The Neil Haley Show 10-17-25: James Pickens Jr., Dr. Tanya Paparella, Mike Norice, Chris Walters & Gregg Sharp

The Neil Haley Show delivered an action-packed episode on October 17, 2025, opening with beloved Grey's Anatomy star James Pickens Jr., who discussed his transition from playing Dr. Richard Webber for over two decades to executive producing and starring in the intimate short film "Albert's Flower." Pickens explained how the project came to him through a director he worked with on a New Jersey play, initially as a 12-page script intended as a fundraising vehicle for regional theaters affected by COVID. He recognized its cinematic potential immediately and transformed it into a powerful chamber piece shot entirely in one day in Montclair, New Jersey. The film, which explores themes of confronting the past and seeking redemption, was accepted into the prestigious Montclair Film Festival and represents Pickens' long-held desire to tell more personal stories beyond the demands of network television, which he described as a producer-driven medium versus film's director and actor-driven nature.

Dr. Tanya Paparella, a clinical psychologist and professor at UCLA's Department of Child Psychiatry with over 30 years of experience, shared insights from her book "More Than Hope for Young Children on the Autism Spectrum." She emphasized that the title reflects empowering parents beyond just hoping for their child's success—providing them with practical, evidence-based intervention strategies they can implement immediately. Dr. Papaprella explained that autism can now be diagnosed as early as 18 months and stressed the critical importance of early intervention, comparing the developing brain to wet clay that can be shaped and molded. She discussed targeting the core areas of autism—communication and language, social development, and appropriate responding to the environment—and shared the remarkable transformation story of Diego, a non-verbal 2.5-year-old who learned to communicate by first mastering nonverbal pointing, which eventually led to verbal language development and now thrives indistinguishable from his typically developing peers at age five.

Artist Mike Norice and producer Chris Walters presented their documentary "Artfully United," arriving in theaters nationwide on October 17th, chronicling Norice's United Mural Tour that began in 2016. Norice, a naturally born artist who opened a store on Melrose Avenue, combines his artistic talent with community activism through massive murals addressing social issues. Walters discovered Norice's work in 2013 and was immediately drawn to both the art and the man's character, eventually spending 10 years with director Dave Ner making 35 trips to document Norice's activism with the California Ceasefire Committee and his work painting murals in schools and community centers. The documentary showcases Norice's message of never giving up on yourself or your community, highlighting his remarkable persistence and problem-solving abilities, particularly illustrated through the challenging process of creating the "Forgiveness Mural" which required exploring numerous locations before finding the right fit.