The Preamble

On today’s episode, Sharon sits down with the voice of a generation: Jodi Benson, the performer who voiced Disney’s Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Jodi was new to show business when she was cast as the voice of Ariel, and it wasn’t considered a “career maker” job; animated films in the 1980s weren’t wildly popular blockbusters like they are now. The Little Mermaid ushered in a new era of success for Disney, and for Jodi. Join us to hear about her journey, and learn which song was almost cut from the film!

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So far, we’ve been concentrating on a fairly small geographical area of the United States, and even though much of the political action was happening in the East, Americans were beginning to spread out. They began to move Westward. So let’s talk about one of these early pioneers; a man whose exploration of Kentucky paved the way for new European settlements: His name was Daniel Boone. He just may be one of the most misremembered figures in American history, so together, let’s sort out the tall tales from the true details.

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Join us on Here's Where It Gets Interesting today as we dive into the First Ladyship of Elizabeth Monroe. As the reserved wife of 5th President, James Monroe, Elizabeth added a more formal feel to entertaining in the White House. She was raven-haired and regal, and kept the public at arms length, which wasn’t always a popular decision. She modeled her social engagements after Parisian customs, a city she loved deeply. Stay tuned to learn about her heroic act that once saved the life of a well-known French aristocrat.

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On this episode of Here's Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon is joined by Dr. Jillian Peterson, a leading expert in the research of violence, mental illness, and crime. Today’s conversation may not be suitable to listen to with children in the room, but it is an episode you will want to hear. Sharon and Dr. Peterson discuss the myths and media around violence and mass shootings, and how they compare to the research. They also touch on reframing the idea of the “monster with a gun” and what actions and resources can help diminish gun violence across the country.

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Today on Here's Where It Gets Interesting we are going to switch gears a bit. We’ve been talking about first ladies and the many people who were closely acquainted with the founding fathers. But what did the rest of the country know about the events and actions happening in the capital city? Where did they get their news? It should come as no surprise to you that political bias and tabloid sensationalism in American media grew right alongside the new nation. Let’s see how journalists affected the political atmosphere of the new nation.

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On this episode of Here's Where It Gets Interesting we are going to meet the woman who set the gold standard for the role of First Lady. Dolley Madison’s natural effervescence came in handy as she executed countless social events for the well-connected and wealthy inhabitants of Washington DC. She relied on the art of entertaining to successfully play the game of politics, which furthered her husband’s influence and career. But that’s just the beginning. Tune in to find out how Dolley went from First Lady to national hero.

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On this episode of Here's Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon has a conversation with former presidential candidate Andrew Yang. After coming off the campaign trail in 2020, Yang began searching for a solution that could change the two-party system in US politics. He recently founded the Forward Party with the hopes to give the American people more viable options for leaders who aim to represent their constituency over party expectations and financiers. Join us as we talk about both the goals and the trials associated with changing the infrastructure of political campaigning.

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Today, on Here's Where It Gets Interesting, we returned to Monticello and the lives that were intertwined with third President Thomas Jefferson. The young Hemings family, enslaved by birth, grew up in Jefferson’s plantation estate, Monticello. But James Hemings traveled extensively with Jefferson, spending five years in Paris where he learned to cook from Parisian masters. James was well-educated and skilled, but he wanted more. He wanted his freedom.

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On today’s episode of Here's Where It Gets Interesting, we hear about the wife of Thomas Jefferson, Martha, who is listed as an official First Lady, but who passed away nearly twenty years before Jefferson’s presidency. Thomas Jefferson never remarried, but he did rely on two very important women to support him through the years as a widower. Learn about who they were and how their lives were destined to be connected, even before they were born.

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In this episode, Sharon is joined by economic policy expert and author Heather McGhee. McGhee began her career as an economist but when she took a trip across the country and back, she began to ask herself, “Why can’t we have nice things?” We’re not talking about robot maids, but rather, the social stability of programs like affordable healthcare and well-funded public schools. While puzzling out the answer to this question, McGhee realized that racism was a major driver of stagnant economics for ALL Americans, not just for Brown and Black Americans. Listen in to find out why, and how we must rethink our zero sum mindset–my progress over yours–to gain the most amount of prosperity.

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