Media Path Podcast

We may all be home alone for the holidays but we are joined by great cinema. It’s streaming straight to the TV on your wall or the phone in your hand and it is excellent. Fritz and Weezy are recommending the sensational writing and powerful performances in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, David Attenborough’s extraordinary look at The Great Barrier Reef, the music, message and magic of The Prom, Virgin River’s cozy characters, Sophia Loren’s beautiful performance in The Life Ahead and the royal drama of The Crown. Both on the screen and the ensuing public reaction to the show’s controversial portrayal of Charles, Diana and Camilla. Grab some eggnog. There is much to discuss.Path Points of Interest:Ma Rainey's Black BottomAugust Wilson and African American CultureAugust Wilson: The Ground on Which I StandAugust Wilson's Pittsburgh CycleDavid Attenborough's Great Barrier ReefThe PromVirgin RiverTim Matheson on IMDBThe Life AheadHouseboatThe Crown

Comedian Shawn Pelofsky is a hearty consumer of reality TV and bad Christmas movies. This pandemic season she has strapped on the binge bag and she is getting after it! Gather ‘round Bachelor Nation Children. Shawn has some wonderful opinions to share with you about Claire, Tayshia and the hermetically sealed, Covid tested men who love them. Shawn has also taken a deep dive into Hallmark, Hulu and Netflix Christmas movies and she’s coming up for a deep breath of air so that she can vent about them. For example, why in bad Christmas movies is everyone in Guam Mexican? Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Alan Zweibel’s book Laugh Lines, The Queen’s Gambit and The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.Path Points of Interest:The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken HeartWeezy's Bee Geens InterviewLaugh Lines by Alan Zweibel The Queen's GambitShawn Pelofsky's websiteSocial Media MeltdownsSocial Media Meltdowns on Instagram@SocialMediaMeltdownsShawn Pelofsky on Social Media@shawnpelofsky

It’s hard to know if actors are handling this pandemic really well or if they are just acting like it. That’s why Lesley Boone and Lisa Arch started their own honest, raw and revealing Youtube show. Truth? They are half dressed and drinking heavily. Sure, some days they are fully dressed and half drinking but the point is the honesty. We find out what they are binging… The Vow and The Great British Baking Show. Plus Weezy recommends The Booksellers documentary and Lesley and Lisa go deep into their career highlight stories to talk about Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Cory in the House, Ed, Babes, Agent Carter and Parker Lewis Can’t Lose! Path Points of Interest:The VowBooksellers DocThe Lesley and Lisa Show

Standup comedians are tightly wound bundles of hilarity woven with doubt, despair and anxiety. Fold a pandemic into the mixture to yield Taylor Williamson’s mood. A proactive and solution oriented Taylor has attempted zoom shows, drive-in shows, socially “safe” shows, closed circuit shows and dog sitting. Verdict? He’s still lonely. And so, Taylor is podcasting his feelings. Fritz and Weezy are here for him. Plus, we’re recommending the documentaries Belushi and Zappa, and the books into films, Hillbilly Elegy and Between the World and Me.Path Points of Interest:Taylor Williamson's Web SiteTaylor on TwitterTaylor on FacebookBELUSHI DocumentaryZAPPA DocumentaryZappa Doc on YoutubeZappa Doc on AmazonBetween the World and Me book by Ta-Nehisi CoatesBetween the World and Me on HBOHillbilly Elegy book by JD VanceHillbilly Elegy on Netflix

Jordan Zaslow’s viral videos will make your heart shine and your eyes leak happy rain. Jordan and her company Love & Fireworks create globally acclaimed social experiment content like the Regret Blackboard and You’re More Successful Than You Realize. This election cycle Jordan helmed Women for the Win, producing inspiring content for candidates Chivona Newsome, Paula Jean Swearengin and Cori Bush among others. Jordan is here to talk process and purpose and share insights into finding your voice. Plus Weezy recommends books by Barack and Michelle Obama and Joe and Dr. Jill Biden and Fritz’s friend Sharon Townsend from Children’s Burn Center will help you understand just how much your generosity means on Giving Tuesday.Path Points of InterestPromised Land by Barack Obama on AudibleDreams From My Father by Barack ObamaBecoming by Michelle Obama Making Obama Podcast from WBEZ ChicagoChildren’s Burn FoundationGiving Tuesday December 1stJordan ZaslowJordan Zaslow on InstagramLove & FireworksWOMEN FOR THE WIN@WomenForTheWin2020 on InstagramAmanda Stuck For Congress Chivona Newsome For Congress Chivona is the co-founder of Black Lives Matter Greater NY Chapter. She ran for congress in hopes that she could change policy from inside of our legislative bodies. Cori Bush For Congress  Cori won her election in a historic victory in which she defeated legacy leadership (which  happened to be men.) Wild & Wonderful West Virginia This campaign ad aired in West Virginia to celebrate the first all-female ticket in WV history.Brittney Rodas for PA State Rep This was a closely watched race in PA. Brittney was endorsed by Both President Obama and President-Elect Joe Biden.More of Jordan's WorkJewish Unity PAC(produced and released in the summer before the election.) LittleBits - The Next BIG Inventor  A mini-doc about girls in STEM sponsored by littleBits and Disney. American Greetings' #GiveMeaning campaign American Family Insurance "With the right support, any dream is possible." Traditional Branded Content Pieces: Jockey #ShowEm campaign H&R Block - Are Taxes Fun? ZzzQuil Sleep Challenge Globally Acclaimed Social Experiments! What's Your Biggest Regret? You're More Successful Than You Realize

How accurate is the Netflix Helen Reddy movie, I Am Woman? Our fact checker is Paul Cowsill from The Cowsills who toured with Helen and he knows too much to go back and pretend. Plus young people pollster Cyrus Beschloss from Generation Lab joins us to share data and intel on what matters to newly minted voters. Also, Fritz and Weezy are recommending The Trouble With Maggie Cole and The Rise of the Nazis on PBS and Assholes: A Theory on Amazon Prime. The Trouble With Maggie ColeI Am Woman on NetflixAssholes: A TheoryA documentary from John WalkerThe Rise of The Nazis on PBSFamily Band: The Cowsills StoryCyrus Beschloss on Twitter Cyrus BeschlossGeneration LabGeneration Lab Poll on VoxGeneration Lab Poll on Axios

Breaking News: Fritz and Weezy need to election vent. Let’s call this conversation Election Result Results. Can we Americans really hear each other across the cultural divide? Are we even trying? What inspires us or drives us to vote the way we do? How can we better understand one another? Plus, are you pandemic parched and what can you do to quench your social thirst? How is Fritz adjusting to retirement? And how is social distancing bringing us closer together?Path Points of Interest:The Great American Lie documentary by Jennifer Siebel NewsomPoor People's CampaignToo Much and Never Enough by Mary Trump

Award Winning Rock Biographer Peter Ames Carlin joins us to talk shop. Peter’s shop is stocked with best selling books about Brian Wilson, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and Paul Simon. Peter brings fascinating insight to a conversation about the drive, struggle, light, dark and genius of artists who attain and utilize the power to share so significantly with us, their voice and music. Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Doris Kearns Goodwin, Mank on Netflix and Bruce Springsteen’s Letter To You on Apple+.Path Points of Interest:MANKDirected by: David FincherNETFLIXNovember 13thLEADERSHIP IN TURBULENT TIMES by Doris Kearns GoodwinTeam of Rivals by Doris Kearns GoodwinBruce Springsteen’s Letter To You DocumentaryPeter Ames CarlinPeter James Carlin on AmazonPeter Ames Carlin Books:Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall and Redemption of The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson Paul McCartney: A LifeBruceHomeward Bound: The Life of Paul SimonBrian Wilson Presents SmileWeezy's Paul Simon Interview

Bass legend and fine gentleman Leland Sklar is fertilizing the soil of his pandemic pause with creative seeds which are sprouting into a YouTube channel, a photography book, graphic art, virtual concerts and new music from The Immediate Family which includes Lee plus Waddy Wachtel, Danny Kortchmar, Steve Postel and Russ Kunkel. Lee comes to us brimming with tales of Laurel Canyon, James Taylor, Carole King, Phil Collins, Jackson Browne and so much more. Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending The Trial of the Chicago Seven,  Trust: America’s Best Chance by Pete Buttigieg and It Was All a Lie by Stuart Stevens.Path Points of Interest:THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7NetflixDirector: Aaron SorkinMore About The Chicago 7On IMDBIn New York TimesOn History.ComOn SmithsonianTrust: America's Best Chance by Pete ButtigiegIt Was All A Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump by Stuart StevensLee SklarLee in Bass Player magazineLee Sklar on YoutubeThe Immediate FamilyThe Immediate Family in American Song WriterThe Immediate Family interview:Lee's Book, Everybody Loves MeLee's Clubhouse

“Everybody wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant.” So, once said Cary Grant. Born Archibald Leach in Bristol, England, at nine his was abandoned by his father and told that his mother had died. (She hadn’t.) At 14 he ran away and joined the circus. (OK, an acrobat troop but you get the idea.) By 20 he was honing his public persona of Cary Grant, the world’s most elegant man. Best selling author Marc Eliot has delved deeply into the lives of 25 and counting fascinating subjects to write his celebrity bios. He joins us with fascinating backstories which help sort myth from man. Plus Fritz and Weezy are recommending, the Pete Souza doc, My Octopus Teacher, Boys State and Acorn’s A Place To Call Home.Path Points of Interest:The Way I See ItPete Souza DocumentaryObama: An Intimate Portrait by Pete SouzaMy Octopus TeacherAcorn Mystery RoadA Place To Call HomeBoys State on Apple TV+ a film by Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss. Marc EliotCary Grant: A BiographyTo The Limit: The Untold Story of The EaglesDeath of a Rebel: A Biography of Phil Ochs