Janet Varney is an Emmy-Nominated actor, comedian, writer and producer. In the animation world, she is lucky enough to be the award-winning voice of Korra on Nickelodeon’s critically-acclaimed standout hit “The Legend of Korra,” a role for which she continues to be invited to comic cons to give sweaty handshakes the world over. She can also be seen as the entitled and bitchy Becca on FX’s (via hulu) “You’re the Worst” (named as one of the last decade’s best comedies), and fighting dark forces alongside John C. McGinley as Evie Barrett on IFC’s (via hulu) “Stan Against Evil.”

Her own podcast on the Max Fun network, The JV Club with Janet Varney, has been going since 2012 and features almost 400 interviews with celebrities about their awkward teenage years. She co-programs comedy for Outside Lands music festival and is co-founder/creative director/producer of one of the largest and most acclaimed comedy festivals in North America, SF Sketchfest: the San Francisco Comedy Festival, now in its 20th year. http://janetvarney.com/

Episode co-hosts: FRANCES LUKE ACCORD

When Nicholas Gunty and Brian Powers put their songs and their voices together, there is a delicate magic that commands the room to attention. The duo is known as Frances Luke Accord, and they are what NPR's Mountain Stage calls “the definition of lean-in music.” Their soft, contemplative vintage of indie-folk gestures toward a timelessness that honors the Simon & Garfunkel comparisons but pushes beyond into the world of Bon Iver, Jose Gonzalez, and progressive folk music.

 Both raised in South Bend, IN, Gunty and Powers met and began performing together during their time at the University of Notre Dame.

Their first release, 'Kandote', was an intercultural collaboration with the Barefoot Truth Children’s Choir in Uganda, a not-for-profit effort which provides ongoing support to the choir to this day. Relocating to Chicago in 2013, the duo honed their songwriting craft while releasing two more self-produced EPs, laying the groundwork for their breakthrough debut LP, 'Fluke'. This immersive, philosophically rich album set them off on their first national tour, which included support dates with Anais Mitchell, Darlingside, and The Ballroom Thieves.
 The duo's 2021 release, the Sunnyside EP, offers a glimpse into the larger body of work Frances Luke Accord have been developing over the course of the pandemic. More to come soon. https://franceslukeaccord.com/

LYRICS to Afterlife:

As long as you’re by my side

Some bonds don't break

We all need shape

As long as you’re by my side

Dr. Tirch is the Founder of The Center for Compassion Focused Therapy, the first clinical training center for Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) in the United States. Dr. Tirch has been described as one of the country’s foremost leaders in compassion training and evidence-based therapy. He is an internationally acknowledged expert therapist, supervisor and trainer in CFT, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Buddhist Psychology (BP).

Dr. Tirch is an author of 6 books, and numerous chapters and peer-reviewed articles on mindfulness, acceptance and compassion in psychotherapy. His books include the new Guilford Publications release, Experiencing ACT from the Inside Out, a self-practice/self-reflection workbook for therapists, and The Compassionate Mind Guide To Overcoming Anxiety, the first evidence-based self-help book to apply the science of compassion to the treatment of anxiety. With Dr. Laura Silberstein-Tirch and others, Dr. Tirch is currently developing a research protocol involving behavioral science and CFT for treating anxiety, worry and fear-based difficulties through compassionate courage cultivation.

This is a special one-off episode where I’ve invited revolutionary singing teachers Lisa Paglin and Marianna Brilla back on the show (listen to Episode 58 first), to give advice to singers with vocal problems.

Thank you to these talented artists who volunteered to have their vocal issues discussed on the show that more singers, suffering with the same problems, can listen and learn:

Tiz McNamara https://tizmcnamaramusic.com/ is an Irish singer-songwriter based in Toronto, Canada. McNamara’s independent releases have racked up more than 15 million streams on Spotify. His songs have featured on UK TV shows Hollyoaks and Emmerdale and have gained support from some of the industry’s heavyweights, including BBC Radio 2, CBC and Amazing Radio. He’s toured with BRITS Critics Choice winner James Bay, and was asked to sing alongside one of his musical heroes, Sir. Paul McCartney, as well as Robbie Williams and Shane McGowan under the The Justice Collective name. Tiz’s latest offering ‘Miami Night Sky EP’ was signed to New York-based label, AntiFragile Music and has been receiving rave reviews.

Stephen Scaccia  is an award-winning 29 year old vocalist from Burnaby, British Columbia. He has performed for several fundraisers, Pride events and charities around the Lower Mainland, and was voted "Favourite Local Musician" alongside Michael Buble in the 2017 "Best of Burnaby" awards. Stephen has two pop EP releases under his belt, along with over 140,000 subscribers on YouTube. Stephen has gone on to perform with Michael Buble, and has received reactions and shout outs from Mariah Carey on YouTube. https://www.stephenscaccia.com/

Nikita Afonso has made it her mission to create songs that provoke human emotion. She has taken her love of country music and made it her own, incorporating modern components and inspirations from her favourite artists, Lennon Stella and Sasha Sloan, to name a few. Like the world, Nikitas's artistry is continuously evolving, and yet, she maintains the quintessential elements of classic songwriting, moving listeners and putting music to emotions we have all felt and know. https://nikitaafonso.com

Elisabeth Kontomanou https://www.facebook.com/waitinforspring/ was born in Sète (France) in 1961. She moved to New York in the 1990s and then on to Stockholm where she was based when she recorded Back to My Groove. This album includes covers of songs which she sings in English. Kontomanou has worked with Michel Legrand, Mike Stern, John Scofield, Alain Jean-Marie, Jean-Michel Pilc, Daryl Hall, Franck Amsallem, Toots Thielemans, Richard Bona, Stéphane Belmondo, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Leon Parker, and Geri Allen.

Plus Courtney Hunt https://www.facebook.com/CourtneyHuntMusic who has been a professional singer since 2018 as frontwoman of Canadian event band Appaloosa and on the roster of other international corporate bands. She began a solo career in 2020.

Contact Lisa Paglin and Marianna Brilla via their website https://www.newvoicestudio-brilla-paglin.com/ or email [email protected]

A commentary on the last 12 songs created for the Podsongs project, with musicians Jack Stafford, Maurizio Sarnicola, Massimino Voza and Luigi Falcione. Go behind the scenes with the band to hear how they made the songs inspired by the interviews.

Catherine Rampell is an opinion columnist at The Washington Post. She frequently covers economics, public policy, immigration and politics, with a special emphasis on data-driven journalism. She is also an economic and political commentator for CNN, a special correspondent for the PBS NewsHour and a contributor to Marketplace. Before joining The Post, she wrote about economics and theater for the New York Times. Rampell has received the Weidenbaum Center Award for Evidence-Based Journalism and is a Gerald Loeb Award finalist. She grew up in Florida and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton University. 

Lyrics to "A Land That Loves Me":

I want to live in a land

Australian environmental designer, ecological educator and writer. He is best known as one of the co-originators of the permaculture concept with Bill Mollison. His latest project is RetroSuburbia is part manual and part manifesto. The book shows how Australian suburbs can be transformed to become productive and resilient in an energy descent future. It focuses on what can be done by an individual at the household level (rather than community or government levels).

RetroSuburbia is a source of inspiration, introducing concepts and outlining patterns and practical solutions. It empowers people to make positive changes in their lives. As with David’s previous work, it is thought-provoking and provocative. If you are already on the path of downshifting and living simply, exploring RetroSuburbia will be a confirmation and celebration that you are on the right track and guide you on the next steps forward. If you are just beginning this journey, it provides a guide to the diversity of options and helps work out priorities for action.  For people concerned about making ends meet in more challenging times, RetroSuburbia provides a new lens for creatively sidestepping the obstacles.

The book outlines options available to retrofitters in three ‘fields’ – the Built, Biological and Behavioural – along with speculation on the future and philosophical musings. Throughout the book, examples from David’s ‘Aussie St’ story and real life case studies support and enhance the main content. RetroSuburbia can be read as a whole, cover to cover, or can be dipped into according to your interests.

LYRICS to the song Retrosuburbia:

Dr. Michael Lennox obtained his Masters and Doctorate in Psychology from The Chicago School and his Doctoral Dissertation, Astrology, and Personality, is published by Lambert Academic Publishing. Dr. Lennox is also the author of two books on dreams, Dream Sight: A Dictionary & Guide for Interpreting Any Dream and Llewellyn's Complete Dream Dictionary. Dr. Lennox leads workshops and retreats all over the United States and conducts a worldwide private practice based in Southern California.

Highly sought-after media expert, Dr. Lennox has been seen internationally on many television shows, beginning with the Sci-Fi Network's The Dream Team and has also been featured on numerous network and cable television venues including NBC's Emmy award-winning Starting Over, Soap Talk, The Wayne Brady show and many others. His radio appearances talking about the power of dreams number in the hundreds.

This episode is a re-release and was originally published on November 30th 2020,

Listen to the song I wrote after being inspired by my conversation with Michael called 'Brighter' 

BRIGHTER

You've told him of a childhood 

Tales of misfortune 

But the best plays are the tragedies 

(It's only gonna get) Darker 

Mercury's in retro 

Neptune's in alignment 

La la la la la la

Your scars clearly show 

If every experience 

BRIDGE 

And when you moan and when you curse 

(It's only gonna get) Darker 

Mercury's in retro 

Neptune's in alignment 

La la la la la la

Get over what your parents said 

You'll get happiness you'll get health 

And it'll get brighter 

The crazier the world becomes 

Your world will get brighter 

Rosamund Kissi-Debrah is a grassroots campaigner in London, UK raising awareness of asthma and the health problems that can be caused by air pollution. Kissi-Debrah's campaign for clean air followed the death of her 9 year old daughter, Ella Roberta, in 2013 who had experienced a series of severe asthma attacks over several years. A 2014 inquest focused only on Ella's medical care, prompting Kissi-Debrah to campaign for air pollution to be included on her child's death certificate, after learning about its possible adverse effects on health. Her campaign has led to a second inquest in 2020, where evidence about air pollution was considered, with a ruling in December 2020 that pollution from the South Circular Road, London was a contributing factor to Ella Roberta's death.

Listen to the song: https://ffm.to/ellakissidebrah

Lyrics to the song:

THE BALLAD OF ELLA KISSI-DEBRAH

Reading in the papers 

But numbers they don't speak 

What can change?

So that - Ella Kissi-Debrah 

Ella Kissi-Debrah 

Ella Kissi-Debrah 

To pluck and play your heart strings 

So that - Ella Kissi-Debrah 

Ella Kissi-Debrah 

Dr. Robert Svoboda is the first Westerner ever to graduate from a college of Ayurveda and be licensed to practice Ayurveda in India. During and after his formal Ayurvedic training he was tutored in Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Tantra and other forms of classical Indian lore by his mentor, the Aghori Vimalananda. He is the author of twelve books including Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution and the Aghora series, which discusses his experiences with his mentor during the years 1975 – 1983. (Information on all of his books can be found here) Dr. Svoboda was born in Texas in 1953, and in 1972 earned a B.S. from the University of Oklahoma in Chemistry with a minor in French. After being ritually initiated into the Pokot tribe of northern Kenya as its first white member in June 1973 he moved to India, where he lived from 1973-80 and 1982-86, receiving his Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (Ayurvedacharya) from the University of Poona in 1980. In his final year of study at the Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya he won all but one of the University of Poona’s awards for academic excellence in Ayurveda, including the Ram Narayan Sharma Gold Medal.

Lyrics to Vikruti:

Chad Nelsen is the head of The Surfrider Foundation, a grassroots environmental organization dedicated to protecting oceans and beaches. Its major programmatic work is carried out by sixty local chapters around America. They've more than forty thousand members, as well as affiliates in Europe, Brazil, Australia, and Japan. Its membership is made up of surfers, swimmers, divers, bodyboarders, kayakers, and beach enthusiasts who have learned to be effective advocates for the ocean environment they value. 

At any given time, the Surfrider Foundation is tackling more than 100 campaigns across the country. The Surfrider network works to protect clean water, healthy beaches, ocean protection, coastal preservation and beach access for all people.

LYRICS:

Out there in middle of each ocean

Perfectly in the plastic sea

Forever in the sea

Forever in the sea