Winzenburg On The Weekend podcast winzenburgontheweekend

Master swimmer and Iowa Games Gold Medalist Norman Bower collected hundreds of humorous stories for his book ”Swimming Just for Laughs.” It’s about funny experiences in the water, from kids to elderly, coaches, Olympic medalists, and celebrities. Have fun this summer laughing at the stories callers share on this 1999 interview from WHO radio in Des Moines.

The amazing story of the late Jerry Baker, who went from undercover Detroit police officer to master gardener to media sensation on radio, PBS, QVC, & The Tonight Show. He wrote over 100 books, sold over 26 million copies, and called himself the ”horticultural humorist.” In this 1997 interview, he talks about fertilizing with beer, Coke and urine, painting bushes, the value of animal droppings, getting married in Des Moines, and answers questions from WHO radio listeners.

John Wayne biographers Herb Fagen and Ronald Davis reveal forgotten secrets about the movie star’s life and Iowa roots, including the unusual origin of his birth name and nickname, his huge birth weight, the conflict he had with his mother, being turned down by the U.S. Navy, his surprising college major, his deathbed religious conversion and unusual burial spot. The authors also discuss their interviews with Wayne’s family and co-stars such as Gene Autry and Maureen O’Hara. From WHO radio in 1998.

Celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary with Richard M. Sherman, who teamed with his brother to create songs for Mary Poppins, It’s a Small World, Winnie the Pooh, Charlotte’s Web and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. They are the most successful songwriting team in film history and in this 2006 WHO radio interview Richard explains how he came up with Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, as well as his thoughts on modern rock and jazz versions of his famous tunes, and the Broadway adaptation of Mary Poppins.

Here’s the story of Barry Williams, who returns to TV on Dancing with the Stars over 50 years after he became famous as Greg on The Brady Bunch. In this 1995 interview students ask him about show highlights as well as his favorite roles (Broadway) and least favorite (Brady Bunch Variety Hour). Then from 1996 Brady Bunch and Gilligan’s Island producer Lloyd Schartz discusses working with child actors and how his home life led to the famous Brady volcano episode.

Stacey Handler is the granddaughter of Barbie doll creator Ruth Handler and the real-life daughter of Ken. She discusses her struggles with her grandmother over body issues and having to live up to the image of her plastic ”flawless sister” Barbie. Stacey is the author of The Body Burden: Growing Up in The Shadow of Barbie” and reveals that she did not play with dolls! This interview is from 2000 on WHO radio in Des Moines but fascinating insights in light of the recent Barbie movie.