The Locher Room

As the World Turns mother and daughter Terri Garber (Iris) and Jen Landon (Gwen) sat down in The Locher Room to look back at their time in Oakdale playing mother & daughter.

Terri Garber's acting career began when she played the part of Allison Linden on Texas. Terri hit it big in 1985, when she landed the role as Ashton Main in the mini-series North and South. In addition, Terri has appeared on Dynasty as Leslie Carrington, General Hospital as Victoria Parker and Santa Barbara as Suzanne Collier to name a small few.

Jen Landon attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she studied Experimental Theatre, but left early when her first audition landed her a three-year contract on the daytime soap opera As The World Turns (for which she subsequently won three consecutive daytime Emmys). Jen has since appeared in Jason Retiman’s feature film The Front Runner, as well as recurred on numerous television shows including Banshee (Cinemax), Animal Kingdom (TNT), and
is currently starring in season 4 of Yellowstone (Paramount+) playing the role of Teeter as well as appearing on FBI: Most Wanted on CBS.

Original Airdate: 12/8/2021

Don't miss the chance to catch up with actress Martha Madison who joined me to discuss her role as “Belle Black Brady” on Days of Our Lives; a role she’s played since 2004.

Martha is a native of Newport News, VA and spent her formative years in Houston, TX. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Psychology before enrolling at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC to study musical theatre. Martha has also appeared on hit TV shows “One Mississippi,” “Criminal Minds,” and “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” as well as a variety of comedy and drama features for Netflix, Amazon and Hallmark. In 2018, Martha was recognized for her work on Days of Our Lives with a Daytime Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

In addition to acting, Martha is an experienced restauranteur and currently serves as the Vice President of Recruitment for One Haus; a New York based firm specializing in Executive recruitment for the hospitality industry. She is also an Executive Mentor with GLEAM; a nonprofit, volunteer network whose purpose is to provide mentorship to the underserved community in the food service industry in hopes of cultivating future industry leaders. Other charitable ventures include a celebrity ambassadorship for the National MS Society and The Association of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) in honor of her mother.

Original Airdate: 12/3/2021

Actor, producer and entrepreneur Joe Towne sat down with me in The Locher Room to discuss his podcast inspired by Towne’s own acclaimed workshops for actors, executives and creatives, The Performer’s Mindset, established in 2018. The Better Podcast aims to inspire and encourage its listeners through honest conversations with leading experts across film, television, sports, science, and music on the road to success, the tools and techniques it takes to reach the next level, what it means to celebrate progress within one’s own personal journey and uplifting those around them in the process.

The podcast’s inaugural season will feature longform conversations with NAACP Image award nominee and showrunner, Anthony Sparks (QUEEN SUGAR), Grammy award-winning producer Arnie Cardillo, Emmy-nominated actor, director and Grammy award-winning musician Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Emmy award-winning producer Liza Katzer (TED LASSO, HBO Max’s HEAD OF THE CLASS) and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame photographer Andrew D. Bernstein (MAMBA MENTALITY). New episodes of The Better Podcast are slated to premiere every Thursday and will be available on Apple, Spotify, Anchor and more.

Born in upstate NY and raised on Long Island, Joe Towne’s professional journey as an actor and creator includes a storied career in theater, with roles in a Star Wars Trilogy recap featured on BBC Radio and performed for George Lucas at Skywalker Ranch, Mr. Pink in Edinburgh Fringe Fest’s highly rated production of Reservoir Dogs and opposite Rebel Wilson in the New Line feature film, Isn’t It Romantic.

Original Airdate 12/2/2021

Emmy Award-winning actor Christian Jules Le Blanc will joinin The Locher Room on to celebrate his 30th anniversary portraying Michael Baldwin on The Young and the Restless.

Christian joined the cast of The Young and the Restless back in October 1991, departing in 1993. He returned to the series in April 1997. A 12-time Emmy Award nominee, Christian Jules Le Blanc received three Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series” for his role.

Le Blanc first appeared on daytime television as Kirk McColl on As the World Turns. Also, he was a series regular on the primetime series “In the Heat of the Night,” opposite Carol O’Connor and Howard Rollins. His guest appearances include “Perry Mason,” “Cheers” and “Gabriel’s Fire.” He produced and starred in his first short film, “Puppy Love,” with Grace Zabriskie, which was honored as the Outstanding Short Film at the Los Angeles and New York International Short Film Festivals.

Le Blanc’s theater credits include “Ladies In Retirement,” with the legendary actresses Julie Harris and Eileen Brennan, “No Orchids for Miss Blandish,” “The Catonsville Nine” and “Appearances to the Contrary.” In 2011, he appeared in “The Tennessee Williams Literary Festival” in New Orleans. Christian is excited to be returning to the stage in January 2022 in Tennessee Williams Cat On A Hot Tin Roof at Theater at St. Clement's in New York City.

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
Now in its 46th season on the CBS Television Network, The Young and the Restless has been the number one daytime drama for 28 years. It revolves around the rivalries, romances, hopes and fears of the residents of the fictional Midwestern metropolis, Genoa City. The lives and loves of a wide variety of characters mingle through the generations, dominated by the Newman, Abbott, Baldwin and Winters families. When The Young and the Restless premiered in 1973, it revolutionized the daytime drama. It continues to set the standard with strong characters, socially conscious storylines, romance and sensuality. The show airs weekdays on CBS at 12:30 p.m. EST.

Original Airdate: 12/1/2021

Don't miss An Author's Afternoon when Martha Bolton joins me to discuss Dear Bob ...Bob Hope's Wartime Correspondence with the G.I.s of World War II.

2020 was the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII, The War to End All Wars. Although, current events and the pandemic kept many from celebrating the anniversary, the unique relationship between Bob Hope and “The Greatest Generation,” by way of the USO, is too important to go unrecognized. Never before has it been as important to remember and pay homage to our veterans and today's members of the armed services.

“Dear Bob.... Bob Hope's Wartime Correspondence with the G.I.'s of World War II," by Martha Bolton with Bob Hope's daughter, Linda Hope, is a time capsule that reveals exactly how important Hope's remarkable service was to the fighting men and women of World War II. The authors have collected personal letters, postcards, packages, and more sent back and forth among Hope and the troops and their loved ones back home.

"Dear Bob" provides an intimate perspective on the WWII years for Bob and the service men and women as they fought, were entertained and attempted to sustain themselves. "Dear Bob" is engaging-sometimes emotional, sometimes humorous, and always memorable.

The letters found in “Dear Bob…” are as relevant today as they were when Hope began entertaining our troops 80 years ago as well as 75 years ago as WWII came to an end. In addition to fans of the golden age of television; the children and grandchildren of the greatest generation; historians and teachers of history, especially WWII history; active military, veterans, and their families; the entertainment industry and fans of the entertainment industry; the audience reach for this book is almost inexhaustible. This unforgettable collection of letters and images, many of which remained in Hope's personal files throughout his life and now reside at the Library of Congress, capture a personal side of both writer and recipient in a very special and often-emotional way. This volume heralds the voices of those servicemen and women whom Hope entertained and who, it is clear, delighted and inspired him.

MARTHA BOLTON was the first woman staff writer for Bob Hope, helping to write his television specials, personal appearances, and military shows for approximately fifteen years. She is an Emmy-nominated writer and author of eighty-eight books of humor and inspiration. She has received nominations for a Dove Award, WGA Award, and a Gold- en Scroll Merit Award for Fiction. LINDA HOPE, is the eldest daughter of Bob and Dolores Hope. She is the Producer of the Emmy Award winning TV Special: Bob Hope: The First 90 Years. She also wrote My Life in Jokes, a collection of jokes honoring her father's 100th birthday. Linda produced his TV shows for over 20 years, ran Hope Enterprises and has spent the last two decades perpetuating her father's legacy.

Original Airdate: 11/24/2021

Actress Kimberlin Brown, who has portrayed one of the most popular villainesses in daytime television history, “Sheila Carter,” on The Bold and the Beautiful joins me in The Locher Room.

In her role of “Sheila Carter,” Brown debuted on The Young and the Restless in 1990 and crossed over to The Bold and the Beautiful in 1992. For the next three decades, Brown has played “Sheila Carter” on both shows. Brown’s recent credits include the film Five Hour Friends, co-starring Tom Sizemore, American Hero, and the award-winning short The Necklace.

Brown’s career began when she was discovered by famed modeling agent Nina Blanchard. She soon began acting in films such as Who’s That Girl with Madonna, 18 Again with George Burns, The Opposite Sex with Courtney Cox, and Eye of the Tiger, with Gary Busey. Brown guest-starred on many episodic prime-time television serials, including Matt Houston, TJ Hooker, Diagnosis Murder, and Six Feet Under. Her other daytime drama credits include long-time roles on One Life to Live, Port Charles, and All My Children.

Brown is the recipient of two Soap Opera Digest Awards for Outstanding Villain/Villainess for her role as “Sheila Carter” on The Bold and the Beautiful.

Brown enjoys skiing, boating, golfing, shooting, gardening, and most importantly, spending time with family. She spends her free time actively involved in charity work, including The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Susan G. Komen Foundation through American Airlines Celebrity Events and The Blue Angels Foundation, supporting our country’s veterans. Most notably, and demonstrating her true hands-on spirit, she has twice been a bone marrow donor. She has never met either recipient but has been told they are both doing well.

Don't miss the chance to catch up with Kimberlin next Monday when she sits down in The Locher Room with me.


The Bold and the Beautiful is the most-watched U.S.-produced daytime drama series in the world. The show debuted on March 23, 1987, and is currently in its 35th season. The Bold and the Beautiful airs on the CBS Television Network (1:30 PM / ET and 12:30 PM / PT) produced by Bell-Phillip Television Productions, Inc. Bradley Bell is the executive producer and head writer.

Original Airdate: 11/22/2021

Please join New York Times bestselling author, Jennifer Keishin Armstrong in The Locher Room for An Author's Afternoon. Jennifer tells the little-known story of four trailblazing women in the early days of television who laid the foundation of the industry we know in her new book, When Women Invented Television.

Irna Phillips turned real-life tragedy into daytime serials featuring female dominated casts. Gertrude Berg turned her radio show into a Jewish family comedy that spawned a play, a musical, an advice column, a line of house dresses, and other products. Hazel Scott, already a renowned musician, was the first Black person to host a national evening variety program. Betty White became a daytime talk show fan favorite and one of the first women to produce, write, and star in her own show. Together, their stories chronicle a forgotten chapter in the history of television and popular culture.

Jennifer has written seven pop culture history books, including Seinfeldia; When Women Invented Television; Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted; and Sex and the City and Us. Her work appears in many publications, including BBC Culture, The New York Times Book Review, Vice, New York magazine, and Billboard.

Please join Jennifer and I as we spend the hour looking back at the incredible impact women had on television.

Ozie Nzeribe, currently co-starring in the new Apple TV+ drama Swagger joined me in The Locher Room. Ozie is an actor, rapper and model, whose creativity, talent and humanitarianism belie his young age. With his good looks, charm, acting chops, and dramatic story line, he is certain to be the breakout star of the series.

A Youth Ambassador for the Grammy’s, Ozie has become an internationally renowned recording artist, has modeled for Louis Vuitton, and is an extremely talented young actor. In addition to his current role in Swagger, he is also known for his recurring role as Todd in Shameless and previously guest starred in Jamie Fox’s series Dad Stop Embarrassing Me.

In Swagger, the series inspired by Kevin Durant’s youth basketball experiences, Ozie demonstrates his natural acting abilities capturing the anguish of a young basketball player whose dyslexia impairs him from keeping up with the rest of the team. In his own life, Ozie conquered his own Dyslexia to become an A student defying many of his teachers’ expectations and is currently working towards completing his college degree.

Ozie will be here to discuss his feelings about conquering his own learning disability and then playing a teen with the same issue on Swagger as well as his mission to give back by regularly traveling to Africa to help end racism and poverty working with local communities.

Please tune-in to meet this inspiring young artist. Swagger is streaming now on
on Apple+.

Original Airdate: 11/18/2021

Please join me for the 10th episode in the Conversations with Alan series in The Locher Room to meet journalist Andrew Lapin. Andrew will be here to discuss his new podcast series RADIOACTIVE that explores the life and legacy of Father Charles Coughlin, America's “High Priest of Hate” and notorious antisemite.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Coughlin became one of the first to use radio as a platform to preach religion, politics, and hate to an audience of some 30 million listeners weekly. Coughlin’s growing fanbase came with clout and he soon had the ears of stars in celebrity, industry, and politics including Babe Ruth, Henry Ford, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. How did one man manage to gain power and popularity while openly supporting Hitler and broadcasting antisemitism?

Andrew has been working on RADIOACTIVE since 2017. In his eight part series, he weaves together interviews with prominent scholars, writers, and broadcasters and rarely heard archival materials to tell the story of Father Coughlin's rise from a small and snow-covered parish up north to America's first media star, and his sharp and violent fall from grace. Lapin starts with his own experience, growing up Jewish just minutes away from Coughlin’s Shrine of the Little Flower. He explores Coughlin’s rise to fame as it parallels America’s descent into the Great Depression.

With more than 50 million Americans currently getting much of their news from talk radio, and with on-air personalities cultivating a following and influencing politics, RADIOACTIVE tells the story of the genre’s stormy birth, and how an unscrupulous and bigoted conman used a new medium to get much too close to political power, a story as alarmingly relevant today as it was in the 1930s.

RADIOACTIVE dives into the history and circumstances of Father Coughlin’s reign to process how he was able to gain power, why it took so long to stop him, and the lasting impacts still seen today. Father Coughlin’s story serves as a cautionary tale; but have we learned the lesson?

Andrew Lapin:

Andrew is the Managing Editor for Local News for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and a writer, editor and podcaster with 10+ years of experience in journalism and publishing. Prior to his current job he was the Editor for the Detroit Jewish News, where he oversaw the editorial direction and digital strategy of the historic 78-year-old publication. Under his tenure, DJN received 13 awards from the Society for Professional Journalists-Detroit chapter and was the only religious news organization in 2020 to be selected as a Report For America host newsroom.

Original Airdate: 11/17/2021

Please join veteran Los Angeles-based entertainment reporter Michael Maloney in The Locher Room. Michael will be here to celebrate his 30th anniversary covering the daytime soaps and to discuss his current role as Senior West Coast Editor of Soap Hub. In this role, he’s on top of the latest news, casting, behind-the-scenes changes, and trends in the world of daytime drama.

Michael will also fill us in on the 2nd Annual Soap Hub Awards and share when those awards will be announced. Soap fans voted for their Favorite Actor and Favorite Actress on The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless.

Michael has seen and heard it all. Don’t miss the chance to catch up with this daytime veteran.

Original Airdate: 11/17/2021