8 O'Clock Buzz Brian Standing, Haywood Simmons & Michelle Naff, Jan Miyasaki, Tony Castaneda, & Jonathan Zarov

Karmel, who for many years relied on his girth for comedic material, recently shed enough weight to make his self-deprecating “fat jokes” (as he calls them) irrelevant, forcing him to develop new material without the aid of his long-time comedic crutch. He and his sister have co-written a memoir about their lives, “T-Shirt Swim Club“, about their lives, which they hope can speak to kids who may be experiencing some of what they did as teens.

Karmel also hosts the weekly podcast All Fantasy Everything, where comedians and experts come together to fantasy draft anything and everything pop culture-nothing is off limits.

Photo courtesy of Comedy on State.

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National Nurses Week, May 6-10, 2024, honors those who are the guardians of our care in clinics, hospitals, and the community. Victoria Gutierrez, a local nurse and labor activist, talks with Thursday 8 O’Clock Buzz host Tony Castañeda about the role of nurses as listeners, explainers and advocates, as well as their ongoing struggle to organize and the long-lasting detrimental effects of Act 10, which decimated their union.

In recognition of National Nurses Week 2024, Meriter Nurses along with SEIU, the union representing healthcare workers, are hosting a community-wide blood drive on Friday, May 10, 2024 from 9am – 1pm at the Labor Temple at 1602 S. Park St. Walk-ins are welcome!

Photo courtesy of Geralt on Pixabay.

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In his recent article “Wisconsin Right-Wing Litigation Center Grooms School Board Members“, David Armiak, Research Director for the Center for Media and Democracy, talks about a recent “school board summit” for Wisconsin school board members and candidates with a program by right-wing Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) — a ALEC-like group to model policies and groom grass-roots school board organizers in how to ban books, limit the rights of LGBT+ students, control what is taught in classrooms, and more.

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In investigating a proposed merger between Exxon Mobil and oil producer Pioneer Natural Resources, the FTC’s review of thousands of communications between Pioneer and OPEC, negotiating price fixing between the two groups. Tyson Slocum, Director at the Energy Program at Public Citizen, discusses the FTC’s report and the Friends of the Earth report “FTC’s Price Gouging Allegations Against War Profiteer a Wake-up Call to End Merger Mania“, and demands investigations into all American oil companies for these nefarious and anti-American activities.

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International Blowing Bubbles Day happens on May 6 and the Monday Buzz wants to make sure you know where to celebrate. Bubble artist Michelle Hackett called in to WORT studios to tell Monday Buzz host Brian Standing about her work and art.  Michelle will demonstrate her bubble making creations at the Madison Circus Space, 2082 Winnebago Avenue, on Saturday, May 6.

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In recent weeks University of Wisconsin students have set up tents in the library mall to protest Israel’s occupation of Gaza Strip and its ongoing war there.

On May first, members of the UW Police, State Police and Dane County Sheriff’s office arrived in riot gear at the request of UW administrators to forcibly remove the student encampment.  Police arrested both students and professors, used chokeholds and held participants on the ground.  Since Wednesday, protestors have rebuilt the encampment, and have continued to negotiate with the UW administration about their demands, which include University divestment from funds associated with Israel.

For a broad, historical perspective on these events Monday Buzz host Brian Standing turned to Connie Flanagan, the University of Wisconsin Human Ecology Vaughan Bascom Professor Emerita, who has studied youth and politics.

Photo courtesy of Prof. Connie Flanagan

Web posting by Nicholas Wootton

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