John Fugelsang is an actor, comedian, talk show host, and former VH1 VJ, but did you know he is also a best selling author?

His book, Separation of Church and Hate is a guide for navigating conversations with fake Christians and your relatives who attend the megachurch, but don’t live by Jesus’ example. It’s a NYT best seller!

You can hear him on Tell Me Everything, part of the programming on SiriusXM Progress, channel 127.

Listen to this one. It will change your life.

This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more of this content and interaction, you can also go to my substack, coolmite25.substack.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drawn to a career in the arts, multi-hyphenate (actor, director, playwright, comedian) Chris Ferretti acted in several theatrical productions that no one ever saw.

Ferretti studied theatre and marketing at the University of Rhode Island, which is as good of a recipe as any to become a bartender in Connecticut.

Working several jobs and bartending nights, Ferretti continued to perform in several productions, which ultimately led him to studying acting, directing and playwriting at the Actors Studio, where he received his MFA and once shook hands with Bradley Cooper.

An avid writer, he has written and produced several works including his one-act comedy, The Session, which had its Off-Broadway debut at the Theatre at St. Clement’s. Chris’ other works include Clipped Wings, Between A Rock and The Port Authority, Don’t Forget to Tip Your Server, Trumped, and Fish & Visitors: A Covid Comedy.

He has also penned a solo show, Voicemails From Purgatory, which details the insanity of growing up in an Irish/Italian dysfunctional family.

Chris, and his wife Julie, also penned, Go Shit in a Hat: Wise Words, Vulgar Expressions, and a Little Bit of Advice from the One and Only Auntie Ro, with 100% of the proceeds going to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Check this out!!!

This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more of this content and interaction, you can also go to my substack, coolmite25.substack.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Allison is the creator and host of the hit podcast, RISK!, where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share. Since its 2009, RISK! has produced nearly 1000 episodes. Slate once called RISK! “Hilarious, jaw-dropping and just plain touching.” Kevin is also the founder and lead instructor of The Story Studio, a storytelling school which offers classes and corporate workshops around the world and online. He is also the editor of the book adaptation of RISK!, published by Hachette Books in 2018.

As an actor, writer and comedian, Kevin began his career as a founding member of the legendary sketch comedy group, The State, whose cult classic show aired on MTV from 1993-96. More recently, Kevin has appeared in shows such as Flight of the Conchords, High Maintenance, Cobra Kai, and the films Alma and the Wolf and I'll Take the Hamm.

This is a great one! Give it a listen.

This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more of this content and interaction, you can also go to my substack, coolmite25.substack.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since 2014, Anthony LaMarca has served as the multi-instrumentalist in The War On Drugs. He has also released five albums as The Building. He also engineers and produces albums for other artists at his Youngstown, Ohio studio, Peppermint Productions. Along with his partners Dean Anshutz and Peppermint founder Gary Rhamy, they also archive and reissue recordings from the studio's more than fifty year history.

We talked about his love of polka music and why Youngstown, Ohio is special. Don't miss this one!

This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more of this content and interaction, you can also go to my substack, coolmite25.substack.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Award-winning author Jane Rubin’s powerful new novel Over There—the final installment in her best-selling Gilded City trilogy—illuminates a little-known chapter of Jewish-American history with striking relevance for today. Set during World War I, Over There follows a family of Jewish doctors and nurses who serve with courage and compassion amid the horrors of trench warfare, advancing medicine while grappling with displacement, rising antisemitism, and questions of identity in a country they were still learning to call home.

“More than 250,000 Jewish Americans answered the call to serve in 1917,” says Rubin. “Their stories deserve to be remembered—not just as history, but as inspiration.”

The novel speaks directly to today’s climate of global conflict, xenophobia, and renewed antisemitism, offering a deeply human portrait of Jewish resilience and patriotism. Rubin’s characters, drawn from earlier books Threadbare and In the Hands of Women, reflect the immigrant journey from arrival to assimilation, service, and sacrifice—stories that echo in Jewish communities to this day.

With Over There, Rubin brings Jewish heritage, wartime service, and untold family narratives into sharp, urgent focus—offering a timely conversation for Jewish listeners today.

Give this one a listen!

This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more of this content and interaction, you can also go to my substack, coolmite25.substack.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A proudly queer comedian and artist, Louie Pearlman has been fueling the NYC comedy scene since 2002.

His original sketches starring the Sesame Street Muppets are featured at Sesame Street Learn and Play in the American Dream Mall, NJ. As a writer for The Sesame Street Podcast and the Webby Award winning Ready Set Ride with Elmo, he engages young audiences with humor and creativity.

An esteemed instructor at The Second City NYC and Improv for Life, Louie nurtures future performers, with his classes featured on People.com.

He also produces, directs, performs, and writes for Story Pirates, (where he has appeared on a Tonie!) captivating listeners and audiences nationwide.

Co-creator and co-writer of the musical Joey and Ron, Louie’s writing work extends to Archie Comics and articles for Gizmodo and Elmore Magazine.

Louie's energy is infectious! Give this a listen!

This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more of this content and interaction, you can also go to my substack, coolmite25.substack.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bethany Hall is Creative Director of Comedy Initiatives at the Center for Media & Social Impact. Additionally, she serves as the Co-Creator and Executive Producer of GoodLaugh at CMSI where she leads the Comedy ThinkTanks and is the comedy architect for creative comedy initiatives. Hall is also proud to be the Creative Director of the Yes, And...Laughter Lab. She is a writer, producer, and comedian who spent years as a cast member on ‘The Chris Gethard Show’ on TruTV. She co-created and EP’d the series, ‘Thanksgiving’ now on Amazon Prime. In 2023 Hall made her staged works directorial debut at the Kennedy Center in DC. She Executive Produced ‘By Us For Us,’ an original comedy by Color of Change, has performed at Bonnaroo, SXSW, ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien’ and as the TGS writer, Bethany, on NBC’s ‘30 Rock’.

She has done so much and has a great story to tell. Don't miss this one!

This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more of this content and interaction, you can also go to my substack, coolmite25.substack.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A native Rhode Islander, Amy is a mild-mannered health data analyst by day, shamelessly bold improviser by night Her educational background includes a bachelor's degree in Mathematics, a Master of Library and Information Science, and a multitude of classes and workshops with Groundlings School, Impro Theatre, Freestyle Love Supreme Academy, and numerous other instructors from London to Los Angeles. Currently, she can be found coaching and performing at Kismet Improv in Pawtucket, playing on stage in the fast-paced high energy games of The Bit Players in Newport, and taking tarot-inspired improv to various festival stages with Whatever Fate Decides.

You can follow her work and performance dates here: kismetimprov.com and bitplayers.net

She also has a couple of special shows coming up in NYC at The PIT LAB -- October 19, 6pm NYC Sketchfest'25 "Tell Me More" and November 8, 8pm "Shotgun Improv."

Enjoy this one!

This episode, like all episodes of If This Is True, brings forth what drives creatives to do what they do. For more of this content and interaction, you can also go to my substack, coolmite25.substack.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.