All About Change Jay Ruderman

Brett Gelman is best and more recently known for his work on shows like Fleabag and Stranger things, but the actor has been around for years. Throughout his career he’s also been a vocal advocate against antisemitism and Jewish inclusion in Hollywood. Following the October 7 attacks, Brett stepped up his activism and has been a steadfast supporter of the Israeli victims of the massacre, making visits to hospitals in the days following, sharing their stories on social media, and recentering the conversation.

 

Brett joined host Jay Ruderman for a conversation about his Jewish upbringing, being a public figure who speaks out, his latest book, to his desire to see more Jewish inclusion in Hollywood.
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Ed Begley Jr. has been a known name in Hollywood since the 1960s, with recent credits in Young Sheldon, Better Call Saul, and the movie Amsterdam. He’s had a stellar career onscreen, but his commitment to living an environmentally friendly life is just as impressive. Ed’s love of biking, public transit, and electric cars comes up every award season, and his family home is LEED certified.

 

Ed sat down with host Jay Ruderman for a conversation spanning Ed’s career, overcoming his alcoholism, and what’s next in his environmental activism.
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Jane Velez-Mitchell is best-known for her work in broadcast television, but her career - and life - has been a master class in making a change and sticking to it. After confronting her alcoholism as an early career journalist, Jane began living more authentically than she ever had before. She came out as a lesbian, became a vegan, and founded a free streaming platform dedicated to education around the impact diet can have on health - both the body’s, and the planet’s. 

Jane joined host Jay Ruderman for a conversation that spanned the wide breadth of her career, and the personal choices she made along the way.
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Academy-Award winning actor Troy Kotsur has been featured in blockbuster films, Broadway shows, and hit TV shows throughout his career. He’s also been a tireless advocate for the Deaf community, both in front of and behind the cameras. 

Troy sat down with host Jay Ruderman to discuss the importance of authenticity in portrayal of Deaf and disabled characters, and the vital importance of learning ASL at a young age. Special thanks to interpreter Justin Maurer for his help with this episode.

Also be sure to check out Troy’s Documentary Film, To My Father, which depicts his journey to winning an Oscar and his father’s inspiring influence on him, despite a tragic accident.
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Both species of rhinoceros in Africa are endangered, in large part due to the value of rhino horn on the black market. In the western part of South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park, a group is working to keep these animals safe in spite of the bounties on their horns. The Black Mambas are a woman-only group of rangers that patrol the wildlife reserve to protect against poaching. 

 

Tsakane Nxumalo, a ranger with the Black Mambas, joins host Jay Ruderman to talk about their rigorous training process, the role of education in conservation work, and what role her gender plays in her work.
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Bobby Farrelly’s movies are well-known for their comedy - Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary, and, most recently, Champions. They’re also well-known for something else - featuring actors with disabilities in prominent roles. For Bobby, this isn’t activism. It’s making sure the world he creates on-screen looks like the one he lives off-screen.

 

Bobby joined host Jay Ruderman to talk about what casting has looked like over the course of his career, what it was like to shoot Champions, and where he hopes to see Hollywood in the future.
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