Prime Time Radio - AARP

Part A: Turns out Kenny Rogers can tell a sharp story on the page, not just behind a mike. In Luck or Something Like It: A Memoir, the gravelly voiced country balladeer recalls singing everything from doo-wop to jazz to folk before finding success with "Ruby," "Lucille," "The Gambler" and other iconic tunes. Yes, he's recorded 65 albums and  sold 190 million records, but Rogers has also excelled as an actor,  photographer and restaurateur. At 74, the Houston native shares some of the philosophies that shaped his life. Part B: Henry Winkler is an actor, writer, producer and director, best known for his Golden Globe-winning role as “The Fonz” on Happy Days. These days, he speaks all over the country about a project he holds very dear, as an ambassador for the “Open Arms: Raising Awareness of Upper Limb Spasticity” educational campaign. Henry’s mother suffered from upper limb spasticity following a stroke

Part A: It was the most notorious crime of the 20th century. A young, beloved president grappling with a Cold War and personal trials as leader of the free world, gunned down in front of thousands on a 1963 campaign trip to Texas. But in Bill O'Reilly's new book, Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot, the anchor of The O'Reilly Factor explores events leading up to the crime that are almost as shocking as the assassination itself. In this installment of Prime Time Radio, Bill O'Reilly describes how JFK governed and what happened right before his death in Dallas. Part B: Take a look at your next utility bill —  not just the charges but the endless text explaining the minutiae of the calculations. Still confused? There's a reason —  and the government is the biggest part of the problem, says David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and author of The Fine Print: How Big Companies Use "Plain English" to Rob You Blind

Part A: Ask anyone to name a famous hospital, and they will likely respond, "Bellevue." Known for its psychiatric care, the nation's oldest hospital is actually a renowned, full-service facility. In his new book, Medical Director Dr. Eric Manheimer explores the crossroads of society and modern medicine through the stories of 12 very different patients — including himself. Part B: When author Tanner Colby investigated the cliche that would become the title of his new book, Some of My Best Friends Are Black, he learned that — not surprisingly — the statement usually isn't true. An Obama supporter with no black friends himself, Colby revisited his hometown of Birmingham, Ala., to research the truths and myths (integrated neighborhoods can actually drive property values up) of American integration

Part A: A cancer diagnosis is no longer the death sentence it once was. Yet there remain superstitions and misinformation — that eating during treatment, for example, will feed the disease not the body. Cancer expert Stewart Fleishman, M.D., recommends a common-sense system to attack the disease, called LEARN: Living, Education, Activity, Rest and Nutrition. His new book, Learn to Live Through Cancer, explains more. Part B: No matter the problem, we have all found ourselves in bad situations of our own making from which there is no way out. Enter Judy Smith. America’s number one crisis management expert for some of the highest-profile celebrities, and corporations in the world. Although her business is helping her clients recover from widely publicized setbacks, her expertise is applicable to us all

Part A: It's the blessing and the curse of the talented — the status quo is never enough. Violinist, teacher and conductor Joshua Bell is no exception. After reaching such career heights as conducting at Tanglewood and being named music director at London's revered Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Bell is planning some seriously ambitious collaborative projects, including recording the Beethoven cycle — all nine symphonies. Part B: Pamela Werner, a 20-year-old Englishwoman, met a grisly fate in 1937 Peking. Her widowed father spent the rest of his life searching for answers, with no luck. Decades later, Shanghai resident and correspondent Paul French became fascinated with the story. The result is his new book, Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China. In this installment of Prime Time Radio, Paul French discusses how Peking's upper and lower class, may have played a key role in Pamela Werner's unsolved murder

Part A: Based on the explosive article Mike Lofgren wrote when he resigned in disgust after the debt ceiling crisis, his book, “The Party Is Over” is a funny and impassioned exposé of everything that is wrong with Washington, politics. Part B: Janet Groth's typing skills weren't up to par when the slim blonde moved from the Midwest to Manhattan in 1957, but she managed to land a receptionist job at The New Yorker. Educated and liberated, she never realized her dreams of becoming a novelist. But in her new memoir, The Receptionist: An Education at The New Yorker, she recounts how she was pursued, wined and dined by famous men of all ages while working at the magazine

Part A: The American work landscape may be more confusing than ever for those over 50. Companies have pared back jobs to protect the bottom line, and workers over 50 have been hit harder than younger, lower-paid employees. AARP’s President, Rob Romasco and Editor in Chief of AARP’s Work Re-imagined Program, Peggy Northrop discuss the first talent exchange dedicated to helping companies find experienced professionals. They explain how AARP is helping knowledgable workers connect to more satisfying careers. Powered by LinkedIn, Work Re-imagined is the one network that has the full scope of people and information you need to succeed in today’s challenging and fluid workplace. Part B: Most actors struggle to find work, and few find work for 43 years — with the same show but Jeanne Cooper has. She's played wealthy, forceful dowager Katherine Chancellor on CBS's number-one soap, The Young and the Restless, for more than four decades. Off camera, she has conquered alcoholism, breast cancer and divorce. In her new memoir, Not Young, Still Restless, Cooper details the challenges and rewards of a career in acting

Part A: Since Marilyn Monroe's death 50 years ago, dozens of authors have tried to capture the nuances of this beloved, flawed and mysterious icon. In Marilyn, women's history expert Lois Banner may have succeeded. Banner explores Monroe's public persona but also details her darker past, including sexual abuse, 11 foster homes and multiple abortions. Banner also claims to prove "beyond a doubt" Monroe's wit and intellect, her playful side and her control — not the studios' — of creating the Marilyn Monroe we thought we knew. Part B: Decades before Fifty Shades of Grey hit the best-seller lists, Erica Jong wrote about women enjoying sex for sex's sake in her watershed novel, Fear of Flying. Jong is still actively engaged in the topic with her first anthology: articles by women writers on their sexual experiences, from first sex to no sex to sex after children to sex after 80. Prime Time Radio speaks with Jong about Sugar in my Bowl (named for a Bessie Smith blues song) and women's ongoing search for sexual - and soul - satisfaction

Part A: The Constitution was meant to be amended, right? If so, why not by an Emmy-winning comedy writer for Jon Stewart's The Daily Show? According to author and humorist Kevin Bleyer, you'd think the American people would have gotten it right after a couple of centuries. In his book, Me The People: One Man's Selfless Quest to Rewrite the Constitution of the United States of America, Bleyer argues that neither average joes nor Supreme Court justices truly understand these revolutionary writings. That's why he's taken a crack at updating the document for our times. It's a tricky balancing act, blending comedy and history, just as Bleyer and his colleagues at The Daily Show mash-up comedy and news each night. With Mike Cuthbert as straight man, you'll hear Bleyer at work in the audio interview above. Press play to start. Part B: How exactly does one rank presidents, especially those who have long since passed away? And how do recent chief executives stand up against their historical peers? In Where They Stand: The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians, Robert W. Merry ranks U.S. presidents based on such parameters as: Was the president re-elected? Was he a wartime president? We'll give away the usual No. 1 - Lincoln - but you might have some fun comparing your picks with those of the experts, especially in an election year.

Part A: The nationwide mortgage and foreclosure crisis continues to haunt many Americans. Those who bought at the peak of the housing boom now find their properties are overvalued relative to demand, and government help remains uncertain. Older homeowners particularly struggle; they may simply not have enough time to sell and downsize, or if they do, to continue working while paying into a new mortgage. Add to this the dangers of predatory lending, subprime loans and foreclosure, and some older Americans face moving in with relatives or other difficult solutions. AARP Public Policy Institute's Lori Trawinski is an expert in housing issues. She visits Prime Time Radio to discuss the future of homeownership for older mortgagees. Part B: "Look! Up in the sky!" Superman fans worldwide will immediately know the rest. But do they know that the Man of Steel was created by a bullied Cleveland teenager? Or that Superman was originally (and might still be) Jewish? Or that Superman wasn't always even a "good guy?" Award-winning journalist and best-selling author Larry Tye shares not only the lesser-known history of America's most enduring superhero, but of the creators, designers, performers and the clever (or cunning?) owners who made Superman the icon he is today.

Part A: The story of "Sybil," a young woman claiming 16 different personalities, spawned a book, a movie and a national outbreak of wild tales told to psychiatrists. But journalist Debbie Nathan believes the real Sybil, Shirley Ardell Mason, actually fell prey to an overzealous therapist, Connie Wilbur, and a corrupt journalist, Flora Schreiber, steering a story. Though Mason did suffer legitimate mental illness, Wilbur's intense fascination with multiple personalities and unorthodox use of sodium pentathol, paired with Mason's extreme dependence on the doctor for therapy and even rent, led Mason into a far worse situation than where she began. Prime Time Radio's Mike Cuthbert discusses Nathan's new book, Sybil Exposed, and the dangers of doctor-patient relationships gone wrong. Part B: At age 12, Carissa Phelps escaped a chaotic and troubled home life and ended up working as a prostitute on the streets of Southern California. Except for other runaways, group homes and pimps, Phelps was completely alone. Yet occasionally, Phelps found solace in school. With encouragement from teachers, she excelled in math and writing and slowly began to realize she was meant for more than jail or death. Now Phelps holds UCLA degrees in law and business and works with at-risk youth herself. Her new book, Runaway Girl, explains her dark youth, the choices and the kind hearts who led her to a new life.

Part A: When seven year old Margaux Fragoso met fifty-one year old Peter Curran at the neighborhood swimming pool, they began to play. He then invited her and her ill mother to his home, and she found a child’s paradise of exotic pets and an elaborate backyard garden. He insidiously takes on the role of her playmate, father, and lover. In time, Peter burrows into every aspect of her life and transforms her from an innocent child into a brainwashed young woman on the verge of suicide. Part B: There's no denying the impact of social media; Facebook alone is nearing 3 billion worldwide users, trading photos and funny comments. But what about businesses? While companies have rushed to capitalize on the frenzy, two curious consultants are finding after six years of extensive surveys that even business biggies such as Apple and General Mills have been best served by a more traditional approach to advertising - talking to people. In this episode of Prime Time Radio, Brad Fay, of t

Part A: Professional athletes - as well as weekend warriors - often end up needing knee replacement surgery. Tennis great Billie Jean King, 68, won 39 Grand Slam titles and defeated Bobby Riggs in the famous 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" match. But when she found herself taking a cab two blocks to the gym, she decided it was time to undergo the dreaded procedure. King and Prime Time Radio host Mike Cuthbert - a knee-surgery veteran himself - discuss King's storied career, her recovery and what it means for her game. Part B: In her latest book, Harvard sociologist and professor of education Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot explores how some of life's big endings bring about positive change and personal growth. Whether it's terminating a relationship, changing careers or coming out of the closet, Lawrence-Lightfoot explores how these watershed moments prepare us to tackle future challenges with wisdom and strength. In Exit: The Endings That Set Us Free this award-winning author details indi

Part A: Tensions in Pakistan and Afghanistan have existed for ages. Pakistan has fought wars with India and battles with the former Soviet Union through Afghanistan. There are also many ethnic groups and religious influences that clash. The Taliban and al-Qaeda reside in the northern territories while the government resides in the south. When the U.S. killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad tensions strained between the U.S. and Pakistan.  Pakistani journalist, Ahmed Rashid, writes for The Daily Telegraph, The Washington Post, and The Nation, just to name a few. Living Pakistan, Rashid now delves into the futures of American, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, telling how to strengthen the delicate balance of foreign relations in his book, “Pakistan on the Brink”. Part B: Nearly every little girl loves horses, and Nancy Shulins was no different. As an adult, she had a successful reporting career and a devoted husband, and hoped for a family as well. But after years of repeated miscarriages and infertility issues, while it seemed every other neighbor was pushing a baby carriage, Shulins was forced to reevaluate her future. And there was another dream she had not fulfilled: learning to ride and own a horse. In her new memoir, Falling for Eli, Shulins explains how she discovered a surprising outlet for her maternal side with a loving (if cranky) thoroughbred. In this Prime Time Radio segment, Shulins tells how this relationship fulfilled her in surprising ways

Part A: When it comes to fixing Medicare, Jonathan Blum, deputy administrator and director for the Center of Medicare at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, wants to keep it simple. In his view, preventive care, fraud reduction and streamlining paperwork will improve Medicare, and are doing so already. Blum also addresses such Medicare myths as cutting benefits, dropping patients for preexisting conditions, and the infamous “death panels"". Join us on Prime Time Radio as we explore some lesser-known solutions for Medicare as the Affordable Care Act officially begins taking effect. Part B: Although many Europeans enjoy free, state-run health care, they, like Americans, face the same rising medical costs of an aging population. European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy John Dalli joins Prime Time Radio to discuss the similarities and differences between our two systems, their unique challenges and the technological innovations being adopted to accommodate Europe's financial and societal changes