Author: Bill Thompson

The Many Talents of Alex Karras: Athlete, Actor, Author

Bill Thompson

Alex karras was a star on the field for the Detroit Lions in the 1960s.

And then he tackled a new career challenge: acting. One of his most iconic roles was in 1974’s “Blazing Saddles.” He was, of course, Mongo.

And when I spoke with him about it, he almost sounded surprised at his own success as a writer.

Later Alex karras starred in the ABC sitcom “Webster,” and along the way he also joined the Monday Night Football broadcast crew. And that’s kind of where he got the idea for his 1991 novel called Tuesday Night Football.

So here now from 1991 Alex karras

Alex karras died in 2012. He was 77.

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Dick Butkus

Bart Starr

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The Real Story of Area 51: A Conversation With Investigative Journalist Annie Jacobsen

Bill Thompson
Photo by Slowking

Area 51 (which is not its official name) is such a highly classified US Air Force installatio nthat for many decades, the United States government wouldn’t even acknowledge its existence.

And forget about finding out anything that really goes on an Area 51.

That is, until 2011, when investigative journalist. Annie Jacobsen wrote her groundbreaking book called simply Area 51.

She talked to men who had once worked there and kept Area 51’s secrets for years. And what she found out, and wrote about, is nothing short of astonishing..

So here now, from 2011, Annie Jacobsen.

Annie Jacobsen lives in Southern California and continues her investigative work.

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Gordon Cooper

Richard Belzer

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Rock and Roll 101: Cousin Brucie Shares His Insights

Bill Thompson

Over the last few decades, entire libraries full of books have been written about the history of rock and roll.

Where do you even begin? How do you wrap your arms around such an enormous subject? And how do you keep it in proper context of the culture and society?

Perhaps few people are as well qualified to do that as Bruce Morrow, otherwise known to millions of radio listeners as cousin Brucie.

When I sat down with him a few years ago, we talked about the music, the culture, the society, and the careers that he helped shape.

So here now from 2009 Cousin Brucie, Bruce Morrow.

Bruce Morrow is 86 now.

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Graham Nash

Wolfman Jack

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The Magic of Tomie dePaola: A Conversation

Bill Thompson

If you’ve had young children in your house anytime in the past 50 years, or if perhaps you were the young child, you know the work of children’s book author Tomie dePaola.

He turned a childhood fascination with drawing into a career in which he produced over 260 children’s books.

One of my interviews with dePaola occurred over 30 years ago, around this time of year, as we talked about his book called Jingle the Christmas Clown.

And he had some fascinating insights into what it takes to create a memorable children’s book.

So here now from 1992 Tomie dePaola

Tomie dePaola died in 2020. He was 85.

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Stan & Jan Berenstain

Berke Breathed

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How Ann Coulter’s Demonic Theory Explains America’s Political Divide

Bill Thompson

It is no secret that America has become more politically divided than ever. And that in turn has raised so many questions about why we are so split.

Why do conservatives think the way they do? And why do liberals think the way they do?

A few years ago conservative commentator Ann Coulter thought she had the answer. She put her theory in a book called Demonic: How the Liberal Mob Is Endangering America. The essence of her theory: Democrats and liberals are simply following a mob mentality.

As you listen to this interview, keep in mind this was years before Donald Trump and the MAGA movement.

So here now from 2011 Ann Coulter.

Ann Coulter will be celebrating her birthday this Friday. She’ll be 62.

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Dan Bongino

James O’Keefe

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From Poverty To Political Legend: Arkansas’s Dale Bumpers

Bill Thompson

Born and raised in a tiny rural Arkansas town, Dale Bumpers was drawn at a very early age into public service, by his encouraging father.

Service in the Marine Corps during World War II was followed by law school, and any illustrious legal career. He was, as he called his 2003 memoir, The Best Lawyer in a One-Lawyer Town.

His political career began in 1970, when he ran successfully for governor of Arkansas. He then flirted with the idea of running for president,but ran for Senate, and served there for the next 24 years.

A fiscally conservative Democrat, Bumpers earned a reputation as a powerful and influential Senator.

In one of his most memorable Senate moments, Bumpers delivered a closing argument in the Bill Clinton impeachment trial.

In 2003, four years after leaving public office, Bumpers published his memoir, and that’s when I met him. So here now, from 2003, Senator Dale Bumpers.

Dale Bumpers died on New Year’s Day 2016. He was 90.

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Gerry Spence

Pat Schroeder

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Life as Osama bin Laden’s Sister-in-Law Revealed

Bill Thompson

Married to the mob is one thing. Imagine what it would feel like if you married into a family whose name was linked to terrorism?

Swiss-born Carmen bin Ladin was once Osama bin Laden’s sister-in-law. Her marriage to Osama’s half brother Yeslam broke up several years ago and she had nothing to do with the September 11th attacks.

Her 2004 book Inside the Kingdom isn’t even about her notorious ex-brother-in-law. It reveals what goes on inside the strict Saudi culture that she and her daughters were part of.

Nevertheless, when I spoke with her she was candid about the family, the culture, and Osama.

So here now, from 2004, Carmen bin Ladin.

Carmen bin Ladin is now 69. Her divorce from Yeslam was finalized in 2006.

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Betty Mahmoody

Ivana Trump

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A Daughter’s Loving Embrace: Rain Pryor’s Book About Richard Pryor

Bill Thompson
Rain Pryor (center_ with Bill and Hillary Thompson

The late Richard Pryor was a hugely talented comedian and brilliant entertainer — but, by his own admission, a failure as a father.

In 2006 his daughter Rain Pryor wrote a memoir, a sympathetic portrait of the man, failings and all. Her book was called Jokes My Father Never Taught Me.

So here now from November 2006, Rain Pryor.

Richard Pryor died in December 2005, at the age of 65.

Rain Pryor is 54 now, and is active as a comedian, actor, and singer.

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Bill Kinison

Judith Belushi

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From Pilgrims to Escorts: The Rise and Fall of the Mayflower Madam

Bill Thompson

As public scandals go, this one might seem pretty benign, by today’s low bar. But in 1984, it was a big story when it was revealed that the authoirities had broken up a high-priced Manhattan escort service that was being run by a woman named Sydney Biddle Barrows.

Now, when a New York Post reporter uncovered the fact that the 32-year-old Barrows is from the Biddle family of Philadelphia, and is a direct descendant of some of the original Mayflower settlers, he dubbed her the “Mayflower Madam” — and the name stuck.

Within two years of her company being put out of business, Barrows wrote a bestselling autobiography, called, of course, “The Mayflower Madam.”

That’s when I first met her.

So here now, from 1986, Mayflower Madam Sydney Biddle Barrows:

Sydney Biddle Barrows is 73 now. She’s a management consultant and writer.

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Georgia Durante

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The Book That Proved Lee Harvey Oswald Acted Alone

Bill Thompson
Photo by Posnerwiki

It has now been 60 years since the assassination of President John F Kennedy in Dallas.

And yet his death remains the subject of widespread conspiracy theories.

But 30 years ago, there was a definitive book written that reached the same conclusion that the Warren Commission did in the 1960s. That conclusion: Lee Harvey Oswald killed the president, and acted alone.

The author of that book, called Case Closed, was investigative journalist Gerald Posner. Using technology completely unheard of in the 1960s, Posner reached the same conclusion.

So here now from 1993 Gerald Posner.

Gerald Posner is 69. HHs most recent book was a 2020 volume about big pharma.

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Clint Hill

Vincent Bugliosi

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