01. Meet Comedian and Netflix Host Desiree Burch
02. How Did Worker Co-Ops Weather the Pandemic?
03. The History of Police Violence and Black Rebellion
04. Fashion Is Back! The Stories Behind 10 Classics
05. Pop the Cork with This Expert Summer Wine Advice
06. Secrets of the World’s Most Celebrated Brands Revealed
07. What You Can Learn from an Incompetent Boss
08. Why Drinking Lemonade Is More Important As You Age
09. The 5 Major Myths About Adoption
10. Why Parents Should Put Themselves First
11. Could Your ‘Lazy Child’ Have a Rare Condition?
12. How Much Should We Support the Weak?
13. How This Retired Hospice Nurse Knows There is an Afterlife
14. Lessons Only Flip-Flops Can Teach You
15. Hot Dog! Let’s Get Grilling
1. ==> Meet Comedian and Netflix Host Desiree Burch
Standup comedian, writer, actress, and the hilarious and relatable narrator of the Netflix competition show “Too Hot to Handle,” Desiree Burch is taking over the entertainment scene. Put a smile on your listeners’ faces when you bring her on your show to talk about season two of the show which launches June 23, and her future projects including an upcoming turn as a contestant on the UK comedy game series “Taskmaster.” The award-winning comedian recently co-starred in Comedy Central UK’s series “Drunk History: Black Stories” and is also the host of Amazon’s official podcast “Escape the Underground Railroad,” based on the Amazon series “The Underground Railroad.” She’s appeared in dozens of comedy shows including “Live at the Apollo” (BBC), “The Jonathan Ross Show,” and the Comedy Central special “Desiree Burch Live.” Contact Whitney Peterson at (310) 749-0708 (cell) or Kelsea Knight at (66) 645-4739 (cell); agpr@andersongrouppr.com
2. ==> How Did Worker Co-Ops Weather the Pandemic?
As the Biden administration talks of wanting to ‘Build Back Better’ journalist Jaisal Noor takes a look at worker co-ops and how they weathered COVID-19. A senior reporter at Real News Network, Noor just released a 26-minute documentary exploring the lessons learned from eight cooperative businesses in four states. “Worker cooperatives prove your job doesn’t have to be hell,” he says. “Pandemic profiteers increased their wealth by over $1.6 trillion during the pandemic, while frontline workers risked their lives for low pay and dangerous working conditions. The small but growing sector of worker-run cooperatives is demonstrating another way is possible: workplaces that operate democratically and share profits. Because the workers are the owners, they aren’t going to sacrifice themselves for profit.” The documentary, which Noor produced with support from Solutions Journalism Network, also explores the limitations of employing the cooperative model in the U.S.’s corporate capitalist system. Contact Jaisal Noor at jaisal@therealnews.com, @JaisalNoor
3. ==> The History of Police Violence and Black Rebellion
As the conversation on social justice in America continues, interview Yale University’s Elizabeth Hinton to lend historical context to the protests of 2020 and the BLM movement, the future of public safety and police reform, and where we go from here. In her new book, “America on Fire: The Untold History of Police Violence and Black Rebellion Since the 1960s,” Hinton draws from extensive archival research that reveals the sheer scale of Black rebellion across the country from the 1960s to now – telling American history through challenges and situations in almost every city in the U.S. Hinton asks us to reconsider the use of the term “riots,” instead positioning these violent protests as legitimate acts of political rebellion against the forces of systemic racism. Elizabeth Hinton is associate professor of history and African American studies at Yale University and a professor of law at Yale Law School. Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137; (703) 400-1099 (cell) or johanna@jrbcomm.com or Briana Caywood at (703) 646-5188
4. ==> Fashion Is Back! The Stories Behind 10 Classics
White T-shirt, miniskirt, hoodie, jeans, ballet flat, Breton top, biker jacket, little black dress, stiletto, trench. If you were asked what you’re wearing right now, chances are your outfit features at least one of these ten items. Get ready for a fun, informative fashion show when you book Lauren Cochrane to explain how our social history is contained within ten pieces of clothing. From the evolution of the white T-shirt from army staple to symbol of cool simplicity, the hoodie’s birth in the monasteries of Rome to its domination of streetwear, and the transition of the stiletto from the feet of fifteenth-century Iranian equestrians to those of New York businesswomen, Cochrane will share the story of each item’s creation, how it gained its reputation, its journey to popularity, and why it matters today. Need some post-pandemic fashion advice? Lauren can help with that as well! Lauren Cochrane, senior fashion writer at The Guardian, regularly appears on radio and podcasts discussing fashion, fashion history, and culture. Her new book is “The Ten: The Stories Behind the Fashion Classics.” Contact Lissa Warren at (617) 233-2853 (cell); LissaWarrenPR@gmail.com or @Lissa_Warren
5. ==> Pop the Cork with This Expert Summer Wine Advice
Finally, life is getting back to normal and that means two important things: One, we can get together with friends again, at home (without fear of killing each other). Two, it’s safe to enjoy our favorite restaurants again, which also means we can resume sharing wine with friends and neighbors, and that once again we’ll be confronted with those all-too-often indecipherable wine lists. What to do? Book Certified Wine Educator Jim Laughren, author of “50 Ways to Love Wine More” and “A Beer Drinker’s Guide to Knowing and Enjoying Fine Wine,” to help your audience make the most of this new situation. Whether it’s sharing with friends, traveling to wine regions, selecting from the wine list, or finding the best wines at the best prices, Jim can provide tips and inside information to help everyone amp up their wine enjoyment and get oriented to the new wine world. Contact Jim at (954) 317-9623; JLaughren@rtirguests.com
6. ==> Secrets of the World’s Most Celebrated Brands Revealed
Would your listeners like to know how celebrities create world-class brands so they can do it too? Raj Girn, an internationally celebrated brand authority and the creator of “The 6 Step Guide That Celebrities Use to Guarantee World-Class Brand Presence,” is prepared to offer the same fantastic tips to your audience that she has passed on to executives at L’Oréal Paris, Estée Lauder, Johnnie Walker, Cîroc, Sheraton and Fairmont Hotels and people like Priyanka Chopra, Hannah Simone, Robin Sharma and Freida Pinto. Ask her: What are the four biggest myths that prevent brands from taking off? What are the six steps to creating a world-class brand that anyone can dial in, no matter what their size or budget? A media celebrity in Canada who has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and Globe and Mail, and on FOX and CBS, Raj is a regular contributor to Entrepreneuer.com, ThriveGlobal.com and Medium.com and an internationally best-selling author whose blog attracts 500,000 unique monthly visitors. She also publishes a weekly newsletter with over 100,000 subscribers and has a combined social media network of over 1 million. She runs The Open Chest Confidence Academy and a masterclass she created on celebrity brand secrets sold out immediately. Contact Raj Girn at (647) 490-3158; Rgirn@rtirguests.com
7. ==> What You Can Learn from an Incompetent Boss
Is your boss completely useless and blocking your way to advancement at work? While you’re looking for your next job, you can be gaining an advantage by learning important lessons from your incompetent boss. Invite leadership expert Marc A. Pitman to reveal what you can gain by observing your boss and how you can use this information to become an even better leader yourself. His new book, “The Surprising Gift of Doubt,” provides a framework for leaders to move past feeling like a fraud and manage teams more effectively. Contact Marc Pitman at (317) 751-1610; mpitman@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Why Drinking Lemonade Is More Important As You Age
Nothing says summer quite like an ice-cold glass of lemonade, particularly when it is served up at a stand run by children. Yet lemonade and limeade just may be the health foods you are missing, says Linda Mac Dougall, a health-care expert and senior advocate. She can explain how both drinks provide a good replacement for declining digestive acid, enabling older people to better digest their foods and make better use of the nutrients they take in. In addition, she can also offer more foods to consume that will help people stay healthier this summer. Linda has worked with hundreds of seniors through her business, has an M.A. in counseling psychology and is the author of “The SPIRIT Method of Massage for Seniors.” Contact her at (805) 202-6379; speakerholistic@gmail.com
9. ==> The 5 Major Myths About Adoption
Many childless couples and single people who wish to become parents opt to adopt. But they often find themselves navigating through a minefield of red tape, overwhelming expenses, complex laws and emotional turmoil. “Some people believe that the ‘waiting period’ between the time a birth parents’ rights have been terminated and the adoption is final is to allow the birth parents to change their mind,” Mikki Shepard says. “But it’s actually for the adoptive parents.” She adds, “Those who refer to putting a child up for adoption as ‘giving up a child’ are misinformed. It is the greatest gift a birth parent can give to a child when they feel they can’t take care of a baby at the time. It’s a rewarding gift of love to give a child life without second-guessing her decision forever. It creates a family based on love and respect.” As an adoptive mom who was adopted herself as a child, Mikki can also discuss laws regarding independent and international adoption, what expenses to expect, the “nature versus nurture” myth and more. Mikki is the author of “In a Heartbeat: The Miracle of a Family That Was Meant to Be.” Contact her at (938) 222-4650; mshepard@rtirguests.com
10. ==> Why Parents Should Put Themselves First
Parenting is stressful, even at the best of times, so how can parents continue to give their all when they feel they’re running on empty? Invite author and speaker Natalie Bonfig to share the importance of parents putting themselves first to do better for their children. She says that if parents are sick, exhausted or stressed, they can’t adequately meet their children’s needs. She points out that mothers, in particular, tend to neglect themselves by putting their children first, but that such self-sacrifice has a heavy price. She can tell your audience how to show your kids that taking care of your basic needs is smart, not selfish. Her forthcoming book, “Everyday Self-Care and Your High Needs Child,” offers advice for parents of high-needs children on how to reduce stress and make their lives more joyful. Bonfig has been interviewed on podcasts nationwide. Contact her at (651) 419-3137; nbonfig@rtirguests.com
11. ==> Could Your ‘Lazy Child’ Have a Rare Condition?
Do you have a child who seems unmotivated, apathetic, and always tired? As Ann S. Woodbury will tell you, this child may be suffering from a rare genetic condition, not a character flaw. Ann should know because she has four children and a husband with myotonic dystrophy (Dystrophia Myotonica, DM), a disease that is characterized by progressive muscle wasting and weakness. Nearly half of the people who have DM have not been diagnosed. Ann has been caregiving and advocating for her family since their diagnoses in 1998, at a time when even doctors didn’t know all of the effects of DM or that it was a brain disorder. She has shared her knowledge of the disease and its treatment as the head of Utah’s DM support group. She is the author of “Surviving Myotonic Dystrophy.” Contact her at (801) 554-1258; annswoodbury@gmail.com
12. ==> How Much Should We Support the Weak?
Most people agree that we owe something to the less fortunate members of society: the homeless, mentally ill, physically disabled, poor, addicted, and sick. But just how much support and in what form should society provide? Just as he does with his new YouTube series, “Difficult Questions with Glen Dunzweiler, Glen Dunzweiler, wants to debate this question with your audience. He’ll say that liberals or progressives are likely to venture that we should help everyone and may even express a willingness to pay higher taxes to do so. Meanwhile, conservatives may be more likely to blame the downtrodden for their own predicaments or to argue that the weaker members of society don’t even want help. Glen, who has worked with the homeless, can also explain what trait liberals and conservatives share that hinders the ability to help at-risk populations. Glen is a former college professor, a documentarian, and the author of two books. His latest is “A Degree In Homelessness?: Entrepreneurial Skills For Students.” Contact him at (702) 703-2219; GDunzweiler@rtirguests.com
13. ==> How This Retired Hospice Nurse Knows There is an Afterlife
As someone who has been with many patients as they faced the end of their lives, retired hospice nurse Jean Keegan Daly knows that some people wonder, worry, or feel afraid about an afterlife. The incidents she has witnessed coupled with her own profound near-death experience have led her to conclude that there truly is life after death, angels are real, and departed loved ones are still paying attention to our lives. Invite Jean on your program to hear some of her amazing stories including the one about 9-year-old Diane who, after her death, appeared to and spoke to Jean. Ask Jean: What lessons did her first hospice patient teach her? What encounters did she have with angels? Why does she believe that all of us have a soul and a purpose for what we are supposed to do in this life? Jean has written her memoir, “Reflections of a Seasoned Soul,” which reveals her journey to understanding life here and beyond. She has appeared on local television and taught at community colleges, organizations, and hospitals. Contact Jean Keegan Daly at (609) 912-3778; Jkeegandaly@rtirguests.com
14. ==> Lessons Only Flip-Flops Can Teach You
Most of us think of flip-flops as nothing more than fun summer footwear. But former Miss America contestant, best-selling author and humorist Jane Jenkins Herlong regards them as a metaphor for much more. “Get your feet moving again, even if you are wearing flip-flops,” she says. “Starting your business and your life over again is like learning to walk. We may have to do things that we thought we outgrew, but passionate people are not afraid to go back and start over.” Ask her: How can we rekindle our passion for life? Why are flip-flops a metaphor for living our best lives? Jane can illustrate how tapping into humor and finding our passions can dramatically change our lives, even in the worst of times. Jane is the award-winning author of four books including “Rhinestones on My Flip-Flops,” and has recorded music CDs and personal growth and comedy DVDs. As a humorist, her comedy is featured on Sirius XM 97. Contact her at (803) 599-2941; JHerlong@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Hot Dog! Let’s Get Grilling
You can have hamburgers and chicken, corn-on-the-cob and potato salad, but Americans agree that for a cookout to be complete there’s gotta be some hot dogs on the grill! That is, according to a recent survey by the National Hot Dot and Sausage Council (NHDSC). The group says between Memorial Day and Labor Day Americans will eat more than 7 billion hot dogs! Invite NHDSC Hot Dog Top Dog Eric Mittenthal to talk about regional hot dog styles, what Major League Baseball stadiums are serving this year, and even the proper hot dog eating etiquette! Who knew? And Mittenthal says while the pandemic might have canceled a lot of things last year, sales of hot dogs were up 20%. Established in 1994 by the American Meat Institute, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council serves as an information resource to consumers and media on questions related to quality, safety, nutrition and preparation of hot dogs and sausages. Contact Eric Mittenthal at (202) 587-4238; (404) 808-8396 (cell) or emittenthal@meatinstitute.org