Give Me a Name

Ben and comedian Kyle Mara (@kylemara on YouTube) discuss the life and tragic death of lawyer, magazine publisher and son of JFK and Jackie O, John F. Kennedy Jr.

Doesn't get any bigger than this! Ben and comedian Bobby Sheehan (@bobbysheehanlol, The Before Hours podcast) talk about the 16th President of the USA, Abraham Lincoln.

Jack Buckley returns to the podcast to talk about basketball and one of the greats, The Big Dipper, Wilt Chamberlain.

Ben and comedian Josh Accardo (@joshaccardo, Working Classholes podcast) talk about the life and career of one of the central figures in the history of the Chicago Outfit, "Joe Batters" a.k.a. Tony Accardo.

Ben and comedian Tobin Miller (@tobinmillercomedy, Baby Shower Comedy) discuss the rise and fall of American physicist and director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II, J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Ben and Prof. Mehnaz Afridi discuss the life and death of the princess turned British resistance agent in France during World War II, Noor Inayat Khan.

Dr. Mehnaz Afridi is a professor of religious studies at Manhattan College and the director of the Holocaust, Genocide & Interfaith Education Center. Her courses focus on Islam and the Holocaust. She is also a member delegate for the State Department for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

Read Prof. Afridi's story "The Blue Angel and the Holocaust":

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/b7d51a9358a048a492f5f5031810802c

Ben and comedian Chris Metcalfe (@chrismetcalfecomedy) dive into the life of the hardest working man in show business, music legend, James Brown.

Comedian Rich Happel (The Happel Hour podcast) is back! He and Ben discuss the life and wealth of American business tycoon, Cornelius "The Commodore" Vanderbilt.

Ben and comedian Jason Choi (@jasonrchoi) discuss the life and teachings of the ancient Chinese Taoist philosopher, Laozi.

Ben and Prof. Frederick Schweitzer review the life and legacy of the 19th century Conservative and only Jewish born Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Benjamin Disraeli.

Dr. Frederick Schweitzer is a Professor Emeritus of History at Manhattan College. He is the Founding Director of the Holocaust Resource Center. He has authored numerous books and articles on English History, Jewish-Christian relations, Antisemitism, and the Holocaust in his decades-long career.

Part 2 of Jermaine Affonso (writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers and Founding Editor of ClickHole) and Ben's conversation about music legend, John Lennon.

Interviews used:

John talks about his two main collaborators and about meeting Yoko Ono 1980 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXnULIoQyDo

John talks about the other Beatles' reactions to Yoko Ono and about his genius - Rolling Stone interview 1970 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YelhzUbrCE&t=4378s

John talks about a Beatles reunion 1975 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW5A3UHqLWM

We're back! And with a two-parter no less! Jermaine Affonso (writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers and Founding Editor of ClickHole) returns to the pod to discuss the many sides of singer, songwriter, activist, and of course, Beatle, John Lennon. 

Interviews used:

Beatles first ever radio interview October 1962 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJeaoHe3Bus

John talks about his Aunt Mimi on The Mike Douglas Show February 1972 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-HES64-D7w

Interview with Jim Steck about naming the Beatles - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMhpFH0wjxs

John talks about his violent past - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpSiB4-og_o&

John and Paul on their writing process - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qz9a72ljyM

The Beatles discuss how long they'll last 1962 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIKlcfEtgyM&t=13s

Comedian Anna Bianco (@annacainbianco) returns to the podcast to discuss the reign and dramatic assassination of the Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh, Ramses III

Comedian Max Moacanin (@moacanin) returns to the podcast to discuss the epic life of writer, revolutionary, diplomat, vice president, and president John Adams.

The first guest ever, comedian Jake Velazquez (Do Less podcast) comes back to discuss one of the most controversial figures in American history: the 7th President of the United States, Andrew Jackson.

Comedian Maximilian Spinelli (We Were Had podcast) returns to talk to Ben about the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock.

Ben and Jed L discuss urban planning history and theory by focusing on the life and work of journalist, theorist and activist, Jane Jacobs.

Check out Jed's YouTube channel Late Bloomers about transforming a patch of backyard grass into a 750-square-foot, food-producing permaculture garden! New Episodes every Thursday!

https://www.youtube.com/c/LateBloomersPermaculture/featured

Ben talks to artist and interior architect Steffi Strom about the life and rediscovery of Swedish-born artist and mystic, Hilma af Klint.

Check out some of Hilma af Klint's art as you listen!

https://www.wikiart.org/en/hilma-af-klint

Ben and filmmaker Lisa Hurwitz discuss her documentary The Automat and the founders of the most famous chain of automats in New York and Philadelphia, Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart.

The Automat was selected for the 2021 Telluride Film Festival. For more information on the film and to find ways to watch it, go to: http://automatmovie.com/

Ben and Jack Buckley break down the life and times of a key figure in the American and French Revolutions, "The Hero of Two Worlds" Marquis de Lafayette.

Ben and comedian Tom Luciano (@nottomluciano) discuss the life and psychology of criminal and murderer, Richard "The Iceman" Kuklinski.

Ben and Phil Irvine (Clear the Air with RPA podcast) look at the life and influence of iconic comedian, Richard Pryor.

Check out Phil's podcast Clear the Air with RPA!

https://podcasts.apple.com/bn/podcast/clear-the-air-with-rpa/id1592391403

Also, here's one of the many great Pryor bits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWulvchFpYs

Ben and comedian Eitan Levine (@eitanthegoalie) crunch the numbers and break down the life and impact of the orchestrator of the largest Ponzi scheme of all time, Bernie Madoff.

Check out Eitan's show Jewish or Antisemitic!

https://linktr.ee/Eitanthegoalie

Comedian Mae Planert (We Were Had podcast, Risque Business News podcast) returns to Give Me a Name to go through the peaks and troughs in the life of the longest serving Mayor of Providence, Buddy Cianci.

Ben and Dr. Steven Tuber discuss the life and ideas of 20th century English pediatrician and psychoanalyst, Donald Woods Winnicott.

Dr. Steven Tuber is the Director of Clinical Training, Program Head and Professor of Psychology in the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology at City College, CUNY, where he has taught for over 35 years. He is a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Psychology and a licensed psychologist in New York State. Dr. Tuber has also been awarded the President's Award for Excellence, City College's highest faculty award, for extraordinary teaching, scholarship and service to the College.

He is the author of numerous works including Attachment, Play & Authenticity: A Winnicott Primer

Ben and comedian Patricia Dinglasan (@patriciadinglasancomedy) talk about the eventful life of French fashion icon, Coco Chanel.

Check out Patricia's show Banana Ketchup in NYC. Go to Patricia's instagram for more details

Ben and comedian Ted Barton (@tedbartonn) delve into the life and works of 20th century writer, lay theologian, academic and author of The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis.

Check out the show Ted produces with Tayler Yarish (fellow former Give Me a Name guest) YarBar Comedy at Tara Rose (384 3rd Avenue in NYC) every other Wednesday night at 7:30.

Ben and comedy writer/improviser Patrick Webb go through the life and career of puppeteer, actor, director, animator, writer, inventor, and creator of The Muppets, Jim Henson.

Patrick performs and writes in Chicago. He's developed scripts with Viacom-CBS and won JFL Montreal's Eat My Shorts competition. You can see him every Friday in May and June at Logan Square Improv in Chicago.

Ben and comedian Gabe Mollica (@gabemollica) remember the life, songs and shows of legendary composer and lyricist, Stephen Sondheim.

Check out Gabe's one man show - Gabe Mollica: a show about friendship, which is set to premiere at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Buy tickets for the show on April 26th at Caveat (21 A Clinton Street):

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gabe-mollica-a-show-about-friendship-tickets-293216768247

Ben and comedian Mehul Patel (@mehulpatelnyc) look back at the roller coaster life and career of the "Mayor for Life" of Washington DC, Marion Barry.

Check out Mehul's show on April 27th at the Paradise Club in the Edition Hotel!

The first repeat guest in Give Me a Name history: Ben and comedian Mike Bramante (Do Less podcast) at long last show some respect to one of the greatest comedians ever, Rodney Dangerfield. 

Buy tickets to Mike headlining Carolines in New York City on March 5th!

https://www.carolines.com/attraction/mike-bramante/

Use the promo code: BRAMANTE

After a long and lonely winter, Ben and Bo Ballew (Talk Sauce podcast, Waterline NY - next show 3/19) revitalize Beatlemania discussing the band's lead guitarist, singer-songwriter, George Harrison.

Ben and cartoonist David Sipress discuss the fall of the Russian Empire by examining the famous Siberian mystic whose life is steeped in legend, Grigori Rasputin.

David Sipress has been a staff cartoonist at The New Yorker since 1998 and has published nearly seven hundred cartoons in the magazine. He also studied Russian History in the Department of Soviet Studies at Harvard University.

His new book, What's So Funny?: A Cartoonist's Memoir, is now available and can be purchased using this link:

https://www.amazon.com/Whats-So-Funny-Cartoonists-Memoir/dp/0358659094

For more information on David Sipress and to view some of his cartoons, visit his website:

https://www.davidsipress.com/the-author

Ben talks to one of his favorite teachers Charles Worrall about the fascinating and unique life and death of 16th century Danish astronomer, Tycho Brahe.

Ben and Dr. Stefan Zimmers explore 9th century Europe through the life of the Viking-fighting King of the Anglo-Saxons, Alfred the Great.

Dr. Zimmers is an Assistant Dean in the History Department at Georgetown University and a frequent lecturer at the Smithsonian. He studies and teaches a wide variety of topics ranging from the Black Death and the Crusades to colonial Latin American history. He specializes in Anglo-Saxon and Angevin English history.

Ben and comedian Jimmy HVD (UncommonTakes podcast) review the short but eventful life and complicated legacy of Australia's most iconic outlaw, Ned Kelly.

Ben and comedian Zubi Ahmed (@chopzubi) dig up the story of Julius Caesar and Marc Antony's lover, the last pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra VII.

Ben and comedian Zach Brazao (@zachbrazao) go over both the brutal and magnanimous sides of the richest man in American history, John D. Rockefeller.

Ben and comedian Eric Neumann (@imericneumann, Marcus And Eric Learn Stuff From Smarter People podcast, stand-up albums - "Nervous Lover" and "Just a Phase") remember the life and impact of one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Kobe Bryant. 

In part two, Ben and Dr. Taubman discuss Khrushchev's time in power and his ultimate downfall.

Dr. Taubman is the Bertrand Snell Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Amherst College. He is the author of Khrushchev: The Man and His Era, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography (2004) and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography (2003). He is also the author of Gorbachev: His Life and Times, Moscow Spring (with Jane Taubman) and Stalin's American Policy: From Entente to Détente to Cold War.

In part one of this two-part episode, Ben and Dr. William Taubman examine the improbable rise to power of 20th century Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev. 

Dr. Taubman is the Bertrand Snell Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Amherst College. He is the author of Khrushchev: The Man and His Era, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography (2004) and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography (2003). He is also the author of Gorbachev: His Life and Times, Moscow Spring (with Jane Taubman) and Stalin's American Policy: From Entente to Détente to Cold War. 

Ben and comedian Tayler Yarish (The Tayler Yarish Show podcast) explore the life of chef, writer, and TV travel host, Anthony Bourdain. 

Can we talk? Ben and comedian Rachel Lenihan (@rachellenihancomedy) dish about comedy icon, Joan Rivers.

Ben and comedian Jaron Young (@jlyoungcomedy) talk about the works, life, and relevance of 20th century writer, James Baldwin.

Ben and comedian Juan Nicolon (@juannicolon) go over the positives and negatives of a complex character: Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton.

Ben and comedian Matt Somerstein (@somersteinster) review the life and iconic roles of actor, writer and director, Gene Wilder.

Ben and comedian Sam Evans (@reallysamevans, stand-up album - "Sweet Baby Boy") discuss the both triumphant and tragic story of Serbian-American inventor, Nikola Tesla.

Ben and comedian Michael Good (Morning Good podcast) dive into the life and work of the face of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee.