The ALL NEW Big Wakeup Call with Ryan Gatenby

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From October 30, 2019:  It was a fun visit with returning guest Felicia Day as she called in to promote her newbook "Embrace Your Weird."  We talked about our experiences as weird kids and how we were able to harness our mutual weirdness and turn it into a career.  With help from her book, you can do it, too!

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From October 9, 2020: Amy Bruni is an expert in the world of paranormal investigating.  You’ve seen her on the popular tv shows “Ghost Hunters” and “Kindred Spirits.”  She’s the author of a newbook, “Life With the Afterlife: 13 Truths I Learned About Ghosts,” which is available now where you buy your books. 

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Award-winning ABC News correspondent Deborah Roberts called in to talk about her book Lessons Learned and Cherished: The Teacher Who Changed My Life.

Deborah Roberts is an award-winning ABC News Correspondent and co-anchor of the prestigious news magazine, "20/20". A media veteran, Roberts has traveled the world for her reporting. She also served as a substitute anchor for "Good Morning America" as well as a guest co-host on "The View."

 Her in-depth coverage of current events has earned her a Peabody Award for the "20/20" special, "Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor." She has been awarded multiple Emmy Awards for her international and national coverage of world events, including the AIDS crisis in Africa and maternal mortality in Bangladesh.

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Chef Michael Symon guested on the show for the first time in a decade to talk about his career, how to make sure a restaurant is keeping food and the dining room clean and safe, and shared a recipe as grilling season finally arrives in the Midwest.

Chef Michael Symon is a celebrity chef, restaurant owner and the author of six award-winning cookbooks, including four on the New York Times best-selling list. Symon can be seen serving up recipes and dishes on ‘Symon’s Dinners – Cooking Out’ and the Food Network’s ‘Burgers, Brew & ‘Que’. Plus, be sure to catch his newest show --- ’24 in 24”: Last Chef Standing’ later this Spring.  The James Beard Award winner owns several successful restaurants and has received multiple honors during his decades long career.

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Michelle Strong, Verizon Business Director Small & Mid-Size Business, joined the show to discuss Verizon's "Small Business Days."

 Michelle Strong is the Director for Small and Midsize Businesses at Verizon Business. In this role, Michelle is responsible for leading a team of over 115 sales professionals in the Mountain West Territory of the US to care for America’s smallest businesses (1-9 employees) across 11 states. 

 Based out of Denver, CO, Michelle leads on developing strategies that support long term revenue growth for the small businesses that are the lifeblood of the American economy. In her role, she focuses on creating a culture of performance excellence combined with the highest integrity, and developing a team of continuous learners focused on caring for all customers.

 Michelle is a results driven leader known for driving employee engagement and leadership development across her teams, and she has held a variety of leadership positions across Verizon Business. In her last role as Director of Strategic Sales, Michelle led the largest agent partnerships across the country, including Victra, TCC, and Wireless Zone. Before that, Michelle served as the Director of Retail Sales for the Mountain Territory, serving more than 1.3 million customers and managing over 900 employees across 50 corporate retail stores.

 Michelle holds an MBA from Bellevue University and a B.S in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska. Michelle sits on the Board of Directors for a non-profit organization called More Than a Phone, which provides phones and data plans to victims of domestic violence.

 Michelle lives in Denver, CO with her two sons. She is an outdoor enthusiast who loves to camp, rock climb, and cheer her boys on during their endless sports.

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From October 5, 2018: Paget Brewster joined the show to talk about her new movie The Witch Files. We also discussed Criminal Minds and working with Paul F. Tompkins on The Thrilling Adventure Hour. Plus: an inside scoop on the making of a Drunk History segment.

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From September 26, 2016: Comedy legend and Chicago's own Tom Dreesen discusses his comedy career and his appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (more than 60!), along with a DVD set:  THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON: THE VAULT SERIES. 

ABOUT TOM DREESEN (2016 BIO):

Tom Dreesen’s life is equal parts comedy and philanthropy. He excels at both, and has created an extraordinary legacy in both arenas. Dreesen has made over 500 appearances on national television as a stand-up comedian, including more than 60 appearances on The Tonight Show. He was a favorite guest of David Letterman, and frequently hosted the show in Letterman’s absence. He was also a favorite guest of Johnny Carson.

For 13 years he toured cross country and opened for Frank Sinatra, and has appeared countless times in Las Vegas, Tahoe, Reno and Atlantic City with artists like Smokey Robinson, Liza Minnelli, Natalie Cole and Sammy Davis, Jr. Tom has acted in numerous television shows – fromColumbo to Murder She Wrote – and appeared in motion pictures including Man on the Moon and Spaceballs. He has recorded comedy albums, starred in his own TV comedy special, Dreesen Street, and hosted a late night talk show in Chicago, Night Time Starring Tom Dreesen.

He is currently appearing to rave reviews around the country in his one-man show “An Evening Of Laughter and Memories of Sinatra.” Dreesen’s comic style is down-to-earth, warm and unpretentious. Daily Variety called him “a thorough pro… one of the most respected family comedians of our time.” Larry Wilde ,author of The Great Comedians said about Tom’s performances. “Excellent Material, Impeccable Timing, Tom Dreesen is the Quintessential Comedian.” Frank Sinatra, who called himself a “saloon singer,” characterized Dreesen as a “saloon comedian.” “We’re a couple of neighborhood kind of guys,” said Sinatra.

Dreesen has also made an indelible mark with his philanthropic activities. For 30 years he has lent his talent to over 100 charities, and founded a “Day for Darlene” to benefit Multiple Sclerosis Research. He ran 26 miles on three occasions for the event, which is named for his late sister who was afflicted with MS.

And he’s still going strong. A proud veteran of the United States Navy, he continues to perform for US troops all over the world, and recently appeared at numerous bases in Iraq. Tom Dreesen’s hometown of Harvey, Illinois named a street after him. He was a 2005 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

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Heidi Brasher is the Senior Director of Movement Engagement, Strategy, and Innovation at YMCA of the USA.  In this role, she helps leverage innovation and strategy at the national level in support of the diverse needs of the 2,600+ local YMCAs and their communities across the country. Heidi’s work within the Y Movement spans over 20 years, with local program development experience in the areas of early care, afterschool, day camp and teen programming.

Heidi Brasher joined the show to talk about this year's Healthy Kids Day, taking place at your local YMCA.

For more info, visit:  YMCA.ORG/HKD.

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Singers, Songwriters, Partners, and YouTube stars Sam Tsui and Casey Breves joined the show for a fun chat about their new book Why Do We Sing? Sam & Casey also sang a song inspired by the book! 

Sam Tsui and Casey Breves are married singers, composers, and content creators who live in Los Angeles with their daughter, Elaia, and cat, Alfie. They are graduates of Yale University, where they met singing in an a cappella group together. With original songs and covers that have been viewed and streamed over a billion times, they’ve connected with fans around the world both online and on tour—and they are now thrilled to be sharing their love of music with fans.

TikTok: @TheSamTsui • YouTube: TheSamTsui • Instagram: TheSamTsui • SamTsui.com

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Andrew Nelson discusses his new book from National Geographic, Here Not There.

An award-winning writer and editor for National Geographic Traveler, Andrew Nelson has roamed all 50 states as well as numerous countries for the magazine and website. He served as director of editorial projects for National Geographic Travel in Washington, D.C., and has taught in institutions such as Loyola University New Orleans and the College of Charleston. He lives in Washington, D.C.  Follow Andrew on Instagram @andrewtyrrellnelson