Ira David Sternberg Podcasts

This week, Ira spoke with Alan Snel, whose popular website, LVSportsBiz.com, reports the business side of Las Vegas’ expanding sports industry. In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” Alan talks about the probable move of the Oakland A’s to Las Vegas and the ramifications of building a stadium here; the financing involved (including par…

Author, A History of the American Renaissance Festival. Where Have all the Hippies gone? This week, Ira spoke with Al Olson, author of A History of the American Renaissance Festival. Where Have all the Hippies gone? In this costumed episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Al talks about his history with renaissance festivals, going back decades; why t…

This week, Ira spoke with Giada Valenti, performing in Myron’s at The Smith Center May 24 at 7 p.m. In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” Giada talks about why her grandmother was her guide through life; how cooking is part of her life, along with performing; why some songs that are thought to be American or British are actually Itali…

Chicago Regional Director for the American Jewish Committee (AJC) This week, Ira spoke with Sarah van Loon, Chicago Regional Director for the American Jewish Committee (AJC) about Jewish American Heritage Month. In this tribal episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Sarah talks about the contributions of Jews to America; combating antisemitism; her pe…

This week, Ira spoke with three-time Grammy nominee Kevin Sucher, leader of Las Vegas' favorite yacht rock band, The Docksiders (performing every Thursday night at 7 at Notoriety Live in Neonopolis, Downtown Las Vegas). In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” Kevin talks about defining yacht rock; why he loves the genre; what establishi…

Author, Army Wife and Fly Safe This week, Ira spoke with Vicki Cody, author of Army Wife and Fly Safe. In this spousal episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Vicki talks about the stresses and strains and joys of being a military wife; why she decided to write books about her family’s experiences through the years; her best advice to military couples…

This week, Ira spoke with Jack Russell, who performs with his group, Jack Russell’s Great White, this Friday, May 12 at 8 p.m. in The Golden Nugget Las Vegas. In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” Jack talks about his early years in rock; how the band found its niche; what has happened to rock; what drives him to perform; the importan…

Author, Judaism Disrupted: A Spiritual Manifesto for the 21st Century This week, Ira spoke with Rabbi Michael Strassfeld, author of Judaism Disrupted: A Spiritual Manifesto for the 21st Century (published by Ben Yehuda Press). In this Judaic episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Michael talks about how he believes Judaism has a lot to offer in makin…

This week, Ira spoke with architect Windom Kimsey, who has opened Azzurra Cucina Italiana on Henderson’s reimagined Water Street. In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas,” Windom talks about his background as an architect; moving to Las Vegas and working on major projects here; his discovery of historic Water Street in Henderson; developing a mult…

Author, Painful Joy: A Holocaust Family Memoir This week, Ira spoke with Max Friedman, author of Painful Joy: A Holocaust Family Memoir (published by Amsterdam Publishers). In this revealing episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Max talks about his history growing up with his parents, who were Holocaust survivors; why he distanced himself from their…

This week, Ira spoke with Scott Roeben, founder of the “Vital Vegas” blog. In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas With Ira,” Scott talks about his start in Las Vegas blogging; how he gets his scoops (many of which make the national media); his nontraditional approach to writing about Las Vegas news; how he cultivates sources; his biggest scoops; …

Author (along with Bonnie Sinclair), USA RV ADVENTURES This week, Ira spoke with Grant Sinclair, author (along with Bonnie Sinclair) of USA RV ADVENTURES. In this vagabond episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Grant talks about how he and Bonnie shared an interest in traveling, which is a great test of a relationship; how they gave up using a tent a…

Photo by Maurice Jerry BeznosThis week, Ira spoke with GRAMMY® -Award winning pianist Emanuel Ax, performing in the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall at the UNLV Performing Arts Center April 20 at 7:30 p.m. In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas,” Emanuel talks about when he decided to live the classical life; how to make classical music more accessibl…

Director, Only in Theaters This week, Ira spoke with Raphael Sbarge, director of Only in Theaters, a documentary about a family business and the future of cinema. In this screened episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Raphael talks about the fourth-generation Laemmle family (going back to the origins of Hollywood) and its challenges as an independent …

This week, Ira spoke with jazz trumpeter, vocalist, and composer Jumaane Smith (performing in Myron’s at The Smith Center April 15) as he celebrates the origins of jump blues and jazz in LOUIS! LOUIS! LOUIS! In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Jumaane talks about why music was a source of inspiration to him after the trials and tribulations of…

Author, My Place in the Sun, Life in the Golden Age of Hollywood and Washington (Audiobook Now Available) This week, Ira once again spoke with Academy Award recipient George Stevens, Jr. author of My Place in the Sun, Life in the Golden Age of Hollywood and Washington, and whose audiobook version is now available. In this bicoastal episode of “Ira’…

This week, Ira spoke with John O’Hurley, performing a 90-minute retrospective on songs from The Great American Songbook (along with musings from his eclectic life and ca-reer) at the Italian American Club April 13. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, John talks about growing up surrounded by the melodies of the Great American Songbook; how he …

Supervisor, Pollen Monitoring Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in collaboration with the Clark County School District This week, Ira spoke with Asma Tahir, supervisor of the Pollen Monitoring Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in collaboration with the Clark County School Dis-trict. In this pollinated episode of “Ira’s Eve…

This week, Ira spoke with Keith Thompson, Founder/Host of The Composers Showcase, which is celebrating its 17th anniversary on April 5 in Myron’s at The Smith Center. In this episode of “Talk About Las Vegas,” Keith talks about the beginnings of the showcase; how it grew over the years; his process for auditioning talent; why the showcase has becom…

Author, Rise Up For You, Closing The Gap Between You and Your Potential This week, Ira spoke with Nada Lena Nasserdeen, author of Rise Up For You, Closing The Gap Between You and Your Potential. In this motivational episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Nada talks about why she stresses “self-development” instead of self-help”; how she develops stra…

This week, Ira spoke with Las Vegas based comedian Lindsay Glazer. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Lindsay talks about why she became an attorney and then decided to become a comedian; why she thinks she’s the only comic who didn’t move to Los Angeles for comedy; the recording of her new album, "Thanks, Dad."(which comes out April 14); her…

Author, Lawrence Tierney, Hollywood’s Real-Life Tough Guy This week, Ira spoke with Burt Kearns, journalist, television and film producer, and author of the new book, Lawrence Tierney, Hollywood’s Real-Life Tough Guy (Published by The University Press of Kentucky). In this noir episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Burt talks about why he decided to w…

This week, Ira spoke with Colin Cloud, known as a “Real Life Sherlock Holmes,” starring with Shim Lim in “LIMITLESS” at The Mirage (Mondays and Thursdays through Sundays at 7:30PM). In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Colin talks about why he developed an interest in Sherlock Holmes at an early age; how he realized that stand-up comedians are …

This week, Ira spoke with Storm Large, performing in Myron’s at The Smith Center March 10-11 at 7 p.m. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Storm talks about developing a sense of humor at an early age to cope with her environment; how she came to write her memoirs at a relatively young age; why performing gave her value (and was a form of self…

Author (along with Fred Plotkin), Rick Steves Italy for Food Lovers This week, Ira spoke with Rick Steves, America’s most respected authority on European experiences and travel, and author (along with Fred Plotkin) of Rick Steves Italy for Food Lovers (published by Avalon Publishing), which guides travelers through the great sights, eats, drinks, d…

This week, Ira spoke with Rob McCoy, chief executive officer of the Atomic Museum in Las Vegas. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Rob talks about joining the museum (open since 2005) and beginning to repurpose, rebrand and reimagine it; creating the right mix of exhibits, artifacts, and programming; the history and importance of the Nevada T…

Director, writer, producer, actor, and author of Harvard, Hollywood, Hitmen, and Holy Men, A Memoir This week, Ira spoke with Paul W. Williams, director, writer, producer, actor, and author of Harvard, Hollywood, Hitmen, and Holy Men, A Memoir (Published by University Press of Kentucky). In this autobiographic episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Pau…

This week, Ira spoke with award-winning illusionist Rick Thomas, who will be performing at the South Point Casino February 24-26. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Rick talks about his long career in magic; how he maintains his passion for performing; why he always aimed to perform in Las Vegas; how he sees the beginning of the show as the m…

Comedian and co-writer and co-illustrator of Ha Ha History: The First History Book You’ll Want to Read! This week, Ira spoke with comedian Mike Morse, co-writer and co-illustrator of Ha Ha History: The First History Book You’ll Want to Read! In this Hastoric episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Mike talks about his career in performing and writing co…

This week, Ira spoke with crooner Matt Dusk, performing “Matt Dusk Sings Sinatra” in Myron’s Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center, February 18 (at 6 and 8:30 p.m.). In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Matt talks about his earliest memories of hearing Sinatra; why Sinatra still matters; why the audience is what makes the show great; the challenges …

Host, Tips For Travellers Incredible Cruise Experiences Made Easy This week, Ira spoke with Gary Bembridge, host of Tips For Travellers, the popular YouTube channel (three million views per month) for people who like to cruise. In this shipshape episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Gary talks about his journey from a marketing career to illness to cr…

This week, Ira spoke with Andrew Kiraly, founder and publisher of TheList.Vegas, a new Las Vegas events calendar created by locals and curated for locals. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Andrew talks about why he wanted to create a website devoted to events in Las Vegas, especially in a post-COVID world; how he curates the information; why…

Award-winning documentary film producer and director Director, The Essential Link: The Story of Wilfrid Israel This week, Ira spoke with award-winning documentary film producer and director Yonatan Nir. In this documented episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Yonatan talks about connecting with people through film; how reality is created through docum…

This week, Ira spoke with The Cowsills (Bob, Susan, and Paul), performing January 27 at The Golden Nugget Las Vegas. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, the trio talk about the origins of the Cowsills name; why they recorded a new album, Rhythm Of the World, after waiting 30 years; why the group had such an impact in the 60’s; connecting with …

“Caviar Queen” and owner of Caviar Collective and Forte Tapas This week, Ira spoke with “Caviar Queen” Nina Manchev, owner of Caviar Collective and Forte Tapas. In this fishy episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Nina talks about her love for Bulgarian cuisine and why it is not just meat and potatoes; moving to Las Vegas and, after college and some ot…

This week, Ira spoke with Alain Nu, “The Man Who Knows” (Thursdays - Saturdays at the Notoriety Theater). In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Alain talks about the area of the unexplained; the importance of hope; taking the preconceived notions of magic and turning it upside down; why connection is his message; and why his show is a new take o…

This week, Ira spoke with comedian Greg Hahn, headlining in the Laugh Factory at the Tropicana Las Vegas through January 15. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Greg talks about how the Marine Corps helped his comedy career; why he modeled his comedy ca-reer on a famous drummer; why he thinks getting older only makes you funnier; how he wins o…

Author, Marisa’s Wine Doodles This week, Ira spoke with Marisa Finetti, author of Marisa’s Wine Doodles. In this varietal episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Marisa talks about her early years in wine before moving to Las Vegas; her surprise at finding a connection with wine in Las Vegas; her decision to write about wine and eventually to write a bo…

This week, Ira spoke with Alex White, founder of Yukon Pizza. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Alex talks about the sourdough starter that has been in his family for five generations; how he took some of it to college when he left home; how it lead him down the pizza path; why he chose to make pizza making his life choice; why sourdough is …

Author, Bicycle Man: Life of Journeys Publisher, lvsportsbiz.com This week, Ira spoke with Alan Snel, author of Bicycle Man: Life of Journey. In this 10-speed episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Alan talks about when he first developed a passion for bicycles; why he lives the bicycle life (one reason is mobility); why it’s “complete a form of transp…

This week, Ira spoke with Richard N. “Rick” Velotta, gaming-tourism reporter and assistant business editor for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Rick talks about why this is the best news town in the country; the impact of the Hard Rock coming to the Las Vegas Strip; the biggest change in Las Vegas; the develop-…

Author, Uncle Charlie Killed Dutch Shultz, The Jewish Mob, A Family Affair This week, Ira spoke with Alan Geik, author of Uncle Charlie Killed Dutch Shultz, The Jewish Mob, A Family Affair (published by Sonador Publishing). In this familial episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Alan talks about why he decided to research and write about his relatives’…

This week, Ira spoke with Leo Flowers, performing in the Comedy Cellar at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino through December 18. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Leo talks about transitioning from inmate counseling to stand-up comedy; why story telling is integral to his comedy; how he became a life coach and works with high-achieving women;…

Legendary Comedian This week, Ira spoke with legendary comedian Shecky Greene. In this stand-up episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Shecky talks about working in the Borscht Belt and why it gave him the freedom to perform; the kugel difference; when he knew he hit it big; saving the Tropicana; loving the recognition, enjoying the laughter, but not e…

Author, The Future Is Analog: How to Create a More Human World This week, Ira spoke with David Sax, author of The Future Is Analog: How to Create a More Human World (published by PublicAffairs). In this digitized episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, David talks about challenging the notion that we live in a digital world; why the pandemic gave us a g…

This week, Ira spoke with country artist Ned LeDoux, who will be performing a free concert in the Veil Pavilion at the Silverton December 1&2 at 9 p.m. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Ned talks about being “bitten by the beat” as a kid; how he started playing drums at the age of six; why his dad, singer-songwriter and rodeo champion Chris …

This week, Ira spoke with comedian (and motivational speaker) Guy Fessenden, performing in the Delirious Comedy Club at the Downtown Grand. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Guy talks about the challenges of becoming a comedian at age 63; why he decided go go into comedy after years of pain and tears; how he runs a not-for-profit agency duri…

A board-certified neurologist talks about cluster headaches This week, Ira spoke with Steven Sykes, MD, a board-certified neurologist who practices general neurology and clinical neurophysiology with Cedars-Sinai Medical Group in Santa Monica, California. In this Hippocratic episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Dr. Sykes talks about the lesser-known …

This week, Ira spoke with Jim Caruso, bringing “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party” (with Billy Stritch on piano) to Myron’s at The Smith Center November 18 at 7 p.m. In this episode of Talk About Las Vegas, Jim talks about his Cast Party that features an impromptu open mic/variety show where stars and up-and-comers deliver music and dazzle dazzle; his career…

Author, The Little Book of Whiskey Cocktails This week, Ira spoke with Bryan Paiement, author of The Little Book of Whiskey Cocktails (published by University Press of Kentucky). In this shaken or stirred episode of Ira’s Everything Bagel, Bryan talks about how his passion for cocktails developed after a trip to his garden; the popularity of the Ol…