The Back Room with Andy Ostroy

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John Fugelsang Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

John Fugelsang is a Drama League nominated actor, comedian, and broadcaster who hosts the acclaimed "Tell Me Everything" series on SiriusXM. He's been a regular on CNN, MSNBC, FOX News and hosted "Viewpoint" on Current TV. He’s sold out theaters across the country with Stephanie Miller, Hal Sparks and Aisha Tyler on The Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour. He was also the co-host of 'America's Funniest Home Videos' for 2 seasons. And his acting credits include 'CSI,' Becker,' 'Coyote Ugly,’ 'The Girl On The Train,' "Somewhere In the City," 'The Whole Truth,' ‘Maggie Black,’& the award winning 'Coexist Comedy Tour.'

Join us for this fun chat about the comedy biz, religion, politics and more! 

Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jonathan Greenblatt Nov 13, 2023

Show notes

Jonathan Greenblatt is the CEO and National Director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). He leads all aspects of the world’s leading anti-hate organization, whose mission since its founding in 1913 is to fight the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. In 2022, he released It Could Happen Here, a book that sounds an alarm, warning that hate and systemic violence is gathering momentum in the United States, and that violence on a more catastrophic scale could be just around the corner.

Join us for this critical in-depth conversation about the barbaric October 7 attack on Israel by terrorist organization Hamas, the ensuing war, and the subsequent explosion of rabid, often violent antisemitism in America and abroad.

Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Gershon Baskin Nov 11, 2023

Show notes

Gershon Baskin is an Israeli writer, columnist, author and one of the most recognizable names in the Middle East Peace process. His dedication to creating a culture of peace and environmental awareness, coupled with his impeccable integrity, has earned him the trust of the leaders of all sides of the century old conflict. He is the Director of the Holy Land Bond, a new fund aimed at investing in housing projects for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, integrated housing projects for Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel in Israel’s “mixed cities”.

Gershon is the co-founder and former co-director of the Israel/Palestine Center for Research and Information. During the Premiership of the late Yitzhak Rabin, he served as a special advisor on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process to a secret team of intelligence officers established by Mr. Rabin. In 2011, after five years of negotiation with Hamas, he successfully brokered the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit.

Join us for this insightful, riveting conversation about an extremely complicated, nuanced, volatile situation involving the barbaric October 7th attack on Israel by terrorist organization Hamas, the ensuing war, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, hostage negotiations, and the desperate need for peace between Israel and Palestinians. And perhaps even more significantly, Gershon provides honest, balanced historical context for this centuries-old conflict in the region

Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Alexandra Pelosi Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

Alexandra Pelosi has written, produced, filmed and directed 15 HBO Documentary Films. She started off her career at NBC News where she served for a decade as a field producer. Covering the campaign of future-President George W. Bush led to her first documentary, Journeys with George. Since then, she has been making films that take the temperature of the American political landscape. She is also the author of two books, Sneaking Into the Flying Circus: How the Media Turn Our Presidential Campaigns Into Freak Shows, and Citizen USA: A 50 State Road Trip.

This is such a fun, insightful, riveting chat about politics and movies with one of America's premier documentary filmmakers. We discuss her early career and inspirations; Trump and Trumpism; the chaos in the House; the 2024 election; the January 6, 2021 insurrection, which is the subject of her most recent films, last year's Pelosi in The House, and her new HBO documentary, The Insurrectionist Next Door; and more.

Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Dr. Sheila Nazarian Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

Dr. Sheila Nazarian is an Iranian-American board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills and the star of the Emmy-nominated Netflix series Skin Decision. She is also a mom, wife, humanitarian and activist.

Join us for this important discussion about the Israel-Hamas war, the rise in rabid anti-Semitism, and what lies ahead for Israel, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, Gaza and the overall struggle for peace in the region.

Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Daniel Byman Nov 04, 2023

Show notes

Daniel Byman is a professor and Vice Dean at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and the director of the Security Studies Program there and a Senior Fellow with the Transnational Threats Project at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He’s also a part-time Senior Advisor to the Department of State as part of the International Security Advisory Board and a senior fellow at the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, as well as a Professional Staff Member with both the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks on the United States (“The 9-11 Commission”) and the Joint 9/11 Inquiry Staff of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees. He’s written widely on a range of topics related to terrorism, insurgency, intelligence, social media, artificial intelligence, and the Middle East. He is the author of nine books, and his most recent is Spreading Hate: The White Power Movement Goes Global.

Professor Byman shares his keen insights on the Israel-Hamas war; the threat of escalation from Hezbollah/Lebanon and Iran; the need for Egypt to broker peace; post-war Gaza; Israel's and Bibi Netanyahu's political future; the rise in rabid anti-Semitism; Donald Trump, Trumpism and domestic terrorism; the threat to America from China; and more.

Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

New York Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

Antonio Delgado is Lt. Governor of the State of New York, appointed in May of 2022 and then elected for a full term in November ’22. He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving NY’s 19th Congressional District. He played basketball at Colgate, is a Rhodes Scholar, and a graduate of Harvard Law School. He spent 5 years pursuing a career as a hip-hop artist in LA, and then went on to work as an attorney focusing on complex litigation with pro-bono work in criminal justice reform. As Lt. Governor, he serves as chair of the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit, oversees the Regional Economic Development Council, and is committed to empowering New York communities through civic engagement.

Join us for this insightful conversation about the Israeli/Hamas war and the rise of anti-Semitism, especially here at home; NY's Hate and Bias Prevention Unit; the GOP House chaos; the success of Bidenomics and the need for better Democratic messaging; political tribalism; and the 2024 election.

Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

Rep. Dan Goldman and S.E. Cupp Oct 28, 2023

Show notes

It's a two-fer in The Back Room! Join us for two incredibly important, insightful conversations about the Maine mass-shooting and America's gun-violence epidemic; the Israeli-Hamas War and the growing tensions here and abroad; the chilling rise in anti-Semitism; the Republican House chaos and Speaker debacle; Donald Trump's legal troubles and the on-going threat to democracy of Trumpism; and more.

Rep. Goldman serves New York’s 10th Congressional District. In 2019, he served as lead counsel for the impeachment investigation of President Donald J. Trump for abusing his office for his personal interest regarding Ukraine. Prior to that, Goldman served for a decade as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York.

S.E. Cupp is a CNN political commentator and most recently host of CNN's S.E. Cupp Unfiltered. Before joining CNN she co-hosted MSNBC's The Cycle. She's a nationally syndicated political columnist, culture critic, author and consultant who regularly writes for the New York Daily News, Glamour and CNN.com. She was previously a consultant for Apple TV+'s The Morning Show starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell and HBO's hit series, The Newsroom.

Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

May Pang Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

May Pang is the subject of the just-released documentary THE LOST WEEKEND: A LOVE STORY, in which she recounts her legendary 18-month romantic relationship in ’73/’74 with John Lennon which began at 22 when she was John and Yoko Ono’s personal assistant—an affair orchestrated by Yoko herself. She is also a photographer, author and jewelry designer. Her intimate portraits of John during their time together include rare images of the former Beatle and music legend and his son Julian. In addition to working for Apple Records and John & Yoko, she worked in music publishing at United Artists, Famous Music and Island Records.

May and I discuss this incredible new documentary; her time with John in NY and LA; her thoughts on the phrase "Lost Weekend", her relationships with John's first wife Cynthia Lennon, Julian and Yoko; and the emotional journey she's been on since John's murder in 1980.

Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

David Jolly Oct 22, 2023

Show notes

David Jolly is an attorney, political consultant, NBC/MSNBC political analyst and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida from 2014 – 2017. His work has been published in the Washington Post, Time, Newsweek, USA Today, Roll Call, CNN.com, NBCNews.com, NewsMax, the Washington Times, and the Tampa Bay Times. After leaving Congress he became a prominent critic of former President Trump and in 2018 announced he’d left the Republican Party.

David helps unpack the Israeli/Palestinian war and what lies ahead; the GOP House chaos and the Speaker's vacancy; Donald Trump and the overall Republican Party dysfunction; and handicaps the 2024 presidential horse race.

And don't miss the first part of this episode as Andy, Matty and Jen--three American Jews--engage in a spirited debate about the mounting crisis in the Middle East.

Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy

Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Music by Andrew Hollander Design by Cricket Lengyel

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