THINK BIG with Michael Zellner

Thanks for joining me today for Episode 178 of my podcast 'Think Big With Michael Zellner' sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry. My guest today is writer and director, Jonathan Bowen.   Jonathan is the President and Owner of JLB Media Productions in Burbank, California. He is a member of Hollywood’s Directors Guild of America, which is the only union representing directors in the country. He has received numerous awards at film festivals all over the United States that includes playing at over 40 film festivals, which has received him 25 nominations for his work. He also has 8 wins at those festivals, which anyone in the movie and filmmaking industry knows is an incredible thing to have done. He is here with us today to talk about the industry and to talk about That’s Hollywood Indie drama, “The Comic Shop,” which stars SAG Award winner Jesse Metcalfe (On a Wing and a Prayer), Tristin Mays, Eric Roberts and Micah Giovanni.   I appreciate you coming on the show today, Jonathan.

Thanks for joining us today for my podcast THINK BIG with Michael Zellner, sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry. Joining me today for Episode 177 for Part 2 of my interview with Richie McGinniss.   In case you missed or haven’t watched or listened to our first episode yet, Richie’s journey into the national and international spotlight began on August 25, 2020, when as a Chief Video Director for The Daily Caller, a conservative website that was founded by Tucker Carlson, he found himself in the middle of craziness and chaos that night in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Just minutes before the shooting began that night, he was interviewing Kyle Rittenhouse in front of a gas station. A little while after that, Richie’s life changed forever and he is here today to tell us about his experience that night and also his involvement in the riots after the death of George Floyd, with the Proud Boys in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, a face-off between the umbrella gang and the NYPD in New York City’s protest in front of City Hall, and also in Portland when there was a clash between demonstrators and federal officers. A lot of what he will be talking to our audience today is also talked about in his new book coming out this month called, 'RIOT DIET: One Man’s Radical Ride Through America in Chaos.'

Thaao Penghlis is not only a very famous television and soap opera actor, but he is also a writer, an author, and a podcast host, too. Thaao has been on several tv shows throughout his career with his big break coming in 1981 playing Victor Cassadine on General Hospital. He was also on the network television show, Mission: Impossible. Of course, he is best known for playing the dual character roles of twin cousins, Tony and Andre DiMera on Days of Our Lives. Thaao has appeared on the show on and off now for 5 decades and has won several awards in his career, including twice for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.   Leann is also a very famous and television soap opera actress that started in 1977 with an appearance on the tv show, Hawaii Five-O, and throughout her career she has appeared on many network television shows, including one I just saw again the other with a special guest role on an episode of Matlock in 1990 called, “The Talk Show.” Like Thaao, she is probably best known for her character on Days of Our Lives, Anna DiMera, which she has played starting in 1982. Just 4 years into her career on the show, Leann won an Emmy Award at the 13th Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She also starred in the hit tv series ‘Dynasty’ for three seasons, one of my favorite shows as a teenager, as part of the infamous Carrington family. She also had major roles on the shows ‘Dawson’s Creek’ and ‘Gilmore Girls’ too

Richie’s journey into the national and international spotlight began on August 25, 2020, when as a Chief Video Director for The Daily Caller, a conservative website that was founded by Tucker Carlson, he found himself in the middle of craziness and chaos that night in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Just minutes before the shooting began that night, he was interviewing Kyle Rittenhouse in front of a gas station. A little while after that, Richie’s life changed forever and he is here today to tell us about his experience that night and also his involvement in the riots after the death of George Floyd, with the Proud Boys in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, a face-off between the umbrella gang and the NYPD in New York City’s protest in front of City Hall, and also in Portland when there was a clash between demonstrators and federal officers. A lot of what he will be talking to our audience today is also talked about in his new book coming out this month called RIOT DIET: One Man’s Radical Ride Through America in Chaos.   Great to have you on today, Richie.   Sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry

Thanks for joining me today for THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry.

My guest today joining me for Episode 174 for part 3 of my interview with her for the 2 nd week in a row is Dr. Sheila Nazarian.

Dr. Nazarian is here again today to talk once again about Israel and about the urgency and importance of our Presidential election next Tuesday, November 5 th , and depending on what outcome we get will shape the future of our country now more than ever before in our lifetime, and how so much of this ties together.

Dr. Nazarian is a Jewish Iranian-American plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, CA with over 850,000 followers on Instagram.   She is a very vocal advocate for the state of Israel and the importance of electing Donald Trump on November 5th.    As a little child, along with some of her family, she escaped out of Iran in the back of a pick up truck. She has an amazing story    Dr. Nazarian is a frequent guest on Newsmax, Fox News, and News Nation.    She is very well known as the host of the Netflix television series Skin Decision and also guest starred on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.    In 2016, she was named Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization Woman of the Year.   (Disclaimer: This is a very political podcast and expresses the views of Dr. Nazarian and myself.)

Listen to Episode 172 of my podcast THINK BIG with Michael Zellner with Marissa Lima and Michael Scruggs.   My guests today joining me from the American Cancer Society is Marissa Lima, and from Agape Child & Family Services is Michael Scruggs.   Marissa Dail Lima's background started in Alumni Relations at Virginia Tech. She did her graduate work at Wake Forest. She worked as Director of Development for the University of Memphis and started at the American Cancer Society in early 2023 as Senior Development Manager. She has a big responsibility there as she manages the breast cancer campaigns in the Mid-South. Marissa and her husband own a home inspection business called Integrity Home Solutions, USA.   Michael Scruggs' background is in many areas, including working with Charter Schools USA for over 4 years. He actually made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for “Successfully instructing general education students and individual with learning challenges within a mainstreamed, inclusive classrooms.” He graduated from The University of Memphis with his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government and got his Master’s in Education at Union University   Thank you both for joining me today! There are obviously many types of cancer, unfortunately way too many. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.   Sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ's Masonry

Episode 171 with Ephraim Urevbu

Welcome to THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry. My guest today for Episode 171 is Ephraim Urevbu (E from Uu rev bu).

Ephraim is originally from Nigeria and has lived in Memphis now from about 35 years. He’s a founding member of the “South Main arts district.” He is the C.O.O. of (Uu rev bu) Foundation, the owner of E.U. Enterprises, and for almost 33 years, an artist with (Uu rev bu) Contemporary at 410 S. Main Street in downtown Memphis. Thanks for joining me today, Ephraim (E from).

Thank you for joining us today for THINK BIG with Michael Zellner podcast sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry. My guest today joining me on the show for the 3 rd time is the wonderful Thaao Penghlis, who is here today to talk about his book, 'Seducing Celebrities…One Meal at a Time.'

Thaao is not only a very famous soap opera and television actor, but he is also an author, and a writer. He has been on several tv shows throughout his career. His big break when he first appeared in the very popular Soap Opera world came in 1981 on General Hospital playing Victor Cassadine during the “Luke and Laura” era. He also starred on Santa Barbara and the network television show, Mission: Impossible.

Thaao is best known for playing the dual character roles of twin brothers Tony and Andre DiMera. In 2023, Thaao released his 4 part podcast series called ‘The Lost Treasures’, which was wonderful to listen to and learn a lot about things I would have never known in my life. For a little history for some that may not know, the show Days of Our Lives exists in the fictional world of Salem. Thaao premiered on the show on November 6, 1981, and was on and off the show for 5 decades through June 2023. That is beyond amazing to be a character on a television show for that long of a period of time. He won several awards in his career, including twice for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, with his last one coming in 2020.

I’m really excited to have him back on today to talk about this very entertaining memoir-cookbook, Seducing Celebrities…One Meal at a Time. Thaao, I really appreciate you coming back on the show today to share this with my audience.

Welcome to my Podcast: THINK BIG with Michael Zellner sponsored by Sleepy ZZZ’s Masonry. Joining me today for Episode 169 is Hollywood stuntman, Ian Eyre.   Ian is a screenwriter, director, producer, 2nd Unit Director, and a stunt performer/coordinator. He also owns Eyre Films, LLC a production company based here in Memphis. His career spans about 25 years since his college days at Georgia Tech. He has over 120 stunt credits and has been part of many TV and movie productions, including AMC’s The Walking Dead, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay!