The Hot Switch with Alli Mang

Before he was the screenwriter behind Hilary Swank's "Ordinary Angels," Jeff Knight was strapped into a hydraulic cannon, watching a light count down to green, and getting launched 40 feet into the air in front of a live
audience. He'd only meant to join a gym.

On this episode of The Hot Switch, Alli reunites with Jeff — a friend since they shared a stage at the world premiere of "Babies" at the Charlottetown Festival in 1986 — for a conversation that ranges from professional water ski showmanship to the actual mechanics of building a character's voice from nothing. Jeff has entertained hundreds of thousands worldwide as an actor, writer, and voice-over artist, and spent 20 years as one of the most entertaining water ski showmen running live shows around the globe — a career that, improbably, ended up subsidizing his acting career rather than competing with it.

**The episode's centerpiece is a live, improvised demonstration: Alli hands Jeff two character sketches on the spot, and he builds each one from scratch in real time, narrating his own process as he goes.

In this episode:
-The hydraulic cannon water ski stunt that launched Jeff 40 feet in the air, live, in front of a crowd
-Why Jeff believes all communication — sales included — starts with curiosity
-A live masterclass: building two original characters from a blank page, on the spot
-"It's not about getting the job. It's about creating a character and having the casting person remember
you."
-Why 20 years of water ski shows ended up funding his acting career, not competing with it
-A tour of Jeff's desk, from a Shakespeare action figure to a sword-shaped letter opener. It's one surprise after another. What a laugh. We hope you love it. 

Its time to switch it up! 

“How do you carve an elephant? You get a piece of wood," says playwright and director Brian Hill, "and you carve out everything that isn't an elephant." It's his answer to what editing actually is — and it's just one of the ideas he brings to this episode of The Hot Switch. 

Brian co-wrote Broadway's The Story of My Life and the international hit The Theory of Relativity, and spent seven years directing for Disney Theatricals, including as resident director of The Lion King.

But the real story starts in his grandmother's living room in Kitchener, Ontario, where she introduced him to cast recordings that changed the course of his life — and later enrolled him in his first acting class because "this kid needs something else."

"Everything I've achieved has come from walking through a door to see what's on the other side." Brian Hill.

Listen to the full episode for how Brian and his husband, composer-lyricist Neil Bartram, have built a decades-long creative partnership from separate offices, and the years-long journey that turned a childhood movie moment into real merchandise from his own stage production.

What earns someone the right to coach a high performer?

Executive coach and brand specialist Simon Levin joins me on The Hot Switch, and we get straight into that question. With 40 years of experience across industries, Simon brings a breadth of perspective that made me especially keen to have this conversation.

What I loved was where we began: the responsibility that comes with calling yourself a coach. When someone entrusts you with their ambitions, what must you bring to “the work” to get there?

For anyone choosing a coach, becoming one, or leading people with serious ambitions, this is a conversation worth your time.

Ellen Dubin Cult Sci-Fi Icon and voice of Dune has spent decades moving between ballet, Shakespeare, musical theater, and screen. 

Ellen and Alli — friends for 40 years since meeting on tour with A Chorus Line talk about the people who've shaped Ellen's life and work: a 96-year-old Holocaust survivor she now calls her "new grandma," the director who gave her her first dramatic role in Eugene O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten, and what she's learned about staying grounded in an industry where, as she puts it, "we are the product.” They also talk about their personal experiences with grief — Ellen lost her husband, media mogul Jay Switzer eight years ago, and shares one of the last things he said to her and the birthday letter Alli writes to her own "old self" this year. 

Four seasons and four characters including Giggerota in the cult hit Lex, including the first female pope in Sci Fi history. She received a Gemini nomination for her lead in The Collector and played the unforgettable Tupperware mom in Napoleon Dynamite. Ellen was the welcoming Voice of the 60th anniversary of Disneyland and the wise Farmer Bear on PBS's Elinor Wonders Why.

Two Words that Built a 32 Year Business - CEO and President of Flipo - Jerry Phlippeau. 

Jerry Phlippeau’s journey is a true example of resilience, instinct, and entrepreneurial vision. After a painful breakup and surviving a mugging at knifepoint while living out of his car in Los Angeles, Jerry’s original dream of becoming a rock star evolved into something far greater. Determined to rebuild his life, he began selling pepper spray door-to-door. The first step in what would become a decades-long career mastering marketing, product development, manufacturing, and retail sales.  Today, as founder of FLIPO Group, Jerry has spent more than 32 years bringing innovative consumer products to market and over two decades successfully selling through major televised retail networks including QVC and HSN. Known for his strong market instincts and ability to identify products that solve real-world problems, Jerry has helped countless inventors transform ideas into successful retail brands.

Working alongside his experienced team, Jerry evaluates new concepts not only for innovation, but for functionality, pricing, consumer appeal, and long-term scalability. His passion for discovering “what sells” and turning great ideas into meaningful products has made him a trusted advisor to inventors, entrepreneurs, and global retail partners alike.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Jerry Phlippeau

Jason Catron and I have been friends for years. I first met him as road manager for a western Christmas tour. A man of integrity, high creativity, and an absolute hoot to be with.

He's been singing since he was two. A tenor and crooner who has sung for the world, for heads of state, and at the Vatican. He quit his day job, and the very next day he sang the Hour of Power at the Crystal Cathedral, and became their biggest-selling artist. He hosts First Class Conversations, a podcast so good it's already earned him YouTube's Silver Play Button.

 That is who Jason Catron is - a world-class voice, and one of the finest people I know.

 Now his album, The Nashville Songbook, the most meaningful thing he's ever made. This is the record his father always wanted for him. A living memory.

In his own words: “The people who make a lasting impact are those who keep creating and stay true to who they are. It's worth fighting for.”

 Ladies and gentlemen, Jason Catron.