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Wisconsin Public Radio

LIVING YOUR DREAM

Program 06-03-05-A

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Ever want to chuck everything and just live your dream? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge we meet several people who are doing just that. One of them's a hot young actor, starring in a smash Broadway musical. Another is a middle-aged husband and father who published a small magazine and contentedly lives and works in a hole in the ground. We'll also hear from Harvey Pekar, Hugh Masakela and a guy who just can't get enough of poisonous snakes. He also doubles as an artist and nightclub singer.

SEGMENT 1:

John Lloyd Young is starring as Frankie Valli of The Four Seasons in "Jersey Boys." He tells Anne Strainchamps why he decided to become an actor and what it's like to live your dream of making it big. And we hear a bit from his hit show's soundtrack, and the movie "Tootsie" which inspired him. Also, Dan Price, author of "Radical Simplicity," tells Jim Fleming how his efforts to keep down-sizing his life led him to live and work in a hole in the ground. Price is a successful magazine publisher, and still married to the mother of his two grown children!

SEGMENT 2:

Dean Ripa owns and operates the Cape Fear Serpentarium. He spent decades trekking the world hunting examples of the most venomous reptiles alive. Ripa tells Steve Paulson how a snake-crazy kid became an expert herpetologist, and also, a professional artist and a night club singer who tours with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. And we hear him sing. Also, Jim Fleming talks with Harvey Pekar about "American Splendor" and his friendship with Robert Crumb. And we hear a clip from the film.

SEGMENT 3:

Our last dreamer is Hugh Masekela who longed for personal artistic expression and freedom for his people. Masekela tells Steve Paulson what life was like under apartheid and how the American jazz artists he admired urged him to make music that celebrated his African heritage. And of course we hear some of both Masekela's popular and political music.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 06-03-05-A.

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Books:

• Hugh Masakela & D. Michael Cheers, Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masakela (Three Rivers Press)
  
• Harvey Pekar, Dean Haspiel, The Quitter (Vertigo)
  
• Harvey Pekar et al, American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar (Doubleday)
  
• Dan Price, Radical Simplicity (Perseus Books)

Links:

• www.kostich.com/cape_fear_serpentarium.htm

Music:

• “Sherry” JERSEY BOYS Original Cast Recording Rhino R2 73271
  
• “I’m in the Mood for Love” Charlie Parker (download, Itunes)
  
• “Turn the Key” Dean Magraw from “Broken Silence” Red House Records CD69 P.O. Box 4044 St. Paul, MN 55104
  
• “Mopti” Dean Magraw (as above)
  
• “My Way” Dean Ripa from “The Voice”
  
• “American Splendor” - song from the film
  Blues selections used in the film clip are taken from the film
  
• “I Want A Wife” Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets from “Tell Me What I Want to Hear” Blalck Top CDBT 1068 (distributed by Rounder)
  
• “Grazing in the Grass” “Gold” and “Up, Up and Away” Hugh Masekela from “Still Grazing: The Musical Journey of Hugh Masakela” Blue Thumb Records B0002442-02 www.bluethumb.com

Distribution dates:

week of 03/11/2007 - hour 2 week of 03/05/2006 - hour 1

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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