01. Betrayal: How Mitch McConnell Abandoned America
02. A Young Boy Flipped ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ On Its Head
03. Will Surging COVID Cases Sway the Unvaccinated?
04. Blending Bennifer: How to Make a Messy Marriage Work
05. The Only Correct Way to Pay a Medical Bill
06. The Growing Problem of Food Deserts
07. Why Going Vegan Could be Disastrous for Your Health
08. Summer Wine Destinations: Plan Your Next Trip
09. How to Cool Your Temper This Summer
10. Brains, Games, and Foes: How to Do What Others Say Can’t Be Done
11. Why There Is a Postpartum Depression Epidemic
12. Ex-Cop Runs Wilderness Program for Digitally Addicted Teens
13. Can Teenage Lifers Be Rehabilitated?
14. How to Be Happy Now
15. Celebrate National Hot Dog Month
1.==> Betrayal: How Mitch McConnell Abandoned America
If you look back over the political chaos of the last half-dozen years or so, many Americans of all political stripes — though surely not all — would place the lion’s share of blame at the feet of former President Donald Trump. But journalist Ira Shapiro sees things a little differently. He traces the political dysfunction in America back several years earlier and places the blame squarely on U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Invite the author of “The Betrayal: How Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republicans Abandoned America” to discuss how the Senate responded to the challenges posed by the Trump administration. Shapiro says Republicans like McConnell, who recognized the threat Trump posed to democracy, made a bargain with the devil — all in the name of lowering taxes, decimating the regulatory framework, and, most of all, installing a conservative judiciary whose impact will be felt for decades. But he saves some of his most scathing commentary for Republican senators who appeared committed to governing, like Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Rob Portman of Ohio, but kept silent during the Trump era. Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or johanna@jrbcomm.com
2. ==> A Young Boy Flipped ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ On Its Head
The origins and meaning of “Let’s Go Brandon” are anything but positive, but a young boy’s innocent misunderstanding has turned the hurtful phrase on its head. Sheletta Brundidge wrote the children’s book “Brandon Spots His Sign,” about her son feeling awkward about participating in activities because of his autism. When he spots “Let’s Go Brandon” messages in his neighborhood they encourage him to take more chances. The book attracted the attention of President Joe Biden, who sent Brandon a letter of admiration. It also reached Brandon Brown, the NASCAR driver who unwittingly helped spawn the phrase. He invited the family to a race as a chance to reclaim a phrase that he feels has gotten too nasty. Brundidge says the whole ordeal has been a huge boost for her son. “I have seen his confidence go through the roof. Kids with autism are so often chosen last or left out. A lot of times, it’s because other children just don’t understand why they do what they do.” Sheletta Brundidge is a broadcaster, media personality and author. Three of her four children were born with autism and her books aim to educate families about the condition and show her own kids how much they are loved. Contact her at shelettab@gmail.com
3. ==> Will Surging COVID Cases Sway the Unvaccinated?
The BA.5 COVID variant is spreading voraciously across the nation and health officials are hoping that, and a new vaccine that uses traditional, protein-based technology, will help persuade the remaining ‘vaccine hesitant’ Americans to get their shots. But sociologist Elizabeth Wrigley-Field notes that most mass vaccination sites have closed and many community campaigns have ended. She says, “It’s particularly striking that there are almost no avenues, outside of individual conversations with one’s own medical providers, to ask questions or have conversations about vaccination. This highly individualized approach is based on a cynical and incorrect assumption that people who remain unvaccinated or unboosted have made a permanent decision to stay that way.” She can also discuss how the pandemic remains highly unequal in ways that transcend vaccination rates. “Vaccines protect, but they are not enough. The current context may be a ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated,’ but it is very much still a ‘pandemic of the disadvantaged’ as well.” Wrigley-Field is a sociologist and demographer specializing in mortality, racial inequality, and historical infectious disease at the University of Minnesota. Contact her at ewf@umn.edu
4. ==> Blending Bennifer: How to Make a Messy Marriage Work
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck—a.k.a. Bennifer—sent the internet into a frenzy over the weekend after news broke that they’d married in Las Vegas. The announcement comes just months after they rekindled their well-documented romance and got engaged for a second time in April (they called the first off in 2004). Both bring with them a good deal of “baggage,” according to David Glass, a Certified Family Law Specialist, author, and former clinical psychologist. “Not only do they have to deal with how they can make their relationship work when once it did not, they also will need to find productive ways to manage the many complexities of blending their respective families and careers.” Ask him: Will it be difficult to co-parent with Jennifer Garner? Where and how does Marc Anthony fit into the family picture? When a family is this “complicated” what are some of the best ways to coordinate schedules and manage family relations? Did the couple sign a prenuptial agreement? If so, what might it contain? David Glass is one of a few attorneys trained in both law and clinical psychology (PhD). He has practiced exclusively in family law for 23 years. Contact Cherie Kerr at (714) 550-9900; (714) 271-2140 or cherie@kerrpr-execuprov.com
5. ==> The Only Correct Way to Pay a Medical Bill
Medical debt is the No. 1 cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. But perhaps what is even more shocking is that medical bills often contain errors and most patients have no idea that they are paying their medical bills wrong, says Virgie Bright Ellington, M.D., an internal medicine physician and former insurance executive. She says that when patients receive a bill for any costly medical procedure, hospital stay, surgery or ER visit they need to take three steps before paying it. Invite her to explain the process that can save you thousands of dollars. Dr. Virgie first became interested in medical debt after sharing a hospital room with a woman with young children who was coerced into agreeing to pay an exorbitant medical bill that would force her family into debt. Her new book is “What Your Doctor Wants You to Know to Crush Medical Debt.” Contact her at (914) 636-1070; dr.virgie@crushmedicaldebt.com
6. ==> The Growing Problem of Food Deserts
Many households across the country have limited reliable access to affordable, nutritious food. And as food prices rise, the problem is only getting worse. Donsha Johnson and his wife, Nicole Folkes-Johnson, are the owners of Eat Right Atlanta, is an affordable produce service that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables and operates pop-up markets at health systems across Atlanta and the surrounding areas. Invite them to discuss the increasing problem of food insecurity. Learn what a ‘food desert’ is and what it’s like to live in one, the relationship between grocery store geography and food insecurity, and how inflation is affecting the growing problem. Contact Donsha and Nicole at (404) 717-2502; kimberly@bluescorpionrm.com
7. ==> Why Going Vegan Could be Disastrous for Your Health
Plant-based eating is all-the-rage and touted as the “healthiest” but what if your genes have issues converting nutrients from plants? You could wind up with severe and catastrophic nutrient deficiencies. Take if from licensed dietitian Kristina Hess, who didn’t know her genetic profile when she went vegan 15 years ago and wound up with fractured bones and reduced bone density. Keto is all the rage too, but some people don’t feel good with this type of plan for a reason. Kristina can talk about the little-known field of nutrigenomics that can provide you with the right strategy and eating plan for your genetic blueprint, and help you optimize your health and longevity. Kristina Hess is a premier health coach and licensed dietitian-nutritionist with a functional and integrative approach. She is the co-founder of the first-of-its kind Keto Symposium to be held in the New York tri-state area on Sept. 23 and Sept. 24, at the New York Library Performing Arts at Lincoln Center — Bruno Walter Auditorium. Contact her at (203) 984-7989; kristinaihess@gmail.com
8. ==> Summer Wine Destinations: Plan Your Next Trip
Looking to take a summer trip that combines the pleasures of wine and travel? Helping audiences make the most of their wine adventures is expert guide Jim Laughren, CWE, with suggestions from how to enjoy local wineries to where in the world we can find the “wildest” wine vacations of all. Whether you’re looking for fabulous food, incredible scenery, or amazing hospitality, all to enjoy with some gorgeous wines, Jim can steer you in the right direction. Ask him: Why should people visit Mendoza, Argentina, the Republic of Georgia and the Napa Valley? Where can you not only tour 1,500 acres of grapes but also buy a piece of the vineyard AND return for the harvest to make your own wine? The author of two short eBooks, “The 15-Minute Guide to Red Wine” and “The 15-Minute Guide to White Wine,” Jim has appeared on radio and TV around the country and is also the award-winning author of “50 Ways to Love Wine More” and “A Beer Drinker’s Guide to Knowing and Enjoying Fine Wine.” Contact Jim Laughren at (954) 317-9623; JLaughren@rtirguests.com
9. ==> How to Cool Your Temper This Summer
This summer tempers are running hot around the country as the nation deals with the Supreme Court’s Roe v Wade reversal, the findings of the Jan. 6 Committee and whether or not there will be any movement to end the mass shootings that have been cropping up like dandelions. Yet even people who aren’t getting hot about changes to society may still be finding themselves in a lather about post-pandemic life, high gas prices and summer traffic. Invite happiness expert Trish Ahjel Roberts to share ways to put the chill back in your life. The author of “12 Steps to Mind-Blowing Happiness,” has created a 5-hour online course that provides tools and resources to make the summer season relaxing, fun and freeing just as it is supposed to be. After a terrifying car accident in 2018, Roberts founded Mind-Blowing Happiness LLC in 2019 and left her career as a financial advisor to become a self-actualization coach and happiness expert working primarily with Black women like herself. Contact her at (917) 887-3689; hello@trishahjelroberts.com
10. ==> Brains, Games, and Foes: How to Do What Others Say Can’t Be Done
Most people believe it takes willpower, smarts and motivation to accomplish great things … but do you know the actual secret ingredient that world-class leaders, entrepreneurs and creatives rely on to create their exceptional outcomes? Invite Steven Feinberg, Ph.D., on your show to discuss the power of patterns, and how an awareness of what he calls the game of patterns can up-level your personal, professional and business life. With 40 years of experience as an executive coach for leaders and entrepreneurs in companies like Google, Visa, Apple, and more, Steven has unlocked the secrets to achieving what people say can’t be done. For his new book, Do What Others Say Can’t Be Done … Play The Meta-Game, Steven interviewed over 50 world-class leaders and entrepreneurs including the former CEO of Apple, EVP of eBay, a Teacher of the Year, the chief of police of the Safest City in America, ambassadors, leading VC, millennials and a Big-Time Bookie. The book’s foreword was written by astronaut and space shuttle pilot Greg H. Johnson, who explained how Dr. Feinberg’s techniques will prepare you for your encounters with the uncertainty we all face. Dr. Feinberg will show your audience how to recognize hidden patterns in their daily interactions and decisions so they can accomplish life goals they never dreamed possible. Ask him: What is Shutdown Syndrome? Why do you say that persistence is a problem? What do you mean by “first adapter”? What is the Meta-Game? What is the No. 1 foe of leaders? Contact Dr. Steven Feinberg at (650) 374-4540 or sfeinberg@rtirguests.com
11. ==> Why There Is a Postpartum Depression Epidemic
Many new moms attribute their feelings of sadness and emptiness to exhaustion, hormonal changes and the non-stop attention babies require. But for many women, this is more than just “the baby blues.” “Postpartum depression had been on the rise pre-COVID, but the pandemic has made the rise more significant,” says OB/GYN Dr. Florence Akindele. “A lot of women are not getting support after giving birth, and there’s not enough at-home planning.” Dr. Florence can share how new moms can get the support they need to overcome this very real mental illness. She is the founder of Florence Women’s Health Services in Alberta, Canada, and author of the book “Your Joyous Birth Experience: Empowering Moms to Participate in Their Labour And Delivery.” Contact Dr. Florence at (780) 614-5219; fakindele@rtirguests.com
12. ==> Runs A Wilderness Program for Digitally Addicted Teens
As a police officer and entrepreneur in the 1980s’ Chicago area, Trace Embry never imagined that his path would lead him to start a place like Shepherd’s Hill Academy (SHA). Invite the host of the nationally syndicated radio program “License to Parent” and author of “The Miracles of Shepherd’s Hill” to discuss the unlikely thirty-year odyssey that defied all odds and resulted in a globally recognized healing program that helps troubled teens and families. Embry can discuss parenting issues in our tech-driven society, the issue of digital addiction and teens and SHA’s wilderness-style therapeutic program where teens undergo a one-year “digital detox” and live in a primitive environment without electricity or the internet. Shepherd’s Hill Academy is a Christ-centered therapeutic residential boarding school for teens in crisis. Contact Daniel Fazzina at (631) 463-7369; fazzinapr@use.startmail.com
13. ==> Can Teenage Lifers Be Rehabilitated?
Lengthy prison sentences for youth offenders are becoming common in the U.S., and the costs – both personal and financial – are staggering. Not only do many people believe life sentences for teenagers are unjust, but the costs to governments and taxpayers are three times higher for youth than for incarcerated adults. Through correspondence with youth offenders, Mary Mitchell has seen firsthand that rehabilitation is possible. An experienced guest and the author of seven books as well as hundreds of articles, and host of a weekly radio show, Mary can share her 13-year relationship with a man incarcerated at 19 (now 50) who has found transformation in prison and talks about the prison system reform we need to offer rehabilitation and hope. Ask her: can the U.S. prison system truly rehabilitate anyone? Why is solitary confinement both cruel and ineffective? How can you offer real support to incarcerated loved ones? Contact Mary Mitchell at (530) 561-5945 or mmitchell@rtirguests.com
14. ==> How to Be Happy Now
A recent Gallup poll revealed that happiness in the United States is at an all-time low, with just 38% of Americans saying they’re satisfied. Millions are suffering from depression, anxiety, and a general sense of unhappiness that has caused many to lose hope for the future. Valerie Whetstone can help your audience turn things around and find the happiness that keeps eluding them. A bestselling author and life and wellness coach who has trained with Oprah Winfrey and Jack Canfield, she reveals five easy steps to being happy NOW that anyone can follow – no matter what kind of day (or life) they’re having! Ask her: What is the worst enemy of happiness that we all face? Why does she say that we have to slow down in order to speed up? How can we get rid of negativity when we’re surrounded by bad news every day? Contact Valerie Whetstone at (408) 752-5943 or vwhetstone@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Celebrate National Hot Dog Month
Hurry up and celebrate National Hot Dog month this July! Is a hot dog a sandwich? What’s the most popular topping for a frankfurter? And what are hot dogs really made from? Get your fill of hot dog and sausage facts, culture and history when you interview Hot Dog Top Dog Eric Mittenthal of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC). A wealth of information on anything and everything about this all-American food, the NHDSC has many resources for summer hot dog lovers including a full guide to regional hot dog styles, a list of the hot dogs found at Major League ballparks and tips on hot dog etiquette. Learn how your listeners’ can compete for the title of Hot Dog Ambassador! Contact Mittenthal at (202) 587-4238; (404) 808-8396 (cell) or emittenthal@meatinstitute.org
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