Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Jacob Elyachar

It is an honor and privilege to welcome author and illustrator Rick Stasi to The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast. 

Rick and I first met at the first Planet Comicon Kansas City in 1999 at the defunct Overland Park International Trade Center, and every time I attend the convention, his booth is one of my first stops. He has credits with DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Charlton Comics, and NOW Comics (The Twilight Zone). Rick also worked on projects for Disney, Warner Bros. (Looney Toons and Tiny Toons), and Lucasfilm (Star Wars).  Not only is Rick a prolific creator, but he is also a dedicated educator. For over 20 years, he has been sharing his knowledge and passion for comics, sequential art, and storyboarding as an instructor with the Shawnee Mission School District, the Westport School of Art, and the Kansas City Art Institute.

Currently, he provides individual instruction and career counseling, demonstrating his commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists. In addition, Rick has excelled in the corporate world, serving as a creative director, graphic designer, and marketer.  Outside of the comic world, Rick has explored various creative avenues. He authored Funny You Should Ask: Musings and Verse for Better Or…Poetry, Essays, and Lyrics, a collection that showcases his diverse writing skills. He also released an audio collection: Talking to Myself (To You!), a 60-plus track double album that demonstrates his versatility as a performer. Rick has taken his spoken word selections to live events and even to the airwaves of KKFI 90.FM Kansas City Community Radio.  His talents extend to voice acting, with his most notable role being the narrator for Wounded Warriors, a B2B veterans film focusing on mental health. 

On this episode of The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Rick Stasi spoke about working at DC Comics, Warner Bros, and Disney. He also previewed his final book, Letters From the Exodus: The Definitive Anthology of Poetry, Musings, Songs and Scripts. 

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It is a privilege to welcome actress, singer-songwriter, and model Nina Bergman to The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast. 

Born in Denmark, Nina is the granddaughter of Russia’s most outstanding actor, Pavel Kadochnikov. She spent her early childhood traveling around Europe with her Russian Gypsy grandparents. At 14, she received a scholarship to the musical theatre Urdang Academy in London. A year later, Nina was in Moscow attending the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre. From there, she moved to New York City and was accepted at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. At that time, Nina got her first agent and began booking various jobs in commercials, films, modeling, and plays. She also started singing in underground bands. 

Being an adrenaline junkie, she found herself making extra money as an amateur boxer, which later helped her book films, including Universal Pictures’ The Car and the DOOM movie franchise. Her other work includes the starring role of Marie in Hell Hath No Fury, a Jesse V Johnson movie, playing a French resistance fighter, and she played the lead role of GG, who was based on a 90s goth singer in the film Carpe Noctem, which Gene Blalock directed. 

Nina Bergman’s performance in Assassin X earned her Honorable Mention Award for Best Actress from the AOF International Film Festival for her role as the notorious Trinidad. She starred as Wonder Woman, directed by Jesse V Johnson, which stars Timothy V Murphy and Marina Sirtis. She also played a cold-hearted killer in The Wayshower with Peter Stormare and Eric Roberts and starred in Know New Art, a Newport Beach Film Festival project by the Freise Brothers and Biscuit Filmworks.  Nina also starred alongside David Arquette, Jesse Metcalfe, John Malkovich, and Vivica A. Fox.

She has also been featured in numerous skits on late-night shows, including The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. Nina also hosted various E! Entertainment and Fuse shows and was a Trophy Presenter at The Grammy Awards.  She also worked on soundtracks for Lionsgate Films, singing the theme songs for Catacombs, Repo the Genetic Opera, and Sharknado. She sang the end title song in Black Limousine and the voice on the soundtrack for All About Her. Additionally, she performed live for the World Series and the NCAA College Football Season. 

On this episode of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Nina Bergman discussed working on three late-night talk shows: The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. She also discussed her latest film, Cold Meat. 

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The Canada’s Got Talent (CGT) finale is tomorrow!  

Eight acts will compete for the $1 million prize. Singer Natalie Morris is one of the acts competing for the $1 million prize.

The Toronto Maple Leafs anthem singer blew the audience and the CGT judges (Howie Mandel, Trish Stratus, Kardinal Offishall, and Lilly Singh) away with her powerful cover of Brandi Carlilie’s “The Joke.”  Her performance received four yeses.  Natalie was one of 14 performers invited back to compete for a spot in the show’s first elimination round. She delivered a poignant cover of Beyonce’s “I Was Here” that resonated with the Canadian audience. Her performance was not just a success but a life-changing moment when the judges awarded her the Group Golden Buzzer. This Golden Buzzer secured her a spot in the million-dollar season finale and a generous $25,000, courtesy of CIBC. 

In this special CGT edition of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Natalie Morris discussed her journey through the Canadian talent competition and previews her finale performance. 

Canada’s Got Talent airs on CityTV. 

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It is a pleasure to welcome singer-songwriter Jeffrey James to The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast. 

Jeffrey is a Nashville-based musician known for his captivating style and unique sound.  He released several singles, including the UK Top 5 dance track "Breakout" with Dave Audé.  His music has been featured in popular TV shows and films such as All-American, Criminal Minds, iZombie, Jack Ryan, Marry Me, and Shameless.  

James has also contributed his songwriting talents to other artists, DJs, and films.   Jeffrey's talent extends beyond performing. As a composer, he has earned acclaim for his work on musicals such as "Chaining Zero" (awarded Best New Musical by Broadway World) and "A Song for What Could Be" (Rhinebeck Writer's Grant recipient). Collaborating with Justin Halpin as Halpin & James, they created the 10-minute musical Graduation Day. Since his debut in 2016, Jeffrey has garnered millions of streams across his repertoire and received praise from industry tastemakers like Billboard and 1883 Magazine. 

In this episode of The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Jeffrey James delved into the process of his music being incorporated into shows like All-American, iZombie, and Shameless. He also shared the inspiration behind several songs, including "With You" (his collaboration with AUGUSTKID), "Love You Need You" (his collaboration with Matstubs), and "Day by Day." 

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It is a pleasure to welcome actor Russ Russo to The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast. 

Russ stands as a luminary in New York City’s vibrant film and television landscape, having cultivated his craft at T Schreiber under the mentorship of the same guiding hand that shaped the talents of Edward Norton. His career is a testament to his versatility and dedication, marked by a rich tapestry of roles that span genres and narratives. From his riveting turn as John, a rebel hostage in NBC’s Revolution, to his portrayal of an enigmatic Eastern European director in Ryan Phillippe’s directorial debut, Catch Hell, Russ’s performances resonate with depth and authenticity. 

 In the acclaimed 2015 film Act of War by Revolver Entertainment, Russ Russo brought to life the harrowing journey of an Iraq war veteran grappling in the aftermath of PTSD, which earned widespread acclaim and the coveted Best Actor award at New York City’s Take Two Film Festival. His talent shines brightly alongside an ensemble cast of Book of Love, a film that opened the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in 2016. With each role, Russ delves deep into the psyche of his characters, infusing them with nuance and humanity. In 2022, Russ starred in the short film Victim No. 6, which garnered him numerous Best Actor nominations from esteemed film festivals worldwide. 

In this episode of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, he discussed working with Mark Pellegrino on NBC’s Revolution and appearing in Catch Hell. He also discussed portraying Eddi Sebastian, a video editor who discovers he has the power to re-edit the last 24 hours of his life, in Prime Video’s Chaser. 

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It is a privilege to welcome Todd Tucker to The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast. 

Todd Tucker, a former rocker in the 1980s, has since established himself as a leading special effects and make-up artist. His impressive portfolio includes contributions to popular TV shows such as The Flash (1990), Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, Any Day Now, Charmed, Phil of the Future, That’s So Raven, and Hannah Montana. He has also left his mark on the big screen with his work in films like Hook, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Big Momma’s House, Ali, A Beautiful Mind, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and the first two live-action Smurfs films. 

Recently, Todd Tucker released ROCKBOTTOM. The film is a rollicking family comedy that chronicles the hilarious misadventures of a failed 1980s hair metal band as they attempt to reunite in the present day for one final electrifying performance. Joining Todd in the cast are Mckaley Miller (The CW’s Hart of Dixie and FOX’s Scream Queens), Toshi Yanagi (Jimmy Kimmel Live), social media sensation Teala Dunn, Jake Bongiovi (in his film debut), and Tom Everett Scott (That Thing You Do!). 

In this episode of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Todd Tucker delves into his fascinating journey from rock music to special effects, shares anecdotes from his work on iconic films and TV shows of the 1990s and 2000s, and provides insights into his latest film, ROCKBOTTOM. 

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