Bernard Goldberg

Bernard Goldberg, the television news reporter and author of Bias, a New York Times number one bestseller about how the media distort the news, is widely seen as one of the most original writers and thinkers in broadcast journalism.  He has covered stories all over the world for CBS News and has won 12 Emmy awards for excellence in journalism.  He won six Emmys at CBS, and six more at HBO, where he now reports for the widely acclaimed broadcast Real Sports.

In addition to his ground-breaking book Bias, Goldberg has written four other books on the media and American culture — Arrogance, 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America: (And Al Franken is #37), Crazies to the Left of Me, Wimps to the Right, and A Slobbering Love Affair, about the news media’s romance with Barack Obama.  All  have all been New York Times bestsellers.

In 2006 Bernie won the most prestigious of all broadcast journalism awards, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award (considered the broadcast equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize), for an HBO story about young, poor boys  who were sold or kidnapped into slavery and were forced to risk their lives as camel jockeys in the United Arab Emirates, one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

In 2012, Bernie was honored again with another duPont, this time for a groundbreaking body of work on the effects of head trauma on athletes.

Bernie has reported extensively, both at HBO and at CBS News, on the transformation of the American culture.  At HBO, in the fall of 2000, he wrote the Emmy award winning documentary Do You Believe In Miracles, the dramatic story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team and the most famous hockey game ever — the game between the United States and the Soviet Union that revitalized the American spirit and helped bring America out of the malaise it had suffered though much of the 1970s.

At CBS, he anchored two prime-time documentaries about how the American landscape was changing.  Don’t Blame Me showed how the United States was becoming a nation of finger-pointers whose citizens more and more were refusing to accept responsibility for their actions.   In Your Face, America was an hour-long report about the coarsening of America, about how vulgar and uncivil our popular culture was becoming.

Bernie has written op-ed pieces that appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, about a wide range of subjects, including baseball, manners, and journalism.

He is also a news and media analyst for Fox News where he comments regularly on the state of the press and television news as well as on politics and culture for the network’s top rated program, The O’Reilly Factor.

He is a graduate of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey and a member of the school’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni

Professor Douglas Brinkley

Douglas Brinkley is a professor of history at Rice University, bestselling author, Grammy-award winning producer and presidential historian for CNN. Eight of his books have been selected as New York Times Notable Books of the Year, and each of his most-recent publications have been New York Times bestsellers. Brinkley received the Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt Naval History Prize for Driven Patriot in 1993 and the Benjamin Franklin Award for The American Heritage History of the United States in 1998. His book 2006 The Great Deluge:  Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast won the Robert F. Kennedy book award.  He is also the author of the award-winning biographies Rosa Parks: A Life, Cronkite, and Wheels of the World: Henry Ford, His Country, and a Century of Progress.  Published in 2016, Rightful Heritage: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America is the third volume of Brinkley’s bestselling U.S. environmental history series.

Brinkley’s most recent book, JFK: A Vision for America—which he edited together with the president’s nephew, Stephen Kennedy Smith—features JFK’s greatest speeches, iconic photography, and reflections by leading statesmen, writers, historians, and public figures. The book is the basis for New-York Historical’s upcoming exhibition honoring the 100th anniversary of President Kennedy’s birth: American Visionary: John F. Kennedy’s Life and Time, opening June 23.

Brinkley, who has edited Jack Kerouac’s diaries, Hunter S. Thompson’s letters, and Theodore Dreiser’s travelogue—and has co-edited a previously unpublished novel by Woody Guthrie together with Johnny Depp—serves as a contributing editor for Vanity Fair, Audubon, and American Heritage, and is a frequent contributor to The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic Monthly. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Century Association, and the Society of American Historians, and has held board or leadership advisory roles at the American Museum of Natural History, the Yellowstone Park Foundation, the National Audubon Society, and the Rockefeller-Roosevelt Conservation Roundtable—reflecting his commitment to conservation and environmental preservation.

Brinkley has been described as “America’s new past master” and has received numerous honorary degrees from colleges and universities throughout the nation for his work as an Americanist. He earned his BA from Ohio State University and a PhD in U.S. diplomatic history from Georgetown University.

"Blonde on Blonde"

Deirdre Imus, Founder of the site devoted to environmental health, ImusEnvironmentalHealth.org, a resource for healthy green living where Deirdre shares tips on how to "green" the way you care for yourself, family and the planet. Everything from the food you eat, the clothes you wear, baby care products, cosmetics, and personal care products, you’ll find practical advice and tips for a healthier lifestyle. Deirdre is a vegetarian for life!

Deirdre is also President and Founder of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center® at Hackensack University Medical Center and Co-Founder/Co-Director of the Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer. It is the only vegetarian working cattle ranch for kids with cancer.   

Deirdre is a New York Times multiple best-selling author and appears weekly on Imus in the Morning's Blonde on Blonde and Psychos.

The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center® works to ensure children live the healthiest lives possible – today, tomorrow, and decades from now. In her quest to clean up the environment for our kids, Deirdre developed the award-winning Greening The Cleaning® program and product line, which replaces the hazardous ingredients commonly found in cleaning agents with environmentally-responsible, less toxic products wherever possible.  The program and products are used throughout the country in schools, healthcare facilities, and businesses.

Deirdre has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors for her impact as a leader in the field of environmental health, and for raising awareness about childhood chronic illnesses that are in epidemic proportions like autism, asthma, and obesity.  Deirdre serves on the boards of several children’s health organizations, including the National Autism Association, Safe Minds, Generation Rescue, SKIP of New York, East Harlem Council for Human Services, Inc., Boriken Neighborhood Health Center.

Tony Powell

What do you get when you cross the charisma of Eddie Murphy, the irreverence of Chris Rock, and the Old School charm of Bernie Mack? I have no idea, however, I do know that when you add a quick wit, great storytelling ability, and the performance chops of a seasoned pro you have Tony Powell.

Like someone getting chocolate in your peanut butter or you getting peanut butter in their chocolate, accidents have a way of discovering pure artistry. While attending the University of Virginia, Tony Powell was asked to calm an unruly audience. Suddenly all those summer afternoons listening to Richard Pryor, and Bill Cosby albums seemed to have purpose. With his trademark quick wit, and clever impressions, Tony released the comedic genie trapped within to the delight of the unruly audience. Who knew at that moment in time that Powell was about to embark on a comedic odyssey that would lead to appearances on The Chris Rock Show , NBC's Showtime at the Apollo and two appearances on A&E's Comedy on the Road. Powell has made several appearances on The Comedy Channel. Powell has also opened for celebrity musical groups such as The Ojays and the Whispers. He has worked as the studio warm-up act for Bill Cosby and Nickelodeon's Keenan and Kel show. Since December of 2007 Tony has brought his comedic talents, as both a writer and performer, to the nationally syndicated radio program "Imus In The Morning;" heard weekdays from 6-10 AM EST and simulcast on the Fox Business Network..

As an actor, he has recently appeared on several national television commercials (Visa, Dawn Detergent, Ritz Crackers, Snuggle Brand Fabric Softener). Tony was also the radio voice of ''Mr. Chill'' for Miller Genuine Draft and the U.S. Army reserves. Powell’s voice talents have also been featured in national radio spots for Fila and Heineken. Powell is a college campus favorite as well. He has performed at over a hundred colleges and universities.

Growing up in East New York, Brooklyn, survival requires one of three things; you either have to be a great fighter, fleet of foot, or be a whole lotta funny. Let's just say, Tony Powell ain't no Ali or Usain Bolt, he is however, a whole lotta funny.

Dr. Tara Maller

Dr. Tara Maller is a national security expert with extensive media and communications experience. She serves as Spokesperson and Senior Policy Advisor for the Counter Extremism Project (CEP).  CEP is a not-for-profit, non-partisan, international policy organization formed to combat the growing threat from extremist ideology. Led by a renowned group of former world leaders and former diplomats it will aim to combat extremism by pressuring financial support networks, countering the narrative of extremists and their online recruitment, and advocating for strong laws, policies and regulations.  Maller has appeared as a regular national security and foreign policy commentator on Bloomberg, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Fox Business, Al Jazeera America and HuffPost Live. She has published and presented on a wide range of issues including sanctions, diplomacy, intelligence, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, Iraq, Iran, cybersecurity, homeland security, national service and women in security.

She was previously the Director of Strategic Communications for the newly formed Service Year Alliance, a joint venture of the Aspen Institute and Be The Change. The Franklin Project at the Aspen Institute, where Maller served as Associate Director of Strategic Communications, is now part of this new venture. She is also a research fellow in the International Security Program at New America. Maller previously served as a military analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, where she focused on the Iraq insurgency. She has also worked in the private sector at a NY-based media startup, BrightWire Inc., where she served as Managing Director of Operations and Managing Editor. The company provided curated & custom international economic and political content to corporate clients. She has also done work in the private sector as a security consultant focused on cybersecurity & terrorism threat assessments.

Maller received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a concentration in International Relations and Security Studies.  She was also predoctoral research fellow at the Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. She received her M.A. in International Relations from the University of Chicago and she graduated with a B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College.

"Battle of the Bands"

The I-Man and the Imus in the Morning gang compare original songs to contempary renditions.