But it was the talent portion that really fascinated me. There were ladies playing piano, playing marimba, accordion, even the cups, monologues from plays, tap dancing, baton twirlers, fire dances, women walking on glass. Two of my favorites were Miss America 1961, Nancy Ann Fleming, her talent was she showed several different ways to pack a suitcase for the weekend, and Vonda Kay Van Dyke, Miss America 1965, who was not a half bad ventriloquist. But rarely was there someone with any real talent. And then in 1984, Miss New York State, this stunning 20-year-old Black American woman sang a version of Happy Days Are Here Again with an arrangement similar to Barbra Streisand’s groundbreaking interpretation of the song. She was goddamn good! Like, Broadway-bound good! And that’s how Vanessa Williams became Miss America in 1984. She was smart. She had poise. Her politics was startlingly aligned with the way young America thought. And it turns out she was incredibly tough. 

That toughness has led Vanessa to more comebacks than most people get in a lifetime, except she never calls them a comeback because to her, she never actually went away. She’s had a bestselling book. She has had top records. She’s been on Broadway and Into the Woods and Kiss of the Spider Woman. I see her in everything. We loved her on Desperate Housewives. We loved her even more on Ugly Betty. She’s sung at the Super Bowl. She’s sung at the Oscars. When people ask you what’s one of my favorite holiday memories, I tell them I went Christmas shopping with Vanessa Williams because that’s how I did my Egg magazine interview with her. Vanessa is now the toast of London. where she is starring in Elton John’s smash hit musical adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada, which may never get to New York because the damn thing just keeps getting extended. And now I have saved the best for last because she is with me here on The Happy Grownup and I couldn’t be more delighted.

But that's not the only reason why I adore Anastasia. In fact, when we launched The Happy Grown Up a year ago, I was thrilled to have her as one of my first guests. I've known the lady for over 20 years, and yet for all of her facial wizardry, the reason why I find her so irresistible is her unflagging self-possession, her resolute belief in her own vision, her commitment to her mission, her insatiable curiosity to know more, to share more, and to relentlessly convince us that everyone is blessed not only with their own individual stamp of beauty, but with the power to fulfill their fondest dreams.

And today, I welcome Anastasia back to The Happy Grown-Up because she has chronicled her story, her incredible drive, and her uplifting spirit in print. Her new book, Raising Brows, has become an instant bestseller, not just because Oprah christened it as a revelation and a joy to read, but it's also because her pursuit of innovation and self-satisfaction is a memoir so inspirational that it makes you question why you would ever doubt going for your own dreams.

Her message is simple and clear. Go for it. Full throttle. Never take your eyes off the prize. Never doubt yourself or be stifled by doubters. And always know that tomorrow gives you another day to make your life better. Raising Brows is a book that insists that happiness thrives when you are the biggest cheerleader of your own life. So I just had to have her here. Welcome Anastasia back because with all the chatter and nonsense crashing around us. We need her positivity and joyful noise more than ever.

You may not recognize her name, but there’s a damn good chance you have connected with at least one channel of the extraordinary communications corporation that she founded 45 years ago. Starting with one lone radio station in Washington, D.C., Miss Hughes soon expanded her reach with an insinuating late-night format that instantly became the soundtrack for millions of us during the ‘70s when we wanted to turn the lights down low. The Quiet Storm featured nonstop R&B and soul music by artists like Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, and Teddy Pendergrass at their most sultry and hip-grinding best. Spurred by that success, Hughes founded Radio One, now renamed Urban One, which commands over 60 radio and television stations across the United States, the most prominent distributor of lifestyle information and music content for African Americans and people of color. 

In 1999, Ms. Hughes became the first woman of color to take her company public. She is an inspiring entrepreneur, educator, musical visionary, force for social good, and a paramount example of self-reliance, resilience, and guts. Our Happy Grownup friend, Aaron Walton says that Kathy’s energy is so constant and formidable that she can make you feel like the laziest person on earth. So with the risk of falling into that demoralized state, I am delighted to welcome this cultural powerhouse, Miss Cathy Hughes.

And there is no one, absolutely no one, who writes about this big love with more relish, passion, warmth, insight, and more consistent and healing joy than Ruth Reichl. Though Ruth is probably best known to many as the former legendary and mysteriously dressed restaurant critic for the New York Times, and later as the editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine. You have to read Ruth when she is writing just feet from her kitchen or strolling through a green market to be swept away by her unabashed delight being inspired by the sight of a ruby red rhubarb or chopping up her own steak to make hamburger meat.

It’s not just that her writing makes you hungry. She reminds you of the wonder of nature, of the incredible alchemy of cooking, of the immediate satisfaction of creating something delicious and then the magic that happens when you share it with others. Reading Comfort Me With Apples, Garlic and Sapphires, and Tender at the Bone. Damn, I even love the book titles. You can’t help but be seduced by her into believing that food is an endless and uplifting adventure. And if it results in any longing, it’s only because you are not sitting at her table when she serves you her carbonara. I am just tickled that she is here with me this week.

Ellerbee is retired now and that’s the media’s loss. However, we’ve been great friends for 40 years, and that’s my gain, so I want to share my good fortune with you Just listen to Linda’s illuminating attitudes concerning retirement, health, news, family, fun, joy, giving back, and best of all, why she doesn’t believing in wasting time because none of us know how much more of it we’ve got left. Prepare to be fascinated. Linda Ellerbee is this week’s guest on The Happy Grownup podcast.

Beth Ann was one of our first Happy Grownup interviews, and listening again to her insight, wit. unapologetic arrogance and matter-of-fact-damn-she’s-smart attitude got me so excited, that those of you have not yet heard her need to stop whatever you are doing and get inspired by the most independent person I have ever met. Beth Ann no longer walks a runway, but baby, she still deserves a spotlight as maybe the Happiest Grownup I know

Listen. Enjoy. Learn.

But what I admire most about her is that she has used her success to create platforms that mentor and inspire youth and organizations which empower women, expand voting rights and even elevate men.  Maybe it’s the upcoming Jewish holidays that have me thinking this way, but she’s what I’d call a real “mensch”. She’s one of the good ones.  I can’t wait for you to meet her.    

But what makes somebody cool? Well, you can have incredible style like Zendaya, incredible looks like Chris Hemsworth, or incredible talent like Bruce Springsteen. But for me, the coolest people have always been anyone who can make me laugh. Growing up, I didn't want to be an athlete like Sandy Koufax or a brooding idol like Montgomery Clift. I wanted to be Dick Van Dyke because I thought everything he did was funny without being a clown. I don't think there is any greater gift than to have that power, which is probably why I'm so enamored of today's guest, David Kohan.

When I was on the board of Live Out Loud, an organization devoted to helping LGBTQ youth, I asked a quartet of students who were being awarded college scholarships to name the one person who had made the greatest difference in our culture. Almost all of them cited either a politician with a vision, back when we still had some of those, gay rights advocates or heads of charities. However, one student stood there wincing and bewildered by the response of his fellow honorees. Noting his apparent dissension, I asked his opinion, at which point he perked up with that knowing grin that people have when they're confident that everyone else has missed the obvious. Will and Grace, he replied, with a hint of ‘duh’ in his tone. Will and Grace made all the difference, not just because they made me laugh, but because that laughter helped save lives. Those two guys who created that show, they should get medals. The other honorees nodded in agreement because they knew he was right. David Kohan, along with his writing partner, Max Mutchnick, created Will and Grace.

David and Max didn't just save lives. They changed our culture by creating a quartet of friends who were equally funny, clever, socially aware, romantically damaged, ever hopeful, often petty, occasionally jealous, but always loving and always loyal. Straight or gay, that's exactly how you want your life to be. Because it proves that regardless of the challenges from inside as well as out, with the right attitude and the right friends, everyone can be happy. Is it any wonder I'm crazy about David Kohan?

He'd be like Steve Pacheco. Having embarked on his career path from the moment he watched his first 60 second spot on television, Pacheco’s long, varied and successful career, includes overseeing ads for two Fortune 500 companies and a dozen years of some of the most memorable Superbowl ads of all time.

Now, as president of the American Advertising Federation, Pacheco is guiding this powerful industry in upheaval, faced ad blockers, declining attention spans and an AI revolution that could leave many creatives jobless, as well as figuring out how to reach multiple generations of customers and clients who have now splintered into niches, each with needs that are now more specific than ever. And yet, Steve Pacheco still loves the game, because he still retains the power to seduce, inspire, and acquire. Advertising is “about discovery,” says Pacheco. “A great ad that scores a direct hit as thrilling as ever” he says with a grin as wide as someone walking into a surprise birthday party. Don Draper never smiled this much in his entire life.

There are now over 8,000 dating sites around the globe. You name the category. Farmers, sea captains, Christian singles, Jewish singles, Asian singles, geeks, gays, those who are vegan, gluten-free, furries, Trekkies, ridiculously wealthy, bearded, and believe it or not, haters. And with more than 30% of those over 50 being single, there are now countless sites for us New Agers.

I have known Terry Agins since I started sitting in the front row at fashion shows more than 30 years ago. She's a feisty one. Boisterous, wicked smart, funny, opinionated with a singular energy I have always found fascinating. What also intrigued me about her is that unlike most women in fashion, she didn't travel in a pack. She wasn't part of a clique. In fact, she was often on her own. And then suddenly, about seven years ago, she wasn't. There was this tall, striking, white-haired dude, always by her side. Where the hell did Paul Hands come from? And how come he is still around? Well, that's because Terry and Paul are now married, very happily married, I might add. So for all of you new agers currently searching for companionship, and for those who are hopeful or hopeless romantics, we are going to find out why love is lovelier the second time around.

Oddly and surprisingly, Mario is probably most like himself as a cabaret performer, where he is a marvelous storyteller, an engaging singer, a brilliant impressionist, and frankly, an unapologetic romantic. I wish Netflix would record him at the Cafe Carlyle in New York or give him a special so that the rest of you can discover this softer and very winning charm of his. But in the meantime, Mario Cantone, thanks to Hot Fellas Bakery, is going to have to deal with the fact that he is a sex symbol at age 65. We should all have such problems like that at this age.

Being surrounded and bombarded by tumult on an hourly basis, having somewhere you can exhale and collapse in comfort has never seemed more desirable. Yet design is in a tumultuous state. People got used to being at home. Many are still working from there. Family room flat screens on the weekend are often as likely to have on HGTV as football these days. Lots of folks are investing in DIY projects, adapting to innovation and technology, to design extremes and innovation. The price of furniture, custom work, and construction has skyrocketed and promises only to increase. How do we, especially New Agers who want a refresh, create an environment that reflects a shift or an evolution in our lives?

For me, Shawn is the perfect interior designer to speak about this because his head isn’t spun around by every new phase or fad that shows up. And for New Agers how nice to know that he isn’t terrified if you have acquired a lot of ‘stuff’ (But only to a point). Fashion can be fast, easily used and discarded within months. I’ve learned to be good with that. But I’m not redesigning my home every season. And neither is anyone I know. You want a home that functions, that reflects you and gives you room to shake your shoulders. Listen to Shawn Henderson. This is the guy who can open the door to that oasis. That’s why he is this week’s Happy Grownup podcast.

Over 100,000 people in The Big Apple tune in with him to watch and listen to Rosanna Scotto each weekday morning, because instead of getting beaten over the head with yet more examples of people behaving badly, Rosanna keeps informing us, enticing us and enriching us with still more places to go, things to do and people to see in her beloved hometown. What’s even more winning about her consistently engaging features, stories, and conversations is that Rosanna’s curiosity remains unabated after 18 years at GDNY, a legacy made even more impressive after listening to last week’s guest on THG, Cristina Ferrare recall being abruptly from The Hallmark Channel when she was merely 62 for being “too old.”

Smart, smartly tailored, and vibrantly talkative, Scotto’s guests come from sports, the arts, childcare, exercise, travel, and of course, food, In fact, a lot of food. That’s because for more than three decades, the Scotto family has been welcoming everyone coming for their signature lasagna and zucchini chips with gorgonzola at Fresco by Scotto as if we’d been invited to their home for Sunday dinner. And some of the biggest hugs and warmest smiles come from Rosanna, who seems to be doing double duty without breaking a sweat. Still looking for someone, anyone, you can admire first thing in the morning? You can’t do much better than this New Ager making the most out of the second half of her life.

On this week’s Happy Grownup podcast

However, blessed with an inquisitive, adventurous spirit, Ferrere has never relied solely on her looks. She acted in films, hosted multiple TV shows, and became instrumental in jumpstarting the formerly benign Hallmark Channel into a network behemoth, TV’s prime mover of hot chocolate, mistletoe and happy endings, only to be abruptly dismissed at age 62 for being “too old.”

Though reeling from the shock at first - kind of makes you want to torch a Christmas tree farm - here’s why we’re mad for this beautiful inside-and-out New Ager. Rather than weep into her eggnog, Ferrere forged ahead, writing half a dozen New York Times bestselling cookbooks, designing a successful jewelry line, becoming a wellness advocate, campaigning tirelessly for early detection and treatment as a cancer survivor (she has multiple myeloma) and joining her good friend Maria Shriver in raising awareness about and fund for treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. Cristina is passionate about her loves, especially her husband or 40 years former ABC executive Tommy Thomopoulus), her daughters, and foo - oh definitely food - and as you’\ll discover this week’s podcast, she’s still thrilled to come up with a new recipe, another way to feel good, and one more opportunity to give back. Not to dump on the Good Gook, but it was Keats had it right. “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” If only there was time travel, Keats would have such a crush on Cristian Ferrere. Hey John, get in line.

But to truly appreciate this force of better nature in her natural element, join Bevy’s quarter of a million followers on her vibrant Instagram account, and tune into her weekly Sirius XM talk show Bevelations, where this unapologetic maximalist advocates for her maxim “It Gets Greater Later.” In fact, in response to any cynic too quick to  bitch that life is now the pits, leave it to Bevy to remind us that this means there has to be a bowlful of cherries somewhere nearby. 

Funny. The same thing happened when John took an interest in Randy Goldberg and David Heath’s wild idea to build a company that would give away one pair of socks to the homeless for every sock they sold. The other Sharks thought they were nuts. John’s instincts thought their goal was as heartfelt as it was fearless. So, he invested again. Bombas socks is now valued at $3.4 billion dollars. However, John is not above seeking advice from others which is why he this guy with dyslexia has read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill 23 times. And look at that! John thought and John did.

So when this mogul, author, philanthropist, lecturer, and emphatically cool New Agers, tells you the value of reading his 10 goals first thing every morning and last thing every night, how he now monitors his health after a life-altering scare, why he’s determined not to make the same mistakes with his second family that he made with his first and who his mentors are, my instincts tell me that Daymond John is fearless, which is why your goal should be to listen to his Happy Grownup podcast

Pick any subject - health, exercise, longevity, beauty, AI, the magic of last loves, canned tuna, and of course, fashion - just cue the topic, and first she will engage you. Then she will dazzle you. Finally, she will convert you.

Why should you listen to Norma? Because this raven-haired dynamo has generated more more trends in nearly six decades of consistently disruptive fashion design than the entire roster of LVMH. Because She owned her own line when it was a man’s game and has maintained ownership though the game has been taken over by ravenous corporations. Because she knew the value of wellness while most of us were chain-guzzling Diet Coke, because she can still do a full split, because she has a bullshit detector more precise than a diamond cutter, and because she just became a bride again at… well, I’ll let her tell you how old she is… but she hardly looks old enough to qualify for Medicare.

Norma is laser focused about her next goal. She is determined to live to be 120. And if you follow her lead, you just might be around to see that she does it.

Listen to why my money is on Norma Kamali to blow out those candles. She is this week’s very special guest on The Happy Grownup podcast.

Geoffrey’s restaurants have been hot spots as well as Michelin starred. He seems to be on television every half hour, perfectly groomed, whether hovering over a stove or the judging table. His kitchen equipment sells out on HSN since his pitch is effortless. And to show that, despite his obsession, his priorities are in order, Geoffrey’s most recent cookbook, The Family That Cooks Together is a charming collaboration with Margaret and two daughters, Madeline and Anna.

In our interview, Geoffrey enthusiastically expounds on the elusive elements that make a restaurant a success, the exhilaration of creating a craveable dish, the kind of service he - and you - should expect, savvy hacks for home entertaining, why exercise and moderation is essential for anyone with a big appetite and, of course, why he is a habitually Happy Grownup. Listen to his story, and I promise - to steal a classic movie quote - you’ll want to have what he’s having.

Join me and Rosie at this week’s Happy Grownup podcast  

So, it's no surprise that some of our favorite stars - Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis, Sandra Bullock, Calista Flockhart (all New Agers, btw), Jessica Chastain, and Amanda Seyfried, not only trust her implicitly, but embrace Elizabeth as a confidante and pal. 

We have been friends for more than three decades, and I marvel at the way Elizabeth faces the future without fear, and possesses such a positive attitude, that instead of moping about because she’s now an Empty Nester, swiftly chose to de-kidproof her house with more space for her and her husband screenwriter/producer Rob Bragin to snuggle in every night as they watch Rachel Maddow 

Without question, her impeccable style rules on the red carpet, but Elizabeth Stewart’s true power is knowing that real life doesn’t need sequins and bugle beads to be beautiful. 

Listen to her today on THE HAPPY GROWNUP podcast.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

- The power of Radical Acceptance

- How grownups can make new friends

- Why dating af any age sends you right back to high school  

- The one word you never use when assessing your worth

- The calming effect of admitting your fears out loud

- Why you might you as well embrace change because it’s life’s only constant

…and it won’t cost you nothing.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

As CEO of the esteemed ad agency Walton/Isaacson, this self-described “Enlightened Rebel,” and inductee into the Advertising Hall of Fame and part-time model (at 60) has overseen groundbreaking diversity in campaigns for such powerful brands as Lexus, American Airlines and McDonalds, yet he’s clearly aware that his “Agency of the Year” is an anomaly and that his colleagues need to wake up. Without provocation, he declares “It’s a cliché to say that older people do not understand or embrace technology. That’s crap.” And he’s just getting started.