As a member of Generation X, it's safe to say that the 1990's were the most transformative decade of my lifetime. Growing up as a kid in in the 1980's provided a seemingly straightforward framework of how the world operated. A young person could easily believe that this would last forever. Perhaps everyone thinks this about their childhood. However, it seemed like we were cruising down the road of understood expectations, and then we went flying off the map. The 90's was a time of overwhelming change in every aspect of life. It can sometimes be startling to realize that... Read more →

Valerie Bertinelli is a multi-talented woman who has enjoyed success on multiple fronts over the course of her career. Of course, many know her for her roles on TV shows like One Day at a Time and Hot in Cleveland. She is also the Emmy Award-winning host of the Food Network's Valerie's Home Cooking and Kids Baking Championship. However, her accomplishments are not limited to television: She's the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Losing It; Finding It; as well as other books, including a popular cookbook. Bertinelli is well-known for her positive public persona, but like everyone,... Read more →

Will Smith is one of the biggest stars in our lifetime. He's succeeded in multiple mediums with Grammy award-winning rap albums, one of the most popular TV shows of the 1990's, and he also starred in a record eight straight movies that grossed at least $100 million. Smith has a famous wife and kids, and he is recognized and loved by audiences around the world. In short, he's a BFD. Will Smith has now taken his skills to the world of books with his new memoir, Will. (out now) A quick moment to acknowledge some preexisting bias before we go... Read more →

It's been just over a year since Eddie Van Halen died, but it's still hard to believe that the guitar icon is no longer with us. The man reinvented his instrument, both with his playing approach and technical innovations., setting the stage for legions of imitators to try to copy him. He lit up the rock music landscape for almost 50 years, from infamous backyard parties in high school, to Los Angeles clubs, and then arenas around the world. He was a creative force who went through some mind-blowing highs and dark lows during the course of his life. However,... Read more →

There will never be another professional sports dynasty like the New England Patriots. Other teams may win more championships, but there will never be an almost 20-year-run where a league is so consistently dominated by just three individuals like quarterback Tom Brady, head coach Bill Belichick, and owner Robert Kraft. These men are the elite of the elite in their fields. That they were able to both create this juggernaut and keep it going for so long is remarkable. There were many factors that could, and perhaps should, have derailed them much earlier, but these men would not let anything... Read more →

Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick made national headlines five years ago when he started taking a knee while the U.S. national anthem played before his games. Kaepernick was exercising his freedom of speech by using this silent gesture to draw attention to the killing of Black men by the police across this country. His simple gesture fueled a national debate that continues to this day, as the Black Lives Matter campaign has become a powerful national movement. Colin Kaepernick was blackballed by the league for his actions, but his influence as a public figure is exponentially greater today than if... Read more →

The United States is a sports-obsessed country, but millions of fans remain apathetic at best about the rampant sexism and misogyny that permeates every corner of professional athletics. We largely turn a blind eye to criminal behavior like domestic violence committed by athletes because we don't want to think about our heroes committing such terrible acts. There's also the reality that so many men seem to get angry about women participating in sports at any level, whether it's as athletes, reporters, or in other roles. While some progress has been made over the years, this country has so much further... Read more →

The story of Jeffrey Epstein is a stain on the United States. The wealthy businessman spent years sexually abusing underage women, while forcing many of them to also perform services for his associates. He faced little to no repercussions for his actions for the majority of his life until his suspicious death in a prison cell in 2019. This monster ruined many lives, and rather than provide justice, the U.S. judicial system failed his victims at almost every turn because he had the vast resources to evade meaningful consequences. Many people know the general outline of the story as we... Read more →

Richard Marx is not a modest man, and his new memoir, Stories to Tell, is better off for it. The singer/songwriter/producer has had an amazing career for almost 40 years. Many remember his 1987 debut album which included the classic hits, "Should've Known Better," "Endless Summer Nights," "Don't Mean Nothing," and "Hold on to the Nights." He's sold over 30 million albums over the course of his career. However, some people may not know that he was a successful backup singer for years before going out on his own, and he's also written and produced many hits for other artists... Read more →

The United States struggles with few issues as much as the undying prevalence of racism in this country. Discrimination shows its ugly face daily in every aspect of American life, from police brutality, to unequal employment and education opportunities, to the racial hostility that put Donald Trump in the White House as a backlash to eight years of Barack Obama in the Oval Office. "Black Lives Matter" protests dominate the headlines because this country consistently shows that we collectively don't believe it. As debates about civil rights rage on, it would be helpful for many members of our society to... Read more →