The Locher Room

Author Neil Adams joined me to discuss his book, From the Pile, and the extraordinary life of his close friend Michael Dorian. During our conversation, Neil reflected on their nearly 30-year friendship, Michael’s childhood trauma, HIV diagnosis, search for love and acceptance, and his determination to build a better life. We also discussed Michael’s decision to run toward Ground Zero on September...

Amanda Reyes and Daniel Budnik joined me for a fascinating conversation inspired by the Soap Operas in Popular Culture Conference and their presentation, Daytime After Dark: Exploring the Relationship Between the Daytime Drama and the Primetime Made-for-TV Movie. Together, we looked at the surprising connection between daytime soap operas and the primetime TV movie boom of the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90...

Actor Josh Murray joined me for a thoughtful conversation about his award-winning performance in  Gym Rat , the dark psychological thriller that earned him Best Actor honors at the Beverly Hills Film Festival. Josh discussed his lifelong love of movies and how film helped shape the course of his life and career. We explored the powerful themes at the heart of  Gym Rat , including addiction, mental...

Jen Jacob and Jordi Vilasuso joined me in The Locher Room for a fun and insightful conversation about their work on Beyond the Gates and their journeys through the entertainment industry. Jen talked about her audition process for the role of Ashley Morgan, transitioning from primetime and film into daytime television, and the fast pace that comes with working on a soap. She also opened up about th...

Jon Lindstrom joined me in The Locher Room to discuss his new novel  Hollywood Payback  and what it took to follow up  Hollywood Hustle . He opened up about the pressure of writing a second book, the discipline of his early morning routine, and why he truly fell in love with the writing process. We also talked about the research behind the book, including the experts he leaned on to bring authenti...

Holocaust survivor Nate Leipciger joined me for a powerful  Conversation with Alan , sharing his story of survival, resilience, and the responsibility to bear witness. At just 11 years old, Nate was forced into ghettos and later Auschwitz during the Nazi occupation of Poland. He survived unimaginable conditions alongside his father, including a death march, before being liberated in 1945. His moth...

Eric Feltes joined me for a powerful and honest conversation about healing from religious trauma, unlearning shame, and building confidence, intimacy, and self-worth. Growing up in a conservative evangelical environment, Eric shares what it was like to feel that being gay was incompatible with belonging, and how that early messaging shaped his identity. He opens up about the moment everything chan...

Jessica Collins and Lisa Melamed joined me to talk about their heartfelt book  Where’s Big Dog? , inspired by Jessica’s loss of her beloved dog Lucy and the journey of turning that grief into something meaningful for families. We talked about the genesis of the book, how a deeply personal moment became the foundation for a story centered on love, loss and healing, and how they approached creating...

In this episode of The Locher Room, Alan sat down with authors Diana Malkin and Margaret Gurevich for a meaningful conversation about identity, culture, and the stories that shape who we are. Margaret shares the inspiration behind her new novel,  Yasha’s Amazin’ Bar Mitzvah , a coming-of-age story set in 1986 that follows a young Russian American boy navigating life between cultures while preparin...

Carl Tye Evans joined me to revisit his time as Alan-Michael Spaulding on  Guiding Light  and Nick Scudder on  As the World Turns , sharing memories from both shows and reflecting on his years in daytime. In a special moment, Kristina Sisco Romero (Abigail Williams) dropped in to surprise Carl as we celebrated what would have been the 70th anniversary of  As the World Turns . Together, they looked...

Katherine Kamhi joined me to reflect on her career across daytime television, primetime, and film. Best known for her roles as Pamela Kingsley on  All My Children  and Marcy Campbell on  Guiding Light , she discussed getting her start at 16 while balancing school and a demanding production schedule during a peak era of daytime television. She shared memories of working with Susan Lucci, her friend...

Rich Burns, Gedde Watanabe, James Campbell and Chuck Saculla joined me in The Locher Room to preview Season 2 of  The Disappointments , the Humanitas Prize-winning series that resonated with audiences for its honest, funny and heartfelt storytelling. We talked about the long journey to bring Season 2 to life, revisiting Season 1 through the Director’s Cut, and what fans could expect as the story c...

Damian Pelliccione joined me in The Locher Room to discuss the journey behind Revry, the first global queer-owned streaming platform. Damian shared how the idea for Revry was sparked while watching an Apple keynote and how that lightbulb moment led to building a platform focused on LGBTQ+ storytelling and visibility. We talked about Damian’s path from actor to entrepreneur, the early scrappy launc...

Five-time Emmy nominee Thom Racina joined me for a fascinating look back at a remarkable career in daytime television and beyond. Thom shared behind-the-scenes stories from General Hospital’s iconic Luke & Laura wedding, casting Stephen Nichols as Patch on Days of Our Lives, and what it was like bringing the legendary Elizabeth Taylor to Port Charles. His stories were candid, funny, and filled...

Director  Michael Walker  and writer  Susan Gomes  joined me in The Locher Room to talk about their film  The Legend of Juan Jose Mundo . Set in suburban New York in 1984, the film is built from a collection of real experiences Susan and her friends lived through during their high school years. Together, Michael and Susan wove those shared memories into a story centered on a charismatic Spanish ex...

In this episode of The Locher Room, Alan spoke with two remarkable debut authors for a thoughtful conversation about love, grief, identity, and the stories that shape our lives. Ellery Capshaw, who daytime fans remember as Natalie Snyder on  As the World Turns , discussed her powerful debut poetry collection  Three Walled World . In the book, Ellery reflects on growing up on a Brooklyn soundstage,...

Thirty years after All My Children broke new ground with the Michael Delaney storyline, Rodney Wilson and Chris Bruno come together for the first time to reflect on the moment that changed both of their lives. Rodney shares what it meant to come out to his students in 1994 during a Holocaust lesson, the backlash that followed, and how that classroom moment became part of a much larger national con...

On this episode of  The Locher Room , Alan Locher sat down with  Ambyr Michelle  and  Trisha Mann-Grant , who star as Eva and Leslie Thomas on CBS’s  Beyond the Gates . Fresh from the set, Ambyr and Trisha talked about building their on-screen mother-daughter dynamic, the audition and screen test process, and what it’s been like stepping into a brand-new daytime series led by an all-Black cast wit...

Actor Alexander Walters, best known to daytime fans as Mark Kasnoff on As the World Turns, joined me in The Locher Room for a thoughtful and fun conversation about his unique career journey. Alexander looked back on his time on ATWT, sharing memories from life on set during the ’90s, working with his castmates, and stepping into the fast-paced world of daytime television. He also talked about his...

Jean Leclerc joined me in The Locher Room for a charming, funny, and heartfelt conversation reflecting on a remarkable career in daytime television and the theater. Soap fans know Jean best as Jeremy Hunter on  All My Children , and in this episode he shared wonderful stories from his time in Pine Valley, including working closely with Kate Collins and reflecting on a memorable era of daytime tele...

On the anniversary of January 6, Alan Locher hosts a timely and deeply important conversation about radicalization, antisemitism, and prevention. Joining Alan are Arno Michaelis and Dana Grueser from Parents for Peace.  — two voices shaped by lived experience and committed to helping families interrupt cycles of hate before they turn into violence. Arno shares his journey out of violent extremist...

Recorded at the  Soap Operas in Popular Culture Conference , this special conversation features  Constance McCashin , best known to audiences as  Laura Avery on  Knots Landing . Constance reflects on being part of the original Knots Landing cast from the very beginning, the friendships that shaped her years on Seaview Circle, and why Laura’s story continues to resonate with fans decades later. She...

If you’re thinking about starting a family — or supporting someone who is — this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. In this episode of  The Locher Room , Alan Locher is joined by  George Moore and Mike Snaric , husbands, dads to twin boys, and the co-founders of  Families Out Loud , an organization dedicated to providing inclusive, ethical, and trusted education around IVF, surrogacy, and m...

I’m excited to share this special conference conversation with  Kin Shriner , best known to daytime audiences as  Scotty Baldwin  on  General Hospital  and  Port Charles . Recorded at the  Soap Operas in Popular Culture Conference , Kin was candid, funny, and generous as he reflected on his decades in daytime television, the evolution of the genre, and the enduring connection between soap operas a...

In this special episode of  The Locher Room , we dive into  Soap Operas, Fandom & More  with three voices whose stories highlight why daytime television continues to matter. Paul Gosselin ,  Annie Armstrong , and  Elisa Smith  share deeply personal reflections on growing up with soaps, finding comfort and identity in these stories, and forming emotional connections to characters who felt like...