March 2025 – Now I've Heard Everything

History With a Comic Touch, As Told by Paula Poundstone

March 31, 2025Bill Thompson

There are many hundreds of thousands of biographies and history books, but probably very very few of them have been written by a comedian.

And, few comedians who write a memoir do so with the help of historical figures.

That’s where the popular stand-up comic Paula Poundstone comes in.

When publishers invited her to write a memoir, she hesitated, until she had a brainstorm.

And the result, in 2006, was her first book, which she called There’s Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say.

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But the road from concept to publication was bumpy. A few years into the writing process she faced legal charges, including felony endangerment of a child.

Get your copy of Paula Poundstone’s book

But instead of abandoning the book Poundstone Incorporated her legal troubles into the narrative.

I met her in the spring of 2007 when she was on a book tour.

So here now, from 2007, Paula Poundstone.

Paula Poundstone is 65 now. She continues to tour the country, and she hosts the podcast “Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone.”

A Split Second to Act: Secret Service Agent Dennis McCarthy

March 30, 2025Bill Thompson

Until the attempt on Donald Trump’s life last summer, the most serious assassination attempt in recent American history came on March 30, 1981.

President Ronald Reagan had just emerged from a speech at a downtown Washington hotel. From behind a nearby rope line emerged a young man with a gun. John Hinckley Jr fired six shots, hitting Reagan and three other people before he was subdued.

And the Secret Service agent who subdued him was 46-year-old veteran Agent Dennis McCarthy.

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McCarthy spent the next several hours guarding Hinckley, who was, of course, later found not guilty by reason of insanity. You’ll hear Dennis McCarthy’s take on that in the interview just ahead.

I met agent McCarthy in 1985 when he wrote a book called Protecting The President. And he had a startling Revelation in that book, which you’ll hear about.

So here now, from 1985, Dennis McCarthy.

Dennis McCarthy died in 1993. He was 58.

Batter Up! Columnist George Wills Tribute to The Genius of Baseball

March 26, 2025Bill Thompson

For fans of Major League Baseball tomorrow is the big day, Opening Day. It’s the only day of the season when every team is in first place, every batter is hitting 1.000, and every pitcher has an ERA of 0.00.

A few years back George Will wanted to write a baseball book, in an effort to analyze exactly what makes Major League Baseball such an intriguing sport.

And for his research he went to the experts: Cal Ripken, Orel Hershiser, Tony Gwynn, and Tony La Russa.

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And what Will found was not just a deep well of talent, but extraordinary ability to synthesize mountains of information.

What emerged was George Will’s 1990 book called Men At Work. he and I talked about it just a few weeks into the 1990 Major League season.

So here now, from 1990, George Will.

George Will will be 84 in May. You can read his columns in the Washington Post and see him on NewsNation.

En Pointe Elegance: Ballerina Suzanne Farrell’s Journey of Grace

March 24, 2025Bill Thompson

Few people have done more to advance neoclassical ballet in the last half-century then the girl from Cincinnati who started turning heads when she was a teenager.

Suzanne Farrell’s unique talent brought her to the attention of the legendary George Balanchine, and together they transformed the modern world of ballet.

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Over a career that spanned nearly three decades Farrell set the standard for a generation of dancers.

A hip replacement surgery ended Farrell’s ballet career in 1989. She has devoted her life to teaching since then. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.

The year after her retirement she wrote a memoir called Holding On To The Air. I met her that fall when she was on a book tour.

So here now, from 1990, Suzanne Farrell.

Suzanne Farrell is now 79. She is a professor of dance at Florida State University.

Caught in The Cogs of The Washington Political Machine: Former Speechwriter Matt Latimer

March 21, 2025Bill Thompson

Perhaps no job in Corporate America could ever fully prepare you for a job with the federal government.

Or more particularly, the United States Senate, or the Pentagon, or the white house.

Someone who worked in all three of those venues in the early 2000s will tell you, it’s not just a different world, it’s a different Universe.

Matt Latimer started his Washington career working in the US Senate – at one point working alongside Ann Coulter – before taking a job at the Pentagon as a speechwriter for then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

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Latimer joined the White House in 2007 as a speechwriter for President George W. Bush, a position he held until resigning a year and a half later. disillusioned with how the president and his advisors handled the financial crisis.

A year later, Latimer wrote a memoir he called Speech-less. He and I met one day that fall in the cafe at our local Borders bookstore to talk about it.

So here now, from 2009, Matt Latimer.

Matt Latimer now heads a literary and public relations firm he co-founded in Northern Virginia.

Forever Liesl — Charmian Carr’s Lifetime of Memories On The Set of ‘The Sound of Music’

March 20, 2025Bill Thompson

The beloved classic “The Sound of Music” premiered 60 years ago this month, March 1965.

It was an instant hit, drawing huge crowds, many who would come back and see the movie multiple times. It has remained one of the all-time favorite movies of audiences worldwide in the decades since.

The young actress who portrayed the eldest Von Trapp child, 16-year-old Liesl, was then-21-year-old Charmian Carr; it was, in fact, her very first movie role..

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And in the interview you’re about to hear car describes the very first scene she shot in her very first movie.

In 2000 Car published her memoir, a book called Forever Liesl. That’s when I had the chance to meet her.

So here now, from 2000, Charmian Carr.

Charmian Carr died in 2016. She was 73.

Finding Your Capacity For Compassion: Spiritual Guru Ram Dass

March 17, 2025Bill Thompson

In today’s America it often feels to many people like there is a lack of empathy, or compassion. Too often the underprivileged, the underserved, the marginalized get pushed aside.

But compassion may prove to be like a muscle, that we can exercise and strengthen.

Famed psychologist and eastern spiritual leader Ram Dass wrote more than a dozen books over a period of years, starting in 1971 with the groundbreaking Be Here Now.

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In 1992 Dass Wrote a book to show us what compassion should look like. His book was called Compassion in Action. That’s when I had a few minutes with him.

So here now, from 1992, Ram Dass.

Ram Dass died in 2019, at the age of 88.

Sir Michael Caine’s Legacy: Childhood Dreams Come True

March 14, 2025Bill Thompson

On this day, March 14, 1933 a baby boy named Maurice Joseph Micklewhite was born in London. His parents were working class, and his family lived a meager existence.

But at age 10, young Maurice was bitten by the acting bug thanks to a small part in a school play.

That launched an 8th decade career for the man we now know as Michael Caine. He adopted his stage name off the success of The Caine Mutiny.

By the time he retired a couple of years ago Michael Caine had appeared in 160 movies, picking up two Oscars and three Golden Globe awards along the way.

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His best known films include Alfie, The Ipcress File, The Man Who Would Be King, A Bridge Too Far, Hannah and Her Sisters, Sleuth, Miss Congeniality, and Austin Powers.

In 2000 he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth to become Sir Michael Caine.

In 1992, Cain wrote what would become the first of three memoirs, a book called What’s It All About? That’s what I have the chance to spend a few minutes with this incredible actor.

So here now, from 1992, Sir Michael Caine.

Today, as Sir Michael Caine celebrates his 90 second birthday, he lives in retirement in London.

Is The 25th Amendment a Recipe For a Coup? John Batchelor Imagines this Scenario

March 13, 2025Bill Thompson

On its face the 25th Amendment to the US Constitution seems pretty straightforward. If a president is rendered incapable of carrying out the duties of the office, the vice president takes over – perhaps just temporarily, if the president’s condition is temporary.

But there is a fundamental flaw in the 25th Amendment, says popular radio host and novelist John Batchelor.

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In his 1994 novel, called Father’s Day, Batchelor imagines what would happen if the 25th Amendment resulted in a constitutional crisis. And in today’s political climate it’s not hard to see how this could happen.

Although this interview is 30 years old it still feels very timely and relevant.

So here now, from 1994, John Batchelor.

John Batchelor will be 77 next month. He is currently heard on Eye On The World on CBS Radio.

Miracles Do Happen: Liver Ttransplant Surgeon Rose-Marie Toussaint

March 10, 2025Bill Thompson

Until the early 1980s liver transplants were considered experimental surgeries. As their success rate mounted, liver transplants became mainstream.

And one of the most prominent practitioners of that specialty is Haitian-born Dr. Rose-Marie Toussaint.

As a young girl she was told by a priest that she would someday become a doctor, and she took that prophecy seriously, And aimed her life in that direction when her family moved to Florida in 1970 when she was still a teenager.

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Toussaint was inspired during her medical school education to become a transplant specialist, after witnessing what she said appeared to be the miraculous recovery of transplant patients.

Dr. Toussaint was the first black female liver transplant surgeon. She also established the National Transplant Foundation.

In 1998 Dr. Toussaint wrote a memoir called Never Question the Miracle, Documenting her rise from poverty to prominence.

So here now from 1998 Dr, Rose-Marie Toussaint.

Dr, Rose-Marie Toussaint lives and practices in Florida.