Ira’s Everything Bagel | US Arts and Culture Podcasts

This week on "Ira’s Everything Bagel," Ira sits down with bestselling author and former CIA officer Traci Hunter Abramson, whose latest thriller, "Victim #8"(A Luke Steele Novel), dives deep into the world of high-stakes intrigue.
Traci shares how she dreamed up her action-driven hero, Luke Steele—a military aide to the president—and his sharp FBI analyst counterpart. She also reveals her unusual writing habits (yes, she actually writes on a treadmill), why her characters sometimes wake her at 4 a.m., and how she manages to complete three to four novels a year.
From a childhood spent creating stories in bed to a career in intelligence that gave her a real-world foundation for fiction, Traci’s journey is as fascinating as her plots. She opens up about her lifelong secrecy agreement with the CIA, her early journaling habit, her ability to multitask at a professional level, and what it’s like to be both a writer and an extrovert.
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Noshing With Rhonda Shear – October 23, 2025

Ira sits down with the one and only Rhonda Shear—comedian, actress, entrepreneur, former Miss Louisiana, and the unforgettable hostess of USA Network’s cult-classic late-night showcase, "Up All Night." After nearly a decade of shaping the midnight movie experience from 1989 to 1998, "Up All Night" is making its long-awaited comeback, premiering October 25 on "Kings of Horror," a YouTube streaming powerhouse with more than 1.5 million subscribers and a massive community of horror fanatics.

In this episode, Rhonda takes us on a full-circle journey—
*From being cast on “Happy Days” and chasing sitcom dreams in Los Angeles
*To crafting her hilarious on-screen persona when Up All Night found her
*To building a wildly successful intimate apparel empire (yes, the Rhonda Shear brand!)
*To going to college before Hollywood ever came calling
*To rediscovering love after 40
She also shares how the revival came to life through a new collaboration with Kings of Horror, a channel known for its “blood-curdling family of horror enthusiasts” curating indie gems, cult classics, fresh releases, and fan-fueled marathons—all 14,000 titles deep.

Now, Rhonda’s bringing back the laughter—this time with comedy that’s fun, fearless, and refreshingly un-political. She reveals the Hollywood mentors who shaped her journey, how she’s booking directors and actors from the very films she features, and why this reboot isn’t just nostalgic—it’s personal.
If you loved staying up late with Rhonda the first time around… you’re going to love her even more now.
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Noshing With Sue William Silverman – October 16, 2025

This week on "Ira’s Everything Bagel," Ira sits down with acclaimed author Sue William Silverman to dive into her new book, "Selected Misdemeanors: Essays at the Mercy of the Reader." Sue explores the art of the flash essay—short pieces that deliver big emotional punch.
She shares why she chose to write 71 compact yet deeply resonant essays, and how trans-forming her life into art helps her make sense of it. Sue opens up about her “upside-down” sister, her love of metaphor as a universal language, and the difference between sharing intimacy on the page versus in person.
They also talk about the healing power of writing, how she encourages her students to discover their authentic voices, and the importance of emotional truth in creative nonfic-tion. And yes, there’s room for humor too—as Sue reveals her father-figure fascination with Pat Boone and her “addiction” to Barry Manilow as a kind of higher power.
It’s a lively, revealing, and richly layered conversation about art, memory, and the flashes of insight that illuminate a writer’s life.
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Noshing With Rusty Austin – October 9, 2025

This week on “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Ira chats with Rusty Austin — a veteran reality television producer with over three decades behind the camera and now, the author of "An Awesome Bird: The Pelican."

Rusty shares how he made the leap from shaping unscripted TV hits like "Hell’s Kitchen" — one of the toughest shows he ever tackled — to writing playful, poetic stories for kids. A lifelong storyteller who started making movies in eighth grade, Rusty now blends clever rhymes, parenting wisdom, and fascinating animal facts, all brought to life with illustrations from middle school students.

He talks about how posting short poems on Facebook led to a book series that inspires creativity in children, complete with a hands-on “do-it-yourself” section for young readers. From elephants to pelicans, Rusty Austin proves that whether on screen or on the page, the story always comes first.

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