Dedicated with Doug Brunt

Catherine Grace Katz: Aperol Spritz (3 ounces prosecco, 1 1/2 ounces Aperol, orange twist)

Catherine delivers a stunning hot take for Alex Rodriguez and the NY Yankees, discusses the advent of news radio at the time of the Hindenburg disaster, names authors and specific works that have influenced and inspired her own work including Erik Larson’s DEAD WAKE, composes a fascinating dinner guest list that spans three centuries, names her favorite museum in America, and weighs the potential pros and cons of AI for authors and lawyers.

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John Searles: Cosmopolitan ( 2 1/2 ounces citrus vodka, 1 ounce Cointreau, 1 ounce cranberry juice, 3/4 ounce lime juice, lime garnish)

John talks about developing his love of reading in the back of the cab of his father’s truck, his journey from truck driving and waiting tables to becoming the Executive Editor of Cosmopolitan Magazine, the process of writing the screenplay for the film adaptation of his novel STRANGE BUT TRUE, his favorite Cosmopolitan covers of all time, the moment in his NYU creative writing class that gave him fuel for a writing career, how he got better at doing book segments for NBC’s Today Show, the definition of feminism, which actress would play Helen Gurley Brown in the screen adaptation of SINGLE GIRLS.

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Chuck Lorrie: coffee

Chuck discusses whether he has any regrets about his memoir after the initial reactions from Tom Arnold, Roseanne, Charlie Sheen, Brett Butler, Amy Palladino and others, describes his experience inside and then leaving the Church of Scientology, the environment in his writers room, the game of thrones that Cybill Shepherd would play when making demands of his scripts, his opportunity to come full circle with Randy Newman, his Top 5 comedies and Top 5 dramas of the last forty years


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Simon Sebag Montefiore: Negroni (1 ounce gin, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, 1 ounce Campari with large ice cube and orange rind)

Simon talks about his work in a South African gold mine, his long friendship with King Charles who brought Simon together with his wife, the cauldron of the Middle East and its history, the mutual dislike of the Shah and JFK despite their similar behaviors with women, the enormity of the 1979 revolution in Iran that has forever changed geopolitics, his favorite Romanov, and gives his frank opinion of the leadership of Trump and Netanyahu.

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Harry Connick Jr: green tea

Harry plays a game of battle of the bands, ranks his preference for genres of music, tells the story of composing and recording a musical tribute for a victim of the Newtown school shooting that is too painful ever to perform, describes his creative state when writing the music of his mother’s (Babe’s) life, tells the story of setting foot inside Carnegie Hall in 2026 for the first time ever to perform the tribute for Babe, tells the story of calling Carnegie Hall as a ten year old boy when first learning of his mother’s cancer diagnosis, shares stories from his career in film, TV and Broadway.

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