October 9th is John Lennon’s birthday. It’s hard to “Imagine” what Lennon would be like as an 80-year-old. After all, he was only 40 when he was murdered by Mark David Chapman outside Lennon’s Manhattan apartment house 40 years ago. Whether Lennon would have been cranky or inspiring as a senior and what he might have to say about current events, we’ll never know. But there’s still plenty to talk about Lennon — namely his enduring legacy in what seems like a lifetime after his death. From baby boomers to millennials, Lennon and the Beatles remain a favorite. So why not devote a show on his birthday on Oct. 9? For proof of the Fab Four’s appeal, look no further than the Beatles’ “White Album,” which made it into the Billboard Top 10 – 50 years after its release. The Fab Four wrote this album while on retreat in Rishikesh, India, with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM). Susan Shumsky is that rare insider who spent 22 years in the ashrams and six years on the personal staff of Maharishi. Her tell-all memoir, Maharishi & Me: Seeking Enlightenment with the Beatles’ Guru, which has received 13 prestigious book awards, reveals hidden information about Maharishi’s influence on the Beatles. Susan Shumsky has 18 books in print and has proven to be an enthralling guest during more than 1,200 media appearances. Contact her at (917) 336-7184; SShumsky@rtirguests.com
Category: Pop Culture
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Ringling Elephants Get New Home
The elephants from Ringling Brothers’ now-defunct circus have finally found a suitable home in Florida, thanks to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter and his wife Kimbra. They will be relocated to the Walters’ 2500-acre conservation area. Chris DeRose is founder of the animal rights group Last Chance for Animals (LCA), the organization that led the charge that closed down Ringling Brothers’ animal acts. Invite him on your show to discuss the end of Ringling, what happened to the other animals in the circus, and what his group is focusing on now. Last Chance for Animals is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating animal exploitation through education, investigations, legislation, and media attention. Contact Kevin Mercuri at (212) 901-6914, ext. 701; (617) 593-1421 (cell) or kevin@propheta.com
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‘The Great Realization’— Easing Kids’ COVID Fears Worldwide
Millions of people around the globe have viewed Tomos Roberts’ touching video in which he reads his heartfelt poem “The Great Realization.” The hopeful tale for a post-COVID world became a viral sensation viewed tens of millions of times; covered by major media outlets from London’s Daily Mail to the Washington Post; and praised by celebrities including Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and Khloé Kardashian. Tomos, a poet/filmmaker based in London, wrote the poem to provide comfort to his younger brother and sister, both 7, amidst the pandemic, and in the video, he reads it to them as a bedtime story. Invite Tomos Roberts to discuss the worldwide reaction to “The Great Realization” (which continues to inspire thousands every day), his hopes for a post-COVID 19 world, and his belief that “hindsight is 2020.” “The Great Realization” is now a beautifully illustrated children’s book to help ease kids’ anxiety about coronavirus. Contact John Angelo at john@premieretv.com
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Does ‘Meeting the Beatles in India’ Tell the Whole Story?
With the release of the filmmaker Paul Saltzman’s new documentary, “Meeting The Beatles in India,” now is the time to meet Susan Shumsky, who spent 22 years in the ashrams and six years on the personal staff of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation (TM). This multi-award-winning author exposes the complete, uncensored, unapologetic, behind-the-scenes story of the Beatles in India. Susan’s fascinating version of events digs deeper to unearth much more than Saltzman’s film. Produced by David Lynch (founder of the TM-based David Lynch Foundation), the film paints TM as the hero. In contrast, Susan, a rare insider, spills stunning, behind-the-curtain secrets about what it was really like at the ashram, and how Maharishi influenced the Beatles and their song lyrics. She has participated in more than 1,200 interviews including for the Sunday Express of London, L.A. Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, GQ, Woman’s World, and Fox News with Alan Colmes. Susan has 18 books in print in English, 36 foreign editions, and has won 40 prestigious book awards. Reach her at (917) 992-5175; divinerev@aol.com
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What is Life Like as a Hollywood Stuntman?
Steve McChesney knows what it was like to put his life on the line for the sake of entertainment. As a Hollywood stuntman, actor, or extra he appeared in more than 350 TV shows and movies, Part of that time, Steve earned money by falling off of high places, being knocked off of walls, performing stunts in automobiles and doing other things designed to make the audience’s hearts race. To the delight of baby boomers and others who love classic TV and movies, he can talk about the work he did on “Star Trek 6,” the last movie with the show’s original cast, “Starsky and Hutch,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Wonder Woman” and more, and why professional stunt people are the safest people to hang around with. Now a marketing expert, Steve McChesney has been on CBS, ABC, NBC, and other large media outlets. His new book is “Rearranging Change: How You Market to an Ever-Changing World” and his podcast with the same name is available on all major channels. He is available as a last-minute guest. Contact Steve McChesney at (321) 414-2147; smcchesney@rtirguests.com