It Feels So Good to Laugh
Boy, do we need to laugh. Now, more than ever. And I have a great way to accomplish this.
Prolific comedy writer, author, producer, and all around nice guy, Alan Zweibel will be appearing at 92Y this Monday evening at 7:30 (virtually, of course) along with friends Lewis Black, Susie Essman and Mary Karr. Alan will talk about his new book, “Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier” and chat with his pals about their careers and what makes us laugh.
On his own, Alan is a hilarious storyteller and a joy. I can just imagine the laugh riot that will take place on Monday evening.
To join Alan and his friends go to https://www.92y.org/event/alan-zweibel-and-friends
It just feels so good to laugh.
Some important initiatives taking place:
Feed The Frontlines is an organization started by restaurateur Luca Di Pietro, owner of Tarallucci e Vino Restaurants in New York. Luca found a way to feed hospital workers, while at the same time, keep his restaurant and others afloat. In a short time, the organization has feed thousands of stressed and depleted healthcare workers on the front lines. To help sustain the organization and the restaurants go to:
https://www.feedthefrontlinesnyc.org/
As businesses slowly open up, those in the live entertainment and performing arts industry know that it will be a much longer road before they can return to work. With that in mind, Paula Suozzi and Theresa Ganley, who work at the Metropolitan Opera, initiated a petition on change.org to extend benefits beyond July 31 for those in the performing arts.
To sign the petition supporting performing arts industry workers click here.
And to hear conversations with the people behind these initiatives, and my interview with the fabulous Alan Zweibel, listen to “Bagels and Broadway with Valerie Smaldone” Saturday morning from 9:05-10 on WNYM Radio-AM970.
Or you can hear the podcast following the broadcast of the show:
 | Bagels and Broadway with Valerie Smaldone Podcast – Bagels and Broadway with Valerie Smaldone – Omny.fm “Bagels and Broadway with Valerie Smaldone” features conversations with Broadway celebrities, creative teams, producers who work passionately to bring shows to the stage, and the numerous un-sung heroes who are integral to mounting a production. Since dining out and attending the theatre go hand-in-hand, restaurant and food segments are featured as well. A native New Yorker who was born, raised, educated and spent her entire career in New York, Valerie Smaldone knows the New York area. You’ll hear Valerie discussing the show she attended last night on or off- Broadway, or where she had tapas, antipasto or mezze with a glass of phenomenal wine (from a country you didn’t even know produced wine!) Valerie also concentrates on other theatrical venues: including in New Jersey, off-Broadway or non-traditional theatre spaces. So, you bring the bagels, she’ll bring Broadway…Saturday mornings at 9. bit.ly |
Valerie Smaldone is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and is well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on-air position in the New York radio market on 106.7 Life-FM, an iHeart station. She has hosted, produced, and created several award-winning nationally syndicated programs featuring in-depth interviews with stars like Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Mariah Carey among others. Her radio talk show "Bagels and Broadway" highlighted theatre and food personalities. She is an accomplished interviewer and voice artist heard on commercials, narrations, promos and audiobooks, as well as a sought after live announcer.
Most recently, Valerie produced and directed a film, The Thursday Night Club, featuring pop diva Gloria Gaynor in her movie acting debut. She is one of the creators and producers of a docu-series, Divine Renovation, starring Erik Estrada, on streaming networks soon.
