June 8, 2017
01. Russia-gate’s Mythical ‘Heroes’
02. World Leader Tweeting: Trump’s Not the Biggest
03. How the Internet is Polarizing Us
04. Supermodel Emme on Body Image
05. George Clooney’s a Dad at 56
06. Shhh! Wedding Night Sex Isn’t Always Great
07. Brides and Grooms: Don’t Marry an IRS Nightmare
08. HBO’s Wizard of Lies: The Bernie Madoff Story
09. This Singer is YUGE in China!
10. Is Uber on a Collision Course?
11. ‘Daddy’s Girls’ become Successful Women
12. Simple Test Could Save Dad’s Life
13. Summer is Family Reunion Time
14. Scared Grads Make Bad Choices
15. Mr. Trump: Stop Tweeting, Go Back to Bed
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1. ==> Russia-gate’s Mythical ‘Heroes’
As James Comey testifies before the Senate Intelligence
Committee, Cynthia Rowley, a retired FBI special agent
and division legal counsel, says mainstream
commentators are displaying amnesia when they describe
former FBI Directors Robert Mueller and Comey as
stellar and credible law enforcement figures.
“Although these J Edgar Hoover successors, now
occupying center stage in the investigation of
President Trump, have been hailed for their impeccable
character by much of Official Washington, the truth is,
as top law enforcement officials of the George W. Bush
administration (Mueller as FBI Director and James Comey
as Deputy Attorney General), both presided over
post-9/11 cover-ups and secret abuses of the
Constitution, enabled Bush-Cheney fabrications used to
launch wrongful wars, and exhibited plain vanilla
incompetence.” Cynthia Rowley’s May 2002 memo to then-
FBI Director Robert Mueller exposed some of the FBI’s
pre-9/11 failures and she was named one of TIME
magazine’s “Persons of the Year” in 2002. Contact her
at rowleyclan@earthlink.net, @ColeenRowley
2. ==> World Leader Tweeting: Trump’s Not the Biggest
Don’t tell Donald Trump, but Pope Frances has more
Twitter followers than he does. For a man obsessed with
size and numbers, it would probably hurt to know the
Pontiff is more popular, but at least he can take heart
that he’s got more followers than Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. That’s according to Burson-Marsteller’s
‘Twiplomacy’ study, an annual global survey of how
world leaders, governments and international
organizations use social media. Don Baer, Chair and
CEO, says, “Politics and diplomacy are playing out on
social media in a way we have never seen before. With
the U.S. president bypassing traditional government
channels to communicate directly to his supporters and
detractors alike, we can expect more people in
positions of power to adopt this practice.” Learn which
leaders use social media most, which use it best, along
with other interesting facts about politics and social
media. Burson-Marsteller is a global strategic
communications and public relations firm. Contact
Catherine Sullivan at (212) 614-4186;
Catherine.Sullivan@bm.com
3. ==> How the Internet is Polarizing Us
Just because we can Google information, does not mean
the information is accurate. How do we know when
information is true? It’s becoming harder and harder
and Michael Patrick Lynch says it’s because we are
becoming a polarized society, not only in our opinions
or values, but in the facts we learn. Invite him to
discuss how wide swaths of the public live in very
different information bubbles, how the Internet
contributes to the problem, and why to solve this
knowledge polarization, we’ve got to understand that we
live in a common reality. Michael Patrick Lynch is the
director of the Humanities at the University
Connecticut and is leading UCONN’s Humility and
Conviction in Public Life project. He is also the
author of “The Internet of Us: Knowing More and
Understanding Less in the Age of Big Data.” Contact
Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137;
johanna@jrbcomm.com
4. ==> Supermodel Emme on Body Image
The iconic and groundbreaking supermodel Emme has been
a leading figure in the fashion industry for more than
20 years. Known as the first curvy supermodel, Emme is
a best-selling author, a frequent spokesperson for body
image and model diversity, and even spoke before a
Washington DC congressional subcommittee about eating
and body image disorders. Emme appears in the new
documentary, Straight/Curve which focuses on society’s
unrealistic beauty standards and their damaging effects
on women and girls. Emme can discuss the new film, why
sadly 90% of young women said that media imagery makes
them feel “disgusting,” and the efforts being taken to
redefine our culture’s unrealistic and dangerous
standards for beauty. Straight/Curve airs June 21st on
EPIX. Contact John Angelo at john@premieretv.com
5. ==> George Clooney’s a Dad at 56
George Clooney’s a new dad! And not once, but twice!
His wife Amal just gave birth to twins, a boy and a
girl, the first children for the international human
rights lawyer and her movie star spouse. Clooney’s
already joked about his status as the oldest dad among
his friends, who are now enjoying their empty nests!
Dr. Frieda Birnbaum has an inkling of what he’s going
through. At the age of 60, she gave birth to twins.
She’ll share parenting tips and discuss the double-
standard she encountered when choosing to have a baby
later in life. Frieda Birnbaum, a research
psychologist, has been featured on Oprah & 20/20 as the
oldest woman in the US to give birth to twins. Contact
Ryan McCormick at (919) 377-1200; (516) 901-1103.
6. ==> Shhh! Wedding Night Sex Isn’t Always Great
Even though most couples are having regular sex long
before marriage, wedding night sex still carries with
it expectations for once-in-a-lifetime intimacy, says
award-winning author and sexologist Claudia Six, Ph.D.
And along with those high expectations, she points out,
comes the very real possibility of major
disappointment—particularly for couples who have drunk
too much, slept too little and traveled great
distances. “Wedding night sex is emotionally
heightened,” Six says. “People have been congratulating
you all day and your heart is full. At last, you are
finally husband and wife but sometimes your high
expectations will be met by sudden resentment.” Invite
Six to share suggestions for amazing wedding night sex.
Claudia Six has an MA in counseling psychology and a
PhD in clinical sexology. She’s author of “Erotic
Integrity: How to Be True to Yourself Sexually” and
creator of “Explore Your Erotic Integrity,” an online
program. Contact her at (415) 453-6218;
claudia@drsix.net
7. ==> Brides and Grooms: Don’t Marry an IRS Nightmare
Beware summer brides and grooms, you could end up with
more than you bargained for! You may unknowingly be
joining your financial future with that of an IRS tax
cheat or someone who already owes the IRS a lot of
money including penalties and interest. “Men and women
need to be equally careful that their spouse-to-be does
not have serious, hidden tax problems they have failed
to disclose,” says Abby Eisenkraft, “Owing as much as
$200,000 in back taxes is a lot more common than you
might think.” Abby will share the three must-ask
questions everyone should ask their future mate as well
as ways to protect your own finances if your spouse has
tax problems. Abby Eisenkraft is the author of “101
Ways to Stay Off the IRS Radar” and a federally
licensed Enrolled Agent (EA), an Accredited Tax Advisor
(ATA), Accredited Tax Preparer (ATP) and a Chartered
Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC). Contact her at
(347) 598-0111; abby@RealLifeTaxAdvice.com
8. ==> HBO’s Wizard of Lies: The Bernie Madoff Story
HBO’s hit movie, Wizard of Lies, directed by Barry
Levinson, stars Robert De Niro as disgraced financier
Bernard Madoff, Michelle Pfeiffer as his wife Ruth
Madoff, and Alessandro Nivola as their older son Mark
Madoff. The movie provides the perfect opportunity to
update your audience on avoiding the proliferating
scammers out to cheat them of their money. There are
few individuals better to arm them than Bill
Francavilla, author of the upcoming book “The Madoffs
Among Us: Make Better Financial Decisions and Protect
Your Future.” Engaging, entertaining and informative,
Bill spent 30 years in the financial services industry;
he’s a CFP and former senior vice president, director
of Wealth Management for Legg Mason who has extensive
media experience. He can talk about common threads
that link fraudsters like Madoff, Carlo Ponzi, Kenneth
Lay and Bernie Ebbers; why smart people fall prey to
scams; keeping greed and fear in check; and the seven
financial concepts you need to understand to avoid
being taken. Reach him at (757) 870-4590;
wmfrancavilla@gmail.com
9. ==> This Singer is YUGE in China!
Ever heard of Carlo Aspri? Chances are you haven’t, but
in China he’s a huge hit! The talented Aspri is new to
North American audiences but well known in China where
he once performed for more than 62,000 people at the
Nanjing Olympics. Give a listen to his latest single
“Without You,” (he’ll send you a copy when you contact
him) and we bet you won’t be able to get it out of your
head. Aspri, 31, can talk about where he gets his ideas
for his songs, share his inspirational life story of
overcoming poor eyesight and bullying and surviving
cancer and how he came to be big in China despite
growing up in Canada. He tells his story in his book
“Good Luck? Bad Luck? You’ll Know Tomorrow.” Contact
him at (514) 608-8610;
casprimusicauthor@hotmail.com
10. ==> Is Uber on a Collision Course?
Uber is now known just as much for its scandals as it
is for its cheap rides. Why do things continue to go
terribly wrong at the San Francisco ride-sharing
company whose CEO was just caught on camera in a heated
argument over money with one of his drivers? Gerald
Leonard, a Washington, D.C.-based consultant on
corporate culture, says you don’t have to be a fan or
critic of Uber to learn from its mistakes; these
include an aggressive and unrestrained culture where
harassment and phobias were ignored. Leonard says the
company lacks the vision and values to put its
employees and customers first that would have prompted
management to openly address its problems at the first
sign of trouble. As more customers continue to delete
their Uber accounts, Leonard can share the three
unifying principles that are hallmarks of great company
culture and why so many companies fail the test. He is
the author of “Culture is the Bass: 7 Principles for
Developing a Culture That Works.” Reach him at (443)
622-4740 or gerald@principlesofexecution.com
11. ==> ‘Daddy’s Girls’ become Successful Women
Connie Rankin set out to interview nine women who had
overcome tremendous odds to be successful. She expected
their stories would be varied, but she didn’t
anticipate how large a role the women’s fathers had
played in the strong women they had become. She says,
“Fathers are crucial to their children’s emotional
well-being because children base their foundational
ideas about how to relate to others and what to
consider acceptable and loving in future relationships
on this primary relationship.” Learn how Oprah
Winfrey’s father nurtured her reading habit and
provided calm in her chaotic life, the life challenge
Laotian girl Keo Chan accepted from her father that
shaped her life, and other stories of how a dad’s
influence matters. A nationally recognized leader in
female empowerment and sought-after media guest, Connie
Rankin is the author of “God Gave Us Wings: A Journey
to Success: Theirs, Mine, and Yours.” Contact Megan
Salch at (713) 864-1344, ext. 1;
MeganSalch@TellYourTale.com
12. ==> Simple Test Could Save Dad’s Life
Sudden first-time heart attacks claim the lives of many
men with no apparent risk factors. Men who have healthy
cholesterol levels, normal blood pressure, active lives
and no family history of heart disease may still be at
risk, points out Victoria Dupuy. Victoria’s husband
Dean died in 2013 at 46 of a heart attack even though
he was a runner and had been proclaimed in excellent
health during a routine physical just a few months
before his sudden death. In time for National Men’s
Health Month in June and Father’s Day, Victoria wants
to tell your audience about a simple, noninvasive,
affordable test that detects heart disease in its
earliest, most treatable stage. It’s called a Coronary
Artery Calcium Scan (CACS) and it detects calcium
buildup in arteries. She’ll explain why your physician
is unlikely to suggest you have this test, how to
demand that he or she order it for you or even how to
arrange for the man in your life to have the test as a
Father’s Day present that could keep him around for
many extra years. Victoria heads the nonprofit No More
Broken Hearts, whose mission is to promote awareness of
the CACS. Reach her at (408) 981-1744 or
vdupuy@sbcglobal.net
13. ==> Summer is Family Reunion Time
Half of all family reunions take place in the summer
when children are out of school; weather conditions are
less restrictive; and people are more willing to travel
to meet up with cousins, uncles, aunts and assorted
other relatives they may see infrequently, if at all,
according to the travel booking website
GroupTravel.org. Event planner Lynn Fuhler is a big fan
of family reunions. “If they’re done right, they can
bridge the geographical and emotional distance in
today’s mobile society.” She adds, “Thanks to online
surveys and online invitations, pulling off a well-
received family reunion is now easier than ever!”
Invite Lynn and learn how long you should plan in
advance, great places to hold reunions for families of
all ages, and how to delegate tasks so you’re not doing
all the work! Lynn Fuhler is the former tourism
director of Clearwater Beach, Fla., and former chairman
of the largest free jazz festival in the Southeast. She
is the author of “Secrets to Successful Events: How to
Organize, Promote and Manage Exceptional Events and
Festivals,” which has been used as a college textbook.
Contact her at (336) 499-6372; contact-
lynn@lynnfuhler.com
14. ==> Scared Grads Make Bad Choices
Whether from high school or college, graduation is an
exciting time for young people and their parents. But
it also a time in which expectations and fears are both
at unusually high levels making it difficult for the
graduates to make the best possible decisions on what
should come next. Rev. Dr. Rick Patterson can discuss
the role shame plays in the bad decisions people make
when they believe they aren’t smart enough or deserving
enough to get what they want. Patterson says new grads
often ask, “What will I become? What will my parents
think? Who am I really?” He’ll explain how this fear-
based thinking often leads to bad decisions and
potentially a lifetime of regrets about the path not
taken. Rick Patterson is the author of “Shame Unmasked:
Disarming the Hidden Driver Behind Our Destructive
Decisions.” His career has alternated between working
in corporate America and new church development and the
ministry. In his current job, he is responsible for
bringing new chemical solutions to the paper industry.
Contact him at (269) 217-7897;
rickpattersonconnects@gmail.com
15. ==> Mr. Trump: Stop Tweeting, Go Back to Bed
It’s no secret that President Trump prefers tweeting
over talking to the public — particularly when nearly
everyone else in the country is fast asleep. Dr.
Richard Friedman says there’s a pattern. “A quick look
at Mr. Trump’s Twitter archive shows that some of his
angriest and most flamboyant accusations are issued
early in the morning. Not that he would listen, but
someone on his staff should tell him that the early
morning is not his friend.” Then there’s the issue of
Trump saying he sleeps just 3-4 hours a night. “Whether
the president actually gets as little sleep as he
claims is open to question. But if true, it certainly
isn’t helping with his famously irascible behavior and
impulsive decision-making style.” Dr. Richard Friedman
is a professor of clinical psychiatry and the director
of the psychopharmacology clinic at Weill Cornell
Medical College in New York. He’s an expert in the
neurobiology and treatment of mood and anxiety
disorders and has done research in depression. He’s
written for the New York Times, The New England Journal
of Medicine, The American Journal of Psychiatry and The
Journal of the American Medical Association. Contact
him at (212) 746-5775; rafriedm@med.cornell.edu
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