KUCI: Get the Funk Out

Triple-amputee Linda Olson, M.D. FACR talks about her book, GONE: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back My Life. Perfect for those looking for inspi...

At age twenty-nine, Linda Olson, M.D. FACR was vacationing with her husband in Germany when their van was hit by a train, shattering their lives as well as her body. “I didn’t marry your arms or your legs. If you can do it, I can do it,” was the first thing her husband said to her in the hospital after she woke up as a triple amputee in 1979.
In her courageous new release GONE: A Memoir of Love, Body, and Taking Back My Life (on sale October 27, She Writes Press), Olson shares the inspiring true story about how she learned to walk with prostheses, change diapers and insert IVs with one hand. Despite challenges, Olson pursued an illustrious thirty-year career as an award-winning Professor of Radiology at UCSD and raised two children to canoe, backpack, kayak and travel in remote places. One of Parade magazine’s best memoirs of 2020, GONE is part medical-survivor memoir, part marriage guide and parenting confessional, and part travel blog, asking readers to find not only courage but also laughter in the unexpected adversities we all face. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2015, Olson is now a motivational speaker committed to empowering patients and families to live life as full as possible via her “Get Out and Go” message. Would you be interested in having Linda Olson on the show this October? Some suggested talking points/questions below my signature!
“Olson’s riveting narrative is about love and devotion as much as it is about attitude and tenacity… Inspirational, gripping, and a testament to positive thinking.” ―Kirkus Reviews
"Certain to provide a new perspective to the obstacles faced in one’s own life, Gone is a consistently engaging account of one woman’s efforts to achieve the impossible. A worthy addition to anyone’s list of amazing memoirs. I can recommend it highly for anyone who needs a lesson in the power of positive thinking.” ―Readers Lane

SCOUT DURWOOD Comedy Electronica

As much as this is a story about a comedian, singer, and actress, it really starts with a kid who wore a tiara to school every day…
That kid grew up to be Scout Durwood. Many years before she made audiences laugh starring on MTV’s Mary + Jane and Oxygen’s Funny Girls, she knew that being different was her greatest strength. That free spirit continues to shine in her newest EP Comedy Electronica Vol. 1, set for release later this summer via Blue Élan Records. The EP will be preceded by a series of companion music videos premiering on YouTube beginning June 26th with Steal UR Girlfriend.
After meeting and collaborating with Dave Darling (Def Leppard, Queen Latifah, Tom Waits, Brian Setzer) on her debut album, Take One Thing Off, the duo rejoined in the studio last summer to record the follow-up, Comedy Electronica. “I knew I wanted to lean more into pop sensibilities with this album so Dave and I imposed a hard rule of ‘no real instruments,’ explained Scout. “We only broke that rule for a theremin and I think there’s a little bit of guitar mixed in somewhere.”
First single, “Steal UR Girlfriend,” is a hilarious but all too accurate portrait of life as a lesbian. “I've always been interested in gender roles and how we alter our behavior to mimic ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ roles, so of my three ‘bros’ in the video, one is a gay cis man and the other is non-binary. I love drag in all directions. Whenever I put makeup on, I consider it getting into drag even if it's intended to make me look more like a girl. We shot the video in a day in a warehouse in Inglewood. Keva Walker did the choreography and was incredible to work with on set.”
“Growing up, I was painfully weird, but blissfully unaware of it,” she smiles. “I was everybody’s lovable little weirdo. After college, I moved to New York. I knew I wanted to be in show business, and in my mind, the way to make it was to be the most original, most creative, and most outside-the-box.”
She went way outside-the-box, spending nearly five years as a draw in New York’s burlesque scene: named as one of the Huffington Post’s “20 Burlesque Stars to Know,” to boot. With this unforgettable experience under her belt, she traded the Big Apple for Los Angeles in 2012. After multiple starring roles, her thirty-minute comedy special was released in 2018 on the Epix series, Unprotected Sets.
Also in 2018, her musical debut Take One Thing Off accompanied a twenty-two episode digital series of the same name. The digital series was included as part of the 2020 Slamdance lineup as well as nominated for Best Indie Series at the 2019 YouTube Streamy Awards -- an annual awards ceremony which recognizes and honors excellence in online video, including directing, acting, producing, and writing. Scout is also an accomplished cabaret singer and nationally touring stand-up comedian. She currently has a scripted half-hour comedy series in development with Sony / Freeform Entertainment, and hosts a monthly live variety show, Everybody GoGo, in Los Angeles.
“I think I’m still that girl in a tiara who doesn’t know she’s weird. That’s become the heart of my comedy. I’m happy to be different, and I hope other people feel the same way. It’s about letting your freak flag fly, and if that isn’t reason enough to dance, I honestly don’t know what is.”

Janeane speaks with Zachary Faerber, a Distal Extremities Consultant with SportsTek Medical/Arthrex, about loss, resilience, and finding your passions...

My name is Zachary Faerber, I am 26 years old but have lived a long life in those 26 years. I spent my younger years taking care of my sick parents and helping out with my brother and sister. I graduated with honors and distinctions in Medical Anthropology with the life goal of helping others. I started my career managing stem cell donations for blood cancer patients at the same hospital my father passed away at. I now work as an Orthopedic Device Consultant, helping surgeons through difficult surgical procedures. I also have a fitness and lifestyle coaching business in the hopes to maximize the amount of people I can help. I have always been drawn to doing and being MORE for the people around me, my hope is my story can inspire the same for anyone listening.
It is worth mentioning that during this incredibly unconventional time, life is spinning out of control for so many people. I loved being able to come onto this podcast and share how I choose to keep myself sane during the COVID pandemic. The key is keeping to a routine and shifting your mindset. Realize all the things you can be grateful for and go out every day in an attempt to make the world a better place.
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or if you feel there is anything I can do to help! My instagram is @zach_faerber and my email is zacharyfaerber@gmail.com.

Singer-songwriter Car Astor joins host Janeane on KUCI 88.9fm

ABOUT CAR ASTOR
Drummers turned exceptional singers are a small fraternity. Dave Grohl, Iggy Pop and Karen Carpenter are some percussionists, who found their true calling as vocalists. The beguiling Car Astor is on her way to joining that exclusive club.
The striking Long Island native grew up behind a kit. “Since I was 13 I was a drummer,” she says. “I never thought I would become a singer. I always assumed someone else would be singing but I had to do it.”
But necessity is indeed the mother of invention. “I was writing all of the music in a band and the singers weren’t all that great,” she says. “I couldn’t find anyone else. I was frustrated and I gave it a shot.”
Wise move. It’s evident that Car Astor found her calling while listening to the anthemic and atmospheric “Green Line Killer.” Car Astor’s voice soars over the dense pop gem. Car Astor possesses a mix of subtlety and power. The charismatic entertainer knows when to pull back but is also capable of delivering that sonic punch to the gut during “Green Line Killer.”
“When I wrote the lyrics for that song it was about the experience of falling in love,” Car Astor says. “I wanted to capture that elusive feeling.”
Each of the five tracks from her EP “Ties,” which dropped in 2016, are filed under love songs. “I don’t usually talk about my feelings but I write songs about love,” Car Astor says. “I like writing that type of song. I try to get personal. Every lyric has a purpose.”
Car Astor came of age listening to such ace wordsmiths as Neil Young, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, and Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks. “I love the way each of those artists writes a story,” Car Astor says. “I love the imagery. I love music. I was obsessed with No Doubt, Paramore and Avril Lavigne when I was a kid.”

Margaret M. Spirito and Lisa Ann Walter speak with Janeane Bernstein about their film,

Jersey” Short Film to Compete at 16th Annual
LA Femme International Film Festival
Short to serve as proof of concept for potential series
LOS ANGELES – October 7h , 2020 -- The comedic short “Jersey”, written by Margaret M. Spirito and directed by and starring Lisa Ann Walter will screen at the 16th Annual LA Femme International Film Festival on Saturday, October 17th, 6PM on the CYA.Live platform. A Q&A with Spirito, Walter and co-star, Valerie Tosi, will follow.
The film centers around best friends Maria (Valerie Tosi) and Lorelei (Mayan Lopez) who escaped the drama of their New Jersey families by moving to sunny Los Angeles. The drama finds them, however, when Maria's crass mother, Tess (Walter), and spoiled older brother, Nick (Vinny Fasline), celebrate Easter with Maria and Lorelei on the west coast. Maria finds it hard to bite her tongue at Tess's ignorance, while Lorelei attempts to play buffer between mother and daughter. After a dinner full of baby boomer judgement and millennial clapbacks, things take an exciting turn when Tess accidentally mistakes the girls' chocolate edibles for Easter dessert, turning what Maria was hoping to be a chill California holiday into a Jersey shit storm. Once the storm settles, Maria and Tess find themselves able to confront the obvious tension that exists between them, proving the age old theory almost all women can relate to: there’s family you love, family you hate…..and then there’s your mother.
Writer/producer Spirito is a singer, actress, writer and producer originally from New Jersey. Her big, belty voice brought her all over the world, performing in shows such as the National Tour of “Jesus Christ Superstar” and international productions pf “Shout”, “And the World Goes Round” and “Smokey Joe’s Café”. In Los Angeles, she spent years performing with the critically acclaimed FOR THE RECORD series in several of their productions, in addition to producing/writing/performing her own shows, “The Sounds of Dirty Jersey” and “Amy Winehouse, One Year Later”. In addition to her work on stage, Margaret is an accomplished writer, her love being half-hour television comedy.
Actress/director Walter is an accomplished stand up comedian and actress, most recognized for her work in the “The Parent Trap”, “Bruce Almighty”, and “Shall We Dance.” She also created the network shows “Life’s Work and Dance Your Ass Off”. In addition to her work as an actress and Executive Producer, Walter is a successful author and a favorite among radio listeners for her hit radio show “The Fabulous Lisa Ann Walter Show” that was on air from 2011-2014.
The LA Femme International Film Festival is now in its 16th year as one of Los Angeles’ premiere film festivals dedicated to celebrating and promoting female artists both in front of and behind the camera. In addition to bestowing awards in multiple categories, from short subjects to documentaries to commercials, LA Femme is proud to present this year’s Lupe Ontiveros Image Award to a performer who embodies the spirit, audacity and dedication to art that its namesake represented. This year’s Ontiveros honoree will be actress/producer Shari Belafonte.

Ally Kornfeld and Desiree Staples talk about their film, “The Influencers”

Ally Kornfeld and Desiree Staples, “The Influencers” is custom made for the weaned-on-social-media generation of online viewers today. On a quest to become a high-powered Hollywood agent, Mia, an ambitious and naive young woman, ends up at a tiny talent agency managing crazy YouTube stars both human and feline. Thus far, the short-form pilot has won multiple awards including “Best Ensemble Cast” (Santa Monica Webfest), “Best Pilot,” (Seoul Webfest) and the “HRIFF People’s Choice Award for Best Short Film: Comedy” (Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival).

“The New Abolitionists” Documentary to Compete for Top Prize at the 16th Annual LA Femme International Film Festival - Actress/Producer Christina Zori...

LOS ANGELES – October 8, 2020 -- “The New Abolitionists,” a documentary by actress/producer Christina Zorich, tracks her journey as she follows committed abolitionists throughout Southeast Asia as they attempt to affect change and put an end to human sex trafficking. The film will screen on Sunday, October 18th, at 2PM at the (virtual) LA Femme International Film Festival, with a Q and A to follow.
In the course of the film, Zorich tracks the trajectories of the Christian ministries and NGO’s (non-government organizations) who save children and teens entrapped and enslaved in the sex trade throughout Cambodia and Thailand. They educated her on the causes and conditions that led to the blossoming of this criminal industry, the government’s complicity, and the structure they used to solve the problem: Rescue, Rehabilitation, Prosecution and Prevention. Heartbreaking stories ensue of young people of both sexes, many betrayed by close family members who sell them off to traffickers for financial gain.

Author Oliver Jeffers talks about his new children’s book, WHAT WE’LL BUILD

WHAT WE’LL BUILD is the exquisite new title from Oliver Jeffers, world-renowned picture-book maker of many beloved children’s books including Here We Are and Lost and Found, and illustrator of the #1 bestsellers The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home. Written and illustrated by Oliver for his young daughter, WHAT WE’LL BUILD is an enchanting story of a father and a daughter who set about laying the foundations for their life together, building memories to cherish, a home to keep them safe and love to keep them warm. WHAT WE’LL BUILD is set to be another publishing masterpiece that not only showcases Oliver’s inimitable style and spectacular illustrations but also his hopes and ambitions for his own family that will, no doubt, resonate with parents everywhere.

Indie Thriller NIGHT RAIN Premieres at 16th LA Femme International Film Festival - Janeane speaks with Jeanne Marie Spicuzza

“Night Rain,” the indie thriller from Jeanne Marie Spicuzza, Seasons & a Muse and the award-winning producers of “The Scarapist,” will make its festival debut at the 16th Annual LA Femme International Film Festival on Thursday, October 15th.
The story surrounds a group of independent filmmakers unwittingly hired by their stalker to make a low budget period movie about Elizabeth Short, better known as the Black Dahlia, who begin to see their lives dangerously intertwine with the events leading up to Short’s tragic murder. Spicuzza, who penned the screenplay, co-directs with her editor, Synthian Sharp (“How I Became an Elephant”). “Night Rain” marks the second feature from Spicuzza.

Coming up on KUCI 88.9fm - James Hibberd, Entertainment Weekly editor at large and author of FIRE CANNOT KILL A DRAGON: Game of Thrones and the Offici...

It’s easy to forget that Thrones was supposed to be impossible to make. Long before Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow became household names, George R.R. Martin was a frustrated TV writer who created his bestselling A Song of Ice and Fire novels to explore epic storytelling beyond the constraints of Hollywood. In 2008, HBO took an enormous gamble to produce his “unfilmable” saga and for the next 11 years, the Game of Thrones team faced one backstage obstacle after another while turning their series into an unprecedented global blockbuster, an Emmy Awards record-breaker (132 nominations and 47 wins in total) and a pop-culture obsession. Across its 8 seasons that aired in 207 countries and territories, GoT received perhaps more cumulative media coverage than any show ever made. Yet no one knows the inside story of GoT as well as Entertainment Weekly Editor-at-Large James Hibberd, a journalist who visited the top-secret show’s sets each season since 2012. In his debut book, FIRE CANNOT KILL A DRAGON: Game of Thrones and the Official Untold Story of the Epic Series, Hibberd chronicles the making of GoT from the producers' very first meeting with Martin to the staging of the controversial series finale and all the epic battles in between.
James Hibberd gives fans an inside look at every aspect of the ground-breaking series and the people who created it