Archives: Episodes

Thurs. 12/05 – Mary Sue French from the NW Women’s Chorale discussing their upcoming performance.

2^nd Segment – Business Bits with small Business Advisor, Kevin Hoult.

...or whatever Neil Diamond said.

Todd, Brown and Amanda talk about Christmas Trees, Cows, and Songs to die with.

Weds. 12/04 – Port Angeles City Manager, Nathan West.

Last Segment - Bacon Bit with Amanda Bacon and Joe Berlinger of the true crime Netflix Special, "COLD CASE: WHO KILLED JONBENÉT RAMSEY"

I very much remember holding my breath and waiting to hear if it was Ruben or Clay who was to be crowned the NEXT American Idol.  I didn't care who it was...I loved them both.

Imagine my glee, when all these years later I got to chat with one of my favorite singers about his new Christmas Album!  One of my favorite musicians singing my favorite music.  It was a good day.

New Holiday Album Christmas Bells are Ringing

Multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken is back with a stunning new version of the Bing Crosby classic "Do You Hear What I Hear?," the first single from his highly anticipated Christmas album Christmas Bells are Ringing, set to be released on November 22nd. Aiken's unique interpretation infuses the classic carol with his signature vocal warmth and emotional depth making it a song for our times.

Written in 1962 by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is timeless in its message, yet even more resonant today. Aiken reflects, "The whole American political climate over the past few years hasn't really given us much in the way of hope or optimism. As much as I wanted to believe I might be able to make some positive change in that world, I've realized that music often does a better job of that."

Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Ron Fair, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is the first release from Aiken's first studio album in over a decade, following a hiatus from music which found Aiken running for Congressional office in North Carolina, and raising his now teenage son.

The album, Christmas Bells are Ringing, marks a return to the holiday music that solidified Aiken's place as a household name in 2004, when his debut holiday album Merry Christmas With Love broke records, selling nearly 300,000 copies in its first week. That album went platinum, becoming the best-selling holiday album of 2004 and earning Aiken three Billboard Music Awards.

The new record boasts fresh takes on holiday staples like Nat King Cole's "Caroling, Caroling" and Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime", as well as a lush reinvention of "Merry Christmas, Darling" by the Carpenters (one of Clay's musical inspirations) and a show-stopping rendition of "Pure Imagination" which reimagines the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory classic as a fitting soundtrack for the holiday season.

Clay Aiken's rise to stardom began in 2003 as the runner-up on season two of American Idol. His debut single, "This Is the Night" debuted at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100, while his debut album Measure of a Man was certified triple platinum. Aiken has since sold millions of albums, launched national tours, starred on Broadway, and made his mark as a philanthropist and politician.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Merry Christmas With Love, Clay Aiken's new album, Christmas Bells are Ringing' promises to bring the same joy and spirit to listeners, making it the perfect soundtrack for the 2024 holiday season.

TRACK LISTING

Merry Christmas, Darling

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Caroling, Caroling

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Pure Imagination

Ave Maria

All Year Long

Wonderful Christmastime

Magic Moments

On This Silent Night

ABOUT CLAY AIKEN

Clay Aiken most recently joined forces with friend and fellow American Idol Ruben Studdard for a highly anticipated North American, 82-date concert tour, reuniting the pair twenty years after their appearance on the show. Clay starred on Broadway in Ruben & Clay's First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show at the Imperial Theater. The New York Times called the production 'A Christmas Miracle'. This came ten years after Clay's critically lauded Broadway debut in Monty Python's Spamalot. Catapulting to fame on season two of American Idol, he became the first Idol alum in history to have his first single debut at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, to have a single certified platinum and to have an album certified triple platinum. As a concert artist he's played some of the most iconic venues in North America, including on the 2003 Independent Tour which Clay co-headlined with Kelly Clarkson.

Clay's album, Measure Of A Man, also debuted at #1 with the highest first week sales by a debut artist. His 2004 holiday release, Merry Christmas With Love, set a record for the fastest selling holiday album of the SoundScan era and remains tied for the highest charting debut of a holiday album in Billboard history. He served 9 years as a UNICEF Ambassador and in 2003, he co-founded, with Diane Bubel, what is now the National Inclusion Project to advocate and increase opportunities for children with disabilities to be included in extracurricular activities (such as summer camps and after-school programs) with their non-disabled peers. Additional TV appearances include: 30 Rock, The Office, Scrubs, Days Of Our Lives, and Law & Order: SVU. Additional 2nd place finishes include: The Celebrity Apprentice in 2012 and the NC 2nd District US House race in 2014. Beyond all of his successes (and near successes) his proudest accomplishment remains his son, Parker.

So...this was an interesting one to me, as I remember when all of this happened.  It was awful.  When I interviewed Joe, I had not finished the special...but I now have.  All I can say is that its fascinating, tragic, and honestly...the last episode...is really hard to stomach.  I found myself actually shaking in my chair.  It's hard to believe that there is such evil in this world.

Joe is a brilliant documentary maker. I have seen some of his other work and I am very impressed.  If you like true crime...this one's for you.

ABOUT "COLD CASE: WHO KILLED JONBENÉT RAMSEY"

On December 26, 1996, John and Patsy Ramsey woke up the morning after a loving family Christmas to discover their youngest child, six-year-old JonBenét, was missing, a chilling ransom note left downstairs. Later that day, John Ramsey discovered his daughter's body in the basement, revealing the shocking truth that JonBenét had not been kidnapped, but was instead sexually assaulted and brutally murdered in their own home. The Boulder, Colorado police, who had little practical experience in homicide investigations, quickly cast suspicion on JonBenét's family as the most likely suspects, fanning the flames of media scrutiny and largely one-sided reporting, turning the case into a national obsession. Twenty-eight years later, that obsession - and finger-pointing - hasn't gone away, and the murder of JonBenét Ramsey remains unsolved. From Emmy-winning and Academy Award nominated director Joe Berlinger, this three-part docuseries investigates the mishandling of the case by law enforcement and the media.

Here's the trailer:

Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57g0BpF3EuY

JOE BERLINGER BIO

Joe Berlinger is one of the leading storytellers of his generation, drawing attention to social justice issues in the U.S. and abroad and creating landmark films such as: Brother's Keeper, a DGA Award-winner that broke new ground with its narrative storytelling techniques; HBO's Paradise Lost trilogy with resulted in the freeing of the wrongly-convicted West Memphis Three after almost two decades in prison; and Some Kind of Monster, an intimate portrait of Metallica that redefined the rockumentary genre, one of seven Berlinger films to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

In addition to his feature work, Berlinger has created or played pivotal roles as executive producer, director &/or producer of many acclaimed and award-winning television series. Berlinger's passion for using media to bring attention to the issue of wrongful conviction served as the inspiration for Wrong Man for Starz, which took an in-depth look into six separate cases of alleged wrongful conviction over two seasons.

In 2019, Berlinger broke new ground for himself by covering the same subject in scripted and unscripted forms simultaneously with Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes and Extremely Wicked, Shocking Evil and Vile, which starred Zac Efron as Bundy. Both aired on Netflix and attracted enormous audiences around the world, with Conversations becoming the network's highest-rated nonfiction title last year, and Extremely Wicked landing in the top ten of most-streamed titles in any genre for 2019.

 Berlinger continued his work for Netflix with the docuseries Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, a victim-focused look at the sordid life of one of the world's most vile serial pedophiles. The series reached the #1 spot on the network's chart of most-streamed shows or movies across all genres in May of 2020.

Berlinger's body of social justice films expanded with Starz's Confronting a Serial Killer, following author Jillian Lauren as she aids law enforcement in solving cold case murders targeting marginalized communities, particularly women of color, through her unprecedented relationship with the most prolific serial killer in American history, Sam Little. Crime Scene, which examined the dark history of Los Angeles' notorious Cecil Hotel and the surrounding Skid Row neighborhood through the lens of the mysterious disappearance of Canadian tourist Elisa Lam, brought Berlinger's streak of chart-topping Netflix docuseries into 2021, becoming his third straight to debut at #1 in the US, accomplishing the same feat in Canada and the UK, and garnering similar attention throughout South America, Europe, and Asia.

"I'm described as a true-crime pioneer", he acknowledged. "I liked the pioneer part. The true-crime thing makes me a little nervous because I think of myself more as a social justice filmmaker spending a lot of time in the crime space."

He added: "I do think there's a lot of irresponsible true crime being done where there's no larger social justice message or there's not a larger commentary on society. It's just about wallowing in the misery of somebody else's tragedy without any larger purpose." (via Chris Vognar of the New York Times)

I LOVE a good rom-com.  In fact, most of the time I will pick a movie I've seen countless times before because I can 'watch' it while doing other things.  However, now that this book has hit the shelves, I may have to start from the very beginning, set myself down with a bowl of popcorn (and a box of kleenex since I'm such an easy crier) and watch some NEW movies.

ABOUT the book, "FALLING IN LOVE AT THE MOVIES"

Prepare to swoon, ugly cry, laugh, and fall in love with this officially licensed exploration of the impact and legacy of one of film's most beloved genres from Turner Classic Movies: the rom-com.

Romantic comedies have had an incredible influence on popular culture, shaping everything from how we think of relationships to fashion. Often swept aside in film history, these movies are thought of as pure comfort viewing. Although they certainly provide those fuzzy feelings, they have also had a significant artistic influence and cultural impact. Spanning decades of romantic comedies-from movies of the 1930s such as It Happened One Night and the rom com craze of the 80s and 90s including When Harry Met Sally.all the way to contemporary hits like Crazy Rich Asians, and everything in between-Falling in Love at the Movies will make you fall in love (all over again) with romantic comedies.

Esther Zuckerman accomplished entertainment journalist and member of the New York Film Critic's Circle-takes readers on a journey through the rom-com. She examines the psychological aspects that make us so drawn to these types of films, diving deep into the key auteurs-from Preston Sturges to James L. Brooks to Nora Ephron and beyond-who both created and subverted the canon. These directors, actors, and writers shaped the genre, establishing and also busting traditional pillars and tenets of these movies such as the "Perfect Pair" or "The Man in Crisis" and "The High Maintenance Woman." Featuring full-color images from the films throughout, along the way Zuckerman takes detours, explores iconic lines of dialogue (Who could forget Julia Roberts' "I'm also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her" iconic moment from Notting Hill) to memorable scenes (the magical moments at the Empire State Building in An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle) and weaves in interviews of artists and romantic comedy fanatics in the industry.

Looking beyond the traditional rom-com, Zuckerman digs into the nooks and crannies, the films that buck the trend of "happily ever after," the ones that think beyond heteronormative narratives, and the indies that kept the rom-com alive outside of the studio system, to offer a more comprehensive story of the rom-com than has ever been seen before-and one that you're bound to love. How's that for a happy ending?

ESTHER ZUCKERMAN BIO

Esther Zuckerman is an entertainment journalist whose work has appeared in publications like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, GQ, Hollywood Reporter and many more. She is the author of Beyond the Best Dressed and A Field Guide to Internet Boyfriends. Esther lives and writes in New York City.

Love songs have always been a thing for me.  I love them...but half the time they made me cry because I had no 'use' for them.  Now that I have been squarely shot between the eyes with cupids bow...I LOVE the love songs...and they STILL make me cry...but for different reasons all together.  Talking to Annie was fun...and I think you'll be able to hear that in this interviews.  Let's love love!

ABOUT her book, "WE FOUND LOVE SONG BY SONG"

Love songs are for everybody and so is this book. In We Found Love Song by Song, award-winning author and music journalist Annie Zaleski delivers a beautifully illustrated keepsake that tells the fascinating history and behind-the-scenes stories of the 100 most popular and cherished love songs of all time.

Pop the champagne, get the roses ready, and settle down in your favorite armchair. Love is universal to the human experience and love songs bring us joy and remind us of happy moments from our life. We all want it and we all crave it but it's not always easy to find. In this beautifully illustrated volume, We Found Love Song by Song tells the fascinating history and behind-the-scenes stories of the 100 most popular and cherished love songs of all time and their everlasting impact. From artists such as Fred Astaire and Nat King Cole all the way up to Whitney Houston and Harry Styles, this all-encompassing collection of love songs is sure to ignite the flame and inspire a new favorite playlist.

What moving song did Paul McCartney pen as a love letter to his wife and record in one day? What iconic tune about cheating and piña coladas ends with a relationship being saved? What popular ballad was written from the perspective of Juliet and led to hundreds of in-concert proposals? Spanning musical genres and decades of classics and modern hits, featured songs include:

Etta James, "At Last"

Elvis Presley, "Can't Help Falling in Love"

Sonny and Cher, "I Got You Babe"

Queen, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

Foreigner, "I Want to Know What Love Is"

Marvin Gaye, "Sexual Healing"

Tina Turner, "The Best"

Elton John, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"

Shania Twain, "You're Still the One"

Rihanna, "We Found Love"

John Legend, "All of Me"

Taylor Swift, "Love Story"

And many more!

ABOUT ANNIE ZALESKI

Annie Zaleski is an award-winning writer and editor who's contributed to NPR Music, Salon, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian. She's also the author of multiple books, including an extensive look at Duran Duran's Rio for Bloomsbury's prestigious 33 1/3 series, and biographies of pop stars Lady Gaga and P!nk. She interviewed Cher ahead of her 2016 Las Vegas residency and praised the icon in a career-spanning 2021 Salon piece.

I've been a fan of Shanti for some time.  Besides singing at the top of my lungs to the Pussycat Dolls, I also love her work in TV.  Specifically, "The Closer", which is one of my all time favorite shows ever!  Charming, sweet and down to earth...talking to Shanti absolutly made my morning!

Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, Emmy nominated actress, producer, dancer, and singer Shanti Lowry seemed destined for the spotlight. Despite escaping a childhood of poverty and abuse, she chose to visualize a greater life for herself and found solace in pretending to be other people.

Her first shot at performing came around at the age of 10, when she auditioned and booked a role in a play after seeing a casting call in the local paper. Six years later Shanti took part in a dance competition in Boulder that saw her win the grand prize of a dance agent in Los Angeles. Seeing it as fate, she packed her bags and moved west to pursue her dream. It didn't take long for her to find success, booking the Earth, Wind and Fire international tour at the age of 17 and Chaka Khan's regional tour (choreographed by Debbie Allen) just a year later.

After booking various music videos with hit artists (N*SYNC, Diddy, and Puff Daddy), and even being one of the original members of The Pussycat Dolls, Shanti decided to take her talents to the screen and begin her journey as an actress. She found success with roles in shows such as NYPD Blue, Girlfriends, The Closer, Don't Trust the B-in Apartment 23, The Game, School of Rock, Murder in the First, Uncle Buck, Kingdom, Code Black, Bronx SIU (Emmy nominated for the role of Yolanda), and several others.

Shanti's latest work is a leading role in the upcoming feature film PERSONA, a thriller about two women trapped in a house who must work together in order to escape. The project is particularly unique as it was comprised of 75% BIPOC, and 50% women for its cast and crew. Apart from starring in the film, Shanti also served as an executive producer, spearheaded casting, assisted with costume design, and worked closely with the writer find emotional layers to create complex female characters. Shanti also did the final cut of the script and served as prep and post director.

When not starring on the screen, Shanti enjoys spending time with her daughter and husband, staying in shape with CrossFit, participating in contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, or heels dance classes, and practicing self-care. She's also an avid supporter of The Dove Project, Women for Women International, and Amnesty International.

ABOUT PERSONA

A woman wakes up locked in a house, injured with no memory. She's terrified and a little relieved to find a woman bound in another room. These 2 strangers must work together to figure out what's really going on before the door is unlocked.

Here's the trailer: Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnC4zZOUlpI

Getting to chat with T.J. is always a treat.  This book, "The Last Kilo" is a first hand account, from one Willy Falcon himself, that T.J. has masterfully put together in book form.

ABOUT THE LAST KILO

Despite what Scarface might lead one to believe, violence was not the dominant characteristic of the cocaine business. It was corruption: the dirty cops, agents, lawyers, judges, and politicians who made the drug world go round. And no one managed that carousel of dangerous players better than Willy Falcon.

A Cuban exile whose family escaped Fidel Castro's Cuba when he was eleven years old, Falcon, as a teenager, became active in the anti-Castro movement. He began smuggling cocaine into the U.S. as a way to raise money to buy arms for the Contras in Central America. This counter-revolutionary activity led directly to Willy's genesis as a narco. He and his partners built an extraordinary international organization from the ground up. Los Muchachos, the syndicate founded by Falcon, thrived as a major cocaine distribution network in the U.S. from the late 1970's into the early 1990's. At their height, Los Muchachos made more than a hundred million dollars a year. At the same time, Willy, his brother Tavy Falcon, and partner Sal Magluta became famous as championship powerboat racers.

Cocaine, used by everyone from A-list celebrities to lawyers and people in law enforcement, came to define an era, and for a time, Willy Falcon and those like him-major suppliers, of whom there were only a few-became stars in their own right. They were the deliverers of good times, at least until the downside of persistent cocaine use became apparent: delusions of grandeur, psychological addiction, financial ruin. Thus, the War on Drugs was born, and federal authorities came after Falcon and his crew with a vengeance. Willy found himself on the run, his marriage and family life in shambles, the halcyon days of boat races and lavish trips to Vegas and parties at the Mutiny night club seemingly a distant memory.

T.J. English has been granted unprecedented access to the inner workings of Los Muchachos, sitting down with Willy Falcon and his associates for many lengthy interviews, and revealing never-before-understood details about drug trafficking. A classic of true-crime writing from a master of the genre, The Last Kilotraces the rise and fall of a true cocaine empire-and the lives left in its wake.

ABOUT T.J. ENGLISH

T.J. English is a noted journalist and author of the New York Timesbestsellers Havana Nocturne, Paddy Whacked, The Savage Cityand Where the Bodies Were Buried. He also authored The Westies, a national bestseller; Born to Kill, which was nominated for an Edgar Award; and The Corporation. His journalism has appeared in Esquire, Vanity Fair, Playboy and New York magazine, among other publications. He lives in New York City.

Todd, Amanda and Brown talk about Santa, the Naughty and Nice List (and where they belong), Christmas movies and smelling like a dive bar for only $60.00