Media Path Podcast Big Heads Media

In the 1950's, an extraordinary young woman lived, worked and performed her original music in New York City. Frustrated by a lack of commercial success, she left Manhattan and in 1974, disappeared entirely, never to be heard from again. In the 2000's, her astounding music was re-discovered and her legacy re-written. 

The story of Elizabeth Eaton Converse, known professionally as Connie Converse, is so bewitchingly intriguing that musician and writer Howard Fishman devoted 13 years of his life researching and chronicling it. The product of this nearly decade-and-a-half labor of love is his new book: To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse.

Howard joins us to highlight the deep genius of Connie Converse… possibly our first recorded singer/songwriter and additionally, an artist, poet, writer, classical composer, scholar and activist.

What were the factors that inspired her brilliance and muffled her notoriety within her own time?  Howard poured through Connie’s creations, files, journals, and letters. He spoke to those who knew her best and he carefully studied, analyzed and theorized about Connie’s work, her vision and her tragectory.

Upon first hearing Connie’s voice, Howard found her to be both unique and familiar. He needed to learn more.

Howard’s research brought him to small New England towns, suburban Michigan, Greenwich Village, Prague and beyond to better understand Connie’s path and to piece together the enigmatic life and ultimate mysterious fate of a woman who was so far ahead of her time, we are only now coming to hear and understand her.

Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Air on Prime and Comedy Central’s Drunk History on Hulu, Prime and many streaming platforms. 
Path Points of Interest:
To Anyone Who Ever Asks by Howard Fishman
Howard Fishman
Howard Fishman on Facebook
Howard Fishman on Twitter
Connie Converse on Wikipedia
Connie Converse Spotify Playlist
Connie Converse Article in Rolling Stone by Howard Fishman
Connie Converse article in New York Times by Howard Fishman
Drunk History
Air - Prime

Daphne Maxwell Reid is a trailblazing pioneer with many media firsts to her credit. She was the first black woman on the cover of Glamor Magazine. She and her husband Tim Reid owned the first full service movie studio in Virginia and she is probably best known for her role as Aunt Viv 2.0, alongside Will Smith, the first hip hop artist to star in a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. 

Ms. Maxwell Reid joins us to talk about her magical childhood in New York City, her full page photo modeling debut in Seventeen Magazine that landed her a Ford modeling contract and her move to Hollywood where Robert Conrad cast her in The Duke and A Man Called Sloan. She turned down the role of Aunt Viv when it was first offered to her and finally took it three years later when the part was being recast.

Daphne Maxwell Reid is a photographer, a fashion designer, an HBCU education advocate and she has recently appeared in Harriet, A Jazzman’s Blues and the modern, dramedy reboot of The Fresh Prince on Peacock called Bel Air.

We’ve also got The Fresh Prince of Bel Air Trivia and priceless life advice about the importance of finding your tribe and being ready when opportunity shines.

Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending The Diplomat on Netflix, Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed on Peacock and Menudo: Forever Young on HBO.
Path Points of Interest:
Daphne Maxwell Reid
Daphne Maxwell Reid on Wikipedia
Daphne Maxwell Reid on Instagram
Daphne Maxwell Reid in Soul Vision
Harriet
A Jazzman's Blues

Bel Air

The Diplomat on Netflix
Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed on Peacock
Menudo: Forever Young on HBO

We are exploring the infinite feedback loop between television and society with pop culture historian/author Herbie J Pilato and Eric Scott, who played Ben on The Waltons. Herbie’s newest book is called Retro Active Television: An In-Depth Perspective on Classic TV’s Social Circuitry which includes a forward written by Eric!

We hear about Eric's childhood adventures with his fellow Walton kids on the studio lot, how his relationship with his own parents ensured that his experience as a child actor was a positive one and why our social atmosphere in the 70s was open to positively receiving a warm and cozy show about a family weathering the Great Depression of 1930s. 

Herbie then gives us his extensively researched and passion-fueled perspective on the life-affirming TV shows of the past as he encourages us to avoid today’s darker content while embracing and revisitng the charm and magic of Golden Era TV which is so readily available to us now, across many platforms.

We talk about Kung Fu, TV Westerns, sit-coms then and now, the dawn of the miniseries event, After School Specials (some of which featured Eric!) and TV as an educational and inspiring resource. We address the urban/rural divide, the changing late night landscape, and Eric takes on a round of Waltons trivia!

Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Little Richard: I am Everything on Apple and Amazon Prime and Judy Blume’s Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret, now in theaters.
Path Points of Interest:
Herbie J Pilato
Retro Active Television
Herbie's Amazon Author Page
Eric Scott on IMDB
Eric Scott on Wikipedia
Eric Scott on Facebook
Herbie + Eric Book Signings
At Barnes & Noble in Burbank on May 11:
And Book Soup in Los Angeles on June 12:
Little Richard: I am Everything on Apple and Amazon Prime
Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret - Film
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret - Book by Judy Blume
Judy Blume Forever Documentary on Prime

They were the King and Queen of TV westerns but this week’s guest called them, Grandma and Grandpa.
Julie Rogers Pomilia’s father Tom was Dale Evans’ son. Roy and Dale were warm and attentive grandparents and Julie had the run of the Double R Bar Ranch as her backyard.

In her book, Your Heroes, My Grandparents: A Granddaughter's Love, Julie details cherished memories spent with Roy, Dale, a gaggle of sisters and cousins and Trigger. Her idilic, special scrapbook moments are filled with birthdays, Christmases and recitals and they are seasoned with Hollywood events, backstage explorations, movie sets and TV appearances. Then there’s the time her second grade teacher asked her if she could identify the cowboy on the cover of her Weekly Reader. Julie said, “That’s my grandpa,” and went home to ask her mom why Grandpa is famous.

Julie grew up singing with her sisters and parents, sometimes backing up her grandparents at shows, parades and rodeos. Iconic show biz figures were in and out of the ranch but mostly, Grandpa hung with Clark Gable because they shared hobbies and Nudie Cohn because he designed Grandma and Grandpa’s cosutmes.

Julie shares her most precious memories of riding on the back of Grandpa’s motorcycle and gunning it back and forth across an empty air strip, pheasant hunting… not because she likes it but because she loved making memories with Grandpa, traveling to Scotland with Grandma who made every adventure an event and the true story of Dale Evans’ heartbreaking journey towards stardom which required her to keep her son Tom a secret.

Also, whatever did happen to Trigger? Is he stuffed or mounted and/or living forever in our hearts? How did Roy and Dale jump start the merchandising industry? And so much more.
 Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Under the Banner of Heaven on Hulu and Great Expectations… pick an adaptation and read the Dickens classic.

And, Fritz’s newest special, Unassisted Living is streaming now on Tubi!
Path Points of Interest:
Your Heroes, My Grandparents: A Granddaughter's Love
The Roy Rogers Show on Tubi
Unassisted Living Starring Fritz Coleman
Under The Banner of Heaven Great Expectations - 2023
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (It's Free!)

We are serving up a film fan's dream discussion, as we plunge deep into the techniques, processes, challenges and craft of documentary filmmaking with two talented creators, Brandon Ogborn and Reed Harkness. Both are captivating storytellers whose productions are based on personal experiences and relationships, exploring the themes of family, community, ethics and society’s expectations.

Brandon's film, 'Damn, Dana' is a character study as well as a snapshot of an unprecedented time in our recent past, focusing on restaurateur Dana Tanner, whose refusal to close the doors of her Long Beach eatery during COVID-19 lockdowns sparked national interest and turned her into the poster child for one the pandemic's most controversial issues, the effect of government mandates on the service industry. 

Reed's feature 'Sam Now' is an examination of how individual family members processed the disappearance of his step-mother. Reed facilitated and filmed his brother Sam’s journey to find his mom which led to Sam ultimately finding himself. 25 years in the making, Reed’s brother bonding project inspired his entire family to better understand their own emotions and unique connections.

Brandon and Reed discuss the catalysts for each of their documentaries, the roles played by  family and friends, their storytelling approaches and directing styles, their subjects’ receptions of their films and what they learned from their respective themes… boys and men grappling with difficult emotions and how we all responded to the frightening early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Waco: The Aftermath on Showtime, the podcast series, Long Shadow and American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing on Netflix.
Path Points of Interest:
Sam Now
Sam Now On Instagram
Sam Now on Twitter
Sam Now on Facebook

Sam Now on PBS
Damn, Dana on Youtube
Damn, Dana on Film Freeway
Brandon Ogborn on Instagram
Waco: The Aftermath on Showtime
The Long Shadow Podcast
American Manhunt - The Boston Marathon Bombing - Netflix
Telephone Stories: The Trials of Michael Jackson

Strap in for the show biz chat sesh of a lifetime: Legendary comedian Tom Dreesen and 80s TV icon Larry Manetti join us for story after story about Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. Smokey Robinson, Tom Selleck, Robert Wagner, Mike Connors, Robert Conrad, David Letterman, Johnny Carson and more!

As epic as the stories are the story-tellers. Tom Dreesen’s mind-blowing C.V. traces his career path from shoe shine boy in Harvey, Illinois to sharing a jet and a stage with Frank Sinatra. Along the way he pioneered the first integrated comedy team, Tim and Tom with Tim Reid, graced the tonight show stage 60 times, frequently guested and guest hosted for and with David Letterman and toured with Smokey Robinson and Sammy Davis Jr. 

Tom spent 15 years on the road with Sinatra, forming a friendship that informed and nourished both of them. 

Tom offers insights into forging a career in comedy, he shares revelations about his Chicago childhood and Tom and Fritz swap Tonight show baptismal stories. 

Larry Manetti tells us that he was discoverd in the Universal commissary and cast soon thereafter in Baa Baa Black Sheep thanks to the fervent support of Robert Conrad. Larry fills us in on his What’s Cooking With Larry Manetti pilot which featured the handsomest guest cast in cooking show history: Tom Selleck, Robert Wagner and Mike Connors! And Larry ’s lifelong friendship with Tom Selleck welcomes a new chapter this week as they star together in an upcoming episode of Blue Bloods.

Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Any Given Tuesday by Lis Smith and The Pale Blue Eye novel by Louis Bayard which has become a Netflix film starring Christian Bale and Harry Melling. 
Path Points of Interest:
Tom Dreesen
Still Standing by Tom Dreesen
Tom Dreesen on Wikipedia

Tom Dreesen on Twitter
Tom Dreesen on Instagram
Larry Minetti on IMDB
Larry Minetti on Wikipedia
Article about Larry's upcoming Blue Bloods episode/Magnum reunion
What's Cookin' With Larry Manetti & Tom Selleck
Aloha Magnum by Larry Manetti
Any Given Tuesday by Lis Smith
The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard
Article on The Pale Blue Eye on Tudum
The Pale Blue Eye on Netflix