01. Are the Russian People Ready for War?
02. Eileen Gu Olympics Controversy Misses the Point
03. Michael Beach, Star of ‘Immanence’
04. Interview a Best-selling Songwriter
05. Fun President’s Day Show: Weirdest White House Antics
06. The KGB Wanted Him Dead. He Lived to Tell His Story
07. How Science Beat Cold War Politics
08. Career Advice Inspired by the GOAT
09. Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men
10. Black History Is American History: Stories You’ve Never Heard
11. Catching Up on Education after COVID
12. The 3 Types of Men Women Should Run from
13. Why There Is No Weight Problem in America (Seriously)
14. How the Youngest of 10 Kids Achieved a Doctorate
15. He Finds Hope in the Most Unlikely Places
1.==> Are the Russian People Ready for War?
U.S. officials are warning Russia could launch an invasion of Ukraine as soon as this week but are still holding out hope that diplomacy can prevail. As the high-stakes standoff continues, take a deep dive into the psyche of Putin and the Russian people with U.S. Brigadier General (Ret.) Peter B. Zwack. He was on duty in Moscow when Russia first invaded Ukraine and his new memoir, “Swimming the Volga,” offers insight and context for what is happening today. Zwack says Putin carries deep “scar tissue” from unresolved issues from the fall and breakup of the Soviet Union, 30 years ago, when the Russian people were initially filled with euphoria, only to have their hopes dashed by the emergence of internal and international challenges, the black market, major ruble devaluations, scammers, oligarchs, and hard times. Zwack has recently appeared on CNN, NPR’s “All Things Considered,” The BBC, MSNBC, “The Washington Post” and “The Economist.” He can go further in depth for long-form interviews. Brigadier General Peter B. Zwack (ret.) served as a senior defense official and attaché to the Russian Federation from 2012-2014. He is a global fellow at The Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Contact Terri Beavers at (434) 409-5687; bg.pbz.r@gmail.com
2. ==> Eileen Gu Olympics Controversy Misses the Point
For some, Olympic gold medalist Eileen Gu is just a young woman caught between two countries making a difficult decision. Born and raised in the U.S., critics framed her decision to ski for China as Gu turning her back on the country that raised her and casting her lot with an authoritarian regime. But Lincoln Mitchell says many of these opinions seem to be grounded in America’s frustration with an ascendant China relative to the United States — something for which Gu cannot blamed. “While so much of the discourse around Gu here in the United States focuses on the politics, her citizenship and what she should or should not be discussing, in China, a teenager is being appreciated for her extraordinary athletic accomplishment and is rapidly becoming one of the biggest sports stars in the country. For the moment, that is the real story.” Lincoln Mitchell is a political analyst, pundit and writer who teaches in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. His most recent book is “The Giants and Their City: Major League Baseball in San Francisco, 1976-1992.” Contact him at lincoln@lincolnmitchell.com; @LincolnMitchell
3. ==> Michael Beach, Star of ‘Immanence’
Your audience will likely know Michael Beach from his 50-plus feature films and hundreds of hours of TV performances, including his roles on “ER” and “Third Watch.” Invite the star of the new horror flick “Immanence,” to talk about his latest project, a science fiction horror movie. The flick follows radio astronomers investigating a meteor strike in the Bermuda Triangle that could be from extraterrestrials. Beach also produced the movie and can talk about what makes this film unique for the horror genre and the challenges of making a movie during the pandemic. Writer/director Kerry Bellessa is also available for interviews. “Immanence” is now available on Amazon Prime and other streaming services. Contact AJ Feuerman at (818) 912-0300; aj@ajfeuerman.com
4.==> Interview a Best-selling Songwriter
Dave Combs, songwriter, entrepreneur, and Amazon best-selling author of “Touched by the Music,” has put out 15 albums of soft, soothing instrumental piano music. The first song he wrote, “Rachel’s Song,” caused the phones at radio stations to light up with people wanting to know more about it. Dave has wonderful stories to share about performing “Rachel’s Song” in front of an audience of over 26,000 people in St. Louis and getting over 10,000 letters from an article he wrote in “Guideposts Magazine.” As an entrepreneur, he has many interesting stories of how he built his Combs Music business. Book Dave now to share his reminiscences with your audience. Contact him at (336) 655-8320; dave@combsmusic.com
5. ==> Fun President’s Day Show: Weirdest White House Antics
Did you know James Monroe used to enjoy swimming nude in the Potomac River? Or that doctors once held a press conference to announce Dwight Eisenhower moved his bowels? Or that Calvin Coolidge often conferred with a raccoon? Or that First Lady Florence Harding gave press interviews in her negligee? Or that George H.W. Bush took showers with his dog? President’s Day is Monday, February 21, and the perfect time to interview author Hal Marcovitz. He can talk about the many strange stories that have been circulating around the White House since John and Abigail Adams occupied the Executive Mansion, including some very odd ones about the last occupant. Marcovitz, a longtime journalist, is the author of the novel “Painting the White House,” which tells the story of an ordinary house painter who finds himself at the center of White House intrigues and misadventures. Contact him at (267) 718-6807; hmarcovitz@rtirguests.com
6. ==> The KGB Wanted Him Dead. He Lived to Tell His Story
With Vladimir Putin’s tanks lined up at the Ukrainian border ready to attack, a conversation with John Christmas is extremely timely right now. Imagine what life would be like if the KGB was after you, threatening your life? And if you had no idea you were even taking them on at first? John Christmas does not have to imagine … he lived it. While heading up an international banking group he tried to expose fraud he uncovered without realizing that the bank in question was a KGB front. Christmas has co-authored the new geopolitical thriller “KGB Banker,” inspired by his story. Invite Christmas on your show to talk about his experience, why it’s particularly relevant given today’s political environment, and what happened to the players he exposed. Contact John Christmas at (514) 700-9015; jchristmas@rtirguests.com
7. ==> How Science Beat Cold War Politics to Beat Smallpox
Today’s highly polarized society makes it hard for people from opposing sides to agree on anything, let alone work together, even if the goal is for the common good. It’s possible, as Bee Bloeser personally witnessed in the middle of the Cold War when despite their vast differences, political leaders joined forces to rid the world of smallpox. Bee and her family became embedded in the global campaign when the CDC dispatched her husband to West Africa in 1969. Invite her to share her experiences as an American woman in Africa at that time and the unexpected challenges her family faced, including brushes with a brutal dictator’s regime and living in an isolated region suffering a humanitarian crisis the rest of the world knew nothing about. An award-winning writer and engaging public speaker, Bee Bloeser has been featured on NPR’s “Journeys of Discovery” and NPR KCBX Radio’s show, “Issues and Ideas.” Her book is, “Vaccines and Bayonets: Fighting Smallpox in Africa amid Tribalism, Terror and the Cold War.” Contact her at (520) 214-5971; bbloeser@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Career Advice Inspired by the GOAT
Tom Brady is hanging up his cleats, announcing his retirement from the NFL where he was arguably the most successful quarterback ever and known as the GOAT (greatest of all time.) While most of us will never approach Brady’s performance on the gridiron we can take inspiration from him in our careers, says Beverly Williams, author of “Your GPS to Employment Success: How to Find and Succeed in the Right Job.” Williams will discuss how ordinary people can create their own version of Brady’s multiple income streams, personal brand, and image. Williams is an employment professional, arbitrator, and former HR executive in both private and public sectors. She also hosts the podcast “Your Employment Matters with Beverly Williams.” She earned an M.P.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a J.D. from Rutgers Law School. Contact her at (973) 576-5841; bwilliams@rtirguests.com
9. ==> Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men
Would you believe that female U.S. Supreme Court justices are interrupted four times more often than male ones … 96% of the time by men? Journalist Mary Ann Sieghart says every woman has a story, like highly qualified professional and managerial women who are often talked over by male colleagues at meetings, overlooked, underestimated, or patronized. Sieghart will provide a startling perspective on the unseen bias at work and in our everyday lives as she examines the wide-ranging implications of this critical gender bias. Mary Ann Sieghart is the author of “The Authority Gap: Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men, and What We Can Do About It,” a fresh feminist take on how to address and counteract systemic sexism. She has appeared on numerous BBC radio programs and spent 20 years as assistant editor and columnist at “The Times of London.” Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or johanna@jrbcomm.com or Briana Caywood at (703) 646-5188 (office)
10. ==> Black History Is American History: Stories You’ve Never Heard
The brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans, Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Ida Byrd-Hill explains that it came about, at least in part, because public schools weren’t — and still aren’t — teaching about the contributions Blacks had in building America. “Three hundred documented patents of major inventions and innovations show that Blacks led major pivots in the growth of the United States. Blacks created the electric railway, automatic crankshaft, refrigeration and the gas furnace!” Invite this urban economist and tech guru to share the many ways Blacks helped solve the talent shortage of the agricultural and industrial revolutions and how they can solve the talent shortage of the digital revolution if provided with emerging technology training. Ida Byrd-Hill is CEO of Automation Workz, a cybersecurity reskilling and diversity consulting firm. She’s appeared on “Good Morning America,” numerous radio stations and podcasts, and in “Essence Magazine.” Her latest book is “Invisible Talent Market.” Contact her at (313) 483-2126; ida@autoworkz.org
11. ==> Catching Up on Education after COVID
The pandemic has caused students to be behind in school. Long-time educator Lori Lynn Ahrends claims that the pressure to catch up is taking a tremendous toll on students. “If we aren’t careful about what we say, we run the risk of children feeling ‘less than.’ insecure, and turning off to school altogether,” she says. Lori Lynn suggests that we should treat learning as a journey, not a destination. She is an award-winning educator and international speaker with a master’s in education; a singer/songwriter; creator of the Overall Buddies early childhood learning program; and author of the children’s book “I’m a Pig.” Contact Lori Lynn at (402) 235-4292; lahrends@rtirguests.com
12. ==> The 3 Types of Men Women Should Run from
Women often overlook major red flags in their quest for romantic love. According to Arnoux Goran, the obvious ones are liars, mama’s boys and sociopaths. However, women also need to focus inward to stop attracting jerks in the first place. “Dating without permanently erasing your baggage from your previous relationships is like trying to swim with rocks tied to your ankles,” he says. Arnoux adds that we must first overcome any childhood trauma in order to form healthy relationships, and he will show audiences how. He created the Goran Technique online and live courses and is the author of three upcoming books including “The Goran Technique.” Contact Arnoux at (878) 203-8231; AGoran@rtirguests.com
13. ==> Why There Is No Weight Problem in America (Seriously)
You’ve heard that 40% of U.S. adults are obese and nearly 35% more are overweight. So why then does health coach, fitness, and weight-loss expert Stavros Mastrogiannis say that the U.S. does not have a weight problem? Feel free to challenge him as he explains that what Americans do have is a habit problem that in turn has led to people weighing too much. In short, he says, we have more bad habits than good when it comes to eating and when we solve that problem the weight issue will resolve. He’ll talk about how to avoid stress eating, eating when you aren’t hungry, and even focusing too much on what you’re eating. You’ll also learn why using a scale as an indicator of success is a “disaster waiting to happen.” Also, be sure to ask Stavros about what happened when he recreated Morgan Spurlock’s experiment about eating McDonald’s food (burgers, fries, and Cokes) that became the basis of the 2004 movie “Super Size Me.” In 2011, Stavros did the same thing but unlike Spurlock, Stavros’ blood work was just as good as it had been before he spent two months working and exclusively eating at McDonald’s. He’ll tell you why this experiment proves it’s not what you eat but how you eat that matters! Stavros is the creator of the Live Your Way Thin System. Contact Stavros at (203) 733-0109; stavros@liveyourwaythin.com
14. ==> How the Youngest of 10 Kids Achieved a Doctorate
Dorothy Kegler is the author of three books and holds a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees and a doctorate in higher education. As if that weren’t impressive enough, she was the youngest of 10 kids, has a learning difficulty and is African American, of which only 5.4% of the population holds doctorate degrees. “As an African American female with a learning difficultly, I endured many challenges,” she says. “But my family and my faith taught me to be resilient and to not let anything hold me back.” Dr. Dorothy can share her inspirational life story, as well as tips for setting goals, building a network of mentors and maintaining faith in oneself, despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Contact her at (619) 679-9627; dkegler@rtirguests.com
15. ==> He Finds Hope in the Most Unlikely Places
Today, when people are struggling with the ongoing pandemic and all that it has brought with it — isolation, mental health challenges, product shortages, inflation, upheaval in the way they do their jobs — people need all the help they can get to stay positive. Rick McDaniel, a beloved pastor, podcaster, and the author of “This Is Living,” is known for encouraging people to see the hope that exists in the most unlikely places. Pastor Rick will deliver inspiration in the form of bite-sized stories and meditations that will help listeners hone in on what’s important in life. Learn what a church building in Spain can teach us about making progress in life, how a macadamia nut is key to surviving the pandemic, and how the growth of giant sequoias shows we can survive tough times. Rick McDaniel has appeared on “Fox & Friends,” all major TV networks, ESPN Radio, Christian TV and more. “This Is Living: Daily Inspiration to Live Your Faith” is his latest book. Contact Terri Connell at (804) 512-9581; terri@rickmcdaniel.com
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