In this rich and wide-ranging episode of the Neil Haley Show, Hollywood icon Robert Wagner sits down to reflect on a lifetime of working alongside some of cinema's most extraordinary women. The author of I Loved Her in the Movies: Memories of Hollywood's Legendary Actresses, Wagner shares the inspiration behind his heartfelt tribute book, co-written with Scott Eiman, and explains how leading ladies from Audrey Hepburn to Bette Davis shaped not just his career, but his life. With warmth and humility, Wagner reminds us that behind every great leading man is an even greater leading lady.
Next, the conversation takes a fascinating turn as professor, physician, and author Dr. James Fricton joins Neil to discuss his ambitious trilogy, centered on the book The Butterfly and the Beasts. Drawing on over 35 years of academic research and clinical work at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Fricton introduces listeners to his concept of the "seven realms" — mind, body, spirit, lifestyle, emotions, social life, and environment — and how cultivating positive energy across all seven can combat chronic pain, mental health struggles, and even global crises. His butterfly effect philosophy argues powerfully that individual energy ripples outward, shaping communities and the world at large.
Dr. Fricton's characters come vividly to life as he walks Neil through the novel's intertwining storylines — a grieving physician, a homeless teenager fleeing a dangerous billionaire, and a researcher organizing a world congress to address humanity's greatest challenges. What makes the fiction so compelling is that it is grounded entirely in real science, with Dr. Fricton's online prevention program at preventionprogram.com and a Coursera course on chronic pain offering readers a direct path to applying the seven realms philosophy in their own lives.
The episode closes with a deeply practical conversation featuring Anthony McMahon of Claim Links, who joins tax expert and host Ed Lyon to pull back the curtain on America's broken health insurance system. McMahon explains how the entire U.S. healthcare model is rooted in World War II-era tax law, and how most businesses are overpaying for employee health coverage by as much as 40% — largely because traditional brokers are financially incentivized to let costs rise. McMahon and his team at Claim Links flip that model entirely, aligning their compensation with the savings they generate for clients rather than the premiums they sell.
Across all three conversations, a single unifying thread emerges: the power of creative, outside-the-box thinking to improve lives. Whether it's Robert Wagner honoring the women who elevated his craft, Dr. James Fricton translating decades of medical research into accessible novels and wellness tools, or Anthony McMahon reimagining how businesses can save money on healthcare, each guest brings a refreshing perspective that challenges conventional wisdom. This is the Neil Haley Show at its best — celebrating people who don't just ask how things are done, but dare to ask how they could be done better.

Emmy-winning producer M.B. McClain has seen the industry from nearly every angle — film school in Japan, survival through the 2011 Tohoku tsunami, years climbing the ladder in Hollywood, stints at MTV and HBO, a Netflix Emmy for Queer Eye's Japan special, and now running his own animation company behind the indie series The Mutant Busters. In this frank conversation with host Neil Haley and co-host Boston Bobby, McClain pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to build a career in an industry currently being shaken apart by corporate mergers, mass layoffs, and the seductive promise of artificial intelligence. His perspective is earned the hard way, and he doesn't waste words. On AI, McClain is clear-eyed and unsparing: the technology is impressive at remixing existing material, but it cannot create anything genuinely original — and behind every AI-generated face or character, there is almost always a real person whose likeness was taken without credit or compensation. He points to companies like Duolingo, whose stock tanked after replacing employees with AI, and a business that lost $300,000 following fabricated analytics from a chatbot that told leadership exactly what they wanted to hear. McClain sees a bubble forming — driven not by genuine innovation but by gold-rush thinking — and predicts a hard correction within the next year or two when the results fail to match the hype. His conclusion is the same one the industrial revolution should have taught us: the right use of powerful tools is to make human beings better, not to replace them.

What happens when a rabbi discovers that making people laugh is the most sacred thing he can do? For comedian and author Rabbi Bob Alper, the answer has been a decades-long ministry built on clean comedy, bestselling books, and a driver's license so funny it once got him out of a TSA line and into a small party at the X-ray machine. In this delightful conversation with host Neil Haley and co-host Sherry Price-Clark, Alper traces his path from fourteen years serving large congregations — where humor was always woven into his sermons — to the stand-up stage, where he has performed alongside some of the biggest names in comedy and been featured on Good Morning America, CNN, and the Today Show. His books, including Life Doesn't Get Any Better Than This and Thanks, I Needed That, have moved readers to both laughter and tears, including a Superior Court judge who reads a chapter whenever a tough case becomes too heavy to carry alone. The crown jewel of Alper's comedic career came in 2015, when he won Jimmy Fallon's "Joke with the Pope" contest out of 4,000 entries from 47 countries — earning him the honorary title of Comedic Advisor to Pope Francis and international headlines from South Africa to Norway. But beneath the laughs, Alper carries a serious conviction: humor is not a distraction from suffering, it is a response to it. Drawing on the testimony of Holocaust survivor and close friend Gerda Klein — who described how teenage Jewish girls in slave labor camps wrote plays mocking their captors just to survive the night — Alper makes the case that laughter is one of humanity's oldest and most essential spiritual tools. His lecture series, The Spirituality of Laughter, explores that tradition across faiths, and his stage show proves it every night. Find him at bobalper.com or search "Rabbi Bob Alper" on YouTube for over 70 clips.

What does it take to become a world record holder when the world told you it wasn't possible? For Paralympic long jump champion Mikael Avatar, the answer is fifteen years of 4 a.m. training sessions, an unshakeable belief that the finish line exists even when no one else can see it, and the willingness to completely redefine what winning looks like. In this inspiring conversation with host Neil Haley, Avatar recounts how he began training for the Olympics at age 10 — not yet knowing the Paralympics existed — and how he spent a decade chasing a dream before discovering the competition that would change his life. Clinically dead for 45 minutes at birth and told his limitations were fixed, Avatar arrived at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics as the first athlete ever qualified for the long jump in his class, and promptly set a world record. Today, Avatar channels that same relentless energy into coaching, music, painting, and writing — guided by his proprietary Michaela-Tarn Method, which helps clients move through three essential stages: clarifying where they are, defining a realistic goal, and — most critically — taking action. He is blunt about what separates those who succeed from those who don't: most people never make it to the third step. Whether he is creating music with the same passion he brought to the track or helping a client find their footing, Avatar's message is the same one that carried him from a hill in his hometown to the world stage — passion doesn't care about your circumstances, and neither should you. Find him at MichaelaTarn.com.

Actress, boxer, and four-time World Games gold medalist Jenae Noonan has spent a lifetime defying expectations — from knocking out a model in 36 seconds at her first boxing match to becoming one of the world's most decorated Pancration athletes. In this candid conversation with host Neil Haley, Noonan traces her unlikely journey from MySpace-era social media promoter to semi-pro soccer player to combat sports champion, sharing what it felt like to compete in a world that wasn't yet ready to put women on the main card — and how she kept fighting anyway. She also opens up about her decision to retire at the end of 2024, driven not by defeat but by love — for her adopted special needs son and for the life she still wants to live.
But her biggest fight was waiting just around the corner. Within weeks of hanging up her gloves, Noonan received two separate cancer diagnoses — skin cancer and breast cancer — delivered over the phone without warning and without answers, sending her into two weeks of funeral planning and quiet devastation. On February 12th of this year, she rang the bell: no sign of disease. Rather than return to competition, Noonan is channeling that experience into Rise, a rebranded coffee community designed to help cancer patients raise funds and find support through a simple, powerful model. Her message is clear — the toughest opponent she ever faced wasn't in the ring, and winning this one has given her a platform worth far more than another gold medal.

In this wide-ranging episode of the Neil Haley Show and Storehouse Media Group Podcast, host Neil Haley sits down with four remarkable guests whose stories span combat sports, Paralympic athletics, interfaith comedy, and Hollywood production. From the boxing ring to the broadcast studio, each guest brings a unique perspective on resilience, reinvention, and purpose.
Actress, boxer, and entrepreneur Jenae Noonan opens the episode with a candid reflection on a life lived at full speed. A former semi-pro soccer player who stumbled into professional boxing through a MySpace-era social media deal, Noonan went on to earn four gold medals in Pancration at the World Games and was recognized in 2024 as one of the world's most dangerous women. After retiring at the end of that year, she faced an even bigger fight — dual diagnoses of skin cancer and breast cancer within two weeks of each other. As of February 12th of this year, she rang the bell marking no sign of disease. Her story doesn't end there: she is now channeling her experience into Rise, a rebranded coffee community designed to help cancer patients raise funds and find support.
Paralympic World Record holder Mikael Avatar shares one of the episode's most powerful origin stories. Born with a physical disability and clinically dead for 45 minutes, Avatar began training for the Olympics at age 10 — only to discover the Paralympics a decade later. He competed at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics as the first athlete ever qualified for the long jump in his class, setting a world record along the way. Now a coach and artist, Avatar teaches his proprietary "Michaela-Tarn Method," guiding clients to clarify their goals and — critically — take action. His message is simple and universal: passion and focus can carry anyone beyond the limits others set for them.
Stand-up comedian and Rabbi Bob Alper brings both laughter and depth to the conversation, joined by co-host Sherry Price-Clark. A performer who has shared stages with some of comedy's biggest names and been featured on Good Morning America, CNN, and the Today Show, Alper has built a ministry around the healing power of humor. His books, including Life Doesn't Get Any Better Than This and Thanks, I Needed That, have moved readers to both laughter and tears — including a Superior Court judge who reads a chapter when overwhelmed by tough cases. Alper also holds the distinction of winning Jimmy Fallon's "Joke with the Pope" contest in 2015, earning him the honorary title of Comedic Advisor to Pope Francis.
Emmy-winning producer M.B. McClain rounds out the episode with a frank conversation about the state of Hollywood in the age of AI. A survivor of the 2011 Tohoku tsunami who went on to produce The Vow for HBO and win his Emmy for Netflix's Queer Eye Japan special, McClain pulls no punches about the industry's current upheaval. While AI tools have legitimate uses in speed and research, he argues they fundamentally cannot create anything original — only remix what already exists, often at the expense of uncredited human creators. His warning about the coming AI bubble, companies replacing skilled employees with hallucinating chatbots, and the gold-rush mentality currently gripping Silicon Valley is as timely as it is sobering.

On this episode of The Neil Haley Show, bestselling author Jennifer Clark, Eskew joins Neil in welcoming debut novelist Marni Pallot, who is preparing to launch her first book, A Rewrite for Tess. Marni shares her journey from beginning her manuscript over 20 years ago while pregnant with her daughter — to finally completing and preparing to publish it now. Her story is one of perseverance, courage, and proving that it’s never too late to chase a dream. 📖 About the Book: A Rewrite for Tess A Rewrite for Tess is a clean romance set against the charm of Atlanta. The story follows: A young Jewish woman Her Catholic fiancé The emotional and cultural dynamics leading up to their wedding Blending humor, heart, family traditions, and unexpected twists, the novel explores love, faith, and personal growth — without explicit content or profanity. Marni describes it as a “palate cleanser” for readers who enjoy romance but prefer a wholesome, character-driven story. The book will include light trigger warnings and thoughtful emotional depth, making it relatable to a broad audience of women — from young adults to seasoned readers. 🚀 The Publishing Journey Marni opens up about what many aspiring authors underestimate: Writing the book is only the beginning Editing takes multiple rounds Cover design, ISBN registration, and formatting are critical Marketing requires consistent, strategic effort She is currently in her second round of editing and expects to release the book in late spring or early summer. 📲 Building an Audience Before Launch Marni has already begun building her presence on TikTok under @marni_author, connecting with other writers and readers through live sessions and book communities. Jennifer and Neil emphasize key strategies for new authors: Launch your website early Build an email list Create an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) team Ask directly for reviews Personally engage with readers Sell yourself, not just the book Jennifer also shares how her own website and direct book sales have significantly boosted revenue beyond Amazon alone — and how personal connections often lead to unexpected and meaningful reader stories. 🌟 Why This Book Matters For Marni, this project goes beyond publishing. She wanted to show her children that: It’s never too late to pursue your dreams Age is not a limitation Creative goals deserve follow-through Her hope is that even one reader will say, “This is my favorite book.” 💬 Key Takeaways for Aspiring Authors Marketing is ongoing, not optional Reviews matter — even star ratings without written comments Engage with every reader interaction Explore book festivals and local bookstore partnerships Use AI tools for brainstorming and marketing ideas Stay consistent and patient 📍 Where to Connect with Marni TikTok: @marni_author Website: AuthorMarniPallot.com (coming soon) Email: [email protected] 📘 Also Featured Jennifer Clark, Esq. Author of Becoming Fire: Chasing the Passion to Protect, Serve, and Love Website: JenniferClarkEsq.com

On this episode of The Neil Haley Show, Neil welcomes IT professional, podcaster, and author Pat Riley, host of the World's Finest Strike Podcast and author of Deception Underway. The conversation dives into the long-standing friction between marketing, sales, and IT departments — and transitions into a deep discussion about automation, AI agents, and the emerging frontier of autonomous systems like Open Claw. As always, it’s fast, practical, and forward-thinking. 💥 Why Marketing, Sales & IT Don’t Always Mix Pat breaks it down bluntly: IT professionals tend to be introverted problem-solvers. Sales and marketing thrive on vision, persuasion, and outward communication. Different personality wiring leads to friction. Pat explains that while many IT professionals prefer structured logic and execution, sales teams operate in momentum and messaging. The key? Balance and collaboration. Interestingly, Pat notes he personally bridges that gap — identifying as an extrovert in personality assessments — something less common in traditional IT culture. 🤖 Open Claw & The Rise of Autonomous AI The episode shifts into automation and emerging AI agents. Open Claw (formerly Claude Bot / Molt Bot) is discussed as one of the closest public examples to an early AGI-style autonomous agent. It can: Run locally on your machine Execute shell commands Read and write files Integrate with apps like Discord and WhatsApp Automate workflows without relying on tools like Zapier ⚠️ But There Are Risks Because Open Claw can: Run command-line instructions Modify files Chain automated actions It requires careful permission management. Misconfigured access could lead to unintended consequences (like deleting data). Pat emphasizes that with proper guardrails and controlled permissions, it can be powerful — especially for workflow automation like: Downloading recordings Uploading to editing platforms Triggering team notifications Executing repeatable production tasks In short: powerful tool, but not plug-and-play without oversight. ☁️ Hosting & Deployment Options Pat explains deployment options: Run locally on a Mac Use cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure AWS offers free-tier options for light CPU usage Pricing increases only when adding services like databases The takeaway: Cloud infrastructure is scalable and pay-as-you-go — but unnecessary for small automation setups if local hardware suffices. 📚 Pat Riley’s Creative Projects Beyond IT, Pat continues building his creative portfolio: 🎙️ Expanding his podcast content 📖 Working on multiple upcoming books 🎧 Developing an audiobook version of Deception Underway using AI voice tools (currently in post-production) Signed copies are available through his publishing site. 🎯 Key Themes From This Episode Technology doesn’t replace people — it amplifies them. Automation saves money only if implemented intelligently. Guardrails matter when deploying autonomous AI. IT and marketing alignment is a competitive advantage. AI agents are accelerating faster than most predicted. 🔗 Connect With Pat Riley Website: 👉 UnderwayBooks.com Podcast: 🎙️ World's Finest Strike Podcast

📚 Episode Overview On this heartfelt episode of The Neil Haley Show, Neil welcomes author Mary Shearer Eckert to discuss her powerful new novel, Wounded Sisters, releasing March 17th. Mary shares her lifelong passion for writing and her calling to create stories that minister to women who have endured abuse, heartbreak, betrayal, and deep personal trials. Her mission is clear: to help women move beyond their pain, rediscover their faith, and embrace forgiveness — both for others and for themselves. ✍️ A Writer Since Childhood Mary explains that writing has been part of her life for as long as she can remember. While many write for entertainment, Mary writes for transformation. Her stories are rooted in: Real-life experiences Emotional truth Spiritual restoration Faith-centered encouragement She believes books can be more than stories — they can be ministry tools. 📖 Her First Book: A Story of Overcoming Mary’s first published book told the true story of an African American woman who overcame abuse and adversity during the 1950s. This creative nonfiction account followed a woman who: Survived physical abuse as a child Became pregnant as a result of assault Overcame racism during segregation Eventually became a pastor and ministered to women The book centered around one powerful truth: You don’t have to stay stuck in yesterday. Readers responded strongly, telling Mary they “couldn’t put it down” and were deeply impacted by the message of resilience and faith. 💔 Personal Tragedy & Shaken Faith While writing Wounded Sisters, Mary experienced one of the most devastating trials of her life — the loss of her grandson in a tragic accident. She openly shares that her grief shook her faith to its core. There were moments of anger, despair, and even questioning God. For nearly five years, she walked through deep mourning before finding peace and renewed strength in her faith. This personal season directly influenced the emotional depth of Wounded Sisters. 📘 About Wounded Sisters Unlike her first book, Wounded Sisters is fiction — but it is fiction woven from truth. Each character carries a piece of Mary’s own life experiences. The novel explores: Pastor’s wives facing hidden struggles Women wrestling with betrayal The reality that Christians also endure hardship The necessity of forgiveness Letting go of bitterness Trusting God again after disappointment Mary emphasizes that the book does not sugarcoat pain. It addresses it honestly — and then points readers toward hope. 🌿 Core Themes of the Book Forgiveness Not only forgiving others — but forgiving yourself. Letting Go Holding onto past wounds prevents healing. Faith Through Fire Being a Christian does not exempt anyone from suffering. Restoration God can take a mess and create a message. Mary highlights Romans 8:28 as a guiding principle in her life and writing — that God can turn even the darkest moments into something redemptive. 🎯 What Readers Can Expect Mary hopes readers will walk away from Wounded Sisters with: Renewed faith Courage to release past hurt Strength to forgive Understanding that they are not alone A reminder that God is present even in silence This is not just a novel — it is a spiritual journey. 🌐 Connect with Mary Official Website: 👉 MaryShearerEckert.com

On this powerful episode of Celebrity Interviews Live at The Grotto, Neil Haley welcomes author Keith Zlomsowitch, whose life became intertwined with one of the most infamous criminal cases in American history — the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Keith shares his firsthand account of dating Nicole during her separation from O. J. Simpson, the escalating harassment and stalking that followed, and the long-lasting emotional impact that shaped his life. His book, Stalked: It Could Have Been Me, offers a deeply personal look at love, danger, fear, and survival. ❄️ How It Began — Aspen, 1992 Keith recounts meeting Nicole in Aspen, Colorado while he owned multiple Mezzaluna restaurants. What started as a spontaneous introduction on a ski deck turned into an immediate connection. Nicole revealed she had separated from her abusive husband but did not initially disclose his identity. Their relationship progressed quickly — until O.J. Simpson confronted Keith at his Beverly Hills restaurant, making his presence and hostility unmistakably clear. 🚨 Escalation & Stalking Keith describes chilling incidents that followed: Repeated harassment and intimidation O.J. appearing unexpectedly at restaurants A violent confrontation at Nicole’s home A 911 call in which Keith’s name was heard during a domestic violence episode The fear became real. The danger was no longer abstract. Keith openly admits that, looking back, most reasonable people would have walked away. He chose to stay — believing he could protect her. ⚖️ The Trial & Public Exposure After Nicole and Ron were murdered in 1994, Keith’s life changed overnight. He served as a pallbearer at Nicole’s funeral. He stood next to O.J. Simpson before Simpson’s arrest. He testified before a grand jury. His testimony was ultimately not used at trial. Despite being subpoenaed by both prosecution and defense, Keith never testified in open court. He refused multimillion-dollar media offers to protect the integrity of the case. He lived for decades with the belief that speaking publicly could endanger him — until Simpson’s passing. 📘 Why He Wrote the Book Keith explains that Stalked: It Could Have Been Me was written not for revenge — but awareness. He hopes the book will: Help individuals recognize signs of abusive relationships Encourage victims to seek help Honor Nicole’s memory Acknowledge Ron Goldman’s bravery He also candidly shares how the trauma impacted his ability to form long-term relationships, admitting that fear and emotional scars shaped much of his adult life. 🧠 Themes Explored in the Episode The psychology of domestic violence The emotional toll of stalking Survivor’s guilt Media pressure and public scrutiny Living decades under perceived threat Loyalty, love, and truth Keith leaves listeners with a reflection on the most important lesson he’s learned: Loyalty, honesty, truth, and love matter — even when life turns tragic. 🌐 Where to Learn More Book available on Amazon: Stalked: It Could Have Been Me