Advertise on podcast: TV Confidential with Ed Robertson

TVC 750.1: From September 2016: Tony, Donna, and Ed remember the first national broadcast of The Oprah Winfrey Show (Syndicated, 1986-2011) in September 1986.

Introducing Miguel: Finding His Voice Again from Before The Moment with Nile Rodgers. Follow the show: Before The Moment with Nile Rodgers R&B sensation Miguel needs no introduction - he’s a multi-disciplinary artist, known for hits like “Sure Thing” and Grammy winner, “Adorn”. Miguel’s musings on romance and intimacy flow seamlessly through his work, brought to life with lyrical mastery and a style that always keeps you guessing. And that’s because Miguel has never let one genre define him. Raised between Black and Latin cultures, Miguel learned to move comfortably between influences, helping him bridge musical genres that continue to surprise audiences. His latest release CAOS, arrived after an 8 year break. Inside every song, you can hear an artist still experimenting, still pushing, and still reinventing himself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

TVC 750.2: Ed welcomes actress, entrepreneur, licensed psychotherapist, and social media influencer Lorraine Bencivengo-Ziff. In the world of gaming, Lorraine is known as The Goddess of Slots, and, as such, she frequently appears at casinos across the country to test her luck on slots, while handing out "lucky lanyards" and interacting with fans. Lorraine will soon be in Un$uited, the forthcoming streaming comedy also starring Tom Arnold and Dan Lauria. Topics this segment include how Lorraine first became known as The Goddess of Slots; what makes her different from other influencers; and whether "luck" or good fortune can be inherited.

TVC 750.3: Lorraine Bencivengo-Ziff, the actress and social media influencer known in the world of gaming as The Goddess of Slots, talks to Ed about her role in the upcoming streaming comedy Un$uited; crossing paths with Dolly Parton when she was a young girl; and how she combines the goodwill of Parton and the glee of Marilyn Monroe as the Goddess of Slots.

TVC 749.1: From September 2016: Tony, Donna, and Ed remember the premiere of That Girl (ABC, 1966-1971) in September 1966. Topics this segment include how That Girl portrayed a single woman living on her own in a major metropolitan city, five years before The Mary Tyler Moore Show famously did the same; how Marlo Thomas had difficulty getting the series, as she had originally conceived it, on the air; why Thomas chose to end the series with Ann Marie remaining single; and why That Girl was one of the shows that inspired Donna to pursue a career in acting.

TVC 749.4: Ed welcomes Randy Oglesby, the film and TV character actor who plays Chief of Police McNamara on the MGM+ series Spider Noir and Bill Festersen on the Peacock series The Burbs. (Peacock recently renewed The Burbs for a second season.) Topics this segment include Randy's early career as a stage actor with the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco; his affinity for performing dialects; and why acting is a "serious level of play."

TVC 749.5: Actor Randy Oglesby (The Burbs, Spider Noir) talks to Ed about some of the many odd jobs in various industries that he worked early in his career, to support his efforts as an actor; how he got on the radar screen of Junie Lowry Johnson, the casting director for many David E. Kelley shows (including L.A. Law); and his experience acting with and being directed by Clint Eastwood in Pale Rider, Randy's first film credit as an actor. Peacock recently renewed The Burbs for a second season, while Spider-Noir can be seen on MGM+.

TVC 749.6: From September 2016: Ed welcomes Kevin Martin, owner and CEO of Piece of the Past, and author of An Insider's Guide to Autograph Collecting, an A to Z look at the world of autograph collecting that features useful tips to ensure that the autographed celebrity item that you're thinking of purchasing online and from an outside source is, in fact, authentic.

TVC 748.1: From September 2016: An expanded edition of This Week in TV History in which Tony, Donna, and Ed discuss the premiere of the original Star Trek on NBC in September 1966, and how the Star Trek franchise continues to influence our culture.

TVC 748.2: From September 2016: An expanded edition of This Week in TV History that discusses the sixtieth anniversary of the premiere of Star Trek (NBC, 1966-1969). Topics this segment include Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, which opened in theaters in 1986.

TVC 748.3: From September 2016: An expanded edition of This Week in TV History that discusses the sixtieth anniversary of the premiere of Star Trek (NBC, 1966-1969) and the legacy of the Star Trek franchise. Topics this segment include a look at our favorite Star Trek movie and favorite Star Trek characters.

TVC 748.4: From September 2016:  Part 4 of an expanded edition of This Week in TV History in which Tony, Donna, and Ed discuss the sixtieth anniversary of the premiere of Star Trek (NBC, 1966-1969) and the legacy of the Star Trek franchise.

TVC 748.4: Ed welcomes Linda Kaplan Thaler, Advertising Hall of Fame executive and the creative genius behind the Aflac Duck, the Toys R Us Kids jingle, Clairol's "Yes! Yes! Yes!" campaign, and many other popular ads that have become permanently engrained in American culture. Linda's memoir, My Life in 30 Seconds, is a very funny, yet often very moving, book that not only looks at creativity, resilience, leadership, failure, reinvention, and the moments that change us forever, but includes many stories about some of the people behind those famous ads, including heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and Tony Hassini (the actor who played Magic Burger King), plus encounters with James Patterson, Cynthia Nixon, President Bill Clinton, and many others. My Life in 30 Seconds is available at Amazon.com. Topics this segment include how Linda first found her path in advertising; how Mariette Hartley's wry delivery in her famous Polaroid commercials with James Garner had a tremendous impact on Linda as she wrote copy for her own ad campaigns; and how Linda's career in advertising "was not about networking, but 'nice-working.'"

TVC 748.5: Advertising legend Linda Kaplan Thaler talks to Ed about the important role that goose bumps play in the creative genius; working with then-Governor Bill Clinton on his 1992 presidential campaign and with comedian Gilbert Gottfried on the "Aflac Duck" campaign; and why "What keeps you up at night" is an important question to ask. Linda's memoir, My Life in 30 Seconds, is available at Amazon.com.

TVC 747.1: Tony, Donna, and Ed remember the life and career of Tom Dreesen, the pioneering comedian, actor, and motivational speaker who was also the opening act for Frank Sinatra for many years. Tom Dreesen passed away on June 17, 2026 at the age of eighty-six. Topics this segment include the night when Dreesen visited Story Salon in 2009 (shortly after the publication of his first book, Tim & Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White), and how he incorporated the stories of every performer who preceded him that night before taking the stage himself at the end of the show; how Dreesen's formative years in Harvey, Illinois left an imprint on him; his partnership with Tim Reid as the first interracial stand-up comedy duo; and how Frank Sinatra once affectionately referred to Dreesen as "a saloon comic."