Vicki Abelson's Broadcast: The Road Taken

Days don’t get much happier than spending them in Donny Most's good company. What fun this was! Don ran the gamut from how he got to be Ralph Malph on Happy Days, not the role he auditioned for, turning it down, and getting a persuasive bump from Garry Marshall; backtracked to The Jolson Story and how it changed his life. His training and launch with a Borscht Belt revue, which crazily I saw, his sleepaway camp best friend who a few years later became my longtime boyfriend… more Happy Days––the show which became family, and a traveling softball team, his relationships with each of his costars, close encounters with his baseball hero, and his singing and acting idols; becoming a director, theatre, and finding his way back to his original passion, singing standards, recording Mostly Swinging and performing in venues around the map. In LA, you can catch Donny (I can’t help it!) at Catalina Jazz Club, on Saturday. August 14th. Stick around after the show for a warm, friendly, hello. I trust he’ll be happy to si

What a delight going Live with actor, and friend, Michael Gross. A pro, he handled the intro whilst I dealt with FB frustrations. We touched ever so briefly on the pandemic, jumped into Michael’s humble beginnings in Chicago, as a lower middle class, parochial school-going alter boy, raised by a fair-minded before his time, father, and a fearless, creative, impromptu mother who inspired and gave permission to Michael and his younger, one day to be SNL success-story, Mary Gross. With a mid-western work ethic, a chance role in High School as the comic relief in Oklahoma at an all-girls school wetted Michael’s thespian tastes as well as his awareness of where the girls “are.” Pre-med, in a commuter college, he soon found his way to the stage, getting his MFA at Yale School of Drama, which led to three years in Louisville Rep, Regional Repertory, Yale Rep, before finding his way to NY, with dollars saved and the ability to say, “no.” Like to co-starring with Richard Gere in what would be his first Broadway play…

Had a great time chatting and getting to know Mr. Squeeze, Phil Parlapiano. From the meaning of his name, and how he got his nickname, what he did over his pandemic staycation, his grandma's guidance, to his first keys, early influences, not The Beatles... at first, pre-teen gigs, touring with Joan Baez, his first big gig at 22, his deal at Geffen, John Prine, 9 years with JOHN PRINE, sigh, Elvis Costello, Jon Bon Jovi, Iron Butterfly, placing music and scoring film, and appearing on it (he's on the shortlist when they want accordionist)... Barry, Shameless, Titanic, sessions, and his ongoing current gig with Kiefer Sutherland, recording, and touring... the man's a multi-instrumentalist on multi-platforms. Talent. Smarts. And, oh so fun. Phil took us out with his, The Road Is Not My Home. You can find Phil and his music at parlapiano.com and on iTunes and Spotify. He's FAB, on everything. Phil Parlapiano Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson Wed, 7/14/21, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET Streamed Live on my Facebook R

Sitting down with 24's Bill Buchanan, AKA, James Morrison, is like wrapping myself up in my softest, warmest, coolest, comfiest, cutest, silkiest pajamas, and settling in for an easy, breezy, fun, loving, memorable night. I didn't know James when he graced the living room, and Women Who Write, not yet 7 years ago, since then he's become a cherished friend, and my appreciation of his talents and craft keeps growing exponentially. We talked sobriety, recovery, family, grave illness, losing faith, spirituality, adjusting, life in Alaska, the Beatles, making music, finding theatre, ACT, apprenticing, repertory theatre, day jobs, New York, losing his mother, getting his first film gig, stripping to no music and silent applause, auditioning, the big break that was 24, more auditioning, loads of work, on stage and screen, partnering with his wife, Riad Galayini, co-directing and producing Showing Up, an unprecedented look at the audition, with some of our most accomplished working actors reflecting on the proces

Chatting Live with long-time friend Eddie Ojeda of Twisted Sister was like going home... and after all these years I just discovered we're both Bronxites. Loved chatting about the early years, the first guitar, being inspired by the Beatles, he was a Paul, a few years later, a thisclose encounter with John, SPX to Twisted Sister, the successes and the "if only." From clubs to stadiums, to wedding band and back again, ending the touring reign on top, once again headlining stadiums. We talked Eddie's Twisted Hot Sauce, it's fab, you can get it here: twistedhotsauce.com, his appearance on Chopped, moving to Nashville to be close to his son and first grandchild, daring a flight west to walk his daughter down the aisle, losing the quarantine 15 (already, damn!) by eating healthy, less and earlier, and leaning into his passion for bike riding (as in bicycle - he once considered going pro), and, what he's binging, a surprising choice. Looking young, fit, and fab, he's a goddamn inspiration. Forever grateful

Steve Conte is a jumbo slice of Rock 'n Roll Heaven. We got treated to his latest single, Recovery Doll, a recent Coolest Song in the World on Little Steven's Underground Garage, the B side, Rock And Rye Queen, and, Gimme Rockaway, which was not only another Coolest Song in the World, it also placed in the top 5 for Coolest Song of the Year, on the heels of Ian Hunter, and The Monkees. He's in my top rock voices of all time. Steve was chicken soup for the crazies soul, one of us, he shared how the Conte's have been faring these past 16 months- with creativity, caution, and grace, it appears. We heard stories, his classic Chuck Berry, Tiny Tim, thanks, Postell, Paul Simon, Prince, David Clayton Thomas, Michael Monroe, David Johansen... starting out on drums, thanks to Ringo, with his brother John, on guitar, swapping to that, taking front and center, John on bass, backing their jazz singer mother, Rosemary... his first road gig, in Blood, Sweat & Tears, his own, Company of Wolves, Willy DeVille, The New Y

It's been a long ride with singer/songwriter/producer, Steve Postell. We go back to Bleecker Street in the heady daze of the New York club scene. I was booking the Rock 'N Roll Café and Steve was fresh outta Pure Prairie League. I was RockStar struck. I booked him that day and have continued to for the past 30 + years wherever I went and whatever I did. When I had my book launch at The Federal it was Steve I went to. He put together the most kick-ass jam band, as he always does. Steve has the distinction of being the one musician who's played every single venue I've booked. How lucky am I? We talked about Steve's early days as a kid being mesmerized by his mother's record collection and a guitarist in the park, knowing that was what he wanted to do. From lessons with his early mentor, Richard Nieves, who trained him on guitar, reading music, and singing simultaneously, to Mannes School of Music... playing Broadway, sessions, Pure Prairie League, his own record deal, Little Blue, producing with Steve Ferrone

SCORE! Pure joy! #DonnaPescow is, even more of a dream than I'd hoped. The woman is hysterical! #SaturdayNightFever #Angie #EvenStevens #OutOfThisWorld #GreatStories #Travolta #FUN #GameChangersWithVickiAbelson Replay here: https://bit.ly/3g9e5JH It's such a joy when those I've adore and admire exceed expectations. Ka-ching! Donna Pescow is, even more, a dream than I'd hoped. The woman is hysterical! I loved the non-stop laughs, coupled with great showbiz stories, and thoughtful reflection of the work, and the people. From Miss Sing at Sheepshead Bay HS to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, to a Best Supporting Actress Award by the New York Film Critics Circle, tearing up the dance floor and the silver screen alongside John Travolta in the iconic, Saturday Night Fever, to starring in Angie, garnering a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress and a People's Choice Award nomination; starring in Out of this World, being the first lesbian character portrayed on a soap opera with All My Children’s Dr

Fantastically fabulous time with two-time Emmy Award Winner (for those amazing Billy Crystal Academy Award shows which he talks about), Robert Wuhl, actor, writer, producer, director, perhaps best known as the creator and star of HBO's long-running series, Arli$$, talked about the creative freedom the show afforded him to delve into topics which intrigued him, way before their time, why he cast Sandra Oh, how he came to sing Volare as Newbomb Turkin The Hollywood Knights, starting out in stand up, coming up with Seinfeld, Larry David, Paul Reiser, selling jokes to Dangerfield right outta the gate, Madonna, Flashdance, and what a difference one line can make, Good Morning Vietnam, Robin Williams, Bull Durham, Kevin Costner, great stories about how Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, not first choices got their parts, how his iconic line at the mound was borne, Tim Burton's Batman, Michael Keaton, Nicholson, more great stories, Paul Newman, Blaze, Paul's favorite joke, working with DeNiro, opening for Estelle Rein

Unmasked! Post-apocalyptic pandemic blues in Eb may have started and ended the show (with Tristan Cappel), but it was joy, joy, joy, with bass boy, Leland Sklar, my first face-to-face guest since a year ago February. What a great segue back to a semblance of normalcy. It felt so right, so dyn-o-mite. Sorry. We jumped into the book, Everybody Loves Me, an idea without a plan a mere 15 months ago, now seen pretty much 'round the world, in spite of the shutdowns. My copy now adorns my coffee table, almost in its entirety. It's a massive collection of Lee's signature, people flipping him off––celebrities, musicians, sports heroes, and regular folk like me. Lee showed and told a passel of fab stories surrounding some of the pics, from The Highwaymen (Willie, Merle - another great story on him, and Kris), to Steven Tyler, Sean Penn, Art Garfunkel, Jay Leno, Allee Willis ❤️, his parents, a nun, three winos, Kevin Bacon, on and on, oh yeah, Stephen Bishop... to one pic which didn't make the cut, but there's another

I like the comedy with my Rock 'n Roll. Hall of Fame'r Ricky Byrd, delivers brilliantly on both counts. Great stories of his heroes in both worlds. Watching them as a kid on Ed Sullivan, to sharing jokes and cokes at The Pines Hotel coffee shop with Freddie Roman, Dick Capri, and Mal Z Lawrence, to sharing a stage with Stevie Wonder, Joe Walsh, Billie Joe Armstrong, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr, all at the same time. Full circle. I met Ricky Byrd back in the daze… when we were both in a daze… I was booking the Rock’ N Roll Café on Bleecker Street. Ricky was already a rockstar, center stage lead guitarist with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, playing those iconic riffs in the great MTV Music Video Days. Ricky has recorded, toured, and/or has performed with Roger Daltrey, Ian Hunter, Southside Johnny, Mavis Staples, Brian Wilson, Alice Cooper, Paul Shaffer, Smokey Robinson, and so many others, but we got stories about the above mentioned. As we did about Don Rickles, Frank Gorshen, Ron Wood, Keith Richards

Candy Clark, part deux, looking fab as always, adding some much appreciated Hollywood glamour for the pandemic weary.  We got Candy's take on Sunday's Academy Awards, and her three trips down the red carpet, her first an unknown in the nosebleeds with binoculars, then with her beau, Jeff Bridges (see what I did there), when he was nominated for The Last Picture Show, and then he with her when she was nominated for American Graffiti. We got the naked skinny on Bowie, as The Man Who Fell to Earth, Candy and he over and under the covers, and his later sweet surprise, Jeff Beck shaking and fanning to meet her, and their subsequent friendship, he likes her, he really likes her. We talked George Lucas, and Candy's tenacity to land that role, her Oscar campaign, and getting the uncut Bowie classic restored and out there. The woman determined gumption. We got some David Lynch, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marjoe Gortner, Angelina Jolie, and George Clooney. All great reminders of what once was and will be again.  A burger outd

Regardless of the innumerable technical challenges, this was one of my favorite shows in 4 yrs. Comedian, @RitchShydner is affable, warm, hysterically funny, evolved, intelligent & downright entertaining as fuck. #GameChangersWithVickiAbelson Replay:
https://bit.ly/3tIukSi Grateful! Regardless of the innumerable technical challenges with the new Zoom interface, presenting to Only Me on the Facebook, thrice, despite being posted Public, the absence of notifications, the ridiculous beginning when we did finally just go for it anyway, this was one of my favorite shows in 4 yrs. Comedian, Ritch Shydner is affable, warm, hysterically funny, evolved, intelligent, and downright entertaining as (I'll take Seinfeld's advice and not go blue) all get out (ugh). Ritch exceeded all expectations, and, knowing him, mine were high. BAM! He took the stresses of the day and washed them the fuck away. Ooops. We talked love and marriage, third time's the charm, addiction alcoholism, sugar blues, using the funny to cope, s

Forgetaboutit! I thought I was going to be sitting down with one of the most prolific drummers to ever pick up sticks... yeah, there's that, there's also wisdom out the wazoo. I'm talking mind, body. spirit, health. Kenny Aronoff shared strategies for living, working, solutions, tools, suggestions. Wow. This here is packed with passionate guidance. We did get to his career. The players, the stories! Wow, x 2. The kicker, he's easy, entertaining, and fun! I want Kenny to be my life coach. Under his tutelage and example, I can imagine what would be doable. Guessing I'd lose the weight, get buff, publish a few books, finish my screenplay, sell it, get on a legit platform, and make some coin. Oh, Kenny... this guy's on fire, 18 hours a day, seven days a week. I want his focus. We got Kenny's 8 Steps to Healthy Living, his 3 Cs, his 3 As to stay relevant... and then we got to the music. Where he started, why and how, John Cougar, John Fogerty, McCartney, Ringo, Jagger, The Stones, Sting, Joe Walsh, Elton John, BB

comedian, Mike Rowe on the show. We have two degrees all over the place and yet our lives had barely intersected. I wanted to know everything about this funny, successful man who's worked steadily and passionately doing what he loves throughout his life to the present. Mike's got two shows currently running on Netflix, The Trailer Park Boys, where he was nominated for two Gemini Awards, and Paradise PD, which is in its 3rd season. Futurama's available on Hulu. How many writers/producers have all that going on at once when there isn't a pandemic. We talked early discovery of the funny, the comedians who influenced him... gigging at NASA and almost choosing that, doing sometimes a dozen standup sets in a night up and down New York's Upper West Side back in the heyday, hysterical young Larry David stuff, he did a great Dangerfield, with a surprise ending, a heart-warming Henny Youngman story, shifting gears to sitcom writing, a funny early George Clooney incident, a crappy Kenny G tale, happy days on Coach,

Thaao Penghlis On Game Changers With Vicki Abelson by Vicki Abelson

It's been a long time coming, and it'll be a long time not gone. Sitting down (and standing up) with long-time friend, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, arranger, vocalist, and NY Blues Hall Of Famer, Jeff Pevar, was worth waiting for. Amazing stories spanning the whole of his illustrious career. Paul McCartney Beatles inspired, with a sweet story that goes full circle, from Michael Ruff who launched him with Rickie Lee Jones, Ray Charles, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Joe Cocker, Crosby & Nash, to CSN to CPR, Bette Midler, Laura Nyro, Carly Simon. Loggins & Messina, another sweet full-circle story, to soul brothers and creative partners, Steve Postell and Danny Kortchmar. Jeff played a couple written with David Crosby and caught us up to current events, his first solo album, From the Core to the Anthem, his five-song EP with his wife and love, Inger Nova Jorgensen.  We talked zen and the art of rock ’n roll maintenance. Jeff’s a spectacular example of seizing opportunity and running with

A special day

Sitting down with actor, writer, director, historian, Marine, sweetheart, great friend, Jim Beaver, is always a treat, today perhaps even more so... reunited with a treasured, entertaining friend, what better way to spend a pandemic evening? We started there, how Jim, Sara, and Maddie have been managing this past year... more COVID careful than crazy, but certainly still, Sympatico. We got into life... and work... from education and early career goals, complete with some hysterical self-realizations, enlisting in the Marines out of spite, some more self -realization hysteria there, early jobs, more fun.... for us, writing, early literary and then TV success, and then, opportunity meeting preparedness and his acting break, his long-held dream, with Norman Jewison and Bruce Willis. Lots of work and then the career game-changer, Deadwood, to the life-changer, Supernatural.Highlights from Dexter, Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul, his decades-long quest to tell the definitive story of Superman, George R

What better way to celebrate vaccine efficacy than with old friend, hysterical, thoughtful whip-smart, actor/comedian, Eddie Pepitone. I spent the afternoon watching his latest comedy special, For the Masses, available on Amazon Prime, which the New York Times called the funniest stand-up special of 2020––no argument here. When was the last time I continuously laughed out loudly during this damn pandemic? Eddie and I went there––from current non-shopping practices, a life-threatening excursion to procure organic grapes, ripe for the freezing, his bubble of two, virtual standup sans live audience for a year, a couple of TV shoots with lots of testing... the creepy agoraphobia threatening to cripple many of us if we don't get back in the world soon, and his vaccine envy. "LA is up to mimes. Ventriloquists are next, and then comics." Eddie took us on his journey from a pretty serious childhood to the discovery of his funny. Not your set-up punchline comic, Eddie made his way through the underground clubs, honi