Ira’s Everything Bagel | US Arts and Culture Podcasts

What happens when a deadly virus meets a ticking clock—and no clear plan?

This week on “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Ira sits down with author and former paramedic Kevin Hazzard to unpack the gripping true story behind "No One’s Coming: The Rogue Heroes Our Government Turns to When There’s Nowhere Else to Turn." At the center: the 2014 Ebola outbreak, one of the most terrifying public health crises in modern history, and a daring rescue mission that pushed the limits of science, aviation, and human courage.

Kevin shares why his fascination with high-risk, high-stakes situations drew him to this story—and how a small, unconventional company called Phoenix Air became the world’s last line of defense. From the development of groundbreaking containment technology to the intense opposition surrounding the mission, this episode explores the razor-thin line between saving lives and risking a wider outbreak.

You’ll hear how fear and hysteria spread just as quickly as the virus itself, why even U.S. states like Maine reacted with alarm, and how a robust public health infrastructure ultimately played a critical role. At its core, this is a story about ordinary people stepping up in extraordinary circumstances—facing danger head-on when the world needed them most.

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Photo by Bonnie J Heath

75 First Dates Later: Finding Love Through Poetry

What happens when love, desire, and poetry collide later in life? One poet finds out—75 first dates later.

This week on “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Ira sits down with poet, playwright, and educator Zack Rogow, author of The Kama Sutra for Senior Citizens and Other Poems on Aging—a candid, funny, and deeply human exploration of love and intimacy later in life.

Zack opens up about an unexpected chapter: being single at 66—and what came next. From revisiting The Kama Sutra with fresh eyes to embarking on 75 first dates, he shares how connection, vulnerability, and even physical pleasure remain essential at any age.

The conversation dives into the emotional core of his work—why intimacy is really about connection, not just chemistry—and how readers have embraced his poems as nothing short of “Viagra for the soul.”

Zack also pulls back the curtain on his creative process, describing poetry as “waiting for lightning to strike,” and reflects on the eight-year journey to complete this book. Along the way, he talks about finding love again, taking leaps of faith, and why his partner—now his toughest critic—keeps him honest.

It’s a warm, witty, and wise conversation about aging, art, and the enduring depth of human feeling. As Zack says, poetry reminds us just how much we’re capable of.
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Noshing With Jeffrey Weiss – March 5, 2026

What if “later” suddenly became “now”?

On this episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Ira sits down with Jeffrey Weiss, author of "Racing Against Time: On Ironman, Ultramarathons, and the Quest for Transformation in Mid-Life," for a powerful conversation about aging, endurance, and the courage to rein-vent yourself.
Jeffrey didn’t begin his athletic journey as a lifelong competitor. He ran his first 10K at 48. What started as a simple health goal turned into marathons, two finishes at Ironman Arizona, and a 72-mile ultramarathon — all after most people start talking about slowing down.
In this personal conversation, Jeffrey shares:
How his father’s passing shifted his mindset from “someday” to “now”
The Vince Lombardi quote that fuels his discipline
Why it’s a marathon, not a sprint — in sports and in life
The truth about willpower (it only lasts about a month)
Why “baby steps” matter more than heroic bursts of motivation
How to fight the resistance of the mind
Why exercise creates optimism — not just muscle
The question he keeps asking himself: “Why am I doing this?”
How endurance keeps him energized and relevant in the workforce
And what kind of life he wants to be living at this age
This isn’t just about racing. It’s about choosing your path. Taking ownership of your health. And deciding — intentionally — how you want to live the years ahead.
Because maybe the real race isn’t against other competitors.
Maybe it’s against time.
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Noshing With Aaron Poochigian – February 26, 2026

This week on “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Ira sits down with acclaimed poet and translator Aaron Poochigian, whose bold new translation of “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius re-introduces one of history’s most influential works for the 21st century.
Why translate a classic that’s already been translated countless times? For Aaron, the answer is deeply personal. After revisiting "Meditations" in the wake of COVID and his own life challenges, he returned to the original Greek text—and found something startlingly alive. He wasn’t interested in a polite, distant rendering. He wanted to restore the bright colors of Marcus’s language. To make it intimate. Immediate. Emotionally charged and lucid.
Aaron describes the experience as so personal that he sometimes felt like Marcus’s shrink—because "Meditations" was never meant for publication. The Roman emperor wrote it for himself, assuming no one would ever read it. That raw honesty, Aaron argues, is exactly why it still resonates today—from CEOs navigating high-stakes decisions to any-one wrestling with regret, distraction, or the relentless pace of technology.
In this thoughtful and revealing conversation, Aaron and Ira explore the myths about Sto-icism, the idea of “divine rationality,” Marcus’s influence on modern cognitive therapy, and why happiness, in Marcus’s view, comes from living in accordance with nature. They also examine why this ancient voice feels especially urgent in a hyper-digital world that constantly pulls us away from the present moment.
Aaron’s goal? Not just to have readers understand Marcus Aurelius—but to feel him.
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