Monday Morning Critic Podcast

Latest Episodes:

(Episode 71) "Seabiscuit" Jockey: Gary Stevens. Apr 28, 2018

Show notes

Gary Stevens was born in Caldwell, Idaho, on March 6, 1963. He began working for his horse trainer father, Ron, as a groom at age 8. By the time he was 14, Stevens was riding American Quarter Horses.

Stevens began his career as a thoroughbred rider in 1979 at Les Bois Park in Boise, Idaho, winning on his first mount. From there, he soon became a leading rider in Washington and then California. By 1985, Stevens had made a name for himself at the larger tracks and was riding primarily in Southern California.

Stevens burst upon the national scene by winning the Kentucky Derby in 1988 with Hall of Famer Winning Colors He won the Derby again in 1995 with Thunder Gulch and also in 1997 with Hall of Famer Silver Charm.

Along with his three victories in the Kentucky Derby, Stevens won the Preakness Stakes three times (with Silver Charm in 1997, with Hall of Famer Point Given in 2001 and with Oxbow in 2013), the Belmont Stakes three times (with Thunder Gulch in 1995, Victory Gallop in 1998 and Point Given in 2001) and eight Breeders’ Cup races.

Stevens has also won a record nine runnings of the Santa Anita Derby and in 1993 became the youngest jockey to surpass $100 million in career earnings. He won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1996, the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 1998 and the Mike Venezia Award in 1999.

Other notable races won by Stevens include the Travers Stakes (2), Kentucky Oaks (2), Santa Anita Handicap (4), Arlington Million (2), Pacific Classic (2), Jockey Club Gold Cup, Eddie Read Handicap (2), Del Mar Debutante Stakes (4), Japan Cup, Canadian International Stakes (2) and the Dubai World Cup.

Stevens retired in 2005 with 4,888 career wins and purse earnings of $221,212,704. He returned to the saddle in 2013 and won the Preakness with Oxbow for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. He has also found success as an actor and television commentator. Stevens portrayed Hall of Fame jockey George Woolf in the film “Seabiscuit,” starred in the HBO series "Luck" and has done racing analysis for NBC Sports, HRTV and TVG.

Gary Stevens was inducted into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 1997.

(Episode 70) "The Walking Dead" Cosplayer: Cecil Garner. Apr 21, 2018

Show notes

Cecil Garner quit his job as an ISGN mortgage loan processor to pursue a unique career: He hauls a mock-up prison set featuring a 16-foot guard tower, hires a zombie (so to speak), and poses for photos with fans of AMC's "The Walking Dead."

Garner boasts the genetics to pull it off. The 43-year-old professional cosplayer is a dead ringer (pardon the pun) for Rick Grimes, the star of the smash television series "The Walking Dead" played by British actor Andrew Lincoln.

Meet: Cecil Garner.

(Episode 69) "Wrong Turn" Director: Rob Schmidt. Apr 21, 2018

Show notes

Rob Schmidt is an American film director and writer. His film credits include Wrong Turn and Crime and Punishment in Suburbia.

Meet: Rob Schmidt.

Actor: Lennie James. "The Walking Dead" Apr 19, 2018

Show notes

Lennie James was born in Nottingham to Trinidadian parents, and grew up in South London. His mother, Phyllis Mary James, died when he was 12. Lennie and his older brother went into a council children's home. When he was 16 he was fostered with a social worker who had two older children, and they remain very close. Within a year Lennie began writing plays (Storm Damage was broadcast by the BBC in 2000 and won a Royal Television Society (RTS) award in 2001). Lennie received his training at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama from which he graduated in 1988.

Lennie has an amazing and lengthy filmography and his portrayal of Morgan Jones on The Walking Dead remains one of the best performances of a character in Television History.

Meet the Iconic and Amazing: Lennie James.

Special Edition: "The Black Cowboy." Director: Charles Perry. Apr 16, 2018

Show notes

The Black Cowboy is a look at a little known chapter in the history of the United States. It is a story that illuminates the often overlooked people who contributed to the building of the ideal that is the American dream. This documentary will tell those stories from the past to the present. It is the riveting story of the past and present day Black Cowboy. Rarely seen outside Oklahoma boundaries and never before explored this intensely in film, The Black Cowboy searches to understand the links that connect the development of the American West, the rodeo tradition, and the unbroken spirit of Black Americans emerging from slavery in the 1860s and immigrate to Oklahoma to create new lives on their own terms; free and open as the West was promised to all Americans. Black history is American history and The Black Cowboy seeks to convey this to a broader audience.

(Episode 68) "WWE Wrestler": Ivan Putski "Polish Power!" Apr 13, 2018

Show notes

There have been many powerhouses who competed in the ring, but few were any stronger than the man known as "The Polish Power," Ivan Putski. Although he rarely was the biggest Superstar in a battle, the Krakow, Poland native's tremendous strength, power and quickness allowed him to go toe-to-toe with the sport's best and usually come out on top.

Putski's family emigrated from Poland to Texas when Ivan was just a boy, and Ivan began his sports-entertainment career there. Prior to coming to WWE, Putski won multiple regional NWA Tag Team Championships in the Southwest United States, most notable the NWA American Tag Team Titles with fellow Texas Legend Jose Lothario (who would go on to train future legend Shawn Michaels).

Putski came to WWE in the 1970s, establishing lengthy rivalries with some of the dirtiest grapplers in the game, including Bruiser Brody, Stan Hansen and Ivan Koloff. More often than not, his opponents would challenge him to some type of strength competition, and usually, they would come out on the short end of the stick. Putski was so strong that he competed in the 1978 World's Strongest Man competition.

Special Edition: Mr. McFeely: "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" Apr 11, 2018

Show notes

David Newell is an American television actor known primarily for his portrayal of Mr. McFeely, the delivery man on Mister Rogers Neighborhood and works in the public relations department of the Fred Rogers Company (the entity responsible for all rights relating to the program, and other series currently in production from the company). His character's most famous catchphrase was "Speedy Delivery!" He toured the country until he retired in 2015, promoting Mister Rogers' Neighborhood as Mr. McFeely.

(Episode 67) "Dumb and Dumber To" Actor: Steve Tom. Apr 06, 2018

Show notes

STEVE TOM is a prolific television, film and commercial actor, as well as a recognized voice over talent. Steve just wrapped a prime supporting lead role in one of 2014’s most highly anticipated sequels, Dumb and Dumber To - alongside Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels and Kathleen Turner. He also plays the role of 'General Maddoxton' in the IFC mini-series The Spoils of Babylon, starring Tobey McGuire and Kristen Wiig. For two seasons, Steve was the critically acclaimed host of Will Ferrell's “Funny or Die Presents” on HBO. His most recent television work includes a recurring role as 'Judge Craig Richwood' on TNT's “Major Crimes.” With dozens of prime time guest starring roles to his credit, Steve has also recurred on “Prison Break,” “Weeds,”“Commander in Chief” and the long-running CBS sit-com “Two and a Half Men.” In 2012, he appeared (as Senator Chris Dodd) in the Emmy Award winning HBO drama, Too Big to Fail - opposite William Hurt, Paul Giamatti, James Woods and John Heard. Well-known for his versatility, Steve Tom was also cast in Paramount's comedy The Guilt Trip, starring Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen.

(Episode 66) "The Cutting Edge" Actor: D.B. Sweeney Apr 03, 2018

Show notes

Daniel Bernard Sweeney was born on November 14, 1961 in Shoreham, Long Island, New York. He got his start in the New York theatre with appearances in dozens of productions including a run on Broadway in "The Caine Mutiny Court Martial". He was selected by Francis Ford Coppola to star in the Vietnam era drama Gardens of Stone (1987). This began a string of performances including Shoeless Joe Jackson in Eight Men Out (1988), Dish Boggett in Lonsome Dove (1989), Travis Walton in Fire in the Sky (1993), and as Doug Dorsey the hockey player turned figure skater in the classic romantic comedy The Cutting Edge (1992).

For many years D.B. has devoted himself to supporting our Troops and their families. He’s been overseas to war zones several times and made scores of appearances at posts, bases and ships stateside.

Meet the very talented: D.B. Sweeney.

(Episode 65) "Captain America: Winter Soldier" Actor: Bernard White. Mar 31, 2018

Show notes

Bernard "Bernie" White is a Sri Lankan–American actor, screenwriter and film director. Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka and raised in Detroit, White received his bachelor's degree in theatre at Michigan State University.

Bernard has over 104 movie credit's in his IMDB profile. Some include: Bernard's movies include: Captain America: Winter Soldier, It's Kind of a Funny Story, Quarantine, Matrix Revolutions, Matrix Reloaded, The Scorpion King, Pay it Forward, City of Angels, Hill Street Blues, Highway to Heaven, Knight Rider and Street Hawk. Meet the awesome: Bernard White.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Monday Morning Critic Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected