Game Changers With Vicki Abelson Vicki Abelson

I’m filled to the brim with love, compassion, and inspiration. I so enjoyed every moment in Lydia Cornell’s most excellent company. A strong, talented, generous, capable woman, who knows who she is, where she’s been, and where she wants to be, allowing for godshots that may alter her future at any turn, AFI Best Actress nominee and People’s Choice Award winner Lydia, best known for her starring role in Too Close for Comfort, is all that and a standup comedienne, writer, director, public speaker, and activist.

We went back to Lydia’s early days in El Paso Texas, her Russian father, and challenging mother… the haircut, the Barbies, the boys, oh my! Moving to Scarsdale, starring in High School plays, college in Boulder., Colorado, and Hollywood by way of the music biz, Caribou Ranch…. some great stories there… Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Dennis Wilson, Henry Diltz, dating Paul Stanley and Donnie Most, and how her naive approach to breaking into the biz, worked! On her third audition, she landed a starring role on a hit TV show and garnered the fame she sought. Loads of TV shows and films followed, including co-starring with James Earl Jones right after shooting that first pilot.

We talked about drinking, drugging, dieting, and the trouble they brought… getting sober, surrender, releasing resentments, recovery, and the innumerable gifts they continue to bring.

Lydia’s won acting, directing, and writing awards, as well as the Southern California Motion Picture Council's Golden Halo Lifetime Achievement Award, and the first Elizabeth Montgomery Humanitarian Award. It’s the service she does every day as a woman in recovery that perhaps makes the greatest impact.

A screenplay Lydia wrote 20 years ago is finding its place now, and the book she started years ago is also readying to bloom. Lydia’s loving her life, writing, and loving with Larry––acting and looking perfect seeming less and less important. I’m loving this Lydia more than ever if that’s even possible.

Lydia Cornell Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, April 17, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/3vNhZTr

Rick Vito Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson

What a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon. Grammy-nominated guitarist, singer, and producer, Rick Vito, probably best known as a member of Fleetwood Mac, was a sunny delight, hisself. Coming to us Live from Franklin TN, following the release of his recently dropped latest album, Cadillac Man, we wiled away the hour talking his tastes… The Stones, Duane Eddy, BB King, his passions, Jimi Hendrix, Peter Green, his custom guitars, and his history… a 41-year marriage, two great kids, starting out with Delaney and Bonnie and Eric Clapton, what a story there! Moving to LA, crashing with Todd Rundgren, Something/Anything? Could I have played that album more freshman year? John Prine’s Common Sense… oh please! An all-time favorite! Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, with our friends Russ Kunkel and Kootch, Bob Seger, and that idea of Rick’s to play slide on Like a Rock, a tasty choice that would become an iconic anthem for Chevrolet and a generation. A great story about meeting John Fogerty, playing with Leon Russell, touring with Tina Turner, picking it up with Mick in the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band with Rick Vito, and getting nominated for a Grammy, and the last great show before the pandemic alongside Christine McVie (in her final performance), Billy Gibbons, Pete Townsend, David Gilmour, Bill Wyman, John Mayall, and a host of other musical luminaries in Mick Fleetwood & Friends Celebrate the Music of Peter Green concert filmed in London in 2020.

We were treated to a glimpse of one of Rick Vito’s Soul Agent Signature Custom Designed Art Deco Guitars which is available from Reverend Guitars. This pink beauty with black and white piping, Rick designed to have attributes of a Gibson, a Fender, and a Gretch.

Rick’s new album, Cadillac Man, is available now and has been on heavy rotation in the Snicki Mobile. I’m just loving it. A lotta rock n roll, heavy on the R & B. You can get yours here: https://www.rickvito.com

It’s easy to see why Rick’s been in demand by so many diverse and stellar artists. He’s a stunning talent, who plays from his soul, leaving space between the notes, and warmth within his smile. I can’t wait to hear and see more!

Rick Vito Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, April 10th
* SPECIAL TIME1 PM PT, 4 PM ET*
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Reply here:
https://bit.ly/3vMHQuv

Hal Linden Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson

Does it get better than this? Someone’s gonna have to prove it to me. Wow, what a time with Hal Linden! As nice, charming, handsome, and tall (well, I’m guessing on the last), as his Barney Miller, Hal was all that and a hefty bag of Cheetos. Absolutely age-defying - I want to see his birth certificate. It’s unfathomable that he’s 93. Still dashing, his voice strong, mind sharp, wit crackling, and his talent will be on display next weekend in Flat Rock, co-starring with Marilu Henner in Ed Weinberger’s, The Journals of Adam and Eve. I wanna go! Road trip?

Hal took us through his early days, one of six cousins, all professional musicians, he a clarinetist first, classically trained, in the musicians union at 15, then the sax called, a hysterical story there, the army, and then the theatre… to hear Hal tell it, it all makes sense. From summer stock to Broadway as an understudy in Bells Are Ringing with Judy Holliday. I won’t dare ruin that story. It was 8 years of understudying, and standing in, which led to his Tony-winning starring role in The Rothschilds. Please do yourself a favor and watch Hal sing “Sons,” as seen on the Ed Sullivan Show, his clear ticket to Tony. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnztP3vCRko Breathtaking.

And then we got to the meat. Barney Miller. How he got it, what he gave up. The gamble he took. The payoff. We talked the original cast in the first failed pilot and the magical one that replaced it. We talked characters, chemistry, and process. How much Hal was in Barney, how much Barney in Hal. And, the part he turned down afterward, without even looking.

We had two degrees of Kevin Bacon without the Kevin and without the Bacon, all over the place… from our Bronx beginnings to raising our kids on the UWS of Manhattan and then LA, to Marilu and Ed, but most of all, the Catskills and the crooner. Hal started out in the Borscht Belt with his band at the Paramount Hotel. My father started out at the same hotel as an MC. Years later, after Hal’s Broadway and TV fame, my dad lived a dream, introducing Hal, one of his heroes, and opening for him at the Yiddish Theatre in New York. It was one of the highlights and great joys of his career. They were both handsome as heck, charming as can be, and smooth as silk singers. Hal still is. My dad is up there smiling this eve. Larry Katz, this one’s for you.

Thank you, Hal. This will go down as one of the highlights and great joys of my career, and I’ll forever be grateful. But why on a bad hair day?!?

Hal Linden Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, April 3, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/43IJ6eE

Warren Ham Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson

What an absolutely delightful sit down with multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Warren Ham. As much as I was blown away seeing him do his thing (s) Live with Ringo and his All Starr Band, singing lead, background vocals, playing flute, sax, harmonica, keyboards, and percussion, I’m exhausted just typing it, let alone watching him work the entire multi-level stage, I was equally impressed chatting with him. What an engaging, fun, open, self-effacing, lovely, ridiculously talented, accessible, human.

Warren started us with his family’s gospel group, recording his first album at 5. What a slacker! Country music and mandolin with his guitar-playing older brother Bill followed. While Warren sang and played harmonica with every garage band in Fort Worth, Bill was playing on TV on The Sonny & Cher Show, paving the way for things to come. Bloodrock and three albums followed and then dueting with Cher for three years in Vegas and meeting… well, pretty much everyone. From Vegas to Kansas- the band not the place, great story there, and a whole lot more instruments added to Warren’s repertoire, plus stadiums…Donna Summer, on and off for years, Amy Grant, Toto, another great story there, Olivia Newton-John, lots of great stories there, including a couple about a guy named Travolta. Always professional, there were years of consumption, and then 15 years ago, sobriety, when Warren claims, his life shifted for the better in all ways. A fortuitous Facebook message led to a Beatle, he’s spent ten years with Ringo, his greatest gig of all, doing double duty with Luke on Toto, too.

There’s a 42-year marriage, in rock years beyond miraculous, and two amazing kids, check out son Robert’s wonderful short film on Warren, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muxaj-HOGBE, daughter Rachel Talbot has over a million followers on YouTube - the apples don’t fall far…

It’s stunning to consider not only all that Warren can do, and does, but also that he does it all, brilliantly. And, he can dance. And act. Is there anything this man can’t do? Odds are crap on that.

Warren Ham Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, March 27, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/4cKTmYa

Butch Patrick Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson

What a fun chat with Butch Patrick, aka Eddie Munster, who’s warm, easy and so comfortable in his skin that it’s impossible to not feel like an old friend coming home. Butch makes everyone in his path feel seen, heard, and important. What a gift.

We talked about current events… living in Arkansas, his Munster Mobiles, getting out and meeting his fans, his girlfriend, how they met, and how they keep it going. And we went back… how a 7 yr old got his start in film, had a career in TV, and at the age of 10, a starring role on one of the most iconic and endearing television shows of all time. Thank goodness Bill Mumy took a pass. There are no accidents. This was Butch’s path.

We talked Fred Gwynne, Al Lewis, Yvonne De Carlo, The Cowsills, and The Monkees, and his amazing episode and time shooting with them at the height of all of their fame.

There were crazy days and trouble. Pot, booze, and drugs, and then, 13 years ago, getting sober. Butch’s ease and commitment to his sobriety, and helping others. It’s a beautiful thing.

The upside of the pandemic is that it led the way to interview celebrity gems who live far away. I hope one day to meet Butch in the reals and feel his great energy sans a screen between us, but I’m grateful as hell for these opportunities to spend time getting to know this once boy who gave this girl so much childhood joy, and as a man, moves through the world with so much kindness and grace.

Butch Patrick Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, March 20, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Reply here:
https://bit.ly/43rAjh4

Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson

I got to sit down again with bassist extraordinaire, Rudy Sarzo... Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, The Guess Who, Blue Oyster Cult - who's also a modern-day humanist, animal rights activist, author, mentor, CG artist, and an evolved, spiritual, gentle soul. And what a time it was!

Originally from Cuba, we talked Rudy's early days, his family's struggle to get here, and the struggles they continued to face when they arrived. Barely speaking the language, work shortages, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Kennedy Assassination, to the shining light of the Beatles, which shifted almost everything.

Rudy's foray into music... Kevin Dubrow, the original Quiet Riot, a partial cover band at the time doing some originals, Ozzy Osbourne, the fame, booze, and the crazy, Randy Rhoads, who opened the doors, filled the world with magic and then took the joy when he left way too soon, Frankie Banali, more Quiet Riot, Metal Health, Whitesnake, the girls, more fame, Blue Oyster Cult, The Guess Who, now joyfully back with Quiet Riot with bandmates handpicked by the originals.

We talked Rudy's marriage, it'll be 40 years this June, a herculean accomplishment for anyone, for a rocker on the road, stunningly amazing! This is a man who honors his commitments. All of them. Sober 26 years, he found program and solutions during the pandemic and finds himself a changed man in so many ways. And this, a changed world.

Rudy is deep and we went deep about music, healing, the communal experience... I feel richer, calmer, saner, and more centered having spent time in his grounded and assured presence. He's not only a monster bass player of the highest caliber, he's also a highly evolved human of a most admirable order. I feel like I just spent an hour plus with a Zen master and I'm somehow better for it. What a gift he is.

Rudy Sarzo Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson
Wednesday, March 13, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET
Streamed Live on my Facebook
Replay here:
https://bit.ly/43db1Dv