The Big Wakeup Call

On The Big Wakeup Call's End-of-the-Year Spectacular Cavalcade of Giggles Plugfest 2017, I chat with some of my favorite guest and close, personal friends who wouldn't dream of taking such a tender occasion to plug their projects.

Also calling in was one of my best friends from way back when, Dylan Brody. We talked about our controversial, offensive snorkeling trip, furniture-eating dogs, ping-pong night, and merely hinted at Dylan's new book "The Modern Depression Guidebook," available now and a perfect holiday gift.

Nancy Cartwright called in to talk about her new film "In Search of Fellini," based on true events in her life. We discussed seeing her life played out by a young actress, why she didn't cast herself in the film in a major role, and thinking about what it means for Bart Simpson to be a grandma.

Garry Gary Beers from INXS called in to discuss the 30th anniversary edition of "Kick." The deluxe version includes alternate takes, mixes, demos, and a special version of the album mixed in Dolby Atmos by Giles Martin at Abbey Road Studios. Garry also talked about experiencing the album for himself in a completely different way, answering music geek questions (from me) about bass strings and amps, and touring with the Wiggles before they were the Wiggles.

The Movie Man called in with his thoughts on "The Last Jedi" and "Ferdinand." Plus, how movies disappear too quickly from theaters, and two soap box rants regarding net neutrality and where meat comes from.

The World News Center's Bill McCormick called in to chat about the fallout from Disney's acquisition of Fox, including Thor becoming a Disney princess and the potential death of Deadpool. Plus: Netflix vs. the FCC and whether we're heading back to the dial-up days.

Giuliana Rancic joined the 4-timers club as she called in to share some tips on eating and drinking while on the road this holiday season. She also gave me some advice on picking the right preschool for my daughter.

Scott Ian from Anthrax returned to the show to talk about his new book Access All Areas: Stories From a Rock Hard Life. We discussed how the book is not a sequel to I'm the Man (since that would require writing a second autobiography, an absurd yet interesting thought), telling an honest version of tales of debauchery, and his most requested story (involving Lemmy and a pair of Daisy Dukes).

Best-selling author James Rollins called into discuss his new book The Demon Crown, the 13th book in the Sigma Force series. James talked about his writing process, answering unanswerable questions, making random phone calls to experts, and whether or not The Demon Crown will be a relaxing read for quiet moments during the holidays (answer: no).

Erik Estrada called in to talk about his returning gig hosting The 86th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, airing this Friday (12/15) at 8/7c on the CW. We also discussed why the "Chips" merchandise when I was a kid only kind of sort of looked like him.

op Chef alum and current The Chew panelist Carla Hall made a return appearance to the Big Wakeup Call to talk about a special program to benefit the more than 10 million Seniors in America who are facing hunger issues. We also caught up on what's happened since her last appearance in 2005, discussed recipes even I could successfully complete, and why we're having more fun in our 40s and 50s than we did in our 20s and 30s.