His Music Was A "Mob Hit" & The Legacy Of A Cover King with Tommy James!

His Music Was A "Mob Hit" & The Legacy Of A Cover King with Tommy James!

From tween garage band beginnings to chart-topping success and a shocking behind-the-scenes story that reads like a Hollywood script, Tommy James, of Tommy James & the Shondells, joins Media Path to share dishy details about his remarkable journey while creating some of the most enduring hits of a generation! Tommy traces his musical roots back to age 12, when he formed his first band, The Echoes, with fellow classmates, a group that would eventually evolve into The Shondells. A job at a local record shop gave him an early education in the retail side of music, and by 14, he was recording his first single. That song, “Hanky Panky,” took on a life of its own when a Pittsburgh DJ began spinning it. From there, it quickly became the biggest record the city had ever seen and launched Tommy’s career overnight. One problem: No Shondells. They had all moved on to college, families and other careers. Tommy club crawled to find Pittsburgh band, The Raconteurs who quickly agreed to become The Shondells. That success led Tommy to shop the record for a deal in New York City. Every top label wanted Tommy. One problem: They had all received a menacing phone call from mobbed up Morris Levy of Roulette Records. Tommy’s dysfunctional mob family relationship provided him with an interesting exchange. He enjoyed complete creative control in the studio, leading to the hits, I Think We’re Alone Now, Mony Tony, Crystal Blue Persuasion and Crimson and Clover… but… Morris pocketed most of Tommy’s money and Roulette’s Genovese Family ties kept The Shondells cranking out hits and selling over 110 million records without complaint. Our conversation explores the stark contrast between the band’s bright, infectious music and the darker realities unfolding behind the scenes, which included ominous intimidation and physical threats. Despite the challenges, Tommy credits that time with giving him an invaluable education in the inner workings of the industry, from production to publishing, lessons that have informed him throughout his career.  Today, he brings that rich perspective to his SiriusXM 60s channel radio show, called Gettin’ Together, where he shares the stories behind the songs, offering context only culled from a performer who lived it. He also reflects on writing his memoir, Me, the Mob, and the Music, which he would only publish after the funeral of Vinnie “The Chin” Gigante, the last Genovese Family mobster. Tommy also shares early details about his story’s upcoming adaptation into a mini-series. Plus we’ve got an IMDB Roulette round that’s immersed in the era when variety shows brought teenage audiences their first peek at the real life musicians spinning around their record players! In current media recommendations:  Marty: Life Is Short on Netflix and Hazardous History with Henry Winkler on The History Channel and Hulu Path Points of Interest: Tommy James [https://www.tommyjames.com] Tommy James on Wiki [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_James] Me, The Mob and the Music: One Helluva Ride with Tommy James and The Shondells. by Tommy James with Martin Fitzpatrick [https://www.amazon.com/Me-Mob-Music-Helluva-Shondells/dp/1439172889] Tommy James Tour Dates [https://www.tommyjames.com/concerts/] Tommy James on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TJandtheShondells/] Tommy James on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvbgfQ4KcWZqQQ5rL5tzCJQ] Tommy James on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/tommyjamesandtheshondells/] Hazardous History with Henry Winkler [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37110450/]

The Roots Of Show Biz Representation & The Seinfeld Alum Club with Phil Morris!

Best known for his unforgettable turn as Jackie Chiles, the fast-talking, high-powered attorney Kramer turns to in Seinfeld, actor Phil Morris joins us for a thoughtful, funny, and full-circle conversation about legacy, identity, and the unexpected paths that lead to a life in show business! Phil shares how his portrayal of the character, famously inspired by Johnnie Cochran, took on a life of its own, leading to national commercial campaigns and even a memorable Honda spot directed by the Coen Brothers.  He recalls his Seinfeld audition, in Jerry’s office with Johnnie Cochran’s  rhythms and intonations fresh in his mind since they shared the same barbershop! But as Jackie Chiles’ spotlight brightened, the line between inspiration and frustration blurred, culminating in an unexpected cease and desist letter from Johnnie Cochran himself and an awkward barbershop encounter in which Johnnie had to concede that Phil is very funny! Our conversation also explores Phil’s remarkable Hollywood lineage. As the son of Greg Morris, star of the original Mission: Impossible, Phil reflects on how his father’s network TV starring role suddenly transformed their family’s life, and handed them all the weight of being a uniquely high profile example of black representation on television at the time.  He shares how a single appearance by his father on The Dick Van Dyke Show helped pave the way for what would eventually become The Cosby Show, and how his own path into acting began almost by accident while working on set as a production assistant. Phil went on to work alongside his father in the Mission: Impossible reboot, and today continues to bring depth to his roles across mediums, from live action to voice work. A devoted comic book fan with an extensive collection, he discusses how his love of superheroes informs performances like his portrayal of Silas Stone in Doom Patrol. Phil also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the unique process of voice acting, whether collaborating in a room full of actors or performing solo, “opposite” himself, plus the emotional impact of meeting fans at conventions who credit his work with making a real difference in their lives. Then we get into an IMDB Roulette that delves deep into some roles while requiring discretion in discussing others! In current recommendations -- Weezy: Movie, Remarkably Bright Creatures in theaters and streaming on Netflix Lisa: Netflix documentary series, Should I Marry A Murderer? Path Points of Interest: Phil Morris IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0606862/?ref_=nmmi_ov_bk] Phil Morris on Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Morris_(actor)] Phil Morris on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thephilmorris/] Phil Morris on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/philmorrisfanpage/] Phil Morris on Cameo [https://www.cameo.com/philmorris?] Remarkably Bright Creatures [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33100314/] Should I Marry A Murderer? [https://www.netflix.com/title/81924891]

Sustaining Success & Conquering Hollywood Ageism with Anne-Marie Johnson

Best known for her roles as Lynn Williams on Hill Street Blues [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_Street_Blues], Alieen Lewis on Double Trouble [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Trouble_(American_TV_series)] and Raj’s wife, Nadine on What's Happening Now!! [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What%27s_Happening_Now!!], Anne-Marie Johnson played Althea Tibbs on In the Heat of the Night [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Heat_of_the_Night_(TV_series)], Alycia Barnett on Melrose Place [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melrose_Place], Sharon Upton Farley on Girlfriends [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girlfriends_(American_TV_series)], Liz Shelton on Tyler Perry's House of Payne [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_Perry%27s_House_of_Payne] and Dr. Patel on Days of our Lives [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Days_of_our_Lives]. She was also on In Living Color [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Living_Color] and in this very episode of Media Path Podcast and we do get into it all! Why was her character killed off of Melrose Place? She was told it was because the producers did not know how to write for black characters! Was her experience on Mad About You pleasant? No! Helen Hunt was a nightmare. She absolutely adored working with Raven Simone and with the cast of Diff’rent Strokes. She had a blast collaborating with Keenen Ivory Wayans in the creation of the iconic hooker, Cherry in I’m Gonna Git You  Sucka and Anne-Marie gifts us with a blow-by-blow account of how her Oprah knockoff character on Living Single generated a studio audience laugh that lasted for five minutes! Anne-Marie is starring in a new film called, The Addiction Of Hope, written and directed by her husband, Martin Grey. It’s the story of an aging actress who, as roles diminish, is forced to reexamine her life, her priorities and her choices while her sister faces a health crisis. Anne-Marie takes on a rousing round of IMDB Roulette and in recommendations, Lisa loves the new  Emily Catalano standup special, Weezy is obsessed with the best selling novel, Theo Of Golden by Allen Levi and both of our hosts vow to explore Funny AF with Kevin Hart on Netflix. Path Points of Interest: The Addiction Of Hope [https://www.theaddictionofhopefilm.com/] Anne-Marie Johnson on Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne-Marie_Johnson] Anne-Marie Johnson on IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0424509/] Emily Catalano Unspecial [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY-_4ioQ188] Funny AF with Kevin Hart on Netflix [https://www.netflix.com/title/82054722] Theo Of Golden by Allen Levi [https://www.amazon.com/Theo-Golden-Novel-Allen-Levi/dp/1668236516]

Iconic Girl Boss & 80s Pop Culture Deep Dives with Julie Brown!

80s/90s Comedy/Music/Satire Icon Julie Brown joins us and prepare to mop up some tea! Just exactly how did Julie Brown become an MTV trend setter? She made fun of the videos. Fans loved it and the frenzy gave rise to Julie’s very own show, Just Say Julie.  We head back to an innocent age when it was still ridiculously ludicrous for the homecoming queen to have a gun. Then we explore the inspiration for Julie’s first film, Earth Girls Are Easy. Getting it made, however, was difficult. Julie starred with Gina Davis, Jeff Goldblum and Jim Carrey and the film launched the music videos, Cause I’m A Blonde and I Like ‘Em Big And Stupid.  Next, inspired by the outrageous stories she’d hear from friends who had worked with Madonna, Julie parodied Madonna’s self absorbed doc-noir, Truth Or Dare, with Medusa: Dare To Be Truthful. We talk about Attack Of The 5’2” Women, with a cameo by our own Lisa Arch, in which Julie roasts headline hogs Tanya Harding and Lorena Bobbitt and we compare notes on 100 Things To Do Before High School on which Julie wrote and Lisa played Principal Hader.  And finally, we unleash a rousing round of IMDB Roulette where the wheel stops at Happy Days, The Jeffersons, Newhart, Laverne and Shirley, The Incredible Shrinking Woman, Shakes The Clown, The Middle and Camp Rock.  Plus, Weezy and Lisa are recommending and discussing Trust Me: The False Prophet on Netflix.  Path Points of Interest: Julie Brown  [https://www.juliebrown.com] Medusa: Dare to be Truthful [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104843/] Attack Of The 5'2" Women [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109167/] Cause I’m a Blonde [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ol4oWChjzk&list=RD4Ol4oWChjzk&start_radio=1] Homecoming Queen’s Got a Gun [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG3yGdQYwqg&list=RDxG3yGdQYwqg&start_radio=1] I like em big and Stupid [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFfWqSI_aJQ&list=RDTFfWqSI_aJQ&start_radio=1] Vague [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmfE5KPnYjw] Julie Brown on Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Brown] Julie Brown on IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0113935/] Julie Brown on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/missjuliebrown/] Julie Brown on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/juliebrownfans] Julie Brown on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@JulieBrownTV] Trust Me: The False Prophet [https://www.netflix.com/title/81758532] Lisa Arch on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lisa.arch/] Lisa Arch Presents Mother's Day at Flappers [https://www.flapperscomedy.com/site/shows.php?event_id=77982] Hold You Foundation [http://www.holdyou.org/]

Reimagining The Hollywood Dream & A Constant Commitment To The Craft with William McNamara

From growing up on the fringes of Hollywood’s inner circle to navigating the highs and lows of an unpredictable acting career, William McNamara brings a lifetime of stories, and hard-earned perspective, to this episode of Media Path. The seasoned actor has produced a series called The Trouble with Billy, based on his own life (now available for purchase in pre-release) and Billy joins us to reflect on an unconventional childhood shaped by early exposure to the industry. His mom palled around with Valerie Perrine and a very young Billy found himself on sets and at parties with  Bob Fosse, Ryan O’Neal, and Elliot Gould, experiences that fueled his desire to earn a spot for himself within the entertainment community. His determination was challenged when his folks, in an effort to shield him from Manhattan’s temptations, sent him away to boarding school at the age of 11. Billy found his way back to NYC by getting into Columbia, auditing film classes at NYU and immersing himself in archival footage at the Museum of Broadcasting. Billy was quickly booking commercials and modeling jobs and when he landed a film role and wanted to drop out of college, his parents threatened to cut him off. He said, “Not a problem. I’ve got $100,000 in the bank.” Billy talks reverently about the impact of the groundbreaking 1992 TV movie Doing Time on Maple Drive, in which he portrays a gay young man named Matt, in the midst of his agonizing journey towards coming out to his parents. This film continues to change and save lives. Behind the scenes on Maple Drive, Billy met the lost and disheveled actor who would play his brother. Unimpressed but willing to lend advice, Billy watched as his co-star, Jim Carrey attacked and mastered the art of dramatic acting. Set to play Montgomery Clift in a TV movie about Elizabeth Taylor, Billy’s mentor Roddy McDowall  arranged a rare interlude with Ms. Taylor during which she imparted a cherished memory and acting lesson from her dear friend Monty. Billy’s experience on Dream a Little Dream with the “two Coreys,” was more of a nightmare, trapped inside the undisciplined Coreys bubble which featured them either coming to work or not, depending upon the hangover.  Hoping to broaden his range, Billy took on the role of a serial killer which threatened to murder his confidence. Test screenings of Copycat led to weeks of reshoots. Billy was panicking until Roddy brought in his friend Tony for some serial killer coaching. It was Anthony Hopkins! This is a candid, emotional, and deeply reflective conversation about resilience, reinvention, and a turbulent show biz path that has served to inspire William McNamara’s deeply personal new project, The Trouble with Billy. In current recommendations-- Lisa: Twisted Yoga on Apple TV+ Weezy: David Archuleta's Memoir, Devout: Losing My Faith To Find Myself Path Points of Interest: The Trouble with Billy [https://thetroublewithbilly.com/] The Trouble With Billy on Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@thetroublewithbillyofficial] William McNamara on Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_McNamara] William McNamara on IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001530/] William McNamara on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/williammcnamara108/] William McNamara on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/wmcnamara2/] Twisted Yoga [https://tv.apple.com/us/show/twisted-yoga/umc.cmc.5igm85np97uvzrg4cl7wpzz6f] Devout: Losing My Faith To Find Myself by David Archuleta [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FJJGJSB6/?bestFormat=true&k=devout%20david%20archuleta&ref_] David Archuleta [https://davidarchuleta.com]