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Naked skydivers. Jeopardy champions. Rodeo clowns. Suzi Quatro. Professional mascots. Competitive eaters. Astronauts. Cherry Vanilla. Renaissance fair kings. Benjamin Franklin. Olympic Curlers. Mandalorians. Gay erotica writers. Mermaids. Fruit cake tossers. Martha Wash. Dolphin Lovers. Hair collectors. Strippers. And satanists. We've talked to them all. On Why? every week we talk with another guest leading a fascinating life.
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Most people unwind after a long day by hoisting a stein of beer. But for Jim Banko, picking up a stein was just the beginning. As a former world champion stein holder, Jim is now part of USA Steinholding, the official body of the sport. How do you get into the competition? How do you practice? And, most importantly, do you get to drink the beer you hold? We get all the answers from Jim. For more information, check out USA Steinholding's website, or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
We know we say it all the time, but Ivy Austin is really a fascinating person. From her work on Broadway, in film and on television, to her work as a therapist in New York, she has led a unique and memorable life. For more information on her acting, you can check out her website, and for more information on her work as a therapist, check out her Couples Therapy website.
Liz West has the greatest collection of Spice Girls items in the world. Don't believe us? Ask the Guinness folks. And if that isn't enough, some of what she got from the Spice Girls has inspired her art career. To get a glimpse of her collection, check out her website. And if you want to see some of her really fascinating art on display, check out her art site.
Lucy Wightman has had a fascinating life. From learning how to become a dancer at The Naked i, located in Boston's infamous Combat Zone, to a relationship with Cat Stevens to so much more. And now she's written it all up in her book, Princess Cheyenne: My Life as Boston's Most Famous Stripper, now available wherever you get your books. For more information, you can follow her on Facebook, or visit her website.
Film writer Tom Huddleston has penned a great tribute and study of filmmaker, artist and musician David Lynch. Huddleston's David Lynch: His Work, His World is the perfect coffee table book to unnerve your friends, but also a wonderful delve into all things Lynch. David Lynch: His Work, His World is available now, wherever you get books.
Did you know the first town lit by nuclear power in the US was in Idaho? Did you know you could tour the reactor that created this amazing advancement in power? We talk with Shelly Norman, the senior tour advisor from the EBR-1 Museum (that's the Experimental Breeder Reactor if you're not into the whole brevity thing). For more information, check out their website.
With Taylor Swift's 12th record about to come out, we thought it a good time to explore what has come before with two experts- Kase Wickman and Moira McAvoy, co-authors (with Joanna Weiss), authors of Taylor Swift: Album by Album, available from Motorbooks wherever you get your books on October 10th.
Tony Goldmark is known for creating in-depth videos exploring all aspects of the Walt Disney corporation, from its theme parks to it's cinematic output. And with his podcast, Escape from Vault Disney, Tony and his guests visit another film available on Disney+. You can find Escape from Vault Disney wherever you get your podcasts and you can find Tony's Some Jerk with a Camera videos on YouTube under @TonyGoldmark.
No guests, just conversation. Where is this whole thing going? Do we have good stuff upcoming? What do you think, slappy?
To hear David Ackles is to be enchanted by his voice and his music. And, for some reason, he never reached a large audience. Now, a new book by Mark Brend, Down River: In Search of David Ackles, tells his whole story. The book is available wherever you get your books on August 22nd.
Everybody loves Jessica Fletcher. And now, with Tim Benzie as your guide, he'll bring you on an evening's worth of entertainment with his "Solve-Along Murder, She Wrote." Will the audience solve the crime before Jessica? And why is she so popular after decades of leaving the air? For more information about Tim and to find out where he is performing, (and hopefully it's near you, you can check out his website, or follow him on Instagram- @solvealongmurdershewrote).
A couple of weekends ago, the Association for Nude Recreation held their annual convention, celebrating all things in non-sexual nudity. We teamed up with former guest John Jankowski from We Bare All, a group in Wisconsin, who we've been working with to produce their podcast... Where do things stand today?
There's knowing The Beatles, and then there's knowing how George likes his hair done. Leslie Cavendish is one of the few people in the world who can lay claim to the latter. And in his book, "The Cutting Edge," he details his work and friendship with the Fab Four. From The Magical Mystery Tour to the final performance on the top of Apple Records, Leslie was there. "The Cutting Edge," by Leslie Cavendish is available right now from Barnes and Noble, and you can get signed copies (and lea...
Who doesn't like a good rock and pop record? Well, the family (take that, Partridges) that makes up Secret Monkey Weekend do, and their new record, Lemon Drop Hammer proves it and then some. For more information, check out their website.
We don't need to tell you how we feel about mascots in these parts. Thankfully, former close friend of the Philadelphia Phanatic feels the same. We talk with Dave about the Hall of Fame and his experience in the sports mascot business. For more information about the hall of fame, check out their website. And for more information about Dave and his work, check out his website.
Stand-up comedy has to be one of the purest art forms. One person on a stage, armed only with their wits and their speed. How does someone do it? Why does someone do it? Comedian JT Habersaat literally wrote the book on stand-up with his new "Doing Time- Comedians on Stage." The book is available July 8th from Jawbone Press. And for more info on JT, including tour dates, check out his website.
There's knowing The Beatles, and then there's knowing how George likes his hair done. Leslie Cavendish is one of the few people in the world who can lay claim to the latter. And in his book, "The Cutting Edge," he details his work and friendship with the Fab Four. From The Magical Mystery Tour to the final performance on the top of Apple Records, Leslie was there. "The Cutting Edge," by Leslie Cavendish is available right now from Barnes and Noble, and you can get signed copies (and lea...
Gary K Wolf has created a bevy of characters that are beloved by generations of film fans and readers. We got to talk with Gary about how you create an iconic character (easy, right?), his writing process and the one thing he wishes he did when his first Roger Rabbit book came out. For more information and to order copies of any of Gary's books, check out his website.
Satori Shakoor has had a fascinating life. From singing in Parliament, to being one of the Brides of Funkenstein, to her life as a mother and everything that has come after, Satori tells it all in her new concert film, "Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale." It's a story only she can tell and she tells it wonderfully. You can stream the film on Amazon, AppleTV and Google Play. For more information, check out Satori's website.
You may not know the name, but you know his sound. From his work as a member of Lipps, Inc, to producing with Prince to bands like Fine Young Cannibals and Big Head Todd and the Monsters, David Z has created a sound that, literally, everyone has danced to. For more information on David and his fascinating career, check out his website.
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