Shannon In The Morning Big Show Daily Podcast

Sebastian Maniscalco recently filled in as host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and he quickly realized that the comedy of late-night TV is a very different type of comedy, especially during a pandemic.

“You’re doing 7 minutes of material off a teleprompter” he says, “which I don’t believe comedy should be read, I think it takes you out of the moment.”

Sebastian references Johnny Carson as the one person who could make late night comedy sound naturally great.

“I think he was the best at doing that, making it sound like it was a conversation he was having in his living room…that’s what I’m striving to do, my goal is to make it sound as easy as he did.”

Sebastian interviewed Alex Rodriguez while hosting, and shared a story about the time Alex invited Sebastian to dinner.

“I met AROD this year, we wound up playing in a celebrity golf tournament” he says about how they wound bringing their families together for dinner. “I was making fun of him (during the dinner) because he had a full-blown camera crew with him on the golf course for his Instagram!”

“We bust each other’s chops and the dinner was very nice.”

Sebastian & his comedian friend Pete Correale get together once a week to create The Pete And Sebastian Podcast. A comedy show with stories and comedy bits. They've been doing it for 7 years.

“It’s been flying kinda under the radar” he says, “It’s been a passion project for both of us, we get on we talk about our personal & professional lives, it’s not guest driven.”

Pete & Sebastian are doing a FREE virtual Podcast live on Zoom August 13th but you have to register to watch. Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-pete-and-sebastian-show-live-tickets-112874785522

Find the link to the podcast or watch it at www.sebastianlive.com

(Photo by Brian Higbee)

Harry Connick Jr. poured his heart & soul into the CBS special "United We Sing: A Grammy Tribute To The Unsung Heroes" which aired in June 2020.

In the special, Harry and his daughter Georgia took a road trip in an RV to thank and celebrate essential workers keeping us safe across America. Along the way he surprised essential workers with Zoom chats from celebrities!

“When Tim McGraw met these two truckers via a Zoom call it was just an emotional thing” Harry says. “It was an incredible feeling to see that.”

The special ended with a performance of an original song "Stars Still Shine." Harry wrote & performed the song in New Orleans, along with a gospel choir who wore masks & were socially distanced.

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“Stars Still Shine” is available for download now on all digital platforms and all proceeds from the song benefit the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans (co-founded by Branford Marsalis & Harry).

Harry says “It’s something I wanted to write as a love letter to the men and women who keep our lives going.”

Ellis Marsalis was a mentor of Harry’s who recently passed away due to COVID-19.

Harry also spoke candidly about his current binge-watching obsessions, “24” and the Ricky Gervais Netflix hit “Afterlife.” “we’re watching two-three shows a night” he says, “we got a big problem binge-watching!”

Harry told a story about the time he performed for Frank Sinatra but screwed up the song and went to apologize, but Mr. Sinatra focused all his attention on Harry’s wife, Jill!

“I was singing at his 75th birthday party," he says. “I sang a song a song for him and totally messed it up.”

Harry was embarrassed and tried to make things right. “I kinda chased him down in the lobby, I gotta go try and redeem myself,” he says. “I grabbed Jill and ran up to the elevator and stood next to him.”

And then things got weird! “As he was about to get off the elevator I was waiting for these words of wisdom,” Harry says. “He completely ignored me, kissed Jill, and left!”

About the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music: Located in the 9th ward, the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music broadens opportunities for underserved children, youth and musicians by providing a safe, positive environment where children and youth develop musically, academically and socially through instruction in music and the arts, academic support, computer coding, basic food security & mental health support.

"United We Sing: A Grammy Tribute To The Unsung Heroes" is streaming now on CBS All Access & you can purchase the benefit song “Stars Still Shine” here.

7-time GRAMMY award winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Vocal Group Hall of Famer and the Songwriters hall of Famer Philip Bailey joined the big show to talk about a very cool event he and his Earth, Wind & Fire bandmates have been doing in the month of July.

Earth, Wind & Fire’s virtual dance party “Saturdaze Summer 2020” happens again this Saturday, July 18th  at 4pm eastern!  Co-founders Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson host the party while a DJ spins the band’s biggest hits and to help people temporarily escape the troubling times of recent memory.

You can register for free to join the Zoom party at www.earthwindandfire.com. The dance party live stream will simulcast on the band’s YouTube Channel & Facebook page. “Last week we had 85,000 people” Philip says about the show.

Philip also explained that Saturdaze Summer 2020 raises funds through donations for important charities & organizations he wants to help, “Go to www.musicisunity.org on your computer” he says, “and check out what we’re doing for foster care and help these foster kids out.”

He gave us an update on the EWF & Santana tour that was cancelled because of COVID-19.

They will play Jones Beach August 14the & The PNC Bank Arts Center August 15th -  of 2021.

Peter Gallagher has been acting since 1980 on Broadway, Film and television. In 2003 he played SANDY COHEN, the lovable dad in hit teenage drama, THE OC on FOX TV.

In 2005, he released a record called 7 Days in Memphis on the SONY/ Epic records label.

He is in the new Andy Samberg movie, “Palm Springs” released on HULU where he plays a dad again!

His TV job at the moment is also playing a dad in the NBC musical sitcom, “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” - this show is definitely a Scott Shannon show!!! Episode 1 is a heart breaker…..high up in the "Scott crying" rankings! This can also be seen on HULU.

He also tells a ripping GOLF story about Jack Lemmon and brings back old memories for Scott and Patty!

~Brad Blanks

Rick Allen and his wife Lauren Monroe checked in to talk about a special project they just released!

Lauren’s new song “Big Love” is out now with Rick on drums! Get it at www.LaurenMonroe.com

The proceeds from “Big Love” will be donated to Project Resiliency via Lauren & Rick’s charity foundation the Raven Drum Foundation. They promote healing and growth for veterans, individuals and families facing Covid 19 issues.

Vets backing Lauren on Big Love include keyboardist Benmont Tench and drummer Steve Ferrone (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), drummer Rick Allen (Def Leppard), bassist Bob Glaub (Jackson Browne/Linda Ronstadt/Bonnie Raitt) & drummer Kenny Aronoff (John Cougar Mellencamp/ John Fogerty).

Rick also informed us that Def Leppard’s big rock show at Citi Field with Poison, Motley Crue & Joan Jett & the Blackhearts has been rescheduled for July 15th, 2021!

You know him as Creed Bratton in “The Office” & a folk musician who played for the band The Grass Roots! Creed checked in on the big show to talk about his new album "Slightly Altered" which comes out July 17th!

It was produced by Grammy award-winning producer Dave Way (Sheryl Crow, Christina Aguilera) & the first two singles "Chan Chu Toad" & "The Ride," are out now!

Also on the new album: a re-recording of "Temptation Eyes" - originally released by Bratton's band, The Grass Roots - which re-imagines the punchy hit as a soulful ballad.

Creed was a member of the legendary American rock group The Grass Roots until 1970, playing lead guitar with the group on their first four albums with songs like “Let’s Live For Today” and “Midnight Confessions.”

For nearly 8 years Creed was Dunder Mifflin's quality assurance director in “The Office.” He played a fictionalized version of himself, who would forget the names of his own co-workers & say bizarre & confusing statements.

Creed says he pitched for the role that was never supposed to last as long as it did, and when we asked if he was the “Scranton Strangler” he kind of tipped his hand to us, “why would you say that?” he hilariously says.

“Oh come on Scott, if i was in the studio right now i’d strangle you for saying that!”

He breaks down the situation by saying “obviously he had to kill somebody!”

Creed says “he’d come in dripping with blood, bodies in his trunk "apparently"…A strangler is a clean kill, there wouldn’t be a lot of blood...a Scranton stabber? I don’t know about the strangler."

Brad Blanks spoke to Alex Winter, best known as Bill from the “Bill & Ted” movies with Keanu Reeves, about his new HBO documentary “Showbiz Kids” and their upcoming movie “Bill & Ted Face The Music!”

Showbiz Kids looks at the high-risk, high-reward business of working as a child actor in the entertainment industry. Written and directed by Alex, the film chronicles the shared experiences of prominent former child stars and the personal and professional price of fame and failure on a child.

Catch up with former child stars Henry Thomas, who starred in E.T.; Mara Wilson, who first appeared in Mrs. Doubtfire at the age of 6; Todd Bridges, who was on TV’s Diff’rent Strokes beginning at age 13; the late Cameron Boyce, star of Disney TV’s Jessie at age 12; Milla Jovovich; Evan Rachel Wood; Jada Pinkett Smith; Wil Wheaton and many more.

Liberty DeVitto is one of the best known drummers of his era, helping Billy Joel sell over 150 million records, and now he is telling his life story in his memoir “Liberty: Life, Billy and the pursuit of Happiness” out July 14th at www.HudsonMusic.com and www.Amazon.com.

The book begins with a foreword from Billy Joel, which didn’t seem possible until recently. Liberty last played with Billy’s band in the mid-2000’s, and his departure was unceremonious.

We learn through Liberty’s book that the issues between the two turned out to mostly be a gross misunderstanding! Liberty built up the courage to send Billy an email to start the process of burying the hatchet!

"None of the bad old stuff was never brought up, It was just two old friends sitting having breakfast together" Liberty says of his meeting with Billy.

"I'm glad i did it," he tells the big show. "It's a real weight off and it's great to have my friend back again...that's what the story's about."

Liberty also writes about growing up on Long Island, his family immigration story from Italy, his father being part of the NYPD and of course his time with Billy Joel.

Liberty was the drummer on 13 platinum Billy Joel albums that have sold over 150 million copies. He wrote & performed the drum parts on 22 of Billy’s 23 top?40 hits and all 6 Grammy?winning recordings.

Liberty’s story is a tale of an Italian? American kid who followed his dream and attained unimaginable success, only to see it crumble before his eyes, and ultimately experience a rebirth.

(Photo courtesy of Leland Bobby)

Dr. Mehmet Oz checked in to discuss a wide range of topics related to Covid-19, including certain types of Lysol killing the virus, a timeline for a vaccine being projected, regulating covid-19 vaccine trials and who should be wearing a mask!

Catch an all-new episode of “The Dr. Oz Show” today at 1PM on FOX 5 & go to DOCTOR OZ DOT COM for more info!

Brad Blanks caught up with legendary record producer David Foster, and he shared great stories about helping Celine Dion and Josh Groban get their big breaks!

David is promoting his new Netflix documentary “David Foster: Off The Record” that’s streaming now. "From child prodigy to iconic music producer, David Foster shares the stories behind his success with rare footage and interviews with his collaborators."

David also shares a few fond memories of a particular morning show DJ he knows that is currently on CBSFM!