co-founder of E! Entertainment Television, a pioneering media entrepreneur and one of the key figures in the evolution of celebrity and entertainment television. In this wide-ranging interview, Larry takes us back to his beginnings growing up in Brooklyn, New York, his family’s immigrant story, his first job as an underground cable splicer, and the remarkable journey that eventually led him to Los Angeles and the creation of E!

Larry reveals how he and his partner Alan Mruvka built E! from the ground up with just $2.5 million, 11 employees and 31 interns from Texas, transforming an unconventional idea into a global entertainment media brand.

He talks about the origins of the original “trailer channel,” how E! changed the way celebrity and Hollywood were covered, the extraordinary story behind Talk Soup, and even how the early E! team ended up climbing over a fence after being rejected for Academy Awards credentials.

Larry also opens up about his extensive international media career in Russia and China, including launching media ventures, producing television, the challenges of working in very different media environments, and his experience creating a successful comedy series in China.

The conversation then turns to the future of entertainment.

Larry shares his views on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Hollywood, the creator economy, the changing relationship between brands and audiences, vertical drama, microdramas and mobile entertainment. He explains why he believes audiences—not traditional media gatekeepers—are increasingly determining what gets produced and how it gets consumed.

Larry also discusses his prediction that vertical video could become the predominant way people consume visual media by 2030, and how AI could allow content created vertically for phones to eventually be adapted for traditional television screens.

Beyond business and media, Larry talks about entrepreneurship, motivation, humility, the best advice he’s ever received, his legacy, and what he would change if he were 18 again.

His advice to young entrepreneurs is particularly memorable: find something you’re genuinely good at, work relentlessly to become great at it, and build the financial freedom to pursue your other passions.

From Brooklyn and underground cable systems to E! Entertainment, Hollywood, international media, Russia, China, AI, vertical drama and the future of television, this is a fascinating conversation with a true media pioneer.

Larry Namer — E! Entertainment Co-Founder & Media Icon — joins the Nick Egan Times.

David Webster joins the Nick Egan Times for an in depth conversation about his journey as a Canadian actor, writer and musician, his latest Netflix film Unabomber, playing Roy, his experiences working alongside Russell Crowe, Shailene Woodley & Jacob Tremblay, and his ambitions to build a lasting creative career both in front of and behind the camera.

David discusses growing up in Sudbury, Ontario, how a local theatre production ultimately led him toward acting, and the early experiences that helped launch his professional career. He reflects on his work across film and television, including The Way Home, Luckiest Girl Alive, Ginny & Georgia, The Boys, Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie and Julian and the Wind, which was named to Canada’s Top Ten films in 2024.

David also discusses his role as Roy in the Netflix film UNABOMBER, a fictional Harvard classmate of Ted Kaczynski, and what it was like working alongside Jacob Tremblay and the wider cast and production team. He shares his perspective on portraying a character who provides an important contrast to Ted, his experience on set, and what he learned from working on such a significant production.

Beyond acting, David opens up about his passion for writing, filmmaking and music. He discusses creating his own projects from the ground up, writing since his teenage years, working on a feature film, developing ambitious screenwriting projects, teaching himself multiple instruments and working toward his first album.

David also shares the reality of being a professional actor, including the emotional demands of performing, the unpredictability of the industry and the importance of continually putting yourself in a position to create opportunities. He reflects on the advice that has stayed with him throughout his career: being “in the right place all the time” so that when the right opportunity arrives, you are there.

The conversation explores creativity, perseverance, collaboration, authenticity, career decisions, spontaneous experiences, dream collaborations and the kind of legacy David hopes to build over the next 20 years.

With ambitions spanning acting, writing, directing and music, David Webster represents a new generation of multi-disciplinary creatives determined not simply to be part of projects, but to eventually create work of their own that lasts.

David Webster joins The Nick Egan Times for a thoughtful conversation about acting, creativity, ambition, perseverance and building a body of work that can stand the test of time.

Gus Frerotte joins the Nick Egan Times, former NFL quarterback and veteran of a remarkable 15-year professional football career.

Gus takes us through his journey from a small town in Pennsylvania to the NFL, including his time at the University of Tulsa, being selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft, and playing for Washington, Denver, Detroit, Cincinnati, Miami, Minnesota and the St. Louis Rams.

He reflects on the challenges he faced along the way, including playing through injury as a young athlete and overcoming a serious neck injury that threatened his football future.

Gus also shares the incredible story behind one of the most memorable plays of his career — his 99-yard touchdown pass for the Minnesota Vikings against the Chicago Bears, a play that began deep inside his own end zone.

He discusses life in the NFL, how the game has evolved, player safety, the importance of listening to those around you, and lessons he learned about money, discipline and life after spending 15 seasons at the highest level of professional football.

Gus also discusses the international growth of American football, including the potential for the NFL to continue expanding globally and specifically the opportunities he sees in countries such as Australia. He talks about his work developing youth coaching through his First and Ten program, the importance of qualified coaches, and the potential to discover talented athletes from around the world.

He also talks about life after the NFL and his work with Huddle Up with Gus, continuing to share stories, experiences and lessons from the world of professional football.

A fascinating conversation covering the NFL, professional sport, perseverance, leadership, player safety, international football, NFL Australia, career longevity, life after professional sport and what it takes to compete at the highest level.

The Nick Egan Times is a global interview platform featuring internationally recognised voices across music, film, sport, entertainment, fashion, business and culture. Established in 2021, the show has built an ever-growing archive of timeless interviews available to audiences around the world across major podcast and streaming platforms.

Justin Casse joins the Nick Egan Times, a highly respected thoroughbred bloodstock agent and founder of Casse Sales.

Justin has built an international career helping owners and investors identify, acquire and develop elite thoroughbred racehorses, with experience spanning the United States and major racing and bloodstock markets around the world.

Coming from a renowned family with generations of experience in the thoroughbred industry, Justin grew up around some of the world’s most important racing destinations, including Lexington, Louisville, Saratoga Springs and Ocala, while travelling internationally through his family’s involvement in the sport.

Justin shares his journey into the bloodstock business, the lessons his father taught him about business, money, risk and responsibility, and what it takes to operate in an industry where enormous investments can depend on judgement, experience and instinct.

One of the defining achievements of Justin’s career was identifying War Of Will at a sale in Deauville, France, where he purchased the horse for €250,000 on behalf of client Gary Barber. War Of Will went on to win the 2019 Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown. Justin discusses the story behind finding the horse, what he saw in him, and why that victory remains one of the defining moments of his career.

Justin also discusses working with high-profile and ultra-high-net-worth owners, travelling approximately 24 weeks a year, buying and selling horses across international markets, managing expectations, the unpredictable nature of racing, and why failure can be one of the greatest teachers in the business.

He explains why he believes intuition and experience play such an important role in evaluating horses, revealing that his gut instinct can account for approximately 75% of his decision-making - While emphasizing that what people call instinct is often years of accumulated experience, mistakes and knowledge processed in an instant.

Justin also opens up about confidence, trusting yourself, learning from failure, the importance of having your own skin in the game, and the advice he would give anyone looking to build a career in the racing industry.

A fascinating conversation exploring thoroughbred racing, bloodstock, business, investment, risk, elite ownership, international travel, intuition, perseverance and what it takes to recognize greatness before everyone else.

Lumidee joins the Nick Egan Times for an honest and revealing conversation about her incredible journey from Spanish Harlem to international music stardom.

Best known for her worldwide smash “Never Leave You (Uh Oooh Uh Oooh),” Lumidee takes us behind the story of how the record came together, how it exploded organically through New York clubs and radio, and how that unexpected success ultimately led to a record deal with Universal.

Lumidee opens up about growing up in Spanish Harlem, discovering her passion for songwriting, entering the music industry at a young age, and learning some of the hardest lessons of her career.

She also reflects on “Dance,” her connection to the FIFA World Cup in Germany, “She’s Like the Wind” with Tony Sunshine, and working with major artists including Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Fabolous, Shaggy, Pitbull, Styles P and Wyclef Jean.

In this wide-ranging interview, Lumidee discusses:

• The incredible story behind “Never Leave You (Uh Oooh Uh Oooh)”
• How a remix became an international phenomenon
• Growing up in Spanish Harlem
• Her Puerto Rican heritage and staying true to herself
• Working with some of hip-hop and music’s biggest names
• Her experience with “Dance” and the FIFA World Cup
• The story behind “She’s Like the Wind”
• Her musical influences, including Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott, Madonna, Bon Jovi and Pat Benatar
• Performing around the world and building confidence on stage
• Her unforgettable experience performing in Lebanon
• Her love of Dubai and international travel
• Overcoming adversity and turning difficult experiences into creativity
• Authenticity, longevity and staying true to yourself
• The changing music industry and the impact of social media
• Her evolution as an artist, songwriter and creator
• Her vision for the future beyond music

This is Lumidee beyond the hit record — her story, her struggles, her evolution and the experiences that shaped her remarkable career.

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Rich Magallanes joins the Nick Egan Times for an extraordinary conversation about Hollywood, Nickelodeon, animation, creativity, perseverance and the future of children’s entertainment.

Named one of The Hollywood Reporter’s Top 50 Players in Kids Entertainment, Rich Magallanes has spent more than 25 years helping create, develop and produce some of the most beloved animated television shows and characters of a generation.

Rich served as Senior Vice President of Animation and Current Series at Nickelodeon, overseeing major animated productions, and has also worked with major entertainment companies including Mattel, Saban Brands and Funrise. Along the way, Rich has been involved with iconic franchises including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom, Invader ZIM and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

In this revealing interview, Rich takes us behind the scenes of Nickelodeon and explains what it was really like working alongside SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg, witnessing SpongeBob emerge from development and learning the importance of protecting the integrity of a character and a creative vision.

Rich also opens up about the enormous challenge of rebooting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a global franchise with millions of passionate fans. What began as a project he wasn’t sure he wanted to take on ultimately became one of the most beloved projects of his career, leading to a close friendship with TMNT creator Kevin Eastman and experiences travelling the world promoting the franchise.

He then reveals what it was like returning to Nickelodeon to help reinvent another iconic global franchise, Dora the Explorer. As executive producer and showrunner of the new Dora series, Rich discovered that behind the apparent simplicity of Dora was an incredibly complex production involving preschool education, language, music, rhythm, pacing and storytelling.

But Rich’s Hollywood success is only part of the story.

The youngest of five brothers, Rich grew up through family upheaval, welfare, government assistance and constant moves before putting himself through college and finding his way into journalism, production and ultimately animation. His story is one of determination, taking risks and repeatedly creating opportunities when there didn’t appear to be a clear path forward.

Rich shares the incredible story of how he went from working in a radio station mailroom to getting himself into the newsroom — by literally placing his journalism degree in the general manager’s mail. That single act of taking a chance helped change the direction of his career.

We also dive deep into the future of animation and the impact of artificial intelligence. Rich discusses how AI is already changing animation, writing, artwork, music and voice acting, why creators are understandably nervous about the technology, and why he believes AI should ultimately be viewed as a tool rather than a replacement for human creativity.

Rich talks about his passion for the creative process, including writing, character design, voice acting, music, editing and even the sound effects that bring animated worlds to life. He explains just how much time, money, artistry and human effort goes into producing even a small amount of animation — something audiences rarely see behind the finished product.

Looking ahead, Rich reveals his vision for Animated You, a new initiative designed to bring creators together, share experiences and encourage the next generation of animation talent. He explains why, despite all the uncertainty surrounding AI and the entertainment industry, creators still have ideas, stories and visions they want to bring to life.

This is a conversation about Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, animation, Hollywood, AI, creativity, leadership, taking risks, overcoming adversity and what it really takes to build a career in entertainment.

Rich Magallanes on the Nick Egan Times.

Art Bell joins the Nick Egan Times for an in-depth conversation about his extraordinary career in television, entrepreneurship and comedy, including the incredible story behind creating The Comedy Channel, which ultimately evolved into Comedy Central.

In this fascinating interview, Art shares the behind-the-scenes journey of taking an idea from concept to one of the world’s most influential comedy television brands. He discusses working at HBO during one of the most transformative periods in television history, pitching the original comedy network, overcoming early criticism, building a 24-hour comedy channel from the ground up, and the perseverance it took to turn an ambitious vision into a lasting success.

Art also reflects on working alongside legendary entertainment executives, the early careers of Jon Stewart and Al Franken, the arrival of Mystery Science Theater 3000, the impact of South Park on Comedy Central’s success, and why comedians and creators finally had a television home dedicated entirely to comedy.

Beyond television, Art opens up about leadership, resilience, innovation, entrepreneurship, being unexpectedly fired after helping build a successful network, the lessons he learned throughout his remarkable career, and the inspiration behind his bestselling memoir Constant Comedy: How I Started Comedy Central and Lost My Sense of Humor and his debut thriller What She’s Hiding.

This episode is filled with inspiring stories, career advice, entertainment history and invaluable insights for entrepreneurs, television professionals, media enthusiasts, comedy fans, business leaders, creators and anyone determined to turn a bold idea into reality.

Brett Hellings, frontman of rock supergroup Hellings, joins the Nick Egan Times for an in-depth conversation about the next chapter of his career, the success of his latest single “Chance on Love,” and the exciting future of the band. Produced by Richard Fortus (Guns N’ Roses) and featuring legendary musicians Darryl Jones (The Rolling Stones), Charley Drayton (Bob Dylan), and Carey Frank (Bruce Springsteen), “Chance on Love” marks another major milestone in Brett’s musical journey and the evolution of Hellings.

Brett shares the inspiration behind the heartfelt new single, how the song came together in the studio, collaborating with world-class musicians whose careers span some of the biggest names in rock history, and what it was like recording alongside artists connected to Guns N’ Roses, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen. He also discusses the creative process behind the upcoming six-song EP, writing new material, filming the music video in New York City, and why this new era of Hellings is his most authentic yet.

The conversation explores Brett’s remarkable career progression, from performing at iconic venues including the Whisky a Go Go, The Viper Room, and The Roxy, to achieving a lifelong dream of headlining the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles. He also talks about his ambitions to tour internationally, the challenges independent artists face when building a global audience, and why the United Kingdom and Ireland are high on his list of destinations.

Beyond the music, Brett opens up about fatherhood, maintaining balance between family life and a career in rock, staying healthy on and off the road, developing patience, and how becoming a parent has influenced both his songwriting and perspective on life. He reflects on the lessons he’s learned throughout more than two decades in the music industry, why authenticity has become the cornerstone of his career, and what legacy he hopes to leave behind.

Brett also shares his thoughts on the changing landscape of rock music, the rise of artificial intelligence in the creative industries, why protecting human creativity is more important than ever, and how timeless songwriting continues to define great artists. It’s an inspiring discussion about perseverance, passion, creativity, and staying true to yourself in an ever-changing music industry.

Cheri Dennis joins Nick Egan Times to discuss her latest single, Garden of Eden, the inspiration behind the music, and her remarkable journey as one of R&B’s most distinctive singers and songwriters.

Best known for her career with Bad Boy Records and acclaimed songs including I Love You, Portrait of Love, and Ooh La La, Cheri shares how she was discovered and signed by P. Diddy after singing at Kim Porter’s birthday party. She reflects on her years at Bad Boy Records, working alongside some of the biggest names in R&B and hip-hop, the story behind her breakthrough records, and the lessons she has learned throughout decades in the music industry.

In this conversation, Cheri discusses the meaning behind Garden of Eden, the story behind I Love You, her experiences at Bad Boy Records, songwriting, creativity, family, motherhood, personal growth, perseverance, the realities of the music business, and the importance of remaining authentic while continuing to evolve as both an artist and a person.

This episode explores R&B, Bad Boy Records, P. Diddy, Sean Combs, Kim Porter, Garden of Eden, I Love You, songwriting, creativity, the music industry, recording artists, artistic growth, family, resilience, legacy, and the next chapter in Cheri Dennis’ inspiring career.

David Zucker joins Nick Egan Times to discuss his extraordinary career as one of Hollywood’s most influential comedy filmmakers, the creative journey behind some of the most iconic spoof films ever made, and the timeless principles of great comedy.

Best known as the co-creator, writer, director and producer of classics including Airplane!, The Naked Gun trilogy, BASEketball, and Scary Movie 3 , 4 & 5 David has spent decades shaping modern comedy while inspiring generations of filmmakers and writers with his distinctive style of storytelling.

In this conversation, David reflects on his remarkable journey from operating a small sketch comedy theatre in Wisconsin to becoming one of the most successful comedy directors in Hollywood. He shares insights into the creative process behind his legendary films, the evolution of comedy over the decades, working with unforgettable performers, and why originality remains the key to creating timeless entertainment.

David also discusses his acclaimed books, Surely You Can’t Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! and Before the Invention of Smiling, along with his exciting new educational platform, MasterCrash, where he teaches aspiring filmmakers the art of spoof comedy through the techniques that helped redefine an entire genre.

This episode explores filmmaking, comedy, Hollywood, creativity, storytelling, directing, screenwriting, leadership, and the enduring legacy of one of cinema’s most celebrated comedy pioneers.