November 18, 2025 • 50 mins
The film saw its world premiere this summer at the Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles where it won the documentary short audience award. The film is about the life, career and music of her father "Santa Baby" composer Philip Spring 80+ years in music history. "Santa Baby" has been instrumental in Hollywood blockbusters for generations including cult classics “The Holiday,” Elf,” and “Driving Miss Daisy,” among others. He is now 99 years old and going strong!
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Movie Reviews and More is broadcast live Tuesdays at 5PM PT on K4HD Radio - Hollywood Talk Radio (www.k4hd.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). Movie Reviews and More TV Show is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).
Movie Reviews and More Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This program is designed to provide general information with regards
to the subject matters covered. This information is given with
the understanding that neither the hosts, guests, sponsors, or station
are engaged in rendering any specific and personal medical, financial, legal, counseling,
professional service, or any advice. You should seek the services
(00:23):
of competent professionals before applying or trying any suggested ideas.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Hey there, this is Brian Spashal movie reviews and more.
And if it's Tuesday, first of all, it's giving Tuesday.
Always give the art. Support the art, support independent filmmakers, artists, museums, libraries,
small businesses, women own specifically, specifically those writers, directors, and
producers of a small movie, but a great movie called
(01:25):
More than Santa Baby.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
But she's more than that.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
So before we get into our guests, I think Annie
jeeves the publisht because Annie gives us great films. He's
always good. I don't think she's ever had a bad film.
Matter of fact, I was thinking about the Vile. I
was thinking about forty not watched the Nowhere. I was
thinking about the first black hockey player that she gave
me years ago. She may not even remember these movies.
She's done so many great films she's had in the past.
(01:50):
But Carol, let's talk about who you are so knows
who everybody is. But first, okay, live on Top four
TV talk for TV hey for each day, really k
for HD Radio. I can't even talk to that. Yes,
I was out in the cold and it is still
cold here in northern Illinois, and I'm leaving tomorrow. But
without that and all the other stuff going on always
(02:10):
streaming on over one hundred outlets right now, including Worldwide
Woman's TV I T two four seven out of Franklin, Tennessee,
and on over one hundred outlets right now.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Okay, Carol, we can go to you.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Go ahead, thanks Brian.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
You know we women let the men who support us
so fully. As you know, and as I will share
with all of you here tonight. I currently run five
businesses or I'm actively involved in five businesses. I run
a private invite exclusive group, Mastermind, where I take women
(02:49):
to seven figures. I also co host the Unleashed and
Unstoppable podcast. I have a free book club call the
Worthy book Club, and I have her retreats down in
the Andes Mountains in southern Chile. You've lived there and
(03:10):
the states back and forth for twelve years. So I'm
super glad to be here, and I'm super thankful for
give back Tuesdays. I also sit on the board a
Better Vision for Children And basically, I'm here for you.
I'm here for you, so thanks for having me, and.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
So including about who's here for us, Sir Rachel. Did
we get your sound going?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Okay, good, tell everybody where you are, especially in Houston, Texas.
Speaker 6 (03:36):
Go I'm yeah, I'm in Houston. Well you just did it.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
I'm in Houston, Texas, and yeah, I have a little
morning show called Coffee Talk, and I'm a content creator
now and that's a lot of work. It's more than that.
She's a good cook too. She's got she's got, just
f it. I can't wait to go back and have
some more. Linda Steel, you haven't been with us in
a long time because you've been busy, but I'm glad
you're here tonight. All right, all the way from Chicago.
(04:00):
I'm in your cold ass statement to go ahead.
Speaker 7 (04:03):
Yeah, I know it just turned cold. It was beautiful
up until about this week. But yes, I'm from Chicago
born and raised. I am a my gosh, my resume
is just getting larger. But I'm a personal trainer, wellness advisor.
I am a best selling author. My book Nerves of Steel,
it hit international bestseller within twenty four hours of launching
(04:24):
back in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yay.
Speaker 6 (04:27):
I hit.
Speaker 7 (04:29):
A number of different categories, you know, women's health and
business and women in business and so forth. So it
hit a number of different categories number one and it
was such an honor.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
So I was really excited about that.
Speaker 7 (04:43):
But after I wrote my book, I started working with
at a gym that I actually did a little flip with.
They were suffering some financial losses and I came in
and I did a gym rescue and I we are
not making money and they're thrilled. So that's going to
be probably my new endeavor coming up, and I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
You know, that's not the first time that you had
to come in and repair something that a guy.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
You're owning and running.
Speaker 7 (05:14):
Gym since twenty ten, and I've owned several of my
own I've started other businesses for other people, and it's
just something that I love to do.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
But my personal training is my number one passion.
Speaker 7 (05:25):
But I'm really starting to get into the business side
of things because I'm really good at it and I
love it.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, you're good at it all right, So Howard Wiggins,
we'd never know from with Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
I can't wait to see you tomorrow light at CMA.
So that's a good thing, all right, Howard. Let's think
we've got sound on you before we go tomorrow. Yeah,
and he's got a little delay. I knew it, Howard.
Can you hear us?
Speaker 3 (05:47):
I can't? He can't. I knew it, Howard.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
Your intro, Howard.
Speaker 6 (05:54):
He's amazing.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
He is absolutely incredible, not only profound dancer, top thirty
five into your designer with a unique style called Stockton Layard.
Howard is incredible in the way he sparkles, brings life
and joy to each and every one of us. So
(06:17):
follow him. He's got some amazing projects in the work
right now in the work.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Yeah, okay, maybe we haven't.
Speaker 6 (06:27):
Can you hear me?
Speaker 3 (06:28):
All right?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Tell everybody who you are, because Carol just did a
little intro for you.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
You normal again? I heard that?
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Okay.
Speaker 8 (06:35):
I'm Howard Wiggins. I'm one of the top thirty five
leading interier desires I have My father helped start the
Grand O Opry. And this tomorrow night, I'm going to
the CMA after party, which I saw you have some
pictures on, so a little later on we're gonna have
some great pictures of me and probably some stars to
(06:55):
look at. So I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Wish me luck and I'll have a good time.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah, anytime you're on, I wish you luck that we
could even hear you, because we just never know half
the time whether it's storms or whatever's going on. And
you know, and tomorrow his uh, his house that's all
authentic art in thereror he's had it since age.
Speaker 6 (07:15):
Of sixteen, I believe, and he's one.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Of her kind.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
He's got all kinds of things going on, all right.
So hey, we got to get to you because this
film is too important. What You've been out a bunch
of film festivals and I'm you can never get tired
of talking about you and your dad, can you? And
it's more than Santa Baby, isn't it? And I'm sure
you have a bunch of great people just come up
and say it's about time that someone did something on
your world when I'm father, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Yes, sir?
Speaker 2 (07:41):
That great oh no, did we lose her sound, we
might have less lost her sound.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
He can hear us?
Speaker 6 (07:48):
Uh, oh, we can't hear you.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Yeah, I'm gonna have you come out one of those back.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Oh yeah, so you know what.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
Let's talk about tomorrow. I mean, it's super exciting to
have her here, right, and you know Brian talk about
what her dad did. He is ninety nine and going strong, right.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yes, absolutely, And it's more than Santa Baby is. It's
won a bunch of rewards for Short Films Festival. I
saw it at Dancing to Films. I was honored to
meet her. It was I believe it was sold out.
You know, it was sold out, and I was surprised
because I didn't know what I was seeing. You know,
sometimes I'll walk in and I see things going on
and you know, all of those more than Santa Baby.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
I'm like, okay, I'm staying for this film. And it was.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
It turned out to be her film and people loved
her film. Hey, and did did we get to sound
on you back again?
Speaker 6 (08:41):
Can you hear me?
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yes? It is going to be one of those shows.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
But we always had sometimes we start slow and we
installed so that's.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
A good thing.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
If it happens again.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Absolutely, So we have these images of this, let's talk
about this.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Why is this important?
Speaker 2 (08:57):
This film is great, it's exciting, it's education, it's engrossing,
and it's enthusiastic and I love that. And that's so
you get the four East from movie reviews. The more
you don't get any better than that. But the thing
about this, I'm glad that you've gone around with this
because I think you were just in New York and
some other place too, talk about that.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
So I was in the last ten days. I went
to Santa Anna, to New York, to two places in Alabama,
fair Hope and Gulf Tours, two different screenings, and I'm
very happy to say that in Sanna, at the Old
Town Film Festival run by Dan Parks, it won Best
Documentary Short. That was that was thrilling. And then at
(09:39):
the fair Field Film Festival and sorry, fair Hope Film
Festival and fair Hope, Alabama, which is a really beautiful place,
it won the Audience Choice Award. Yeah that and it
received the Audience Award at the world premiere screening that
Brian saw, and also an award for Best Sound at
(10:02):
the Marina del Rey Festival. So you know, we're I guess,
you know, heading somewhere.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
That's a great thing. Talk about how exciting that is
when audiences see this movie that they probably knew nothing about,
and then to see that you the daughter directed it,
because that's very rare.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
Yeah, yes, okay, I mean it really is a crowd
pleasing film. I mean you feel the energy in the audience.
And a thirty two year old friend of mine who
was at the premiere walked out of the after seeing
it and she said, tomorrow, there's something for everybody in
this film. And really it is a multi layered story,
(10:42):
and I meant that intentionally. There's a very kind of
above the ground aspect of it is. You know, this
guy is known for Santa Baby, a worldwide Christmas standard,
but he's written so much more than that. And this
film takes you through a it's really stepping back in
time and it is a walk through music history. His
(11:04):
career is adorned with legendary artists of the twentieth century
and today, and it takes you through many, many genres
and idioms of music through his career path, which is
over eighty years. I mean, he started really in high
school to work as a professional musician, and you know,
the music history is sort of one layer and just
(11:26):
his particular music catalog another. There is a father daughter element.
Obviously I am telling this story along with him, and
there is a father son element in this movie. And really,
truly this story is about perseverance, hope, resilience, and the
(11:48):
message is never give up. So there really is something
for everybody. And you know, I think it's a little
bit of a surprise because it's sort of, you know,
in a way, I'm coming out of nowhere. But it's
definitely received well on a grassroots level.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
How did you end it? Go ahead?
Speaker 5 (12:06):
Yeah, How did it feel for you in this whole
process of making this film for your dad? How did
that feel to you?
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Well?
Speaker 6 (12:16):
It felt you know a lot of things if we're
talking about feelings, because the journey of his life and
his career and his music, which really is his life,
is very up and down. There's a lot You go
on an emotional roller coaster and the audience goes on
the emotional roller coaster. So for me, I lived that.
(12:37):
I lived that roller coaster growing up. So making it,
I felt, you know, all the feelings. I felt elation,
I felt the pain again, I felt the disappointments that
were along the way, and I also felt sort of
some of the triumphs that came in his ninth decade
in his nineties. So really the emotions are a little
(13:01):
bit all over the map, but I feel that it's
a you know, it's a very real journey, and if
a person doesn't shy away from it, you really go
through sort of a sample of a it's a very
poignant life story.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
You know.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
The good thing about this is that we never just
have one person on because we have so many people
that want to be on.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
But it was special enough.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
You are special enough because of all the stuff that
you did, all the hard work that wanted to just
to have you by yourself. And I told Anny that,
and it was a last minute because we had someone
else book four months ago for this.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
I'm like, I think he never this.
Speaker 5 (13:37):
Yeah, he never does this, and we do have this
from the moment he saw your film, like as a
movie reviewer, he has been talking about it NonStop ever since.
Speaker 6 (13:50):
So, well, Brian, you're my new best friend.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
I hear that a lot.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
But that's that's the good thing about this. Hey, Linda Steele,
you haven't been on a while. This is important because
I did you get a chance to see the movie?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
No? Because the link didn't work.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Okay, I'm so bummed to that.
Speaker 7 (14:09):
But the fact that can, I say a couple of
things brands that. Okay, So when you're talking about it,
and you're you're talking about you know, the life's ups
and downs and so forth, it goes along with with
life itself. I mean, everybody knows that. You know, when
you see a successful person, outsiders think it's just like this,
(14:31):
but really it's not. If you look, I mean, it's
like in and out, up and down, highs and mos
never it's yeah, And I mean, and I think we
all can that. It's just and so it's great that
you were able to, you know, show that because, like
I said, outsiders, they look at it at a successful
(14:52):
person and they never see what goes on behind the scenes.
Speaker 6 (14:56):
That's true. I mean usually you'll hear people talk about
that and there's saying, yeah, it took me twenty years
to have my overnight success.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Yeah exactly exactly.
Speaker 7 (15:07):
So you know, one thing I just want to talk
about the song Santa Baby. You know, not everybody loves
the holiday season, Not everybody loves Christmas happens to be
one of my favorite holidays, and it's very special to me.
My father actually passed away on Christmas Eve, so you know,
years are not my favorite holiday, but it really, you know,
(15:28):
this is when I get to celebrate his life.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
So I've always loved the holidays. It was his favorite.
Speaker 7 (15:33):
But you know, so with it not being everyone's favorite holiday,
isn't it great that music is the one thing that
typically will bring all of us together, and his music
is some of the most iconic music ever out there.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
You must be so proud of him. What was it like.
Speaker 7 (15:51):
Growing up knowing that he made such an impact in
people's lives just through his music.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Had a time like this, Yes, I.
Speaker 6 (15:59):
Mean it's very special and people, you know, the nice
thing about it is it occurs every year, and you know,
so you sort of bring that cheer to people. And
I can't take credit for that. I didn't write the song,
but you know I have worked on you know, his
promoting him and his catalog and you know, really all
(16:19):
all of his music, but Santa Baby does tend to be,
you know, the talking point and it feels great. You know,
when the season starts, I get a lot of emails
from friends that say, it's always the first time I
heard Santa Baby. You know, I was in the season,
so I'll get anything like that. You know, I was
in May Cas or I was, you know, somewhere, and
I get a little anecdote, and it's very sweet because
(16:41):
the excitement is there, and I think a song sort
of in a way brings that.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
The song is timeless. It's absolutely timeless.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Yeah, Hey, talk about the connection of your dad and Earth.
The kid Elvis Presley Howard, you know, would always his
his dad was world Now I'm famous. Obviously, randled over
and things like that. So both your dads are iconic.
Well what they did, and I'm sure one way or
another that they intermingled some kind of strange way it happen.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
It's a small world they had to have.
Speaker 6 (17:15):
You never quite know.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
Ye.
Speaker 6 (17:18):
Well, Eartha kit was you know, probably probably one of
the most important people in my dad's life. And also
Joan Javits, the lyricist of Santa Baby, my father's co writer.
They were a writing team, really a new writing team,
and Joan got the assignment from the publishers to write
this Christmas song or they were discussing it. You know,
(17:41):
and she said, well, look, I'll do it. I'll sign
the deal as long as Phil Springer's my composer. And
they sat down in a room, the publishers and Joan
and Phil and Joan said how about Santa Baby? And
they all loved it and they and my father felt like,
you know, this is impossible. How do you write a
Christmas song for the sultriiest emerging star in America, which
(18:05):
is what Earth the Kit was at the time. She
was so sexy and so, you know, like a little
provocative and very uninhibited in terms of who she was,
and it did come off, you know, it was a
very sultry sort of persona. So my dad said, how
do you You know that's impossible, But they came up
with the title and they went and they wrote Santa Baby.
And there's a little more detail in the film which
(18:26):
I don't want to spoil, so I won't go too
far into that. And you know, it worked, and my
father and Eartha Kit stayed friends for life. They were
in touch. She recorded two other songs of his, One
is Oh John and the other is Loven Spree, and
Anne Margaret also recorded loven Spree, which is gorgeous. I mean,
(18:50):
I love that song. And so you know, I met
Artha a few times. We met in a recording studio
with Eartha, Eartha's daughter Kit, my father, and myself and
we recorded a version of Santa Baby with my dad
at the piano and Eartha singing. That was in nineteen
ninety nine. And then I went and saw her a
few times in her cabaret shows here in Los Angeles
(19:13):
where I am now in New York. And they were
always friends. I mean they had each other's backs. It
was very sweet. For as far as Elvis goes, he
wrote Never Ending with lyricist Buddy Kay, And you know
it's certainly, even though it's not a tremendous, like tremendously
known song in the catalog, Elvis aficionado seemed to know it.
(19:37):
It is played at Elvis events, and certainly being a
little tiny piece of the Elvis legacy is a huge honor.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
How would I see you one to ask a question, go.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
I actually know Arthur Kid's niece.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Her name's Vita.
Speaker 8 (19:53):
We're doing a cologne line and I'm going to be
madeling for And then her other sister was Ray Charles.
Backup singer was her mother beat us. So you know,
it's a small world. Like you said, you don't know
who you're connected to, but you're doing three people away
from anybody.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
That's right, right, that's nice.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Hey, since we're on Dad's right now, Howard talk about
your dad. What's a favorite member of your dad as
we're a kid or as you were growing up later
because you're finding out more things about your dad as
you're older.
Speaker 8 (20:23):
Well, since we talked about Christmas music, I'll post it tonight.
There's a Christmas all called Shantytown by Eddie Arnold. And
I was shopping in the mall, and of course I
can recognize my father's still guitar playing.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
And I thought I've never heard that song ever.
Speaker 8 (20:39):
I mean, I was an adult shopping and then there's
my father while Christmas shopping playing that song.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
But I'll post it later at night.
Speaker 8 (20:48):
For my Facebook friends so you can see it. I
was going to do that anyway, since I'm going to
the CMA. I was going to post post someone with
Dotty West and some of the other Opry members and
uh so that when I go see him, my.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Pull those up quickly.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Hey, So Terry, introduce yourself let's talk about your dad.
Your dad was iconic for working for Disney. If if
you don't print those posters and all those things that
you had that I've seen in your house, uh, you
don't get any marketing done, right?
Speaker 4 (21:17):
What was that about the marketing?
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Yeah? What did your dad do? Terry? Oh?
Speaker 9 (21:22):
Oh, My dad was the director of printing for studios.
He was with Disney for like over thirty five years.
So I had a magical childhood. We went to Disneyland
every Christmas. So the Christmas actually used to used to
be the highlight of my life growing up. But now
that I've lost both parents, Christmas is hard. So this
(21:42):
is the first Christmas without my mom, so I just
kind of want to go back to that. So I
don't really know how to process this year, tell you
the truth, Like, I'm kind of like, I don't know.
I don't I don't know what to feel. I don't
I don't know if that.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Makes any sense.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
It's is I can't take a while.
Speaker 7 (21:57):
Three, It's gonna take a while in some years are
going to be easier than others, and there's for it.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (22:05):
So my mom, because of her love of Christmas, I
inherited all these really neat Christmas decorations, like music boxes.
Speaker 6 (22:12):
And all that.
Speaker 9 (22:12):
I couldn't obviously take all of it with me because
of it. I had to either donate or sell or whatever.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
But I took the pieces that I like.
Speaker 9 (22:19):
So I'm going to try to have like a like
a small party, like with one of my girlfriends, just
to kind of celebrate my mom, because that's the only
way that I can celebrate all of her amazing things.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
And a lot of those amazing things happen to be
Disney stuff because for Christmas, but to Disneyland.
Speaker 9 (22:34):
But yeah, I come from you know, my mom was
a publicist and my dad worked for Disney, so I've
been around in their entertainment the whole my whole life.
I started, you know, acting like I was when I
was a little kid, So I mean I've I've always
been around that kind of.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
The entertainment life.
Speaker 9 (22:49):
But going through my mom's estate since my dad the printing,
I have tons and tons of like Mickey Mouse stuff
and Bambi stuff and snow White stuff and original cells
and like all the cartoons and stuff. So one day
I guess we could do a show just on that
kind of stuff. We wanted to go into the history
of Disney and all the crazy stuff my dad did.
(23:10):
But my dad also was an artist, and he started
off as an artist designing checks and uh, you know,
and drawings like he did stuff for Wells Fargo and
for Purity Pacific was back in the day, Lynton I
think it was Linton Breas.
Speaker 4 (23:25):
So yeah, my dad like majored in.
Speaker 9 (23:27):
And advertising in college at the University of Arizona, so.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
I have the stuff that he did was iconic. Tomorrow,
we're just going back to Howard's dad. R.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
It's going to be so cool for you to now
create your own personal magic every christ Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Yeah, you know what you're part of. Santa Baby. You
can never.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Saying nice the song that I grew up with.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Well, when you're going and you're finding these things when
people have passed or when people are alive, like huh,
I didn't know this or I never saw this before,
or it has a different meaning.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
Right, I mean all of those things.
Speaker 6 (24:14):
Tomorrow, right, And I'm sorry you're referencing.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
All the all the stuff that you found.
Speaker 6 (24:20):
Oh, yes, I mean vast volumes of content. Yes, I
went through everything and there was you know, an incredible
amount of just volumes and volumes of uh, you know,
musical history really well.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
And that's right, Brian.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
I want to I want to shout out the Bikini chef,
she's in the comments and love these golden nuggets, Susan Irby,
love that you're here.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
And Linda's daughter.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
You know, when Linda's done, you know, I think half
of Chicago listens, which is kind of.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
I'm surprised your.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Mom hasn't chimed in yet.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
Me back all day.
Speaker 7 (24:59):
But my my sister daughter, Demi, I'm sure my granddaughter
is watching.
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Aby cayleb Ray is watching.
Speaker 7 (25:07):
Kendall's on a flight. She's on her way home from
California right now, so I doubt she's watching.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
But well, here's the thing, and I always say that
we have a lot of is we have a lot
of people in the South that watch. Because I talked
to my friends in Alabama and Tennessee and Little Rock
and everything like that. It is great to hear when
they play back the next day and all of a
sudden they start to do the research because they like
what we're talking about. A lot of times no one's
(25:32):
talking about these things, and it's unfortunate. I'm so happy
that you've been taking this cross country and winning. I
know it's grueling, you know, to travel to hop on
a plane, go, but once you get there, I'm sure
you get to you see that energy, you see those
people lying up and buying tickets to see you're screening.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
What's that like?
Speaker 6 (25:48):
You know, it's it's just it's amazing. I mean, it's
just it's so's it's fun, it's rewarding. It's special New
York this year, cousin came from Boston and a cousin
from Philadelphia, and there were a few related cousins already
in New York City, and I saw some friends. But
what was extra special about those cousins all getting together
(26:10):
is that my mom passed this January. Yeah, it was
pretty rough, but my mom passed. Yeah, so and my
folks were married for sixty eight years. So it was special.
It was very comforting to me to be with my
mom's cousins and then a bunch of friends. And I
(26:31):
love New York City. I was born there. I sort
of feel like part New Yorker, even though I've lived
in California most of my life, and you know, being
in New York first screening was just so meaningful because
the backdrop of the story is largely New York and
a lot of the heart of the story is New
York and in part one of the layers is it
(26:51):
is a love letter to New York City, and you know,
there's a song that I feel is a highlight about
New York City in it. So that was amazing. And
then going to Alabama, I have very close friends there
in Gulf Shore, so I got to spend some time
with them, and I went to fair Hope and Fair
Hope was a beautiful, beautiful place with the most like warm, welcoming,
(27:15):
inviting people, and you know, they treated me like I mean,
it was incredible. I just felt like, you know, not
the color of the carpet doesn't really matter, but they
just treated me like gold. And they loved the film there,
and you know, got similar sort of commentary to you know, Brian,
what you say, which you know couldn't be really there's
(27:36):
no better understanding of the film than you have, and appreciation,
and I felt like that was happening there in Alabama.
And I also just left the festival they just did.
They did a great job, and I hope they'll invite
me as a juror and then good friends of mine
rented a movie theater, invited their friends and their clients
(27:58):
from their businesses. They have two very successful businesses, and
they used the film as their holiday corporate event, and
we had a Q and A afterward that was so meaningful,
Like the conversations really sort of got to a kind
of deep level and it was it was just very rewarding.
And you know, I printed these eight x tens of
(28:20):
the of the film poster and I didn't bring them.
I said, I said to my friend, you know, if
anybody wants an autograph copy, let's get them a personal
personal one, like not just best wishes, but their name.
So now I'm about thirty five or more yet, because
people were so moved by the film and into it,
so you know, the feedback and the energy was just great,
(28:43):
you know, along this path and before that was Santa Anna,
which was equally lovely, small but lovely. So it's just
been fun and I you know, I hope it continues
because you know, it's still on its promotional journey and
I'm sort of researching and kind of figuring out, you know,
where it's.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
What's the next step for you?
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Because I love these photos and they're important, especially when
you're doing marketing.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
And I always tell people you've got to have these.
What's your dad feeling about this? Now? He's got to
be his mind must be blown about the Yeah.
Speaker 6 (29:13):
I mean, I do think that he's very thrilled and impressed.
And I keep him posted along the way so he
knows what's happening. I'll call him and say, you know, Dad,
we won an award, Dad, And then I call him
the next day, Dad, we won another award. So you
know he's I think it feels very good. One of
the themes in the film is recognition, and you know,
(29:36):
he's certainly getting some really beautiful recognition at this stage
in his life. And I'll just dare to say what
I feel a little self conscious saying. But because Brian,
you asked about next Step, you know, so I hope
it continues in some film festivals. And I actually love
this corporate holiday screening idea like I would. I want
(29:59):
to retain the rights to that no matter where it goes.
I actually have a conversation with the sales agent tomorrow.
You know, we'll see how it goes. I'm not in
a rush or you know, stressed about it, but it
is OSCAR qualified this year, and so acadity documentary members
are listening, you know, please take a close look.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
And that's why I wanted to have you on because
I know they're paying attention because we got some of
them coming up the next.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
Two or three weeks. Okay, I'm to keep talking about.
Speaker 5 (30:30):
It, Mara. You were also a part of the rather
or large Dancing with Films Film Festival and the Big
Apple Film Festival in New York. Correct, you know, congratulations
for taking those steps to promote your film and those
(30:52):
film festivals.
Speaker 6 (30:54):
Thank you. I you know, it's it's been a real
honor to be accepted because I have learned along this journey,
not coming from a film background, that you know, it's
not so easy to program a film in a festival,
and it then a thirty nine minute short is also
a bit of a challenge. So for those festivals that
(31:15):
bring it in and you know, appreciate it for what
it is, I'm so truly grateful for that.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
You know, I always tell people it's not easy getting
in a film festival. People think it is, and it's not.
You've got to shift you hundreds, if not thousands, of
films and I would watch them from beginning to end,
and yes they did, and some of them won't acknowledge it.
They have a ten minute rule and I didn't believe
in it, and I still don't like that.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
You should watch it from beginning to end. I've gotten down.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Films that I absolutely hate it and done push ups
and setups them in a movie theater just to get
through it.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
So if I can do that, you guys can struggle
through it because they just I am.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
You know, you know what I tell these people. You know,
it's not easy to make this film. It's not easy
to make your film about your dad in the final stuff,
once you wrote it, you produced it, and you directed,
that's not easy to do.
Speaker 7 (32:11):
But you know what an honor I mean all of us,
we all love our parents. I mean, if I could
do something to honor my mother or honor my father,
I would love to do that. How fun for you
to be able to do this. You are very, very
fortunate to be able to do this.
Speaker 6 (32:29):
Thank you. I appreciate it, you know, and I do
feel fortunate.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
I do. Yes, Hey, what was the reaction when you
when you went down south?
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Because they've played U a lot, a lot, and I've
been to their Christmas parties and Howard you know, we've
we've been to Holiday fest and and you know in Nashville, Tennessee, Henderson, Tennessee,
and they're playing it all the time. And I'm thinking
about who's singing this version. I never thought there would
have been a movie about it. So each year, this
should be played around the world, no matter what, because
(32:58):
this is the world wide movie that people need to see.
Speaker 6 (33:02):
Thank you, And I hope that you know that's what happens.
One of the executive producers, Steve Gandalfi, he's an english Man,
and I wish I could you know, mimic his accent
because it's so cute when he says this. But he
says and if you can imagine a British accent, they're
going to play it every year.
Speaker 4 (33:17):
This Christmas, you know, should.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
Be played every Christmas. It's just the cutest thing on
the planet. And you know, although there are many levels,
as I mentioned, Santa Baby is you know, the biggest
tie in, the biggest draw, the biggest hook, and so yes,
it is definitely a strong association with this season. And
I do hope that you know it's one of those
things that plays every November December.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Hey Howard, who's the other person that sings that's got
a big, huge Christmas song too?
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Brinda exactly. Yeah, talk about Brenda Lee. Go for it.
Speaker 8 (33:54):
Well, Brenda Lee's uh stepfather was, I mean godfather was
my and I know Brenda Lee's daughters and U one
story I like to share on that the tour buses
used to come by the house and I used to
watch out the window, and when the tour bus came,
I went and got the mail. So I had my
picture made and that was talking for Brenda Lee's daughter,
(34:15):
and one of them said that she did the same thing,
but when the tour bus came, she went and got
things out of the addicts to sell to them.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
And I said, you're a better edit than I was.
I didn't think to do that, you know. So I
thought that was a cute story. But talk honor in
your father.
Speaker 8 (34:33):
I'm up in age too, and to me, it's when
you get older, we all want to leave some kind
of legacy behind. So when you're given to your father
and creating his legacy and passing it on down, that's
the biggest giff you could give to him. I think
that's just wonderful, you know, because that's all what we want.
I mean, when it's all said and done, what do
(34:53):
we have just a memory? And we want that memory
to go on.
Speaker 6 (34:57):
So exactly.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
About the screening in Alabama, what was that like for you?
Did they know that what they were going to see
or what they let's pleasantly surprised.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
I'm curious.
Speaker 6 (35:06):
Well, I mean, you know, obviously the programmers knew, and
I think there was a little buzz about it. You know,
they were extraordinarily welcoming to me, and when I got there,
you know, they had me do a coffee talk. They
have these sort of coffee talks for three mornings. In
these coffee it sounds like someone's familiar with that. I
(35:32):
was so surprised. I thought, you know, I was just
going to go and be, you know, watch, but they
wanted me to be on the panel and that was
like just another honor and very fun and so you know,
I was received in you know, uh, it felt important,
I mean, you know, and so there was a buz
about the film before the community saw it, and I think,
(35:57):
you know, the people obviously were very moved by it
because it did win the Audience Choice Award, which to
me is the best award, because I want the story
to connect with people, to move people, you know, for
people to sort of to know it, because I do
feel like it's a walk through music history that's not
that well known. That my father, you know that he
(36:20):
he was significant in that time and through his journey.
So I do feel like Alabama really embraced it. And
I think maybe Los Angeles where I live, you know,
we see a celebrity every five minutes, and there's film
screenings every day, and it's not that big of a
you know, like you know, it happens all the time.
(36:41):
Let's say they're all they're all important, but they're frequent
and there doesn't happen every day. It's not all the time.
And that they have that and that the filmmaker is there.
So it did feel you know, very important to them
and special. And my good friend in Gulf Shore is
the one that did the private screening. He said, you know,
(37:02):
you know, you're a big deal here tomorrow your a
big deal. And you know, my friends are big deals.
They do a lot for the community. They they they're
very involved, they help a lot of people. They're big deals,
So you know, it was just very sweet and.
Speaker 5 (37:18):
Really it really makes that extra special. Like you were saying,
you know, something that is feels like a really a
deeper level celebration you will. So yeah, I think that's
such a beautiful experience. And you know, golf shores and
all that area is fabulous. If you have not been
(37:42):
there on vacation, go immediately.
Speaker 6 (37:45):
It's it's incredible. The sort of elbow room on the
on the lots, the houses, just really stunning area where
all of a sudden I realized I wasn't holding my breath,
you know, I sort of haven't put my card down.
And it was a very tranquil feeling there, a very
sort of relaxed way of life, although everybody does something,
(38:09):
but just beautiful, beautiful place that's so beautiful.
Speaker 5 (38:14):
When you were digging deep into putting this story together
for the film, you mentioned some emotional parts, the ups
and downs. Would you be willing to share one of
those parts that was really hard hitting for you, that
brought up memories that were difficult and how you process
(38:35):
through that.
Speaker 6 (38:36):
Sure, I don't want to give away too much you
know about the film, but part of the story really
is that my father is known for this, you know,
worldwide Christmas standard, but not for much else. And you know,
I had to put together part of the film where
(38:56):
we explore his pursuit of more recognition, and in some
ways and in some parts of his life, it didn't
that didn't happen. It happened in other ways, in some
surprising ways. And another thing that the film makes you
think about is that success doesn't always come the way
(39:17):
you sign it in your mind. It could come in
a totally different form. And it's really important to be
open to that, you know, because you never know what
doors are going to open and give you the feeling
that you've wanted to feel. It just didn't come from
what you've wanted it to come from. So I had
to go along that emotional journey. And I lived that
(39:41):
emotional journey as a child and a lot of my life.
And I think one of the reasons I made this
film a lot of my life, I just wanted more
recognition for him. And there were parts where you know,
he had a show and you know, you're waiting for
it to be successful, or this singer might record this
song and you're hoping it happens, and you know, there's
(40:02):
a lot of that anticipation and then a lot of
disappointment and there was a lot of frustration. So I
had to relive really all of that, and you know,
there were painful moments. I cried a lot because some
of his music is so beautiful to me, it actually
(40:22):
makes me cry. It moves so much. So I had
to go through all the emotions, and in a way
it was very cathartic because I feel like, you know,
a lot of this story is painful, or some of it,
and I feel like I made something artful out of
that pain and that you know, there's ups in there's downs,
(40:45):
and I feel like, you know, there's a lot of
you know, we try to focus on the ups.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
You know, it's beautiful. Good.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
Hey, tomorrow, we're going to come back to you and
then coffee talk or we're going to come back to
you too.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
In a minute.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
I have to talk about this film number one, Bad Dad.
This is a short film that I saw and it's
really good. So I have to talk about this. Let's
take a look at.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
This, Ell Daniel, this you.
Speaker 6 (41:13):
Go, you meathering me my father? So only one of
my mom's employ guy's hand off.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
You gotta get out of here.
Speaker 9 (41:26):
I don't want to.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
Now.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
You know, the strange thing and the fun thing about
short films is there's not always a good trailer like tomorrow,
your trailer is excellent good if I liked a lot
of things, this one is not a good trailer, but
it's an excellent film. And so it's hard to sometimes
when they're choosing films to get into film festivals, like
what is this about? It is it's good enough to
we have room for it is one better and you
(41:56):
have to fight for these things like that, and that's
the challenge.
Speaker 3 (41:59):
But this this little.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Girl, she's a superhero and she finds her dad, who
is an ex superhero, and he wants nothing to do
with her.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
So what she.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
Does, or she does, is she goes, I'm gonna show you,
I'm gonna make you love me because I'm just as
big good as you are, if not better than you are.
And so that's why it's called Number one bad Dad.
And then you know, if there's a lot of good
things that come around gonna put you know, the writer
as a director is a woman, and she did a
great job with this. I just thought it was super
(42:28):
sweet and then funny because there's so many films out
there that just don't dig the recognition and and tomorrow,
I'm not sure if you saw I got a chance
to see any films while you were at some of
the film flencival. Because your time is being taken and
everybody's wanting the interview. Is it's tough, especially if you
want to see something, Isn't it very tough?
Speaker 6 (42:44):
I feel badly because I like to support my fellow filmmakers,
and I just saw the films in the block in
New York. I saw the films in my same block,
Dances with films. I really made an effort to go see,
you know, on a few nights, a few films, and
I made a few friends that way with a few
(43:05):
of the filmmakers. So it's true. You're you're so consumed
with all kinds of things when your film is in
a festival, it's a little hard to get, you know,
to too many screenings for many My heart is there, though.
I want to support, you know, all of the fellow
filmmakers at these festivals because I know what goes into it,
(43:25):
and it's really nice to be part of that community
and support others great stories.
Speaker 3 (43:30):
And dances with films.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
No matter where I am cross country, I always want
to make sure I go back to because that's got
the most energy.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
I mean.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
And when I walked in, was it last year? I
think I walked in last year. I'm like, why are
there so many people here?
Speaker 3 (43:42):
What's going on?
Speaker 2 (43:43):
I forgot that I was in a movie theater because
I'm not used to seeing that energy anymore. Dances with
the film always has it. And I felt bad for you.
You walked out of the theater, you know, you would
get a mob literally like you were one of the Beatles.
Speaker 3 (43:56):
And I'm like, I'm not even going to talk to
people around her.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
But that's why I went up and said hi to
you briefly, and I'm like, i'll catch her later on
the rebound and I'm here.
Speaker 6 (44:05):
I'm so thankful you did.
Speaker 3 (44:08):
That was the thing.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
I mean, you they loved your film so much that
they swarmed her, and I was happy for her, you know,
because it was a good film and just seeing that reaction,
and like I said, if anybody knows me, I sit
in the back row so I can see everybody's reactions
in the back of their heads, and then I will
go out in the aisle to see if I can
catch that producer, director or actor, because that's the way
to get their attention, and you don't always know if
(44:31):
there's a publicists. Thank god that you have Annie because
she's good. We got a couple of minutes left, so
coffee talk girl, Rachel, you know. And the reason why
I'm picking on Rachel right now because you know, I
like her show. I like what she does, a coffee
don doing all these things, don't you, Rachel?
Speaker 6 (44:48):
I do.
Speaker 7 (44:50):
I get up yeah, like two three in the morning,
and you know, shoot coffee talk at six, so by
now I'm.
Speaker 6 (44:57):
Like way past that time.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
Yeah it is, but then that's a good thing.
Speaker 2 (45:07):
And then so Linda, you know, congratulations on what you're
doing saving someone else's gym that was probably yours. That
was really successful.
Speaker 3 (45:14):
And I know you.
Speaker 6 (45:18):
It's good to see you.
Speaker 4 (45:19):
Oh my gosh, it's great to see you. Guys. It's
so fun to be back here. Brian.
Speaker 7 (45:24):
I'm so proud of what you've done with the show.
It's you know, I when did I meet you? In
twenty seventeen eighteen we started doing the show.
Speaker 2 (45:31):
And yeah, yeah, she actually came out and you know,
she went to she went to a gifting sweet with
pink high heeled shoes on. She just stood out like
she was Barbie because she is she is. But it
was fantastic. And you know what she's going in the documentary.
You know you're going in Linda, and it's going to
(45:53):
be about your story and you get a good job.
You know, you'll get a good time to have a
good time to tell your story and Row, you know
what it's like, should get a chance to tell that story.
Speaker 3 (46:01):
It's it's it's it's important, isn't it. And Howard Howard.
Speaker 2 (46:04):
I'm gonna get Howard's story told too, because his dad
and his legacy is really important.
Speaker 9 (46:10):
Also, yeah, Brian, some day I need to tell my
story too.
Speaker 4 (46:16):
Once it was almost over.
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Well, you're a work in progress, but we get let
me get let me get Leather and Howard first.
Speaker 3 (46:22):
That will work on you.
Speaker 2 (46:24):
Hey, we got a couple of minutes left tomorrow. What
do you want people to see when it comes to
see these films that.
Speaker 3 (46:29):
I haven't seen it?
Speaker 6 (46:30):
Well, I'm sorry, I said, what do.
Speaker 2 (46:32):
You hope the audience gets out of seeing this film?
For people who haven't seen it?
Speaker 3 (46:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (46:36):
Yeah, I hope that they connect to one of the
various levels and that they are able to, you know,
first of all, enjoy the film. Enjoy the journey. We
go back almost one hundred years and step you know,
we're stepping back in time and going on this you know,
musical journey, emotional journey, a family journey. Appointed life uh,
(46:58):
you know, appointed life cycle is what we see. And
I hope that people are moved. I hope that they
connect to you know, one of the various layers or more.
And I hope they enjoy it. I mean, I just
hope that they feel good and they appreciate sort of
you know, the the journey that my dad was on,
(47:19):
and that they can relate to it in a way
that is significant to them.
Speaker 3 (47:22):
Yeah, Carol social media links for everybody.
Speaker 5 (47:25):
You can reach me at Neurocoach Carol on Instagram and
you can find me Carol register on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn.
And I'm so glad to be here. Also, I want
to mention I will be speaking December first and second
on Top Talent Hollywood dot com the Top Talent Hollywood event,
(47:49):
and I would love for you to come.
Speaker 9 (47:51):
Yeah, Terry social media links, yes, Kerry Marie and stop
one all platforms Rachel.
Speaker 4 (47:58):
Rachel Roberts Recipes Rachel and Roberts.
Speaker 8 (48:01):
Howard, Howard Reagan's Facebook, plain and simple.
Speaker 2 (48:04):
And if you haven't met Howard, He's gonna be at
a at the Country Music Awards tomorrow that after party,
so look for him. He's not hard to find. Everybody
knows who he is. He'll probably be surrounded by six
hundred women wanting to dance with him. That's how you
find Howard. Still on social media links.
Speaker 7 (48:24):
I'm not letting illness. You can find me on LinkedIn,
you can find me on Instagram. My faithbook got hacked
at like five hundred thousand followers.
Speaker 3 (48:35):
And she's not kidding.
Speaker 2 (48:36):
She literally had a million followers at one point and
three times just when Instagram was hacked. That's why I
have to always like and support my co host because
the wonderful women, including Howard, and that's a good thing.
Tomorrow you get the last word. Give you social media
links and where this film you think is heading?
Speaker 3 (48:50):
Next?
Speaker 6 (48:51):
Okay? Is Instagram is at Santa Baby composer and at
more than Santa Baby, and uh you know Facebook two
is just my named Tamar Springer. It is screening December
first in Palm Spring.
Speaker 3 (49:05):
So.
Speaker 6 (49:07):
At them Springs Cultural Center. That's an event that is
a fundraiser for the center. So ticket sales just go
back right back into that venue, which is a beautiful place,
and just follow Instagram and you know, hopefully there'll be
more information to share sin.
Speaker 2 (49:24):
And that's why you support the arts. I hope everybody
had a good time tonight. Hey, communication, it's always a
live show. We never know what's going to happen, do we, Howard,
And it's one of those things that we always make
it work.
Speaker 3 (49:34):
Ah, Rachel, Carol and Terry.
Speaker 2 (49:36):
And it's always good to have Linda Steel here because
I'm just seeing my friend Linda from Chicago. So got
to thank everybody. I always say this, have a good
night tonight, a better day tomorrow. You see someone went
out a smile, please give them one of yours because
the world needs it. I'm Bryan Sebastian. This is movie
reviews and more and we will see you next week.
This program is designed to provide general information with regards
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the understanding that neither the hosts, guests, sponsors, or station
are engaged in rendering any specific and personal medical, financial, legal, counseling,
professional service, or any advice. You should seek the services
(00:23):
of competent professionals before applying or trying any suggested ideas.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Hey there, this is Brian Spashal movie reviews and more.
And if it's Tuesday, first of all, it's giving Tuesday.
Always give the art. Support the art, support independent filmmakers, artists, museums, libraries,
small businesses, women own specifically, specifically those writers, directors, and
producers of a small movie, but a great movie called
(01:25):
More than Santa Baby.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
But she's more than that.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
So before we get into our guests, I think Annie
jeeves the publisht because Annie gives us great films. He's
always good. I don't think she's ever had a bad film.
Matter of fact, I was thinking about the Vile. I
was thinking about forty not watched the Nowhere. I was
thinking about the first black hockey player that she gave
me years ago. She may not even remember these movies.
She's done so many great films she's had in the past.
(01:50):
But Carol, let's talk about who you are so knows
who everybody is. But first, okay, live on Top four
TV talk for TV hey for each day, really k
for HD Radio. I can't even talk to that. Yes,
I was out in the cold and it is still
cold here in northern Illinois, and I'm leaving tomorrow. But
without that and all the other stuff going on always
(02:10):
streaming on over one hundred outlets right now, including Worldwide
Woman's TV I T two four seven out of Franklin, Tennessee,
and on over one hundred outlets right now.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Okay, Carol, we can go to you.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Go ahead, thanks Brian.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
You know we women let the men who support us
so fully. As you know, and as I will share
with all of you here tonight. I currently run five
businesses or I'm actively involved in five businesses. I run
a private invite exclusive group, Mastermind, where I take women
(02:49):
to seven figures. I also co host the Unleashed and
Unstoppable podcast. I have a free book club call the
Worthy book Club, and I have her retreats down in
the Andes Mountains in southern Chile. You've lived there and
(03:10):
the states back and forth for twelve years. So I'm
super glad to be here, and I'm super thankful for
give back Tuesdays. I also sit on the board a
Better Vision for Children And basically, I'm here for you.
I'm here for you, so thanks for having me, and.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
So including about who's here for us, Sir Rachel. Did
we get your sound going?
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Okay, good, tell everybody where you are, especially in Houston, Texas.
Speaker 6 (03:36):
Go I'm yeah, I'm in Houston. Well you just did it.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
I'm in Houston, Texas, and yeah, I have a little
morning show called Coffee Talk, and I'm a content creator
now and that's a lot of work. It's more than that.
She's a good cook too. She's got she's got, just
f it. I can't wait to go back and have
some more. Linda Steel, you haven't been with us in
a long time because you've been busy, but I'm glad
you're here tonight. All right, all the way from Chicago.
(04:00):
I'm in your cold ass statement to go ahead.
Speaker 7 (04:03):
Yeah, I know it just turned cold. It was beautiful
up until about this week. But yes, I'm from Chicago
born and raised. I am a my gosh, my resume
is just getting larger. But I'm a personal trainer, wellness advisor.
I am a best selling author. My book Nerves of Steel,
it hit international bestseller within twenty four hours of launching
(04:24):
back in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yay.
Speaker 6 (04:27):
I hit.
Speaker 7 (04:29):
A number of different categories, you know, women's health and
business and women in business and so forth. So it
hit a number of different categories number one and it
was such an honor.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
So I was really excited about that.
Speaker 7 (04:43):
But after I wrote my book, I started working with
at a gym that I actually did a little flip with.
They were suffering some financial losses and I came in
and I did a gym rescue and I we are
not making money and they're thrilled. So that's going to
be probably my new endeavor coming up, and I can't wait.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
You know, that's not the first time that you had
to come in and repair something that a guy.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
You're owning and running.
Speaker 7 (05:14):
Gym since twenty ten, and I've owned several of my
own I've started other businesses for other people, and it's
just something that I love to do.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
But my personal training is my number one passion.
Speaker 7 (05:25):
But I'm really starting to get into the business side
of things because I'm really good at it and I
love it.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, you're good at it all right, So Howard Wiggins,
we'd never know from with Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
I can't wait to see you tomorrow light at CMA.
So that's a good thing, all right, Howard. Let's think
we've got sound on you before we go tomorrow. Yeah,
and he's got a little delay. I knew it, Howard.
Can you hear us?
Speaker 3 (05:47):
I can't? He can't. I knew it, Howard.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
Your intro, Howard.
Speaker 6 (05:54):
He's amazing.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
He is absolutely incredible, not only profound dancer, top thirty
five into your designer with a unique style called Stockton Layard.
Howard is incredible in the way he sparkles, brings life
and joy to each and every one of us. So
(06:17):
follow him. He's got some amazing projects in the work
right now in the work.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Yeah, okay, maybe we haven't.
Speaker 6 (06:27):
Can you hear me?
Speaker 3 (06:28):
All right?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Tell everybody who you are, because Carol just did a
little intro for you.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
You normal again? I heard that?
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Okay.
Speaker 8 (06:35):
I'm Howard Wiggins. I'm one of the top thirty five
leading interier desires I have My father helped start the
Grand O Opry. And this tomorrow night, I'm going to
the CMA after party, which I saw you have some
pictures on, so a little later on we're gonna have
some great pictures of me and probably some stars to
(06:55):
look at. So I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Wish me luck and I'll have a good time.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yeah, anytime you're on, I wish you luck that we
could even hear you, because we just never know half
the time whether it's storms or whatever's going on. And
you know, and tomorrow his uh, his house that's all
authentic art in thereror he's had it since age.
Speaker 6 (07:15):
Of sixteen, I believe, and he's one.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Of her kind.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
He's got all kinds of things going on, all right.
So hey, we got to get to you because this
film is too important. What You've been out a bunch
of film festivals and I'm you can never get tired
of talking about you and your dad, can you? And
it's more than Santa Baby, isn't it? And I'm sure
you have a bunch of great people just come up
and say it's about time that someone did something on
your world when I'm father, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Yes, sir?
Speaker 2 (07:41):
That great oh no, did we lose her sound, we
might have less lost her sound.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
He can hear us?
Speaker 6 (07:48):
Uh, oh, we can't hear you.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Yeah, I'm gonna have you come out one of those back.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Oh yeah, so you know what.
Speaker 5 (07:58):
Let's talk about tomorrow. I mean, it's super exciting to
have her here, right, and you know Brian talk about
what her dad did. He is ninety nine and going strong, right.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yes, absolutely, And it's more than Santa Baby is. It's
won a bunch of rewards for Short Films Festival. I
saw it at Dancing to Films. I was honored to
meet her. It was I believe it was sold out.
You know, it was sold out, and I was surprised
because I didn't know what I was seeing. You know,
sometimes I'll walk in and I see things going on
and you know, all of those more than Santa Baby.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
I'm like, okay, I'm staying for this film. And it was.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
It turned out to be her film and people loved
her film. Hey, and did did we get to sound
on you back again?
Speaker 6 (08:41):
Can you hear me?
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yes? It is going to be one of those shows.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
But we always had sometimes we start slow and we
installed so that's.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
A good thing.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
If it happens again.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Absolutely, So we have these images of this, let's talk
about this.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Why is this important?
Speaker 2 (08:57):
This film is great, it's exciting, it's education, it's engrossing,
and it's enthusiastic and I love that. And that's so
you get the four East from movie reviews. The more
you don't get any better than that. But the thing
about this, I'm glad that you've gone around with this
because I think you were just in New York and
some other place too, talk about that.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
So I was in the last ten days. I went
to Santa Anna, to New York, to two places in Alabama,
fair Hope and Gulf Tours, two different screenings, and I'm
very happy to say that in Sanna, at the Old
Town Film Festival run by Dan Parks, it won Best
Documentary Short. That was that was thrilling. And then at
(09:39):
the fair Field Film Festival and sorry, fair Hope Film
Festival and fair Hope, Alabama, which is a really beautiful place,
it won the Audience Choice Award. Yeah that and it
received the Audience Award at the world premiere screening that
Brian saw, and also an award for Best Sound at
(10:02):
the Marina del Rey Festival. So you know, we're I guess,
you know, heading somewhere.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
That's a great thing. Talk about how exciting that is
when audiences see this movie that they probably knew nothing about,
and then to see that you the daughter directed it,
because that's very rare.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
Yeah, yes, okay, I mean it really is a crowd
pleasing film. I mean you feel the energy in the audience.
And a thirty two year old friend of mine who
was at the premiere walked out of the after seeing
it and she said, tomorrow, there's something for everybody in
this film. And really it is a multi layered story,
(10:42):
and I meant that intentionally. There's a very kind of
above the ground aspect of it is. You know, this
guy is known for Santa Baby, a worldwide Christmas standard,
but he's written so much more than that. And this
film takes you through a it's really stepping back in
time and it is a walk through music history. His
(11:04):
career is adorned with legendary artists of the twentieth century
and today, and it takes you through many, many genres
and idioms of music through his career path, which is
over eighty years. I mean, he started really in high
school to work as a professional musician, and you know,
the music history is sort of one layer and just
(11:26):
his particular music catalog another. There is a father daughter element.
Obviously I am telling this story along with him, and
there is a father son element in this movie. And really,
truly this story is about perseverance, hope, resilience, and the
(11:48):
message is never give up. So there really is something
for everybody. And you know, I think it's a little
bit of a surprise because it's sort of, you know,
in a way, I'm coming out of nowhere. But it's
definitely received well on a grassroots level.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
How did you end it? Go ahead?
Speaker 5 (12:06):
Yeah, How did it feel for you in this whole
process of making this film for your dad? How did
that feel to you?
Speaker 3 (12:16):
Well?
Speaker 6 (12:16):
It felt you know a lot of things if we're
talking about feelings, because the journey of his life and
his career and his music, which really is his life,
is very up and down. There's a lot You go
on an emotional roller coaster and the audience goes on
the emotional roller coaster. So for me, I lived that.
(12:37):
I lived that roller coaster growing up. So making it,
I felt, you know, all the feelings. I felt elation,
I felt the pain again, I felt the disappointments that
were along the way, and I also felt sort of
some of the triumphs that came in his ninth decade
in his nineties. So really the emotions are a little
(13:01):
bit all over the map, but I feel that it's
a you know, it's a very real journey, and if
a person doesn't shy away from it, you really go
through sort of a sample of a it's a very
poignant life story.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
You know.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
The good thing about this is that we never just
have one person on because we have so many people
that want to be on.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
But it was special enough.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
You are special enough because of all the stuff that
you did, all the hard work that wanted to just
to have you by yourself. And I told Anny that,
and it was a last minute because we had someone
else book four months ago for this.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
I'm like, I think he never this.
Speaker 5 (13:37):
Yeah, he never does this, and we do have this
from the moment he saw your film, like as a
movie reviewer, he has been talking about it NonStop ever since.
Speaker 6 (13:50):
So, well, Brian, you're my new best friend.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
I hear that a lot.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
But that's that's the good thing about this. Hey, Linda Steele,
you haven't been on a while. This is important because
I did you get a chance to see the movie?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
No? Because the link didn't work.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
Okay, I'm so bummed to that.
Speaker 7 (14:09):
But the fact that can, I say a couple of
things brands that. Okay, So when you're talking about it,
and you're you're talking about you know, the life's ups
and downs and so forth, it goes along with with
life itself. I mean, everybody knows that. You know, when
you see a successful person, outsiders think it's just like this,
(14:31):
but really it's not. If you look, I mean, it's
like in and out, up and down, highs and mos
never it's yeah, And I mean, and I think we
all can that. It's just and so it's great that
you were able to, you know, show that because, like
I said, outsiders, they look at it at a successful
(14:52):
person and they never see what goes on behind the scenes.
Speaker 6 (14:56):
That's true. I mean usually you'll hear people talk about
that and there's saying, yeah, it took me twenty years
to have my overnight success.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Yeah exactly exactly.
Speaker 7 (15:07):
So you know, one thing I just want to talk
about the song Santa Baby. You know, not everybody loves
the holiday season, Not everybody loves Christmas happens to be
one of my favorite holidays, and it's very special to me.
My father actually passed away on Christmas Eve, so you know,
years are not my favorite holiday, but it really, you know,
(15:28):
this is when I get to celebrate his life.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
So I've always loved the holidays. It was his favorite.
Speaker 7 (15:33):
But you know, so with it not being everyone's favorite holiday,
isn't it great that music is the one thing that
typically will bring all of us together, and his music
is some of the most iconic music ever out there.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
You must be so proud of him. What was it like.
Speaker 7 (15:51):
Growing up knowing that he made such an impact in
people's lives just through his music.
Speaker 4 (15:57):
Had a time like this, Yes, I.
Speaker 6 (15:59):
Mean it's very special and people, you know, the nice
thing about it is it occurs every year, and you know,
so you sort of bring that cheer to people. And
I can't take credit for that. I didn't write the song,
but you know I have worked on you know, his
promoting him and his catalog and you know, really all
(16:19):
all of his music, but Santa Baby does tend to be,
you know, the talking point and it feels great. You know,
when the season starts, I get a lot of emails
from friends that say, it's always the first time I
heard Santa Baby. You know, I was in the season,
so I'll get anything like that. You know, I was
in May Cas or I was, you know, somewhere, and
I get a little anecdote, and it's very sweet because
(16:41):
the excitement is there, and I think a song sort
of in a way brings that.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
The song is timeless. It's absolutely timeless.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Yeah, Hey, talk about the connection of your dad and Earth.
The kid Elvis Presley Howard, you know, would always his
his dad was world Now I'm famous. Obviously, randled over
and things like that. So both your dads are iconic.
Well what they did, and I'm sure one way or
another that they intermingled some kind of strange way it happen.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
It's a small world they had to have.
Speaker 6 (17:15):
You never quite know.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
Ye.
Speaker 6 (17:18):
Well, Eartha kit was you know, probably probably one of
the most important people in my dad's life. And also
Joan Javits, the lyricist of Santa Baby, my father's co writer.
They were a writing team, really a new writing team,
and Joan got the assignment from the publishers to write
this Christmas song or they were discussing it. You know,
(17:41):
and she said, well, look, I'll do it. I'll sign
the deal as long as Phil Springer's my composer. And
they sat down in a room, the publishers and Joan
and Phil and Joan said how about Santa Baby? And
they all loved it and they and my father felt like,
you know, this is impossible. How do you write a
Christmas song for the sultriiest emerging star in America, which
(18:05):
is what Earth the Kit was at the time. She
was so sexy and so, you know, like a little
provocative and very uninhibited in terms of who she was,
and it did come off, you know, it was a
very sultry sort of persona. So my dad said, how
do you You know that's impossible, But they came up
with the title and they went and they wrote Santa Baby.
And there's a little more detail in the film which
(18:26):
I don't want to spoil, so I won't go too
far into that. And you know, it worked, and my
father and Eartha Kit stayed friends for life. They were
in touch. She recorded two other songs of his, One
is Oh John and the other is Loven Spree, and
Anne Margaret also recorded loven Spree, which is gorgeous. I mean,
(18:50):
I love that song. And so you know, I met
Artha a few times. We met in a recording studio
with Eartha, Eartha's daughter Kit, my father, and myself and
we recorded a version of Santa Baby with my dad
at the piano and Eartha singing. That was in nineteen
ninety nine. And then I went and saw her a
few times in her cabaret shows here in Los Angeles
(19:13):
where I am now in New York. And they were
always friends. I mean they had each other's backs. It
was very sweet. For as far as Elvis goes, he
wrote Never Ending with lyricist Buddy Kay, And you know
it's certainly, even though it's not a tremendous, like tremendously
known song in the catalog, Elvis aficionado seemed to know it.
(19:37):
It is played at Elvis events, and certainly being a
little tiny piece of the Elvis legacy is a huge honor.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
How would I see you one to ask a question, go.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
I actually know Arthur Kid's niece.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Her name's Vita.
Speaker 8 (19:53):
We're doing a cologne line and I'm going to be
madeling for And then her other sister was Ray Charles.
Backup singer was her mother beat us. So you know,
it's a small world. Like you said, you don't know
who you're connected to, but you're doing three people away
from anybody.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
That's right, right, that's nice.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Hey, since we're on Dad's right now, Howard talk about
your dad. What's a favorite member of your dad as
we're a kid or as you were growing up later
because you're finding out more things about your dad as
you're older.
Speaker 8 (20:23):
Well, since we talked about Christmas music, I'll post it tonight.
There's a Christmas all called Shantytown by Eddie Arnold. And
I was shopping in the mall, and of course I
can recognize my father's still guitar playing.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
And I thought I've never heard that song ever.
Speaker 8 (20:39):
I mean, I was an adult shopping and then there's
my father while Christmas shopping playing that song.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
But I'll post it later at night.
Speaker 8 (20:48):
For my Facebook friends so you can see it. I
was going to do that anyway, since I'm going to
the CMA. I was going to post post someone with
Dotty West and some of the other Opry members and
uh so that when I go see him, my.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Pull those up quickly.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Hey, So Terry, introduce yourself let's talk about your dad.
Your dad was iconic for working for Disney. If if
you don't print those posters and all those things that
you had that I've seen in your house, uh, you
don't get any marketing done, right?
Speaker 4 (21:17):
What was that about the marketing?
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Yeah? What did your dad do? Terry? Oh?
Speaker 9 (21:22):
Oh, My dad was the director of printing for studios.
He was with Disney for like over thirty five years.
So I had a magical childhood. We went to Disneyland
every Christmas. So the Christmas actually used to used to
be the highlight of my life growing up. But now
that I've lost both parents, Christmas is hard. So this
(21:42):
is the first Christmas without my mom, so I just
kind of want to go back to that. So I
don't really know how to process this year, tell you
the truth, Like, I'm kind of like, I don't know.
I don't I don't know what to feel. I don't
I don't know if that.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Makes any sense.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
It's is I can't take a while.
Speaker 7 (21:57):
Three, It's gonna take a while in some years are
going to be easier than others, and there's for it.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (22:05):
So my mom, because of her love of Christmas, I
inherited all these really neat Christmas decorations, like music boxes.
Speaker 6 (22:12):
And all that.
Speaker 9 (22:12):
I couldn't obviously take all of it with me because
of it. I had to either donate or sell or whatever.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
But I took the pieces that I like.
Speaker 9 (22:19):
So I'm going to try to have like a like
a small party, like with one of my girlfriends, just
to kind of celebrate my mom, because that's the only
way that I can celebrate all of her amazing things.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
And a lot of those amazing things happen to be
Disney stuff because for Christmas, but to Disneyland.
Speaker 9 (22:34):
But yeah, I come from you know, my mom was
a publicist and my dad worked for Disney, so I've
been around in their entertainment the whole my whole life.
I started, you know, acting like I was when I
was a little kid, So I mean I've I've always
been around that kind of.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
The entertainment life.
Speaker 9 (22:49):
But going through my mom's estate since my dad the printing,
I have tons and tons of like Mickey Mouse stuff
and Bambi stuff and snow White stuff and original cells
and like all the cartoons and stuff. So one day
I guess we could do a show just on that
kind of stuff. We wanted to go into the history
of Disney and all the crazy stuff my dad did.
(23:10):
But my dad also was an artist, and he started
off as an artist designing checks and uh, you know,
and drawings like he did stuff for Wells Fargo and
for Purity Pacific was back in the day, Lynton I
think it was Linton Breas.
Speaker 4 (23:25):
So yeah, my dad like majored in.
Speaker 9 (23:27):
And advertising in college at the University of Arizona, so.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
I have the stuff that he did was iconic. Tomorrow,
we're just going back to Howard's dad. R.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
It's going to be so cool for you to now
create your own personal magic every christ Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Yeah, you know what you're part of. Santa Baby. You
can never.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Saying nice the song that I grew up with.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Well, when you're going and you're finding these things when
people have passed or when people are alive, like huh,
I didn't know this or I never saw this before,
or it has a different meaning.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
Right, I mean all of those things.
Speaker 6 (24:14):
Tomorrow, right, And I'm sorry you're referencing.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
All the all the stuff that you found.
Speaker 6 (24:20):
Oh, yes, I mean vast volumes of content. Yes, I
went through everything and there was you know, an incredible
amount of just volumes and volumes of uh, you know,
musical history really well.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
And that's right, Brian.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
I want to I want to shout out the Bikini chef,
she's in the comments and love these golden nuggets, Susan Irby,
love that you're here.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
And Linda's daughter.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
You know, when Linda's done, you know, I think half
of Chicago listens, which is kind of.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
I'm surprised your.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Mom hasn't chimed in yet.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
Me back all day.
Speaker 7 (24:59):
But my my sister daughter, Demi, I'm sure my granddaughter
is watching.
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Aby cayleb Ray is watching.
Speaker 7 (25:07):
Kendall's on a flight. She's on her way home from
California right now, so I doubt she's watching.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
But well, here's the thing, and I always say that
we have a lot of is we have a lot
of people in the South that watch. Because I talked
to my friends in Alabama and Tennessee and Little Rock
and everything like that. It is great to hear when
they play back the next day and all of a
sudden they start to do the research because they like
what we're talking about. A lot of times no one's
(25:32):
talking about these things, and it's unfortunate. I'm so happy
that you've been taking this cross country and winning. I
know it's grueling, you know, to travel to hop on
a plane, go, but once you get there, I'm sure
you get to you see that energy, you see those
people lying up and buying tickets to see you're screening.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
What's that like?
Speaker 6 (25:48):
You know, it's it's just it's amazing. I mean, it's
just it's so's it's fun, it's rewarding. It's special New
York this year, cousin came from Boston and a cousin
from Philadelphia, and there were a few related cousins already
in New York City, and I saw some friends. But
what was extra special about those cousins all getting together
(26:10):
is that my mom passed this January. Yeah, it was
pretty rough, but my mom passed. Yeah, so and my
folks were married for sixty eight years. So it was special.
It was very comforting to me to be with my
mom's cousins and then a bunch of friends. And I
(26:31):
love New York City. I was born there. I sort
of feel like part New Yorker, even though I've lived
in California most of my life, and you know, being
in New York first screening was just so meaningful because
the backdrop of the story is largely New York and
a lot of the heart of the story is New
York and in part one of the layers is it
(26:51):
is a love letter to New York City, and you know,
there's a song that I feel is a highlight about
New York City in it. So that was amazing. And
then going to Alabama, I have very close friends there
in Gulf Shore, so I got to spend some time
with them, and I went to fair Hope and Fair
Hope was a beautiful, beautiful place with the most like warm, welcoming,
(27:15):
inviting people, and you know, they treated me like I mean,
it was incredible. I just felt like, you know, not
the color of the carpet doesn't really matter, but they
just treated me like gold. And they loved the film there,
and you know, got similar sort of commentary to you know, Brian,
what you say, which you know couldn't be really there's
(27:36):
no better understanding of the film than you have, and appreciation,
and I felt like that was happening there in Alabama.
And I also just left the festival they just did.
They did a great job, and I hope they'll invite
me as a juror and then good friends of mine
rented a movie theater, invited their friends and their clients
(27:58):
from their businesses. They have two very successful businesses, and
they used the film as their holiday corporate event, and
we had a Q and A afterward that was so meaningful,
Like the conversations really sort of got to a kind
of deep level and it was it was just very rewarding.
And you know, I printed these eight x tens of
(28:20):
the of the film poster and I didn't bring them.
I said, I said to my friend, you know, if
anybody wants an autograph copy, let's get them a personal
personal one, like not just best wishes, but their name.
So now I'm about thirty five or more yet, because
people were so moved by the film and into it,
so you know, the feedback and the energy was just great,
(28:43):
you know, along this path and before that was Santa Anna,
which was equally lovely, small but lovely. So it's just
been fun and I you know, I hope it continues
because you know, it's still on its promotional journey and
I'm sort of researching and kind of figuring out, you know,
where it's.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
What's the next step for you?
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Because I love these photos and they're important, especially when
you're doing marketing.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
And I always tell people you've got to have these.
What's your dad feeling about this? Now? He's got to
be his mind must be blown about the Yeah.
Speaker 6 (29:13):
I mean, I do think that he's very thrilled and impressed.
And I keep him posted along the way so he
knows what's happening. I'll call him and say, you know, Dad,
we won an award, Dad, And then I call him
the next day, Dad, we won another award. So you
know he's I think it feels very good. One of
the themes in the film is recognition, and you know,
(29:36):
he's certainly getting some really beautiful recognition at this stage
in his life. And I'll just dare to say what
I feel a little self conscious saying. But because Brian,
you asked about next Step, you know, so I hope
it continues in some film festivals. And I actually love
this corporate holiday screening idea like I would. I want
(29:59):
to retain the rights to that no matter where it goes.
I actually have a conversation with the sales agent tomorrow.
You know, we'll see how it goes. I'm not in
a rush or you know, stressed about it, but it
is OSCAR qualified this year, and so acadity documentary members
are listening, you know, please take a close look.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
And that's why I wanted to have you on because
I know they're paying attention because we got some of
them coming up the next.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
Two or three weeks. Okay, I'm to keep talking about.
Speaker 5 (30:30):
It, Mara. You were also a part of the rather
or large Dancing with Films Film Festival and the Big
Apple Film Festival in New York. Correct, you know, congratulations
for taking those steps to promote your film and those
(30:52):
film festivals.
Speaker 6 (30:54):
Thank you. I you know, it's it's been a real
honor to be accepted because I have learned along this journey,
not coming from a film background, that you know, it's
not so easy to program a film in a festival,
and it then a thirty nine minute short is also
a bit of a challenge. So for those festivals that
(31:15):
bring it in and you know, appreciate it for what
it is, I'm so truly grateful for that.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
You know, I always tell people it's not easy getting
in a film festival. People think it is, and it's not.
You've got to shift you hundreds, if not thousands, of
films and I would watch them from beginning to end,
and yes they did, and some of them won't acknowledge it.
They have a ten minute rule and I didn't believe
in it, and I still don't like that.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
You should watch it from beginning to end. I've gotten down.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Films that I absolutely hate it and done push ups
and setups them in a movie theater just to get
through it.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
So if I can do that, you guys can struggle
through it because they just I am.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
You know, you know what I tell these people. You know,
it's not easy to make this film. It's not easy
to make your film about your dad in the final stuff,
once you wrote it, you produced it, and you directed,
that's not easy to do.
Speaker 7 (32:11):
But you know what an honor I mean all of us,
we all love our parents. I mean, if I could
do something to honor my mother or honor my father,
I would love to do that. How fun for you
to be able to do this. You are very, very
fortunate to be able to do this.
Speaker 6 (32:29):
Thank you. I appreciate it, you know, and I do
feel fortunate.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
I do. Yes, Hey, what was the reaction when you
when you went down south?
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Because they've played U a lot, a lot, and I've
been to their Christmas parties and Howard you know, we've
we've been to Holiday fest and and you know in Nashville, Tennessee, Henderson, Tennessee,
and they're playing it all the time. And I'm thinking
about who's singing this version. I never thought there would
have been a movie about it. So each year, this
should be played around the world, no matter what, because
(32:58):
this is the world wide movie that people need to see.
Speaker 6 (33:02):
Thank you, And I hope that you know that's what happens.
One of the executive producers, Steve Gandalfi, he's an english Man,
and I wish I could you know, mimic his accent
because it's so cute when he says this. But he
says and if you can imagine a British accent, they're
going to play it every year.
Speaker 4 (33:17):
This Christmas, you know, should.
Speaker 6 (33:21):
Be played every Christmas. It's just the cutest thing on
the planet. And you know, although there are many levels,
as I mentioned, Santa Baby is you know, the biggest
tie in, the biggest draw, the biggest hook, and so yes,
it is definitely a strong association with this season. And
I do hope that you know it's one of those
things that plays every November December.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Hey Howard, who's the other person that sings that's got
a big, huge Christmas song too?
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Brinda exactly. Yeah, talk about Brenda Lee. Go for it.
Speaker 8 (33:54):
Well, Brenda Lee's uh stepfather was, I mean godfather was
my and I know Brenda Lee's daughters and U one
story I like to share on that the tour buses
used to come by the house and I used to
watch out the window, and when the tour bus came,
I went and got the mail. So I had my
picture made and that was talking for Brenda Lee's daughter,
(34:15):
and one of them said that she did the same thing,
but when the tour bus came, she went and got
things out of the addicts to sell to them.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
And I said, you're a better edit than I was.
I didn't think to do that, you know. So I
thought that was a cute story. But talk honor in
your father.
Speaker 8 (34:33):
I'm up in age too, and to me, it's when
you get older, we all want to leave some kind
of legacy behind. So when you're given to your father
and creating his legacy and passing it on down, that's
the biggest giff you could give to him. I think
that's just wonderful, you know, because that's all what we want.
I mean, when it's all said and done, what do
(34:53):
we have just a memory? And we want that memory
to go on.
Speaker 6 (34:57):
So exactly.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
About the screening in Alabama, what was that like for you?
Did they know that what they were going to see
or what they let's pleasantly surprised.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
I'm curious.
Speaker 6 (35:06):
Well, I mean, you know, obviously the programmers knew, and
I think there was a little buzz about it. You know,
they were extraordinarily welcoming to me, and when I got there,
you know, they had me do a coffee talk. They
have these sort of coffee talks for three mornings. In
these coffee it sounds like someone's familiar with that. I
(35:32):
was so surprised. I thought, you know, I was just
going to go and be, you know, watch, but they
wanted me to be on the panel and that was
like just another honor and very fun and so you know,
I was received in you know, uh, it felt important,
I mean, you know, and so there was a buz
about the film before the community saw it, and I think,
(35:57):
you know, the people obviously were very moved by it
because it did win the Audience Choice Award, which to
me is the best award, because I want the story
to connect with people, to move people, you know, for
people to sort of to know it, because I do
feel like it's a walk through music history that's not
that well known. That my father, you know that he
(36:20):
he was significant in that time and through his journey.
So I do feel like Alabama really embraced it. And
I think maybe Los Angeles where I live, you know,
we see a celebrity every five minutes, and there's film
screenings every day, and it's not that big of a
you know, like you know, it happens all the time.
(36:41):
Let's say they're all they're all important, but they're frequent
and there doesn't happen every day. It's not all the time.
And that they have that and that the filmmaker is there.
So it did feel you know, very important to them
and special. And my good friend in Gulf Shore is
the one that did the private screening. He said, you know,
(37:02):
you know, you're a big deal here tomorrow your a
big deal. And you know, my friends are big deals.
They do a lot for the community. They they they're
very involved, they help a lot of people. They're big deals,
So you know, it was just very sweet and.
Speaker 5 (37:18):
Really it really makes that extra special. Like you were saying,
you know, something that is feels like a really a
deeper level celebration you will. So yeah, I think that's
such a beautiful experience. And you know, golf shores and
all that area is fabulous. If you have not been
(37:42):
there on vacation, go immediately.
Speaker 6 (37:45):
It's it's incredible. The sort of elbow room on the
on the lots, the houses, just really stunning area where
all of a sudden I realized I wasn't holding my breath,
you know, I sort of haven't put my card down.
And it was a very tranquil feeling there, a very
sort of relaxed way of life, although everybody does something,
(38:09):
but just beautiful, beautiful place that's so beautiful.
Speaker 5 (38:14):
When you were digging deep into putting this story together
for the film, you mentioned some emotional parts, the ups
and downs. Would you be willing to share one of
those parts that was really hard hitting for you, that
brought up memories that were difficult and how you process
(38:35):
through that.
Speaker 6 (38:36):
Sure, I don't want to give away too much you
know about the film, but part of the story really
is that my father is known for this, you know,
worldwide Christmas standard, but not for much else. And you know,
I had to put together part of the film where
(38:56):
we explore his pursuit of more recognition, and in some
ways and in some parts of his life, it didn't
that didn't happen. It happened in other ways, in some
surprising ways. And another thing that the film makes you
think about is that success doesn't always come the way
(39:17):
you sign it in your mind. It could come in
a totally different form. And it's really important to be
open to that, you know, because you never know what
doors are going to open and give you the feeling
that you've wanted to feel. It just didn't come from
what you've wanted it to come from. So I had
to go along that emotional journey. And I lived that
(39:41):
emotional journey as a child and a lot of my life.
And I think one of the reasons I made this
film a lot of my life, I just wanted more
recognition for him. And there were parts where you know,
he had a show and you know, you're waiting for
it to be successful, or this singer might record this
song and you're hoping it happens, and you know, there's
(40:02):
a lot of that anticipation and then a lot of
disappointment and there was a lot of frustration. So I
had to relive really all of that, and you know,
there were painful moments. I cried a lot because some
of his music is so beautiful to me, it actually
(40:22):
makes me cry. It moves so much. So I had
to go through all the emotions, and in a way
it was very cathartic because I feel like, you know,
a lot of this story is painful, or some of it,
and I feel like I made something artful out of
that pain and that you know, there's ups in there's downs,
(40:45):
and I feel like, you know, there's a lot of
you know, we try to focus on the ups.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
You know, it's beautiful. Good.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
Hey, tomorrow, we're going to come back to you and
then coffee talk or we're going to come back to
you too.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
In a minute.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
I have to talk about this film number one, Bad Dad.
This is a short film that I saw and it's
really good. So I have to talk about this. Let's
take a look at.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
This, Ell Daniel, this you.
Speaker 6 (41:13):
Go, you meathering me my father? So only one of
my mom's employ guy's hand off.
Speaker 3 (41:22):
You gotta get out of here.
Speaker 9 (41:26):
I don't want to.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
Now.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
You know, the strange thing and the fun thing about
short films is there's not always a good trailer like tomorrow,
your trailer is excellent good if I liked a lot
of things, this one is not a good trailer, but
it's an excellent film. And so it's hard to sometimes
when they're choosing films to get into film festivals, like
what is this about? It is it's good enough to
we have room for it is one better and you
(41:56):
have to fight for these things like that, and that's
the challenge.
Speaker 3 (41:59):
But this this little.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Girl, she's a superhero and she finds her dad, who
is an ex superhero, and he wants nothing to do
with her.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
So what she.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
Does, or she does, is she goes, I'm gonna show you,
I'm gonna make you love me because I'm just as
big good as you are, if not better than you are.
And so that's why it's called Number one bad Dad.
And then you know, if there's a lot of good
things that come around gonna put you know, the writer
as a director is a woman, and she did a
great job with this. I just thought it was super
(42:28):
sweet and then funny because there's so many films out
there that just don't dig the recognition and and tomorrow,
I'm not sure if you saw I got a chance
to see any films while you were at some of
the film flencival. Because your time is being taken and
everybody's wanting the interview. Is it's tough, especially if you
want to see something, Isn't it very tough?
Speaker 6 (42:44):
I feel badly because I like to support my fellow filmmakers,
and I just saw the films in the block in
New York. I saw the films in my same block,
Dances with films. I really made an effort to go see,
you know, on a few nights, a few films, and
I made a few friends that way with a few
(43:05):
of the filmmakers. So it's true. You're you're so consumed
with all kinds of things when your film is in
a festival, it's a little hard to get, you know,
to too many screenings for many My heart is there, though.
I want to support, you know, all of the fellow
filmmakers at these festivals because I know what goes into it,
(43:25):
and it's really nice to be part of that community
and support others great stories.
Speaker 3 (43:30):
And dances with films.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
No matter where I am cross country, I always want
to make sure I go back to because that's got
the most energy.
Speaker 3 (43:36):
I mean.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
And when I walked in, was it last year? I
think I walked in last year. I'm like, why are
there so many people here?
Speaker 3 (43:42):
What's going on?
Speaker 2 (43:43):
I forgot that I was in a movie theater because
I'm not used to seeing that energy anymore. Dances with
the film always has it. And I felt bad for you.
You walked out of the theater, you know, you would
get a mob literally like you were one of the Beatles.
Speaker 3 (43:56):
And I'm like, I'm not even going to talk to
people around her.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
But that's why I went up and said hi to
you briefly, and I'm like, i'll catch her later on
the rebound and I'm here.
Speaker 6 (44:05):
I'm so thankful you did.
Speaker 3 (44:08):
That was the thing.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
I mean, you they loved your film so much that
they swarmed her, and I was happy for her, you know,
because it was a good film and just seeing that reaction,
and like I said, if anybody knows me, I sit
in the back row so I can see everybody's reactions
in the back of their heads, and then I will
go out in the aisle to see if I can
catch that producer, director or actor, because that's the way
to get their attention, and you don't always know if
(44:31):
there's a publicists. Thank god that you have Annie because
she's good. We got a couple of minutes left, so
coffee talk girl, Rachel, you know. And the reason why
I'm picking on Rachel right now because you know, I
like her show. I like what she does, a coffee
don doing all these things, don't you, Rachel?
Speaker 6 (44:48):
I do.
Speaker 7 (44:50):
I get up yeah, like two three in the morning,
and you know, shoot coffee talk at six, so by
now I'm.
Speaker 6 (44:57):
Like way past that time.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
Yeah it is, but then that's a good thing.
Speaker 2 (45:07):
And then so Linda, you know, congratulations on what you're
doing saving someone else's gym that was probably yours. That
was really successful.
Speaker 3 (45:14):
And I know you.
Speaker 6 (45:18):
It's good to see you.
Speaker 4 (45:19):
Oh my gosh, it's great to see you. Guys. It's
so fun to be back here. Brian.
Speaker 7 (45:24):
I'm so proud of what you've done with the show.
It's you know, I when did I meet you? In
twenty seventeen eighteen we started doing the show.
Speaker 2 (45:31):
And yeah, yeah, she actually came out and you know,
she went to she went to a gifting sweet with
pink high heeled shoes on. She just stood out like
she was Barbie because she is she is. But it
was fantastic. And you know what she's going in the documentary.
You know you're going in Linda, and it's going to
(45:53):
be about your story and you get a good job.
You know, you'll get a good time to have a
good time to tell your story and Row, you know
what it's like, should get a chance to tell that story.
Speaker 3 (46:01):
It's it's it's it's important, isn't it. And Howard Howard.
Speaker 2 (46:04):
I'm gonna get Howard's story told too, because his dad
and his legacy is really important.
Speaker 9 (46:10):
Also, yeah, Brian, some day I need to tell my
story too.
Speaker 4 (46:16):
Once it was almost over.
Speaker 2 (46:18):
Well, you're a work in progress, but we get let
me get let me get Leather and Howard first.
Speaker 3 (46:22):
That will work on you.
Speaker 2 (46:24):
Hey, we got a couple of minutes left tomorrow. What
do you want people to see when it comes to
see these films that.
Speaker 3 (46:29):
I haven't seen it?
Speaker 6 (46:30):
Well, I'm sorry, I said, what do.
Speaker 2 (46:32):
You hope the audience gets out of seeing this film?
For people who haven't seen it?
Speaker 3 (46:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (46:36):
Yeah, I hope that they connect to one of the
various levels and that they are able to, you know,
first of all, enjoy the film. Enjoy the journey. We
go back almost one hundred years and step you know,
we're stepping back in time and going on this you know,
musical journey, emotional journey, a family journey. Appointed life uh,
(46:58):
you know, appointed life cycle is what we see. And
I hope that people are moved. I hope that they
connect to you know, one of the various layers or more.
And I hope they enjoy it. I mean, I just
hope that they feel good and they appreciate sort of
you know, the the journey that my dad was on,
(47:19):
and that they can relate to it in a way
that is significant to them.
Speaker 3 (47:22):
Yeah, Carol social media links for everybody.
Speaker 5 (47:25):
You can reach me at Neurocoach Carol on Instagram and
you can find me Carol register on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn.
And I'm so glad to be here. Also, I want
to mention I will be speaking December first and second
on Top Talent Hollywood dot com the Top Talent Hollywood event,
(47:49):
and I would love for you to come.
Speaker 9 (47:51):
Yeah, Terry social media links, yes, Kerry Marie and stop
one all platforms Rachel.
Speaker 4 (47:58):
Rachel Roberts Recipes Rachel and Roberts.
Speaker 8 (48:01):
Howard, Howard Reagan's Facebook, plain and simple.
Speaker 2 (48:04):
And if you haven't met Howard, He's gonna be at
a at the Country Music Awards tomorrow that after party,
so look for him. He's not hard to find. Everybody
knows who he is. He'll probably be surrounded by six
hundred women wanting to dance with him. That's how you
find Howard. Still on social media links.
Speaker 7 (48:24):
I'm not letting illness. You can find me on LinkedIn,
you can find me on Instagram. My faithbook got hacked
at like five hundred thousand followers.
Speaker 3 (48:35):
And she's not kidding.
Speaker 2 (48:36):
She literally had a million followers at one point and
three times just when Instagram was hacked. That's why I
have to always like and support my co host because
the wonderful women, including Howard, and that's a good thing.
Tomorrow you get the last word. Give you social media
links and where this film you think is heading?
Speaker 3 (48:50):
Next?
Speaker 6 (48:51):
Okay? Is Instagram is at Santa Baby composer and at
more than Santa Baby, and uh you know Facebook two
is just my named Tamar Springer. It is screening December
first in Palm Spring.
Speaker 3 (49:05):
So.
Speaker 6 (49:07):
At them Springs Cultural Center. That's an event that is
a fundraiser for the center. So ticket sales just go
back right back into that venue, which is a beautiful place,
and just follow Instagram and you know, hopefully there'll be
more information to share sin.
Speaker 2 (49:24):
And that's why you support the arts. I hope everybody
had a good time tonight. Hey, communication, it's always a
live show. We never know what's going to happen, do we, Howard,
And it's one of those things that we always make
it work.
Speaker 3 (49:34):
Ah, Rachel, Carol and Terry.
Speaker 2 (49:36):
And it's always good to have Linda Steel here because
I'm just seeing my friend Linda from Chicago. So got
to thank everybody. I always say this, have a good
night tonight, a better day tomorrow. You see someone went
out a smile, please give them one of yours because
the world needs it. I'm Bryan Sebastian. This is movie
reviews and more and we will see you next week.
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