GUEST: RaeLeann Smith--who
works for People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
as a full-time circus specialist--discusses The Ringling Bros.
and Barnum & Bailey circus (three units of which had engagements
in various parts of Florida pending, and had just completed
other Florida stints) and the cruelty routinely visited upon
their animals, documented anew in recent months by Ringling
whistleblowers and fresh video footage, addressing some aspects
of her pre-PETA background (she holds an MBA from DePaul University
and left a job at Morgan Stanley to work for PETA) and outlines
various simple ways individuals can help reduce cruelty and
promote kindness. [www.Circuses.com,
www.Peta.org]
COMEDYCORNER: Steven
Wright's "Dog Stay" (snippet) [www.StevenWright.com]
MUSIC: The Chieftains version of "Tennessee
Stud," Adrian Belew's "Elephants," instrumentals NAMETHATANIMALTUNE: Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of
London"
GUEST: Internationally-renowned
horse expert Monty Roberts--who pioneered the gentle, non-abusive
equine training technique known as "Join-Up"--defines
exactly what the technique is and how it works, outlines how
in recent years he's adapted some of the key "Join-Up"
concepts to an array of non-equine applications (from helping
underprivileged and academically underperforming kids excel
in school to providing another effective method of working
with autistic children), and answers caller questions about
these and other topics, including what someone should know
as a first-time horse buyer. [www.MontyRoberts.com]
COMEDY CORNER: Jerry Seinfeld's "Horses"
(snippet) MUSIC: The Candy Bars' "You
Were Always A Horse," Yes' "The Fish," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Clarence "Gatemouth"
Brown's version of "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens"
GUEST: Dan Piraro--who draws
the award-winning, widely-syndicated panel cartoon "Bizarro,"
who's a vegan and who's been recognized in recent years for
his work as a vocal animal-rights advocate, including presenting
animal rights issues in "Bizarro"--discusses what
spurred his interest in animal rights, how that interest started
being periodically reflected in "Bizarro," and how
that's also reflected in lectures and comedy shows he delivers
across the country, including a multi-media presentation,
"Cartoons, Comedy And Compassion," he was slated
to perform shortly in Clearwater, FL. [www.Bizarro.com] COMEDY CORNER: Richard Jeni's "Fred
Robster" [www.RichardJeni.com]
R.I.P., Rich. MUSIC: eels' "Flyswatter,"
My Morning Jacket's "Cobra" (snippet), instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Rondellus' medieval
version of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs"
GUEST: Sam Simon--who co-created
"The Simpsons" and was a writer/producer on a number
of other acclaimed TV shows, winning a dozen Emmys and a Peabody
Award along the way--discusses the impetus behind creating
The Sam Simon Foundation, which offers a number of programs
to help dogs and people, including its Assistance Dogs Program,
which rescues dogs from animal shelters, humane societies
and other facilities, and trains them to become Hearing Dogs
for the deaf or hard of hearing; the Pet Visitation Program
(those dogs in training are taken to local assisted-living
homes and spend time with elderly residents), and addresses
a number of other topics. [www.SamSimonFoundation.com] COMEDY CORNER: Eddie Izzard's "Talk
To The Animals" (snippet) [www.EddieIzzard.com]
MUSIC: Ry Cooder's "J. Edgar,"
Bill Frisell's "Raccoon Cat," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: The Doors' "20th
Century Fox"
GUEST: Dan Mathews--the vice-president
of PETA and the figure responsible for bringing Paul McCartney,
Chrissie Hynde, Morrissey, Pamela Anderson and others into
the PETA fold, and for many of the more attention-grabbing
campaigns--discusses his fabulous, fascinating, fun and funny
new autobiography, "Committed: A Rabble-Rouser's Memoir"
(which chronicles his 20+ years at PETA starting as a receptionist,
providing wry observations and often-hilarious accounts of
staging protests, launching campaigns, wearing costumes and
more) and fields listener questions about topics ranging from
deer hunting to PETA's proposed pit bull ban, and more. [www.peta.org] COMEDY CORNER: Ellen DeGeneres' "Licking
A Frog" (snippet) MUSIC: The Beatles'
"Blackbird," instrumentals NAME THAT
ANIMAL TUNE: The Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"
GUEST: Singer-songwriter Emmylou
Harris--whose recording career spans 30-plus years, during
which she's won 12 Grammys--discusses various aspects and
phases of being a lifelong animal advocate, including her
formative years growing up around animals and animal lovers
(her Dad was studying to be a vet until World War II &
other factors intervened), and maintaining a house full of
animals while raising her own kids. She also recounted experiences
with a special canine companion, Bonaparte, who went on tour
and traveled to myriad recording studios with her over the
years (and how devastated she felt when he died suddenly in
2002), going on to create a small foster care shelter for
dogs, Bonaparte's Retreat, with an emphasis on dogs who--for
one reason or another--are otherwise likely to be euthanized.
Honored recently by the Humane Society of The U.S., Emmylou
has lobbied for an anti-tethering ordinance, taped animal-oriented
PSAs, organized &/or performed benefit concerts for various
animal welfare organizations, and more. She's also preparing
for the September release of "Songbird," an 80-song
box set, including a DVD with live performances. [www.Emmylou.net] COMEDY CORNER: Paul F. Tompkins' "Alternative
Pets" MUSIC: Emmylou Harris' "Bluebird
Wine," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:
We didn't play the game today. (Don't ask!)
GUEST: Alison
Gianotto--a nationally-recognized expert on animal abuse and
founder of Pet-Abuse.com, a sprawling web site and online
resource that provides information on virtually all facets
of animal abuse and cruelty (from an "Animal Abuse Crime
Database," featuring more than 11,000 cases, to a section
devoted to how "regular people" can prevent animal
abuse)--discusses what prompted her to create the organization,
outlines some of the ever-expanding services and resources
offered, describes how law enforcement and prosecutors might
use the site to more effectively build a case, notes that
the site offers information (updated daily) about neglect/abuse/cruelty
court cases taking place across this country and sometimes
in other countries, touches on the connection between some
who abuse animals and also abuse children or adults, and more.
[www.Pet-Abuse.com] COMEDY CORNER: Dave Attell's "Parrott"
MUSIC: Fela Kuti's "Monkey Banana,"
The Police's "Walking In Your Footsteps," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Quartetto Cetra's
"Nella Vecchia Fattoria" ["Old MacDonald's
Farm" in Italian]
GUEST: In a conversation that
traveled a distinctive arc, Chrissie Hynde--The
Pretenders' singer-songwriter-guitarist and longtime animal
activist, whose actions range from protesting KFC's inhumane
treatment of chicken in the processing plant (one of the protests
for which she was arrested), to recently writing a sharp,
powerful piece in the Toronto Globe & Mail about Canada's
annual seal hunt--discusses going vegetarian nearly 30 years
ago, transgressions against animals and how those can intersect
with transgressions against the environment, what her objectives
are (and aren't) when participating in the protests and other
forms of advocacy, some of the planning and decisions that
preceded the opening next month of her vegetarian restaurant,
VegeTerranean, in her native Akron, OH, and more. [www.Pretendersarchives.com] COMEDY CORNER: Steven Wright's "Ants"
(snippet) [www.stevenwright.com] MUSIC: Rainstick Orchestra's "Waltz
For A Little Bird," The Pretenders' version of "Walk
Like A Panther," instrumentals NAME THAT
ANIMAL TUNE: Phoebe Buffay & Chrissie Hynde's
"Smelly Cat" [from "Friends"]
GUEST: Linda Hamilton--Executive
Director of the Animal Coalition of Tampa (ACT), which offers
low-cost spay/neuter services at its clinic and out in the
community through its Neuter Scooter and other means-- discusses
the history and evolution of ACT, its immediate and longer-term
goals for the number of cats and dogs that ACT aims to sterilize
(with a corresponding reduction in the number of animals euthanized,
particularly in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties), its $10
procedure for low-income residents who qualify, its typical
fees otherwise, how the operation is funded, and more. [www.actampa.org] COMEDY CORNER: Tom Papa's "Pet People"
[www.TomPapa.com]
MUSIC: Syd Barrett's "Effervescing
Elephant," Gary Rosen's "The Three Bears,"
instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Steve
Miller's "Fly Like An Eagle"
GUEST: Comedian Margaret Cho--who's
not only a vocal activist in the areas of gay rights and women's
rights, but also passionate about animal rights and animal
rescue--discusses the newest rescue dog to join the Cho household
(and how this tiny, new member has affected the canine dynamic:
by being in charge), the healing powers of animals on humans
and vice-versa, how she came to be an animal lover relatively
late in life and the role her friend Janeane Garofalo played
in influencing her to adopt her first rescue dog, her new
stage show, a burlesque-style variety show called "The
Sensuous Woman," and more. [www.MargaretCho.com] COMEDY CORNER: Brian Regan's "Whale
Noises" [www.BrianRegan.com]
MUSIC: eels' "I LIke Birds,"
Hot Club Of Cowtown's "The Wild Dog," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Elvis Presley's '"(Let
Me Be Your) Teddy Bear"
GUEST: Comedian-actor and
veteran animal advocate Kevin Nealon--perhaps best known for
his lengthy stint on "Saturday Night Live" (1986-1995),
but who's more recently earned some of the best reviews of
his career in his role as Doug Wilson, the pot-loving and
increasingly conniving accountant on the acclaimed Showtime
series "Weeds"--discusses the animal issues he considers
most significant at the moment (pet overpopulation, spay/neuter),
his nearly 20 years as a vegetarian, his recent tongue-in-cheek
testimonial video spot for PETA, how he initially became interested
in the world of animal welfare, the fun of playing Doug Wilson
on the increasingly edgy and envelope-pushing Weeds, and more.
[www.MySpace.com/KevinNealon] COMEDY CORNER: Sean Cullen's "Cats"
[www.SeanCullen.com]
MUSIC: The Specials' "Do The Dog,"
Jessica Harper's "I'm Not Going To Chase The Cat Today,"
instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:
The Doors' "20th Century Fox"
GUEST: Nellie McKay--the acclaimed
singer-songwriter and animal advocate, actress and occasional
New York Times book critic--discusses her view of Dennis Kucinich
(alluded to on her new CD, "Obligatory Villagers"),
addresses the new album's relative absence of animal songs,
provides an update on the effort to persuade Columbia University
to end its animal experimentation, speaks to the animal and
environmental virtues of a plant-based diet, suggests that
the mutual admiration society with Ryan Adams may lead to
them touring together, and more. [www.NellieMcKay.com] COMEDY CORNER: Mitch Hedberg's "Smackie
The Frog" (snippet) [www.MitchHedberg.net]
MUSIC: Nellie McKay's "Pounce,"
Iron & Wine's "Serpent Charmer," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE: Marvin Gaye's "I'll
Be Doggone"
GUEST: Dr. Robin Cannizzaro--a
St. Petersburg-based holistic veterinarian--discusses her
training and earliest experiences as a veterinarian, the factors
involved in her career shift nearly 15 years ago from the
more conventional realm of veterinary medicine to a holistic
practice (offering classical homeopathic medicine, acupuncture
and Chinese herbal medicine, nutritional consultation, etc.),
and responds to numerous listener phone calls and e-mails
about ailments &/or remedies for their animals. [www.WholisticVetCare.com] COMEDY CORNER: Mike Birbiglia's "I'm
Crazy & Gay Cats" (snippet) [www.BirBigs.com]
MUSIC: Split Lip Rayfield's "Blue
Tick Hound," Christine Kane's "Four Legs Good, Two
Legs Bad," instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL
TUNE: Led Zeppelin's "Moby Dick"
GUEST: Tony La Russa--the
St. Louis Cardinals manager (one of only two managers to win
a World Series in both the American and National Leagues),
and longtime animal advocate--discusses his formative years
growing up in Tampa without much exposure to animals, how
the incident of rescuing a frightened feral cat that ran onto
the field during a 1990 A's-Yankee game largely spurred he
and his wife Elaine to create Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue
Foundation (ARF), the early steps and evolution of ARF, some
of the services and programs now offered by ARF, the biggest
challenges facing the organization nearly 17 years later,
what he currently considers the most significant animal issue
(pet overpopulation), and more. [www.arf.net] COMEDY CORNER: Steve Martin's "Cat Handcuffs"
[www.SteveMartin.com]
MUSIC: Loudon Wainwright's "Animal
Song," Minus The Bear's "Monkey!!! Knife!!! Fight!!!,"
instrumentals NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:
Jethro Tull's "Mother Goose"
