Beyond the Fame with Jason Fraley

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with former WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman, who is rumored to be making his return tonight on "Monday Night Raw." Strowman called in last year ahead of his “WrestleMania 37” cage match against Shane McMahon in Tampa, Florida, as well as memories of his first "WrestleMania" match with The Wyatt Family against John Cena and The Rock in Dallas, Te...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley salutes the Broadway smash "A Strange Loop," which recently won Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical for Michael R. Jackson. Enjoy this conversation with Woolly Mammoth Theatre's Artistic Director Maria Manuela Goyanes about a Broadway smash nearly two decades in the making. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion") Learn more about your a...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley marks the 10th anniversary of the Oscar-nominated documentary "The Act of Killing" (2012). Filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer called in back in 2014 to reflect on his gutsy interviews with actual perpetrators of Indonesian genocide. You'll also hear their 2016 interview about his companion piece "The Look of Silence," which allowed optomet...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Barney Douglas, director of the new John McEnroe documentary "McEnroe," which premieres today on Showtime. They discuss McEnroe's iconic temper and arguably underrated talent that resulted in a record 155 combined tennis titles. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion") Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley interviews "Bar Rescue" host Jon Taffer about his brand new Taffer's Tavern opening in the Chinatown-Penn Quarter area of Washington D.C. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Cynthia Addai-Robinson, star of the new "Lord of the Rings" prequel series "The Rings of Power," which premieres today on Amazon Prime Video. They discuss her journey from Silver Spring, Maryland all the way to Middle Earth. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion") Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Cypress Hill percussionist Eric "Bobo" Correa as the iconic hip-hop group rocks Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia this Friday night. They discuss his early days with The Beastie Boys before joining Cypress Hill, which was fresh off hits like "Insane in the Brain" before becoming a crossover sensation from...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with country-music star Chris Janson, who plays Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia on Sept. 9. They discuss his biggest country hits from "Buy Me a Boat" to "Fix a Drink" to "Good Vibes." (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion") Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Boy George as Culture Club performs live at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia on Thursday night. They spoke about what to expect from the show, as well as the band's career from "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" to "Karma Chameleon." (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion") Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Reality TV star Kenya Moore, who visited Washington D.C. over the weekend for the 8th annual Ubiquitous Women's Expo at the Washington Convention Center. They discussed her hair-care products, her experience on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and life as a single mom raising her so-called "miracle baby." (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Academy Award-nominated actor Edward Norton as today marks the 60th birthday of "Fight Club" director David Fincher. This summer also marks 55 years since Norton's grandfather James Rouse created the city of Columbia, Maryland. Norton weaves similar themes of city-planning corruption into his neo-noir film "Motherless Brooklyn," which he promoted...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Cheap Trick's founding bass player Tom Petersson as the band opens for Rod Stewart tonight at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. They spoke in 2015 when the band played The Fillmore in Silver Spring, breaking down their biggest hits from "Surrender" to "I Want You To Want Me," as well as Petersson's recent charitable work in music...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Rockville-based band O.A.R., which rocks Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland tonight. Jason spoke to O.A.R. lead singer Marc Roberge ahead of Arts Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill in 2015, immediately followed by a conversation with O.A.R guitarist Richard On. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion") Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Americana artist Mary Chapin Carpenter, who performs this Saturday at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia. They spoke in 2020 at the start of the pandemic about her livestream recording at Wolf Trap. You'll hear them break down country hits like "I Feel Lucky," "Passionate Kisses" and "Down at the Twist and Shout," which was inspired by cutting her tee...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with "Trying" stars Rafe Spall and Esther Smith as Season 3 currently streams on Apple TV+. They discuss why the show is so hilariously heartwarming, lending a comedic tone to serious issues like infertility and adoption, while sharing some of their personal favorite funny moments. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion") Learn more about your ad choi...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Bill Kroyer, director of "FernGully: The Last Rainforest," which releases its 30th anniversary Blu Ray today. They discuss the lost art of hand-drawn animation, the film's environmental themes, similarities to “Avatar” and star-studded cast, including the late Robin Williams. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion") Learn more about your ad choic...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with singer/actress Brandy, who joins a special 25th anniversary reunion of "Cinderella" tomorrow night on ABC. They spoke in 2017 when Brandy visited the Kennedy Center to play Roxie Hart in "Chicago," the iconic musical by Bob Fosse that would later become an Oscar-winning movie directed by Rob Marshall, who choreographed Brandy in the TV movie "Cin...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Bill Medley to mark the 35th anniversary of "Dirty Dancing" on Aug. 21, 1987, featuring the Oscar-winning song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. Jason spoke to Medley when his Righteous Brothers played The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia in 2017, reflecting on hits like "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and "U...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with "Sound of Metal" alum Olivia Cooke, who stars in the new "Game of Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon” tomorrow night on HBO. Cooke stopped by D.C. alongside co-star Thomas Mann during the release of their 2015 Sundance champ “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.” (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion") Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podca...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Martin Short, who joins Steve Martin this Saturday and Sunday at Wolf Trap in Virginia, Virginia. Short called Jason in 2016 to discuss his NBC variety show “Maya & Marty” co-starring Maya Rudolph. They spoke again in 2017 when Short showed up on the Kennedy Center red carpet to salute David Letterman receiving the Mark Twain Prize. (Theme Mu...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Sandy Deanne of Jay & The Americans, who play Rams Head in Annapolis, Maryland on Aug. 25. They discuss the band's classic hits like "Come a Little Bit Closer," which was introduced to a new generation the movie soundtrack of "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2." You'll also hear how the band dated The Ronettes and helped launch Neil Diamond and Ste...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Grammy-winning songwriter Marcus Hummon, who co-created the Frederick Douglass musical "American Prophet," which makes its world premiere at Arena Stage in Washington D.C. now through Aug. 28. They spoke about his Nashville success writing "Cowboy Take Me Away" for The Chicks and "Bless the Broken Road" for Rascal Flatts. (Theme Music: Scott Buck...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with Chilli of TLC, which rocks Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia on August 27. They break down the group’s biggest hits from “Waterfalls” to “No Scrubs" to "Unpretty." (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion") Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters, who performs live tomorrow night at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. They spoke in 2015 when his Music Corps Band played the Music Heals benefit concert at D.A.R. Constitution Hall. Waters describes writing classic rock hits like "Wish You Were Here," "Comfortably Numb" and "Another Brick in the Wall."...

WTOP Entertainment Reporter Jason Fraley chats with "Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan as the spinoff "Better Call Saul" airs its series finale tomorrow night on AMC. They spoke in 2015 when "Breaking Bad" donated props and costumes to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. You'll also hear from Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman; Jonathan Banks, who played Mike; and Bryan Crans...