Alison Arngrim: The Unexpected Life of Little House's Most Memorable Villain

Tony Mantor's : Almost Live..... Nashville

Alison Arngrim takes us on a journey through her remarkable life in Hollywood, from her iconic role as Nellie Olsen on Little House on the Prairie to her current career as an author, stand-up comedian, and advocate for abuse survivors.

• Growing up in an entertainment dynasty with a mother who voiced Casper the Friendly Ghost and a father who managed Liberace
• Learning the entertainment business from the inside as a child, witnessing how cartoons were made and celebrities were promoted
• Playing the villain everyone loved to hate on Little House on the Prairie for nine seasons
• Working with Michael Landon, whom she describes as "the mad scientist of episodic TV"
• Developing her one-woman show "Confessions of a Prairie Bitch" which led to her memoir of the same name
• Advocating for child protection laws and working with the National Association to Protect Children
• Hosting multiple podcasts including the 50th Anniversary Little House on the Prairie podcast
• Performing her stand-up show across the country and participating in Little House reunion events

You can find Alison at bonnetheads.com, on social media, or catch her live performances scheduled throughout the year.

 

2025-05-13 27 min Transcript

Available Results

Generated results are saved to the knowledge database for reuse and search.

No generated results are available for this episode yet.

Extract Knowledge

Pick what you want extracted first. Model, scope, and chapter options appear after a template is selected.

Generated results for public episodes are saved to the knowledge database so they can be reused and searched later.

Transcript

WEBVTT

00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:20.160
<v SPEAKER_01>My career in the entertainment industry has enabled me to work with a diverse range of talent.

00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:24.640
<v SPEAKER_01>Through my years of experience, I've recognized two essential aspects.

00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:32.719
<v SPEAKER_01>Industry professionals, whether famous stars or behind-the-scenes staff, have fascinating stories to tell.

00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:41.119
<v SPEAKER_01>Secondly, audiences are eager to listen to these stories, which offer a glimpse into their lives and the evolution of their life stories.

00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:48.000
<v SPEAKER_01>This podcast aims to share these narratives, providing information on how they evolved into their chosen career.

00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:55.520
<v SPEAKER_01>We will delve into their journey to stardom, discuss their struggles and successes, and hear from people who help them achieve their goals.

00:00:55.679 --> 00:01:02.240
<v SPEAKER_01>Get ready for intriguing behind-the-scenes stories and insights into the fascinating world of entertainment.

00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:06.400
<v SPEAKER_01>Hi, I'm Tony Mantor.

00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:08.719
<v SPEAKER_01>Welcome to Almost Live Nashville.

00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:11.040
<v SPEAKER_01>Joining us today is Alistin Arngrim.

00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:16.400
<v SPEAKER_01>Most of you will know her as the evil Nellie Olsen on Little House on the Prairie.

00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:18.480
<v SPEAKER_01>She's so much more than that.

00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:22.239
<v SPEAKER_01>She's here to tell us how she started acting at a very young age.

00:01:22.480 --> 00:01:27.359
<v SPEAKER_01>She is actively involved in philanthropy, donating her time to charitable causes.

00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:29.040
<v SPEAKER_01>She's also an author.

00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:32.319
<v SPEAKER_01>And when she has time, she's also a stand-up comedian.

00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:37.599
<v SPEAKER_01>She will also tell us about her mother and her voiceovers on Saturday morning cartoons.

00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:39.599
<v SPEAKER_01>And her father with Liberacci.

00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:43.519
<v SPEAKER_01>She just has a tremendous amount of stories, and we're happy to have her here.

00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:44.560
<v SPEAKER_01>Thanks for coming on.

00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:45.040
<v SPEAKER_01>Thank you.

00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:46.400
<v SPEAKER_01>Oh, it's my pleasure.

00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:50.799
<v SPEAKER_01>Well, I understand that you have quite the hectic schedule going for yourself now.

00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:51.599
<v SPEAKER_00>Right?

00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:53.519
<v SPEAKER_00>It's absolutely bananas.

00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:57.280
<v SPEAKER_00>I do uh I do a lot of shows in France, usually just you know, March and October.

00:01:57.439 --> 00:02:03.439
<v SPEAKER_00>So I just got back like March 31st, and then I had a show in Atlanta on uh the fourth.

00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:06.239
<v SPEAKER_00>So yeah, I'm just I'm recovering from that.

00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:07.359
<v SPEAKER_01>Well, that sounds great.

00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:11.360
<v SPEAKER_01>Now, when you say shows, can you expand to our audience what you're talking about?

00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:12.400
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh, heck yeah.

00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:20.159
<v SPEAKER_00>So I started doing a show, oh, some years ago where I had been doing stand-up since I was 15 years old and playing comedy store, improv everywhere.

00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:30.080
<v SPEAKER_00>And then uh a few years ago, I started doing an all-true stories, one-woman show, complete with a question and answer segment, where I actually have cards printed up that say ask Allison anything.

00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:40.400
<v SPEAKER_00>I talk about I talk about being a little house, I talk about being a crazy ex-child star and growing up in Hollywood and my completely crazy family, and how my mother was the voice of Casper the Friendly Ghost, and my father managed Liberace.

00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:42.879
<v SPEAKER_00>And as we had QA and I sign autographs ever.

00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:52.319
<v SPEAKER_00>And then we have, of course, the separately we have all the prairie reunion events which are coming up at the Cherry Blossom Festival and in Northern California at uh Gold Country.

00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:53.919
<v SPEAKER_00>So we're doing those at the same time.

00:02:54.080 --> 00:03:01.360
<v SPEAKER_00>But yeah, my show, well, it became such a hit that a literary agent came to see my show and asked me if there was a book to go with that.

00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:07.280
<v SPEAKER_00>And that's how I wound up writing my book, Confessions of a Prairie Bitch, How I Survived Nellie Olson and Learned to Love Being Hated.

00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:09.280
<v SPEAKER_01>Okay, now you've brought up your book.

00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:11.120
<v SPEAKER_01>Let's talk about that a little bit.

00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:11.680
<v SPEAKER_00>Yes.

00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:16.159
<v SPEAKER_01>Can you expand on the subject matter that you go over and talk about on your book?

00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:17.360
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh God, everything.

00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:19.199
<v SPEAKER_00>The book, I really go into everything.

00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:22.080
<v SPEAKER_00>You know, the show is more, you know, it's a conversation with the audience.

00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:23.039
<v SPEAKER_00>I tell crazy stories.

00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:24.479
<v SPEAKER_00>I have video and photos to back them up.

00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:26.000
<v SPEAKER_00>I always say pics or it didn't happen.

00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:29.280
<v SPEAKER_00>And uh, and and then the Ask Adlison Anything section.

00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:42.240
<v SPEAKER_00>But in the book, I go into, you know, my life as a child before I got Little House, what that was like growing up in Hollywood and being a child actor, and then Little House and how everything just exploded after becoming Nellie Olson and people throwing things at me and hating me and all that insanity.

00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:46.479
<v SPEAKER_00>And um, my life since and how little house has just blown up.

00:03:46.560 --> 00:03:50.159
<v SPEAKER_00>You know, last year was our 50th anniversary.

00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:54.879
<v SPEAKER_00>Our whole cast, we I think we're out nearly every weekend doing an event somewhere.

00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:56.719
<v SPEAKER_00>It was absolutely crazy.

00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:00.080
<v SPEAKER_00>And we thought for the 51st it would settle down, but it has not.

00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:06.560
<v SPEAKER_00>We're up to uh we're gonna be in Northern California, as is it gold country, uh Little House, go to goldcountry littlehouse.com.

00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:07.280
<v SPEAKER_00>They have a whole thing.

00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:10.240
<v SPEAKER_00>We're having an event there with half the cast, and it's just going on all year.

00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:12.719
<v SPEAKER_00>And then with my stand-up show, I just keep getting booked for that.

00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:16.959
<v SPEAKER_00>And this year I had uh, it's gonna be Atlanta, New York, Nashville, Louisville.

00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:20.079
<v SPEAKER_00>Um, I'm doing San Francisco, San Diego.

00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:22.959
<v SPEAKER_00>I'm I'm in a multi-city tour for the rest of the year.

00:04:23.199 --> 00:04:23.600
<v SPEAKER_01>That's great.

00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:28.639
<v SPEAKER_01>It seems like last year was the year for the 50th anniversary of many shows.

00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:29.680
<v SPEAKER_00>So everybody.

00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:32.959
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, I produce and work with Donnie Most of Happy Days.

00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:38.480
<v SPEAKER_00>Donnie! Love, love, love Donnie and all the gang from Happy Days, but love Donnie Most, I do know him.

00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:41.680
<v SPEAKER_01>Well, last year was Happy Days 50th anniversary as well.

00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:42.399
<v SPEAKER_00>That's right.

00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:45.680
<v SPEAKER_00>The things that people are going back to that they want.

00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:48.720
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, I always say with Little House, we're in our seventh generation of viewers.

00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:53.920
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, when I do my show, yeah, I get women around my age, a little longer, grew up watching the show, want to come to the show.

00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:56.560
<v SPEAKER_00>But then I get these much younger people, and I'm like, what the heck are you doing here?

00:04:56.639 --> 00:04:58.639
<v SPEAKER_00>And they're like, oh my God, no, I'm the rerun generation.

00:04:58.720 --> 00:04:59.360
<v SPEAKER_00>I'm still watching it.

00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:00.879
<v SPEAKER_00>And you know, now it's streaming.

00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:01.279
<v SPEAKER_00>Yes.

00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:08.160
<v SPEAKER_00>There's a channel, you can go in uh Roku has a channel where you can watch Little House and a Bury 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:09.360
<v SPEAKER_00>And and people do.

00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:13.519
<v SPEAKER_00>I always sort of like amazed by this, but people are really hooked on it.

00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:26.079
<v SPEAKER_00>And I think also now everyone's sort of grown up, and it's okay to laugh at it, to like say, yes, I'm obsessed with Little House and love the show, still completely love it and cherish it and still love all the values and everything.

00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:31.759
<v SPEAKER_00>But now people are like, yes, we can laugh and go, Why was Michael Landon taking his shirt off every five minutes?

00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:35.120
<v SPEAKER_00>Was this really a thing in the 1800s to wear skin-tied pants and no shirt?

00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:35.360
<v SPEAKER_00>No.

00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:39.199
<v SPEAKER_00>But this was Michael Landon making sure the women were all tuning in and they did.

00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:40.240
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, that's great.

00:05:40.399 --> 00:05:44.240
<v SPEAKER_01>Now, since you brought up Michael Landon, what was it like to work with him?

00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:46.000
<v SPEAKER_00>Michael Landon was amazing.

00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:49.680
<v SPEAKER_00>Um, it's called like the mad scientist of episodic TV.

00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:52.560
<v SPEAKER_00>Michael, you have to remember, was not just starring in the show.

00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:55.759
<v SPEAKER_00>He was writing the show and producing the show and directing the show.

00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:57.120
<v SPEAKER_00>He was overseeing the whole thing.

00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:02.480
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, in today's terms, it's you know, when they talk about someone as the show runner, it's like totally their baby in the show.

00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:04.480
<v SPEAKER_00>That's what he would have been called now.

00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:06.000
<v SPEAKER_00>Um so he did everything.

00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:07.040
<v SPEAKER_01>That's pretty awesome.

00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:08.480
<v SPEAKER_01>What type of guy was he?

00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:12.720
<v SPEAKER_00>He was a very interesting person because, you know, he was certainly he was not Paul Ingalls, as we know.

00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:15.199
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, he was married three times and he smoked and drank.

00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:17.199
<v SPEAKER_00>He was so good with the children.

00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:21.120
<v SPEAKER_00>The children came first on our set, and they were very strict about us going to school.

00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:25.120
<v SPEAKER_00>There were rules at the time we're doing this, you're supposed to have three hours of school every day.

00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:30.079
<v SPEAKER_00>And, you know, you go into a room with the two to do your homework, and you had four hours work, and it was all very regimented.

00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:32.480
<v SPEAKER_00>But I can tell you, many TV series, they they cheated.

00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:33.040
<v SPEAKER_00>They cheated.

00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:34.879
<v SPEAKER_00>They go, yeah, no, we're not gonna send them to school.

00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:35.759
<v SPEAKER_00>Not on our set.

00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:39.680
<v SPEAKER_00>Little house, absolutely, you went to school, and Mike was very strict about that.

00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:43.519
<v SPEAKER_00>And we kids were held to a really high level of performance.

00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:46.879
<v SPEAKER_00>We're expected to come in and show up and suit up and know what we were doing.

00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:50.000
<v SPEAKER_00>And as a result, we were really treated with respect.

00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:52.399
<v SPEAKER_00>And I don't think a lot of child actors were.

00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:57.439
<v SPEAKER_00>And that's something I think that's why, as I always say, cast a little house, no arrests, no convictions.

00:06:57.600 --> 00:06:58.240
<v SPEAKER_00>We're very proud.

00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:02.240
<v SPEAKER_00>Um, yeah, you don't see us ex-child stars from Little House um turning up on TMZ.

00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:03.920
<v SPEAKER_00>We we all seem to have turned out okay.

00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:05.519
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, I would say so.

00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:08.959
<v SPEAKER_01>What was your life like before Little House?

00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:12.480
<v SPEAKER_01>And then afterwards, how did it impact you moving forward?

00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:14.160
<v SPEAKER_00>Well, I had started acting.

00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:18.399
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh gosh, my screen actors guild cards, this member since 1967.

00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:21.680
<v SPEAKER_00>I was born in New York and my family were in show business.

00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:26.319
<v SPEAKER_00>My parents met in the theater, everybody had a gig, and my mother was actually a famous voiceover artist.

00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:35.439
<v SPEAKER_00>She was uh Norma Macmillan, and my mother was the voice of Casper the Friendly Ghost, she was Gumby, she was sweet Polly Purebred of Underdog, and she was Davy of Davy and Goliath.

00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:40.319
<v SPEAKER_00>So this meant like all the more Saturday morning cartoons when I was a small child, half of them were my mother's voice.

00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:41.519
<v SPEAKER_00>So that was very strange.

00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:48.959
<v SPEAKER_00>And then my father had been an actor and later became a manager and worked at Seymour Heller and Associates and was assigned to Liberace.

00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:50.560
<v SPEAKER_00>So there I am, eight years old.

00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:53.360
<v SPEAKER_00>They're like, come, we're gonna take a go see Liberacci's show.

00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:56.079
<v SPEAKER_00>Because, you know, you want to take the eight-year-old to liberacci.

00:07:56.399 --> 00:08:02.079
<v SPEAKER_00>My parents actually said you have to be on your best behavior because no one must know that Liberacci is gay.

00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:05.199
<v SPEAKER_00>And like, I'm sorry, I'm eight, I know he's gay.

00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:09.920
<v SPEAKER_00>Just the idea that grown-ups were paying money to come see this man, but he was brilliant.

00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:13.680
<v SPEAKER_00>When you look at liberacci, I mean, he was kind of like, I don't know, the gay Elvis.

00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:15.920
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, you you know that Liberacci sold out every show.

00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:17.519
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, people, the critics made fun of him.

00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:18.399
<v SPEAKER_01>Oh, yeah, yeah.

00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:21.360
<v SPEAKER_00>They said, This ridiculous man in these costumes and what he's mad.

00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:22.399
<v SPEAKER_00>Well, this is not a show.

00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:23.759
<v SPEAKER_00>Sold out.

00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:25.759
<v SPEAKER_00>You could not get a ticket to liberacci.

00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:27.600
<v SPEAKER_00>People were there, they were buying the merch.

00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:30.800
<v SPEAKER_00>He had this fan club, people were obsessed with him.

00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:34.080
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, he was one of the most successful entertainers on earth.

00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:34.799
<v SPEAKER_00>And we all laughed.

00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:37.440
<v SPEAKER_00>We're still going to oh liberace, har, har, har.

00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:38.720
<v SPEAKER_00>That guy was a genius.

00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:40.080
<v SPEAKER_00>He had people going.

00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:40.639
<v SPEAKER_01>He did.

00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:41.519
<v SPEAKER_01>I loved him.

00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:44.159
<v SPEAKER_01>He was today's Elton John.

00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:50.240
<v SPEAKER_00>Don't think Elton John didn't like figure it out and say, well, this guy sold every ticket he had.

00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:51.600
<v SPEAKER_00>Clearly, he was on to something.

00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:55.679
<v SPEAKER_00>The outrageousness and the costumes and the stagecraft and all that.

00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:57.039
<v SPEAKER_00>People like that.

00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:58.000
<v SPEAKER_01>Absolutely.

00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:06.399
<v SPEAKER_00>As Liberacci discovered, he even said he wanted to bring classical music to people who normally wouldn't be going to those kind of concerts.

00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:19.279
<v SPEAKER_00>When he started, you were either very fancy rich people who went to the symphony and you went and listened to classical music, or you were middle class people and maybe, you know, musical standards and a little bit of classical, or you went to nightclubs and you heard like pop sock.

00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:28.960
<v SPEAKER_00>And he said, No, I want to play nightclubs and play theaters where people who don't normally go to a big symphony concert and hear Rachmaninoff and Beethoven and all the composer.

00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:30.879
<v SPEAKER_00>I'm gonna work that into the show.

00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:37.360
<v SPEAKER_00>So he's actually doing classical music education in the middle of this completely crazy thing with the sequence and flying over the stage.

00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:38.159
<v SPEAKER_01>I loved him.

00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:39.759
<v SPEAKER_01>I was a piano player myself.

00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:44.240
<v SPEAKER_01>I loved how he lifted his hands up and down, high in the air.

00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:46.799
<v SPEAKER_01>He was just really, really very flamboyant.

00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:47.279
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:48.879
<v SPEAKER_01>Plus, he was very talented.

00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:50.879
<v SPEAKER_00>He was so wild, he was and he worked.

00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:51.840
<v SPEAKER_00>It totally worked.

00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:55.360
<v SPEAKER_00>You know, he had a television show, and this is how weird TV was in the old days.

00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:59.440
<v SPEAKER_00>People had TV shows that were literally only 15 minutes long.

00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:00.559
<v SPEAKER_00>That was actually a thing.

00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:02.879
<v SPEAKER_00>And Liberacci had the Liberace show.

00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:03.759
<v SPEAKER_00>Came on the afternoons.

00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:04.960
<v SPEAKER_00>It was 15 minutes.

00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:14.399
<v SPEAKER_00>And all these, and we're talking in the 50s when people were very uptight, and here suddenly is this man, Liberace with the candle lobber and some guys, good evening, everyone, and just starts playing.

00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:15.840
<v SPEAKER_00>People are like, What am what am I watching?

00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:17.519
<v SPEAKER_00>What am what is on my television?

00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:19.759
<v SPEAKER_00>So he really, I mean, this man broke ground.

00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:21.759
<v SPEAKER_01>He sure did in a lot of ways.

00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:26.639
<v SPEAKER_01>Now, I'm curious, did anything he did influence you for your future?

00:10:26.879 --> 00:10:34.399
<v SPEAKER_00>You know, they did because my dad in working for him, you know, we go trick-or-treating at his house, and the butler would come with a tray with candies lovely.

00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:44.320
<v SPEAKER_00>My father, one of the things he did in working for Liberace is he helped put together his instructions for going on the road, publicity, press kit creation.

00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:45.120
<v SPEAKER_00>I still have it.

00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:46.159
<v SPEAKER_00>There's a book.

00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:48.080
<v SPEAKER_00>I know my father was the one who put it together.

00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:53.840
<v SPEAKER_00>And it was when you go on the road, if you're if you're booking Liberacci to your town, and all the things you had to do.

00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:59.840
<v SPEAKER_00>Now, how big his name had to be on the marquee and on the poster and the tickets and how it had to be all done, it was the rules.

00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:02.799
<v SPEAKER_00>And then there were things like promotions you can do.

00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:05.120
<v SPEAKER_00>Liberacci enjoys visiting.

00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:07.200
<v SPEAKER_00>And it's like, do you have a music school?

00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:08.879
<v SPEAKER_00>Do you have a local symphony?

00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:12.639
<v SPEAKER_00>Do you have a hospital where the patients might wish to meet Liberacci?

00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:15.600
<v SPEAKER_00>And Liberacci will absolutely love to come to that and to that.

00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:27.039
<v SPEAKER_00>But of course, Liberacci and his team knew that if Liberacci came in a couple days before the concert and went down to the local hospital and held people's hands to visit patients, the local news crew would cover this.

00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:30.000
<v SPEAKER_00>And that's another 100 tickets sold.

00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:35.279
<v SPEAKER_00>And I tell you, when I started doing stand-up and touring, and I was working, I was working with my dad.

00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:42.480
<v SPEAKER_00>My dad's like, so we're going in a couple days early because you're going to the children's hospital, and then we're going to it was like, Yes, yes, we are.

00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:45.519
<v SPEAKER_00>That's page 37 of the Liberace handbook.

00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:46.159
<v SPEAKER_00>Absolutely.

00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:51.919
<v SPEAKER_00>There were things Liberacci did in the promotion of his career and his merchandise and how he did everything.

00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:54.000
<v SPEAKER_00>And my God, it was brilliant.

00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:56.080
<v SPEAKER_00>And and my father, I could say, my father wrote the book.

00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:00.480
<v SPEAKER_00>He did, he put the book guide together, was in charge of making sure that people followed the book.

00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:02.399
<v SPEAKER_00>And I have the damn book.

00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:04.639
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, that's just awesome.

00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:06.240
<v SPEAKER_01>Now, what about your mom?

00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:06.639
<v SPEAKER_00>Yes.

00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:11.600
<v SPEAKER_01>Now she did all the voiceovers and all the characters on Saturday morning cartoons.

00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:14.720
<v SPEAKER_01>Did that influence you as well in your career?

00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:21.120
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, I mean, I went with her to the studio and I saw, I mean, that was the thing is I saw so much behind the scenes stuff.

00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:27.279
<v SPEAKER_00>As a tiny little child, I was seeing how movies were made, how films were made, how actors' careers were, what managers did.

00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:28.480
<v SPEAKER_00>I knew what agents did.

00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:30.399
<v SPEAKER_00>I had I had an age, I had Lucia.

00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:32.159
<v SPEAKER_00>I had Batman's Agent.

00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:33.759
<v SPEAKER_00>It was the 1960s at Adam West.

00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:35.440
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, Batman's Age was very cool.

00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:39.919
<v SPEAKER_00>I went to the studio with my mother and I saw how cartoons were made and I saw her record things.

00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:47.039
<v SPEAKER_00>So most children at that point of my age, I didn't, I think some half of my friends thought cartoons were real.

00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:51.519
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, I knew people my age, six, seven years old thought people climbed into the television.

00:12:51.759 --> 00:13:04.080
<v SPEAKER_00>I knew that my mother and Wally Cox and these actors went into a room with microphones and recorded these things, and somebody else drew the cartoons, and then they made the move, and they put this together, and that's where cartoons come from.

00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:14.399
<v SPEAKER_00>And I I knew that I learned all these things and I saw how things worked and how people did interviews with press and how people made movies and what you did at charity events and publicity events.

00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:19.840
<v SPEAKER_00>It was like going to like how to be a celebrity school as a child.

00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:21.039
<v SPEAKER_01>That's just so awesome.

00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:24.240
<v SPEAKER_01>I mean, that's information that money just can't buy.

00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:25.679
<v SPEAKER_00>I did, I learned.

00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:28.879
<v SPEAKER_00>And so I do think that that did make it a little easier.

00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:30.240
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, no one anticipated.

00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:37.679
<v SPEAKER_00>I have to admit that my father, when I got Little House, said, Well, you know, get the money while you can because this won't last a year.

00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:40.559
<v SPEAKER_00>And who's going to watch a show called Little House on the Prairie?

00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:41.759
<v SPEAKER_00>And he didn't think it'd be a hit.

00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:43.600
<v SPEAKER_00>Nobody didn't, the network didn't think it would be a hit.

00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:45.440
<v SPEAKER_00>Michael Land was the only one who knew.

00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:49.120
<v SPEAKER_00>He said, after we're all gone, they'll still be watching these shows.

00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:50.320
<v SPEAKER_00>He was the only one who got it.

00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:53.039
<v SPEAKER_00>Everybody else, like, nobody's going to watch this.

00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:54.480
<v SPEAKER_00>And it became a hit.

00:13:54.720 --> 00:14:01.759
<v SPEAKER_00>And I think knowing the things I knew from growing up in Hollywood, around all these people in Showbiz, seeing all this stuff really helped.

00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:09.840
<v SPEAKER_00>It helped, like I wasn't like shocked and surprised by, you know, the National Inquirer and crazy things that happened in Showbus because I went, Oh, yep, that's what's happened.

00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:11.360
<v SPEAKER_00>Welcome to Hollywood.

00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:17.360
<v SPEAKER_00>And I saw grown up, grown actors saying, Oh no, I didn't interview a TV guide and they didn't print what I said.

00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:18.879
<v SPEAKER_00>I was like, Oh, they didn't tell you.

00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:20.559
<v SPEAKER_00>They didn't tell you that that's going to happen.

00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:23.279
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh dear, oh here, let the 14-year-old school you.

00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:27.360
<v SPEAKER_00>So absolutely, in my case, I think growing up, that was actually rather helpful.

00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:28.559
<v SPEAKER_00>But it's really worked out.

00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:35.200
<v SPEAKER_00>And doing the stand-up, I mean, honestly, it was again, I noticed that celebrities who had TV shows always had another thing.

00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:41.440
<v SPEAKER_00>In the 70s, it seemed everyone on a television show sang or even danced or and they would go on the talk shows.

00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:46.879
<v SPEAKER_00>Even if they didn't sing very well, they'd put out an album, they'd go on the talk shows, it'd be Merv Griffin, whatever.

00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:48.240
<v SPEAKER_00>And I I can't sing.

00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:48.960
<v SPEAKER_00>It's terrible.

00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:50.080
<v SPEAKER_00>But I can do stand-up.

00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:53.840
<v SPEAKER_00>And I was hanging around stand-up comedians because my father's managing all these comics.

00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:55.519
<v SPEAKER_00>And so I thought if I did that.

00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:58.320
<v SPEAKER_00>Turned out it was something I did like that worked for me.

00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:00.799
<v SPEAKER_00>And I did wind up doing the talk shows, and I wound up touring.

00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:02.159
<v SPEAKER_00>And here I am now.

00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:03.440
<v SPEAKER_00>I still have this thing.

00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:06.879
<v SPEAKER_00>I can go out and talk directly to fans and entertain people.

00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:15.600
<v SPEAKER_01>You know, you just brought up some names: Merv Griffin, Wally Cox, people like that that you've been around.

00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:16.320
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:21.679
<v SPEAKER_01>Do you look back, then realize all the names that you worked with?

00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:25.360
<v SPEAKER_01>They're just, I mean, they're iconic names.

00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:26.960
<v SPEAKER_00>It's amazing.

00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:29.360
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, I talk about so many people in my book.

00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:36.159
<v SPEAKER_00>People who read my book have just said, wow, this is just like 1970s, 1960s name drop heaven.

00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:40.240
<v SPEAKER_00>And it's weird because I started so young and I knew so many people who were older.

00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:42.720
<v SPEAKER_00>I wind up knowing all these older celebrities.

00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:45.440
<v SPEAKER_00>I met the wonderful Rich Little, the impressionist.

00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:46.960
<v SPEAKER_00>And it was during the pandemic.

00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:48.240
<v SPEAKER_00>You know, he still performs.

00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:49.919
<v SPEAKER_00>He's like four nights a week at a club in Vegas.

00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:50.559
<v SPEAKER_00>He lives there.

00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:53.120
<v SPEAKER_00>But when everything closed down, he said, I can't, I have to perform.

00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:54.159
<v SPEAKER_00>I'm going to go out of my mind.

00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:55.039
<v SPEAKER_00>I got to do a show.

00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:56.559
<v SPEAKER_00>My publicist was talking to him.

00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:59.519
<v SPEAKER_00>He's his publicist and said, Well, you know, Allison just did a whole show online.

00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.559
<v SPEAKER_00>It was all on the internet.

00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:01.759
<v SPEAKER_00>He said, I want that.

00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:02.799
<v SPEAKER_00>But he's Rich Little.

00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:04.639
<v SPEAKER_00>He said, I have no idea how we do that.

00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:08.960
<v SPEAKER_00>And so I wind up going to Rich Little's house to help him get on the internet and do shows that hysterical.

00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:10.399
<v SPEAKER_00>And we're sitting at the breakfast table.

00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:13.200
<v SPEAKER_00>And I thought, virtual, I'm sitting at the breakfast table in Rich Little's house.

00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:14.240
<v SPEAKER_00>Like, what is even happening?

00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:15.440
<v SPEAKER_00>And we start talking.

00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:16.960
<v SPEAKER_00>We knew all the same people.

00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:19.600
<v SPEAKER_00>And I thought, now Rich Little's a little older than I am.

00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:20.720
<v SPEAKER_00>It's an understatement.

00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:21.919
<v SPEAKER_00>And we knew all the same people.

00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:23.919
<v SPEAKER_00>And I thought, oh good heavens, am I 90 years old?

00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:24.639
<v SPEAKER_00>What is happening here?

00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:28.320
<v SPEAKER_00>And it is because I met so many incredibly famous people when I was young.

00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:34.159
<v SPEAKER_00>So yes, I have stories about, you know, everyone from Bob Hope to Jerry Lee Lewis to Carol Channing.

00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:36.639
<v SPEAKER_00>It's absolutely crazy.

00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:39.759
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, that's a tremendously great story.

00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:44.240
<v SPEAKER_01>Now, how did it work out on Little House?

00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:48.240
<v SPEAKER_01>Because you were the person that everybody loved to hate.

00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:51.519
<v SPEAKER_01>So in real life, people took that pretty seriously.

00:16:51.679 --> 00:16:53.120
<v SPEAKER_01>How did that affect you?

00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:53.840
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh yeah.

00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:54.559
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh yeah.

00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:55.120
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh yeah.

00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:56.799
<v SPEAKER_00>It well, it is weird.

00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:03.279
<v SPEAKER_00>It is weird because on the one hand, I mean, people, you know, people go into show business hoping people will like them.

00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:07.359
<v SPEAKER_00>But then I'm playing this part, and the things I knew, I go, well, I'm the villain.

00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:09.200
<v SPEAKER_00>They're not supposed to like me.

00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:12.240
<v SPEAKER_00>So I guess if people are coming up and going, I hate you, I hate you, you're horrible.

00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:16.000
<v SPEAKER_00>I want to punch you in the face, it's like, wow, I must be doing it correctly.

00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:16.559
<v SPEAKER_00>So thank you.

00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:16.960
<v SPEAKER_00>Thank you.

00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:17.440
<v SPEAKER_00>Thank you very much.

00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:29.359
<v SPEAKER_00>Now, when I was in in the Hollywood Christmas parade and someone actually threw a McDonald's cup of orange soda at my face, I thought that was a bit extreme, but it also just it, I just, I kept thinking, how do you do that?

00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:36.000
<v SPEAKER_00>How are you so angry at the mere sight of someone that you take, I mean, it was it was almost half full.

00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:37.759
<v SPEAKER_00>There was a buck 75 of soda left.

00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:39.599
<v SPEAKER_00>And someone just seeing me was so enraged.

00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:40.640
<v SPEAKER_00>They like flung the soda.

00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:42.400
<v SPEAKER_00>And I thought, my God, I must be good.

00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:44.400
<v SPEAKER_00>And something about it, I kind of had fun with it.

00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:45.519
<v SPEAKER_00>And Nelly was also funny.

00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:46.559
<v SPEAKER_00>In the later episodes, Mrs.

00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:49.039
<v SPEAKER_00>Olsa and Nelly are very campy, very comedic.

00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:50.400
<v SPEAKER_00>And I really enjoyed that.

00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:55.359
<v SPEAKER_00>And the idea that, well, now 51 years later, I still meet people who say, Oh, you made me so mad.

00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:56.160
<v SPEAKER_00>I'm still mad at you.

00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:56.720
<v SPEAKER_00>I still hate you.

00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:57.200
<v SPEAKER_00>You're horrible.

00:17:57.359 --> 00:17:59.279
<v SPEAKER_00>And I'm like, I must have done very, very well then.

00:17:59.359 --> 00:17:59.599
<v SPEAKER_00>Thank you.

00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:00.720
<v SPEAKER_00>It's a lovely compliment.

00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:02.960
<v SPEAKER_00>It's weird because you're thanking people for hating you.

00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:07.119
<v SPEAKER_00>You're kind of going for the opposite of what you would normally be going for here.

00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:09.359
<v SPEAKER_00>People now that will go, I loved hating you.

00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:10.880
<v SPEAKER_00>I hated you, but now I love you.

00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:11.359
<v SPEAKER_00>I get it.

00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:13.119
<v SPEAKER_00>And that's like, that's the ultimate.

00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:13.920
<v SPEAKER_00>That's fantastic.

00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:15.599
<v SPEAKER_00>We all have villains we love to hate.

00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:19.119
<v SPEAKER_00>And it's little house is successful because it's so emotional.

00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:20.000
<v SPEAKER_00>People can identify.

00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:25.119
<v SPEAKER_00>They can identify with the Ingalls and their problems, but everyone has a Nelly at their school and everyone has a Mrs.

00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:26.400
<v SPEAKER_00>Olsen at their job.

00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:29.359
<v SPEAKER_00>And that's why people feel like it's real because they're going, yeah, this happened.

00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:30.400
<v SPEAKER_00>This happened to me.

00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:31.759
<v SPEAKER_00>These things are real.

00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:33.119
<v SPEAKER_01>Exactly.

00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:34.720
<v SPEAKER_01>That's just real life.

00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:41.200
<v SPEAKER_01>Now, you've been to Congress, you've advocated for mental health and various disabilities.

00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:43.519
<v SPEAKER_01>What led you to do that?

00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:50.640
<v SPEAKER_00>Well, I had always done stuff, you know, way back when I was a kid, I would go out to like the Special Olympics games, speed booster at that.

00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:51.839
<v SPEAKER_00>I always worked at different charities.

00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:59.039
<v SPEAKER_00>Uh, throughout the 80s and 90s, I worked with AIDS Project Los Angeles, Tuesdays Child, helping families with children with AIDS and HIV.

00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:06.480
<v SPEAKER_00>And a few years back, I was approached by a marvelous group called um the National Association to Protect Children, Protect.org.

00:19:06.559 --> 00:19:12.160
<v SPEAKER_00>And they said, we want to do some, you know, child abuse and severe child sexual abuse and all these things.

00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:13.599
<v SPEAKER_00>I said, well, count me in.

00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:15.680
<v SPEAKER_00>And I wound up on the board and we did.

00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:31.440
<v SPEAKER_00>We wound up Sacramento, Albany, New York, and in Washington, D.C., state federal level, changing laws to really give victims a more even playing field, make it easier for people to pursue their cases, to have people prosecuted, to go to court and uh to protect these kids.

00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:39.039
<v SPEAKER_00>And we did things like, well, you have these specific groups that work for the police departments, the ICAT team, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:43.680
<v SPEAKER_00>And these are the police who are looking for the trafficking, the trial pornography, all the terrible things on the internet.

00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:47.920
<v SPEAKER_00>And they need manpower and money and equipment and things.

00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:55.359
<v SPEAKER_00>And we went, we went and lobbied and said, told the government, you know, you give them, you need to double their budget, these speeds, you know what these guys are doing.

00:19:55.519 --> 00:20:01.680
<v SPEAKER_00>And we tried to help in all of those kind of facets that were being very neglected that people were not really paying attention to.

00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:03.680
<v SPEAKER_00>And so that that's been very rewarding.

00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:08.559
<v SPEAKER_00>And um, yes, I talk about in my book that I too uh did suffer abuse as a child.

00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:26.319
<v SPEAKER_00>But when I saw how this could help so many people I didn't even know, and when we look at, when you look at problems like mental health issues, drug abuse, homelessness, all of these issues, and they start talking to people at drug rehabs, at mental hospitals, et cetera, and they start saying, Well, what happened?

00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:28.720
<v SPEAKER_00>What was the trauma that got this going?

00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:29.839
<v SPEAKER_00>Where did it all go wrong?

00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:39.039
<v SPEAKER_00>The number of people who say, Well, because I was severely abused as a child and didn't have anyone to tell and nothing happened and nobody believed me, and I didn't wound up in this spiral.

00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:45.359
<v SPEAKER_00>And how severely would we reduce homelessness, crime, people in jail, people in the mental hospital, drug abuse?

00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:54.000
<v SPEAKER_00>How severely would these issues be impacted if there were less children being abused, or when children were abused, they received services and help immediately?

00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:54.640
<v SPEAKER_00>Hello.

00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:55.920
<v SPEAKER_00>So absolutely.

00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:57.440
<v SPEAKER_00>Uh I've been very keen on that.

00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:58.720
<v SPEAKER_01>I think that's great.

00:20:58.880 --> 00:20:59.680
<v SPEAKER_01>Commendable.

00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:07.759
<v SPEAKER_01>So do you have the feelings where you do your stand-up, you do your books, you do your acting, and you're really proud of what you do?

00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:15.759
<v SPEAKER_01>Then you get out there on the other side and you're helping people that are less fortunate, and you have that inner feeling that, wow, I've made a difference.

00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:19.279
<v SPEAKER_01>Those feelings must really impact what you're doing.

00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:21.119
<v SPEAKER_00>You know, it both.

00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:22.240
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, that's one of the things.

00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:26.799
<v SPEAKER_00>I always feel that we should all try to make ourselves useful in some way.

00:21:27.119 --> 00:21:33.359
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, if you have any kind of celebrity, I don't know, tell people to, you know, plant a tree, I something, anything.

00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:34.960
<v SPEAKER_00>We could all make a difference.

00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:36.559
<v SPEAKER_00>We can all do something.

00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:44.720
<v SPEAKER_00>It seems crazy to me to be in like a yeah, they say a bully pulpit to have all these people listening to be famous and not have something good.

00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:48.079
<v SPEAKER_00>I say, by the way, you can call this number, you know, and be putting something out there.

00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:49.279
<v SPEAKER_00>Put it to use, for heaven's sake.

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.160
<v SPEAKER_00>Don't waste it.

00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:53.279
<v SPEAKER_00>And yes, and and even in my entertaining, look at the things I've done.

00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:54.799
<v SPEAKER_00>I got to be in Little House on the Prairie.

00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:58.160
<v SPEAKER_00>This is a fabulous show that's helped millions of people and made people feel good.

00:21:58.319 --> 00:22:03.519
<v SPEAKER_00>Um, you know, in my podcast, the Show I say is here we talk about things that make people feel good.

00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:09.920
<v SPEAKER_00>The shows and the TV shows and the movies that made us feel good, the people who made the And that kind of positivity is so badly needed.

00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:13.920
<v SPEAKER_00>I just feel like I would feel very weird if I didn't do something.

00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:17.200
<v SPEAKER_00>If I wasn't doing something that helped people in general, my friends.

00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:21.759
<v SPEAKER_00>And I I sleep better at night and I encourage other people to do the same.

00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:22.799
<v SPEAKER_01>Yes, I agree.

00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:30.480
<v SPEAKER_01>It's a world of difference of feeling good about doing something creative and doing something good that actually helps people.

00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:33.519
<v SPEAKER_01>It feels the same, like you've still done something.

00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:35.359
<v SPEAKER_01>That's just a great thing to do.

00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:37.279
<v SPEAKER_00>And they absolutely can overlap.

00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:43.759
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, how many times have I done things that where I did charity benefits and did something to entertain people to help raise money for a cause?

00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:50.160
<v SPEAKER_00>And as I said, and my book, which is funny and entertaining, but boy, the number of people call me and go, I'm so glad you wrote about this stuff in here.

00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:54.079
<v SPEAKER_00>And then how many episodes in Little House people said it got them through the day, you know?

00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:55.200
<v SPEAKER_00>So it can overlap.

00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:57.359
<v SPEAKER_00>And that's that's really wonderful when you can do that.

00:22:57.599 --> 00:22:58.480
<v SPEAKER_01>That's so true.

00:22:58.640 --> 00:23:00.240
<v SPEAKER_01>Now you mentioned a podcast.

00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:02.000
<v SPEAKER_01>How often do you do that?

00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:03.519
<v SPEAKER_00>Uh I do a little of everything.

00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:05.279
<v SPEAKER_00>I got the Allison Arngram show.

00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:08.880
<v SPEAKER_00>Every Tuesday at five, I interview fabulous people.

00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:14.240
<v SPEAKER_00>I just had Cam Clark, who's a big voiceover artist, and he was with the King family when he was a kid.

00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:19.759
<v SPEAKER_00>And I have on, sometimes I have on older stars or people who've written books about old Hollywood.

00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:22.319
<v SPEAKER_00>Uh, I have a lot of authors, and I have all kinds of people.

00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:27.759
<v SPEAKER_00>I've had many people from our prairie, uh, many people from the wonderful Michael Learned from the Walton's been on a couple of times.

00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:29.680
<v SPEAKER_00>Um, I've had on all kinds of really cool people.

00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:39.279
<v SPEAKER_00>And then I've got this other podcast for the last year now, Dean Muller, who played Almanzo on Little House, got together uh with Pamela Bobb, this woman in New York who's hysterical.

00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:41.839
<v SPEAKER_00>She's a big Little House like expert and enthusiast.

00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:46.000
<v SPEAKER_00>And the three of us have this thing is the 50th anniversary of Little House on the Prairie podcast.

00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:48.000
<v SPEAKER_00>We've interviewed nearly everyone from the show.

00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:54.960
<v SPEAKER_00>We've had on people who are historians and experts on Little House on the Prairie and kind of everything in between, and talked about episodes.

00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:55.920
<v SPEAKER_00>And we have everything.

00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:56.640
<v SPEAKER_00>We have the whole thing.

00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:59.759
<v SPEAKER_00>We have the Patreon and the podcast and the special fan stuff.

00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:02.079
<v SPEAKER_00>We have t-shirts and it's wonderful.

00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:02.720
<v SPEAKER_00>It's really fun.

00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:07.519
<v SPEAKER_00>I mean, if you're a prairie fan, it's hilarious and fun, but it's also been very educational for people.

00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:14.480
<v SPEAKER_00>And so I have the All Prairie all the time, 50th anniversary of prairie podcast with Dean, and then I have the Allison kind of celebrity interview podcast.

00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:15.599
<v SPEAKER_00>Uh, so I have that.

00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:18.000
<v SPEAKER_00>I have the stand-up show, Confessions of a Prairie Bitch.

00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:19.680
<v SPEAKER_00>I have the book Confessions of a Prairie Bitch.

00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:20.799
<v SPEAKER_00>I'm working on a cookbook.

00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:26.960
<v SPEAKER_00>And then plus I have all the fabulous Little House in the Prairie cast events where we're all get like 12, 14 of us are getting together.

00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:28.880
<v SPEAKER_00>We're going to the Cherry Blossom Festival, Missouri.

00:24:28.960 --> 00:24:30.079
<v SPEAKER_00>We're going to Northern California.

00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:31.119
<v SPEAKER_00>We're going to be everywhere.

00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:35.119
<v SPEAKER_00>But and then I will be in Nashville live, live in person.

00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:36.559
<v SPEAKER_00>Have you been to Play?

00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:37.440
<v SPEAKER_00>I was there last year.

00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:38.559
<v SPEAKER_00>I went to last year.

00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:40.720
<v SPEAKER_00>I did play Nashville and Play Louisville.

00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:42.640
<v SPEAKER_00>And they're really, really fun places.

00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:46.640
<v SPEAKER_00>You can go to um SpinCyclenyc.com.

00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:48.960
<v SPEAKER_00>That's at the people who book me, SpinCycle New York City.

00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:50.000
<v SPEAKER_00>And you can get tickets there.

00:24:50.079 --> 00:24:51.599
<v SPEAKER_00>Or, you know, you go to Play's website.

00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:53.359
<v SPEAKER_00>There are um the Nashville one, that's the one.

00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:55.839
<v SPEAKER_00>It's on Church Street between 15th and 16th.

00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:56.640
<v SPEAKER_00>It's a crazy place.

00:24:56.720 --> 00:25:00.000
<v SPEAKER_00>There's like drag queens and a whole nightclub and all kinds of crazy things going on.

00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:03.519
<v SPEAKER_00>But it's really nice, very lovely, well-run, fun place.

00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:05.119
<v SPEAKER_00>And I will be doing my show there.

00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:05.920
<v SPEAKER_01>That's great.

00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:08.400
<v SPEAKER_01>It sounds like a really, really good time.

00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:15.839
<v SPEAKER_01>So can you direct people to your website and just various ways that they can find what you're going to be doing and what you're up to?

00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:17.359
<v SPEAKER_00>Gosh, I'm everywhere.

00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:22.880
<v SPEAKER_00>I do have a website which is uh bonnetheads.com because yes, I do the prairie fans.

00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:26.559
<v SPEAKER_00>Melissa Gilbert, we're trying I we're trying to figure out do we call it like trekkies?

00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:27.519
<v SPEAKER_00>Do we call them houseies?

00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:29.200
<v SPEAKER_00>And bonnet heads just stuck.

00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:31.839
<v SPEAKER_00>So all my good bonnet heads, come to bonnetheads.com.

00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:33.200
<v SPEAKER_00>You can get uh information about me there.

00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:38.799
<v SPEAKER_00>And I'm on Facebook and I'm on Instagram, I'm absolutely everywhere, constantly posting about everything.

00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:46.400
<v SPEAKER_00>And uh, if you go on YouTube, I spent some time reading the little house books online, plus cooking things in my kitchen and showing people how to cook.

00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:48.480
<v SPEAKER_00>And uh so I'm everywhere, man.

00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:49.519
<v SPEAKER_00>It's crazy.

00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:53.039
<v SPEAKER_00>And it's kind of fun, fun because you know, everybody's in Nashville now.

00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:57.119
<v SPEAKER_00>You know, Charlene Tilton from Dallas bought a house down there in Nashville.

00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:06.079
<v SPEAKER_00>And then when I came down last time, my friend Aaron Murphy, who was um baby Tabitha on Bewitched, she was in town hanging out with Charlene Tilton and they came to my show.

00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:12.240
<v SPEAKER_00>So you literally had Nellie Olson and Charlene Tilton and and Tabitha from Bewitched all literally in one room.

00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:13.359
<v SPEAKER_00>It was hysterical.

00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:18.720
<v SPEAKER_01>Yes, I've met Charlene, and Aaron is actually coming on my podcast very soon.

00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:20.480
<v SPEAKER_00>She is delightful.

00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:21.519
<v SPEAKER_00>She is the sweetest thing.

00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:26.640
<v SPEAKER_01>She's actually coming on my other podcast, which is about autism and mental health support worldwide.

00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:27.519
<v SPEAKER_00>I'm very impressed.

00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:32.480
<v SPEAKER_00>And yes, you'll love Erin, and she's so brilliant, she's so sweet, and she does, she knows her stuff, so she's a good gal.

00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:36.160
<v SPEAKER_01>Well, I really appreciate you taking the time to talk about this.

00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:37.440
<v SPEAKER_00>Oh, thank you so much.

00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:38.160
<v SPEAKER_00>Thank you, thank you.

00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:41.200
<v SPEAKER_00>And tell everybody if you're in natural, swing on by, come see me, it'll be hoot.

00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:42.559
<v SPEAKER_00>And remember, you can ask me anything.

00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:43.599
<v SPEAKER_01>I'll remember that.

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:44.640
<v SPEAKER_01>It's been a pleasure.

00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:46.000
<v SPEAKER_01>Thanks again.

00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:57.359
<v SPEAKER_01>Thanks for joining us today.

00:26:57.519 --> 00:26:59.759
<v SPEAKER_01>We hope you enjoyed the show.

00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:03.599
<v SPEAKER_01>This has been a Tony Mantor Production.

00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:08.400
<v SPEAKER_01>For more information, contact media at plateau music.com.

Chapters

No chapters available.