01. Children Under Fire: 10 Years After the Sandy Hook Shooting
02. Iran: It’s Not Whether, but When the Regime Will Fall
03. The Kosher Baker Lightens Up Hanukkah
04. From St. Nick to Santa: The Gospel of Santa Claus
05. The Santa Conservatory: A School that Trains Santas
06. The New Year’s Resolution You’ll Be Happy to Keep!
07. Have We Lost the Ability to Cope with Not Getting Our Way?
08. Will the Supreme Court Undo Affirmative Action?
09. NPR Producer/Podcaster: Holiday Tips for Family Caregivers
10. WaPo Food Expert: How Food Can Impact Mental Health
11. Interview the World’s Leading Phobia Buster
12. Is Pet Therapy an Answer to the Student Anxiety Epidemic?
13. Could Your Forgetful Spouse Have Early-Onset Alzheimer’s?
14. This Guest Shares How to Make Your Own Happiness
15. Real Housewife: Beware ‘Little’ Holiday Luxuries
1. ==> Children Under Fire: 10 Years After Sandy Hook Shooting
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, when a 20-year-old man shot and killed 26 people, including 20 children aged 6 and 7. John Woodrow Cox, an enterprise reporter at “The Washington Post” and a leading voice on gun violence and its impact on children, recently interviewed four school shooting survivors — between the ages of 10 and 52 — about what the experience has meant to them. He says each has been shaped by what they saw and heard and lost. On a recent Post podcast he said, “I think the scope of this crisis is so much larger than people are willing to acknowledge. It’s not just the kids who died. It’s not just kids who got shot. It’s third graders, it’s teachers and their kids. It’s cousins. It’s people in the community who thought, ‘Is my kid dead?’ That damage cannot be undone.” John Woodrow Cox is the author of “Children Under Fire: An American Crisis,” based on his acclaimed series for “The Washington Post.” Contact him at john.cox@washpost.com; @JohnWoodrowCox
2. ==> Iran: It’s Not Whether but When the Regime Will Fall
Karim Sadjadpour says the protests in Iran, now in their third month, are a historic battle pitting two powerful and irreconcilable forces: a predominantly young and modern population, proud of its 2,500-year-old civilization and desperate for change, versus an aging and isolated theocratic regime, committed to preserving its power and steeped in 43 years of brutality. Karim Sadjadpour says however the protests are resolved, they seem to have already changed the relationship between Iranian state and society. He’ll explain what’s different about the current protests and why he believes the current regime is doomed. “Four decades of the Islamic Republic’s hard power will ultimately be defeated by two millenniums of Iranian cultural soft power. The question is no longer about whether this will happen but when. History has taught us that there is an inverse relationship between the courage of an opposition and the resolve of a regime, and authoritarian collapse often goes from inconceivable to inevitable in days.” Mr. Sadjadpour is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he focuses on Iran and U.S. policy toward the Middle East. Contact Clarissa Guerrero at (202) 939-2371; pressoffice@ceip.org
3. ==> The Kosher Baker Lightens Up Hanukkah
When you’re trying to shed some pounds or you’re working to be more health conscious, it can be tough to stay on track during the holiday season. Skip the calorie-loaded dishes and opt for a healthier Hanukkah this year when you invite Paula Shoyer, aka the Kosher Baker, to share ways to lighten up your favorite family recipes. Whether you’re cooking Keto, Whole30 or are just trying to cut calories, Paula will help you make over your holiday table with dishes every generation will appreciate. She’ll also help you create a stress-free holiday with great ideas for room-temperature dishes and freezer-friendly make-ahead recipes. Paula Shoyer has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows and even competed on Food TV. A graduate of Ritz Escoffier Ecole de Gastronomie Francaise, she is the author of several cookbooks including “The Healthy Jewish Kitchen.” Contact her at (301) 404-8998; pshoyer@hotmail.com
4. ==> From St. Nick to Santa: The Gospel of Santa Claus
Everyone is familiar with Santa Claus, with his big belly, white beard, pink cheeks and omnipresent sack of toys for children. Most people know that the inspiration for Santa was Saint Nicholas, a priest and bishop who lived in the third century A.D., but few know much about the real man in the red suit. Wayne Van Der Wal, a school psychologist and practicing Christian, wants to change that. Invite him on your show and hear how St. Nicholas overcame childhood tragedy, felt called by God to take a vow of poverty, endured horrific persecution for his religious faith, and went on to become one of the most beloved, generous, loving, and famous figures in human history. The author of the historical novel “The Gospel of Santa Claus” will fascinate your audience as he shares details of St. Nicholas’ extraordinary life and what Santa Claus has in common with St. Nick. He’ll also explain how writing the book changed the way he and his family celebrate Christmas each year and how anyone can have the best Christmas season ever, even on a limited budget. Contact Wayne Van Der Wal at (775) 338-4300; wav66@yahoo.com
5. ==> The Santa Conservatory: A School that Trains Santas
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to put on the famous red suit and stand in for Santa Claus? Santa Ed is a professional Santa who also runs The Santa Claus Conservatory, a Santa Claus school. He’ll explain the ways “Santas for Hire” adapted during COVID (think Zoom calls, virtual parties and Plexiglas) and how kids and their parents responded. He’ll also share some of the craziest Santa requests he’s gotten and explain how he got into the profession and how he now trains others for the job. Santa Ed is Hollywood’s “go-to” Santa Claus and has appeared on many TV shows and in commercials and movies. The Santa Claus Conservatory has been featured in the “Wall Street Journal,” Fox Business, “Money” magazine, VOX, and many others. Contact Santa Ed at (424) 343-9555 (call or text); Santa@SantaEd.com
6. ==> The New Year’s Resolution You’ll Be Happy to Keep!
Ever wondered how to easily learn more about wine? Or how to enjoy and appreciate wine more than you already do? Let Jim Laughren, CWE (certified wine educator) show your audience how. Jim is one of the most interesting, and least intimidating, wine experts available. A veteran of TV and radio, Jim knows how to make listeners glad they tuned in. The author of “50 Ways to Love Wine More” as well as “A Beer Drinker’s Guide to Knowing & Enjoying Fine Wine” and eBooks “The 15 Minute Guide to Red Wine and “The 15 Minute Guide to White Wine,” Jim consistently provides insight and enjoyment to anyone interested in knowing more about wine, especially for the New Year! He’ll share interesting, little-known facts about wine and explain how to end “wine intimidation.” You’ll find out the most important thing to know about wine lists and whether 2023 will be a good year for wine! Contact Jim Laughren at (954) 317 9623; JLaughren@rtirguests.com
7. ==> Have We Lost the Ability to Cope with Not Getting Our Way?
Today if you lose an election, you may simply contest the results and not even bother to concede. That’s one example of failing to cope with unpleasant realities. Another example is the mass shooter who, along with ready access to high-capacity rifles and magazines, has a sense of entitlement, difficulty managing strong feelings and a belief that someone must pay for the wrongs they have suffered. Elizabeth Power says, “You can stop the manufacture of guns, melt every one you can seize, make proper ownership incredibly expensive, and it won’t stop mass murder.” What we need more than gun control, she’ll say, are ways to help people deal with their inability to cope with not getting their way. She’ll explain how adults can learn this skill and why mass shootings are the result of a learning deficit, not a mental illness. Elizabeth is the founding director of The Trauma Informed Academy and the author of “Healer: Reducing Crises,” which offers everyday actions people can take to recover from traumatic experiences and be more resilient in the face of stress and discomfort. She is an adjunct instructor in psychiatry at Georgetown Medical Center and has been on NBC News, NPR, and in the “Wall Street Journal.” Contact her at (615) 903-0906; epower@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Will the Supreme Court Undo Affirmative Action?
The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments on two major cases concerning race-based affirmative action at Harvard and the University of North Carolina. Discuss affirmative action’s past and future with author Judith Mudd-Krijgelmans (pronounced Kray-gull-mans). Hear how affirmative action came out of the civil rights movement as a means to address inequalities experienced by minorities and became law through an executive order made by John F. Kennedy in 1961. Ask Judith: Is affirmative action reverse discrimination? How effective has it been? Was it always controversial? Does it benefit everyone or just a few? Judith Mudd-Krijgelmans, a Fulbright Scholar, was one of the first Black women in the Foreign Service. A child of educators, she grew up in public housing in the Jim Crow South where Blacks were told they lived in a separate, but equal society. She is the author of “Flowers for Brother Mudd: One Woman’s Path from Jim Crow to Career Diplomat.” Contact Judith at (571) 568-8667; jmuddkrijgelmans@rtir.com
9. ==> NPR Producer/Podcaster: Holiday Tips for Family Caregivers
There are more than 53 million family caregivers in the United States. It’s hard work. It’s also joy-filled, soul-filled, and heart-filled work. The holidays can be especially challenging, but Emmy-winning NPR producer and podcaster Kitty Eisele can share her favorite memories, along with useful tips and tricks about how caregivers can successfully navigate the season and find joy and peace amidst the chaos. Based on her personal experience caring for her parents, she can expand on practical ways for celebrating with loved ones who have dementia, engaging in sacred conversations, building resilience, finding support in surprising spaces and finding ways to care for yourself (take a nap!). Eisele began her podcast, “Twenty-Four Seven,” after moving back into her childhood home to care for her father with dementia. She spent more than two decades at NPR, most recently as supervising senior editor of “Morning Edition,” and has been recognized with DuPont, Peabody and James Beard awards. Twenty-Four Seven: A Podcast about Caregiving airs on Texas Public Radio. Contact Debi Pfitzenmaier at debi@tpr.org
10. ==> WaPo Food Expert: How Food Can Impact Mental Health
Food has the power to nourish your mind, supporting emotional wellness through both nutrients and pleasure. “Washington Post” food expert Mary Beth Albright draws on cutting-edge research to explain the food/mood connection. She redefines “emotional eating” based on science and will reveal how eating triggers biological responses that affect humans’ emotional states both immediately and long-term. Albright can discuss recent studies from the new field of nutritional psychology and explain “what” to eat and “how” to eat it. Listeners will learn which foods help reduce the inflammation that can harm mental health, the critical relationship between the microbiome and the brain, and which vitamins help restore the body during intensely emotional times. Mary Beth Albright has broad experience, from food attorney to finalist on Food Network Star, where she competed on Iron Chef America. Her new book is “Eat and Flourish: How Food Supports Emotional Well-Being.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137; (703) 400-1099 (cell) or Erin Bolden at (703) 980-2705
11. ==> Interview the World’s Leading Phobia Buster
Like many people, Kalliope Barlis suffered from debilitating phobias for years. As a former professional golfer, her fear of public speaking and crowds nearly sunk her career. But then a colleague introduced her to a technique that can dramatically change negative thoughts and behavior patterns, and Kalliope became an expert in it. She then began devoting her life to helping other people rid themselves of their phobias, everything from the fear of flying to being in tight spaces and freaking out over spiders and mice. Kalliope is a leading neurolinguistic programming (NLP) expert with a private practice in New York, the author of the critically acclaimed book “Phobia Relief: From Fear to Freedom and creator of the upcoming docuseries “Kalliope’s From Fear to Freedom.” Contact her at (516) 703-4546; kbarlis@rtirguests.com
12. ==> Is Pet Therapy an Answer to the Student Anxiety Epidemic?
It’s no secret that America is in the midst of a mental health crisis, with students among the hardest hit thanks to COVID, fears about their safety at school and even declining gains in math and reading. Larry Grogan has an unusual suggestion for ways to help the 65% of college students expressing overwhelming anxiety as well as younger students who have yet to graduate from high school: pet therapy. As you may know, petting a dog lowers your stress, heart rate, and blood pressure and provides mental stimulation. Larry says, “Pet therapy is a key to addressing the mental wellness of all of our students and colleges are the starting point.” Larry and his tiny dog Scrappy were a pet therapy team for eight years at a children’s hospital where they worked with thousands of suffering children. He is now a pet therapy advocate on a mission to increase the number of pet therapy teams worldwide. Larry can talk about what your listeners need to know about accessing pet therapy or training to become a therapy team. Contact Larry Grogan at (423) 557-1908; larrygrogan5@gmail.com
13. ==> Could Your Forgetful Spouse Have Early-Onset Alzheimer’s?
It’s one thing to overlook paying a bill, or to misplace your keys, or to be unable to remember a stranger’s name. It’s another thing to become so forgetful that you can’t complete a task you have done a thousand times. Or to forget how to find your way home. When such things happen, especially to a loved one who isn’t even 60, you may wonder if it’s early-onset Alzheimer’s, which can strike as early as 30. Discover more about the disease and how to spot its symptoms when you interview Carlen Maddux. A former reporter who chronicled his family’s 17-year Alzheimer’s journey in the award-winning book “A Path Revealed,” Carlen is determined to help others with information and been-there advice. His wife, Martha, was just past her 50th birthday when diagnosed. Carlen will discuss his family experiences, and what it was like to become his wife’s caregiver. Highly articulate, Carlen has done dozens of media interviews. Contact Carlen Maddux at (727) 351-8321; CMaddux@rtirguests.com
14. ==> This Guest Shares How to Make Your Own Happiness
With a barrage of bad news on all fronts and the increasing struggle most Americans are facing both at home and in the workplace, it doesn’t seem like there’s much to be happy about today. The good news is that you don’t have to wait for the world to get better. Let Mary Mitchell show you how to generate your own happiness, no matter what your current life circumstances. Mary has helped thousands of people, from inmates to CEOs, attract the happiness they want. She’ll reveal the steps you can take now to ditch constant anxiety and worry, so you can seize joy and choose success every day – even if you’re surrounded by negativity. Ask her: How can you find happiness when the whole world seems unhappy? What is your method for identifying and removing personal obstacles to happiness? How does complaining literally make you sick? Contact Mary Mitchell at (530) 561-5945; mmitchell@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Real Housewife: Beware ‘Little’ Holiday Luxuries
Leonard Lauder coined the “lipstick index” in 2001 as a recession indicator. As chairman of Estee Lauder Cosmetics, he noticed that a rise in lipstick sales and other cosmetics often meant the opposite of what many people thought. Instead of a sign of disposable income, it was a sign of tight budgets – because when consumers can afford less, they buy small luxury items instead of larger ones. Researchers at Debt.com built on that concept and compared the current inflation rate to Google’s search volume for the terms “lipstick,” “lip gloss” and “foundation” and found a significant uptick in consumers searching for those products. The debt relief organization then commissioned a survey of 1,000 beauty buyers and found that 38% are using credit to buy cosmetics, and 37% are buying more despite inflation. “We’d like to think we’re making affordable choices by splurging on small items during hard times,” says Vicki Gunvalson, spokesperson for Debt.com and former star of “Real Housewives of Orange County.” “Credit card debt is rising, and Americans are carrying $887 billion of it. Now is not the time to get into holiday debt,” she warns. According to the survey, half of the respondents had no plans to slow down on holiday spending with nearly two in five planning to spend over $300 on beauty products. Debt.com is a consumer website where people can find help with credit card debt, student loan debt, tax debt, credit repair, bankruptcy, and more. For interviews, contact Christine Burton at cburton@debt.com
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