Alyssa Milano

Shows

Episodes

  1. Story Not Sorry 2: "Cat Person"

    FEB 3

    Story Not Sorry 2: "Cat Person"

    In the second of our "Story Not Sorry" episodes, writer Kate Tell shares something so many of us dread and must still experience: the hole in our lives left by the death of a pet. With compassion and wit and blazing honesty, Kate touches our hearts. Kate Tell is a writer and poet based in Hoboken, New Jersey. She's currently working on a chapbook of poems centered on grief, as well as her first novel.

    30 min
  2. NEW Seasonal Series - Story Not Sorry "My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord" - Ben Jackson

    JAN 13

    NEW Seasonal Series - Story Not Sorry "My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord" - Ben Jackson

    Friends, we took a little break, as you may have noticed. We used the downtime to put together something special: we asked writers to submit their very best writing on the theme "finding meaning in a time of strife." The submissions were overwhelming, and for the next twelve weeks or so, you'll get to hear some of the best of them. To introduce the series, Alyssa and Ben share one of Ben's own essays: "My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord." This essay won the Emerson College Graduate Writing Award in Nonfiction with High Distinction. It grapples with faith, history, evil, and, of course, music.

    49 min
  3. Amanda Zurawski and Molly Duane: Suing Texas Because Abortion Saves Lives

    05/08/2023

    Amanda Zurawski and Molly Duane: Suing Texas Because Abortion Saves Lives

    Since the right-wing activist judges on the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, pregnant people across the country have been put in great jeopardy. Our guests today are fighting back. Amanda Zurawski nearly lost her life when a Texas law prevented her from receiving an abortion after a medical emergency made her pregnancy nonviable. Molly Duane is an attorney helping Amanda and four other women sue the state of Texas in collaboration with the Center for Reproductive Rights.

    49 min
  4. Trans People Taking Office: Brianna Titone Leads the Way

    02/17/2020

    Trans People Taking Office: Brianna Titone Leads the Way

    In 2018, Brianna Titone became the first trans person elected to the Colorado General Assembly, winning a seat that had been held by a Republican in a Republican district. In this episode, she shares her personal history of service, the struggles of coming out as trans in the workplace, and the importance of staying true to yourself while winning on the issues.

    54 min
  5. Fighting Book Bans with PEN America's Nadine Farid Johnson and Author Ashley Hope Perez

    07/03/2023

    Fighting Book Bans with PEN America's Nadine Farid Johnson and Author Ashley Hope Perez

    It’s hard to believe we have to say this in 2023, but across the nation, right-wing forces are banding together at all levels of government to ban access to books in schools and libraries. Florida, in particular, has been a hotbed of these bans under the dubious leadership of Ron DeSantis. Our guests this week are suing to make sure literature remains accessible. Nadine Farid Johnson serves as the Managing Director of PEN America Washington and Free Expression Programs, and Ashley Hope Perez is an author and educator whose novel Out of Darkness has been one of the most challenged books in the country during this onslaught of anti-free-speech actions.

    51 min
  6. I Kick and Fly: Ruchira Gupta on Fighting Sex Trafficking

    06/26/2023

    I Kick and Fly: Ruchira Gupta on Fighting Sex Trafficking

    Fighting sex trafficking is a cause that we are passionate about at Sorry Not Sorry, and our guest this week has made it her life’s work. Ruchira Gupta is a former journalist and founder of Apne Aap, an NGO that works to end child sex trafficking. She’s the author of the acclaimed new novel I Kick and Fly which is based on her experiences. Praise for I Kick and Fly: "In I Kick and I Fly, Ruchira Gupta has given young readers an irresistible story, and also one that could save lives. This book is a gift." -- Gloria Steinem "Any work from Ruchira Gupta is sure to further the cause of liberating women, especially, and in this novel, girls. It takes a strong belief in us, and especially in our young ones, to persevere as she does in both art and politics. The absolute belief that if the heart is moved, so might be the positive activities for justice and freedom, of the mind." -- Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple "I Kick and I Fly is a powerhouse of a debut. Ruchira Gupta has crafted a page-turner of a read, stepped in place and full of indelible characters, managing to be at once propulsive and enlightening, infuriating and inspiring. But maybe most important, Heera’s story is a beacon of hope to a generation of young people trying to transform an unjust world." -- Gayle Forman, New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and We Are Inevitable "Having been to the brothels and red-light district I Kick and I Fly so searingly captures, I can testify that this book is essential reading for anyone interested in how to empower girls to break free from intergenerational prostitution and sex trafficking. Ruchira Gupta is nothing less than a great hero, and in her book, she has created one in Heera, as she seeks to defy the destiny of rape that poverty and men have assigned her." -- Ashley Judd "An empathetic and unflinching glimpse into a world little known to outsiders. We watch breathlessly, never sure until the very end how she will kick and punch her way past her circumstances to find her own path to freedom." -- Natalie C Anderson "This book is a call to action, it an invitation for the rest of us to rise from the pall of apathy and join the movement to fight and fight and keep fighting―until we retrieve the last girl from the ugly jaws of the very worst effects of the patriarchy." -- Staceyann Chin “Gupta renders Heera’s perseverance amid grueling circumstances via straightforward prose and imbues this searing tale with an ominous ambiance that complements its dark themes.” – Publisher’s Weekly "The depth of the story’s details and its themes of bodily autonomy, community, and women’s empowerment reflect Gupta’s experience as the founder of Apne Aap, an NGO working to end sex trafficking... atriumphant debut." - Kirkus Reviews

    44 min
  7. Bright Sunshine: Samuel Freedman on Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights

    07/10/2023

    Bright Sunshine: Samuel Freedman on Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights

    We live in dangerous times. Zealots on the extreme right are working to ban books which actively teach our history, particularly around civil rights and racial justice. That’s why it’s so important to remember and share our history on these issues. Our guest today is Samuel Freedman. Samuel is a journalist, author, and Pulitzer-prize finalist. His new book, Into the Bright Sunshine: Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights, is now available.

    46 min
  8. Neil Gross on Police Chiefs Walking the Walk on Police Reform

    05/15/2023

    Neil Gross on Police Chiefs Walking the Walk on Police Reform

    Over the past decade, bad policing has been a constant presence in the headlines, particularly in coverage of police violence against people of color. It makes us wonder if policing can be improved and changes in culture can be achieved. In his new book Walk the Walk, today’s guest Neil Gross examines three cities where he argues police chiefs were able to make significant improvements and culture changes in policing. In addition to being an author and former police officer, Neil is a professor of Sociology at Colby College.

    43 min
  9. Built for the Fire: Victor Luckerson on the Epic Story of Tulsa's Greenwood District, America's Black Wall Street

    05/22/2023

    Built for the Fire: Victor Luckerson on the Epic Story of Tulsa's Greenwood District, America's Black Wall Street

    Many of us know about the Tulsa Massacre. But fewer of us know about the long history of innovation and the struggle for equity that continues in Greenwood to this day. Author Victor Luckerson aims to change that. Viktor is a journalist and author based in Tulsa who works to bring neglected black history to light. He is a former staff writer at The Ringer and business reporter for Time magazine. His new book Built from the Fire: The Epic Story of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, America’ Black Wall Street, is now available.

    45 min
  10. Fighting Youth and Teen Suicide with Kendra Fisher

    03/30/2020

    Fighting Youth and Teen Suicide with Kendra Fisher

    We are facing an increasing crisis of teen and youth suicide in America, and it is especially hurting young girls. Today’s episode is a difficult one. Kendra Fisher—a former elite ice hockey player and mental health activist and advocate joins Alyssa Milano to dig into the roots of the problem and what we can do to turn it around. Years ago, when faced with the opportunity to realize her dream of goaltending for Team Canada, Kendra was diagnosed with a Severe Anxiety Disorder coupled with Severe Panic Attacks, Depression and Agoraphobia; forcing her to leave the National Program in order to seek help to learn how to live with what had become a crippling disease. She now dedicates her life to helping young people get help for their mental illnesses.

    1h 7m
  11. Organizer Michelle Eisen on Unionizing Starbucks

    05/29/2023

    Organizer Michelle Eisen on Unionizing Starbucks

    One of the interesting side effects of the post-Covid economy has been a surge in the power and influence employees hold. Wages in service industry jobs have risen dramatically as employers struggle to find workers. However, there have also been increasing stories of worker exploitation, leading to a surge in new unionization efforts. To discuss all of it, we’ve invited Michelle Eisen onto the show. Michelle is a Starbucks Barista and organizing member of Starbucks Workers United.

    33 min
  12. Empowering Women in the Workplace with Laura Casselman

    03/06/2023

    Empowering Women in the Workplace with Laura Casselman

    International Women’s Day is March 8th. To talk about the state of women in the workplace in 2023, I’ve invited Laura Casselman on the show. Laura is a former Radio City Rockette who beat the boys club to become CEO of JVZoo.com. Her book "Trust Your Increments" is now available to order.

    40 min
  13. Cisco Aguilar, Nevada Secretary of State

    01/23/2023

    Cisco Aguilar, Nevada Secretary of State

    Our guest this week is Cisco Aguilar. Cisco was elected as Nevada Secretary of State in 2022 and assumed office on January 2, 2023. As an attorney and small business owner, and with years of experience in the private and public sectors, Cisco brings a unique perspective and expertise into the Secretary of State’s Office.

    33 min
  14. #WomensHistoryMonth: Julie Suk on the Mothers of the Equal Rights Amendment

    03/27/2023

    #WomensHistoryMonth: Julie Suk on the Mothers of the Equal Rights Amendment

    As we wrap up Women's History Month, the Equal Rights Amendment is on the cusp of being adopted into the Constitution, if Congress gets its stuff together. It’s the product of more than a century of work of women and allies, and I’ve invited my friend Julie Suk, author of the new book “We the Women: The Unstoppable Mothers of the Equal Rights Amendment” on the podcast to talk about the history of this movement. - Alyssa Praise For We The Women: The Unstoppable Mothers Of The Equal Rights Amendment… “We talk as if only men make constitutions. Julie Suk changes this. She introduces us to the diverse cast of women constitution makers who supported, and opposed, the Equal Rights Amendment over the last century. Their quest showcases concerns missing in standard accounts of the Founding, and shows us how these concerns differed among women and over time. Essential reading for those interested in the future of gender justice.” —REVA SIEGEL, Nicholas deB. Katzenbach Professor, Yale Law School “Julie Suk’s We the Women is a fascinating and nuanced recounting of the history of the ERA. It brings to light the many women who made constitutional equality for women across generations, highlighting complexities not widely known; documents the unending opposition; and showcases the potential of the ERA’s meaning for the twenty-first century. It will soon be recognized as the go-to resource for the ERA’s long legislative history.” —LOUISE MELLING, Deputy Legal Director, American Civil Liberties Union “Meticulously researched and compulsively readable, We the Women draws important connections between the past and present, making clear how, despite long odds and many obstacles, generations of women have come together to debate and demand the conditions necessary for a more perfect union.” —MELISSA MURRAY, Frederick I. & Grace Stokes Professor of Law, NYU School of Law “In We the Women, Julie Suk shows us that the Equal Rights Amendment at its core was—and still is—about freedom and power. The mothers of the ERA laid the groundwork of the battle waging in this country today, and though this campaign can feel long and arduous, We the Women has left me more hopeful.” —FATIMA GOSS GRAVES, President and CEO, National Women’s Law Center

    49 min
  15. Parkland School Shooting Second Anniversary: Fred Guttenberg Honors His Kids by Fighting for Yours

    02/10/2020

    Parkland School Shooting Second Anniversary: Fred Guttenberg Honors His Kids by Fighting for Yours

    In February of 2018, one of our nation's greatest tragedies struck. In just over six minutes, a gunman armed with an AR-15 entered the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida, killed seventeen people and wounded seventeen more. Jaime Guttenberg was one of those killed. Since that day, her father Fred Guttenberg has been on a mission: to break the back of the gun lobby and reduce gun deaths in America. Along the way he's made national news by continually speaking truth to power. He's confronted Marco Rubio, Brett Kavanaugh, and the President* of the United States. He's changed the national conversation about gun violence, and he joins Alyssa Milano to talk gun violence prevention, finding community through tragedy, and his charity Orange Ribbons for Jaime.

    59 min
  16. Mike Lux on the Overlooked Voices of Factory Towns

    03/20/2023

    Mike Lux on the Overlooked Voices of Factory Towns

    The past decades have seen a steady erosion of Democratic support from what used to be core voters: blue collar workers in factory towns.  There are many reasons for this, and to explain what's happened and how to fix it, I've invited Mike Lux, founder of American Family Voices on to discuss.  Mike is a writer and thought leader, and as the co-founder of Democracy Partners, one of the most influential voices in progressive politics in the United States.

    38 min
  17. Award-winning Journalist and Russia Expert Owen Matthews on Putin's Overreach

    04/17/2023

    Award-winning Journalist and Russia Expert Owen Matthews on Putin's Overreach

    As Putin's war in Ukraine continues to rage on more than a year after his initial invasion, the toll it is taking is astonishing. A private Russian army seems to be running rampant without Kremlin oversight, civilians and civilian infrastructure are routinely and illegally attacked, and the people of Ukraine continue to suffer. To help make sense of it all, we've invited Owen Matthews on to the show. Owen is a longtime Moscow-based award-winning journalist who served as Newsweek's Moscow Bureau Chief. He is the author of the new book Overreach: An Astonishing Investigation into the Russo-Ukrainian War.

    47 min
  18. David Mura and the Stories Whiteness Tells Itself

    01/30/2023

    David Mura and the Stories Whiteness Tells Itself

    It shouldn’t be a secret that white supremacy was baked into the founding of this nation, but it’s still not a story we like to tell as part of our history. Our guest this week is working to change that. David Mura is an essayist, memoirist, poet and fiction writer who brings a unique perspective to our multi-racial and multi-cultural society. A third-generation Japanese-American, he has written intimately about his life as a man of color and the connections between race, culture and history. His new book, The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself, is now available to order.

    39 min
  19. CNN's Joan Biskupic on Nine Black Robes: Inside the Supreme Court's Drive to the Right and Its Historic Consequences.

    04/10/2023

    CNN's Joan Biskupic on Nine Black Robes: Inside the Supreme Court's Drive to the Right and Its Historic Consequences.

    Donald Trump fulfilled one of the decades-long goals of the American far right when he transformed the Supreme Court into a far-right majority body that will have huge impacts long after he is gone. To look at that shift, what it means for the court, and what it means for the country, we've invited Joan Biskupic into the show.  Joan is CNN's Senior Supreme Court Analyst and author of the new book Nine Black Robes: Inside the Supreme Court's Drive to the Right and Its Historic Consequences.

    52 min
  20. Author Jane Roper on Her New Novel The Society of Shame

    04/03/2023

    Author Jane Roper on Her New Novel The Society of Shame

    Our guest this week is Jane Roper. Jane is the author of two previous books: a memoir, Double Time, and a novel, Eden Lake. Her short fiction, essays, and humor have appeared in publications including McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, The Millions, The Rumpus, Salon, and Poets & Writers and on NPR. Her new novel, The Society of Shame, is now available. ABOUT THE SOCIETY OF SHAME “If you liked Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, read The Society of Shame by Jane Roper.” —The Washington PostIn this timely and witty combination of So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed and Where’d You Go, Bernadette? a viral photo of a politician’s wife’s “feminine hygiene malfunction” catapults her to unwanted fame in a story that’s both a satire of social media stardom and internet activism, and a tender mother-daughter tale.Kathleen Held’s life is turned upside down when she arrives home to find her house on fire and her husband on the front lawn in his underwear. But the scandal that emerges is not that Bill, who’s running for Senate, is having a painfully cliched affair with one of his young staffers: it’s that the eyewitness photographing the scene accidentally captures a period stain on the back of Kathleen’s pants.Overnight, Kathleen finds herself the unwitting figurehead for a social media-centered women’s right movement, #YesWeBleed. Humiliated, Kathleen desperately seeks a way to hide from the spotlight. But when she stumbles upon the Society of Shame—led by the infamous author Danica Bellevue—Kathleen finds herself part of a group who are all working to change their lives after their own scandals. Using the teachings of the society, Kathleen channels her newfound fame as a means to reap the benefits of her humiliation and reclaim herself. But as she ascends to celebrity status, Kathleen’s growing obsession with maintaining her popularity online threatens her most important relationship IRL: that with her budding activist daughter, Aggie.Hilarious and heartfelt, The Society of Shame is a pitch-perfect romp through politics and the perils of being “extremely online”—without losing your sanity or your true self.

    41 min
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