The Preamble

Today, on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon connects with journalist and celebrity biographer, J. Randy Taraborrelli, to chat about his new book “Jackie: Public, Private, Secret.” In his book, he paints a portrait of the lesser known parts of the iconic life of Jackie Kennedy Onassis. We all know public details of her time as First Lady in the White House, and recall the historic imagery of her wearing a pink Chanel suit with the matching pink hat on the day President Kennedy was assassinated. But with only a few years spent in the White House, what fabric makes the full life of this beloved First Lady? This conversation brings to light the story of a woman’s total lived experience in a way that is surprising, complex, and distinctive. 

Special thanks to our guest, J. Randy Taraborrelli, for joining us today.

Host/Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Guest: J. Randy Taraborrelli

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Sharon sits down with author, journalist, and educator, Samuel Freedman, to discuss a man who has arguably gotten too little credit in the Civil Rights Movement: former VP Hubert Humphrey. There would be no Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s without the groundwork that was laid in the 1940s. The battles Humphrey faced overlap with many of the same battles being fought now: Against white supremacy, “America First” policies, and Christian Nationalism. 

What inspired a very “vanilla guy” to care so deeply about these issues in the early 1900s, when it was not politically popular? What planted the seeds of his deep interior life and shaped the value system he had since childhood? In his book, “Into the Bright Sunshine,” Freedman shares unknown stories of what influenced Humphrey as an adolescent, and makes the case that Humphrey’s impact in the Civil Rights movement was pivotal in American history.

Special thanks to our guest, Samuel Freedman, for joining us today.

Host/Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Samuel G. Freedman

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon is joined by Matthew Desmond, Professor of Sociology at Princeton University and the founding director of the Eviction Lab. Together, they discuss his best-selling book, “Poverty, By America,” and take a hard look at poverty in one of the richest countries in the world, while reimagining the debate on poverty. We all know that poverty is an existing problem in the United States, but what does that actually mean? How is the “poverty line” calculated, and why is there profound suffering in such close proximity to significant wealth? 

Special thanks to our guest, Matthew Desmond, for joining us today.

Host/Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Matthew Desmond

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever played alternative history and wondered how you’d survive being in steerage on the Titanic, or how you would have fared during The Black Death? Today, Sharon sits down with Cody Cassidy, author of “How to Survive History" to take a look at some of the most catastrophic events in world history. They discuss how past events might inform how to respond to future ones and how escape plans can be an interesting and fun way to learn about history. People often ask, “Is this the worst it has ever been?” especially following COVID, the political climate, and various natural disasters. Settle that idea in your mind, once and for all, by joining us in this entertaining and educational conversation.

Special thanks to our guest, Cody Cassidy, for joining us today.

Host/Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Cody Cassidy

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Presidential Candidate Will Hurd joins Sharon to chat about engaging voters in primary elections to ensure stronger candidates in November. The country is ready to have thoughtful conversations about what issues matter to them in a way that unites, rather than divides. Whether the district was ruby red or a deep blue town, people share the same frustrations and goals. Everyone wants systems that operate fairly and efficiently, from the justice system to immigration. But how might our government address these issues in lasting, meaningful ways that represent what the majority of Americans truly want? Will Hurd shares what solutions have worked in the past, and how he plans to work with leaders from both sides of the aisle to shape the future.

Host/Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Will Hurd

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharon is joined by Hadley Vlahos, RN, who has written a bestselling book about her experiences working as a hospice nurse. Hadley walks us through the discomfort of death with great compassion and empathy while considering what it means to live well, and to die well. She explores commonalities in death spanning across a variety of faith backgrounds, many of which have no definitive scientific explanation. We’re encouraged to embrace the dignity in dying by allowing our loved ones to share their experiences in death. And while there is no one right way to die, we can gently hold space for our loved ones in the in-between.

Host/Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Hadley Vlahos

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, Sharon is joined by CIA military analyst, WWII expert, and debut author, Lena Andrews, to unveil the scale and scope of what women in uniform contributed during WWII. Over 350,000 American women served in uniform during the war, in every service branch, in every combat theater, and in nearly two-thirds of the available military occupations at the time. This ranged from critical support roles of flying planes across the country, drawing maps to help men get through Normandy, codebreaking, and building & maintaining the behind-the-scenes infrastructural work that made the heroics possible. If you loved our “How Women Won WWII” series, today’s episode will be a treat of untold history.

Host/Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Lena Andrews

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharon is joined by Olivia Campbell, author and journalist who marries the history of medicine in the Victorian era with stories of three audacious women who overcame profound sexism, societal stigmas, and a sea of obstacles to receive higher education. When diving into her book, “Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine,” we are reminded that medicine has not always been viewed in high regard, and once upon a time, “med-school” lasted mere months. Follow these tenacious trailblazers to see how they defied the odds and paved the way to revolutionize health care.

Host/Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Olivia Campbell

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharon sits down with author and historical researcher, Bill Shaffer, to learn untold stories of a Hamilton descendant in his gripping book, “The Scandalous Hamiltons: A Gilded Age Grifter, a Founding Father's Disgraced Descendant, and a Trial at the Dawn of Tabloid Journalism. Today, if an author pitched a book proposal with as many twists and turns as this true story holds, it would likely be considered too far-fetched to be believable. Learn how curiosity from a fountain in Riverside park led to a deluge of court records, newspaper articles, and this turn-of-the-Century scandal.

Host/Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Bill Shaffer

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon welcomes law professor Stephen Vladeck to nerd out about all things The Supreme Court. Stephen dives into the elusive behind-the-scenes “shadow docket,” and how 99% of what the court does is in the shadows – without public hearings, and without explanation. With approval ratings of the The Supreme Court at a historic low, what can Congress and the average American citizen do to hold the court accountable, and foster transparency? 

Special thanks to our guest, Stephen Vladeck, for joining us today. 

Hosted by: Sharon McMahon

Guest: Stephen Vladeck

Executive Producer: Heather Jackson

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.