Let's Talk Ten

JOHN ASHTON, former guitarist and songwriter for the legendary PSYCHEDELIC FURS (“Love My Way”, “Pretty in Pink”) is on the show, to talk about his life in music, the people he’s met along the way -- and especially the music that influenced him and made everything possible.  Dan mostly listens, as John talks about The Beatles, Bowie, ACDC, Lou Reed, touring with the Talking Heads and Echo and the...

Ron Friedman passed away on September 15, 2025.  He was 93. I was very fortunate to have had him as a guest on this podcast -- Ron wrote for damn near every show I watched growing up -- The Andy Griffith Show, Bewitched, All in the Family, The Partridge Family, Chico and the Man, Fantasy Island....  His output was enormous -- over 700 hours of television, in all genres, sitcoms, action dramas, var...

Three-time Emmy-winning animation director Dan Riba (“Batman Beyond”, “Freakazoid!”) joins Dan for a nostalgic, insightful, and just plain flat-out fun conversation about the CARTOONS they both loved when they were each growing up in the 1960’s and ‘70’s -- and would also serve as artistic and creative inspirations throughout Dan Riba’s long and distinguished career.  Their animated discussion cov...

Progressive Radio Host and Podcaster ROXANNE KINCAID (“Head-ON with Roxanne Kincaid”) returns to Let’s Talk Ten for a fun and very informed conversation with Dan, about their all-time favorite movie BIOPICS.    From legends of the battlefield to show biz icons to the lords of Silicon Valley, these films span not just centuries, but cinematic genres and styles as well.  Some are multiple Oscar-winn...

Pop culture essayist, critic, and editor KRISTEN LOPEZ join Dan for a witty and lively discussion of their favorite television and streaming series of the past 25 years. Their choices cover a wide and often surprising array of genres and characters, watched on large, laptop, and phone screens. What a “television show” is exactly continues to be redefined, as the long-time popularity of sitcoms and...

Legs McNeil was not only an integral part of the 1970’s downtown New York City “punk” scene – he gave it a name. As one of the founders of Punk magazine, Legs was a fixture at CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, he hung out with Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, and was in the audience for The Ramones, Patti Smith, Talking Heads, Blondie – plus many other bands who never found that level of fame, but were great whil...

They say that truth is stranger than fiction.  Great documentaries have proven that they can be even more compelling and entertaining than anything your average Hollywood screenwriter could dream up.  Acclaimed documentary filmmaker and writer/journalist LAURIE GWEN SHAPIRO – whose already-bestselling book “THE AVIATOR AND THE SHOWMAN” has been released to critical raves – joins Dan for an informe...

Let’s Talk Ten turns TWO, and Dan celebrates the occasion by collecting his favorite moments of the show from the past year – featuring great comments, conversations, and even a few songs with our amazing guests: Jordan Franklin, John DeNicola, Stacy Widelitz, Ted Bergman, Doug & Emily Momary, Burt Kearns, Bob Bergen, Terry Beatty, Kevin Ladson, Catherin Moore, Tripp Whetsell, Heather Thomas,...

Podcasters ELIANA SINGER and SIMONE ELIAS join Dan for a fun and enlightening conversation about their favorite movies of the past 25 years.   Eliana and Simone’s show, “Teenage Golden Age”, chronicles their love of classic cinema of the 1930’s -- 1960’s – but for this episode of “Let’s Talk Ten” the choices are limited strictly to films of the 21st century – though there have been so many genuine...

Musician (the Del Fuegos), NYU professor, and writer WARREN ZANES and Dan have a deep-dive conversation about rock-and-roll legends BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and TOM PETTY. Warren is the author of the best-selling and critically hailed Petty: The Biography, as well as Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska (which has been adapted into an upcoming motion picture, starring Jerem...

Hey there! Hi there! Ho there!  You’re as welcome as can be when ANDREW LAPOSHA returns to the show to hang out with Dan, as they discuss their all-time favorite characters from the House of Mouse. From the pioneer days of Steamboat Willie to the Pixar era and beyond, these boys-who-never-quite-grew-up compare their lists of talking animals, villains, fairies, princesses, dwarves, and robots.  The...

To celebrate the show's FIFTIETH epsiode, Dan wanted to feature his all-time favorite music group -- so, he invited author, blogger, and Fab Four fan extraordinaire SARA SCHMIDT onto the show, to talk about favorite BEATLES SONGS.   With so many classics to choose from, listing just ten apiece sometimes felt like it might be…all too much.  But Dan and Sara did manage to include not only plent...

Film journalist and critic DANIEL PERSONS beams onto Let’s Talk Ten, joining host Dan Fisher for a fun and thoughtful conversation about their all-time favorite SCIENCE FICTION MOVIES.  From rocket ships and robots to time travel and existential quandaries – to infinity and beyond – Dan and Daniel discuss some of the greatest films of all time (regardless of genre) as well as some more far-out tit...

Billboard editor and podcast host ANDREW UNTERBERGER talks with Dan about their favorite MUSICAL ARTISTS of the past 25 years.  It’s the first of what will be three special “Let’s Talk Ten” episodes devoted exclusively to the music, movies, and TV/streaming shows of this millennium.  Even though they come from different generations, both Andrew and Dan are passionate about music in every form – po...

Veteran film/TV workers – and long-time married couple – KERRY & LISA WEEKS join Dan to talk about their favorite “COMFORT FOOD” MOVIES: ones that -- no matter how many times they’ve seen them -- if they come on the television or are suggested by a streamer, they’ll stop whatever they’re doing to watch.  A warm, thoughtful, and very funny conversation about movies, between three friends, just...

Nationally syndicated radio personality ED KALEGI (“America Weekend with Ed Kalegi) joins the show to share moments from ten of the most MEMORABLE CONVERSATIONS he’s had with celebrities and notable public figures including Carol Burnett, Richard Lewis, and Dick Cavett.   Dan loves a good story and little-known tidbits about famous people, and Ed could literally tell them for days.  It was great t...

There are few people qualified to discuss some of the all-time great child actors…than Moosie Drier.  In the 1970s, little Moosie seemed to be on every channel of the television, all at one time – with regular appearances on Laugh-In and The Bob Newhart Show, guest spots on everything from Lassie to CHiPS, and about a gazillion commercials.  This kid was on movie screens too,  in Up the Sandbox wi...

Los Angeles-based Assistant Director SIMONE FARBER (“Boyz N Da Hood”, “Crash”) joins Dan (a New York-area Prop Master) as they choose and discuss ten of their all-time favorite movies to represent their respective area codes.  If theirs is a rivalry at all, it’s a very friendly one, as Simone is, like Dan, a certified movie fanatic who loves sharing behind-the-scenes stories.  As they examine mast...

“Once upon a time, if you wanted to know if a movie was worth seeing, you didn’t check out Rotten Tomatoes or IMDB.  You asked whether Siskel & Ebert had given it Two Thumbs Up.” MATT SINGER, the editor and critic at ScreenCrush and author of the bestselling “OPPOSABLE THUMBS: HOW SISKEL & EBERT CHANGED MOVIES FOREVER” joins Dan to discuss the lives of, arguably, the two most influential f...

Singer and songwriter KATHLEEN FISHER hangs out on her big brother’s show to talk about their all-time favorite VOCALISTS in popular music. To add a twist to the discussion, Kathleen’s list will include only male singers, while Dan’s list will include only women. Besides some surprising choices and a lot of great music, this episode is filled with lots of fun, laughter, and banter that only close...

On the previous episode, Dan and his guest, film critic DANNY PEARY, had such a terrific time discussing favorite movies from their respective youths, that they managed to get through only half of their lists before their time ran out. So -- they’re back for more!  Ten more classics films, from the 1940’s through the 1970’s, each holding special significance within its young viewer's little h...

One of Dan’s all-time favorite film critics, DANNY PEARY (“Cult Movies”) joins him to talk about a subject dear to both of their hearts: the movies they first watched – and loved – while in their respective youths. The conversation spans eras, nations, and genres – from classic westerns to goofball comedies -- with fond recollections of Saturday afternoons spent at the local movie houses and late...

HO! HO! HO! Pour yourself some eggnog, pull on your favorite ugly sweater – it’s the time of year for our SECOND ANNUAL HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR! In the spirit of those classic old variety specials once hosted by Bing Crosby or Andy Williams, this episode offers something for everyone -- as Dan welcomes his special guests:  * Actress HEATHER THOMAS drops by to talk about her favorite Christmas stuff –...

Norman Lear died just a year ago, at age 101, but his legacy of shows – All in the Family, Maude, Sanford and Son, Good Times, Mary Hartman Marty Hartman, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons – will endure for as long as reruns exist, and viewers wish to laugh, while thinking at the same time.  Entertainment journalist, adjunct professor of media studies, and bestselling author TRIPP WHETSELL visits...

Thanksgiving is almost here -- which, for many, is an occasion to spend some quality time with family from all over: the feisty grandparents, the precocious kids, the weird cousins, the crazy uncle. Dan and his guest, visual artist and podcaster (“Off the Easel”) CATHERINE MOORE, decided to spend some time with the Bluths, the Munsters, the Evanses, plus many more of their favorite TV FAMILIES. Yo...