In his new book, REIGN OF TERROR HOW THE 9/11 ERA DESTABILIZED AMERICA AND PRODUCED TRUMP. the Pulitzer prize winning investigative journalist, Spencer Ackerman, lays bare the realities of a 20 year war in Afghanistan, the war in Iraq, and the rise of the surveillance state. 

Spencer links to the post 9-11 era the increasing realities around white supremacy, domestic terrorism and, ultimately, Donald Trump.

Spencer talks to Mark for the entire episode.

You can purchase Spencer's book here: REIGN OF TERROR

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Best selling author Mark Bittman...Plus..Author and Researcher Sara Kamali, PHD

To call Mark Bittman an authority on food and eating is to understate it in the extreme.  His columns, books and writings have, for decades, in the New York Times and elsewhere, celebrated the delights of food and the changing nature of trends in what we eat.

In his latest book, ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, JUNK he takes on Big Food and reexamines that nature of the food we eat, how it's prepared and where it comes from.

It's a revolutionary notion and comprehensive treatment of a subject Bittman has written about for decades.

He talks with Mark Thompson.

Then Sara Kamali chronicles, in her latest book, the causes and manifestations of a rise in white nationalism and militant Islamists.

Mark and Sara discuss the rise of Q, disinformation and the threat of these groups in the coming years.

Sara strikes a note of optimism.

00-:57 Welcome

1:48- 23:00 Mark Bittman

23:10- 58:30 Sara Kamali

Contact the show by email at [email protected]

You could go for years and years and never run into the personalities and experiences that our three guests share.

As anchors on the NBC and Fox stations in Los Angeles all three of our guests have lives filled with a window on everything from show business to hard news.

Kelly Lange talks about experiences with everyone from Orson Welles to Bob Hope to Johnny Carson and her prolific career writing murder mysteries…

Fritz Coleman talks about trying to build a show business career in a less than friendly Hollywood…

And John Beard shares the tale of rescuing a child from war torn Lebanon.  Then, years later John talks of being fired from Fox11 and an incident that may have led up to that firing.

Mark also has stories and chimes in as well!  Enjoy

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So much here on this packed episode...

Author Mark Harris has just completed a fascinating biography about Director, Mike Nichols.  MIKE NICHOLS: A LIFE

Harris joins Mark Thompson to discuss...

Mike Nichols, an immigrant, with a troubled childhood, emerges as a key figure in entertainment, Mike Nichols story is a remarkable one.

Then, J Elvis Weinstein joins Mark for a conversation about a lot of things: Don McLean the singer and his girlfriend and also a word about Mark's radio producer, Albert, who has also joined.  Mark tells a story about his failed Comedy Central pilot script and how success in show business has to bring many things together. 

Finally, our featured guest is Dr. Roger Minkow. 

Roger is an inventor who revolutionized the bicycle seat for millions of men suffering from erectile dysfunction.  His seats literally changed that world.

Roger is also the mind behind airline seat redesign that's been installed in cockpits around the world.

Roger Minkow has arrived to the show on this episode with a story of cancer and a virtual healer who is delivered to his life in a bizarre and chance fashion.

Check it out and tell us what you think.

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00-2:11 Mark says hello

2:11-13:28 Mark Harris on Mike Nichols

13:28-39:15 J Elvis joins Mark and they welcome Albert

39:15-1:23:00. Dr Roger Minkow

Comedy writer, Merrill Markoe, has a keen perspective on life.

Now, she turns that perspective toward her own life, having recently discovered her childhood diaries and turned them into an annotated and illustrated journey in the form of her latest book, We Saw Scenery--The Early Diaries of Merrill Markoe.

Merrill is a multiple Emmy Award-winning writer and boosted The David Letterman show into the America cultural zeitgeist.

She also wrote for shows like Sex and the City, Newhart and Moonlighting.

Merrill's written eight books in addition to her latest and was awarded the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for television writing achievement.

She joins Mark and J Elvis Weinstein to talk about her book, We Saw Scenery--The Early Diaries of Merrill Markoe.

The second half of the show brings on a man who has spent his life on the street. 

Homeless by choice, Bumdog Torres discusses the year 2020 which had unimaginable challenges for all of us but for the homeless those challenges were amplified and encompassed a civil disobedience movement in addition to COVID-19.

You can reach the show at [email protected]

Nothing says it’s the holidays like our podcast tradition of a visit with comedian, BOBBY SLAYTON.

Bobby talks about coming up as a club comic with Dana Carvey and Robin Williams...Looking back at his early days in comedy clubs...His life in Vegas anchoring a showroom.

Bobby describes opening for famous musicians and how that help create his aggressive manner on stage...

He hits on the proliferation of podcasts...celebrity dinner parties...and how early in the day you can crack a bottle of wine.

Bobby tells us what's going on now and how he became the voice of SKECHERS...

Bobby tells Mark about how last new year's eve, performing in Hawaii (with Bill Maher, Sarah Silverman, Joe Walsh, Sean Penn and Eddie Vedder), may have been the best ever.

Happy holidays and enjoy, “The Pit Bull of Comedy”, Bobby Slayton.

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Author, journalist and professor, Jared Yates Sexton, joins Mark Thompson to talk about his latest, enormously compelling and intensely researched book, American Rule: How a Nation Conquered the World but Failed Its People

Jared goes way beyond the myth of American exceptionalism with which most are familiar and looks to the start of the nation and the "founding fathers".   He continues the trip through history with discussions that include the Reagan years and legacy and extend to even the latest election.

The show starts with political commentator, Michael Shure and comedian/documentary filmmaker, J Elvis Weinstein, doing a post-mortem on the Presidential election and a look at the future in which Donald Trump may be very much relevant.

00:00-1:50 Mark welcome

1:50- 25:08 J Elvis, Michael Shure and Mark

25:08-49:41 Jared Yates Sexton and Mark

 

 

 

 

Guest, Billy Ray, is an award winning director and writer who has brought (among others) THE HUNGER GAMES, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, RICHARD JEWELL and SHATTERED GLASS to the screen.

Billy's latest chronicles the narrative and controversy around former FBI Director James Comey and his, ulitrmately doomed, relationship with Donald Trump.

The two part television event, THE COMEY RULE, airs on Showtime and VOD.

The show begins with political correspondent, Michael Shure, surveying the Presidential race and the current political landscape.

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00-01:15  Mark welcom

1:15-15:30 Michael Shure politics

15:30-1:01:00  Director/Writer Billy Ray

Forbes Senior Editor, Dan Alexander, has a new book called, White House Inc.: How Donald Trump Turned the Presidency Into a Business

The book details President Trump’s efforts to make money off of politics, taking us inside his exclusive clubs, luxury hotels, overseas partnerships, commercial properties, and personal mansions.

Dan tracks hundreds of millions of dollars flowing freely between big businesses and President Trump. He explains, in plain language, how Trump tried to translate power into profit, from the 2016 campaign to the ramp-up to the 2020 campaign.  

But, just because there's all that money washing back and forth DOESN'T mean that Trump has made it profitable.  He hasn't.

First, political analyst and correspondent, Michael Shure talks with Mark Thompson and J. Elvis Weinstein about Trump getting COVID-19 and the last debate forum in Cleveland (from which he's just returned).

Also, Trump's COVID situation and how it changes a political  landscape already being readied for legal challenges to the outcome and for cyber attack among other things.

00-2:00 Mark welcome...

2:00-20:00 Debate mess and Trump gets Covid.--J Elvis Weinstein and Michael Shure

20:00-51:00 Dan Alexander --White House Inc.

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Columnist, lecturer and political strategist, Richard Greene, takes us through the likely strategy the GOP and Donald Trump will use to win a second term, no matter how big Trump's popular vote loss may be.

Here's the link to Richard Greene's latest piece in Medium which lists the 12 ways Trump can, and likely will, win.

First, J. Elvis Weinstein and Michael Shure react to the final night of the Republican Convention.

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00:00-01:35 Mark welcome

01:50-14:51  J Elvis Weinstein and Michael Shure

14:51-47:04 Richard Greene --Trump route to winning