Coping Conversations: Recent Episodes
Dr. Bob Phillips
"Coping Conversations” is hosted by internationally renowned psychologist, Dr. Bob Phillips, and has been aired on radio stations and as a nationally available audio-streamed program since 1991.
On each show, Dr. Phillips interviews a well-known celebrity or expert, bringing the listening audience up to date on current appearances, performances, publications and other activities of interest.
As the main focus, our listeners are always fascinated to hear about our guest’s interesting life experiences and successful coping experiences, hence the name "Coping Conversations"! The show invariably is positive, upbeat, and fascinating.
Host Dr. Bob Phillips is also the author of more than 35 best-selling books, and the founder and director of the Center for Coping on Long Island, New York.
My returning guests are beloved for their roles as Nellie Oleson and Almanzo Wilder on Little House on the Prairie. We reminisce about their time on the show, their enduring friendship, current projects, and much more.
In honor of the recent passing of Emmy Award-Winning actress Loretta Swit, here’s an encore presentation of my interview with Loretta from 2018.
My returning guest is actress/singer Linda Purl, joined by her partner, actor Patrick Duffy. We discuss their respective careers, difficulties encountered, their joint business effort Duffy’s Dough, and much more.
My guest is an actor, writer, and teacher, known for being in some excellent movies, TV shows, and on the stage. We discuss his career, struggles he’s faced during his career, how he stays grounded in such a difficult industry, and much more.
My guest is a popular actress who has appeared in dozens of movies and television shows. She also produced an emotional one-woman show about a traumatic period in her life. We discuss her career, her show (and then movie) “Accidentally Brave”, and much more.
My guest is the second most decorated U.S. gymnast in Olympic history. We discuss her legendary gymnastics career, her battle with cancer, her advocacy for women's health, and much more.
My guest, Jim Murphy, is a performance coach and author of the new book, “Inner Excellence”. (You may recall, cameras spotted the book being read by Eagles receiver A J. Brown in a viral moment during the most recent Super Bowl!) We discuss how mindset shapes success, how his book can help readers, his view on relationships, and much more. (Please forgive my raspy voice!)
My guest is a recognizable character actor, known for a variety of film and television roles. We discuss his passion for what he does, how his personality is so popular with casts, his positive attitude, and much more.
My guest won 3 Academy Awards, for “Mrs. Doubtfire”, “Beetlejuice” and “Ed Wood”. We discuss what got her interested in makeup, the difficulties she encountered in her profession, working with Robin Williams, and much more.
My returning guest, Rick Mitchell, is a multiple Emmy-award winner for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, an author and comedian. We discuss his perception of modern comedians, responses his gotten to his new book, tips for making a speech when nervous, and much more.
My returning guest is a veteran actor who discusses his career, the importance of advice he has received, difficulties in show business, and much more.
My guest is a popular actor who starred in the TV sitcom “The Wonder Years, in addition to many other credits on stage, screen, and television. We discuss his performing career, his feelings about seniors in show business, his new play about a very important topic in society, and much more.
In honor of the recent passing of the late, great George Foreman, here’s an encore presentation of my interview with George from 2009.
My returning guest, Stephen Tobolowsky, continues to keep busy, acting, writing, and telling stories. We discuss his favorite show-business activities, how he has succeeded despite serious medical problems, memories of “Groundhog Day”, and much more.
This is an "Encore Presentation" of an audience favorite, my interview with the late, legendary George Carlin, originally taped in 2005.
My guest, Rick Mitchell, won 5 Emmy awards writing for The Ellen DeGeneres Show. We discuss that, his new book, “How to Write a Funny Speech…”, how comedy makes so many things easier, and much more.
This solo episode discusses strategies and suggestions for dealing with Winter’s challenges, including the weather, Seasonal Affective Disorder, and much more.
My guest is Vincent Price’s daughter, Victoria, but she’s known for more than that. We discuss her recent book, "The Way of Being Lost: A Road Trip to My Truest Self." We also discuss some valuable insights she shares in the book, her relationship with her father, and much more.
My guest, Michael Moriarty, on a show originally taped in 1995, is an award-winning actor and musician, whose career was affected by his political views. He is perhaps best known for his years starring on television’s Law & Order. We discussed his career, his thoughts about what’s going on in our country, how his political views affected him, and much more.
Our 300th episode, a solo episode, reflects back on the more than 30 years of “Coping Conversations’ history, guests, topics, and more.
My guest, Carole Shelley, is an actress known for stage, screen, and television roles in the UK and US. We discuss her career, her appreciation of audience respect for her performances, use of humor in her roles, and much more.
My guest, Charles Fox, is a world-renowned composer, known for many TV theme songs and movie soundtracks. We discuss his passion for music, how he never wanted to do anything else, some stories behind his composing, his belief in a variety of therapeutic benefits of music, and much more.
My guest, Celeste Holm, is an academy-award-winning actress, for “Gentleman’s Agreement”. We discuss her career, why she doesn’t care about applause, how show business helps people deal with life’s issues, and much more.
My guest, Peter Onorati, became a popular actor after being successful in marketing and advertising. We discuss his childhood, his experiences in different vocations, how those different vocations can actually be intertwined, and much more.
My guest, Marc Summers, is a multi-faceted professional who has worn many hats in his career. We discuss these many hats, his preferences, how he has adapted to different roles, and much more.
Episode Title:
294: Stefanie Powers- Actress/Activist (“Hart to Hart”)
My guest is a talented actress perhaps best known for the popular TV show “Hart to Hart”. She also is known for her animal advocacy. We discuss her show business career, her love for animals, the history and her role in the William Holden Wildlife Foundation, and much more.
My guest, Mary Birdsong, is an actress and singer with a flair for comedy. We discuss her career, the importance of comedy, her impression of Judy Garland, and much more.
My guest is perhaps best known for playing Mary Ellen on the classic TV show “The Waltons”. We discuss her memories of the show, her relationship with castmates, how she has been proactive in helping people, and much more
My guest is perhaps best known for playing Richie (Rob and Laura’s son) on the classic TV show, “The Dick Van Dyke Show”. We discuss how he was cast on the show, his relationship with members of the cast, how he’s dealt with difficulties in his life, and much more.
In this annual solo episode, we discuss that there are always things to be thankful for, no matter how stressful your life may be!
My guest is perhaps best known for appearing on the first season of "The Facts of Life". We discussed why she did not continue as a regular, her other show business appearances, why she left the industry, and much more.
My guest is an actress perhaps best known for playing Cissy on the TV sitcom “Family Affair”. We discuss her career, coping with acting, the problems faced by child stars, and much more.
My returning guest is Craig Baxley, an actor, stuntman, director, and more. We discuss more details about his career, the dangers of stunt work, we answer questions from our listeners, and much more.
My guest is a medical oncologist and hematologist who is the author of the new book, “The Cancer Journey”. We discuss how, in this book, he simplifies the science, controversies, and complexity of cancer for patients and their loved ones. We discuss the importance of second opinions, modern cancer treatments, and much more.
My returning guest, Susan Olsen, starred as Cindy Brady on the classic television show, “The Brady Bunch.” We discuss her career, why she chose not to continue acting, her passion for teaching, and much more.
My guest, Dr. Joseph Nowinski, is a clinical psychologist and prolific author. We discuss his latest book, , “Sober Love: How to Quit Drinking as a Couple”.
My returning guest is an actress who played “Cousin Geri” on “The Facts of Life”, and is the author of a new book, “Geri’s Jewels & Gems”. We discuss her book, her memories, how she’s coped with life’s difficulties, and much more.
My guest, Diana McLain Smith, is the author of a new book, “Remaking the Space Between Us,” and we discuss how, in our polarized country, it’s better to work together and try to solve problems than to remain divided. We discuss objective resources for news and other things that can be done, and much more.
My guest in this archived episode, originally taped in 2010, is popular, best-selling author Nelson DeMille. We discuss his latest novel at that time, his career in general, how he approaches the craft of writing, and much more.
My returning guest, David Proval, is an actor who is known for his roles on the “Sopranos”, “Mean Streets”, “Nunzio” and more. We discuss different highlights in his career, his frustration with certain sides of the business, his relationship with Eddie Murphy, and much more.
My guest, Curtis Armstrong, has a long and storied career, playing important roles in “Risky Business”, and “Revenge of the Nerds”, among others. We discuss his career, his approach to a variety of roles, how he dealt with rejection and the ups and downs of show business, and much more.
My guest is a former Playboy Playmate of the Year who is even better known for her long career as an actress, producer, and director. We discuss her views on being a playmate and feelings about Hugh Hefner, her love for the show business industry, her book, “Bounce, Don’t Break”, and much more.
My Emmy-award winning guest has been called a walking encycloopedia of show business history. We discuss his lengthy career as an actor, singer, author, and more, the difficulties he’s encountered in his life and his career, his successful coping strategies, and much more.
My guest is an actress and singer with a long, well-known career. We discuss her upbringing in Japan, her interactions with some well-known performers, her ways of dealing with show business ups and downs, and much more.
My guest has worked for Bob Hope, and for the Bob Hope Foundation, for decades. We discuss what an archivist does, how he curates material, the new Bob Hope YouTube channel, and much more.
My guest actor John Kapelos, who is perhaps best known for his iconic role in “The Breakfast Club”. We discuss his career, how the young actors who appeared in this (and other) films disliked the nickname “Brat Pack”, how he dealt with the ups and downs of his career, and much more.
My guest is a physician whose new book, “The Power Foods Diet” describes a plan that can help you to lose weight by eating more of the right foods. We discuss his approach, how easy and delicious the program can be, and much more.
My guest, Michael Beck, is an actor, who also has a career narrating audiobooks. We discuss his movie career, the challenges he’s faced, how he’s kept a positive attitude, and much more.
My guest is actor, Bo Svenson, perhaps best known for the Walking Tall series, and numerous other films. We discuss his growing up in Sweden, his metaphysical background, his views on why he is who he is, and much more.
My guest has taken the concept of being a Beatles fan to a whole new entrepreneurial level. We discuss his passion for the Beatles, Monkees, and Turtles, how he’s turned this into popular income-producing activities, and much more.
My guest is an actress and singer who is perhaps best known for playing Bobby Ewing’s secretary on “Dallas.” We discuss her career, her relationship with the "Dallas" cast members, the role of music in her life, and much more.
My guest starred as Almanzo on the hit television show, “Little House on the Prairie.” We discuss his experiences on the show, his relationship with Melissa Gilbert on the show, his new book, “Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond”, and much more.
My guest is an actress, perhaps best known for playing Veruca Salt in the classic “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”. We discuss her career in show business, her experiences in Willy Wonka, why she became a psychotherapist, and much more.
My guest is an actor, stuntman, director, and more. We discuss his multifaceted career, his relationship with Warren Beatty, how he would deal with the risks of stunt work, and much more.
My guest starred as Cindy Brady on the classic television show, “The Brady Bunch.” We discussed her experiences on the show, her relationships with the other cast members, challenges of being a child star, and much more.
My returning guest responds to listeners’ questions about his career, his writing for The Golden Girls and Gilmore Girls, difficulties he’s experienced writing, and much more.
My guest is an actor, perhaps best known for being in “The Munsters” on television. We discuss his experiences on The Munsters, how his career affected his life, how he coped with difficulties in his life, and much more.
My guest is an actor/stuntman perhaps best known for playing Michael Myers in Halloween II, and dealing with the shark, “Bruce”, in Jaws. We discuss his career, the difficulties of doing stunt work, how he’s coped with the consequences of his career, and much more.
My guest is an actor who is perhaps best known for playing Richie Aprile on the popular show “The Sopranos”. We discuss his show business career, his insight into the roles he plays, how his background and upcoming is still important to him, and much more.
My guest on this archived show, originally taped in 1995, is an actress who had a long, popular career in show business. We discuss her career, how she coped with the difficulties of the industry, how she dealt with her own personal tragedies, and much more.
My guest on this archived show is an Emmy Award winner with a long history as a TV talk show host, producer, writer, and speaker. We talk about his lengthy career, issues he’s dealt with, his motivational speaking, and much more.
My guests, B. Janet Hibbs, PhD and Anthony Rostain, MD, discuss their new book, focusing on parenting young adults, an increasingly significant problem in our society.
My guest was the star of television’s “Lassie”. We discuss his career, his love for animals, his focus on dogs’ mental health, and much more.
My guest was the star of the classic TV show, Mr. Ed (although the horse might disagree!). We discuss his acting career, how he felt about performing with a talking horse, his book, and much more.
This is Part 2 of my archived interview with this legendary Academy Award-winning actor.We discuss his efforts at preparing a sequel to Charly, his frustration with the industry, how copes with this and other difficulties in his life, and much more.
My guest is one of the most celebrated actors of his time. As well-known for his movies as for keeping himself away from Hollywood politics, we discuss his movie career, his desire for privacy, and much more.
My guest is an actress known for her roles on the classic TV shows “My Three Sons” and “Hawaiian Eye”. We discuss her career, her longevity, her charitable work, and much more.
My guest has written for The Golden Girls, Roseanne, and Gilmore Girls, and that’s just the tip of his iceberg. We discuss his writing career, his love of theater, his positive attitude, and much more.
My guest is a former major league baseball player, playing mostly for the New York Yankees. We discuss his career, his life challenges, his charity work, and much more.
My guest, one of the stars of “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”, left show business after that role, and became a successful veterinarian. We discuss the reasons for his choices, his memories of the movie, how he coped with his career transition, and much more.
My returning guest is a singer who is starring in a new music video about the importance of love. We discuss the video, her passion for music, her belief of the importance of music, and much more.
My guest is an actress who is perhaps best known for one of the scariest movies ever made, Psycho. We discuss her movie career, her book House of Destiny, how she developed her movie characters, and much more.
My guests are actors and singers with a lot to share, about their acting careers, about their 2-person musical show, their belief in the healing power of music, and much more.
My guest is a physician who is the author of several best-selling books. His latest is How Not to Age, and we discuss many things that anyone can do to improve their health, slow down the aging process, and much more.
My guest is legendary actor Boris Karloff's daughter. We discuss their relationship, her favorite memories of him, what she does to maintain his legacy, and much more.
My guest in this archived episode, originally taped in 2001, has been called a comedian’s comedian. We discuss his career, his modesty, how he’s coped with many of life’s problems, and much more.
On this special first-show-of-the-year episode, my returning guest “gives voice” to what New Year’s resolutions might be from some pretty famous people. We also discuss his acting/impressionism career, his desire to paint a portrait of his mother (actress Marion Ross), and much more.
My guest is this archived episode, originally taped in 1994, starred as “Grandpa” in the TV classic “The Munsters”. We discuss his career, his fond memories of Fred Gwynne, the importance of humor and laughter, and much more.
My guest is perhaps best known for being the long-time host of the classic television game show, “The Newlywed Game”. We discuss how the show exploded in popularity, his varied other career activities, some of the difficulties he encountered in show business, and much more.
My guest is an actress who has numerous credits from the 1960s, including starring in “Kissing Cousins” with Elvis Presley. We discuss her memories of Elvis, other legendary stars and these early roles, her feelings about acting, and much more.
My guest is perhaps best known for playing “Sly” on the classic TV show “Dallas”, but she’s also an accomplished singer, producer, and writer. We discuss her multifaceted career, her memories of “Dallas”, and much more.
My guest in this archived episode, originally taped in 1998 (please forgive the sound quality!), was a legendary television and radio talk show host, who many credit with inventing the talk show genre. We discuss his ease at interviewing guests, his many fascinating experiences as a talk show host, and much more.
In this encore presentation, due to popular demand, Dr. Phillips discusses why there are always things to be thankful for, no matter how stressful your life may be!
My guest was only one of two actors to be on every episode of the classic television sitcom, “My Three Sons”. Brother of my previous guest, Barry Livingston, we discuss “My Three Sons”, his career, the many hats he’s worn, and much more.
My guest is a long-time music executive who has just released her new book,
My guest is a long-time music executive who has just released her new book, The Joy Strategist. We discuss what joy is, why it’s so important, what you can do to achieve joy, and much more.
We discuss what joy is, why it’s so important, what you can do to achieve joy, and much more.
My guest is a psychotherapist who specializes in trauma, which led to her writing a book called, “Tramatization and Its Aftermath”> We discuss trauma, what causes it, the impact it has, what can be done about it, and much more.
My guest is a former actress, having starred on two soap operas. Sonia Satra is now a motivational speaker and author. We discuss her career, her passion for helping people, her thoughts about the mind-body connection and its role in personal growth, and much more.
My guest is a well-known journalist and former radio host who is now the author of the new book, Frank’s Shadow. We discuss his career, the significance of the themes of the book, his love for storytelling, and much more.
My guest on this archived show, originally taped in 2001 hence the episode’s sound quality, was one of the most popular mystery writers in American history. We discussed his novels, his process of writing, why he never read his reviews, and much more.
My guest is a stand-up comedian whose popularity is increasing around the world. We discuss his career, his unique type of humor, why he loves what he does, the importance of humor as a coping strategy, and much more.
My guest is the co-author of the new book, “The New Roaring Twenties”, discussing the exciting, yet scary field of artificial intelligence (AI) We discuss AI, the positives, the negatives, and much more.
My guest is the daughter of the late, legendary comedian/singer Rose Marie. We discuss her honoring what would have been her mother’s 100th birthday, many memories, how her life was shaped by her relationship with her mother, and much more.
My guest is a women’s health expert from the Mayo Clinic, and author of the new book, “The New Rules of Menopause.” We enjoy the difference between menopause and perimenopause, the role of hormone therapy, myths about these topics, and much more.
My guest in this archived episode, originally taped in 2012, is a former all-star second baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. We discuss his playing career, how he got over his fielding difficulties, his career after baseball, and much more.
My returning guest is an informative television and multimedia producer who specializes who calls himself “The First Ladies Man”. We discuss more unusual and surprising things he has learned about our First Ladies, he answers some of our listeners’ questions, and much more.
My guest is a comedienne, actress, and podcaster who is making quite a name for herself. We discuss her career, how she developed an interest in comedy, what she’s learned in performing all over the world, and much more.
My guest is an actress who has been in show business for more than 70 years, and was nominated for an Academy Award as a child, in 1957! We discuss her breakout role in “The Bad Seed”, how playing a sociopathic character affected her, and much more.
My guest is an actor, known for “Big” and “Newsies”, and an activist. We discuss his movie career, both as an actor and a producer, his passion for giving back, his charity work, and much more.
My guest specializes in the important topic of burnout. We discuss her personal experience that led to her gaining this expertise, her book, tips for helping people avoid or conquer burnout, and much more.
My guest broke into show business at the ripe old age of 3, playing the drums. He became known as Little Ricky on the classic TV show I Love Lucy, but developed a career as a musician. We discuss his career, how he dealt with difficulties in his life, how he has pulled himself together to be happy and productive, and much more.
My guest is an expert in information, memorabilia, and trivia about our presidents and first families. We discuss how he developed this area of interest, and some of the fascinating things he has learned through his years researching their history.
My returning guest is likely best known for his role in “My Cousin Vinny”. We discuss additional fascinating information about the movie, other aspects of his career both in and outside of show business, how he dealt with knee replacement surgery, and much more.
My guest is the great-granddaughter of our 30th president, Calvin Coolidge. We discuss her great-grandparents, their legacy, how they dealt with tragedy, how she deals with perpetuating their legacy, and much more.
This is the second part of a two-part interview with actor Tony Lo Bianco. We discuss his relationship with some of the biggest names in show business stars, his fascination with Fiorello LaGuardia, his charity work, and much more.
My guest is a veteran actor, who has many acting credits, including starring in the movie “The French Connection”, and on the stage as Fiorello LaGuardia. We discuss his career, reasons for his longevity, how he approaches acting, and much more.
My guest is an actress, known for "Fridays" and "Parker Lewis Can’t Lose", as well as her voice in Nickelodeon's "Rugrats" and "All Grown Up". We discuss her varied career, her new book, “Odd Woman Out”, her need to keep busy, and much more.
My guest is a veteran actor who is perhaps best known for voicing the villain, Jafar, in the Aladdin films, and then playing him on stage. We discuss his career, his desire to play the villain, his love for the stage, and much more.
My guest is an actor, producer, and more, perhaps best known for acting in “Jaws” and producing "Ally McBeal" and "The Practice" on television. We discuss his career, his enthusiasm about producing, his important role in helping those with Tourette’s Syndrome, and much more.
My guest is a stage, screen, and television actor who is perhaps best known for his starring role on the classic TV show “The Wonder Years.” We discuss his varied roles, his passion for theater, the influential performers in his life, and much more.
My guest first appeared in the classic movie, The Wizard of Oz, as one of the Munchkins in 1939. She followed that with a long career in television journalism. We discuss her careers, her ethnic difficulties, her book, The Munchkin Diary: My Personal Yellow Brick Road, and much more.
My guest was ranked third among all-time quarterbacks for the New York Jets. We discuss his college and professional career, how he was groomed to replace Joe Namath, the ups and downs of his career, and much more.
My guest is the last surviving star of the classic tearjerker movie “Old Yeller”. We discuss her career, her special acting talent, important beliefs that she lives by, and much more.
My guest is a nutritional expert and author of the new book “The Plant Love Kitchen. We discuss her focus on plant-forward eating, tips for listeners about how to improve their eating and health, and much more.
My guest is the granddaughter of legendary stars Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. We discuss the book she has written about them, her love for her grandparents, the importance of family values, and much more.
My guest calls himself “The First Ladies Man”, and has learned more about our nation’s First Ladies than you can imagine. We discuss his passion for gathering and sharing this information, the importance of First Ladies, the upcoming First Ladies Day, and much more.
My guest is the youngest granddaughter of United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower. We talk about her grandfather, her memories of the White House as a young girl, her important humanitarian activities, and much more.
My guest is a minister, alderman, philanthropist, and more. We discuss his career, his special interests in Presidential descendents and First Ladies, his passion for doing things for others, and much more.
My guest on this archived show, originally taped in 1995, was an icon in the field of fashion design and much more. We discuss his career, his view of being a jet-setter, how clothing helps with coping, and much more
My guest is best known for playing Mr. McFeely the delivery man on television’s classic “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” We discuss his career, his experiences on the show, the value of this type of programming, and much more.
Our 200th episode, a solo episode, reflects back on the more than 30 years of Coping Conversations’ history, guests, and topics.
My guest is a world-renowned intuitive who has helped thousands of people with her readings. We discuss the difference between being an intuitive and a medium, why she does not like the word psychic, how she learned her skills, how she helps people to learn these skills, and much more.
My guest is the third official voice of Walt Disney’s Donald Duck. We discuss his life-long fascination with the voice of Donald Duck, other voices he does, the trials and tribulations of being a voice actor, and much more
My guest is an inspirational speaker, podcast host and author, who has helped millions of people all over the world. We discuss her many hats, what led to her career, her views about the importance of helping yourself, and much more.
My guest is known for his voice roles in Winnie the Pooh movies and The Jungle Book. We talk about his connection with Walt Disney, his multi-faceted career after voice acting, his attitude about life, and much more.
This is the second part of a two-part interview with Mighty Ducks star Shaun Weiss. We discuss how he spiraled out of control with alcohol and drugs, what led him to hit rock bottom, how he found his way back, and much more.
My guest is best known for playing the role of Goldberg the Goalie in the movie franchise, “The Mighty Ducks”. We discuss his history in acting, his feelings about acting and being famous, what started his emotional decline, and much more.
My guest broke into the music scene as a 13-year-old singer, back in 1959, and continues to perform to this day. We discuss her biggest hit, “Tan Shoes & Pink Shoelaces”, as well as the rest of her career in music, how she gives back in a very commendable way, ways she uses music to help others, and much more.
My guest is a popular, well-known actor, perhaps best known for the Police Academy movies, Cocoon, and many more. We discuss his new movie, his career, how love and family are so important, his love for acting, and much more.
My guest has been in numerous movies and television shows, but is best known for his roles in “My Cousin Vinny” and “Friends”. We discuss his career, how fame affected him, how his attitude helps him with everything, and much more.
My guest is an expert in mental health issues, and author of the new book, “Reconnecting After Isolation.” We discussed the impact that the pandemic has had on socialization, things that people can do to identify problems in this area, strategies to help themselves, and much more.
This is the second part of a two-part interview with "The Godfather" star Gianni Russo. We discuss his career after this movie, his relationship with some of the biggest names in and out of show business, and much more.
My guest is a singer who has resumed a successful career following the sudden death of her husband, and is starring in a PBS documentary called “The Musicians’ Green Book: An Enduring Legacy”. We discuss the documentary as well as the Green Book, her career, the importance of family, her love for singing, and much more.
My guest played Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather. We discussed his very difficult childhood, how he basically rescued himself, how he was cast in The Godfather, and much more.
This is the second part of a two-part interview with Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle. We discuss what led to him joining the band, the need for grief counseling for tragedies such as his, how he moved forward from the crash, and much more.
In this encore solo podcast, Dr. Phillips discusses why there are always things to be thankful for, no matter how stressful your life may be!
My guest was the drummer for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rock group, Lynyrd Skynyrd. We discuss the 1977 plane crash that took the life of 6 members of his band and crew, how the crash affected him both physically and emotionally, and much more.
My guest is an up-and-coming actress who is making her mark on the industry. We talk about her current breakthrough in show business, how this has actually been a career change for her, how her positive attitude has been so important in her personal growth, and much more.
My guest on this archived show, taped in 2010, is well known for his variety of movie and television credits. Probably best known for playing Stuart Markowitz in the long-running television program LA Law. we discuss his show business career, his marriage to Jill Eikenberry, the books he has written, and much more.
My guest is a popular children’s author, and author of National Geographic’s “The Explorer Academy” books. We discuss her latest book, “The Forbidden Island”, what led to her interest in writing children’s books, the importance of reading for children, and much more.
My guest is the best-selling author of dozens of novels. We discuss his latest book, “Long Shadows”, how he approaches writing his books, the importance of reading, and much more.
My guest in this archived show, taped in 2010, is perhaps best known for playing Ann Kelsey in the long-running television program L.A. Law. We discuss her show business career, her advocacy work for people with breast cancer, her own experiences with the disease, and much more.
My guest on this archived show, originally taped in 2010, is veteran actor William Schallert, perhaps best known for playing dad Martin Lane on “The Patty Duke Show”. We discuss his lengthy show business career, how he dealt with the mix of performing and family responsibilities, and other issues he coped with during his acting career.
My guest is a well-respected, internationally known physician and author. We’ll talk about his new book, his views on aging, his belief that "90 is the new 40", what people can do to be healthier, and much more.
My guest is a popular actress and author, whose new book, “Charlie Makes a Splash” was co-authored with her son who has autism. We discuss her career, her advocacy for autism, how her family has coped, and much more.
My guest is an author, performer, motivational speaker, and advocate. We discuss her career, her life as George Carlin’s daughter, how she coped with the death of her parents, and much more.
My guest is a young comedienne who is growing in popularity. We discuss her career, the difficulties she’s encountered as a comedienne, her thoughts about the current state of standup comedy, and much more.
My guest is an impressionist who made quite an impression when he first appeared on the show, hence his return. We discussed more about his career, his desire to inspire and motivate, his desire to help other performers, and much more.
My guest, a 13-year-old actor, is already making a name for himself, currently appearing in "Stranger Things" on Netflix. We discuss his developing career, his passion for acting, how he’s been treated in school as an actor, the difficulties he’s encountered, and much more.
My returning guest discusses details about composing music and creating sounds for some of his biggest movies, how he copes with being in the industry, and much more.
My guest in this archived episode is perhaps best known for playing "Colonel Klink" on the classic TV show “Hogan’s Heroes. (Please forgive the sound quality of the episode.) We discuss his career, his love for theater, the problems with being typecast, and much more.
On this archived show, originally taped in 1994, Keith Hernandez and I discuss his best-selling book “Pure Baseball”, his career, thoughts about baseball, and much more.
My guest is a former kicker for the San Diego Chargers, and the national spokesperson for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. We discuss his career, how he successfully has dealt with his medical problems, and much more.
My guest in this archived episode is the first wife of former President Donald Trump. (Please forgive the poor sound quality of the episode.) We discuss her divorce, how she pulled herself together, the lessons she learned that can help people going through this, and much more.
My returning guest is a world-renowned psychologist and a co-founder of Cognitive Behavior Therapy. We discuss a recent tragic experience in his life, and the lessons learned that can help everyone.
My guest is a legendary television sitcom director. We discuss his career, his family roots, how he copes with the specifics of his job, and much more.
My returning guest is health advocate and author, Steven Taibbi. We refer to his book, “Grateful Guilt” and discuss the consequences of writing this book, how he’s been coping with his medical condition, and much more.
My returning guest is health advocate and author, Steven Taibbi. We discuss his book, “Grateful Guilt” as well as the consequences of writing this book, how he’s been coping with his medical condition, and much more.
My guest is an award-winning composer and sound designer, perhaps best known for the Star Trek movies, and for his work with John Carpenter. We discuss what sound designing and composing involves, how he deals with the musical version of “writer’s block”, and much more.
My guest was a recurring character on the classic TV show MASH. We discuss his role, his camaraderie with the cast, why he thinks the show was so popular, and much more.
My guest is the president of the New York State Psychological Association. We discuss her practice, the difficulties that people are encountering that can be helped by psychology, the role of the New York State Psychological Association, and much more.
This is the second part of a two-part interview with actress/singer Mackenzie Phillips. We talk about her book, High on Arrival, the shocking revelations that got everyone’s attention, how she has coped and is now helping others, and much more.
My guest is an actress, singer, and author, who, despite her popularity, has had many difficulties in her life, starting as a young child. We discuss what she's gone through, how she finally pulled herself together, how she has used what she experienced to help others, and much more.
My guest is the President and Founder of Doors of Change, a non-profit organization that primarily aims to help homeless youth. We discuss the extent of the problem, what Doors of Change does, the role of music and art in developing trust, and much more.
My guest has had two major roles in a long, successful career, Afton Cooper on the TV show “Dallas,” and Val in the movie “A Chorus Line”. We discuss her start in show business, her balance of acting and singing, her major performances in show business, how she deals with stress, and much more.
My returning guest has enjoyed making people laugh for virtually his whole life. We discuss how his career exploded because of his regular appearances on the Howard Stern Show, his interest in joke-telling, especially dirty jokes, how humor has helped him cope, and much more.
My guest is a talented and creative actor, comedian, and impressionist. We discuss the process of learning new voice impressions, his belief in humor as a coping tool, his acting career, his desire to inspire and motivate, and much more.
In this archived show, originally taped in 1998, Dr. Siegel and I discuss his best-selling book, “Love, Medicine & Miracles,” and the important ways that patients can help themselves in the healing process. We discuss what got him interested in this, and much more.
My guest is a popular illusionist who exploded on the scene as a finalist on America’s Got Talent. We discuss his passion for magic, how he learns and expands his craft, the highs and the lows of performing, and much more!
My guest today is a singer who has been impressing audiences with her voice for decades. She is a popular cabaret singer and actress, and has performed all over the world. We discuss her career, her positive attitude, and much more!
My guest is a world-renowned physician, author, and researcher, whose books and research focus on the immune system. We discuss his new book, "Immunity Strong;" the connection between stress, the immune system and autoimmune diseases; how you can help yourself and extend your life; and much more.
This is the second part of a two-part interview with “Klinger” on MASH, Jamie Farr. We talk about how MASH almost got cancelled, and turned into one of the most popular programs of all time, the camaraderie among the cast, all that he has accomplished and coped with since then, and much more.
My guest is one of the most recognizable characters on the hit TV show MASH. In this first part of a two-part interview, we discuss his upbringing, how he knew he wanted to perform, what led to his casting on MASH, and much more.
Millions of people suffer from more than 100 different autoimmune diseases. My guest on this show is the president and CEO of the national organization that advocates for this large group of people, the Autoimmune Association.
This archived show, originally airing in 1995, features one of the first and most legendary fitness experts of all time. At the time of this taping, he was 80 years old, and still exercising two and a half hours each day. We discuss his career, his feelings about exercise, and his book, “Revitalize Your Life After 50”. Although occasionally difficult to hear his comments clearly, his enthusiasm for his profession shines through.
My guest, Mel Carter, is perhaps best known for one song, “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me,” but he’s had many hits and is still writing new music. We discuss his lengthy career, his love for performing, the difficulties he has encountered in his career, and much more.
My guest is a senior healthcare executive and CEO of the National Health Council. We discuss his passion for healthcare advocacy, his vision for healthcare enhancement in the future, the role that the National Health Council has been and will be playing in healthcare advancement, and much more.
My guest is an actress, model, and now author, the writer of the new book “Breaking the Mold.” We discuss her upbringing, how she’s dealt with many life adversities, how her spirit has led to her success, and much more.
For more than 60 years, veteran actor Eli Wallach was in demand to appear on stage and screen. Eli, who passed away in 2015 at age 98, appeared in more than 100 movies and has appeared in numerous stage productions, both with and without his wife, actress Anne Jackson. In this newly archived show, originally taped in 1998 before his appearance in great recent movies such as “The Holiday” and “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”, we discussed longevity in show business, and how he mixed his career with his important family values.
My guest is an actress, singer, comedienne, and animal lover, who first became famous on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. We discuss her history with Laugh-In, how her comedy has always been part of her act and her life, her advocacy for animals, and her role in the "Betty White Challenge", in honor of the late Betty White.
My returning guest is perhaps best known for playing the public defender in the movie “My Cousin Vinny”. We discuss his role in the movie, other movies he’s done, his interest in performing on the stage, and much more.
My guest is Shadoe Stevens, formerly the announcer on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, a popular American Radio Host, voice-over actor, and television personality. We discuss how his career was a life-long dream, how he enjoys having such a recognized voice, difficulties in his career, and where his name came from, among other topics.
My guest was the presidential advisor for two presidents, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. She is Rev. Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, affectionately known as Ambassador Sujay. We discuss her career, the importance of inspiration in difficult times, how she has coped with a variety of things in her life, and much more.
This enjoyable show, originally recorded and aired in 1995, and digitally remastered to be available on this podcast, stars the late actor Eddie Bracken, known for playing Mr. Duncan in Home Alone 2, and National Lampoon's Vacation, among many others. We discuss the changes in show business from his earlier performances, his enjoyment of his later roles, and the role of family in his life.
My guests are the talented D’Ambrosio twins, Bianca and Chiara. We talk about their show business careers, how they find being child stars and cope with their careers, as well how they give back, and much more.
My guests today are Judge Judy’s bailiff Petri Hawkins-Byrd and his wife Makita Bond Byrd, discussing the end of the Judge Judy show, their health conditions, their new YouTube show, Bonding with Byrd, and more.
My guest is one of the most popular crime writers of all time. We discuss her new book, “Autopsy”, the latest in the Kay Scarpetta series, her career, and much more.
In this new solo podcast, Dr. Phillips discusses why there are always things to be thankful for, no matter how stressful your life may be!
My guest started his show business career at the ripe old age of 3 ½. We discuss his child star activities, how his family kept his head on straight, how he’s dealt with the ups and downs in his life, and much more.
My guest wrote comedy for Bob Hope, and others, for years. We discuss her career in comedy, her new book about Bob Hope, and much more.
My guests were instrumental in bringing the new award-winning film “Hamlet/Horatio” to the screen. We discuss the trials and tribulations of doing so, how they made Shakespeare enjoyable for new audiences, how this whole process impacted them, and more.
My guest has a career in public service, from the Phoenix Fire Department to President and Chairman of the National Academy of Television Arts and Science Foundation. We discuss how his activities have been life-changing and rewarding, and more.
My guest appeared as Prince Valium in the movie Spaceballs, and as Monroe in the TV show “Too Close For Comfort”. We discuss his career, his personal physical and emotional health crises, and much more.
My guest is a stand-up comedienne, podcast host, and entrepreneur. We discuss her career, how she’s used difficult life events to create comedy, how she uses humor as a coping strategy, and much more.
My returning guest is actress Loretta Swit, “Hot Lips” on television’s classic MAS*H. We discuss how she has dealt with the pandemic, her love for animals and for her fans, her thoughts about coping with life’s circumstances, and more.
My returning guest is Dr. Donald Meichenbaum, one of the founders of cognitive-behavior therapy. In presentation format, Dr. Meichenbaum discusses intimate partner violence, including suggestions for how to recognize the warning signals.
My guest is 10-year-old actress Stella Grubb, currently appearing in the movie “Rekindling Christmas”. We discuss her thoughts about being an actress, her excitement at working with big stars, and much more.
My guest is religious leader and author Michael Shevack, whose new book is called Soul Lessons from the Wizard of Oz: How to Follow Your Yellow Brick Road. We discuss his humanitarian and spiritual goals, and how his books can give you greater insight into the human condition.
My guests are Rebekah (writer) and James Ganiere (producer) who collaborated on the Emmy-Award-nominated movie, “Rekindling Christmas.” We discussed their respective careers, how they deal with their collaborations, the inspirational messages contained in their movie, and much more.
My guest is an AIDS activist who is portrayed in the new biopic, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” We discuss how he coped with his health crisis, how his appearance on Tammy Faye Bakker’s show was life-changing… for many, and much more.
My guest is a meteorologist whose weather reports have been heard in the New York area for more than 40 years! We discuss his passion for weather, how weather forecasting has changed, how he’s coped with the difficult parts of weather forecasting, and much more.
My guest is the author of more than three dozen novels and is considered one of the best medical mystery authors of all time. We discuss his latest book, “Viral”, his passion for including important issues involving modern medicine in his books, and much more.
My guest has been an actor for more than 60 years, and became famous for being one of the stars of the classic TV show, “My Three Sons”. We discuss his experience with this show, sibling rivalry with his brother, and other things he’s experienced in his career.
My guest is a soap opera star on “The Young and the Restless” who has soared on the small screen and in the air. We discuss her lengthy career, how she stays grounded, and her important charity work.
My guest starred as Ted Striker in the popular movie comedy “Airplane!”. We discuss how much he enjoyed this life-altering film, how it shaped the rest of his career, how a body-surfing accident in Hawaii almost killed him, and much more.
My guest is far more than a ditzy blonde. She’s been a recurring actress on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and has performed in numerous television shows and movies. We discuss the dangers of being typecast, how she has enjoyed doing voice-overs, and much more.
My guest is a well-respected voice actor, known for Porky Pig, Tweety, and many more. We discussed his passion for doing voices, how he was able to connect with Mel Blanc when he was 14 years old, how he developed this into a career, and much more.
My guest has been the bailiff on the Judge Judy Show for its entire 25-year run. We discuss his career as a court officer, how he dealt with difficult situations on the show, how he learned to deal with being so recognizable, and much more.
My guest has a long and varied show business career, and he comes from a show business family. We discuss his career, how humor is such an important coping strategy, and much more.
My guest was starring on Broadway when he was 9 years old, and he went on to appear in the classic TV show “One Day at a Time” and more. We discussed his career, difficulties he’s encountered in his life, and how he copes with stress with meditation and self-compassion.
My guest played Marsha Owens on the classic TV show “Mr. Belvedere.” We discuss her long career, her love for theater, and working with legends such as Rodney Dangerfield and Robin Williams.
My guest, actor/producer Kevin Spirtas, discusses his multifaceted career, how he’s grown as a person through his varied performances, and how he feels about having an influence on others through his roles.
My guest is an actress who has appeared in the movie "Airplane," as well as on television on the Mary Tyler Moore show, among many other acting credits. In addition to talking about her career, we discuss her new book, "My Four Hollywood Husbands," as well as how she has handled her husbands' alcoholism and her own problems including dyslexia and co-dependency. You'll enjoy her positive attitude, and inspiring comments.
My guest is versatile film and television actor Rico Anderson. We discuss his career, his newest project, and quotes that are so important to him.
My guest is comedian Bruce Vilanch. We discuss his multi-faceted career as a performer, standup comedian, and writer and how his sense of humor is his favorite coping strategy.
A Show from 1995!
Ian Eagle is well known for his broadcasts of National Football League games on CBS, and Brooklyn Nets games on the YES network. But when Ian was 26, and just becoming known in the industry, he appeared as a guest on "Coping Conversations." The original show has been digitally remastered and this is the first time it has been available on this website.
My guest on this episode is actor Max Gail, perhaps best known as "Wojo" on the hit television series "Barney Miller." We discuss his career, how he's coped with difficult experiences in his life, his advocacy for Native Americans, and more.
Popular television performer, Conrad Bain, is my guest in this extended, archived show, originally taped in his living room in Santa Monica Hills in the 1990s. We talk about his career, how he felt about being the star of two hit television series (“Maude” and “Diff’rent Strokes”), and his experiences in working with Gary Coleman and other stars. We discussed how he dealt with the difficulties in moving from idea and concept to the actuality of “Diff’rent Strokes,” and how he felt about taking a subordinate role to the other cast members.
Actress/singer Ruta Lee joins me for a return visit. We discuss her show business career, more about her charity work for The Thalians, and her brand-new autobiography.
A very popular singer, whose popularity continues despite his hits coming from the 1950's and 1960's, is my guest, "Mr. Personality", Lloyd Price. We discuss his songs, his longevity in music, how he got that nickname, and a number of other activities that he's involved in. You'll enjoy the personality of Mr. Personality!
Welcome to the 100th episode of Coping Conversations!
In this very special episode, host Dr. Bob Phillips addresses a simple strategy to be more resilient and cope better during difficult times.
Dr. Bob Phillips is the author of more than 40 best-selling books, and the founder and director of the Center for Coping (www.coping.com) on Long Island, New York.
Known for decades as the "Voice of the Yankees", sportscaster Mel Allen (who died in 1996) appeared on "Coping Conversations" less than a year before he died. Known not just for his work for the Yankees, but as a radio and television personality, Mel had one of the most recognizable voices in American sports. This show has been digitally remastered and this is the first time it's been available on this website.
My guest is actor/singer/dancer George Chakiris, an academy award winner for West Side Story. We discuss how he got this role, his passion for his career, his love of family, and the difficulties he’s dealt with in show business.
My guest is Dr. Donald Meichenbaum, one of the founders of cognitive-behavior therapy. We discuss this branch of psychology, the concept of resilience, and how all of this can help people deal with the pandemic and so much more.
My guest is perhaps best known for playing Kevin Costner’s father in the classic movie, “Field of Dreams.” We discussed how this movie has brought out feelings about father/son relationships, how this affected his feelings about his own father, and how his fans have responded to him in public appearances.
Do you remember the song “Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat?” How about “Happy Go Lucky Me?” Both of these songs were hits for guest Paul Evans. We discuss his music career, how he dealt with the ups and downs and changes in his career, and the success he has had writing songs as well as performing.
My guest is actress/singer Joanna Gleason, a Tony Award winner with numerous movie and television roles as well. We discuss her relationship with her father, Let’s Make A Deal’s Monty Hall, how acting has always been so important to her, and how a good attitude can help you cope with anything!
My guest is a versatile actor who is perhaps best known for playing the hated Douglas C. Neidermeyer in the classic hit movie, "Animal House." We discussed how this role came to be, the difficulties he's had with stereotyping, other joys in his life, and his goals for the future.
My guest is former child star Paul Petersen, who played Jeff Stone on the old Donna Reed Show. Today, Paul is best known for his advocacy work. He founded the well-respected, non-profit organization, A Minor Consideration, that advocates and provides services for child stars and former child stars in trouble. We discuss his personal and professional interest in working with child stars as well as the valuable work of A Minor Consideration.
One of the most popular television sportscasters in New York television history, Len Berman has covered virtually every major sporting event during his 40-year career.
Now a co-host on morning radio in NY, we discuss his changing role in broadcasting, how sports help us cope, the difficulties he’s encountered in his career, and more.
My guest is legendary television and radio host, Larry King. Over the past 30 years, he has been suffered and coped with, numerous medical problems. In this archived show, taped in 2015, we discuss his first heart attack in 1987.
Judy Tenuta is not only a very funny comedienne, she's an actress and an author. We discuss her career, how her large family contributed to her strengths, how she's coped with difficult things in her life, and her memories of Joan Rivers and George Carlin, among others.
Former New York Knicks star power forward Anthony Mason, who sadly passed away in 2012, is my guest. We discuss his career, how he coped with injuries, how his attitude always helped him, his views on the difference between basketball past and present, and how his career grew out of his playing day experiences.
My guest is best known as Maryann on the classic television show, "Gilligan's Island." We discussed the reasons for the lasting power of the show, how the values presented continue to be important, and how she continues to be productive in the industry. We also discuss her new book and her new television series.
Best known as the mother on the hit TV series "The Waltons", my guest is a four-time Emmy award winner, television, stage, and screen actress, Michael Learned. We discuss her acting career, as well as some of the difficulties she's encountered in her life. We also discuss how she came to be named Michael!
This fascinating show with Lainie Kazan was originally recorded and aired in 1995! It has been digitally remastered and this is the first time it's been available on this website.
Having starred in "The Nanny" and, subsequent to this recording, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", among many other things, you'll enjoy this vintage program with Lainie.
In this new solo podcast, Dr. Phillips discusses strategies for getting through this unique holiday season while still in the midst of the pandemic.
Do you remember the song "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window"? One of the most popular songs of all time was a hit for my guest, the late Patti Page. One of the music industry's best-selling singers, also known for her hits "Cape Cod", "Tennessee Waltz", and "Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte", we discuss a career that has lasted more than five decades, as well as some of the difficulties she has endured during her life.
My returning guest has appeared in more than 200 movies and television shows, including playing the mother in the movie E.T. We discuss what she’s up to as an actress as well as her career as a healer.
This show, originally aired in 1998, features one of the most popular stage, screen, and television (“The Odd Couple”, “Quincy, M.E.”) stars of all time. At the time of this taping, he was 76 years old (he died in 2012 at age 90), and, following surgery for throat cancer that removed a vocal cord, had resumed performing! We discuss his condition, the surgery, his positive attitude, as well as his career.
My guest played Potsie Webber on TV's Happy Days. We discuss how he's been coping, and helping other people cope, during the pandemic.
My guest is actor Hank Garrett, perhaps best known for his roles in the TV sitcom Car 54, Where Are You and the movie “Three Days of the Condor”. We discuss his complex career and his new book, “From Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavy.”
Happy Days star Don Most is my guest. We discuss his role of Ralph Malph, as well as new upcoming projects, and how he’s dealing with the pandemic.
This archived show, originally taped in 1995, features one of the most popular actors of all time, known for his work on stage, screen, and television. Perhaps best known for his work on TV’s “The Odd Couple”, Tony Randall (who died in 2004) has a unique insight into show business and performing. His love of the arts, and his perceptiveness and sense of humor, make this a fascinating show.
This show with the late Broadway actress (“Company”), movie (“Monster In Law”) and television star (“30 Rock”) Elaine Stritch is both humorous and touching. We discuss Elaine’s alcoholism as well as her diabetes, and learn how her positive attitude helped her with both… and more.
In this archived episode, originally aired in February of 1995 (hence it's questionable sound quality), the late Gary Coleman, star of “Diff’rent Strokes”, discusses the few fond memories of the program, what he’s done since the termination of the show, and other topics of interest. Although more than ten years old, this show reflects Gary’s true feelings about a number of things and makes for fascinating listening.
My guest is former New York Yankee pitcher, Ralph Terry, author of a new book, called "Right Down the Middle: The Ralph Terry Story". We discuss his major league career, how he dealt with the very stressful experiencing of losing the 7th game of the 1960 World Series, and how he bounced back to be the winning pitcher of the 7th game of the 1962 World Series.
My guest is actress Alison Arngrim, perhaps best known as playing Nelly Oleson on the hit TV show, "Little House on the Prairie." On this return visit, we discuss her acting activities, including how she has been creative and productive during the coronavirus pandemic.
This show with the former ER star and well-respected actress, dating from 2003, shows how adversity strengthened Kellie Martin and led her to become a public advocate for autoimmune diseases and their treatment. It also discusses the efforts of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), for whom Kellie is the national spokesperson.
This humor-packed show with legendary comedian Soupy Sales was originally recorded and aired in 1994! Soupy, who died in 2009, was best known for his hit television show, and for having been hit in the face with pies more than any other human being!
Former New York Jets star defensive football player Joe Klecko is my guest. We discuss his career, how he coped with injuries, his views on the difference between football past and present, and the importance of teamwork, among other topics. He also offers advice to current New York Jets coach Rex Ryan.
My guest is television and movie star Esai Morales. We discuss his career, ranging from his early movies such as La Bamba, through his television roles, including NYPD Blue and Fairly Legal. We talk about how he’s coped with the difficulties he’s faced in show business, his important advocacy activities, and how his love for music has been so supportive and essential in his life.
My guest is a teacher, an educational expert, and the son of legendary actress Charlotte Rae. We discuss the impact his mother had on him, how he benefited from growing up with a special needs brother, and his views about the difficulties faced in education due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Joe Bonsall is one of the lead singers of the popular country group Oak Ridge Boys, perhaps best known for their monster hit “Elvira”. In addition to singing with the Oak Ridge Boys for almost 40 years, he is also an author, writing the popular book “From My Perspective.” We discuss his career, the difficulties he’s encountered in show business, his devotion to family, and the story behind his children’s books.
Rick Barry, one of the 50 best professional NBA basketball players of all time, is my returning guest. We discuss sports as a coping tool and the new Big3 basketball league for well-known players who are no longer playing in the NBA.
Dr. Noel Rose was an internationally renowned expert in autoimmune disease; he had been doing research in this specialty for more than 50 years. Dr. Rose was instrumental in establishing the whole field of autoimmunity, and his textbook, “The Autoimmune Diseases” is a classic. He was professor of pathology and molecular microbiology and immunology and Director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Autoimmune Disease Research, then moved to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and was Chairman Emeritus of the Scientific Advisory Board of the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. This show originally aired in 2009.
My guest is actress/singer, Shelley Fabares, perhaps best known as a star of TV's "Coach", and singer of the hit song "Johnny Angel." We discuss her acting career, as well as how she's dealt with some serious medical problems.
This archived show, originally aired in 1995, features one of the best pitchers in the history of baseball, Hall of Fame Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller. Known as “Rapid Robert” for his fastball, he was an icon in Cleveland, and his insight into baseball and his unique personality has kept him in the public eye far beyond his retirement. We discuss his career, his views on the state of baseball today, and some of the difficulties about being a professional ballplayer.
My guest, Mike Farrell, is perhaps best known as Captain BJ Hunnicutt on the hit TV series MASH. Not only is he well respected as an actor, but he is also well respected as a humanitarian. He is dedicated to worthwhile causes such as human rights, the environment, and numerous other issues. We discuss his career (and coping with it), how he felt when he was signed to join MASH, his activism, among other interesting topics.
My guest is actor Burton Gilliam, known for movies such as Paper Moon, and Blazing Saddles. We discuss his decades-long acting career, as well as his experiences as a firefighter and boxer.
With the coronavirus continuing to be on everyone’s mind, in this new solo podcast, Dr. Phillips discusses additional things you can do to better cope with COVID-19.
In this show, originally aired in 2003, the popular comedian, actor, chef, and author talks about his career and one of his favorite topics… food! We discuss how food can help you cope, and how he combines cooking with his comedy talents.
Veteran character actor George Wyner is perhaps best known as Colonel Sanderz on Space Balls, but he's appeared in dozens of popular movies and television shows.
My guest is an author and an emmy-award winner performer, among many other talents. We discuss his life of twists and turns, and pitfalls he's coped with throughout.
One of the best-selling singers of all time, nicknamed “Little Miss Dynamite”, Brenda Lee has had hits including “I’m Sorry,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”, and “I Want to Be Wanted”.
We discuss her career, her positive attitude despite adversity, and how her love of performing has lasted through more than five decades.
Founder of the iconic Hollywood Museum, located in the historic Max Factor building, guest Donelle Dadigan talks about why she opened the museum, people's love for memorabilia, and how to enjoy the museum even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Andy Williams was considered to be one of the most popular singers of all time, someone whose voice was called a “national treasure” by President Ronald Reagan, and singer of many chart-topping songs including his signature song, “Moon River.”
In this show, taped in February 2010, we discuss how he dealt with the difficulties he encountered on his road to success, the insecurities that were instilled in him at an early age, and how he successfully dealt with a potentially career-threatening throat problem.
My guest is actress, author and animal activist Carolyn Hennesy, perhaps best known for her role on "General Hospital." We discuss her career, her good attitude during the COVID-19 pandemic, her children's books, and her passion for animal rights.
Singer, talk show and game show host John Davidson is this episode's guest. We discuss his thoughts about the coronavirus pandemic, the current state of his career, and his hopes for the future.
This show, originally taped in November 2009, features one of the most popular mayors in New York City history, Ed "How'm I Doin'" Koch was known for his achievements as well as his controversies.
He served three terms as New York City’s mayor and helped to stabilize New York City’s financial problems. We discuss his accomplishments as mayor, as well as how his positive attitude helped him deal with serious medical issues.
My guest is best known as playing the devilish Nellie Oleson on the hit television show, "Little House on the Prairie," Alison Arngrim.
We discuss many things, including her book, "Confessions of A Prairie Bitch," her career as a child star, how she dealt with being a hated character on the show, and how she has used her celebrity to help others.
My guest has appeared in dozens of movies and television shows for decades, but is perhaps best known for being the annoying insurance salesman, Ned Ryerson, in "Groundhog Day."
We discuss his career, his positive attitude despite adversity, and how he has been coping with the coronavirus pandemic.
This show with one of the original Golden Girls, originally broadcast in 2002, is almost prophetic in its relevance to today’s issues of breast cancer and menopause, as well as today’s knowledge of the effectiveness of psychological treatments in the alleviation of medical problems.
This show, which was recorded in 2003, illustrates the progression of Bob Dole from a young politician to a mature and caring public servant. We also discuss how Senator Dole has successfully dealt with a number of medical problems and injuries in his life.
In honor of the recent passing of Doris Roberts, we are re-airing a "Coping Conversations" show taped with Doris in 1995.
This show, originally aired on "KJOY" (WKJY-98.3FM on Long Island, NY), includes Doris talking about her roles in "Remington Steele” and as Marie in “Everybody Loves Raymond” (which aired long after this show was taped); she discusses her career as an actress, and how she coped with the death of her husband to leukemia.
My guest was a star of two television series- he was the announcer and a regular on the Carol Burnett Show, and played Steve Trevor on Wonder Woman. In addition, he developed his own business, called Star Waggons.
We discuss his show business career, his business, his long marriage, and how he's dealt with each of these... and more.
With the coronavirus on everyone’s mind, in this new solo podcast, Dr. Phillips addresses these concerns by discussing some things you can do to better cope with COVID-19 (the coronavirus).
Before there was Nurse Jackie, and at the very beginning of “The Sopranos”, Edie Falco was my guest in this archived show from 1999.
We talk about her career in acting, the role she played in “The Sopranos”, how she balanced appearing in a number of different productions at the same time, and the importance of having a positive attitude.
Do you remember the television show "Starsky & Hutch"? My guest is Starsky himself, actor, director, producer, writer Paul Michael Glaser.
In this longer-than-usual episode, we discuss his career, how he bounced back from tragedy in his life, and his belief that fear plays an important role in each person's life.
In this show, originally aired in 2002, Danny Bonaduce reflects on his current life and discusses his new book, “Random Acts of Badness”.
He looks back on his previous years of acting and of “counterproductive behavior” as a stepping stone to the more rational person he has become.
My guest is singer/songwriter/actress Melissa Manchester.
We discuss her multidimensional career, how much she enjoys what she does, and how she's dealt with any difficulties she's encountered in her career and her life.
In this show, originally aired in October of 2003, Gary Puckett, lead singer of the ’60’s group, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, discusses his songwriting and the ups and downs of an interesting life and musical career.
My guest, a Long Island, NY, native, is an American radio personality, a co-host on the MTV program, Yo! MTV Raps with Ed Lover.
We discuss his musical roots, how he knows the "other" Dr. Dre, and how he's dealing with his diabetes and its complications.
My guest is popular actress Joan Van Ark, perhaps best known for playing Valene Ewing on the hit TV show Knots Landing.
We discuss her career, her thoughts about the recent Kobe Bryant tragedy, her warm feelings about Bette Davis, and her charity work.
This show's guest is popular actress Jennie Garth who, among other roles, starred in Beverly Hills 90210 and What I Like About You, and appeared on Dancing With The Stars.
We discuss how she has coped with her heart disease, her father’s death, and her daughter’s juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Her positive attitude is key, and something to be admired. We discuss all of this, as well as the work she is doing with the American Heart Association.
My guest on this episode is actor Tony Dow, perhaps best known as Wally Cleaver on the classic television series "Leave It To Beaver."
We discuss his career, how he's coped with being a child star, and how he's branched out in other creative directions besides acting.
My guest is perhaps best known for playing the stuttering public defender in the hit movie, "My Cousin Vinnie." But he's much more than that.
We discuss his career in movies and in theater, and how he conquered his stuttering problem, even when asked to play that role in a movie.
Still known as the only player in baseball history to pitch a perfect game in the World Series, New York Yankee pitcher Don Larsen appeared on "Coping Conversations" in 1996 (to celebrate the 40th anniversary of that unbelievable achievement).
Now, twenty-four years later, in honor of the 64th anniversary of Don's historic event, this show has been digitally-remastered and it is the first time it's been available on this website.
(Please forgive the sound quality!)
My guest is the popular morning man on SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s 60s on 6 station, Phlash Phelps.
We discuss his career in radio, the difficulties he’s had to deal with in his career, and how he has famously incorporated his love for geography and travel into his work.
My guest is best known for playing “The Beaver” on the classic television show, “Leave It To Beaver.”
We discuss his being an actor for his entire life, as well as he has coped with type 2 diabetes.
My guest was married to legendary actor, singer Theodore Bikel, perhaps best known as Tevye on stage in Fiddler on the Roof.
Before his death, he wrote a children's book called, The City of Light, which, after his death, his wife Aimee expanded and just published.
We discuss the book, its role in helping people deal with insensitivities, and other important messages.
My guest played Ralph Malph on the hit TV show "Happy Days." But he is known for more than that.
An accomplished singer and actor, we discuss his career, how he's coped with being typecast, and how he’s coped with his wife’s Parkinson’s Disease.
My guest is popular actress Donna Mills, perhaps best known for playing Abby Cunningham on the hit TV show Knots Landing. She is currently appearing in the new movie, “Carol of the Bells.”
We discuss her career, how she coped with playing the villainous Abby, her warm feelings about Carol of the Bells, and her new hobby of being co-owner of an award-winning vineyard.
My guest is veteran actress Lee Purcell, perhaps best known for the movie “Valley Girl” but a star in numerous movies, television shows, and stage productions.
She is currently starring in the new movie, “Carol of the Bells.”
We discuss the unique nature of this movie and her thoughts about her long career.
This episode's guest loves to make people laugh.
In fact, his nickname is "The Joke Man". Becoming well known for his regular appearances on The Howard Stern Show, he has developed a popular career as a stand-up comedian, author, and overall funny man.
My guest is a founding member of the popular singing group, the 5th Dimension- LaMonte McLemore.
We discuss his new book, "From Hobo Flats to the 5th Dimension", co-authored with Robert-Allan Arno, his career with the 5th Dimension, and the difficulties in his life that he was able to overcome.
My guest is veteran actress, dancer, humanitarian Ruta Lee, who starred in such classic films as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Witness for the Prosecution, and Funny Face.
She is also known for her decades-long involvement in the charity organization The Thalians.
Grammy-award-winning country singer Charlie Daniels is perhaps best known for his 1979 hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”. He has been active as a singer for more than 50 years, and in 2008 was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, a lifelong dream.
With dozens of successful albums and singles; his newest CD is “Land That I Love”. We discuss his career, the stroke that he suffered early in 2010, and his surprisingly popular GEICO commercial.
Steven Taibbi is the author of the new book, "Grateful Guilt: Living in the Shadow of My Heart".
We discuss his serious lifelong medical issues, starting at birth, as well as how he’s coped with all of this and the lessons that he can teach people for coping.
In honor of the start of another season of baseball, listen to an interview with one of the most popular New York Yankees of all time, Bobby Richardson.
Bobby, who played second base during the era of Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Yogi Berra, among other big names, has been considered by many the glue that held the team together.
Now 80 years old, we discuss his career, as well as his spiritual beliefs and love of family.
My guest, Anson Williams, played Potsie Weber on the hit TV show "Happy Days." We discuss his career, how he's coped with his recent experience with colon cancer, his relationship with Dr. Heimlich (of Heimlich maneuver fame) and his experience dealing with the dangers of driving drowsy.
Gabrielle Stone is an actress, author, dancer, and director... and also the daughter of one of our previous guests, Dee Wallace. She is currently getting a lot of buzz for her newest book, “Eat, Pray, #FML”. We discuss her acting career, her relationship with her famous parents, and how her book helped her cope with adversity.
Jodie Sweetin, perhaps best known for playing Stephanie Tanner on TV's “Full House," has gone through a lot in her young life. We discuss her autobiography, “Unsweetined”, which includes stories about her addictions, failed marriages, and her successful recovery, as well as the current joy in her life.
Perhaps best known as the mother in the hit movie "E.T.", Dee Wallace is known for much more than her performances. We discuss her acting career, as well as her activities as an author and healer. We discuss how healing has helped her to deal with tragedy in her life, and how she has learned to help many more people with her skills.
My guest is one of the most popular singers in America, whose popularity has lasted for more than 50 years, the legendary Judy Collins. Known not only for her singing, but also her writing, and she has long been an advocate for mental health. We discuss the personal reasons for this as well as her lengthy career, and more.
First aired in 2004, this discussion is with one of the most famous psychologists in history. We discuss the development of innovative psychological strategies from its earliest roots to the modern form of cognitive therapy in use worldwide today.
My guest is best known as Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the hit television show, "MAS*H." We start by discussing her love for painting, and her passion for animal rights, and how that came together in her book, "SwitHeart." Then we discussed how she developed her "Hot Lips" character, growing her to be a "feminist in the 50's before they even coined the word," as well as other recollections of her role on the show.
In this new show, Tommy James, lead singer of the rock group Tommy James & The Shondells, discusses his hit songs, his rise to fame, and how he dealt with his tumultuous association with Roulette Records and the dark side of the music industry. We discuss his brand new autobiography, “Me, the Mob, and the Music.”
My guest is best known as playing the adored "Mrs. C" on the television classic, "Happy Days." We discuss her experiences on the show, how she and the cast dealt with the tragic death of Erin Moran, and how she has coped with a variety of things in her life.
One of the most popular singers of all time, Connie Francis was the top charting female singer of the 1950’s and 1960’s. She has numerous hits, including “Who’s Sorry Now?”, “Where The Boys Are”, “Stupid Cupid”, and “Lipstick On Your Collar”. In this new show, taped in February, 2010, we discuss some of the difficulties Connie has had to deal with throughout her life, and how she has coped with them.
My guest is not only an excellent singer, actress and songwriter, but she's also happy to be the sister of the legendary Barbra Streisand. We talk about her relationship with her sister, how she's always been successful keeping her career on the path she chose (regardless of Barbra's fame), how she's dealt with any difficulties she's had in her career, and the importance of her charity work.
This show, originally aired in 2005, shows how maturity transformed the popular comedian by enabling him to use comedy both for laughter and for more serious purposes, including the improvement of his own life.
My guest on this episode is NASA astronaut, Col. Jerry Ross. We discuss his astronaut career, what records he holds as an astronaut, the pure joy he experienced doing his first space walk, and his book, " Spacewalker: My Journey in Space and Faith as NASA's Record-Setting Frequent Flyer ".
Former Major League baseball player Tommy John, who pitched for the Yankees and the Dodgers among other teams, is my guest. We discuss the reasons for his success, his longevity (he pitched for 26 years!), his surgery (now called “Tommy John surgery”), his son Travis’ serious injury, and the importance of having a good attitude.
My guest is a mentalist who has been astonishing and perplexing audiences for decades. We discuss his career, some of the unique experiences he’s had when he first knew he had special talents, and some of the twists and turns he’s encountered.
Find out more at www.copingconversations.com.
My guest is widely considered to be one of the best impressionists of all time. He's best known for his spot-on impressions of Johnny Carson, George Burns, Ronald Reagan, and more than 200 others. We'll discuss his career, his new book, "Little by Little: People I've Known and Been," and how he's not always able to do impressions of certain celebrities.
One of the most popular television performers of all time, Ed Asner has won more Emmy awards than any performer, and is the only performer ever to win an Emmy for the same role (Lou Grant) on a comedy (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”) and a drama (“Lou Grant”). We discuss many things, including his love of performing, how he has dealt with peer criticism and its ramifications as a result of his political views, and how humor helped him to be a better dramatic actor.
Perhaps best known as “Cousin Geri” in the hit TV series “The Facts of Life," Geri Jewell is known for much more than acting. We discuss her acting career, living with cerebral palsy, and being an author. She recently reprised her role in the HBO series “Deadwood” in the new movie with the same name. We also discuss her belief that it’s a gift to represent millions of people with disabilities.
To learn more, visit www.copingconversations.com.
In this new show, we welcome popular heavyweight champion (and Olympic gold medal winning) boxer, chef, entrepreneur and author George Foreman. We discuss his boxing career, the most important moments for him in his life, and the lessons he has learned that he wants to share.
For more information, visit www.copingconversations.com.
Host Dr. Bob Phillips is also the author of more than 35 best-selling books, and the founder and director of the Center for Coping (www.coping.com) on Long Island, New York.
On each show, Dr. Phillips interviews a well-known celebrity or expert, bringing the listening audience up to date on current appearances, performances, publications and other activities of interest.
As the main focus, our listeners are always fascinated to hear about our guest’s interesting life experiences and successful coping experiences, hence the name "Coping Conversations"! The show invariably is positive, upbeat, and fascinating.