GENERATION RIPE

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The Eighty-Ninth One… and Jacob Soule (The Plant Prodigy) Aug 12, 2022

Show notes

Episode 89 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is botanist, exotic plants expert and TikTok sensation Jacob Soule.

When people ask Jacob Soule what he did during the COVID pandemic, he has a more interesting answer than most: he became TikTok famous.

His @theplantprodigy account has almost 1 million followers and his short, entertaining, and informative videos about all things plants have over 26 million likes. And it all started by sibling rivalry.

“My brother told me that he was in a viral video that a friend had made. It got half a million views,” Soule said. “He was joking about being TikTok famous. I tried to get big on TikTok to prove him wrong. I didn’t have success at first, but after December 2021, I got the ball rolling.”

Soule, who has autism, has long been interested in plants. He can remember picking daisies with his grandmother. When he was in second grade he read a book that piqued his interest in carnivorous plants and he bought his first one.

“I got a Venus flytrap and a pitcher plant, but they all died,” he said. “They’re not that tricky if you know what you’re doing and I didn’t know what I was doing when I was 9 or 10 years old.”

Like some plant species, his interest in plants went dormant in about 2015. But, it sprang back to life in 2017 when his current collection began to grow. He currently has over 100 plants ranging from philodendron micans to desert rosesand hoya to several carnivorous pitcher plants,which he now grows quite successfully.

TikTok was not his first foray into social media. He has always been interested in influencer culture and he first launched a YouTube Channel after being inspired by one of his favorite YouTubers. He created his Instagram in 2019.

In his videos, he documents his own adventures as a plant owner, while also answering questions from plant parents who share videos of their droopy or browning plants. Some of the videos offer plant-related humor,such as when he stops his aunt from tossing the dregs of her wine glass into a plant pot or when he reacts with horror to atrocities such as people giving their Venus flytrap toothpaste.

He’ll occasionally address issues such as negative comments about his voice or his lack of knowledge about some things with a disarming honesty, saying that his voice makes him unique and he’s proud of having room to grow and learn more.

He hopes to parlay his TikTok popularity into a business of some sort, perhaps starting an Etsy plant shop. He is currently attending Kalamazoo Valley Community College with hopes of eventually earning a Horticulture Degree from Michigan State University.

“Plants were popular before COVID. They exploded after the lockdown,” Soule said. “Why do people like plants? That’s hard to answer. Maybe it’s because of the idea of being responsible and taking care of something without having to put an animal or child’s life at risk. And many studies show that plants can help benefit mental health. Personally, I just like the idea of growing all kinds of unique plants.”

Here are the plants Wendi references in the interview: Gymnarnphora, Trusmadiensis, Miranda, Robcantleyi, and Caesar.

Watch Wendi and Dfernando and their Team GENERATION RIPE: Greg Covey, Shelley McLendon and Ponciana Badia on Season 7 Episode 2 of CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD - now on ABC OnDemand and Hulu and on the GENERATION RIPE website.

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The Eighty-Eighth One... and Pleasant Gehman Jul 22, 2022

Show notes

Episode 88 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is multi-disciplinary artist, writer, professional dancer, actor, psychic, musician and painter Pleasant Gehman.

A Hollywood rock ‘n’ roll icon, during the 1970s, she was one of the first punks in Los Angeles, documenting the scene she helped create in her fanzine LOBOTOMY, which lead to writing for the top mainstream rock publications. During the 1980s, she toured fronting her three bands, all of whom released multiple recordings: Screamin’ Sirens, The Ringling Sisters and Honk If Yer Horny. Concurrently, she was the talent booker for the seminal Los Angeles “alternative” clubs Cathay De Grande and Raji’s.

Since the early 1990s, under the stage name Princess Farhana, she has appeared internationally as a professional belly dance and burlesque performer and teacher, touring in Egypt, Turkey, China, Australia, and constantly across Europe, the United Kingdom and North America. She’s danced and acted in numerous motion pictures, in music videos and on television shows and has been featured in many documentaries on belly dance and burlesque, performing and as an interview subject. In 2009, she was the star of Steve Balderson’s feature-length documentary UNDERBELLY: A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF PRINCESS FARHANA, released worldwide in theaters as well as on DVD.

A practicing witch, her work as a psychic, intuitive Tarot reader and energy healer has been life-long; she currently shares her gifts with clients worldwide. From the age of sixteen onwards, Pleasant has been a journalist and cultural commentator with literally thousands of articles published nationally and internationally on everything from rock ‘n’ roll to the paranormal, from magic to homeless teenagers. Her memoirs, short stories and poetry have been widely anthologized and many works were recorded on her spoken word CD Ruined.

In March 2020, she launched the popular podcast THE DEVIL’S MUSIC, which explores the intersection of rock’n’roll and the occult. It is available across all podcasting platforms.

Pleasant is the author and/or editor of eight books, including THE BELLY DANCE HANDBOOK and the memoir SHOWGIRL CONFIDENTIAL: MY LIFE ONSTAGE, BACKSTAGE AND ON THE ROAD.

Her latest book ROCK ’N’ ROLL WITCH: A MEMOIR OF SEX MAGICK, DRUGS AND ROCK ’N’ ROLL, is a memoir of her astonishing life, where music and the unexplained have been constants for decades. Her supernatural experiences unfold to a soundtrack of old school punk, 50’s rockabilly, vintage blues, classic rock and girl groups. Stranger than fiction, her true stories of spirit encounters, synchronicity and her own psychic abilities are populated with the friends who also experienced them, including The Go-Go’s, The Cramps, The Germs, The Gun Club, The Blasters and many more. Her writing is riveting, loaded with humor and extraordinary details that will make readers question their own reality.

She authored her own chapters in John Doe and Tom Desavia’s UNDER THE BIG BLACK SUN: A PERSONAL HISTORY OF LA PUNK and MORE FUN IN THE NEW WORLD: THE UNMAKING AND LEGACY OF LA PUNK.
She currently hosts BELL, BOOK & CANDLE - an occult burlesque show at El Cid in Los Angeles that is held every third Wednesday of every month.

Pleasant lives in Hollywood, California, with four spoiled rescue cats.
Also on Episode 88, Dfernando and Wendi celebrate his new status as a new Californian and their weekend attending the play TILDA SWINTON ANSWERS AN AD ON CRAIGSLIST (at Los Angeles' Casita Del Campo) written by past guest Byron Lane and starring (another past guest) Tom Lenk. And Wendi mentions she spoke on Lux ATL's MAKE IT HAPPEN VIRTUAL RETREAT.

Watch Wendi and Dfernando and their TEAM GENERATION RIPE: Greg Covey, Shelley McLendon and Ponciana Badia on Season 7 Episode 2 of CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD - now on ABC OnDemand and Hulu and on the GENERATION RIPE website.

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The Eighty-Seventh One… and Elisa Stancil Levine Jul 08, 2022

Show notes

Episode 87 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is author and decorative artist Elisa Stancil Levine.

Elisa Stancil Levine spent her childhood in a canyon on the American River, upstream from the site of the California Gold Rush. She left school at sixteen and as a single mother in Sacramento earned a degree in Library Science and studied Creative Writing. Working with partners she remodeled sixteen historic houses and was Home and Garden Editor and feature writer for SACRAMENTO MAGAZINE. At thirty-six she founded Stancil Studios, an award winning, nationwide decorative finishes company in San Francisco.

Elisa’s second book, THIS OR SOMETHING BETTER, is a memoir and takes place in Northern California, Manhattan and Paris. In it she shares the story of “the making of a maker” where she explores the combination of surrender and decisive action, trust and wariness, solitude and human connection, intuition and painstaking self-inquiry, grace and sheer hard labor that lie at the heart of the great mystery of human resilience.

Her essays have recently appeared in ENTROPY MAGAZINE, STIRRING: A LITERARY COLLECTION, THE PENMEN REVIEW, and THE WRITER’S WORKSHOP REVIEW. A third book is in the works.

Elisa’s color and pattern design have been featured in every major American design magazine including TOWN AND COUNTRY, CALIFORNIA HOMES, LUXE, ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST, and VOGUE.

When Elisa is not writing, traveling or consulting on color and pattern she and her husband spend hours immersed in nature, running and riding horseback on Sonoma Mountain.

Also on Episode 87, Dfernando and Wendi have more GORGEOUS LIVING tips: ladies trimming their beards and a TikTok yogurt cake. Plus, Wendi mentions her new water aerobics with the women in her family.

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The Eighty-Sixth One... and a revisit with Joseph La Corte Jun 24, 2022

Show notes

Episode 86 and Wendi and Dfernando revisit their Episode 20 guest interview with 4-time Emmy Award nominated costume designer Joseph La Corte.

Following his passion for costume design, Joseph La Corte has worked on some of the most groundbreaking projects in film and television. From period and fantasy costumes, to contemporary clothing, Joseph brings his fine-tuned attention to detail and unbridled enthusiasm for design to all of his work.

Joseph has worked on some of the most iconic shows in television including the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning FX limited-series FOSSE/VERDON, for which he received his fourth Emmy Award nomination. His talents can also be seen in many HBO series including THE SOPRANOS, BOARDWALK EMPIRE, VINYL, and DIVORCE. Other notable television credits include SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, LAW AND ORDER: SVU, and the Sci-Fi series from Amazon TALES FROM THE LOOP.

His feature film dossier is no less impressive. Joseph contributed his expertise to the Academy Award winning film THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE OF EBBING, MISSOURI. Other notable film projects include BEL AMI, ALL THE KINGS MEN, SEX AND THE CITY 2, andSCHOOL OF ROCK. Whether the project calls for a modern sensibility, or an interpretation of the past, Joseph brings a true sense of authenticity to every costume he designs.

Joseph’s costume design work has taken him to such diverse locations as Japan, Morocco, France, England, and Hungary, as well as much of the United States and Canada. Joseph is happiest when working and creating and is always looking forward to new costume design adventures that may lie ahead.

During the 2020 global COVID 19 pandemic, Joseph discovered the popular social media platform TikTok. Not being one to stay stagnant during quarantine, as @minettajoe he began to produce and perform in his highly popular solo TikTok video series of recreations from scenes of classic television shows like THE GOLDEN GIRLS to scenes from classic films like GREASE. Each video clip features Joseph inserted into the themed location and lip-syncing in full costume recreations. Though his hectic costume designing career has finally resumed post-COVID 19, his now-iconic videos still survive on his TikTok account, so many will continue to discover them.

Joseph's most recent work can be seen on the acclaimed FXseries UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN, Paramount Plus' GUILTY PARTY, and Amazon Prime's TALES FROM THE LOOP.

And on Episode 86, Wendi and Dfernando talk about his getting ready for his move from New York City to Long Beach, and Wendi brings more of GORGEOUS LIVING, and QUEEN ENERGY with Emma Thompson and her new Hulu film GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE and some body positivity.

On the RIPE REPORT, Dfernandohas the new Cuban-American remake of FATHER OF THE BRIDE, starring Andy Garcia and multi-Grammy Award winner Gloria Estefan (now streaming on HBO Max), and Wendi proudly boasts a little about her baby birds saving husband Greg Covey.

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The Eighty-Fifth One... and it's Wendi & Dfernando Jun 17, 2022

Show notes

Episode 85 and Wendi and Dfernando do some catching up. Wendi shares she had COVID (get your boosters, kids!), revisiting the original Australian comedy series KATH & KIM, and thinking about some new segments to add to the podcast:

First one is: GORGEOUS LIVING - ways that you can live gorgeously.
Second one is: QUEEN ENERGY - when you stand in your power, ladies.

And Wendi and Dfernando discuss her new haircut she did herself, thanks to Jayne Matthews (@jayne_edosalon). Wendi used the Bangs & Layers Bundle to create her new haircut/hairstyle. Visit Jayne Matthews' website for full details and DIY Classes, etc.

Also, there's some updates on past guests: Hayley Orrantia's appearance on FOX TV's THE MASK SINGER and the star-studded production of the Cyndi Lauper Broadway musical KINKY BOOTS at the Hollywood Bowl; and a limited engagement of A STAR IS BORED author Byron Lane's acclaimed play TILDA SWINTON ANSWERS AN AD ON CRAIG'S LIST, starring Tom Lenk as Tilda Swinton.

On THE RIPE REPORT, Dfernando shares 2 of his favorite NYC-based RIPES: CRIOLLAS Baked Empanadas, authentic Argentinean empanadas available at the Turnstyle Underground Market (located underground at the 59th Street/Columbus Circle subway station!), and the old elevated rail line park THE HIGH LINE. Wendi shares a new discovery: the Showtime TV series I LOVE THAT FOR YOU, created and starring former SNL cast member Vanessa Bayer, Molly Shannon, Jenifer Lewis and Matt Rogers, and which takes place in the world of a major home shopping network. Also, take a listen to Matt Rogers' and SNL's Bowen Yang's podcast LAS CULTURISTAS.

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The Eighty-Fourth One... and Mindy Cohn Jun 03, 2022

Show notes

Episode 84 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is actress and producer Mindy Cohn.

Mindy Cohn was just another student at Westlake School for Girls in Holmby Hills, California when actress Charlotte Rae discovered her while she, the legendary Norman Lear, and the producers of a new NBC sitcom THE FACTS OF LIFE were touring the school as research. Mindy was cast as Natalie Green and portrayed the character for the entire 9 Season run of the series: 1979 to 1988, as well as the few NBC TV Movie Specials.

Mindy continued her acting career outside of THE FACTS OF LIFE. In 1984 she had a leading role as Stockard Channing’s daughter in TABLE SETTINGS. In 1986, she appeared in THE BOY WHO COULD FLY as next-door neighbor Geneva and in 2010 as the lead character Violet in Casper Andreas’ VIOLET TENDENCIES.

On television, Mindy had guest appearances in other popular TV shows, including CHARLES IN CHARGE (playing Buddy's sister Bunny, a young alcoholic in the 1988 episode "Bottle Baby"), and two guest appearances in Season 2 of the cop drama 21 JUMP STREET (playing Rosa in the 1987 episode "Christmas In Saigon" and the 1988 episode "Chapel of Love"). In 2004 Mindy appeared as Maggie in the WB comedy THE HELP, and appeared on the Season 8 premiere of TLC’s WHAT NOT TO WEAR. She has also appeared on HOT IN CLEVELAND, THE SECRET LIFE OF AN AMERICAN TEENAGER, THE MIDDLE, and was the voice of Velma Dinkley in the SCOOBY DOO franchise from 2002 to 2015.

Mindy will be seen in the upcoming APPLE TV+ series DELLACORTE, opposite Kristen Wiig, Allison Janney, Laura Dern, Ricky Martin and TV legend Carol Burnett.

A strong supporter of the LGBTQ community, she has a degree in Cultural Anthropology from Loyola Marymount University, and is a founding member of the weSpark Cancer Support Center.

Click here to watch Mindy’s LIVE COMEDY STORYTELLING: What Happens in Vancouver, which Wendi references during the interview.

Also on Episode 84, Dfernando and Wendi are back from their little extended hiatus and Dfernando shares his news that he is relocating from New York City to Long Beach, California. There is no age limit to starting a new chapter in one's life. And Wendi shares being a guest on Sandra Bernhard’s SiriusXM radio show SANDYLAND, Melissa Rivers’ podcast GROUP TEXT, the Season 10 finale of THE GOLDBERGS, Disneyland, and attending a Steely Dan concert and raving about their opening act Snarky Puppy

On THE RIPE REPORT, Dfernando has the new Showtime limited series THE FIRST LADY, starring Oscar winner Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, and Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford, and Wendi shares her new love of the classic Converse Chuck Taylor Platform Heel version, and the new Amazon Prime reboot of the classic late 80s/early 90s Canadian sketch comedy show THE KIDS IN THE HALL.

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The Eighty-Third One... and Erin Gibson Apr 29, 2022

Show notes

Episode 83 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is Emmy Award nominated actress, comedian, author, podcaster, writer & director Erin Gibson.

Erin Gibson is an expert at mixing social commentary, political satire, and frank sexual talk into nice, neat little comedy packages. Based in Los Angeles, she co-hosts the award winning political absurdist comedy podcast ATTITUDES (formerly titled THROWING SHADE), which has over 6 million downloads and was named by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the Top 20 Comedy Podcasts of 2014 and as a 2015 Podcast to listen to by Entertainment Weekly. A web version of the podcast is shot and distributed by FUNNY OR DIE. She tours internationally doing live versions of the show with her comedy partner, Bryan Safi.

Previously, Erin hosted MODERN LADY on Current TV’s INFOMANIA, which comedically criticized the way women are treated by the media.

As a writer and director at FUNNY OR DIE, Erin regularly impersonated Michele Bachmann and Megyn Kelly, in addition to writing and directing sketches starring Juliette Lewis, Jerry O’Connell, Teri Hatcher, Mary Steenburgen, Kaley Cuoco, Natasha Lyonne, and Taryn Manning. Erin created the successful GAME OF THRONES recap show GAY OF THRONES which she wrote and directed, and which starred her real-life hair stylist, Jonathan Van Ness.

As an author, she released the book FEMINASTY: The Complicated Woman’s Guide to Surviving The Patriarchy Without Drinking Herself to Death, which is her collection of hilarious personal essays and political commentary.

As an actress and comedian, she’s been seen on KEY AND PEELE, THE KROLL SHOW, NBC TV’s PARKS AND RECREATION, E!’s CHELSEA LATELY, and clip shows galore. Erin's a regular blogger for HUFFINGTON POST and is better than Taylor Swift when knowing if people are trouble when they walk in.

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The Eighty-Second One... and a revisit with Tracey Cox Apr 15, 2022

Show notes

Episode 82 and Wendi and Dfernando revisit their guest interview with world renowned sex expert and best-selling author Tracey Cox.

As one of the world’s foremost writers on sex and relationships , Tracey Cox has toured the world as an international sex, body language and relationship expert. She has appeared on Oprah, CNN and The Today Show in the U.S., as well as many prime-time TV and chat shows world-wide.

Tracey has written 17 books. They include many bestsellers like HOT SEX and SUPERSEX and are available in 140 countries, translated into over 20 languages. Her academic background is in psychology and journalism and she’s counseled via the media for decades. She has a weekly column with the MailOnline (Daily Mail) – the world’s largest English speaking news website.

Born in the UK, Tracey grew up in Australia where she was Associate Editor of COSMOPOLITAN Magazine and had a weekly national radio show. She moved back to London to host her first television series and went on to make numerous programs both in the UK and the U.S. about sex and relationships. They include the popular prime-time series WOULD LIKE TO MEET (BBC and Discovery) and THE SEX INSPECTORS (CH4 and HBO).

Tracey teamed up with one of the world’s most popular sex toy retailers, Lovehoney, to create sex toys that look great, work effectively and come with full instructions in stylish packaging. EDGE is for men who want to boost their sexual confidence and performance, SUPERSEX is for anyone who wants maximum sexual satisfaction and more intense orgasms.

Her latest book GREAT SEX STARTS AT 50 is reassuring, honest, funny, and most of all empowering, GREAT SEX STARTS AT 50 is the must-have sex and relationships book for men and women hitting half a century with little sign of slowing down. The book is for those who love sex or dread it, used to love it but have lost enthusiasm, or never got what all the fuss was about but would like to.

She can be heard weekly on her live radio show THE TRACEY COX SHOW on JACK Radio, which is also available on all major podcast platforms.

Tracey is married, is a mom to a step-daughter, and lives in Notting Hill, London.

Also on Episode 82, Wendi and Dfernando talk about Wendi's new BIG LOTS campaign and her unearthing old video tapes of her work on The Groundlings as well as a country music video she appeared in from the early 2000s.

On the RIPE REPORT,Dfernandohas Julie Cohen and Betsy West’s new Julia Child documentary JULIA (now streaming on Amazon Prime), that is a perfect way to prepare for the new HBO Max limited series JULIA (starring England's Sarah Lancashire). Also, Wendi has 2 RIPES this week: Roc Skincare Micro Needle Patches, and SNL alumni and actress Molly Shannon's newly released autobiography HELLO, MOLLY!

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The Eighty-First One... and Mimi Kennedy Apr 08, 2022

Show notes

Episode 81 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is actress, author, writer, producer, and activist Mimi Kennedy.Born in Rochester, NY, Mimi first fell in love with acting as a child in community theater, which would lead her to ignite her acting career on stage opposite TV legend Sid Caesar in Neil Simon’s LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS along with multi-Emmy Award winner Doris Roberts, who became a friend and mentor.Mimi was active in the NYC theatre scene in the 1970’s, cast in plays like Jim Steinman’s DAS RHEINGOLD and Andy Warhol’s legendary PORK – a role she left due to reasons recounted in her 1996 mid-life memoir TAKEN TO THE STAGE: The Education of an Actress (soon to be released as an audiobook on Audible). Steinman would become a life-long friend and Warhol, at least in her case, would be proven wrong about his “15 minutes of fame” quote. In 1976 Mimi made her Broadway debut as one of the Pink Ladies: Jan, in the original Broadway run of the legendary musical GREASE. She was also a member of the original touring production of THE NATIONAL LAMPOON SHOW.In 1975 Mimi was invited to audition for the original cast (The Not Ready for Prime Time Players) of a brand-new late-night NBC TV sketch comedy-variety series SATURDAY NIGHT (later known as SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE), but Lorne Michaels decided on casting Jane Curtin for that spot. Her stage career did not end when Hollywood and television came calling shortly after. She has performed the 1-woman play about newspaper advice columnist Ann Landers, THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS, at both the Pasadena and Cleveland Playhouses. In 2013 she wrote and starred in a 1-woman play about suffragist and abolitionist Matilda Joslyn Gage, MIMI KENNEDY FINDS MATILDA JOSLYN GAGE.For 8 seasons Mimi portrayed the much beloved character, Marjorie, on the hit Chuck Lorre CBS TV sitcom MOM. She garnered a Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series before becoming a series regular in Season 2. This was the second pairing of Mimi and Lorre; she played Abby O’Neil on the hit 90’s ABC TV sitcom DHARMA & GREG for 5 seasons.Her television debut was on the 1977 NBC TV musical-variety mini-series 3 GIRLS 3, also starring dance legend Debbie Allen, and Ellen Foley. The New York Times declared it a hit, however it sadly only aired 4 episodes. You can view all 4 episodes on Mimi’s YouTube channel. 3 GIRLS 3 was quite an introduction to Hollywood allowing her the opportunity to play opposite Bob Hope, Carl Reiner, Flip Wilson, and Steve Martin (in his prime-time TV debut.) Regular TV sitcom series roles followed throughout the 70’s and 80’s, most notably as Stockard Channing’s sister on the CBS TV sitcom JUST FRIENDS, and co-starring with comedy legend Peter Cook in THE TWO OF US. The 1990’s started with Mimi in a dramatic role portraying a slightly darker side of the affluent WASP-type she had portrayed on sitcoms previously. As Queen-B Ruth Sloan on HOMEFRONT, she netted another American Television Critics nomination,this time as Best Supporting Actress in a Drama. In the 2000’s she recurred as CIA Director and House Minority Leader in HBO’s THE BRINK and VEEP, respectively. Upcoming television guest roles in 2022 include Netflix’s GRACE & FRANKIE, and the long-running ABC TV sitcom THE GOLDBERGS, as well as a new character on a popular drama series.Mimi's most notable roles on film include: Woody Allen’s Oscar winning MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, IN THE LOOP, the Oscar winning ERIN BROCKOVICH, PUMP UP THE VOLUME, MAN IN THE CHAIR, THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT, SAVING PARADISE, the recent Tony Hale comedy EAT WHEATIES!, and the upcoming GOING PLACES.The experience of attending and graduating from Smith College during the Vietnam War era (with Julie Nixon as a classmate) exposed Mimi to new ideas and perspectives. The seeds of an activist and world citizen were born. Nonviolence is her core political principle, learned in weekly classes after 9/11 taught by Rev. James Lawson, whom Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called “the teacher” for his educating activists in nonviolent theory and practice at the start of the civil rights struggle in the 1960s. Mimi was the founding Advisory Board Chair of Progressive Democrats of America in 2004 and remains on its National Board in a leadership role on the Election Integrity Team. Her work in Election Integrity is nationally recognized, from Capitol Hill to LA County; where she served on the Advisory Panel for LA’s new paper-ballot voting system. Her 1-woman play about 19th century suffragist Matilda Joslyn Gage wove the spiritual and political activism of Gage with today’s need for reproductive justice and conscious parenting. She was proud to stand with the MOM cast and producers in donating the show’s 2017 Emmy budget to Planned Parenthood. Mimi and the PDA were instrumental in convincing Bernie Sanders to run in the 2016 Democratic Presidential primary; hosting Sanders’ first LA fundraiser in her home. She has also worked with the Office of the Americas against the covert wars in Central America and Artists United to Win Without War.Mimi lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husband of over 40 years, actor, educator, and musician Larry Dilg. They have two grown children, two grandchildren and an adorable dog. Also on Episode 81, Dfernando and Wendi are back and touch on things that occurred during their time off: Dfernando's 57th and Greg Covey's 52nd birthdays; Wendi's gift of a week's worth of Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding and pizza; Wendi's new article in NEW BEAUTY Magazine, which includes various photos from their first photo shoot together (one which includes Wendi wearing one of Bob Fosse's own bowler hats); and Wendi talks about her time in Vancouver where she filmed the new Disney Plus film PROM PACT. On THE RIPE REPORT, Dfernando talks about the new Netflix cake-baking competition show IS IT CAKE?, hosted by SNL's Mikey Day, and Wendi shares a new discovery: Uncle Tetsu Japanese Cheesecake and shares a ROTTEN: celebrities licking faces on the red carpet at awards shows. Watch Wendi and Dfernando and their TEAM GENERATION RIPE: Greg Covey, Shelley McLendon and Ponciana Badia on Season 7 Episode 2 of CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD - now on ABC OnDemand and Hulu and on the GENERATION RIPE website. Follow us on our Instagram:Wendi McLendon-CoveyDfernando ZarembaGENERATION RIPE... and our guest Mimi Kennedy, her Twitter, her TikTok, her Facebook, and her YouTube Channel. Remember to subscribe to GENERATION RIPEAnd rate & leave us a review by clicking HERE!Visit Dfernando Zaremba's website: dfernandozaremba.com

Full show notes at the publisher

The Eightieth One... and Carlos Alazraqui Mar 18, 2022

Show notes

Episode 80 and Wendi and Dfernando's guest interview is award winning actor, comedian, voice artist, and producer Carlos Alazraqui.

Most may know Carlos Alazraqui as the face of Deputy James Garcia on RENO 911!, but he is also the recipient of the prestigious ANNIE AWARD for Outstanding Achievement in Voice Acting in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production for THE MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN SHOW. He’s also been a stand-up comic for over 25 years, as well as being a known television/film actor and one of LA’s top voiceover actors with hundreds of credits to his name.

Television and film audiences have also seen Carlos as Officer Alvarez in the CBS series KEVIN CAN WAIT, Dr. Moncada on CW’s JANE THE VIRGIN, Sammy Tucker on FOX TV’s BONES, Detective Nash on Tru TV’s ADAM RUINS EVERYTHING, Mr. Foodie on MUTT & STUFF, and Christopher Columbus on THE CROSSROADS OF HISTORY. On the big screen, Carlos played Hector in DANCE BABY DANCE, and Carlo in Neftflix’s TAKE THE 10.

He rebooted his role of Rocko in Nickelodeon’s ROCKO’S MODERN LIFE, played Mayor Temoroso on THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PUSS IN BOOTS for Dreamworks Animation and Netflix, and is the voice of Skylar in Disney’s ELENA OF AVALOR, Jimmy Pierce on Cartoon Network's UNLOVABLE, and Needle in Paramount+’s RUMBLE.

Carlos also partnered with Michael Douglas/Further Films and HBO to develop his own half-hour series based on one of his own characters titled GOOD MORNING IOWA. Carlos is Executive Producer on the prime-time animated series called LET IT BEARD, and FUN SQUAD with CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM’s Tim Gibbons. Additionally he is Creator and Executive Producer with Ryan Seacrest/Endemol Shine on UNCOMMON GROUND.

His other writing credits include THE RIP SQUAD a half-hour live action series for Comedy Central, THE LAST WHITE DISHWASHER (short film), HEAD GAMES (short film), SPIRITOLOGY, DADS IN PARKS, and the film WITNESS INFECTION.

Carlos has provided the voices for Rocko and Spunky on Nickelodeon’s ROCKO’S MODERN LIFE, Mr. Weed on FOX TV’s THE FAMILY GUY, Lazlo on Cartoon Network’s CAMP LAZLO!, Bane in JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM, and Mr. Crocker on Nickelodeon’s long running series FAIRLY ODDPARENTS. One of his most famous roles was the voice of The Taco Bell Chihuahua for TACO BELL, which has been documented as one of the most well-known award winnning advertising campaigns of all time.

Carlos also played Bob in THE FUNHOUSE MASSACRE, El Chupacabra, the breakout star of Disney’s PLANES, Amos in the hit film FREE BIRDS, King Magnus on Disney’s SOFIA THE FIRST. You can also hear Carlos as the voice of Nestor, the Latin Penguin, in HAPPY FEET and HAPPY FEET TWO as well as Chuy and General Posada in THE BOOK OF LIFE, and the sexy Brazilian Helicopter Pilot and Dad’s Fear in INSIDE OUT, to name just a few of his film roles.

Carlos also doubles his work for PIXAR as the sound-a-like voice for Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski of MONSTERS, INC. for commercials and merchandise.

In his free time, Carlos is an avid tennis player and sports enthusiast. Carlos currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two daughters.

Also on Episode 80, Dfernando shares his recent dream of his mother ”La Chela” being a Shirley Bassey-esque singing legend, and Wendi talks about being a presenter at the 2022 Art Director’s Guild Awards and her dislike of doing the red carpet.

On THE RIPE REPORT, Wendi loves those 30-second TikTok cooking tutorial videos and adds a ROTTEN to those same creators with their hair close to the food. And Dfernando has the new 6-part documentary series THE ANDY WARHOL DIARIES, from Executive Producer Ryan Murphy, now streaming on Netflix.