The Art of Kindness: Pop Culture & Positivity with Robert Peterpaul

Disney legend Jodi Benson - the iconic voice of Ariel in The Little Mermaid - returns to The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to catch up on how kindness is showing up in her life and more.

This episode covers:

JODI BENSON is best known around the world as the beloved voice of Ariel in the Academy Award-winning Disney feature film, The Little Mermaid. She also gave voice to Barbie in Disney/Pixar's Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 and delighted Disney fans with a surprise cameo in Disney’s Live-Action The Little Mermaid, Disney’s Enchanted and reprising her role as Ariel in Ralph Breaks the Internet. In 2011, Disney honored Jodi's contributions by making her a Disney Legend. An accomplished singer, dancer, and actress, Jodi made her starring role debut on Broadway, performing the iconic song "Disneyland" in the Howard Ashman/Marvin Hamlisch musical Smile. She earned a Tony nomination for her role as Polly Baker in the hit Gershwin musical Crazy for You. Still entertaining audiences across the country and around the world, Jodi is currently living in North Georgia with her wonderful husband, Ray. They enjoy spending time with their amazing children, their daughter Delaney, their son McKinley, and his wife Mackenzie.

Follow Jodi:

@jodi.benson

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Got kindness tips or stories? Want to just say hi? Please email us:

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Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

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Wicked: For Good movie is in theaters this week, so please enjoy this wonderful conversation from the AOK library with the film's director Jon M. Chu. He and Robert Peterpaul to discuss being a kind leader on set, acts of kindness from Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, his spellbinding memoir Viewfinder and more. Rejoicify - this is a thought-provoking chat filled with STAR-studded surprise guests! We're OBSESSULATED!

Jon M. Chu is known for his visually stunning blockbuster films, as well as his kinetic work across various genres from groundbreaking series to commercials and films. Additionally, his unique storytelling ability has earned him the honor of inclusion on the Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 list as well as Variety’s New Hollywood Leaders.

Most recently, Chu directed Universal Pictures’ critically acclaimed WICKED 1 & 2, starring Oscar-nominees Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Part 1 of the feature-film adaptation of the record-breaking musical phenomenon released in theaters on November 22 and quickly became a box-office hit, becoming the highest-grossing Broadway adaption in domestic box office history in its second week earning over $350 million globally. His memoir, Viewfinder, is his journey from growing up in the Silicon Valley to transitioning to Hollywood and helming major studio projects, released Summer 2024. The book is an uplifting tale of belonging, creativity and learning to see who you truly are.

His other projects include the critically acclaimed adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS for Warner Bros. Studios as well as the worldwide phenomenon CRAZY RICH ASIANS, which was nominated for numerous awards, including a SAG Award, a Golden Globe and PGA Award. It is one of the top 10 highest grossing romantic comedies of all time and the highest in a decade. It was also the first contemporary studio picture in more than 25 years to feature an all-Asian cast and opened a new chapter in Asian-American representation in Hollywood.

Chu is attached to direct the highly anticipated biopic for Britney Spears based on her memoir, The Woman in Me, with Universal. He is also in development on Dr. Seuss’ OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! with Warner Bros and JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot, which will be his first animated film. His previous films include GI. JOE: RETALIATION, NOW YOU SEE ME 2, JUSTIN BIEBER’S NEVER SAY NEVER and many more representing over 1.3 billion dollars in the worldwide box office.

Thank you to Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh and Simon Hayes for the special surprise, and to Welcome to Times Square for supporting our Big Apple dreams.

Follow Jon:

@jonmchu

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@artofkindnesspod / @robpeterpaul

youtube.com/@artofkindnesspodcast

Support the show!

(https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok)

Got kindness tips or stories? Want to just say hi? Please email us:

[email protected]

Music:

"Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

Let us be glad. Let us be grateful.

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Tony-nominated Broadway star Lorna Courtney joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul for our World Kindness Day special! The multi-hyphenate shares how leading with love keeps her grounded on and off the stage. From &Juliet to Heathers: The Musical, the powerhouse performer opens up about confidence, community, and the acts of kindness that helped shape her journey. Happy World Kindness Week!

Taped live in the Welcome To Times Square Studio, this kindness podcast episode covers:

How kindness became Lorna’s secret to strong, authentic leadership.

A touching fan story that reminded her what Broadway is really about.

The self-care rituals that keep her voice and spirit healthy through eight shows a week.

The power of bubble baths + much more.

LORNA COURTNEY currently stars as Veronica Sawyer in the hit cult classic Heathers and will next be seen in The Greatest Showman musical. She previously completed a triumphant run as Juliet in the Broadway musical & Juliet, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, a Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, and won the Clive Barnes Award for Theatre. She was a guest lead in CBS’s premiere of THE EQUALIZER opposite Queen Latifah, appeared in Dear Evan Hansen and the Broadway revival of West Side Story. Lorna received her BFA from the University of Michigan and graduated from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School.

This episode is sponsored by Grether's Pastilles, the premium Swiss lozenges that are kind to your voice. It's also powered by Welcome to Times Square, the billboard experience that lets YOU be a star for a day. Thank you for supporting kindness!

Follow Lorna

⁠@lornaacourtney

Let's be friends!

⁠⁠⁠@artofkindnesspod⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠@robpeterpaul⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@artofkindnesspodcast⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠⁠!

(⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok⁠⁠⁠)

Got kindness tips or stories? Want to just say hi? Please email us:

[email protected]

Music: "Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

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Legendary illusionist Rob Lake joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul on the heels of his Broadway debut. "The World's Greatest Illusionist" discusses the magic of kindness and his new show Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets.

Follow Rob

⁠⁠@roblakemagic

Let's be friends!

⁠⁠⁠⁠@artofkindnesspod⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠@robpeterpaul⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@artofkindnesspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠⁠⁠!

(⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok⁠⁠⁠⁠)

Got kindness tips or stories? Want to just say hi? Please email us:

[email protected]

Music: "Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

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Happy Halloween! We're releasing our episode with Halloweentown star Kimberly J. Brown as an extra treat! The Disney legend joined The Art of Kindness to discuss:

- growing up in the spotlight

- working with the iconic (and kind) Debbie Reynolds

- behind-the-scenes treats from the Halloweentown franchise + more!

While Kimberly J. Brown is perhaps most known for the Halloweentown franchise, she is an award-winning powerhouse who’s rocked every medium. By age 9 she had appeared on Broadway in shows like: “Les Miserables” and the Tony-winning revival of “Showboat.” She went then on to rock TV, earning an Emmy nomination for “Marah Lewis,” on TV’s longest running daytime drama, “Guiding Light,” which she played from 1993-1998 and in 2006. Other TV credits include “Law & Order: SVU,” “Touched By An Angel,” “Two of a Kind,” and more. More recently, she has been seen lighting up the Hallmark Channel. Some other film highlights include playing John Travolta and Uma Thurman’s assistant in Be Cool and starring opposite Steve Martin and Queen Latifah in Bringing Down the House.

Follow Kimberly J. Brown:

⁠@officialkjb⁠

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⁠@robpeterpaul⁠, ⁠@artofkindnesspod⁠

Halloween Music:

FreeUseMusic on youtube

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Netflix's Ginny & Georgia star Antonia Gentry joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul, opening up about learning to drop expectations - of herself, her work, and others - in favor of curiosity and compassion. She reflects on the power of flexibility, the quiet confidence that comes from grace, and how kindness is not about pleasing people but meeting them where they are.

This 'just peachy' episode covers:

- Why kindness thrives when we let go of rigid expectations

- How Antonia practices flexibility and self-grace in her creative life

- Acts of kindness from co-stars like Brianne Howey and more!

ANTONIA GENTRY currently shines bright as the titular character, “Ginny” in the Netflix hit original series, GINNY & GEORGIA, which we LOVE and is currently in production on a new season. She’s earned an MTV Movie & TV Award nomination for her role. And was also honored as a member of Variety’s 2021 “Power of Young Hollywood Impact List.” You may have also caught Toni on Netflix in TIME CUT on Netflix or Hulu’s Prom Dates.

Follow Toni

⁠⁠@alysonstoner⁠

Let's be friends!

⁠⁠⁠⁠@artofkindnesspod⁠⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠⁠@robpeterpaul⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@artofkindnesspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠⁠⁠!

(⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok⁠⁠⁠⁠)

Got kindness tips or stories? Want to just say hi? Please email us:

[email protected]

Music: "Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author and former Disney star Alyson Stoner joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to redefine kindness in a broken system. The mental health advocate unpacks their transformative new memoir Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything and breaks down how kindness can heal the world.

This kindness podcast episode covers:

ALYSON STONER is a multi-disciplinary entertainer, author, and founder/CEO of Movement Genius, a mental health company offering therapist-led content to improve well-being. Known for their award-winning Dear Hollywood podcast advocating for child protection in media, Stoner has also contributed to initiatives with the UN, WHO, and leading universities. A former child star seen in Camp Rock, Step Up, Phineas & Ferb, and Missy Elliott’s iconic videos, they now focus on impact-driven projects like Artist Wellbeing Essentials.

Thank you to Kindness is Free for being this season's Riverside sponsor. KIF empowers the next generation of youth by instilling the values of respect, equality and compassion for others.

Follow Alyson

⁠@alysonstoner

Let's be friends!

⁠⁠⁠@artofkindnesspod⁠⁠⁠ / ⁠⁠⁠@robpeterpaul⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/@artofkindnesspodcast⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠⁠!

(⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theaok⁠⁠⁠)

Got kindness tips or stories? Want to just say hi? Please email us:

[email protected]

Music: "Awake" by Ricky Alvarez & "Sunshine" by Lemon Music Studio.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Voice winner Cassadee Pope joins The Art of Kindness with Robert Peterpaul to discuss unlocking vulnerability, shedding perfectionism as a storyteller, self-kindness on Broadway and tour, her new show Rolling Thunder and more.

CASSADEE POPE rose to fame as the first female winner of the hit reality show The Voice. After fronting pop-punk band Hey Monday and releasing a chart-topping solo country album, she’s made a powerful return to her roots with her pop-punk album Hereditary—a raw and emotional exploration of life, love, and legacy. She’s recently enjoyed lighting up the stage in a different way, starring in the off-Broadway productions Titanique as Rose and, now, Rolling Thunder: A Rock Journey as Linda.

Follow Cassadee

@cassadeepope

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Maybe Happy Ending Director Michael Arden speaks on kind leadership and more live from the 2025 Tony Awards winner's room, where The Art of Kindness podcast was stationed.

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Tony Award winners Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jamie Lloyd take home Best Revival for their gripping, radically reimagined production of Sunset Boulevard on Broadway starring Nicole Scherzinger.

In this episode, the Lloyds step into the Tony Awards Winner’s Room fresh off their big win to speak with members of the press. AOK recorded as the duo opened up about artistic risk-taking, their creative partnership, and the power of entrusting bold new visions to tell timeless stories.

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