Reza Rifts

Holly Robinson Peete on 21 Jump Street, Howard the Duck and The Talk Actress, author, and philanthropist Holly Robinson Peete joins Keith Reza on Reza Rifts for a funny, warm, and refreshingly honest conversation that spans four decades in Hollywood and the advocacy work that has become her life's mission. Holly looks back on her breakout role as Officer Judy Hoffs on 21 Jump Street with Johnny Depp, the crush she had on John Cusack during those years, and how Howard the Duck went from a 1986 flop so bad she took it off her resume to a beloved cult classic that earned her a reunion with George Lucas at the opening of his new museum. She also opens up about the worst moment of her career, getting fired from CBS's The Talk, and how that setback turned into a dream job on Mike & Molly working with legendary sitcom director Jimmy Burrows. Plus, the story of her Hallmark Channel era and more than a dozen Christmas movies. The heart of the episode is family. Holly shares how her father's young onset Parkinson's diagnosis and her son RJ's autism diagnosis at age three led her and her husband, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete, to build the HollyRod Foundation, now celebrating 27 years of supporting families. She tells the incredible story of RJ landing a job as a Dodgers clubhouse attendant and earning three World Series rings with his name on them, and she breaks down the 27th annual DesignCare Gala on November 7 honoring Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Tanner Smith of Love on the Spectrum, Maureen McCormick, Ahman Green, Teoscar Hernandez, and more. Keith and Holly also bond over being on the spectrum, swapping stories about sensory overload, light sensitivity, and airport meltdowns. Keith promises to get Browns legend Jamal Lewis on the phone for RJ, plays a game of Killers in the House, floats a time machine theory about the pyramids, and Holly delivers the only advice her younger self needed in four words. GUEST INFO Holly Robinson Peete is an actress, author, producer, and autism and Parkinson's advocate, born on September 18, 1964, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She rose to fame as Officer Judy Hoffs on the Fox series 21 Jump Street, starred as Vanessa Russell on ABC's Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and played Dr. Malena Ellis on For Your Love. On the big screen she appeared as a member of the fictional rock band Cherry Bomb in Howard the Duck (1986) and later had a cameo in the 21 Jump Street movie. On television she was an original co-host of CBS's The Talk, played Christina on Mike & Molly, and starred with her family in the reality series Meet the Peetes. Over the past decade she has become one of the most familiar faces on the Hallmark Channel with more than a dozen Christmas movies to her name. In the late 1990s she co-founded the HollyRod Foundation with her husband Rodney Peete, which provides support and resources to families living with autism and Parkinson's disease. GUEST SOCIAL LINKS Follow Holly Robinson Peete: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrpeete/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/hollyrpeete Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HollyRPeete/ IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005372/ HollyRod Foundation: https://hollyrod.org/ HollyRod Foundation Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrodfdn/ EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 Word of Mouth, It Helps: Intro and Top Host Vote 03:55 Pre-Show with Publicist Leilani 09:22 Meet Holly Robinson Peete: Gala Stress and Dodger Fandom 10:58 Keith's Autism Story: Diagnosed at Twelve 17:45 The HollyRod Foundation Story: From Parkinson's to Autism Advocacy 19:45 DesignCare Gala 2026: Samuel L. Jackson, Tanner Smith, Maureen McCormick and More 27:56 Light Sensitivity and the Ball Boy Story 29:38 VIP Tickets and Diet Coke: Keith's Stand-Up Invite 30:42 Howard the Duck: From Flop to Cult Classic 39:47 Working with Jimmy Burrows: The Best Sitcom Director Ever 41:00 Hallmark Christmas Movie Royalty 45:36 Crazy Mama Peete Butterscotch Swirl 46:47 Four Words to My Younger Self: It's Not That Deep CALL TO ACTION If you enjoyed this conversation with Holly Robinson Peete, make sure to like this video, leave a comment with your favorite moment, share it with a friend, subscribe to Reza Rifts, and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. And keep an eye on Keith's Instagram to vote for him in the Top Host competition, where the prize is Reza Rifts joining iHeartRadio for six episodes produced by Ryan Seacrest. To support the HollyRod Foundation and learn more about the DesignCare Gala, head to hollyrod.org. HOST LINKS Support the show on https://patreon.com/rezarifts61  Follow Keith on all social media platforms: FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza  ALT IG:https://www.instagram.com/duhkeithreza  X:https://www.twitter.com/keithreza  TT:https://www.tiktok.com/keithreza  Book Keith on cameo at www.cameo.com/keithreza Check out my website for dates at https://www.keithreza.com/  Subscribe - Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts - Tell a friend :) Be a Rifter!   #HollyRobinsonPeete #21JumpStreet #HowardTheDuck #HanginWithMrCooper #MikeAndMolly #TheTalk #Hallmark #HollyRodFoundation #DesignCareGala #AutismAwareness #Neurodiversity #LoveOnTheSpectrum #SamuelLJackson #Dodgers #Podcast #CelebrityInterview #ComedyPodcast #ActressInterview    

From Theater Stage to The Sopranos: Michael Rispoli's Acting Journey Michael Rispoli has been on your screen for more than thirty years, and he still talks about the work like a guy who cannot believe he gets paid for it. He is Jackie Aprile on The Sopranos, Joe Jr. in While You Were Sleeping, Rudy Pipilo on The Deuce, and one of the most reliable character actors in the business. On this episode of Reza Rifts he sits down with Keith Reza to talk about how that career actually got built, one audition and one underpaid theater job at a time. The conversation starts with stage training at Circle in the Square, where Rispoli learned text, scene breakdown, movement and elocution, then spent years in New York waiting tables while he and a few friends started their own theater company just to get on stage. He breaks down the real difference between stage and screen work. On stage the audience is the scene partner you never rehearsed with, and they tell you in real time whether the joke landed. On film nobody tells you anything, so you lean on your gut, the director, and an editor you will probably never meet. That is where check the gate comes from, and why he says a bad editor can sink a good performance. From there the stories roll. How he prepared like it was theater for The Great Defender and walked out with the job. How he improvised scenes with Sandra Bullock and director Jon Turteltaub on While You Were Sleeping. How his first scene with Nicolas Cage on Snake Eyes was the longest Steadicam take of its time and he spent twenty takes terrified of being the guy who ruined it. How he trained with a pit bull in Pennsylvania for a scene in Rounders that never fully made the cut. Why he thinks Spike Lee showed the killer too early in Summer of Sam. What it was like working with Robin Williams and Danny DeVito on Death to Smoochy, where the cameras kept rolling long after the script ran out. Then it gets personal. Rispoli names the mentors who gave him a hand up, talks about generosity of spirit on a set, and tells the story of the night Al Pacino and Robert De Niro wheeled James Cagney onto the Radio City stage, only to have the legend forgotten in the basement an hour later. It is a lesson about fame that lands harder than any acting class. He closes with the advice he would give his younger self: do not sweat it, keep moving toward the North Star, and stop wasting energy on regrets. Guest Info Michael Rispoli is an American character actor born November 27, 1960, and raised in Tappan, New York, the second of eight children in an Italian American family. He played football at Tappan Zee High School, majored in theater at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, and graduated in 1982 before heading to New York City to study at the Circle in the Square Theatre School. He was a contender for the role of Tony Soprano and ended up as Giacomo Jackie Aprile Sr. in the first season of The Sopranos, a part that made him recognizable to television audiences forever. He was a series regular as Rudy Pipilo on HBO's The Deuce, played Tommy Lucchese in The Offer, and has appeared in Billions, Blue Bloods, Magic City and Law and Order. On stage he starred in Stephen Adly Guirgis's Pulitzer Prize winning play Between Riverside and Crazy. Selected credits: •      The Sopranos (1999 to 2001) as Jackie Aprile Sr. •      While You Were Sleeping (1995) as Joe Jr. •      Household Saints (1993), his first feature film •      Snake Eyes (1998) as Jimmy George, directed by Brian De Palma •      Rounders (1998) as Grama, with Matt Damon, Edward Norton and John Malkovich •      Summer of Sam (1999) as Joey T, directed by Spike Lee •      Death to Smoochy (2002) as Spinner Dunn, directed by Danny DeVito •      Kick-Ass (2010) as Big Joe •      The Rum Diary (2011), Pain and Gain (2013), The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) •      Friends and Romans (2014) as Nick DeMaio, which he also co-wrote •      The Deuce (2017 to 2019) as Rudy Pipilo •      The Offer (2022) as Tommy Lucchese, The Alto Knights (2025) as Albert Anastasia Guest Social Links Verified pages for Michael Rispoli: •      IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728346/ •      Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Rispoli •      Atlantic Theater Company biography: https://atlantictheater.org/bio/michael-rispoli/ Chapters 00:00  Cold Open: The Sopranos, While You Were Sleeping, The Deuce 00:30  Welcome Michael Rispoli 07:45  Stand-Up, Hecklers and Living in the Moment 13:25  While You Were Sleeping and the Improv Scenes 14:55  Working with Sandra Bullock 16:30  Snake Eyes, Brian De Palma and Nicolas Cage 17:35  The One-Take Steadicam Shot 22:15  Wrestling a Pit Bull for Rounders 23:30  Summer of Sam and Spike Lee 25:25  Why Villains Belong Early in the Movie 33:00  Why Comedians Are Great Actors 34:45  Uncut Gems and Adam Sandler 43:25  Mentors: Jacqueline Brookes and John Malkovich 45:50  Victor Argo and Household Saints 55:20  Time Machine Advice: Do Not Sweat It 56:30  The Two Bulls and the North Star Call to Action Subscribe to Reza Rifts on your favorite podcast platform. Rate and review the show. Every review helps more listeners find it. Share this episode with an actor, a Sopranos fan or anyone chasing a creative career. Follow Reza Rifts on Instagram and YouTube so you catch the next guest. Drop a comment with your favorite Michael Rispoli role. Rounders or The Sopranos? Host Links Support the show on https://patreon.com/rezarifts61  Follow Keith on all social media platforms: FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza  ALT IG:https://www.instagram.com/duhkeithreza  X:https://www.twitter.com/keithreza  TT:https://www.tiktok.com/keithreza  Book Keith on cameo at www.cameo.com/keithreza Check out my website for dates at https://www.keithreza.com/  Subscribe - Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts - Tell a friend :) Be a Rifter!     #RezaRifts #KeithReza #MichaelRispoli #TheSopranos #JackieAprile #WhileYouWereSleeping #TheDeuce #CharacterActor #ActingTips #ActingAdvice #StageToScreen #Rounders #SummerOfSam #SpikeLee #DeathToSmoochy #DannyDeVito #RobinWilliams #AdamSandler #UncutGems #BillMurray #JamesCagney #HollywoodStories #FilmIndustry #MoviePodcast #ComedyPodcast #PodcastClips #ActorsLife #BehindTheScenes #90sMovies #MobMovies  

Courtney Gains: The Fake Knife Audition That Landed Children of the Corn Courtney Gains joins Keith Reza on Reza Rifts to talk Children of the Corn, the fake knife audition that won him Malachai, and Liberation Day, the new record from the Courtney Gains Group. Music comes first. He shows off the wall of guitars behind him, names the 1975 Ibanez his dad bought him for Christmas as the one he would never sell, and explains why he started acting lessons and music lessons in the same week at 13. He breaks down how he writes by chasing a mood before anything else, how that is the same job he does as an actor, and how his early LA bands played the acoustic scene off the Sunset Strip. Three singles are out, two are charting on radio, and the record is the best sounding thing he says he has ever put his name on. Then the stories turn to film. He tells the full Children of the Corn audition where he pulled a fake knife on the reader at 18 to take control of the room, and he is the first to say he does not recommend it. He walks through Hardbodies, Back to the Future, Can't Buy Me Love, Memphis Belle, King Cobra, Sweet Home Alabama and Faster, plus the L.A. Noire work he calls groundbreaking and a total pain in the ass. The back half is the part working actors will replay. Courtney explains why he cut his hair, changed his look, sat out a year and dropped his own team when they refused to see him as anything but the long haired crazy guy. He lays out the blunt math of leverage in Hollywood, why the artist is the boss, how an insecure co-star can gut a scene, and why he is done with conventions unless somebody flies the band out. It closes with the Ben and Jerry's question and a real answer about being a better friend to yourself. No filler, just a working character actor and band leader telling it straight. GUEST INFO Courtney Gains is an American character actor and musician. He landed his first film role at 18 as Malachai in Children of the Corn and has worked in film, television and video games for more than four decades. He is based in Savannah, Georgia, where he plays bass and sings in the Courtney Gains Group. GUEST SOCIAL LINKS Instagram (official): https://www.instagram.com/courtneygainsofficial/ Instagram (band): https://www.instagram.com/courtney_gains_group/ Facebook (official): https://www.facebook.com/p/Courtney-Gains-100063431727264/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6OhfAsYjMyyAo0SEfskDVi Linktree: https://linktr.ee/COURTNEYGAINS CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome and the guitars on the wall 00:31 The 1975 Ibanez from his dad 01:02 Acting and music lessons at 13 08:41 His take on AI in music 13:32 The fake knife story 15:07 Hardbodies and the teen movie run 16:31 Back to the Future and the superfans 20:11 Can't Buy Me Love and the Beatles song 21:52 Memphis Belle and the movie everyone chases 34:21 Sweet Home Alabama and firing his team 37:59 Faster, Billy Bob, and The Rock 43:21 Why he is done with horror conventions 49:52 Regret, The Wrath of Becky, and Elon 53:52 Advice to his younger self CALL TO ACTION Subscribe to Reza Rifts on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Leave a rating and a review. It is the fastest way to push the show in front of new listeners. Share this with the horror fan or working actor who needs the part about firing your own team. Stream Liberation Day and catch a show when the band plays near you. HOST LINKS Support the show on https://patreon.com/rezarifts61  Follow Keith on all social media platforms: FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza  ALT IG:https://www.instagram.com/duhkeithreza  X:https://www.twitter.com/keithreza  TT:https://www.tiktok.com/keithreza  Book Keith on cameo at www.cameo.com/keithreza Check out my website for dates at https://www.keithreza.com/  Subscribe - Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts - Tell a friend :) Be a Rifter!     #CourtneyGains #ChildrenOfTheCorn #Malachai #HorrorPodcast #80sMovies #BackToTheFuture #CourtneyGainsGroup #LiberationDay #HorrorIcons #ActorMusician #CantBuyMeLove #TheBurbs #NewMusic

From Child Star to Hollywood Gatekeeper: Courtney Peldon on 40 Years in the Business Actress turned talent agent Courtney Peldon joins Keith Reza on Reza Rifts. She grew up on Home Improvement, Little Giants and Broadway, and now runs the film and TV division at Aqua Talent in West Hollywood. Courtney talks child stardom, voiceover work in Frozen and Tom and Huck, working with Bob Saget on Raising Dad, and the real difference between an agent and a manager. She explains why work begets work, and why saying no is the advice she would give her younger self. If you love Hollywood stories or you are an actor chasing representation, this episode delivers straight talk from someone who has seen every side of the business. GUEST INFO Courtney Peldon is an American actress and talent agent. She made her Broadway debut at eight in Meet Me in St. Louis and is best known as Lauren on Home Improvement and for her run on Boston Public. Her films include Little Giants and Say It Isn't So, with voice work in Frozen and Spider Man: Into the Spider Verse. A nine time Young Artist Award winner or nominee, she has been a theatrical agent at Aqua Talent since 2010. GUEST SOCIAL LINKS IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0670780/ Aqua Talent Agency: https://aquatalent.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-peldon-0691a836 CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to Reza Rifts 01:52 Courtney Peldon Joins the Show 03:15 Growing Up in the Business 05:00 Voiceover: Tom and Huck and Frozen 07:48 Little Giants and Rick Moranis 13:26 Home Improvement and Playing Lauren 16:14 Say It Isn't So and R Rated Comedy 18:27 Bob Saget, Raising Dad and Norm Macdonald 21:15 Becoming a Talent Agent at Aqua Talent 26:46 The Genie Wish: Family First 29:08 Ben and Jerry's Flavor: Brass Knuckles 30:07 It's Okay to Say No 33:37 Final Thoughts CALL TO ACTION Subscribe to Reza Rifts on your favorite podcast platform. Rate and review to help the show reach more listeners. Share this episode with an actor or film fan, follow on YouTube and turn on notifications. HOST LINKS Support the show on https://patreon.com/rezarifts61  Follow Keith on all social media platforms: FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza  ALT IG:https://www.instagram.com/duhkeithreza  X:https://www.twitter.com/keithreza  TT:https://www.tiktok.com/keithreza  Book Keith on cameo at www.cameo.com/keithreza Check out my website for dates at https://www.keithreza.com/  Subscribe - Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts - Tell a friend :) Be a Rifter!   #RezaRifts #KeithReza #CourtneyPeldon #HomeImprovement #LittleGiants #AquaTalent #TalentAgent #ActingTips #HollywoodPodcast #ActorInterview #Podcast #ComedyPodcast #ChildStar #BostonPublic #BehindTheScenes

Vinessa Shaw Tells All: Hocus Pocus, Eyes Wide Shut & Kubrick Hocus Pocus Star Vinessa Shaw on Kubrick, Dangerfield & Quitting Acting | Reza Rifts Vinessa Shaw (Hocus Pocus, Eyes Wide Shut, 3:10 to Yuma) joins Keith Reza on Reza Rifts for an honest talk about growing up on film sets, working with legends, and lasting in Hollywood. Vinessa goes behind the scenes of Hocus Pocus and the ballgown Allison was originally supposed to wear for the whole movie. She shares what it was like at 15 working with Rodney Dangerfield on Ladybugs, how he protected the young cast, and the first role she was offered without auditioning. The heart of the episode is Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut: three days of private talks before filming, the meeting where Tom Cruise told her not to worry about the missing script, the scene that took 69 takes and beat the Full Metal Jacket record, and the moment Kubrick pulled her aside to say she was really good, right when she was thinking of quitting. The talk moves through 3:10 to Yuma and the flimsy 1800s broom that broke James Mangold, the joy of Corky Romano with Chris Kattan, her fears about AI in entertainment, why live audiences cannot be replaced, and her return to music with the Freedom Fry cover of Come Little Children. If you love Hocus Pocus or classic Hollywood stories, this episode delivers. Guest Info Vinessa Shaw began as a child actor and broke out as Allison in Disney's Halloween classic Hocus Pocus (1993). Her film work spans three decades and includes Ladybugs (1992), Coyote Summer, Eyes Wide Shut (1999), The Hills Have Eyes (2006), 3:10 to Yuma (2007), and Side Effects (2013). She has worked with directors James Gray, Alexandre Aja, and Kathryn Bigelow. In 2026 she returned to music, teaming with indie folk pop duo Freedom Fry on a cover of Come Little Children from Hocus Pocus, released October 8 on their EP Haunts. Guest Social Links Instagram (her main platform): https://www.instagram.com/vinessaofficial/ X: https://x.com/VinessaShaw IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005416/ Come Little Children with Freedom Fry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElVvJQdTJn8 Note: she is not on TikTok or Facebook; a fake account impersonates her. Chapters 02:13 Fangirling over the Young Guns reunion 04:25 Ladybugs and Rodney Dangerfield 10:00 How Rodney looked out for the kid actors 12:56 Coyote Summer and carrying a movie 16:13 Auditions and directors who take risks 20:12 Hocus Pocus and the ballgown that got cut 24:15 Fans asking for Kiss me, I'm Allison 25:00 Eyes Wide Shut and working with Stanley Kubrick 28:05 The Tom Cruise meeting and the missing script 30:00 69 takes and beating the Full Metal Jacket record 39:27 Live audiences and movie theaters 41:47 Corky Romano with Chris Kattan 51:22 Returning to music, piano, and songwriting 56:23 Hocus Pocus 3 theories and wrap up Call to Action If this episode made you smile or taught you something, do three quick things: like the video, subscribe to Reza Rifts, and tell one friend or one enemy who needs it. Drop a comment with your favorite Vinessa Shaw moment and hit the bell so you never miss the next one. Host Links Support the show on https://patreon.com/rezarifts61  Follow Keith on all social media platforms: FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza  ALT IG:https://www.instagram.com/duhkeithreza  X:https://www.twitter.com/keithreza  TT:https://www.tiktok.com/keithreza  Book Keith on cameo at www.cameo.com/keithreza Check out my website for dates at https://www.keithreza.com/  Subscribe - Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts - Tell a friend :) Be a Rifter!       #HocusPocus #VinessaShaw #RezaRifts #KeithReza #EyesWideShut #StanleyKubrick #KissMeImAllison #ComeLittleChildren #FreedomFry #Ladybugs #RodneyDangerfield #CorkyRomano #Halloween #SpookySeason #Podcast    

Daniel Roebuck: Matlock, Grandpa Munster and the Norm Macdonald Joke That Got Stolen Daniel Roebuck joins Keith Reza on Reza Rifts for a wide open conversation about a career that has run more than 40 years and roughly 300 credits, from River's Edge and Matlock to The Fugitive, Lost, and Grandpa Munster in Rob Zombie's The Munsters. He is on the show to talk about two films he made outside the studio system. Learning You, the autism drama directed by Tyler Sansom, and The Hail Mary, which he wrote, directed, produced, and stars in as a broken man talked into coaching a Catholic school football team. Both landed nominations at the International Christian Film and Music Festival, and he explains why Hollywood never would have made Learning You on its own. Along the way: the proof of God story that still stops him cold, his Jay Leno performance in The Late Shift, the Steven Seagal interview that went so badly Leno had to book him twice, the Sean Penn letter he keeps meaning to write, a vampire clown gig at 12, and the day he realized playing Dracula in a Universal movie was his version of driving on the moon. GUEST INFO Daniel Roebuck is an American actor, director, and writer born March 4, 1963 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Over a career spanning more than four decades he has racked up roughly 300 film and television credits, moving between drama, comedy, horror, and faith based film without ever settling into one lane. He broke in with a lead role in River's Edge (1986), then became a familiar face on television with a long run on Matlock as Cliff Lewis. 2026 he stars in Learning You, directed by Tyler Sansom, and wrote, directed, produced, and stars in The Hail Mary, now streaming on Angel Studios. Both films were nominated at the International Christian Film and Music Festival. He also hosts the Facting with Danny Roebuck series and remains a fixture on the convention circuit. GUEST SOCIAL LINKS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrdanielroebuck  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedanielroebuck  X: https://x.com/MrDanielRoebuck  A Channel of Peace: https://www.achannelofpeace.org  The Hail Mary (film): https://www.thehailmaryfilm.com  CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to Reza Rifts 02:02 Today's Guest: Daniel Roebuck 03:30 Florida Living, Two Homes, and Alligators 06:06 Learning You and The Hail Mary 13:53 The Proof of God Story 16:20 Learning You and Not Judging Parents 17:20 Keith on the Spectrum and Ordering Food 18:50 The Robert Blake Routine Norm Stole 21:23 Nate Bargatze and Weird Comedy Delivery 32:55 Writing for a Specific Actor and Tony Randall 37:37 Playing Jay Leno in The Late Shift 38:52 The Steven Seagal Interview Story 40:02 The Sean Penn Letter 46:12 The Hail Mary: Two Movies, One Title 49:15 Dudes, Jon Cryer, and Penelope Spheeris 53:24 America and the Moon Rover 55:33 A Vampire Clown, Dracula, and the Moon 66:17 Final Thoughts and Goodbyes CALL TO ACTION Like, comment, subscribe, and turn on notifications for Reza Rifts with Keith Reza. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Share this episode with a Daniel Roebuck fan, a fan of Matlock or The Munsters, or anyone who loves a real Hollywood story. HOST LINKS Support the show on https://patreon.com/rezarifts61  Follow Keith on all social media platforms: FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza  ALT IG:https://www.instagram.com/duhkeithreza  X:https://www.twitter.com/keithreza  TT:https://www.tiktok.com/keithreza  Book Keith on cameo at www.cameo.com/keithreza Check out my website for dates at https://www.keithreza.com/  Subscribe - Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts - Tell a friend :) Be a Rifter!   #DanielRoebuck #TheHailMary #LearningYou #TheHailMaryMovie #LearningYouMovie #GrandpaMunster #TheMunsters #RobZombie #Matlock #TheFugitive #NormMacdonald #AChannelofPeace #AngelStudios #FaithBasedFilm #ChristianFilm #AutismAwareness #ActorInterview #CelebrityInterview #Hollywood #Podcast #ComedyPodcast #EntertainmentPodcast #Dudes #PenelopeSpheeris    

John Cusack Breaks Down Momo: Artaud, Aliens & a Rescue From an Insane Asylum John Cusack is back on Reza Rifts, and this time the conversation has nothing to do with the movies that made him famous. He sits down with Keith Reza to break down Momo, his debut graphic novel from Mad Cave Studios, hitting shelves September 29. What starts as a book talk turns into a full on history lesson. Cusack walks through the real life threads behind the story: Antonin Artaud, the French surrealist who once terrified all of Europe, Jackie Gleason, Richard Nixon, and a White House flight log with one name blacked out. He explains what actually happened, what he invented, and why he let the myths stay in. Cusack also gets into the craft. He wrote Momo in a loose screenplay form, built footnotes into the pages so readers could hear the soundtrack in their heads, and handed the art over to Ignacio Noe with one instruction: draw what you want. He talks about touring the book at San Diego Comic Con, what real fans pick up on, and the next project he and Noe already have in the works, The Chemical Wedding. Then the two of them get loose. Rejected roles, the Breaking Bad rumor, the Frasier voiceover he swears he does not remember recording, an unexpected John Mahoney connection, Internet dating rumors, a shout out for Kate Miller, and Cusack's own theory on how the pyramids were really built. Funny, honest, and full of surprises, this is the kind of conversation that only happens on Reza Rifts. GUEST INFO John Cusack is an American actor, producer, and screenwriter born June 28, 1966 in Evanston, Illinois. Over a career spanning more than four decades he has appeared in over ninety films, moving from teen comedy to crime drama to satire without ever losing his own voice. He broke through in the 1980s with Sixteen Candles, Better Off Dead, The Sure Thing, Stand by Me, and Say Anything, then reinvented himself in the 1990s with The Grifters, Bullets Over Broadway, Grosse Pointe Blank, Con Air, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and Being John Malkovich. In 2000 he earned a Golden Globe nomination for High Fidelity. Later credits include Identity, Runaway Jury, 1408, 2012, Hot Tub Time Machine, The Butler, Love & Mercy, and Maps to the Stars, which won him the 2014 Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor. Momo is his debut graphic novel. It is written by Cusack, illustrated by Argentine artist Ignacio Noe, published by Mad Cave Studios, and released September 29, 2026. This marks his second appearance on Reza Rifts. GUEST SOCIAL LINKS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johncusack X: https://x.com/johncusack Threads: https://www.threads.com/@johncusack Momo (graphic novel): https://madcavestudios.com/product/momo-vol-1/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to Reza Rifts   02:13 John Cusack Returns   03:25 Why Writing Momo Was Pure Freedom   05:35 San Diego Comic Con and the Real Fans   09:20 Jackie Gleason, The Exorcist, and the Truth Behind the Book   10:55 Discovering Antonin Artaud   14:25 How Momo Was Born with Mark Leyner   16:05 The Nixon Helicopter and the Redacted Name   18:15 The Three Act Structure of Momo   20:30 E. Emmett Walsh and Casting the Momo Movie   21:45 Writing Momo Like a Screenplay   24:35 Footnotes, Soundtracks, and Hawaii Five-O   25:30 The Chemical Wedding and the Return of Momo   29:05 Chicago, Judy Maxwell Home, and the Stand Up Scene   30:55 Rejected Roles, Breaking Bad, and As Good as It Gets   33:20 The Frasier Voiceover Mystery and John Mahoney   34:25 IMDb Dating Rumors and Internet Myths   35:35 A Message for Kate Miller   36:25 How the Pyramids Were Really Built   38:25 1972, Time Travel, and the Secrets of Momo   41:20 Where to Get Momo and Final Thoughts CALL TO ACTION Like, comment, subscribe, and turn on notifications for Reza Rifts with Keith Reza. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Share this episode with a John Cusack fan, a comic book reader, or anyone who loves a good story about how a wild idea becomes a real book. HOST LINKS Support the show on https://patreon.com/rezarifts61  Follow Keith on all social media platforms: FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza  ALT IG:https://www.instagram.com/duhkeithreza  X:https://www.twitter.com/keithreza  TT:https://www.tiktok.com/keithreza  Book Keith on cameo at www.cameo.com/keithreza Check out my website for dates at https://www.keithreza.com/  Subscribe - Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts - Tell a friend :) Be a Rifter!   #JohnCusack #Momo #MomoGraphicNovel #JohnCusackInterview #MadCaveStudios #IgnacioNoe #GraphicNovel #ComicBooks #ComicBookPodcast #ActorInterview #CelebrityInterview #Hollywood #AntoninArtaud #JackieGleason #RichardNixon #SayAnything #HighFidelity #GrossePointeBlank #Podcast #ComedyPodcast #EntertainmentPodcast #NewComicBookDay

Shuler King: Comedy, Faith & Why Fame Isn't for Everybody Comedian and licensed funeral director Shuler King joins Keith Reza on Reza Rifts for a funny and surprisingly deep conversation about stand-up, faith, and the long road to going viral. Shuler started in comedy in April 2004, long before the internet made him a household name. He breaks down how he writes jokes, what America's Got Talent was really like, why he stopped chasing results, and the advice he gives every performer: focus on the job, not the lights or the cameras. He also opens up about mental health in comedy, life as a funeral director, why fame is not for everybody, and what he would tell his younger self. GUEST INFO Shuler King is a stand-up comedian, actor, and licensed funeral director and embalmer in Georgia and South Carolina. He broke through on America's Got Talent, appeared on Wild 'N Out, and released the special Anybody Wanna Tell Me? on Tubi. He hosts To Laugh At Death and headlines the Your Favorite Undertaker tour. GUEST SOCIAL LINKS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shulerking TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shulerking YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxYcwkqmGW5oHTnmHmbjDOA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shulerking CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to Reza Rifts 02:20 Introducing Shuler King 08:02 The America's Got Talent Experience 16:42 Faith, Purpose, and Letting Go of Results 20:24 Life as a Funeral Director 22:02 Facing Death, Faith, and Fear 28:01 The Night He Bombed in Atlanta 31:40 Why He Wears a Tuxedo On Stage CALL TO ACTION Like, comment, subscribe, and turn on notifications for Reza Rifts with Keith Reza. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.  HOST LINKS Support the show on https://patreon.com/rezarifts61  Follow Keith on all social media platforms: FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza  ALT IG:https://www.instagram.com/duhkeithreza  X:https://www.twitter.com/keithreza  TT:https://www.tiktok.com/keithreza  Book Keith on cameo at www.cameo.com/keithreza Check out my website for dates at https://www.keithreza.com/  Subscribe - Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts - Tell a friend :) Be a Rifter! @comedianshulerking #RezaRifts #KeithReza #ShulerKing #ComedianFuneralDirector #StandUpComedy #ComedyPodcast #AnybodyWannaTellMe #AmericasGotTalent

Candyman and Soul Food star Vanessa Estelle Williams joins Keith Reza on Reza Rifts for a candid conversation spanning more than three decades in Hollywood. From breaking through as Keisha in New Jack City to returning as Anne-Marie McCoy in Candyman 2021, Vanessa opens up about guerrilla filmmaking in Harlem, why the anxiety never goes away for actors, and what movie star status actually means to her. She shares behind-the-scenes stories from One Fine Christmas with Marla Gibbs, directing her own award-winning short film Dance, working with Nia DaCosta and Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw, and the improvised Candyman line that went viral. Then it gets personal: 30 years vegan, the ice cream flavor she would be, what she would tell her 13-year-old self, and her advocacy for children on the autism spectrum. GUEST INFO Vanessa Estelle Williams (born May 12, 1963, Brooklyn, New York) is an American actress and producer who has worked across film, television, Broadway, and opera. She broke through as Keisha in New Jack City (1991), played Rhonda Blair in Melrose Place and Lila in Murder One, and is best known as Maxine Chadway on Showtime's Soul Food (2000-2004), a role that won her the 2003 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. She played Anne-Marie McCoy in both Candyman (1992) and Candyman (2021). Her other credits include The Flash, 9-1-1, Days of Our Lives, and The L Word: Generation Q. She wrote, produced, and directed the award-winning short film Dance and serves on the advisory board of LA Speech & Language Therapy Center. GUEST SOCIAL LINKS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imvanessawilliams/  IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004539/   CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to Reza Rifts with Keith Reza 00:31 Disney Movies Are Secretly Scary & the Titanic Argument 03:48 New Jack City: Did You Feel Like You Made It? 05:24 Journeyman Actor: Going Wherever the Work Is 08:47 Movie Star vs. TV Star: Murder One, Melrose Place & the Stigma That Wasn't 11:59 Opera, Church Choir & Where the Singing Started 13:47 How a Kid from Brooklyn Got Her First Manager 15:58 One Fine Christmas & Working with Marla Gibbs 20:09 Dance: Directing and Producing Her Own Short Film 24:40 Candyman & the Horror Legacy 25:07 Candyman 2021: Nia DaCosta, Monkeypaw & Coming Home to Anne-Marie 26:46 The Line That Went Viral: "Hush, Don't Say That" 32:49 A Perfect Meal After 30 Years Vegan 35:26 If Vanessa Estelle Williams Were an Ice Cream Flavor 36:03 A Time Machine & Advice to Her 13-Year-Old Self 38:16 Autism in Her Family & the Doctors Who Said Never 42:39 Stand-Up Comedy, Speech Therapy & Finding Your Voice 44:02 Holly Robinson Peete, RJ & the Dodgers Bat Boy 45:51 Outro: Subscribe, Rate, Review   CALL TO ACTION If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe to Reza Rifts, and hit that notification bell so you never miss an episode. Share this episode with a Candyman fan, a Soul Food fan, or an actor who needs to hear Vanessa's perspective on staying in the game. Listen on your favorite platform: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4O83TYaUVPEWRxcP9ANPSm  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reza-rifts/id955329738  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RezaRifts    Rate and review. Every review helps Reza Rifts reach more listeners.   HOST LINKS Support the show on https://patreon.com/rezarifts61  Follow Keith on all social media platforms: FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza  ALT IG:https://www.instagram.com/duhkeithreza  X:https://www.twitter.com/keithreza  TT:https://www.tiktok.com/keithreza  Book Keith on cameo at www.cameo.com/keithreza Check out my website for dates at https://www.keithreza.com/  Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Tell a friend. Be a Rifter.   #VanessaEstelleWilliams #Candyman #Candyman2021 #NewJackCity #SoulFood #AnneMarieMcCoy #HorrorPodcast #HorrorCommunity #ActorInterview #ActressInterview #Hollywood #BlackHollywood #MelrosePlace #MurderOne #OneFineChristmas #MarlaGibbs #NiaDaCosta #JordanPeele #Monkeypaw #IceSpiders #VeganActor #AutismAwareness #SpeechTherapy #StandUpComedy #Brooklyn #Podcast #ComedyPodcast #EntertainmentPodcast #CelebrityInterview #BehindTheScenes #FilmIndustry #TVHistory  

Bai Ling on House of Karma, Karma & Her Quarantine Romance with Toilet Paper Actress Bai Ling joins Keith Reza on Reza Rifts for a candid conversation about the independent film House of Karma, karma, energy, and what it really takes to build a lasting career in Hollywood. In this episode, Bai Ling opens up about playing the mysterious psychic Madame Emerald in House of Karma, why she believes in karma and past lives, and the difference between guerrilla indie filmmaking and big studio productions like Red Corner with Richard Gere. She shares her no-fear approach to acting, never learning the craft in a classroom, refusing to over-prepare, and just being present and truthful in the moment, plus the work ethic that keeps her booked on several movies at once, giving 100 percent whether the paycheck is $5,000 or $1 million. Bai Ling also tells the wild story behind her directorial debut, My Quarantine Romance with Toilet Paper, a comedy she wrote, directed, financed, and starred in during the COVID-19 pandemic. That includes her 36-hour escape from Kazakhstan when the borders slammed shut, being pulled aside at LAX by police officers who turned out to be big fans, and trading lattes and selfies for toilet paper when the shelves went empty. She also talks about her upcoming tell-all book, My Outrageous Romances in Hollywood, and the grandmother in northern China who taught her unconditional love. If you are an aspiring actor, filmmaker, or just love honest celebrity interviews, this episode is packed with heart, humor, and Hollywood wisdom. Guest Info: Bai Ling is a Chinese-American actress and filmmaker known for The Crow, Nixon, Red Corner, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and Crank: High Voltage. In House of Karma she plays Madame Emerald, a psychic whose larger-than-life energy steals the movie. Her directorial debut, My Quarantine Romance with Toilet Paper, which she wrote, directed, financed, cast, catered, and starred in during the pandemic, is on the way, along with her book, My Outrageous Romances in Hollywood. Guest Social Links:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambailing/  X (Twitter): https://x.com/RealBaiLing  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealBaiLing/  Official Website: https://www.officialbailing.com/  TikTok: I am Bai Ling  Cameo: I am Bai Ling Episode Chapters:  00:00 Introduction   00:51 Co-Stars in House of Karma  01:23 Playing the Psychic Madame Emerald  02:56 Karma, Past Lives, and Energy  04:52 Guerrilla Filmmaking vs. Studio Movies  06:31 Comedy or Horror?  08:34 Always Working: Several Movies at Once  09:34 $5,000 or $1 Million: Same Quality  11:53 Acting Without Training: Be Present  13:52 Directing My Quarantine Romance with Toilet Paper  14:52 Her Book: My Outrageous Romances in Hollywood  15:46 Escaping Kazakhstan During COVID  18:03 Stopped at LAX by Fans  20:46 The Great Toilet Paper Shortage  23:25 Steven Spielberg Wouldnt Do It  27:23 No Fear and an Eight-Minute Monologue  29:20 Her Grandmothers Unconditional Love  31:16 Where to Follow Bai Ling Call to Action: If you enjoy conversations about acting, filmmaking, comedy, and the entertainment industry, make sure to like, comment, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more episodes of Reza Rifts with Keith Reza. Host Links:   💬 How You Can Help:  Make sure you susbcribe on YouTube...https://www.youtube.com/@rezarifts6263  👍 LIKE & SHARE this video to spread awareness!   💬 COMMENT if you've experienced similar issues.   🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more raw, unfiltered discussions.   Search for me on FB/Instagram and post something asking where my account went. Tag them in the post. If enough people do it will help in my battle to restore my account. FB: https://www.facebook.com/realkeithreza IG:https://www.instagram.com/keithreza        #RezaRifts #KeithReza #BaiLing #HouseOfKarma #Acting #Filmmaking #Hollywood #IndependentFilm #FemaleFilmmaker #ActressInterview #Karma #Podcast