Creativity in Captivity Sweetwood Creative

A creative comic genius known for concocting a cast of fictional characters all of whom he played live on air while also serving as the host of his national talk radio program. Hendrie actually started out as a disc jockey at WBJW 1440 AM in Winter Park, FL, a suburb of Orlando. After 15 years working as a disc jockey at stations across the country, he realized he hated what he was doing. Moving to Los Angeles, Hendrie debuted in talk radio as a weekend host at KFI-AM 640. In 1990 at KVEN-AM in Ventura, CA, Hendrie introduced his first fictional character on air — an Iraqi, Raj Fahneen. The Gulf War was happening and Fahneen vociferously defended Saddam Hussein. Thinking he was a real person, listeners went ballistic and the phones lit up. An entire cast of characters would evolve from that moment on, marking Hendrie’s place in radio history. Hendrie’s popularity resulted in the radio show going national in 1999. By 2006, he was ready to explore the next chapter of his career — acting in front of the camera. He departed from radio and quickly added to his resume which already included Trey Parker’s and Matt Stone’s motion picture, Team America: World Police, as well as television roles on Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Richard Appel’s A.U.S.A., and Judd Apatow’s North Hollywood. He also starred in Steve Levitan’s Phil Hendrie and wrote, executive produced and starred in Phil at the Gate. For the last 10 years, Hendrie has regularly played characters on FOX’s popular animated series King of the Hill and Futurama. Other recent television work includes roles on Giants of Radio, The Replacements, Three Strikes, Mike Birbiglia’s Secret Public Journal, David Mamet’s The Unit, and NBC’s Teachers. He also played Nets Coach in the motion picture, Semi-Pro. Hendrie continues to act today and is currently working on the motion picture, Last Call.

A color-forward visual artist, comic storyteller and the author of the new book Kinda Funny: Stories by a Full-time Comedian (with Four Part-time Jobs.)  JJ takes her stories from the comedic stage to the comedic page in a comedy-club-meets-therapy-session collection of essays. From aging parents, awkward first dates, and avoiding the dentist to traversing the difficulties of eating disorders, wrestling with faith and depression, and yet still stumbling into love after looking for thirty-five years in very odd places. JJ uses her experiences to reveal her understandings of humor, faith, mental health, and what it means to finally “grow up,” if that’s even something we ever actually do.  Her book offers stories that are kinda funny, kinda deep, kinda awkward, and even kinda spiritual, giving readers a place to go, offering comfort, sanity, and little to no answers about how to live a better life, but certainly a place to feel a little less alone and a little more entertained. KINDA FUNNY reveals the freedom a quippy sense of humor can unleash in all of us by bringing levity to those gritty moments.

One of America’s most iconic photographers, widely recognized for his fine art, editorial and commercial work. Stephen’s pictorial stories of Mainland China, California’s Highway One, Ellis Island, the ravages of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy and an impressionistic study of Burned Objects set the tone for a series of career-defining projects that catapulted him to the top of the photographic landscape. Stephen’s work has been featured on NPR and CBS Sunday Morning as well as being on the covers of New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Time, Fortune, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, and many others. Day to Night, Wilkes’ most defining project, began in 2009. These epic cityscapes and landscapes, portrayed from a fixed camera angle for up to 30 hours, capture fleeting moments of humanity as light passes in front of his lens over the course of a full day. Blending these images into a single photograph takes months to complete. His photographs are included in the collections of the George Eastman Museum, James A. Michener Art Museum, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Dow Jones Collection, Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation, Jewish Museum of NY, Library of Congress, Snite Museum of Art, The Historic New Orleans Collection, Museum of the City of New York, 9/11 Memorial Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, Art in Embassies, U.S. Department of State and numerous private collections. 

It’s National Poetry Month and we are joined by the Nebraska State Poet, Matt Mason who has run poetry workshops in Botswana, Romania, Nepal, and Belarus for the U.S. State Department. Matt’s poetry has appeared in The New York Times and he is a recipient of a Pushcart Prize as well as fellowships from the Academy of American Poets and the Nebraska Arts Council. His work can be found in Rattle, Poet Lore, Prairie Schooner, and in hundreds of other publications. Matt serves as our poetry tour guide through a pantheon of poets as we showcase work from Scott Woods, Aliyah American Horse, Denise Duhamel, Deb Carpenter-Nolting, Sean Patrick Mulroy, Nicholle Laffer & Mighty Mike McGee.

The Nebraska State Poet, Matt Mason, serves as our sherpa guide through a pantheon of poets: Scott Woods, Aliyah American Horse, Denise Duhamel, Deb Carpenter-Nolting, Sean Patrick Mulroy, Nicholle Laffer & Mighty Mike McGee.

Sarah & Shannon are no strangers to the music industry. Together they span decades of hard work, songwriting, touring, and perseverance. Shannon LaBrie’s undeniable voice and musicianship have been described as “nothing short of breathtaking” by American Songwriter and NPR added her heroic anthem Firewalker to their Top 20 of 2020. Sarah Holbrook and her three sisters make up the genre-twisting spellbinding band SHEL with whom she wrote and performed for over 15 years. As a violinist and multi-instrumentalist she has earned her way onto stages with Amos Lee, Michelle Branch, Emmy Lou Harris and more. As a duo they span genres, coasting in and out of LaBrie’s soulfulness and Holbrook’s folk roots and unveiling a whole new phenomenon in the blend of their distinctive vocal tonalities and the arsenals of instruments they play. The “Folk Soul” duo is set to release their debut record in early 2025 and are headed out on tour with Maia Sharp and Bonnie Raitt in May of 2024. To keep up to date with their upcoming tours and releases follow them on Spotify and Instagram. 

Charlie Frye began life as a clown, performing alongside his father and grandfather. He then joined the circus and kidnapped a ballerina – his future wife, Sherry. Together they created a distinctive, original act that’s undeniably fresh, yet designed to feel classic, blending skill and physical comedy. As one of the world's most successful variety acts, they've appeared on television in over twenty countries, including numerous appearances on Le Grand Cabaret du Monde and starring in The World's Top Shows. They've also opened for Liza Minnelli and traveled extensively with The Illusionists, playing the famed Sydney Opera House and The Palace on Broadway. Voted “Specialty Act of the Year” in Las Vegas for their star turn in the Folies Bergere. Charlie Frye & Co are also the recipients of the coveted Ken Dodd Comedy Award in England, the Award of Excellence from the International Jugglers' Association, a Performing Fellowship from The Magic Castle in Hollywood, and an Honorary Professional Membership from The Magic Circle in London.