Part 2 of Marion McKeone: Trump’s intelligence, Robert F Kennedy’s ruthlessness, Olivia Nuzzi’s Facetime affair, and Jeffrey Epstein’s death.

If you enjoyed part 1 of my chat with Marion McKeone, you're going to LOVE part 2. This time we get stuck into some of the key characters in the crazy story that is the USA today – characters like Robert F Kennedy junior, the anti-vax US health secretary with a worm in his brain; Olivia Nuzzi, the machiavellian journalist that had an affair with RFK Jnr, the late Jeffrey Epstein who is having a major impact on US politics even several years after his death; Pete Hegseth, Howard Lutnick...the list goes on. We also ask some important questions, like really how intelligent is Donald trump ? Did a bullet actually hit his ear in the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania?  And did Jeffrey Epstein really take his own life, or was he killed?Marion has been covering US politics and culture for decades – she’s been all over the country, attended scores of MAGA rallies, been in the white House press group, and met all the big players.COMEDY - its the Fine Gael and Fianna Fail joint Christmas party! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Marion McKeone is one of Ireland’s best known journalists and commentators on the United States. She has been on Matt Cooper’s Last Word  US slot, alongside Cal Thomas, every week for years now and her columns appear regularly in the broadsheets and online.I don’t need to tell you just how crazy and dysfunctional things are in the US right now – we hear about it every day in the news and on social media. But Marion brings a whole new level to the coverage – she lived in America for years, been part of the white house press group, knows all of the key players, and can give us an insight in to what the hell is going on and where its all going,  like no one else can.COMEDY - Marion got a lot of messages on the hotline, from people like Matt Cooper, Cal Thomas, Paschal Donohoe, and even Donald Trump himself! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Keith Barry has been on our stages and screens for 25 years and he been all over the world performing his mentalism in all sorts of situations, including on the sets of Hollywood movies and in the homes of famous Hollywood actors . He shares some great insider stories about Morgan Freeman, Woody Harrelson, Keanu Reeves, and Kylie Minogue in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast. Keith is just about to kick off what might be his very ever last tour. ‘Unhinged - 25 Years Inside Your Mind’ will be dark, dangerous, and its also very personal for Keith, as he’s taking his late Dad’s ashes on tour with him. This was one of his Dad, Ken’s last requests and Keith tells me all about this and the relationship they had. We also talk about the qualities of a great magician, nightmare corporate gigs, and why AI is going to make you want to go to more live gigsCOMEDY - There are some great Black Friday deals on offer this weekend, and from some well known people like Ivan Yates, Michael O'Leary, Ray Darcy and Michael D Higgins, who've just launched a new podcast together! Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

I’ve been watching Russell Howard on tv for years. He was a regular fixture on the hugely popular comedy show Mock the Week, he’s had Netflix specials, and of course his standup clips are all over social media. So Ive always known that he’s a very intelligent and funny guy. But having met him in person, I can also confirm that he’s a brilliant man to have a conversation with. He can talk at length about any topic you can throw at him, he’s got great stories, he’s funny, and our hour together just flew along. Jump in and take a listen. COMEDY – As Paschal Donohoe leaves Dail Eireann for the World Bank, we hack into his voicemails and find out who has been wishing him well.Produced by Patrick Haughey – AudioBrand

David Gillick is one of Ireland’s most successful athletes. He’s a track and field sprinter, a two time European champion and has set national records , some of which he still holds to this day. When it comes to successful and high profile people  like David, we hear about the wins and the glamour, but we don’t hear about the other side of that life. The sacrifices you make for greatness , the eternal slog of training, constant threat of injuries, the financial and psychological impact of getting an injury.  And in this episode of the Mario Rosenstock Podcast, David spills the beans on the realities of life as a world class athlete - the highs, the lows, and of course the behind the scenes stories.  Check out David’s brilliant new book called The Race: The inside track on the ruthless world of elite athletics.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Dr Harry Barry is a medical doctor with a particular interest in mental health, and what lies behind the conditions that so many of us are familiar with, such as anxiety and panic attacks, phobias, depression, toxic Stress, and addiction.In this episode Harry breaks down the common causes behind these conditions, and explains some of the simple things we can do to break out of them.  We also talk about the impact of social media on young minds, a fast fix for social anxiety, and why your frustration with other drivers on the road might be more serious than you think. Harry also tell me about his memoir called Beneath the Surface: A Doctor's Journey of Empathy, Healing and Self-Discovery.COMEDY – Matt Cooper and Ivan Yates have a heart to heart about their ‘break up’.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Michael Flynn, aka Mattress Mick, has a great story to tell – he’s a true entrepreneur at heart and thrives off the cut and thrust of business. He runs a very successful company now, but this wasn’t always the case -  he has his fair share of very tough times, including when he had to sell his family home to pay his debts.In our chat Mick tells me about the highs and lows of his life in business, some of the hilarious guerilla marketing campaigns he has come up with, including of course where the whole idea of the character ‘Mattress Mick’ came from in the first place, the story of adopting his daughter from Russia, and loads more.Michael Flynn’s new book is called Bouncing Back: Memoirs of a Mattress Salesman.COMEDY - Mattress Mick is such a well-known guy that when I put it out there on my socials that he was coming in for a chat, the voicemails started to pour in from people like Matt Cooper and Ivan Yates, Michael D Higgins, and Miriam O’Callaghan.The Mario Rosenstock Podcast is produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

He’s one of Ireland’s big Eurovision success stories, he has a weekly slot on Newstalk’s Pat Kenny Show called 'The Lyric’s the Thing', and he’s got some brilliant behind-the-scenes celebrity stories from the heyday of Dublin’s nightlife - Paul Harrington is great man to have on a podcast like The Mario Rosenstock Podcast.Paul and I chat about the stories behind some great songs, his favourite Eurovision hits, some juicy behind the scenes stories from the VIP room in Dublin’s iconic Lilly’s Bordello, and memories of our mutual friend, the late, great Tony Fenton.COMEDY – As Michael D approaches the end of his term as President, he’s getting some interesting voicemails. We get exclusive access...Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

I don’t think there’s really such a thing as a ‘normal’ conversation with Michael Harding, and I certainly had no intention of trying to have one in this episode of The Mario Rosenstock Podcast. Michael is many things – a writer, a playwright, a podcaster, and a columnist - but he’s also one of the most captivating speakers you’ll have the pleasure of listening to. He has been up and he has been down and he has thought deeply about life and how to live it well, and he loves to share what he has learned, in case you might find it of use.So if you want to hear two grown men do down a whole lot of rabbit holes about amateur Buddhism, existentialism , love, loss,  and the meaning of life – all with a good handful of great craic thrown in - then you’ve just hit play on the right podcast!Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand

Sometimes I’ll have a long and fascinating conversation with a guest and instead of including all of it in the episode, we’ll chop some of it out, put it into a little folder in the Mario Rosenstock podcast vaults for safekeeping, and then dust it off and pop it in to a special episode of un-heard bits when the time is right.So we’ve two such bonus bits from the vaults for you in this episode – one from Former professional footballer and manager, Roddy Collins and the other from housing expert and former chair of the Housing Agency, Conor Skehan. Neither of whom hold back on their chosen subject!We’ll also be remembering the late, great Manchan Magan, someone who made a deep impression on me and that I had great time and admiration for. We’ll replay a lovely excerpt from the conversation we had back in 2021.COMEDY – David McWilliams is very excited about this week’s Budget – but he lets rip about a couple of tax hikes that are going to hit him straight in the pocket.Produced by Patrick Haughey, AudioBrand