Pop Culture Tonight with Patrick Phillips

Called “one of summer TV’s bright spots” by People last summer, “The Jim Gaffigan Show” returns for its second season on Father’s Day – Sunday, June 19th at 10pm ET/PT with two back-to-back episodes.

Jim and Jeannie Gaffigan co-wrote all the episodes in season two.

With the energy of a teenager, the wisdom of a sage, and the memory of a super hero, Marilu Henner has deservedly earned the nickname “Perpetual Motion.” Along with starring in over thirty films, six Broadway shows, and two hit classic sitcoms, “Taxi” and “Evening Shade,” this five time Golden GlobeTM Nominee is also a New York Times Best Selling author of nine books on health, lifestyle, parenting, and memory.

As one of only twelve people documented with HSAM (Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory), Henner was featured on “60 Minutes” and continues to be part of brain, memory, and Alzheimer’s research. For three years she has served as a consultant on the CBS show “Unforgettable,” whose main character has HSAM. Recently, audiences have seen Henner as a reoccurring character on Fox’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” on “The Crazy Ones” (as Robin William’s ex-wife and Sarah Michelle Gellar’s mom), “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice,” and on CBS’ “Two and a Half Men” (as Ashton Kutcher’s love interest!). Marilu has appeared before Congress seven times (Women’s Cardiovascular Disease, Food Supplements, Dietary Guidelines (2004 and 2014), Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act 2010, etc.) and she frequently lectures throughout the country as a keynote speaker.

Her brain health, focus and memory supplement SPARK by Ascenta Health can be found all over the United States and Canada. In addition to hosting her own daily radio show The Marilu Henner Show for Sun Broadcast Group, Marilu can also be seen touring the country in her one woman show, A Memorable Evening with Marilu Henner.

She stars alongside Candace Cameron-Bure in Hallmark’s “Aurora Teagarden: Three Bedrooms One Corpse.” Marilu is married to Michael Brown, CEO of Browntrout Publishers, and is the busy mother of two college boys, Nick and Joey.

Audiences worldwide have been captivated by the unique musical stylings of EMMY and GRAMMY nominated composer, Mac Quayle.  Mac’s music was most recently heard in FX’s record-breaking “The People v. O.J. Simpson,” starring John Travolta and Sarah Paulson, which was celebrated by critics and audiences alike.  Mac received his first EMMY nomination for FX’s hit series, “American Horror Story: Freak Show,” starring Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett.  Quayle has written music for over 40 films and television shows, and has accumulated a long list of credits as a music producer, dance re-mixer and multi-instrumentalist.  As a composer, Mac’s haunting music provided the signature sound for “American Horror Story: Hotel,” starring Lady Gaga and Matt Bomer, as well as Fox’s “Scream Queens,” starring Emma Roberts and Jamie Lee Curtis.  Mac also scored the music to USA Network’s Golden Globe winning suspense-thriller “Mr. Robot,” starring Christian Slater and Rami Malek.

Adam Frank describes himself as an “evangelist of science.” His commitment to showing others the beauty and power of science has led him to a second career as a popular writer and speaker on the subject.

He is the co-founder of National Public Radio’s 13.7: Cosmos and Culture blog as well as a regular on-air commentator for All Things Considered. He also contributes occasionally to The New York Times. Adam is the author of two books. The first, The Constant Fire: Beyond the Religion and Science Debate, focuses on perspectives on science and human spirituality that went beyond the usual creationism vs. Richard Dawkins debate. About Time: Cosmology and Culture at the Twilight of the Big Bang explores the links between changing conceptions of cosmology and the human experience of time. He is also the author of a textbook Astronomy: At Play in the Cosmos. You can also sign up for his free Coursera course “Confronting The Big Questions: Highlights of Modern Astronomy“.

Actor Walter Koenig Talks 50 Years Of Star Trek

“Monumental in terms of television and film history.”

Join Patrick Phillips Thursday, May 19th as he warps into the ‘final frontier’ for a special one-on-one interview with Star Trek’s very own Walter Koenig, known for his role as Pavel Chekov on the classic television series.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Gene Roddenberry’s legendary creation and in this exclusive radio interview, Koenig recalls his audition, fondest memories working on the series, downplays rumors of a possible “Chekov” retirement, and discusses whether or not he might return in some form on the new CBS All Access Star Trek series premiering in 2017.

Walter stars in “Unbelievable: The Movie“, a Sci-Fi parody adventure written and directed by Steven L. Fawcette, set to premiere this fall, starring 40 actors from all generations of Star Trek!

Join Patrick Phillips this week as he chats with ‘Bates Motel’ star Freddie Highmore about portraying Norman Bates on the A&E Network hit series and his recent time spent in the writer’s room! Amazon’s original series ‘Thunderbirds Are Go’ head writer Rob Hoegee stops by to discuss reinventing the 50-year-old classic for a whole new generation, and Astronomer David Kipping reveals a way we can cloak the Earth from unearthly beings using lasers!

“Bates Motel,” is a contemporary prequel to the genre-defining film Psycho. Season four continues to reveal Norman’s continued downward spiral and the effect it has on the family. This season Norma becomes increasingly fearful and desperate, going to great lengths to find Norman the professional help he needs. This further complicates their once unbreakable trust while Norman struggles to maintain his grip on reality. The season finale of ‘Bates Motel’ airs Monday at 9/8c on A&E.

Thunderbirds Are Go catapults the five brave Tracy brothers back onto television screens, where they’ll pilot their vehicles from the depths of the oceans to the highest reaches of space, performing impossible rescues across the globe. Produced by ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures in collaboration with world-famous Weta Workshop, the series is made using a unique mixture of CGI animation and live-action model sets. Thunderbirds Are Go will deliver a new level of action-adventure animation for today’s audience while paying tribute to the legacy of model locations from the original series.

Thunderbirds Are Go will be available for Prime members to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices including Amazon Fire TV, and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/originals, at no additional cost to their membership. Customers who are not already a Prime member can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime.

It was more than 30 years ago, that widowed author Jessica Fletcher helped solve her first murder as series co-creator and writer, Peter S. Fischer looked on.

Today the series is still in syndication, and unlike many of its unfortunate characters through the years, very much ALIVE.  With annual marathon’s dedicated to the show’s element of mystery, murder, and suspense, now a whole new generation can explore Cabot Cove and its colorful, and often deadly residents.

Special Guests Include: Peter S. Fischer – co-creator / writer Donald Bain – screenwriter / novelist

About the episode:

A look behind the scenes of “Murder, She Wrote” with its co-creator Peter S. Fischer.  Fischer will explain how working on tv shows like Columbo helped bring Jessica Fletcher to life…   Screenwriter and Novelist Donald Bain will take us into the mind of Fletcher, giving us an inside look at his process writing the popular novels, and how he constructs the perfect mystery.

Patrick takes you behind the scenes of Discovery’s pop-culture phenomenon, Naked and Afraid.

In the show, one man and one woman – Are tasked with surviving in some of the world’s most extreme environments… with no food, water or clothes for 21 days. Jake Nodar, a survivalist featured on Season 5 (“Rise Above”) talks to Phillips about his challenges living several weeks in the Amazon Rain forest, breaking down stereotypes by being the first openly gay contestant, and provides answers to some of your most common questions about the show and its production. Voice artist Michael Brown’s booming narration helps provide valuable insight and information to viewers, often explaining the dangers faced by survivalists throughout their 21 day journey. Michael will discuss the process of working with producers to record, rewrite, and voice each thrilling episode of Naked and Afraid.

Jake Nodar, grew up in Baltimore City, spending most weekends hiking, camping, and fishing. In middle school, one of his classes was on shelter building, setting a foundation for a future of primitive camping. He says his mental strength is a result of coming out of the closet in a small town in western Colorado after a lifetime of growing up in a very religious environment. He says if you can do that, you can do anything.

For sixteen years Jake has trained horses professionally, which enables him to be out in nature every day. Once a year he tries to go on an adventure, both to keep life interesting, but also to push himself outside of his comfort zone. Some of his adventures include bicycling by himself from St. Augustine, FL, to Santa Monica, CA, spending weeks in Kenya in a Masai village, backpacking around the Canadian Rockies, and spending a month living off the land in the interior of Alaska, which was both a huge physical and mental challenge. Despite this, he says it was the adventure of a lifetime, and he would do it again in a heartbeat. Jake is not one to shy away from an adrenaline rush. He has competed in bull riding, steer wrestling, and full contact jousting. He’s been shark diving, swimming with crocodiles, caving, rappelling, and cliff diving among other activities. When not working with horses, Jake enjoys playing the guitar, long walks on the beach, and wildlife photography. Between working around a farm and going to the gym several times a week, Jake tends to keep in good physical condition. Jake cannot wait for his next adventure, and looks forward to being pushed to his physical and mental limits on Naked And Afraid. The idea of being able to live off the land with not even a shirt on his back, is something that he eagerly awaits.

Veteran voice artist Michael Brown has spent more than forty years behind the microphone. His familiar voice can be heard in hit televisions shows like Animal Planet’s Rugged Justice, The Walking Dead, COMET TV NETWORK, and Discovery Channel’s Naked And Afraid. 

Read More about Michael!

Ryan Shore is a 2x Emmy Award and Grammy Award Nominated composer and songwriter for film, television, games, records and theater.  His versatility and effortless ability to collaborate have quickly made him one of today’s most sought-after composers.

He was named Assistant Music Director and Contributing Composer / Arranger / Orchestrator for the 2015 Academy Awards, where he worked with artists including Lady Gaga, John Legend, Adam Levine, Anna Kendrick, Common, Tim McGraw, Jack Black, Neil Patrick Harris, and Jennifer Hudson.

Shore has scored over 30 feature films including R.L. Stine’s Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls (Emmy nomination, Outstanding Music Direction and Composition), The Shrine (Grammy nomination, Best Score), Prime (Universal), Harvard Man (Lions Gate), The Girl Next Door (Anchor Bay), Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery (Warner Bros), Stan Helsing (Anchor Bay), Cabin Fever 2 (Lions Gate), and Numb (Sony).

22-year-old Southern California native Kyle Reynolds began playing music in high school. It was his early struggles with his parents’ divorce that led to a search for meaning in his life, which he discovered through music. Using YouTube videos as his guide, Reynolds taught himself to play the piano and write songs. He eventually added guitar and the harmonica to his repertoire of instruments.

His songwriting has been inspired by summer adventures, love, loss, and everything in between. Influenced by artists like John Mayer, Parachute, and Ben Rector, Reynolds’ music can be described as a combination of pop, alternative, and singer-songwriter genres. In his free time he enjoys going to the beach, reading The Bible, and posting about the things he loves to eat on Twitter.

Watch the music video for “Hold You Tighter” below and download it on iTunes! HERE!

Actress Nichelle Nichols is best known for her groundbreaking portrayal of Lieutenant Uhura on the original Star Trek television series.

When Gene Roddenberry began casting a science-fiction television series to be set in outer space, he invited Nichols to audition. She was ultimately cast in the now-legendary series Star Trek as Lieutenant Uhura, communications officer for the Starship Enterprise. (The name “Uhura” was adapted from “uhuru,” the Swahili word for “freedom.”)

Nichols’s groundbreaking television performance as an African-American woman in a confident, authoritative role drew immediate notice from Star Trek‘s audience. Nichols, still envisioning herself as a theater performer, considered leaving the series after the first season. However, a conversation with the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., during which King encouraged her to remain in the role, changed her mind.

Nichols appeared throughout the run of Star Trek, from 1966 to 1969. As Uhura, she enacted television’s first interracial kiss, with William Shatner’s Captain James T. Kirk in the 1968 episode “Plato’s Stepchildren.”

Nichols also appeared in six Star Trek motion pictures released between 1979 and 1991.

Paula M. Block is the co-author of numerous books about the entertainment industry, including Star Trek Costumes: Five Decades of Fashion from the Final Frontier; Star Trek: The Original Series 365, Star Trek 101, Monk: The Official Episode Guide, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion, and many more.

She is also the co-editor of Pocket Books’ popular short story series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Over the course of her lengthy and eclectic career in publishing, she has been a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, the Midwest correspondent for Biotechnology Newswatch, and the International Editor for Chemical Week.

After nineteen years overseeing and editing licensed publishing for Paramount Pictures and CBS, Paula moved to Southern Oregon with her husband, author Terry J. Erdmann, and their two collies, Shadow and Mandy. The scenery may be different, but the writing goes on!

Terry J. Erdmann is a co-author of the ebook novella Star Trek: Deep Space Nine—Lust’s Latinum Lost (And Found). He has also written the non-fiction books: Star Trek Costumes: Five Decades of Fashion from the Final Frontier; Star Trek Pop-Ups; Star Trek The Original Topps Trading Card Series; Star Trek The Next Generation 365; Star Trek The Original Series 365; Star Trek 101; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion; The Secrets of Star Trek: Insurrection; The Magic of Tribbles; and Star Trek: Action!

His additional titles include Monk: The Official Episode Guide and The 4400 Companion. During his career in film publicity, Terry authored The Last Samurai Official Companion. They live in Southern Oregon with their two collies, Shadow and Mandy.

Dr. Stephen Tropiano graduated from Ithaca College in 1984 with degrees in television and radio and cinema and photography. He earned his master’s degree in cinema studies from New York University and completed his doctorate in critical studies at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema and Television. In addition to overseeing the program, he teaches undergraduate courses in  television and film history, theory and criticism.

He is the author of TV Towns, which profiles fictional towns on classical and contemporary television shows, The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV, Queer Facts, and Rebels & Chicks: A History of Hollywood Teen Movies.

His most recent work is “TV Finales FAQ” from Applause Books.