Perhaps at our next breakfast my friend, Nick the attorney (who has way more book smarts than me), can explain these random thoughts I keep having, because I sure as hell can’t figure them out… Why does the US keep making pennies and nickels? Did you know it costs 2.72 cents to make a penny? According to an April 2023 article in MONEY magazine it is even more expensive to make nickels. Would you believe…
Catherine Kamei and Scott Henry, founders of the Big Comedy Network and Executive Producers of ‘All American Sex-Offender’ on Amazon Prime, Join Mick & Mook on their 18 October podcast. Scott Henry, a 30-year comedy veteran has performed around the world. His distinguished career has included three network television development deals for sitcoms based on his comedy and numerous television and film credits. Scott can also be heard as the voice of major brands and as a narrator…
I thought it was me. As the years fly by, I catch myself being more critical of things…be it politics, media, sports, or just life in general. I assumed it was just me becoming a grumpy old guy…but wait… One morning while listening to CBS Sports Radio, I heard a ‘talking head’ state exactly what I’ve been thinking and doing for a few years. He couldn’t take the buffoonery and arrogant comments of sports analysts…
John Naber won 4 gold medals in the 76 Montreal Olympics and set six world records in his illustrious career. After his Olympic success, Naber went on to be a television announcer for over 30 different sports, a corporate speaker, and an author. He has volunteered his time to many charities and is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. As a published author, Naber has…
When they asked Steve Martin what it takes to break through in the entertainment business, he said it’s not about agents, contacts, or luck…it’s about, as he put it, “being SO good at what you do, that they can’t ignore you.” With that in mind, I give you the story of Stefani Germanotta. For years, this classically trained pianist and singer played in dumps, strip bars, and sleazy clubs. As a young kid…she idolized Judy…
With September upon us and the MLB regular season winding down, I thought I’d give MLB its due for the success of their new rules in 2023. Here’s a look at the four major rule changes that made a significant difference in today’s game. Larger Bases: While I didn’t see the need for wider bases, I was very much in favor of changing the thickness of the bags. I never understood why the bases were…
Stan Zimmerman is a TV Writer, Playwrite, and Director. From The Golden Girls to Roseanne to The Gilmore Girls to the Brady Bunch Movie, Stan has a lifetime of experiences and stories. Did you know Stan and his writing partner, Jim Berg, were once commissioned by Priscilla Presley to write a Broadway Play about Elvis? A student of the theatre, Stan has also written and directed a series of plays including the current run, The Diary…
Willie Nelson is now 90 years-old and still touring. He’s had the most remarkable life. For nearly 70 years in show business, Willie has written great songs and sung them well. He has entertained millions of people and has sold equally as many records. In addition, he’s been an activist and an outspoken figure for Farm Aid and numerous other charities. You would think with his tour schedule, which could have hundreds of…
MLB Umpire ‘Cowboy’ Joe West joins Billy and Frank on 6 September for the third anniversary show of their podcast, A Mick A Mook and A Mic. Joe West, the retired, iconic umpire of Major League Baseball who, in his 43 years of service, set the all-time MLB record with 5,460 games in blue, has become a regular visitor to the show. Joe will provide his unique county humor and vast baseball knowledge to this…
August 9, 2023 It was August 1978. Forty-five years ago. Yikes! The first professional athlete that I was fortunate to interview was Red Sox second baseman Jerry Remy. We talked while leaning against the infield tarp located down the right field line at Fenway Park. I remember it like it was yesterday. Prior to the interview, I was thrilled to meet multiple players during batting practice…and for simply being on the field itself. Hell, I…
Armen Keteyian is an 11-time Emmy Award winner. He has a decorated print and broadcast career spanning over 40 years. Armen will be joining Billy and Frank on the August 23rd episode of A Mick A Mook and A Mic to discuss his new, explosive book, “GAMBLER: Secrets from a Life at Risk”, which he co-authored with Billy Walters. The book is the amazing story of Billy Walters who, per ESPN, “is the greatest and…
Steve was a lonely kid. He was ridiculed, bullied, and mocked, mostly because he was Jewish. He had few close friends, but he found relief from the sadness when he became obsessed with the movies. It helped him escape the pain of his parents’ divorce – and the wonder of making films was an escape to him, as it was for many lonely, hurting kids. And so, Steve made little movies using a Bell and…
Peter Onorati is an extremely talented performer whose 40-year acting career includes titles like: Goodfellas, This Is Us, Civil Wars, S.W.A.T., Big Bang Theory, and Cop Rock. Peter was born and raised in Boonton, New Jersey. He attended Lycoming College where he received his B.A. degree in Business Administration. He later received an MBA at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Peter was also an excellent athlete, who was recognized as an NCAA All-Conference football wide receiver. He’s still a fitness…
Beginning next weekend and for the following three weekends, I will be one of the lead voices with recollections, stories, and interviews in a fascinating series about, easily, the most fascinating man who ever strode a basketball court. It’s called “Goliath”, and I am heavily featured in the 3-part documentary that tells the story of the most compelling athlete in basketball history…and yes, that includes Michael Jordan. What makes this series so groundbreaking, and I…
Joey Banks, the son of the legendary Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame icon, Ernie Banks, will join Billy and Frank on the July 12th episode of A Mick A Mook and A Mic. On this fascinating episode, Joey talks about the pressures, benefits, and drawbacks of growing up in the spotlight of his iconic father He speaks fondly of playing catch at Wrigley Field with Hall of Famers Billy Williams and Ron Santo. Joey also…
I’ve written a little in the past about my historic hometown of Fairhaven, Massachusetts. Located on Massachusetts’ south coast on picturesque Buzzards Bay, it’s about halfway between Providence, Rhode Island and Cape Cod. It was the site of the first naval battle in the Revolutionary War, which was fought off the beachfront of Fort Phoenix – the guardian of the Fairhaven-New Beford Harbor and the largest fishing fleet in America at the time – and…
When Thomas Wolfe wrote You Can’t Go Home Again in 1940, the classic novel proposed that nostalgia causes one to view the past in an overly positive light. Going home is never as good as one remembers. The Writers Guild strike in Los Angeles inadvertently gave me the opportunity to test Wolfe’s theory. l flew in from California to attend a loosely organized reunion of my childhood friends. We grew up playing baseball on the sandlots and…
Actor and singer, India de Beaufort, will be the guest of Frank and Billy on the June 28th podcast of A Mick A Mook and A Mic. India currently stars as assistant district attorney, Olivia Moore, in the NBC revived hit series, Night Court. She has acted in many films and television shows, including NCIS, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Veep, Modern Family and One Day At A Time. In 2020, India released her single titled “Crack”. Born Southwest of London in Kingston…
William (Billy) Moses has delighted audiences since he broke into television on the TV series Falcon Crest, as a 21-year-old Cole Gioberti. Billy starred in Falcon Crest for six seasons. Moses then delighted audiences in Mystic Pizza (opposite Julia Roberts), Perry Mason, How to Get Away with Murder (opposite Viola Davis), and so many more, including a just recently completed turn on General Hospital. A terrific storyteller, Billy weaves tales about his 40 plus year career and…
It happened nearly 58 years ago. One of the most significant meetings between the greatest forces in pop music history – meeting for one historic night . The date was August 27th, 1965, and the Beatles were on “fumes”. That is, they were dead tired, exhausted really. They had been touring almost non-stop, done hundreds of interviews, filmed two full length movies, and were asked to turn out three new albums a year. It was…
Step aside soccer, there’s a new king in town. And, no, I don’t mean King Charles III. For years, soccer players were considered the biggest floppers in sports…and rightfully so. It was one of the few reasons why I, along with many other Americans, couldn’t embrace the sport. Players flopping all over the soccer field, known as the ‘pitch,’ were difficult to watch. And this comes from one of Portuguese decent – with all my…
Jimmy Fallon’s late-night audience is now about 2 million. When he began his show, it was an audience of 11 million. But he’s not alone. All late-night talk show’s audiences are down considerably and there are many reasons. Too many shows, too many clips of its best moments can be seen online….streaming…and frankly, boredom. Look, I’m a political person and I loved great political humor when it was beginning. But every night, every SINGLE night…
Mick and Mook go out on a limb when they put together jovial MLB Umpiring Legend Joe West and his record setting 5,460 games over 43 seasons with LA’s Sportswriter of the Year, and often acerbic and always controversial, T.J Simers. Will it be a combustible combination or will the two get along seamlessly like Bert and Ernie of Sesame Street fame? You won’t want to miss this podcast folks. It airs on the May…
Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist John Filo, whose picture of 14-year-old runaway Mary Ann Vecchio screaming while kneeling over the dead body of 20-year-old Jeffrey Miller on the Kent State campus, will join Billy and Frank on the May 17episode of A Mick A Mook and A Mic. The iconic photo horrified the world and turned the tide of the Vietnam War. Now, on the 53rd anniversary of that historic day in Ohio, John will recount in detail to Billy and…
Rider Strong, best known for starring as Shawn Hunter on the ABC sitcom Boy Meets World, which he reprised in its sequel series Girl Meets World, will be joining Billy and Frank on the May 3rd episode of A Mick A Mook and A Mic. In addition to his acting talents, Rider is also a producer, director, and screenwriter. He also hosts with his Boy Meets World co-stars, Will Friedle and Danille Fishel, on the…