The Musical Innertube: Recent Episodes
Don Rooney
Founding Father James Wilson. Wrote "all men are created equal" 6 years before Jefferson. Came up with the Electoral College for the Constitution. A Supreme Court Justice who helped design America's justice system. Jesse Wegman is here to tell us why no one remembers this Founding Father.
Don and John speak with author John Timpane (in a dual role) about his new book, Poetry For Dummies. John also talks with poets Mark Danowsky, Lynn Levin and Ernest Hilbert about their contributions to the book and about the current state of poetry.
As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, the nation still finds itself sharply divided along political, racial and cultural lines. Dr. Catherine Meeks, who's spent a lifetime working on racial healing, talks about what it will take to make America whole again.
Amanda Geftner is one of our favorite science writers, as well as a favorite guest! Her latest essay for NAUTILUS Magazine pinpoints September 1, 1939 as the most precarious day in history. Did we survive? Listen and find out! https://nautil.us/the-most-precarious-day-in-the-universe-1280956
News has come to you in many forms - newspapers, radio, TV, and now the internet and social media. Mostly, it was the facts; but sometimes those facts were twisted to sell more papers or get higher ratings. With social media, opinions can become facts. We talk with people who reported the news for their opinions on the facts.
Everyone's Favorite Podcast has reached 200 episodes! And so has the Musical Innertube! Pull up an ear and listen to past guests of the podcast reminisce about their appearances and about what the podcast means to them. Plus, a surprise from John at the end! (BEFORE the credits! We're not Marvel!)
Growing up in the late 60s/early 70s, our minds were shaped by the Beatles and Motown and Pink Floyd and TV and the Firesign Theater - not necessarily in that order. Firesign was four guys who presented mind-blowing comedy on nine record albums, registered in book form by Jeremy Braddock.
We don't mean to scare you, but a polar vortex is coming! Or maybe we DO mean to scare you. When TV says we're experiencing an atmospheric river or that a major El Nino is on its way, it sounds scary. Penn State meteorologist Jon Nese says sometimes it's serious, sometimes it's just regular weather with a fancy name.
CBS is ending its radio news service next month. Media expert Robert Thompson says news providers are changing faster than ever - and he wonders about how we'll get accurate facts in the future.
Think poetry is, kinda, welll....? Try telling that to the over 97 thousand people who have signed up all over the world for Al Filreis' online Modern Poetry course, MoPod! And if you listen to the end of the podcast, there's a special discount to help you join in on the fun!
John Horgan is a science writer and science writing teacher whose seminal work is entitled "The End of Science." He visited India with John Timpane - and lived to tell about it!! And as if that's not enough, his name pops up in the Epstein Files. Settle in for some great conversations!
Rod Goelz was your typical rockstar-wannabe. He played in local bands in local bars. But once he started teaching music, he found his real passion. Now he's using new and different ways of teaching to pass on that passion to students and others who need music in their lives.
Patrick Berkery is the editor of the online daily newsletter for the Keystone Newsroom, delivering news people need and can use in their inbox each morning. He's also started a newsletter that explores all the pizza the state has to offer. Oh and in his spare time (does he HAVE any?), he's a freelance drummer.
Happy Holidays! It's time for end-of-the-year lists, but we've done that one better. Here are some all-time favorite songs from John, Don, and music historian Bill Trousdale! Some are obscure, some familiar - maybe they'll become your favorites, too!
Are you indecisive? Are you always worrying about what to do, and what not to do? Well, worry no more! Here is your complete guide to living - just enroll in Gina School! Author, teacher and life coach Gina Barreca tells us the whys and wherefores about her new book.
Seeing The Nutcracker ballet is an annual Christmas event for many of us. But dancer and choreographer Phil Chan thought the "Chinese Dance" could be updated to give audiences a better idea of what actual Chinese dance is like. He helped start a movement in that direction for all ballet. Filmmaker Jennifer Lin tells the story in her documentary About Face.
Just in time for Halloween! Did you know there's a Texas Body Farm? Ever hear of the Devil that lives in New Jersey's Pine Barrens? Mystery writer Ruth Setton and forensic psychologist Katherine Ramsland talk about the murder, mystery and magic in their novels - and they have ideas about why women are especially attracted to murder mysteries and true crime podcasts.
This is a must-listen podcast! We have Art Caplan, a real scientist specializing in the ethics of medical care, talking about autism, vaccines, science education - and how the people in charge of the nation's medical care aren't qualified to make these decisions.
Carole King is a music superstar. She's also suffered from spousal abuse, raised two kids in a primitive cabin in rural Idaho, and wrestled with her Jewish identity. All this and more is contained between the covers of Jane Eisner's biography, "She Made The Earth Move."
We're proud to once again present the story of Mike Hingson, who was trapped in one of the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001. Remarkably, Mike, his guide dog Roselle and thousands of others walked down 78 flights of stairs to safety.
A funny thing happened on the way to November of 2020. We'd recorded a terrific interview with Philadephia Inquirer music critic Dan DeLuca - but you couldn't hear a word he said. Now, thanks to AI, we're able to bring you this Lost Innertube episode.
The Last Partera is a film about a woman who was the last of her kind. We talk with Rebecca Turecky, who continues her work, and Ned Phillips, who helped document her life on film.
Celebrate sun and sand and fun with these summer tunes curated by music historian Bill Trousdale! Plus: there's a contest! And a singalong!
Amanda Gefter was researching a famed physicist when she kept seeing the name "Putnam" in his journals. That led her to an unknown but brilliant scientist who came up with an explanation of how the human brain works.
Explore with us the world of literary jealousy, a writer who's missing and presumed dead, and a detective who has no idea what she's doing. It's all part of Lee Upton's new novel, Wrongful
Why should you start a podcast? What kind of feedback can you expect? How hard is it to keep a podcast going? Here's a fun talk with podcasters Mat Kaplan and Nick Roman about all that stuff
Jennifer Lin's documentary about George Lee, who went from ballet student/refugee in Shanghai to the NYC Ballet, is now airing on PBS American Masters. Here's Jennifer talking about the film from late last year.
Whether you've never heard of John McPhee - or are fascinated by his writing like Noel Rubinton - there's a lot to discover here, about McPhee and about Noel, who's new book is a study of McPhee's works.
We find ourselves in a very strange place politically in 2025. How did we get here? Are the changes permanent? Here's some insight from political science professor Robert Speel.
Writer, editor, teacher and humorist Gina Barreca is back with a new essay collection, Fast Famous Women. 75 stories about the famous told by women who admire them, study them - even want to be them!
Megan Timpane is an actress and corporate trainer. Ten years ago, Megan was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma. She dealt with her cancer the way any good actress would - writing and performing a play about her condition.
Conservative thinker Chuck Brightbill can't figure out what all the fuss is about. The way he sees it, rich guys help America.
Writer and podcaster Amy Julia Becker talks about the need for caring in this world, and how caring helps not only those being cared for, but those doing the caring as well.
Dr. Paul Offit is pretty much THE authority on vaccines. He says abandoning them will lead to more outbreaks of child-killing diseases like measles. He'd like to see parents who believe in vaccines speak up. https://standupforscience2025.org
Astrophysicist Asa Stahl says there's lots to see in the night sky during 2025, including meteor showers, Saturn losing its rings, even a star going nova! (But probably not Betelgeuse.) And a dustbuster on the moon.
Dr. Theodora Ziolkowski practices what she preaches! A writing teacher at the University of Nebraska, she's written short stories, a novella, and now a book of poetry, Ghostlit. Her stories feature women making their way through the world.
It came from the 1980s - musical, jazzy, mellow - it's Yacht Rock! Sean Ross has followed radio trends in his "Ross on Radio" newsletter, and he talks about the birth and development of Yacht Rock.
Celebrate the New Year out in the middle of nowhere, in a hunting cabin with friends, family, food - maybe even a deer! Philadelphia Inquirer writer Jason Nark says this generational way of life may be disappearing.
For Hannukah, we asked bioethicist Art Caplan seven things he'd like to see happen in the world of medicine in 2025. His list includes wishes for cellphones and vaccines, along with several sci-fi Easter eggs.
Pennsylvania music historian Bill Trousdale presents holiday tunes both new and familiar, all with connections to the Keystone state. Relax with some egg nog and enjoy Perry Como, the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble, "Nuttin for Christmas" and more!
Here's a great holiday idea: invite friends over for a cookie baking party! John and Don went to just such a party at chef Joy Stocke's house and recorded this special podcast during the festivities!
In part 2 of our baseball talk with Nick Roman, we look at the career of one of the greatest ballplayers ever, Willie Mays.
In 1981, Fernando Valenzuela became a starting pitcher for the L.A. Dodgers. As Nick Roman tells us, he went on to have a terrific career - and a huge effect on the city and the ballclub as well.
It's Turkey Day! But have you ever tried Peiking Duck? Or brisket? If you'd prefer the usual turkey & fixin's, here's chef Joy Stocke and Don and John with some delicious holiday recipes!
We've received word that Mykhaylo, an American Special Forces medic working in Ukraine, a friend who talked with us several times on the podcast, died this month in an auto accident in Kiev.
JFK Jr running HHS? Matt Gaetz as AG? Political columnist Dick Polman breaks down how Trump won the election -- and how Harris lost it -- but, more importantly, what we can expect for the next four years.
Donald Trump won the presidency on November 5th. Political columnist Dick Polman talks about what led to that victory, and what lies ahead (pun intended).
What do you do when someone says, "I don't care what your facts are, I believe what I believe." Or any one of a thousand variations of that. Journalist and professor Bob Jensen has some ideas.
First and foremost, get out today and vote! Here's a little something to listen to while you're in line to vote: John, Don, and political commentator Dick Polman reflecting on the presidential candidates.
Planning a Halloween get-together? Chef Joy Stocke says you can knock 'em dead by burying them with birria, slaying them with souffles, and bloodying them with brownies! All the recipes are right here! Bone appetit!
From October 25, 2022, comes folklorist Cory Hutcheson to tell us about the witches that live among us today! (To be fully prepared, grab a bottle of Pine Sol and head for the crossroads!)
Remember "piling into a car?" Remember "soccer moms" driving minivans? Remember when every other car wasn't a black SUV shaped like a shoe? Writer Ian Bogost talks about the latest changes in cars, and attitudes.
Once again, here's three guys talking baseball. Nick Roman's Dodgers are in the playoffs, as are John's and Don's Phillies, and they're happy. But there are a lot of other dangerous teams in the mix as well!
Fran Metzman writes about the Cha-Cha Babes, "boomer" women who haved found freedom later in life. They find that freedom can be fun, but can also lead to dangerous situations.
The atomic bomb was developed in secret. That's the backdrop for Galina Vromen's novel Hill of Secrets, where she explores what secrets might have been kept by the families living in the shadow of the bomb.
Living with a guide dog requires trust, courage, and love - things we could all use a bit more of in our own lives. Mike and Keri's book shows this by using Mike's dogs as examples.
Mike Hingson survived the terrorist attack on World Trade Center Tower 1 on September 11, 2001. We're presenting his story again as a reminder and tribute, to Mike and to those who lost their lives that day.
Bill Trousdale's back with a look at the Pennsylvania talent that gave birth to rock 'n' roll! Names you've heard of, like Bill Haley, and names you probably haven't, like Sister Rosetta Tharp.
We talk again with Mykhaylo, an American now living mostly in Ukraine, who is in the U.S. collecting medical supplies to take back to the battlefield. You can help by donating to houseofukraine.org
Katherine returns to the podcast to talk about her latest Nutcrackers book, Dead Handed. Annie Hunter's grandfather is dying, so she heads to New England to face family secrets, a haunted village and possible suicides.
To mark Henry Mancini's 100th birthday, music expert JonBurlingame takes us back to where the composer's prolific career really took off - the 1960s TV show Peter Gunn.
As a child, George Lee studied ballet with Russian tutors in Shanghai. As a teenager, he danced in The Nutcracker and Flower Drum Song in New York. Filmmaker Jennifer Lin tells his story in Ten Times Better.
First, "Twister." Now, "Twisters." Movies about tornado chasers and scientists trying to understand tornadoes. How much do we know about tornadoes, and how accurate are the movies? The Weather Channel's Carl Parker explains.
Overnight, the 2024 presidential race has changed with the candidacy of Vice-President Kamala Harris. Political commentator Dick Polman sets up the field and the stakes in the three months left before the election.
Just three old friends - and baseball fans - sitting around talking about what they like and don't like about the 2024 season at the All-Star break. And about the best and worst baseball parks.
Bioethicist Art Caplan says there are a lot of health challenges at the Olympics, starting with swimming in the sewer that is the Seine River. Also, are we all ready for retirement?
Lee Upton, author of "Tabitha, Get Up!", talks about creating her comic novel about a biographer who takes on two clients and, through a series of misadventures, writes about neither one of them.
Music historian Bill Trousdale says the "Northern Soul" music played by regional bands in Central Pennsylvania in the 60s and 70s had a ripple effect on music trends across the country and around the world
French author Marcel Proust wrote only one novel in his career, In Search of Lost Time. This seven-volume tome is regarded by some - including Princeton professor emeritus Michael Wood - to be one of the best novels ever written.
He's a professer emeritus of English and comparative literature at Princeton. But Michael Wood is also a fan of the cinema, especially the films of Alfred Hitchcock, and that's because, with Hitch, truth can be elusive.
Another wild-weather summer is on tap, featuring hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme heat, and wildfires. Meteorologist Carl Parker of the Weather Channel says anything is possible - but it's also possible to tackle climate change in your own backyard.
What wine should you have with dinner? What wine's good for just relaxing at the end of the day? Eric Jorgensen of WineBusiness.com says wines aren't really confusing if you keep a few simple facts in mind.
In less than a month, MeTV Toons will premiere! Cartoon historian Jerry Beck is putting it all together, and he talked exclusively on the Innertube about his plans to feature cartoons from all phases of animation history.
Chef and author Joy Stocke is back! John tells Joy how her Russian Potato Salad was the hit of a party! Joy reveals her recipe for home-made Rice-A-Roni! And everyone marvels at the versatility of pickle relish!
Our old pal Mat Kaplan of the Planetary Society has just returned from the 2024 Humans to Mars Summit, and he's happy to tell us exactly how close we are to colonizing the Red Planet.
April 24th was International Guide Dog Day. Our old pal Mike Hingson talks about his life with guide dogs, and about the special relationship a blind person has with his or her guide dog.
Facts are facts. But with social media, how can you tell fake news from real? Christina Veiga says the News Literacy Project has the answer: give you the fact-finding skills of a true journalist.
Chef and author Joy Stocke speaks to us from her kitchen in New Jersey, telling stories about learning to cook at her grandmother's side, and how to use her favorite pantry items.
He's a filmmaker. And he's a film fan. Listen as Justin Timpane gives his take on how studios can make good films on decent budgets.
Baseball 2024 is underway! Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Nick Roman of KPCC Radio preview the season and make their predictions on winners, losers, and how gambling will affect the game.
Back in 1177 BC, civilization in the eastern Mediterranean collapsed. After a few decades, civilization in the area rose again. Eric Cline has books about both events - and one of them is a graphic novel!
Most of us are defined by our jobs: "and what do you do?" And it seems employers have always had the upper hand. Philosopher and economist Elizabeth Anderson says workers deserve better.
Mykhylo is an American who lives most of the year in Ukraine, training field medics in the war against Russia. We last talked with him in 2022. He's back with an update.
Film critic Sam Adams says 2023 was a banner year for film, and the 2024 Oscars will be proof! Sam talks good and bad about candidates for Best Picture, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor, writing, music, documentaries and lots more.
Forward into the past! Clay Routledge has studied nostalgia for years, and says our tendency to think about the "good old days" can actually help us deal with the present and look to the future.
Barcodes - the little stripes on everything you buy that make the register beep at the checkout counter. Ever wonder how they got there? Jordan Firth did, and his book reveals a weird and wonderful history.
In February 1965 there was a televised debate on "the American dream is at the expense of the American Negro." Author Nicholas Buccola tells why that debate still affects us today.
Have you checked out politics lately? We're definitely in the midst of strange political times. Thank goodness political columnist Dick Polman is here to help us sort things out. As much as he can.....
Journalist and documentarian Jennifer Lin is premiering her latest film this week. "Ten Times Better" is the remarkable story of George Lee, a dancer the film describes as a "prodigy, refugee and pioneer."
Exploring the mind of a writer! Poet and essayist Ross Gay talks about what inspires his writing, how he gets his ideas on paper, and how he shapes them into his poems and essays.
What's it like to be a contestant on a TV game show? Heather Zell won cash and a trip on Wheel of Fortune, and she's here to share behind-the-scenes stories about the show (and Pat and Vanna)!
How do we tackle the problem of immigration? John C. Austin, a fellow at the Brookings Institute, has co-authored a plan featuring logical, common-sense steps we can take to fix a broken system.
Looking back at 2023? Not for us! We prefer to look WAY back -- to the TV themes we heard while we were growing up, and to the radio programs America heard while it grew up.
Ozempic is a drug intended to help diabetics. Is it okay to prescribe it for weight loss? Who's better equipped to handle abortions, doctors or legislators? Bioethicist Art Caplan looks at these and other medical issues
Merry Christmas! Here are holiday stories as warm as the kiss of an angel, and as stupid as your cousin Harry, who still believes mistletoe is a disease contracted by astronauts.
Most shrink from Shakespeare. His language is archaic and hard to understand. Behold! Carmen Khan is here to help you understand what the Bard is saying - and, more importantly, why he's saying it.
Why do we have Christmas trees and Christmas cookies? Where did the idea of Santa Claus originate? Is there really such a thing as "holiday hide the pickle?" Folklorist Cory Hutcheson tells all about holiday traditions!
At the end of every episode of The Musical Innertube, we thank virtual band Car Radio Dog for playing our theme music. Why? And what is a virtual band? Listen and find out!
Journalist, author and filmmaker Jennifer Lin takes us on a deep dive into history with her film Beethoven in Beijing - as well as a deep dive into her family history with her book Shanghai Faithful.
Thanksgiving is a time for friends and family to gather together. But what if you're all by yourself this year? Don't worry! The Musical Innertube Players have a solution: Martin Stewart's lonely Thanksgiving feast.
They're baaack! Those ads saying you need to enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan! Well, we're back, too! Here's our talk with medical reporter Cheryl Clark all about Medicare and those plans, including updates about new regulations.
Last year, Patty Kim won re-election to the PA House. She and her fellow Democrats took control of the chamber by one seat. But before that, she told us what it was like to serve in the minority.
Here's a Halloween treat from the Musical Innertube Players - the story of a hideous man-pig monster eating its way through the pantries of London!
Singer/songwriter Olivia Farabaugh talks in depth about how CIRS has affected her life. Elizabeth Cripe tells how mold sickened her family. Together they've organized a festival to provide awareness and raise funds for CIRS sufferers.
Take a break from all your worries and listen to this fun conversation about cartoons and other forms of animation with Jerry Beck, historian and cartoon lover, who tells us about his all-time favorite cartoon!
Julius Henry Marx was born on October 2, 1890, in Manhattan. In honor of Groucho's birthday, please join us for a talk with the man who gives us Evenings with Groucho, Frank Ferrante (who was born much later).
There are a lot of laughs in this podcast, because Gina Barreca knows humor. But there is a lot of truth as well, because Gina's edited a book of essays about how women fall, real and imagined.
Tons of "space junk" is floating around the earth, posing a danger to present and future space missions. Astronomer Chris Impey talks about the difficult task of removing that junk, and other cosmic challenges.
Magicians often band together for fun (and profit). Here are two members of the Artificial Wizards group, Kyle Purnell and Vince the Vaudevillian, talking about the shows and secrets they share. Magic in the making!
Here's more with Justin Timpane, who talks about making music at home, and why the Star Trek/Star Wars universes are running out of steam. Hear some of his music -- and, hey, get a free t-shirt!
It's been 22 years since terrorists flew planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. That means it's been 22 years since Mike Hingson and his guide dog Roselle got out of the first tower alive.
He's the man behind the "Ninjas Vs." trilogy of B-movies, as well as films like "The Christmas Cancellation" and "The Distanced." Justin Timpane shares what happens in the world of indie filmmaking. ALSO: listen to get a free T-shirt!
Tornadoes leave death and destuction in their path. So do serial killers. Writer and forensic psychologist Katherine Ramsland talks about how her new novel explores those similarities, as seen through the latest case of her Nut Cracker Investigators.
Climate change is causing permafrost to melt, unearthing things that have been frozen for hundreds of thousands of years. Bio-ethicist Art Caplan says some of those things are viruses that we might have no way of combatting.
We all do it: try to figure out the meaning of the vanity plate on that car that's in front of us. Isaac Klein took it one step further, getting the stories behind the plates in his podcast Vanity.
Dava Sobel has written about science for her entire career. Now, she's letting others do the writing. She's editing a column in Scientific American magazine featuring poetry about science.
Director and editor Sam Pollard talks about The League, his film about the owners, players and patrons of Negro League baseball from the turn of the century until its success proved its undoing in the 1960s.
Nurses are the backbone of medical care in the U.S. They're also overworked and underpaid. Sarah Di Gregorio's book Taking Care tells the history of nursing and details all they do for patients.
The 2023 Comic-Con International in San Diego won't have a big movie or TV presence this year because of the writers' & actors' strikes. But Tad Stones, who's been to a few cons, says it'll be fun anyway!
HBO Max is now Max. And Max and other streamers are eliminating shows, all while they raise their rates. Last year we talked with expert Robert Thompson about streamers, and a lot of what he said then is still true.
You've heard it a million times: playing violent video games makes kids violent. Dr. Rachel Kowert is a psychologist who's done the research, and she'll tell you that gaming is actually GOOD for kids.
The Surgeon General has called loneliness a health risk that leads to illness and premature death. Psychologist Dr. Shira Gabriel agrees - listen as she recommends ways to make your life a little more social.
We've been talking to Julie for a couple of years now about her efforts to climb the seven tallest summits in the world. Last month she did the ultimate climb and stood atop Mt. Everest, the world's tallest peak.
The weather keeps getting wilder, with another heat-inducing El Nino on the way. What can we do to prepare for more drought, wildfires, and floods? What about hurricanes? Meteorologist Carl Parker provides some answers.
The U.S. Government and the World Health Organization have officially declared an end to the COVID emergency. Really? Bioethicist Art Caplan says the virus is still around, and he adds that we didn't seem to learn coping skills during the pandemic.
Lately, we've noticed that, on many political issues, the polls say one thing, state legislatures do the opposite. Political columnist Dick Polman says that's the result of years of behind-the-scenes work by political operatives on the local level.
Guest Host Mat Kaplan takes us through the maze that is the minds of John Timpane and Don Rooney, to find out what has made the podcast tick all these years. (Be sure to check for ticks when it's done!)
Did you know that standing by a pond and listening to the frogs can help save wetlands? Carrie Bassett tells us why that's true and how you can become a citizen scientist as part of FrogWatch USA.
Lynn Levin: poet, teacher, translator, critic. Is there anything in literature she can't do? Apparently not! Now you can add "short story writer" to that list! House Parties is full of characters, twists and a bit of fun!
There's so much packed into this episode! Jean has had a full and interersting life, and it formed the basis of her book Girl in Translation. When the book was challenged in a Pennsylvania school district, she flew in from Europe to defend it.
Everyone can sing the themes to Gilligan's Island, The Brady Bunch, and Friends. Jon Burlingame is rich with knowledge about those themes and many others (My Mother the Car, anyone?). He shares that knowledge here on the Innertube and in his book, Music for Prime Time.
The Musical Innertube gets musical with David Loud! He shares stories from his book Facing the Music about his time as a Broadway actor, pianist, conductor, arranger - and a person dealing with Parkinson's disease.
Julie McKelvey is in Nepal, preparing to climb to the top of Mt. Everest in May. Here's the talk we had with Julie after she climbed Denali in Alaska, on her way to climbing the 7 tallest peaks in the world.
Here we are, a couple of weeks into DST, and a lot of us are still frazzled by the time shift. What sleep doctor Seema Khosla said last year still holds true: it's normal to be frazzled, and the shift should end!
They're pretty, they're everywhere, they destroy vineyards. They're spotted lanternflies, and entomologist Julie Urban is working to get this pest under control. Until then, the best way to control them is to squish them!
Baseball will be differerent this year - pitchers and batters are on a time clock, infielders have to stay in their positions, and the bases are bigger! Scott Lauber, baseball writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, tells us how this will affect the game.
And the Oscar goes to...? Movie critic Sam Adams looks over the nominees, addresses the screen vs. stream problem, and reminds us that it's really just a trade show with golden statues.
So, if you're on Medicare, why do you need a Medicare Advantage plan? (Fill in the celebrity name) says I do! Medical journalist Cheryl Clark takes us on a trip through a very convoluted medical maze.
Little known fact: the elected government of Wilmington, NC, was overthrown by terrorists "by the ballot and the bullet" in 1898. David Zucchino told the story in his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Wilmington's Lie."
It's Valentine's Day! Ever take a trip with your loved one through a Tunnel of Love? Back in 2021, we went on a different kind of "dark ride" with Chick Russell, who creates them. Let's do it again!
Everything, everywhere, all at once! It's more than just a movie title! Physicist and philosopher David Wallace says it's a good interpretation of science's quantum theory.
And now, fresh from a history-making appearance in Dubai and Abu-Dhabi, it's bio-ethicist Art Caplan! Art's helping the United Arab Emirates develop ethical guidelines for an emerging health care sector.
Back in June of 2020, with the world in the throes of the COVID lockdown, we asked movie critic Carrie Rickey to suggest what to binge.
Police have identified Joseph Zarelli, Philadelphia's "Boy in the Box," 65 years after he died, thanks to recent improvements in DNA technology. Forensic psychologist Katherie Ramsland says this opens the door to solutions for many more unsolved cases.
Here's your chance to meet singer-songwriter Olivia Farabaugh! You'll get a preview of the latest single from her album "Transparent," and hear about her efforts to raise awareness of CIRS and the importance of mental health.
So, last week we told you that Don and John consider the World Series run by the Phillies the highlight of 2022. It was! But they came up with this list of 2022 Innertube interviews they think are just as good!
According to John and Don, the highlight of 2022 was the Phillies getting into the World Series. Lifelong Phillies fan Kristen Graham of the Philadelphia Inquirer wore a Phillies jersey in Houston, and talks about that experience and her son's disappointment.
Here's a special stocking-stuffer just for you, courtesy of the Musical Innertube Volume 1 -- the story of how an elf named Caroline saved Christmas and saw her name go down in history
Jason Wright uses telescopes and other high-tech equipment to search for exoplanets. And he's director of the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center, looking for life on those exoplanets. (Maybe his high-tech stuff will find Santa on Christmas Eve!)
Paul Offit, who's on the FDA advisory committee for COVID vaccinations, gives an update on where we stand today on those shots (hint: he says you really don't need another booster).
Steve Schwartz and Doug Wilburne have crafted the perfect Christmas gift: 33 fantastic Christmas songs to infuse you with holiday cheer and help the homeless at the same time. Their labor of love is available now at joytotheburg.com.
Its world premiere took place on Thanksgiving Day -- now it's your turn to experience "False Pretenses," Andrew Fountain's debut feature. Listen here as Andrew talks about making the film, then go to FalsePretensestheMovie.com to watch it!
Do you know about Sarah Hale? She's a big reason we celebrate Thanksgiving. Here's another tidbit: Plymouth, MA did not necessarily host the first Thanksgiving in the New World. Here's Melanie Kirkpatrick to tell us all about Sarah Hale and Thanksgiving.
Edward Hopper: An American Love Story is a film where the artist Hopper meets the filmmaker Phil Grabsky. The result is a loving look at the art and artist - and his long-neglected wife - by a man who considers film itself to be an art.
In 375 BC, the philosopher Plato wrote Republic; in it, Socrates says democracy leads to tyranny. Dr. Lantern Jack, a podcaster and doctor of ancient philosophy, says the problems with democracy during Plato's time can teach us about what's happening in American politics right now.
Here we are again, coming up on another election that will determine the fate of America! Political commentator Dick Polman looks at the claims, the ads and the debates that are coloring the contest -- and ruining the World Series!
Folklorist Cory Hutcheson is back to tell us about the witches that live among us today! (Don and John's Halloween suggestion: buy a bottle of Pine-Sol and head for the crossroads!)
From Oct 15, 2020: What are the challenges facing radio newscasters in today's 24-hour, non-stop news cycle? WBAL Radio news anchor Robert Lang says there are fewer of them, and there's lots more to do.
From Jul 9, 2020: Nell McCormack Abom is a journalist and head of her own public relations firm. She talks about the state of the media, television news, and the perfect Pennsylvania vacation spot.
From Jul 2, 2020: Meet Glenn Hamilton, a radio personality and Program Director, who talks about the now and the future of radio. Plus, he's a pretty fair musician to boot!
Katherine Ramsland is a professor of forensic psychology. If that sounds boring to you, you probably think Indiana Jones is just an archeologist. Spend some quality time with the author of "The I Scream Man," who likes to jump into the unexplained.
When Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker died, the Musical Innertube was a comedy sketch show. Don and John decided to use an episode to remember Becker and Steely Dan, and changed the Innertube in the process.
Ron Brownstein, Senior Editor at Atlantic Magazine and Senior Political Analyst for CNN, has written Rock Me on the Water, about how 1974 was a watershed year for culture and politics -- when the media started to pay attention.
In 1968 the Sunday Times of London sent Lewis Chester and 2 other reporters to the U.S. to cover the Nixon-Humphrey presidential campaign. Here, Lewis talks about that time and the book he and his fellow reporters wrote about the experience.
On October 7th the salsa music program "Alma Del Barrio" will celebrate 50 years on the air on KXLU-FM in Los Angeles! Kiki Soto tells how he helped put the show on the air, how he and dozens of others kept it going, and why salsa is an important musical style.
On October 7th the salsa music program "Alma Del Barrio" will celebrate 50 years on the air on KXLU-FM in Los Angeles! Kiki Soto tells how he helped put the show on the air, how he and dozens of others kept it going, and why salsa is an important musical style.
Baseball is a funny game -- you can win 100 games and miss the playoffs, and a Wild Card team can win the World Series. Sweeny, Nick, Rob, John and Don look at the favorites and the surprises in this year's race for the pennant.
Netflix is the streaming, the service that helped create "binge watching." But now it's losing subscribers and may have to insert ads in programs. Is this the end? Media expert Robert Thompson has some ideas.
The most musical thing about the Musical Innertube is our theme song, played by the virtual band Car Radio Dog. Musicians Richard Lindsey and Kevin Timpane join John to talk about their virtual band.
Last year, a broken foot kept Julie McKelvey off Denali. This year, she topped that mountain, and climbed the highest point at the bottom of the world to boot!
The first images from the James Webb Space Telescope are amazing, and Mat Kaplan of the Planetary Society says they're changing the way we think about the universe.
After a two-year, pandemic-imposed hiatus, the San Diego Comic-Con returns to hosting in-person attendees this year. Gary Sassaman tells tales of working for the Con, designing program books as well as organizing the programs listed in those books.
It's genius! Track down the owners of car vanity license plates and find out what they mean -- and get an interesting back story to boot! Isaac Klein tells Don and John how he came up with his terrific podcast.
At this point in our history, you may be asking yourself, "Where, exactly, is this country headed?" Columnist Dick Polman has some interesting answers, starting with the fact that Ireland may have a leg up on us.
Garry Gilliam had a difference-making touchdown catch in a playoff game for the Seattle Seahawks. He wants to be a difference maker in his hometown as well.
Garry heads up The Bridge, an organization designed to transform old and abandoned buildings into centers that bring housing, education and nutrition into their communities.
https://www.thebridge.com
She's performing in "Oklahoma" across the country. She's performing on Twitter and Instagram and TikTok on all your devices. Here and now, Hannah Solow is appearing on the Musical Innertube!
She gives voice to some of your favorite animated characters, all while navigating the twists and turns of an unusual corner of show business. Spend a few fascinating minutes with Cristina Pucelli!
These two gumshoes can gather all the clues and tell us if the new Chip and Dale movie is worth seeing. No, not Don and John! Tad Stones was around for the first Rescue Rangers series, and Jerry Beck has made a living out of studying cartoons.
Meet Mykhailo. He's an American with a background in special ops and battleground medicine, who has close ties to Ukraine. Listen as he tells John and Don what he saw during his recent time in that war-torn country. If you'd like to help, Mykhailo recommends https://unitedhelpukraine.org/our-focus
Election 2022 mania is underway! But the real interesting stuff happens after someone is elected to office. Pennsylvania State Representative Patty Kim tells Don and John about the ups and downs of being elected to public service. (Unfortunately, she can't fix Don's parking tickets....)
Two years ago, Jill Sherer Murray released her book "Big Wild Love" just as the pandemic got underway. Publicity and her book tour were suddenly gone! In a talk with John and Don last year, Jill told the story of how she got through that trauma with some cookies and some Big Wild Love -- and described how you, too, can get through by letting go.
Bioethicist Art Caplan says the leaked Supreme Court opinion on Roe v. Wade might just lead to different states establishing different values. Some Americans may not want to live in some of those states, prompting them to leave -- causing an American Brexit.
"To be, or not to be..." Poetry, sure, but also the dilemma faced by Schrodinger's cat. Meet Dava Sobel, who curates a magazine column where poetry blends with science. (Both poetry and science have met Don and John, but they won't admit it...)
June 22nd? Nope, Earth Day is EVERY day! Can we reverse climate change? Weather Channel meteorologist Carl Parker has some answers and ideas in this Innertube from last August. You can read the IPCC Climate report at www.ipcc.ch/report. For solutions, there’s this: www.drawdown.org/solutions/table-of-solutions.
We at the Musical Innertube love radio, and so does Mike Hingson, who takes us back to the time not that long ago when radio flourished as an entertainment medium. (When they were on the air, Don and John flushed radio as an entertainment medium.)
He's been Pseudolus, Max Prince, and the one, the only, Groucho! Frank Ferrante talks with Don and onetime Philadelphia Inquirer theater critic John about his life in the theater and his evening as Groucho, captured on film and playing on PBS this month. Check it out at eveningwithgroucho.com
Tired of springing forward and falling back? So is the U.S. Senate, apparently. But is permanent DST the best option? And why do we get so frazzled by time changes? Sleep expert Dr. Seema Khosla provides the answers for sleepyheads Don and John.
The Musical Innertube gets musical with David Loud! He shares stories with Don and John about his time as a Broadway actor, pianist, conductor, arranger - and a person dealing with Parkinson's disease. The details are in his book, Facing the Music (Facing the Music | Book by David Loud | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster (simonandschuster.com)
As Russia invades Ukraine, cell phones, social media, and traditional TV cameras are giving us intimate details of the conflict. Media expert Robert Thompson talks about the results, good and bad.
When the CDC needed advice on the COIVID vaccines, one of the people they turned to was Paul Offit. Here Paul gives John and Don a review of the COVID vaccine story and a look ahead to its future.
Be vewwwy quiet...Don and John are talking with Jerry Beck, cartoon lover and historian! Listen in for tales of 'toons, from the arrival of sound to the enhancement of CGI. (By the way, John's the one wearing Mickey Mouse ears, and Don's the one wearing CG underwear.)
From 2020 - Don and John get dangerous with Tad Stones, who worked for Disney animation at the dawn of TV's Disney Afternoon. Hear stories about the development of Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers (originally supposed to be mice!) and the origin story of Tad's creation, Darkwing Duck!
Spring's on the way, time for baseball! Not so fast - Sweeny Murti says, once again, players and owners are having a moneyball problem. Will this, once again, cause strikes on the street instead of on the diamond?
From 2020: John and Don talk with author Katherine Hill, whose new book, "A Short Move," follows the career of a football player and the family and friends that surround him. There's even some discussion about his brain. (Don was slightly disappointed that it has nothing to do with zombies.) Read Katherine's book: https://www.amazon.com/Short-Move-Katherine-Hill/dp/163246103X
From June 2020 - Mat Kaplan of the Planetary Society talks about all things stellar -- the pitfalls of daytime stargazing, why it's important to get men and women on the moon and Mars, and whether or not Klingons appreciate "I Love Lucy."
Holly would, and Mary did! Mary Lyon worked in Los Angeles radio for decades as a news and entertainment reporter. Here are some of the entertaining stories Mary gathered on the beat! (Don and John are just beat.)
"What a long, strange trip it's been." A phrase perfectly suited to Don and John, who are "deadheads" in EVERY sense of the word. Join our hosts as they walk you back through 50 episodes. (Just make sure you don't trip while walking backwards.)
How long to quarantine? Mask or no mask? Open schools or remote learning? Bioethicist Art Caplan answers all your COVID questions and says the messaging on COVID should be a little clearer and more direct. (You know, like John and Don, only not as silly.)
Like his contemporaries Edison and the Wright brothers, John Browning changed the world with his inventions. Nathan Gorenstein tells about the life and times of the genius who revolutionized how guns are made.
The Christmas season is a time for giving - and this season, you have the opportunity to give and support people who have been giving of themselves on behalf of foster kids all year. Listen as Lori Serratelli tells the story of CASA, and get your virtual ornament at dauphincountycasa.org/tree.
Folklore expert Cory Hutcheson finishes the "Holiday Trifecta," telling us all about Christmas traditions and quirks (not to be confused with the famous law offices of Traditions and Quirks).
The week is seven days. Why? And why does each day seem to have its own personality? David Henkin has been looking onto this for a week of Sundays, and he has some fascinating answers to these questions.
Have you heard about the only successful terrorist overthrow of an established local government in America? David Zucchino, author of the Pulitzer prize-winning "Wilmington's Lie," talks with John and Don about what happened in 1898 and how it still resonates today.
Nancy Ryan was a morning radio fixture in Harrisburg, PA, for 25 years at country station Bob 94.9. Then, one of those mornings, she became the victim of a budget cut. Nancy tells Don and John how she bounced back.
Why do we eat turkey on Thanksgiving? How did Black Friday get started? Did America really celebrate Thanksgiving in April? And are we REALLY that thankful for Don and John? Folklore expert Cory Hutcheson has all the answers!
Tough times for the supply chain - there are thousands of shipping containers full of the stuff you want for Christmas piled up on the docks of Los Angeles. Nick Roman tells us about the mess and whether it'll be cleaned up in time for the holidays.
A baseball team has lots of coaches. What do they do, and why are so many of them getting fired this year? Sweeny Murti talks about coaches, why minor leaguers are important, and what to expect this offseason. (Bet on this: Don and John will not be hired as coaches.)
Listen to Sweeny's interview with the Yankees coaches who were let go at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wfan-baseball-insiders/id1556722547?i=1000538616284
Hip-checked by a llama! Hit on by a lemur! Zookeeper Christie Yurkovic has some tales to tell about mingling with animals. Now that she's talked with Don and John, she has new tales to tell about mingling with animals....
Check out these websites:
Association of Zoos and Aquariums - https://www.aza.org/
American Association of Zookeepers - https://aazk.org/
https://www.stlzoo.org/animals/soyouwanttobeazookeeper
Halloween will not die! It rises from the grave to present folklore expert Cory Hutcheson, who carves out the Jack O'Lantern of truth about the origins of Halloween!
Halloween is coming, so naturally bio-ethicist Art Caplan is talking about cadavers! And pig kidneys! And COVID! Just what you need to kick off the fall holiday season!
Another of Bill Cosby's accusers, Lili Bernard, has filed suit, accusing him of drugging and raping her. Nicole Weisensee Egan, author of the book CHASING COSBY, covered both of Cosby's trials, and talks with John and Don about Lili and his other victims, the twisted logic of Cosby's release from prison and the bad precedent it sets.
How is it that "dark" rides at theme parks are put together by a fellow with such a sunny disposition? Meet Chick Russell, creator of rides featuring Harry Potter, the Transformers, and Mario. (The Don and John ride is so dark you can't see it....)
The 20th anniversary of 9/11 brings back many stories and memories. Here's one you must hear: the story of Mike Hingson, who walked down 78 flights of stairs to escape Tower 1 of the World Trade Center after it was hit -- a feat he couldn't accomplish without the help of his guide dog, Roselle.
"A code red for humanity:" fire, floods, extreme heat, and a lack of ice at the poles. Can we reverse climate change? Weather Channel meteorologist Carl Parker has some answers and ideas in this Musical Innertube. Don and John just have huge electric bills. Read the Climate report https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_SPM.pdf For solutions, there’s this: https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/table-of-solutions
Salsa, the condiment -- it's mild, it's spicy, it's hot. Salsa, the music -- it's mild, it's spicy, it's hot -- it's all types of Latin music wrapped up in one name. And nobody delivers salsa music like Alma Del Barrio, the 48 year-old weekend radio dynamo on KXLU in Los Angeles. Don and John talk with Alma founding member Kiki Soto about the show and the salsa.
Julie McKelvey is attempting to climb the world's seven tallest mountains. Last month, she attempted the summit of Denali in Alaska -- and she missed it by a foot. Her foot. Don and John talk to Julie about what happened and about her plans to go to the top of the bottom of the world.
Are you fully vaccinated? Art Caplan says you have to have BOTH shots. Should you mask up in the supermarket even if you've had both shots? Art Caplan says yes! Plus, our bio-ethicist doesn't think much of the Phillies, and that includes not getting their shots.
Author, advisor and TEDx-talker Jill Sherer Murray shows John and Don how letting go can led to new paths -- and sometimes a whole new life. Also, you'll discover why we almost named this episode, "I paid good money for that shaman!"
Ron Brownstein, Senior Editor at Atlantic Magazine and Senior Political Analyst for CNN, has written a book about how 1974 was a watershed year for culture and politics in Los Angeles. --Wait!! Don and John were living and working in L.A. in 1974! Coincidence? I think not!
Head on down to your local Wawa for a hoagie and some wooder ice, as John and Don talk with former Philadelphia Inquirer TV critic Ellen Gray. They'll be discussing all the Philadelphia quirks and references in the HBO murder mystery "Mare of Easttown." It's more fun than a vegan cheesesteak!
John and Don are huge baseball fans, and so is Sweeny Murti of WFAN Radio and the New York Yankees. Listen in as Sweeny tells the Innertube boys about his hour with Billy Crystal, Tom Jane, and Barry Pepper, the boys of 61*.
John and Don re-unite with Art Caplan, the Mitty Professor of Bioethics at New York University Langone Medical Center, to get the hows and whys of vaccine hesitancy and herd immunity. But, unfortunately, no Bill Gates divorce jokes. Darn!
(Please hum Star Trek theme) Bruce Betts, Chief Scientist of the Planetary Society, takes John and Don where no Musical Innertube has gone before (except maybe our first episode with Mat Kaplan)! To Mars! In an airplane!
Don and John talk with Julie McKelvey, who's climbing the seven highest mountains in the world! She's doing it for a sense of accomplishment AND for a good cause. SPOILER: if you'd like to pledge as Julie climbs Denali, go here: https://pledge.giftofsound.org/summitforsounddenali
Making a return appearance to the Musical Innertube is educator Abby Mahone, who, along with fellow educator Courtney Hart, tells Don and John how students, teachers and parents in their school are coping with COVID.
Don and John talk to old friend Mike Hingson, who is many things: author, motivational speaker, and someone who survived the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11th of 2001 by walking down the stairs from the 78th floor with the help of his guide dog Roselle.
What can a city's architecture tell us about its health and growth? John and Don find out by talking with the Philadelphia Inquirer's Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Inga Saffron, who talks about her city and trends in general.
Finish off 2020 with John and Don and bio-ethicist Art Caplan, who, like all of us, wants the pandemic to be over -- he's just not optimistic about that happening right away.
As you sit around the Christmas tree, sipping egg nog and munching on candied yams, did you ever wonder why we bring a tree into the house at Christmas? Why do we eat particular foods at Christmas? And what's the deal with Santa? Don and John get the happy holiday answers from folklorist Dr. Cory Hutcheson.
Thankfully, we're entering the vaccine phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. It's the job of the FDA's Vaccine Advisory Committee to recommend the authorization of those vaccines. John and Don reconnect with vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit, who's a member of the Advisory Committee, to talk about what vaccines are available, how they work and whether or not this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed most everything, especially the way we do business -- we never used to have "contactless delivery," right? Don and John talk with business consultant and keynote speaker Jay Baer about the future of this brave new retail world.