The Travel Mug Podcast

Tam Edwards, David Murphy and Karen Rogers join Matt for a round of Action News Morning Team Trivia. They find out how much they really know about each other after working together for more than 13 years! Plus, the Morning Team answers three very important questions about their careers.

Asa Khalif, who now heads Coalition for Black Lives, talks about how his aggressive and sometimes profane behavior has caused him to get arrested (several times) and created discomfort even amongst other Black Lives Matter supporters. You will recognize Khalif for his protests after the controversial arrests at a Center City Starbucks. He also discusses being raised by a white father, how racism persists in an American society that obsesses over black culture, whether he is anti-police and if black-on-black crime is a more important issue than police aggression. Music provided by A Pregnant Light.

Matt hangs with Van Halen tribute band Romeo Delight, which has been playing in the Philadelphia area for a decade now. Members Buddy Blanchard, Mike Beck, Ron Jones and Joby Parendier talk about their roles as David, Eddie, Alex and Michael, why they formed, their favorite VH albums and songs... And then Matt jams one of his favorite Van Halen songs with Romeo Delight. Recorded at Junction Music in Huntingdon Valley, PA. Watch Matt's performance with Romeo Delight on facebook.com/mattodonnelltv or twitter.com/matt_odonnell

Michael Chitwood, who leads the Upper Darby Police Department, talks to Matt O'Donnell about the heartbreaking incident that convinced him to temporarily stop carrying a gun on the job, plus Black Lives Matter, "emotional intelligence" in policing, the opioid epidemic, Ira Einhorn, the Ferguson Effect, school shootings, and of course the Clint Eastwood movies that inspired his nickname. A wide-ranging interview.

As this huge data-sharing scandal plays out at the social network, Matt talks to Professor Geoffrey Baym, head of Temple University's School of Media and Communications. Issues discussed: are we better off without Facebook, Twitter, etc? Are we as users being responsible enough? What would happen if social networks existed during the 9/11 attacks? And is reality fracturing before our eyes?

Mayor Kenney was a guest on Inside Story on 6abc (Sunday, March 18) to defend his tax hike plan to fund public schools. We had some extra questions for the mayor, including if the city is fighting the opioid epidemic the right way, where the Rizzo statue is going, if Kenney is thinking about re-election and whether the Eagles' Super Bowl win will truly change Philadelphia culture.

Brian Hickey from Philly Voice joins Matt to talk about one of his most controversial columns, the hit and run accident 10 years ago that nearly claimed his life, plus their time as budding journalists at the University of Delaware.

John Dunigan, Pennsylvania's top golf teacher according to Golf Digest, tries to help us figure out why golf is so hard, why we play it anyway, if Tiger Woods has a shot at greatness again, how he fixed the world's worst golf swing, and why he's so good at playing classical guitar.

Matt talks to Ashley Primis, editor at Philadelphia Magazine, about her thought-provoking article "Whatever Happened to Generation X?" Ashley, a Gen Xer herself, feels Baby Boomers and Millennials are squeezing Xers out. Plus, Matt discusses what he believes was the seminal moment for Xers in the 1980s.

The first Eagles quarterback to play in a Super Bowl talks about "Lombardi Gras," the possible future for Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, the NFL's next potential dynasty, multi-sport athletes, his favorite golf course ever, the true meaning behind his nickname "Jaws," and whether the Birds beat THE GOAT.