David Koechner Issue

David Koechner cover and TOC

Giving us the Facts of Life Part 1–Charlotte Rae

On a beautiful Los Angeles afternoon in a high-rise overlooking the city, contributing writers Geri Jewell and David Zimmerman had a wonderful visit with the legendary actress Charlotte Rae. Both Jewell and Rae starred in the 80s sitcom The Facts of Life. They were joined by publicist and friend, B. Harlan Boll, for a ... Read more

Beauty and BPD–Syanne Centeno

  “I advise that you keep your diagnosis to yourself.” These were the first words my psychiatrist uttered upon revealing that I am living with borderline personality disorder (BPD). BPD is a serious mental illness that is highly stigmatized by the public, and even some mental health professionals refuse to treat those affected. The ... Read more

Lion to Autism–Jamie Knight

“Can I pet your dog?” is a question that is rarely heard at the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference. Participants, speakers, and even hotel staff simply don’t ask. If it’s March, it’s conference season, and service dogs and their owners descend en masse to San Diego. These dogs are working as service animals: assisting people ... Read more

Bulletproof and Mental Health–Justin Peck

To say Justin Peck lives life at full-throttle would be inadequate. Yes, he’s a champion off-road motorcycle and race truck driver; yes, he’s a serial entrepreneur with numerous businesses including his own racing team; and yes, he outworks just about everyone on and off the track. But perhaps among his more noteworthy achievements is ... Read more

Art of Diverse Dancing–Candoco

  British weekly newspaper The Observer reviewed the Candoco Dance Company in 2007 with a bold statement: “Candoco is the company for which choreographers reserve their wildest and often most inventive work.” Today, Candoco is still living up to that description as it celebrates 25 years of dance in the UK. “We believe this ... Read more

gough — The Vision Behind Beernuts

Most filmmakers rely on their ability to see in order to make films. But Australian filmmaker and author gough’s vision doesn’t rely on sight. Instead gough (pronounced “goff”), who is legally blind, writes, directs, edits and produces all of his films with the help of a well-curated crew. His eleven-year-old company, Beernuts Productions, makes ... Read more

Poetic Documentation–Yu Xiuhua

Yu Xiuhua is a poet with cerebral palsy who became massively popular when one of poems went viral. Thereafter, everything changed for her. Her poetry was published, her book signings drew crowds and her income increased dramatically. But not all that happened to Yu was joyful and positive. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer ... Read more

The Brotherhood of MS

For the past 75 years, while most of the country transitions into spring by swapping out snow shovels for garden hoes, a bazillion bikers from all over the country migrate to Daytona Beach for Bike Week. For most, it’s a ritual that starts by giving up shaving for a week or two, dusting off ... Read more

Dad on Aisle 7

Like millions of other Americans, grocery shopping is frequently a part of my weekly routine. I do it independently, and there’s a certain comfort in that. For example, knowing that I have enough money to grocery shop feels good, and a well-stocked refrigerator and cupboards mean that I can rest assured that I’ll have ... Read more

Can we Fast a Little Faster?

Being a Catholic, every year I’m hit with this thing called Lent. This is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. The Lenten season is a time when many Christians observe a period of fasting, repentance, moderation, self-denial, and spiritual discipline (Of course they would pick all the things I’m not good at). The ... Read more

Back on track!

Happy Spring! I hope your year has been going smoothly so far, and that you were able to get rolling on your 2017 resolutions. I’m all moved into my new tiny house, and I’m still in the process of getting everything set up. I thought it would be turnkey ready, as they say in ... Read more

An Anchored Man–David Koechner

There’s funny and then there’s hysterical. Comedian, writer and producer David Koechner falls clearly into the latter camp. You’ll recognize him, for his face jumps out from some of the funniest comedy films and TV series over the last decade and a half, including Anchorman and Anchorman 2, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Get Smart, The ... Read more