The Juice with Jeff #73

On this episode of the podcast, Sarah (Henry) Suemnig conducts and co-produces a fantastic and super fun audio interview with me filled with plenty of two-way conversation throughout the interview. There were a whole bunch of things that Sarah and I talked about during this audio interview, both on the serious stuff and the fun/entertaining stuff.

1. The first thing that Sarah brings up with me is about my singing as a hobby and remember how I sang in two of the choirs during my years at Valley High School. I talk with Sarah about the really cool karaoke system that I have, how I have been enjoying using it quite a few times over the last 8-1/2 years, and how I brought my karaoke system to the home of a couple really close friends for their big Hanukkah party for the last 8 years. Sarah also talks about her interest in singing.

2. Then I perform 30 of my voice impersonations for Sarah: Fat Albert, Mushmouth, Michael Buffer (The "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" announcer), Trump, Obama, Romney, Tom Bodett, Audrey II the Plant ("Little Shop of Horrors"), Robin Leach o.b.m., Casey Kasem o.b.m., Susan Stamberg (NPR Special Correspondent), Ira Glass ("This American Life"), Terry Gross (NPR's Fresh Air), Lakshmi Singh (NPR Newscaster), Jack Speer (NPR Newscaster), Dwane Brown (NPR Newscaster), Korva Coleman (NPR Newscaster), Giles Snyder (NPR Newscaster/Reporter), Steve Inskeep and David Greene (2 of the 4 co-hosts for NPR's Morning Edition), the longtime KGGO Voice Over Announcer named Joe Kelly, Fred Rogers o.b.m. and a bunch of the characters from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (Joe Negri, King Friday, Queen Sara, X the Owl, Henrietta Pussycat, Daniel Tiger, Lady Elaine Fairchilde, Mr. McFeeley, and the funding credits announcer that came on at the beginning and end of the show). When I do the voices of those three politicians, I do spend a couple minutes sharing my thoughts on the recent 2020 U.S. General Election.

3. Then we talk about how it's extremely important for us to be kind to everyone; and to accept/respect everyone of all colors, all religions, all abilities, all sexual orientations, all nationalities, etc.....

4. Then we talk about how we're handling the COVID-19 pandemic and the physical distancing that goes with it. I talk with Sarah about the things I do to try to stay positive and keep my mental health in check during the pandemic such as listening to my tremendous music collection, my interest in Fred Rogers o.b.m. and Mister Rogers Neighborhood as well as several other TV shows like Fat Albert and Gilligan's Island, and reaching out to friends thru the phone and Facebook Messenger. And then I talk with Sarah more about the series of these "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts as well as how I've learned quite a lot about using Zoom since March 2020. Sarah also shares her thoughts on a bunch of related topics during this part of the podcast.

5. Then Sarah and I address more serious topics about: how the pandemic has taught us about how we cannot take various everyday things for granted, the multiple problems that we've dealt with during 2020 including the recent U.S. General Elections, Religious Fundamentalism, etc.... Then I talk about spirituality and how I try my best to practice the precepts and all aspects of Judaism to the best of my ability in a balanced, moderate, sane, and reasonable way.

6. Sarah and I then spend the remaining 35 or so minutes of the podcast sharing our memories, experiences, favorite moments, etc... from our years together at VHS in West Des Moines, Iowa. Sarah went to VHS for three of the four years that I was also there during the early to mid 1990's.

This interview was recorded on Friday November 27, 2020 and it definitely is a FEATURE LENGTH podcast as it runs 1 hour and 40 minutes (100 minutes). As is the case with all of the "The Juice with Jeff" podcasts, funding for this podcast is provided by Realty With Ahart and RandomKid. Enjoy!