After just five years of success and dominance, most of American football fans seem to have turned on the Kansas City Chiefs. Right after the 2019 season, when KC made it to the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years, the news was all about the upstart Chiefs, and a feel-good story about how a franchise that had been so snake-bitten for so long was FINALLY getting their chance in the sun. A mere 5 years later, everyone outside of Chiefs Kingdom seems to have turned on us. In this episode, Jonathan explains how many decades of utter misery Chiefs fans had to endure to get to this point, and why everyone else should just shut up and enjoy watching something they'll almost certainly tell their kids about one day. Also in this episode, Jonathan delves into a recent news story about a 9-year old Chiefs fan who dressed up for game, showing his abundance of spirit, and got accused of doing BLACK FACE. Hear why that, and the complaints about the team name are so utterly misguided. Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn! And follow the show, as well as the host, on Twitter! @NextBestRadio and @jonblerner!

An emotional episode, where Jonathan walks you through his day, which began by being unexpectedly laid off from his lucrative job at Spotify. Other items covered include Mark Cuban's announcement that he'll be leaving Shark Tank after season 16, and a ridiculous story about a 9-year-old fan of the Kansas City Chiefs who has been put on blast for simply wearing face-paint. Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn! And follow the show, as well as the host, on Twitter! @NextBestRadio and @jonblerner!

On Oct. 12, 2022, the FDA announced there was an official, nationwide shortage of Adderall, a stimulant commonly used to treat ADHD. Over 8 months later, and nothing has changed. Folks laugh about all of the housewives, or over-medicated toddlers who are "tweeking without their Addy!" but as the shortage languishes on and on, and more and more people struggle to function without their medication, we're starting to see just how many people this impacts, and why the extreme limitations and regulations there are regarding how the drug is manufactured, and how much a pharmacy can order of the drug per month, are antiquated and counter-productive. On this episode, Jonathan is joined by Snezhana Kostornova, who was interviewed by the New York Times for a piece they did on the crisis last year. She and Jonathan share what their experiences have been like as people who have been clinically diagnosed with ADHD, and rely on Adderall to function at full capacity. Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn! And follow the show, as well as the host, on Twitter! @NextBestRadio and @jonblerner!

In 2020, 45,222 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S., according to the CDC. It was a record at the time, with no close second. Then in 2021, 46,661 people died. Year-after-year America sees more citizens killed by guns than countries like Canada, Australia, France, England, Germany, and Japan COMBINED, and it just keeps getting worse. The deaths are tragic and heartbreaking, but the responses? The empty words and LACK OF ACTION is absolutely infuriating. Enough is enough. Until steps are taken--LAWS ARE PASSED--to fight the scourge that is gun violence in America, nothing else matters. The time has come to be a one issue voter. Mental health, the Second Amendment, "hardening" schools--they're distractions, and asinine. Stop debating, and GET ANGRY!! Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn! And follow the show, as well as the host, on Twitter! @NextBestRadio and @jonblerner!

Losing a parent is truly a unique form of pain, grief and loss. Our parents guide and protect us. They take care of us when we're sick, pick us up when we fall, and provide unconditional love. No matter how old you are, no one is ever truly ready to lose a parent. This is the second episode in our series of conversations Jonathan has with others who have had to say goodbye to their Mom and/or Dad far soon. How they've learned to cope, what they miss the most, and other things you can never prepare for. In this episode, Jonathan chats with his friend and colleague, Reuben Mullins, about the loss of his father. Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn!

Often called the city of dreams, New York City can also be the city of nightmares. Every single street is steeped in history, and in the four-hundred-plus years of construction, destruction, and rejuvenation, you're bound to hear more than a few legends and tales of the supernatural. In this episode, we reveal all of the most haunted buildings/locations in the Big Apple. Most of them are open to the public, too, so by all means--check them out. If you dare. Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn!

A kid comes out of the closet as...something other than straight...but uses it to remind the world that if you were born white, you need to sit down and shut up at all times. Is this really where we are now?! Join Jonathan as he reminds us why stuff like this isn't progressive, it's just DUMB. Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn!

Jonathan met Trevor Dutch in the Summer of 2012, when they were both hired to ride bikes around New York City, in custom made suits, for the USA Network and Mr. Porter. 9 years later, Trevor still gets hired for his looks--Jonathan does not. He's also been lured to the political right. In New York City? Let's find out why... Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn!

Join Jonathan as he takes you through the nightmare that is moving in New York City, discusses one of the latest victims of CANCEL CULTURE, and reviews the 2019 sequel to Stanley Kubrick's The Shining--Doctor Sleep. Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn!

Chuck Schumer has been a steady, loyal Democratic soldier for what, 94 years at this point? More than that, he seems like a nice, sweet old man. You know who isn't a nice, sweet old man? Anyone who has ever gotten things done as the Senate Majority Leader. In this episode, Jonathan reviews a recent, long-form interview Chuck Schumer did with Rachel Maddow, and explains why Democrats should be concerned. Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn!

HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher is back, baby! After going on hiatus for 2-3 months, one of the best, smartest political talk shows around kicked off season 19 with an absolute sack of shit. That's right--the jokes weren't funny, the interview was infuriatingly superficial, and at times it felt downright awkward! Unlike some on the "regressive left," who claim Bill Maher isn't woke enough to tolerate, Jonathan is a huge fan! And as a huge fan, he's got a lot to say about about how shitty this episode truly was. Catch new episodes of The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 Eastern on Radio Free Brooklyn!

On June 16, 2015, Donald Trump rode down an escalator in New York City, stood before a crowd of (mostly paid) admirers , and announced he was running for President. Everyone laughed, no one took him seriously, and life has NEVER been the same. On November 3rd, 2020, for seemingly the first time EVER, his luck ran out. Donald Trump, America's most famous con-man, and two-time loser of the popular vote, became a one-term President. Joseph R. Biden beat his ass, and will be the 46th President of the United States. Join Jonathan as he reviews all that went down on election night (week), and celebrates good times. COME ON!!!

Dan Zimberg is a singer, actor, activist, and die-hard Bernie Sanders supporter. In 2016, he couldn't get himself to vote for Hillary Clinton, so he went 3rd party. Jonathan is bound and determined NOT to let that happen again. In this episode of The Next Best Thing, they work towards finding common ground, keeping their eyes on the prize, and getting Joe Biden into the White House! Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE, everyone Monday night from 10-Midnight, on Radio Free Brooklyn!

Jonathan welcomes his old friend, and fellow Kansas Citian, David Bradley Isenberg back to the show to discuss Black Lives Matter, the recent protests and demonstrations in response to George Floyd's tragic murder, and the 2020 Presidential election. Spoiler alert: they don't quite see eye-to-eye on ANY of them! And that turned into a fiasco in and of itself. Buckle up, folks. Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night from 10-midnight EST on Radio Free Brooklyn!

For nine and a half years, Jonathan Larson worked as a waiter at the Moondance Diner in New York City. His life-long dream was to be a successful musical theatre composer, and he worked tirelessly to make it happen. He won some awards, and the respect/encouragement of Stephen Sondheim, but by 1990, Larson had ZERO shows produced. At almost 30 years old, he couldn't help but feel as if perhaps it just wasn't meant to be. Before calling it quits, he decided to give it one more shot, writing a rock-opera, called RENT. On January 25th, 1996, RENT was headed to Broadway, and things were finally turning around! The night before previews began, Larson came home from rehearsal...and died. RENT would go on to win 6 Drama Desk, 4 Tony Awards--including Best Original Score and Best Musical--and the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It ran on Broadway for over 12 years, and grossed over $280 million. Jonathan Larson may not be here physically, but his legacy will live on forever. Thank you, Jonathan Larson.

Mike Cannon is a New York City based comedian and a delightful human being. He's currently a regular guest on several Sirius/XM Radio shows, including The Jim Norton and Sam Roberts Show, and You Up? with Nikkie Glaser, and hosts The Irish Goodbye Podcast with fellow comedian, Mike Feeney. Jonathan sat down with Cannon in February 2020 to discuss his new comedy special, Life Begins, among other things. They discussed the hit 90's sitcom Family Matters, as well as Mike Cannon's actual family matters! Talk about a wide-ranging interview, amirite? Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10pm EST on Radio Free Brooklyn!

On February 28th, 2020, former Vice-President Joe Biden's Presidential campaign was on the edge of collapse. The once front-runner had failed to stand out at the debates, was struggling to raise funds, and had yet to win a single primary. It was the end of the line...until, of course, it wasn't. Within a week, thanks to a decisive win in South Carolina, and some key endorsements, the Biden campaign had a second wind! A week after that, he was the presumptive nominee. In this episode, Jonathan responds (in real time) to the contests that changed everything, and gets real with all the voters of his generation who may not be inclined to support someone who isn't Bernie Sanders.

On January 21, 2020, the New York Times reported that a man in Washington State, said to be in his 30's, had contracted the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. It was the first confirmed case in the United States. Since then, the virus has spread like wildfire, and is now a worldwide pandemic. Life in the United States has changed in ways no one thought possible, and NO WHERE more so than in New York City. Over the course of 19 days, people went from barely knowing what a "coronavirus" was, to being too scared to leave their apartments for fear of catching it. The city that never sleeps has been brought to its knees, and in this special episode of The Next Best Thing, you hear Jonathan lay out all that's taken place, as well as his emotional responses, AS THEY HAPPENED. Part I was recorded on the night of March 9th, Part II (22:21) on the night of March 16th, and Part III (46:00) on March 23rd. 3-weeks worth of corona coverage, all from a front-row seat, inside the epicenter!

Jonathan chats with Mike Welch, former sports talk radio host and current actor/comedian, who calls in from sunny West Hollywood, California, to discuss the pain and anguish they've both known as lifelong fans of the Kansas City Chiefs, who will face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. It's the Chiefs first Super Bowl appearance since 1970, long before Jon or Mike ever existed! Topics covered include: Controversy over team names, logos, traditions, etc. Where in the world is Eric Berry? Alex Smith's role in getting KC to a Super Bowl. What a win will mean for Andy Reid. Kareem Hunt's latest run-in with the law. Predictions for the BIG GAME! Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night from 10-Midnight ET on Radio Free Brooklyn!

Marc Weinstein has been an investment banker, produced his own successful music festivals, is a yoga instructor, and currently works in venture capital. Listeners will recognize him, though, as the music consultant heavily featured in the Netflix documentary, Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened. He and Jonathan chat a bit about what life was like trying desperately to produce what was supposed to be the most elite, immersive, ultra-luxurious music festival of all time...only to find out it was a complete scam, and a total disaster! Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00pm EST on Radio Free Brooklyn!

Jonathan opens the show by bringing people up to speed on all of the impeachment happenings, and the impending doom of Democracy. THEN, on a much happier note, he is joined by comic, writer, and co-founder of Awf Magazine, Griffin Leeds! They chat about how they both went to Indiana University, the comedy scene in NYC, and Griffin's monthly show, The Living Your Best Life Room show. To close things out, the guys play a rousing game of Name That Movie! Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 EST on Radio Free Brooklyn! 

Jonathan tells the story of his miserable Friday, spent driving a van full of people to and from Connecticut, before going over some of the best Christmas movies of ALL time, and doing a reading of classic Christmas story, The Gift of The Magi. Cuddle up by fire, roast some chestnuts, and enjoy this Holiday edition of The Next Best Thing!

Jonathan takes a look at how Ukraine become part of the biggest story in American politics, what’s at stake, and how the hell we got here. Also, friend of the show, Andrew Wilson stops by!

Obstructing Justice, profiting from the Presidency, advocating political and police violence, abuse of power, attacking the free press, violating campaign finance laws. What do all of these things have in common? Two things: they are all generally understood to be "impeachable offenses," and they are all things Donald Trump managed to do within the first 26 months of his Presidency. Some of them on a daily basis. Yet through it all, the Democrats in Washington DC never took action--never held him accountable. They, under the guidance of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, did literally all they could to NOT go down the road of impeachment. In July of 2019, however, Trump went ahead and made that impossible. And that's where our story begins...

Batman has always been Jonathan's favorite superhero of all time. So naturally, then, the JOKER is his favorite villain of all time. With so many iterations of this character that people love to hate, Joaquin Phoenix had much to live up to. Did he rise to the occasion? Was he better than Jack Nicholson, or Heath Ledger? Is it silly to compare them, given how disparate their respective films were, in every sense of the word? Also discussed: Shepard Smith leaving Fox News, Ellen DeGeneres having to explain herself and much more!

Jonathan tells his story about meeting Oprah and Gail, as well as goes over all of the recent news regarding Trumps pending impeachment. Hold onto your butts, there's a lot to cover!

Is Jonathan B. Lerner an award-winning hog caller? Did he once tell his parents he wanted to grow up to be a woman?? Learn all this, and much more, about both Jonathan and Andrew Wilson, as the improviser, comedian and new friend of the show stops by the RFB studio for his first official visit to The Next Best Thing!

Making "best of" lists will almost always get you in hot water. In 2015, Rolling Stone published their 100 best songwriters of all time. Despite including many of the modern greats, such as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Kanye West and Joni Mitchell, there were also some obvious omissions...and people were not happy about them. Having said that, Jonathan decided to make his own list of best songwriters, and it's unquestionably LESS inclusive than Rolling Stone's was. Make of that what you will. Also in this episode... -OJ Simpson joins Twitter Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night from 10-Midnight on Radio Free Brooklyn!  

A graduate of Lehigh University, Brian Tyler Cohen moved to Los Angeles to be an actor and writer, and has been doing plenty of both! The former managing editor of Occupy Democrats, he now spends most of his time offering political commentary and analysis on his YouTube channel. Brian stopped by the Radio Free Brooklyn studio recently to chat with Jonathan about his trajectory, and the current INSANE political landscape.  Also in the episode... -Jonathan's response to the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. 

Jonathan runs through his immediate thoughts and feelings regarding the second Democratic primary debate of the 2020 election season. Did CNN learn from msnbc's mistakes and improve the format? Did anyone have a standout performance? Did it move the needle AT ALL as far as polling goes? All this and more. 

Jake Williams is a YouTuber, and the creator of Bright Sun Films. With over 600,000 subscribers, his channel hosts various shows, like Abandoned, Cancelled, and Bankrupt. He joins Jonathan to talk about how he went from posting gaming videos as a teenager in Canada, to making professional, mini-documentaries as a young adult...in Canada. Check out his stuff on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night from 10-midnight EST on Radio Free Brooklyn!

Losing a parent is truly a unique form of pain, grief and loss. Our parents guide and protect us. They take care of us when we're sick, pick us up when we fall, and provide unconditional love. No matter how old you are, no one is ever truly ready to lose a parent. This is the first of what we're hoping to be a series of conversations Jonathan has with people who have had to say goodbye to their Mom and/or Dad, and how they've learned to cope with life ever since. In our inaugural episode, Jonathan chats with his friend and colleague, Todd Elkins, about the loss of his father. 

A native of Staten Island, Lauren Hartnett is a Gun Rights activist, an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, and the founder of the Girls Got a Gun organization. She and Jonathan don't agree on much when it comes to guns, but they were bound and determined to find some common ground. Did they succeed? You be the judge. Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night at 10:00 EST, on Radio Free Brooklyn! 

Leaving Neverland, a new HBO documentary, tells the story of two men: Wade Robson and James Safechuck. They accuse Michael Jackson of having sexually abused them for years, beginning when they were respectively about 7 and 10 years old. Jackson faced several allegations that he molested young boys during the latter part of his career, and this documentary has rekindled all kinds of interest in the singers alleged crimes. There's no shortage of Jackson defenders, though, and Jonathan went head-to-head with one of the most fervent. Will Fritz, a Kansas City based actor and massage therapist, thinks that all we've heard about Michael Jackson is a series of lies and fabrications, made up by people seeking fame and fortune, nothing else. Tune in for what became a fairly heated conversation.

Joel Acevedo, vice-president of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club, stopped by the Radio Free Brooklyn studio to discuss what it means to be a young Republican today. Tune in to what was certainly an interesting, and always civil, conversation. 

Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, Andrew Johnson and James Buchanan. To some, those names mean nothing at all. To others, they represent the absolute WORST of the American Presidency. That is, at least, until Donald Trump came along. Join Jonathan, and guest Christo Grabowski, as they discuss all of the God-awful U.S. Presidents, and how Donald Trump has been a gift to each of their legacies. 

Between January 2017 and April 2018, the number of jobs in the newspaper industry declined from around 46,000 to 39,000 across America. To put that in perspective, there are 76,416 seats at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs. If every single person currently working for an American newspaper were to congregate there, the stadium would be HALF EMPTY!! Sam Mellinger, award-winning sports columnist for The Kansas City Star, joins Jonathan to talk about what's been happening to local newspapers, why it matters so very much, and what people can do to save them. Spoiler alert: SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR LOCAL PAPER!!

Everyone loves a good conspiracy. James Earl Ray initially confessed to killing Dr. Martin Luther King on April 4th, 1968, as he stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, but he would later recount his confession and did so until his death in 1998. Loyd Jowers owned and operated a tavern below the rooming house where James Earl Ray was staying, and he later claimed to have participated in a plot to assassinate Dr. King. Was he just a nutty old man? Could it possibly have been a mafia hit, or a murder carried out by our own government? We cover it all in this episode of The Next Best Thing!

Comic David Bradley Isenberg returns to the RFB studio to talk politics, political correctness, and his Second Cousins Comedy show at the Sidewalk Cafe, on Avenue A! https://www.facebook.com/secondcousinsshow https://www.facebook.com/NBTRadio/ www.rfb.nyc/nbt 

His work is challenging, exhilarating and powerful to watch and to perform. More than just the intricate scores and difficult vocals, Stephen Sondheim musicals are unique in their subject matter. From exploring the issues of contemporary life, marriage and relationships in “Company,” to injustice, murder and revenge in “Sweeney Todd,” he's spent his career offering Broadway audiences works of remarkable craft that challenged and tested the form of the American musical. In this episode of The Next Best Thing, we delve into some of his most celebrated shows, and how they came to be. 

Jarret Berenstein is a writer and comedian based in New York City. He hosts the hilarious show, "Famous Dead People" on Radio Free Brooklyn! He stopped by the studio to chat with Jonathan about his recent stand-up tour across America, Famous Dead People, his book "The Kellyanne Conway Technique," and the recent midterm elections! 

Billy Magnussen is a very busy guy. When he's not starring in blockbuster films, like Into the Woods, Bridge of Spies, Ingrid Goes West, Game Night, and the upcoming live-action adaptation of Disney's Aladdin, you can catch him on Netflix in Maniac, or on CBS All Access in Tell Me a Story. He's also a veteran of the Broadway stage, who, in 2012, was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. Above all else, though, he's just a damn good guy, and one helluva softball player! He and Jonathan discuss all that and more on this episode of The Next Best Thing! 

Nikolay Krupelnitskiy, co-founder and owner of Julia Valler Staffing & Events, stopped by the RFB studio to chat about what it takes to start and run a business, emigrating from Russia, having to learn an entirely new language and much more! Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE every Monday night at 10:00pm on Radio Free Brooklyn!

James Higgins is a music director, pianist, arranger, and sound designer with 30 years of international experience. RFB fans may recognize him as the accompanist/collaborator from A Night of Dreams, presented in May of 2018. He stopped by to chat with Jonathan about his current project, Me The People: Fire & Fury edition, playing most Tuesday nights between now and the midterm elections at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, in the basement of the West Bank Cafe! 

Nick Pecoraro is a vegan, animal rights activist and organizer for Anonymous for the Voiceless, an animal rights organization that specializes in street activism. He calls in from Hawaii to chat with Jonathan about everything from how and why he became a vegan to proper messaging and documentary recommendations! 

Depression is something that has touched the lives of so many people in one way or another. In September of 2017, Sam Swanson turned to Facebook to share of his own, personal struggle. It ended up getting picked up by the Huffington Post, and the rest is history. He stopped by the studio to talk about depression, how it affects people, and to remind those who suffer from it that they’re not alone.

The Rainbow Connection, Eye of The Tiger, 9 to 5, Philadelphia...what do all of these iconic movies songs have in common? They all LOST the Academy Award for Best Original Song! In this episode, we go over all of the songs we've come to know and love that SHOULD have won an Academy Award, but didn't! Hold onto your butts. 

The 3rd installment of our series on the Trump administration, and it's incremental undoing. In this episode, we cover the State of the Union address, and the release of what has come to be known as the Nunes memo. Welcome to the Twilight Zone.

Once upon a time, winning a debate came down to one thing: cold, hard facts. Whether the topic was US Foreign Policy or "who was better: Tom Brady or Joe Montana," it didn't matter. Whoever came prepared with more facts and evidence always won the day. Sadly, those days are over... Living in our current "facts don't matter" society, winning a debate takes much more than before. In this episode, we go over all the pitfalls, and how to avoid them.

The conclusion of our look into who Vladimir Putin really is, and why he worked tirelessly to see that HIllary Clinton did NOT become the President of the United States. 

Recall step by step how Vladimir Putin came to see the United States as an enemy, how U.S. intelligence came to believe he targeted the 2016 presidential election, what could have been done to prevent it, what it means for the future of American democracy. Scary stuff.

John William Schiffbauer, former Deputy Communications Director for the New York Republican State Committee, returns to the show to discuss the current state of the Republican Party, and why through it all, he remains a loyal member of it. Catch The Next Best Thing LIVE, every Monday night from 10-Midnight on Radio Free Brooklyn! 

Stories of the strange, scary and unexplainable on this Halloween episode of The Next Best Things. Listen LIVE every Monday night from 10-Midnight EST on Radio Free Brooklyn. 

According to Gallup, about 8 million Americans claim to have had a near-death experience (NDE), and many of them regard it as irrefutable proof of an afterlife. Skeptics insist those are merely anecdotal, and easily explained away by the biochemistry of the dying brain, pumped up by morphine and stress. The truth is, though, NO ONE knows for sure. Listen as we explore some of the various experiences and possibilities.

The second half of our definitive list of the scariest movies of ALL TIME. Not for the faint of heart..! 

An excellent horror movie is truly one of the hardest films to make. That's why there are so few of them. If you glanced at what's come out in the past 20 years, you might think that what makes a movie scary is the amount of diced body tissue flying around the screen. Shock value has its place, but what really unsettles isn't blood and gore, it's that ominous sound from around the corner, the indecipherable figure in the distance, a sense of impending doom as somebody opens a door. Join Jonathan as he takes you through some of the scariest movies of ALL TIME. 

Some call it the most notorious haunted house in the world. So famous, in fact, that the name of the town in which it stands has become synonymous with horror: Amityville. To kick off our "Haunted Halloween" series, we revisit the violent, potentially haunted past, of the house that sits at 112 Ocean Avenue. Warning: NOT for the faint of heart. 

Jonathan met Kevin Necciai when they were both studying Vocal Performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Since then, Kevin has served a full term with the Peace Corps in Rwanda, performed in various roles around NYC, worked as a voice coach and music director, and is in the process of building a career as a stand-up comedian. They talk about all that and more in this episode of The Next Best Thing!

Where were you on September 11th? If you were alive on that day in 2001, then you have a story to tell, and likely a vivid image locked indelibly in their hearts. On this 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we reflect on how it all went down, how the world has changed, and most importantly, remember some of the stories of those we lost much too soon.

No Birthday would be complete without a clown, am I right? Join Jonathan on his 30th birthday, as he discusses the joys (and pitfalls) of Facebook, Hillary Clinton's new book, and who will go down in history as the one, TRUE Pennywise, the dancing, murderous clown.

All professional sports leagues have their scandals. Racist owners in the NBA, MLB's steroid era, Lance Armstrong's entire career..? The NFL is no stranger to controversy. On the contrary, the league seems to attract it like a magnet. From Spygate to Deflategate, to rising stars being convicted for murder, there's one thing the NFL will never be able to hide under the rug: their game can destroy its players lives. Join Jonathan as he delves into all the pain and misery former NFL stars have endured over the years, and all the league has done to try and cover it up. #TheNextBestThing #RadioFreeBrooklyn #NFL #Frontline #Sports #LeagueofDenial #Football

Racism, sexism, bigotry and homophobia--they're all very real. We saw some of it on full display recently in Charlottesville, Virginia. What happens, though, when humor, wit and/or good intentions are mistaken for spite and racism? When political correctness and true bigotry are suddenly indistinguishable? That can only lead to 1 of 2 things: a world where EVERYONE is a racist, or a world where no one is. Could you tell the difference? #TheNextBestThing #RadioFreeBrooklyn #Racism #Politics #Culture #Bigotry #Humor #PoliticalCorrectness #Charlottesville #Hate

Zachary Mabry won our hearts as Porky in the 1994 film The Little Rascals, but what has he been up to in the 23 years since? He joined Jonathan to talk about that, what it was like making the film, working with Donald Trump, and more! #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #TheLittleRascals #Nostalgia #Porky #Movies #NBT

Part two of the definitive list of Best Broadway Musicals of ALL TIME! #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #Broadway #Theatre #Drama #Music #MusicalTheatre #NYC

Musical theatre combines the thrill of live music with the compelling storytelling and drama of watching a TV show or film. Sometimes, when done with incredible care and sensitivity, the combination of the two can lead to something transformative. Join Jon as he takes you through his list of the 21 BEST Broadway Musicals of all time! #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #MusicalTheatre #Art #NewYorkCity #Broadway #Theatre #America

Cam Perron has been featured on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel not once, but twice! He joined Jonathan to talk about how he went from being a kid collecting baseball cards, to one of the nation's leading authorities on Negro League Baseball.

Luigi DiGangi is a comedy writer, sketch performer, and one-third of the comedy team known as Gibbon Brain. He stopped by the studio to talk with Jonathan about what he and his guys have been up to, what's on the horizon, and just life in general. #TheNextBestThing #RadioFreeBrooklyn #GibbonBrain #Comedy #Podcast #FunnyorDie #Radio

John Jastremski is an up-and-coming star on WFAN, New York's premier Sports Talk Radio stations. Since 2011, he's hosted his own show, JJ After Dark, during the overnight hours, but as Jonathan points out in their interview, that's likely to change in the near future. We also covered what life is like for JJ outside of the sports realm, and what his future plans may be. #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #WFAN #JJAfterDark #Radio #NewYorkCity #Sports

Charles Busch is a playwright, actor, screenwriter, and one of American theatre's most famous drag artists. While known to most Broadway playgoers as the author of THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST'S WIFE and the book of TABOO, Busch really earned his star-status for early works like VAMPIRE LESBIANS OF SODOM, PSYCHO BEACH PARTY, and THEODORA, SHE-BITCH OF BYZANTIUM. Jonathan was thrilled to have a chance to sit down and talk to Mr. Busch about his fascinating life and career. #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #Radio #Broadway #Theatre #CharlesBusch #Drag #LGBTQ #Literature

According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, between the short window of December 2015 to March 2017,, nearly 50% of all young Republicans left the party. John William Schiffbauer was not one of them. He quit his job as Deputy Communications Director of the New York State Republican Party, and advocated hard against voting for Donald Trump, but he remains a dedicated member of the Republican Party. Find out why, and what he thinks may be in store moving forward, in this remarkably civil conversation. Yes, they're still possible. #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #Politics #OpposingViewpoints

Arguing with umpires is as old as baseball itself. In recent years, however, blown calls have gone from simply being "part of the game," to becoming a real problem. Why? Because we now have the technology to see every missed call, down to each individual pitch. It seems no one would find this information more useful than the home plate umpire, and yet they're literally the ONLY ones MLB doesn't show it to. Try and figure that one out. #Baseball #MLB #Sports #Umpires #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #Podcast

Miss Cleo? Convicted of fraud. Sylvia Browne? Also convicted of fraud. John Edward was a well-known mentalist before becoming a "psychic," and producer of the hit show "Crossing Over." Are these people for real, or are they just clever conartists who prey on the grieving and the vulnerable? #Psychics #Paranormal #Ghosts #Skeptic #Cynical #TheNextBestThing #RadioFreeBrooklyn #Podcast

Donald Trump recently had one of the WORST weeks in Presidential history. Even worse than the 25 weeks before it, which were pretty damn awful. This Presidency got off to an atrocious start, and things don't seem to be improving. How long can this go on? Could Donald Trump be on his way out of office just 4 months after being sworn in?? Is this the beginning of the end? #NextBestThing #RadioFreeBrooklyn #Politics #Trump #News #Scandal

Jon met singer, songwriter, producer, and all-around good guy Dan Zimberg in 2012, when they were in an Off-Broadway production together. While both Progressives, the two look at politics quite differently. Dan, for example, was a self-described "Bernie Bro," turned Jill Stein voter. Jon...wasn't. Hear their thoughts and feelings in this civil discussion of the election that was 2016. #Politics #BernieBro #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #Podcast

Evan Gregory is the eldest member of The Gregory Brothers, a musical group whose sole purpose is to songify the universe. Plain and simple. Best known for their viral videos, like Songify the News (previously Auto-Tune the News), and classics like the Bed Intruder and Double Rainbow Song, he stopped by the studio to talk with Jon about their musical upbringing, how they went from being a traditional band to YouTube phenomenon, and what their plans are for the future! #TheGregoryBrothers #TheNextBestThing #RadioFreeBrooklyn #YouTube #Podcast

Tyler Lea spent an entire year performing on Broadway as the lead role in the Tony-Award winning play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Jon sat down with him to discuss what life was like before the show, during its run, and since it closed back in September of 2016. #TheNextBestThing #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TylerLea #Broadway #Theatre #CuriousIncident

Jonathan met Davi Santos in late 2010, when they were both cast in a bizarre little musical in New York City. Since then, he's gone on to appear in various films and television shows, including Mr. Box Office, Don't Trust the B**** in Apt. 23, Switched at Birth, and of course, as the Gold Ranger in Power Rangers Dino Charge! He and Jon discuss all this and more during their time in the studio. #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #DaviSantos #PowerRangers #ShowBiz

Part two of our deep look into the epidemic that is gun violence in America! www.rfb.nyc/nbt #Guns #NRA #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #America

No other developed country in the world has anywhere near the same rate of gun violence as America. The US has nearly six times the gun homicide rate as Canada, more than seven times as Sweden, and nearly 16 times as Germany, according to UN data compiled by the Guardian. The problem just keeps getting worse, and we're doing NOTHING about it. Jon delves into this and more in this two-parter! #Guns #NRA #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #America

For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth. A chance to forget last season, when all 30 of the major league clubs and their millions of fans begin with 0–0 records. Going into 2017, everyone seems to have written off Jon's beloved Kansas City Royals. It's cool, though. As we learned in 2014 and 2015, being written off and disrespected is precisely when KC plays their best baseball. #MLB #OpeningDay #RaisedRoyal #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #Radio #Podcast

Accomplished attorney, and ardent Hillary Clinton supporter, Zarah Levin-Fragasso joins Jonathan to talk about her experience working as a volunteer lawyer for the HRC campaign, what went wrong, and where we go from here! #HillaryClinton #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #Radio

To some, she was the greatest star of all time. To others, she was a tragic figure. For most of us, though, she will be forever be remembered simply as "Dorothy." A look into the life and career...of Judy Garland. #Podcast #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing #Singers #JudyGarland

Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, Bob Dylan...what do they all have in common? They each have one of the most distinctive, celebrated voices of all time! See who else made the list on this episode of The Next Best Thing. #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing

Donald Trump had an incredible life. He never expected to be the President. He never WANTED to be the President. And now that he is, he absolutely hates being the President. Might he be doing all he can to lose the job he spent 2 years trying to win? I wouldn't put it past him. #TheNextBestThing #RadioFreeBrooklyn

The age in which we all saw the sign, did the Macarena, and learned NOT to go chasing waterfalls. The decade that asked that age old question: what if God was one of us? All this and more as we celebrate the 1990's! #ILoveThe90s #decades #nickelodeon #PowerRangers #RadioFreeBrooklyn #NextBestThing

Barbra Streisand hated feeling rejected, and once told a casting director, "you'll be sorry." Sigmund Freud once told a childhood friend of his to save his letters. "You never know how important they will be," he said. Whether an actor, singer, psychologist or baseball player, there are some things ALL very successful people have in common: vision, resilience, ambition, and an unyielding belief in themselves. It's never easy getting from where you are to where you truly want to be, as you'll hear from multiple famous, successful people in this episode. The key to getting there? "Don't give up. Don't ever give up." #Inspiration #Success #Resilience #SteveJobs #LisaKudrow #Sports #Theatre #Advice #Bio #RadioFreeBrooklyn

Kellyanne Conway has a supernatural ability to derail any interview and avoid answering ANY real questions. How does she do it? And how much longer will she be able to pull it off? Seems to be unraveling before our very eyes... #News #KellyAnneConway #RadioFreeBrooklyn #TheNextBestThing

The second half of our look into some of the greatest film scores, and composers, of all time. If you can't guess who comes in at number 1 overall, slap yourself in the face. Oh yeah, I said it. #Film #Music #Scores #JohnWilliams

Imagine Jaws without the low, steady orchestral theme, or the shower scene in Psycho without the screeching violins. The value a brilliant score brings to a film can't be overstated. In this two-part episode, we hear and discuss some of the greatest film music of all time, as well as those who create it. #FilmMusic #Scores #Movies #RadioFreeBrooklyn #Composers #Music

Dreams are weird. Whether lovely and fun or dark and scary, dreams almost always have some bizarre elements to them. But what if you could control your dreams? If you could realize, while asleep, that you were dreaming, and turn nightmares into fantasies? It's possible, and sometimes...it can change your life. #Dreams #LucidDreaming #RadioFreeBrooklyn

Remember Shelley Duvall? The svelte actress who starred opposite Jack Nicholson in The Shining, and Robin Williams in Popeye? Whatever happened to her? Well, apparently, she's gone completely insane. Jon dissects a recent interview she gave to Dr. Phil. Also includes an in-depth review of the 1989 horror film, Pet Sematary! #StephenKing #ShelleyDuvall #RadioFreeBrooklyn

How can one hate #guns if they've never been shot, or lost a loved one to gun violence?? Jonathan shares a story he recently heard on NPR, and shares one of his own that answers that very question.

A look back on all the craziest news items of January 10-15 of 2017. Also, an in-depth review of the original film version of Stephen King's IT, starring Tim Curry!

What's the difference between satire and political humor? Do insult comics still exist, other than Don Rickles? Why do some people find Kathy Griffin hilarious, but Chris Rock unlikable? Isn't that a little ass-backwards? There are many different ways to be funny, and even more ways to be painfully UNfunny. We explore some of the former, and listen to some examples of the very best comics alive today.

What went on in the NEWS, what went on in the WORLD for the week of January 3-8 of 2017. Also, a dissection of how Kellyanne Conway, Trump's wet brain, artfully avoids answering a single question throughout an interview. Brace yourself.

Up-and-coming comedian David Bradley Isenberg stops by the studio to discuss politics, reminisce with Jon about growing up in Kansas, and what life is like for young comics in New York City!

This day in History Going on in the News, Going on in the World! Must See Scary Movies NFL: League of Denial and more!!

How can you love watching and supporting a professional sports team while knowing the game they play is killing them? How can you support a league as hypocritical and unethical as the NFL? Not sure, but I do! #Conflicted #DonaldTrump #NFL #Concussions #Redskins #Chiefs #Sports

Almost 2 weeks since Donald Trump lost the popular vote by 2.9 million votes, but somehow won the Presidency...what do we do now??