Doctor Gadget. The exciting and successful broadcast career of Dave Dettman (better known as Doctor Gadget) began well over a decade ago when Dave secured the rights to The Happy Cube, the best selling toy in Europe. Through his creative and natural marketing skills as well as a solid understanding of the dynamics of the marketplace, Dave quickly found success marketing The Happy Cube to retail giants including Wal-Mart, Disney, the NFL, and thousands of other retail outlets. To learn more about Doctor Gadget, you can visit his website at doctorgadget.com

Doctor Gadget and the fine folks at Masterbuilt gave away an Electric Digital Fryer to every one of our live audience on 11/16 at Spotlight Live in Manhattan. To see the Electric Digital Fryer, you can visit Masterbuilt.com.

Ernie Hudson

He was slimed when he co-starred as one of the Ghostbusters in two films. He played the simple-minded handyman Solomon in the box-office smash The Hand that Rocks the Cradle. He co-starred with Brandon Lee in The Crow and was Warden Glynn in the critically acclaimed HBO series Oz.

Ernie is currently co-starring on Desperate Housewives and has over 100 film and television credits on his resume. Ernie talked about his new DVD release “Everything’s Jake.” You can get more information on Ernie & watch a trailer from the DVD at ernie-hudson.com.

Lorenzo Lamas

Lamas is best-known for playing the roles of Jane Wyman's young irresponsible grandson, Lance Cumson, on the popular 1980s soap opera, Falcon Crest, the falsely accused cop, Reno Raines, the main character on the popular 1990s crime drama, Renegade, and as firefighter, Hector Ramirez, on The Bold and The Beautiful. He also served as judge on Are You Hot?. You can visit his website at lorenzo-lamas.com

He is with us to talk his about portrayal of “Dracula” in the play “Prince of Darkness” Click here for dates & tickets.

John Waters drops by to talk about his new DVD "THIS FILTHY WORLD."

“Filth” as irreverent high comedy has always been writer/director John Waters’ signature. With a cannon of films that includes his 1972 breakthrough film Pink Flamingos, the 1981 cult classic Polyester, the slyly affectionate 1960s send-up Hairspray (which inspired the hit Broadway musical as well as the all-star Hollywood reinvention currently in production), and his most recent A Dirty Shame, Waters has proven over the past four decades that when it comes to pushing the line of good bad taste in terms of satire, he has become a trash master.

For more information on his new DVD, click here.

Marc Cohn. His new release "Join the Parade" is a recording that is being called Marc’s most accomplished and compelling album to date. Cohn has translated some of his most complex and private emotions into lyrical song-poetry and then set those words to music of remarkable depth, toughness, and complexity. In doing so, Marc has created a work that is certain to touch a universal chord of memory and feeling.

If you missed his performance, you can hear it here.

Joely Fisher - Star of sit com "til Death" & Ambassador for Kids Care Clubs & Quaker. Talking about the show and kids' volunteerism.
Joely is teaming up with Kids Care Clubs and Quaker to support the nation’s growing movement among young volunteers and, as their ambassador, is most importantly focused on telling Moms who want to get their kids involved in volunteering how to do so.

In partnership, Quaker and the national Kids Care Club organization developed an easy-to-access and implement toolkit that inspires and simplifies one’s introduction to the important youth volunteer movement. Visit www.QuakerKidsCare.org for more information or to get involved.

Susie Essman Besides starring as Susie Green on Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm, "Susie is currently hosting the new reality show "Better Half" on Bravo.

Read more about Susie on her website: susieessman.com

Joe Pantoliano. Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Joe landed his first professional role in 1972 when he played “Billy Bibbit” in the national touring company of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He worked in regional theater and has appeared in over 40 Off-Broadway productions. In 2003, he starred on Broadway, opposite Rosie Perez in Frankie and Johnny.
Pantoliano has appeared in over 100 films including Risky Business, The Goonies, La Bamba, Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun, Midnight Run, The Fugitive, U.S. Marshals, Bad Boys I & II, Bound and Daredevil. He also notably produced and starred in Taxman and Second Best.
His new movie is "Canvas." You can learn more about Joe at www.joeypants.com

Cara Stein. Whoopi has used her outrageous sense of humor in movies, on TV and in fund-raisers. But she also used her incredible gift for getting laughs to cheer up her close friend and agent, Cara Stein, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Whoopi was able to be a source of both strength and support (her "bra") to Cara. Here, the two teamed up to discuss their friendship and Cara's battle to beat breast cancer. And one thing is for sure: When you bring this duo together, both big kidders, you never know what they'll say next.

In 1987, Cara became an agent in the New York Talent Department at WMA. In 1989, she moved into the Television Department, concentrating on writers and directors. She was promoted to Head of Television Packaging (East Coast) in 1994, supervising agents in the Television, Casting and Comedy Departments in the creation of shows from New York.

Born and raised in Huntington, New York, Stein attended Grinnell College. Upon graduating with a degree in political science, she worked for WCCO-TV in Minneapolis as a news and promotion producer.

She is married to Barry Rosenfeld, a forensic psychologist and professor at Fordham University. They reside in Manhattan with their three daughters. Read more....

SAM ELLIOT. He began his career as a character actor, but his appearance is naturally suited to Westerns. His debut role in film was a bit part (Card Player #2) in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in 1969.
Sam has appeared in; Lifeguard…Mask…Fatal Beauty…Roadhouse…Tombstone…The Big Lebowski…Hulk…Thank You For Smoking…Ghost Rider… and more.
Sam’s distinctive voice can be heard on many commercials.
His latest movie is The Golden Compass, with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig.

You can learn more about his new movie at www.goldencompassmovie.com. The movie is based off a series of books and is available at www.darkmaterials.com.

TONY BENNETT. From Astoria, Queens, New York, Tony began singing as early as the age of 10. His first #1 hit came in 1951; “Because of You.” He has continued to record and perform ever since, manage to stay true to his smooth, crooning style, weathering the advent of rock and roll and beyond.
Some of his biggest hits include “Stranger In Paradise,” “Rags to Riches,” and, of course, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”
He has a new CD, TONY BENNETT SINGS THE ULTIMATE AMERICAN SONGBOOK, Vol. 1
in stores now, as well as Tony's artbook, TONY BENNETT IN THE STUDIO: A LIFE OF ART AND MUSIC in stores now.

Tony will be at Barnes & Noble Booksellers - Union Square, New York October 22nd at 7pm.

Mike Seidel of The Weather Channel. He is seen Saturday-Tuesday afternoons, but is more often associated with his live reports from major weather events.

As field reporter for The Weather Channel, Seidel stands ready to go out on assignments “at a moment’s notice” to cover extreme weather from hurricanes to snowstorms. He has been the subject of several newspaper articles in the cities he has visited, all with the theme "If Seidel's in town, the weather is going to be terrible.” That's true in most cases. However, Seidel does get some non-extreme assignments as well, covering NFL football weekly--including the Super Bowl, The PGA Tour, U.S. Open Tennis, NASCAR, the Indianapolis 500 and several other major events. His 14- to 18-hour days in the field generally include two reports each hour for TWC and often live reports for affiliates in major cities and network TV. He's appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" and "World News Tonight", CNBC's "The News with Brian Williams" and CBS's "The Early Show".

Bonny Polse. Bonny says her mothers idea of home cooking was burning a Lean Cuisine, or opening an old can of chili. Her love affair with baking began at the age of seven, when she made a zucchini bread in a coffee can, and by the time she was eleven, had opened my her first cupcake and muffin stand.

She's a self-taught baker, and learned her craft by watching cooking shows, studying recipes, and experimenting. She makes scones, breads, cookies, and cheesecakes for the homeless, neighbors, parties, potlucks, family, and friends. You can visit her website here.

Jason Hawes & Grant Wilson – “Ghost Hunters”
Jason and Grant are plumbers by day and “ghost hunters” by night. They can be seen on the Sci Fi channel’s “Ghost Hunters” along with their team of hunters during some of their frightening investigations. They are here today to talk to us about their 6 brand new episodes on the Sci-fi channel and their special “live” Halloween hunt!

You can check them out on the web here.

Helen Gurley Brown. Continuing with our “80’s at 8” series featuring guests from the book “Our Most Famous 80 Year Olds.” We are pleased to have had on the show Helen Gurley Brown.

In 1965 Helen Gurley Brown transformed Cosmopolitan Magazine and redefined a generation of women. She was Editor in Chief of the profitable magazine from 1965-1996. She authored the best selling guidebook, “Sex and The Single Girl” “Sex In The Office” and other pioneering books that gave voice to women around the world.

Two time EMMY award winner Deborah Norville marks a decade hosting INSIDE EDITION, and will drop by for a visit. Her new book is "Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You" and is available at Amazon.com and bookstores. You can visit her website at dnorville.com to learn more.

Deborah is raising money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and has a great way for you to participate. To learn more, you can visit her blog here.

This also marks his 21st consecutive season in national syndication being the only individual to ever have three back-to-back hits in syndication.

As the son of legendary Washington Post sports columnist Shirley Povich, who worked at the paper for an amazing 75 years, Maury Povich was destined to follow in his father's journalisitic footsteps.

Barrington Irving – youngest man to fly solo around the world. On March 23, 2007, Barrington Irving, a 23-year old senior majoring in aerospace at Florida Memorial University, climbed into a single-engine plane called "Inspiration" and embarked on a 26,800-mile, round-the-world flight. When he returned to Miami on June 27th, he was celebrated for setting two world records: he is the first person of African descent and the youngest person ever to fly solo around the globe.You can read his blog here. For more information on Barrington and his flight around the world, click here.

Supernanny Jo Frost! Jo is the star of ABC's new reality show, "Supernanny," says that children have been a big part of her life from the beginning. For tips, information... and much more, visit jofrost.com.

Deborah Cox - DESTINATION MOON is now available and in stores. You can also purchase it on Amazon.com. Deborah entered the music industry as a backup vocalist for Céline Dion, and after signing to Arista Records, released her self-titled debut album in 1995. The album introduced her to the world and set the stage for 1998's One Wish. The first single from that album, "Nobody's Supposed To Be Here", spent fourteen weeks at #1 on the top R&B 100 charts for the USA, as well as eight consecutive weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. You can learn more about Deborah, the new CD, as well as hear her music on her web page.

Gloria Allred. Lawyer, author, and more. You can learn more about Gloria at her website gloriaallred.com, as well as purchase her new book "Fight Back and Win - My 30-Year Fight Against Injustice - and How You Can Win Your Own Battles."

BILLIONAIRE Sheila Johnson. Businesswoman, philanthropist and CARE Ambassador Sheila C. Johnson has issued a singular challenge to individuals and businesses in the United States: Join a global movement to empower women in the fight against poverty. Sheila's I Am Powerful Challenge, launched in June 2007, will match gifts to CARE dollar for dollar, engaging Americans to connect with women in poor countries and help them break down the barriers of poverty and inequity that have held them back for so long. You can get more about the programs at care.org. Sheila has established a fund to match gifts to CARE dollar for dollar. Right now, your donation to empower women and families around the globe will be doubled through the Sheila's I Am Powerful Challenge. Make your gift today!

George Lopez is one of the premier comedic talents in the entertainment industry today.  He is the co-creator, writer, producer and star of the ABC network and Warner Bros. Television produced sitcom, “George Lopez.”  The show is executive produced by Bruce Helford (“The Drew Carey Show,” “Roseanne”) and movie star Sandra Bullock. For tour dates and more information see georgelopez.com

Judith Stone, author of "When She Was White: The True Story of a Family Divided by Race." This is the story of a black daughter born to white parents, the crushing power of an oppressive state, and the resilience of the human spirit. Stone did extensive interviews about the true story of Sandra Laing, a woman whose life was torn apart by prejudice in South Africa and healed by love. You can get the book from amazon.com, Barnes & Noble or your favorite book store. You can get more information on Sandra Laing at whenshewaswhite.com

Khaliah Ali – Yes, it’s the Champ’s daughter. Khaliah, daughter of Muhammad Ali, is an Emmy Award-nominated talk show host. A former Ford model, she also has a line of sewing patterns at Simplicity Pattern Company (www.simplicity.com). Her book "Fighting Weight" is in stores now, including amazon.com.

Mandy Moore Played Live at Spotlight Live 6/22/2007. She grew up in Florida and came to fame as a teenager in the early 2000s, after the release of her teen-oriented pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, Mandy Moore, and Coverage. Moore has branched out into a film career, starring in 2002's A Walk to Remember and later appearing in the lead roles of other movies also aimed at teenage audiences. Two of her later films, American Dreamz and Saved!, were satires in which Moore portrayed darker characters than in her previous roles. In 2007, Moore is scheduled to star in several films and release a new album, Wild Hope. If you missed her performance, you can stream it here.

Paula Cole Played Live at Spotlight Live 6/15/2007. Paula's singles "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" and "I Don't Want to Wait" reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997. Paula got her first big professional break when she was invited to perform on Peter Gabriel's 1992-1993 world tour. Shortly after this, she was signed on with her first record company. In late 1996 Cole released her second album on Warner Bros. Records, This Fire, which was entirely self-produced. The albums's debut single, "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone", became an instant smash radio (reaching #8 on Billboard magazine's pop chart) and MTV hit. The follow up single, "I Don't Want to Wait", was a #11 pop hit single, thanks in part to the fact that it was made the theme song to the popular teen drama Dawson's Creek. If you missed her performance, you can stream it here.

Ryan Shaw Played Live at Spotlight Live 6/8/2007. This 26-year-old singer/songwriter from Decatur, Georgia is out to revive the passion and soul of the Golden Age of Rhythm & Blues (1960-1972) for a new generation. His One Haven/Columbia debut album, This Is Ryan Shaw, combines a powerfully expressive voice with a clutch of great songs both classic and new—and a state-of-the-art, in-your-face sound that makes it impossible to sit still.
"The strength of his own writing shows that Ryan Shaw isn't just a great singer" Jimmy Bralower declares. "He's a real artist, he's got something to say, and he's going to be around for a long, long time." If you missed his performance, you can stream it here.

Cindi Lauper Performed Live on the Show at Spotlight Live NYC! 6/1/2007 The voice is unforgettable. Some of the songs are familiar.
But everything else about The Body Acoustic is a revelation -- and because we'rere talking about Cyndi Lauper, that's no surprise at all.
Cyndi is, after all, an original. Since her arrival she has stood out from the crowd. Even in the eighties, that decade of gaudy overkill, no one dressed like her, performed like her, and above all sang like her. If you missed her performance you can stream it here.

Simply Red Performed Live on the Show! 4/27/2007 Mick Hucknall and the band of Simply Red celebrate the US release of their album STAY with a live performance 4/27/2007 on Wake Up With Whoopi! For more information, downloads, tour dates and more, go to SimplyRed.com. Simply Red are an English pop band. Their style draws influences from pop, rock, jazz, reggae, and blue-eyed soul. Over time, the name "Simply Red" has come to refer less to a specific group of musicians, and is widely regarded as a name for Mick Hucknall's recordings. If you missed their performance of "So Not Over You" and "Holding Back the Years", you can stream it here.

Elliott Yamin Performed Live on the Show! 4/20/2007 American Idol fans will remeber Elliott from season 5 of American Idol. Yamin stands out in American Idol as a contestant whose exceptional talent propelled him to his respectable finishing place close behind Taylor Hicks and Katherine McPhee. During one weekly rehearsal, Elliott was told by guest coach Stevie Wonder that he should definitely pursue a career in music. Simon Cowell even stated that he thought Yamin was "potentially the best male vocalist" ever on American Idol and later, after Yamin's A Song for You performance, he declared that it was a "vocal masterclass." If you missed his performance, you can stream it here. Wait For You and a bonus: Movin' On Elliott's debut album is in stores now. For more information, see his MySpace page.

Josh Kelley Performed Live on the Show! 4/19/2007 Singer-songwriter Josh Kelley releases his third album July 25th, titled “Just Say the Word.” Entirely written, produced and performed by Kelley. You can hear some of his material on his website, as well as Josh's MySpace page. Be sure to check out his tour dates as well.
Josh broke through in 2001 on Hollywood Records with “For The Ride Home,” an album that showcased his no-nonsense expressiveness and disarmingly genuine delivery. These qualities were exemplified in the top five smash "Amazing," and follow-up top ten hit "Everybody Wants You." If you missed his performance, you can stream it here. Part1 & Part 2.

They provide many programs and services for young people including: educational support and advocacy, counseling and case management, leadership training, life and community survival skills, entrepreneurial/work skills training, and community involvement. You can learn more at girlsblossom.org.

Author Cathryn Jakobson Ramin author of Carved In Sand. Cathryn is a journalist for the past twenty-five years and a member of the National Association of Science Writers, has been published in the New York Times Magazine; O, The Oprah Magazine; New York Magazine; and the Los Angeles Times, among many other publications. She lives in Northern California. This is her first book. You can visit the official Carved In Sand web site here.

Director Garry Marshall “Georgia Rule” is his new movie. Garry's works include such classic television sitcoms as The Odd Couple (1970-1975), Happy Days (1974-1984), and Mork and Mindy (1978-1982), and the phenomenally popular feature film Pretty Woman (1990). A Brooklyn native, Marshall is the son of an industrial filmmaker and a dance instructor. His sister, Penny Marshall, is a comic actress and noted film director.

In addition to his work behind the camera, Marshall has occasionally appeared as an actor in films and television shows alike. During the mid-'90s, many TV audiences came to recognize him for playing Candice Bergen's ratings-crazy boss, Stan Lansing, on Murphy Brown.

Judy Gold. Her book is out and in stores now: 25 QUESTIONS FOR A JEWISH MOTHER. You can visit her website here.

Phylicia Rashad-
She is most famous for her role Clair Huxtable on the NBC television show, The Cosby Show, which she had stated is a decent portrayal of an African-American family. As her role, she is a lawyer married to obstetrician Cliff Huxtable and is the mother of five children.
In a Mother's Day survey, her character on The Cosby Show, Clair Huxtable, was named "TV mom closest to your own mom in spirit.

Phylicia is hosting The New York Women’s Foundation’s annual "Celebrating Women Breakfast." Whoopi will be presented the The Celebrating Women® Award!

Dennis Haysbert of CBS' – THE UNIT

Dennis Haysbert is best known to television audiences for his portrayal of President David Palmer on the series "24," for which he received his first Golden Globe nomination. He also appeared in the series "Now & Again" on CBS.
He is very active in the fight against AIDS, and in 2000 he was the spokesperson for the Harlem Health Expo "Break the Silence" and is the spokesperson for the National Leadership Commission on AIDS, as well as The Western Center on Law and Poverty.

George Wallace- A veteran actor and stand-up comedian, George got his start in entertainment as a writer for the Redd Foxx Show.
His moonlighting work as a stand-up comedian helped him to cross over to film where he has co-starred in several motion pictures including BATMEN FOREVER, LITTLE NICKY, A RAGE IN HARLEM, POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE and several more.
In television, he boasts a number of guest-starring credits including Seinfeld, In The Heat Of The Night, Tall Hopes and The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, just to name a few.

George is currently doing shows in Las Vegas at the Flamingo. For more information, schedules and tickets, visit georgewallace.net. You should also check out George with Sly & The Family Stone at Youtube. Video 1 & Video 2.

Ricki Lake- From the age of nine, Ricki was appearing in clubs and cabarets as a singer. At the end of her Sophomore year, she transferred from her conventional High School to attend The Professional Children's School, in New York City, to concentrate on acting.
After High School, Ricki attended Ithaca College for one year, before auditioning for John Waters. He cast her in his next film, 'Hairspray', as Tracy Turnblad, and began a relationship that has seen her appear as part of his company of actors in several films such as 'Cry-Baby', 'Serial Mom' and 'Cecil B. DeMented'.
Despite working successfully from 1988 to 1992 as an actress, both in film and on TV, her personal life, and the resultant weight gain, restricted the choice of parts available to her. Feeling that she had reached a critical point in her career and her life, Ricki decided upon drastic action.
In a little over a year, the actress lost over 125 pounds in weight' and emerged with a new career - that of a TV talk show host. 'The Ricki Lake Show' debuted in 1993 and ran to 2004. The program was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in its second year of production.
The success of the talk show has allowed Ricki to make occasional returns to film acting, most notably in 'Mrs. Winterbourne', with Shirley MacLaine and Brendan Fraser. It has also granted her a platform for her strong beliefs on vegetarianism and animal rights.
Her new role as Executive Producer… of the documentary “The Business of Being Born” debuted last night at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Brian McKnight - “It’s always been my goal to try and bring back real R&B music,” Brian says. “When I was growing-up it was all about the seventies soul men. From the first time I ever stepped into a studio, my daydream was to pick-up where Marvin Gaye left off.” While Brian’s aspirations might have seemed like a lofty ambition, the longevity of his career is a testament to the purity of his vision.

Currently working on a variety of projects including a talk show and soundtracks for two upcoming Tyler Perry projects, the veteran soul singer could not be happier with the outcome of his new CD Ten. “When I finish a record, I listen to it from beginning to end,” McKnight says. “Truthfully, I think this is the best record I’ve done in years.” For fans of real music, Ten is the perfect addition to the soul cannon.

Read more ...

One of Whoopi's favorite comedians, Nathaniel Martin Stroman got his name from the way his body shakes when he performs. Look for Earthquake as a regular guest star on "Everybody Hates Chris."

Click here for more information.

LL Cool J Rapper, Hip Hop artist, actor, record mogul, best selling author ... there's not a lot LL hasn't done. Now he's created the Platinum Workout with partners Dave Honig and Jeff O'Connell.

Click here to read more about the book || Click here to go to LL's website

KIM ZIMMER Three-time Emmy Award-winner, Kim Zimmer began her daytime drama career in 1978 with a role as a terrorist on the soap opera One Life to Live.

But it is as Reva Shayne, a character she created on Guiding Light in November 1983, for which she is beloved to millions of faithful viewers. Her portrayal of the unforgettable Reva has also garnered her critical acclaim in the form of three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1985, 1987 and 1990 plus six other nominations, including one in 2005. Zimmer was the recipient of a 2000 Soap Opera Digest Award as Outstanding Lead Actress. (She did step away from the show from 1990-95.)

Link to Hands On Network

More About Guiding Light at CBS.com

Jay Bakker “After witnessing firsthand the excommunicative treatment his [parents, Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker] received from the church, Jay wanted nothing to do with God. And so began a new life filled with substances easily abused and nonstop partying created to mask the pain and suffering caused by this surreal rejection. Eventually, Jay was able to conquer his demons and made a personal decision to find out who God really was..."

Read more here || Watch some of the show

Regular Guests

Food Critic Phil Lempert

He has a great website called SUPERMARKETGURU.COM. Phil is also an author… his latest books: Being the Shopper (John Wiley & Sons) and Healthy Wealthy & Wise Previously published books include : Phil Lempert's Supermarket Shopping & Value Guide, Top Ten Trends for Baby Boomers, and Crisis Management: A Workbook for Survival. Phil has some great coffee information at coffeechatnews.com

Psychic Joan Marie Whelan                                                                                                            
Joan Marie is a medium who can literally have a conversation with the other side. The talents she utilizes in her session are Clairvoyant, which is the ability to see people, events, Angels and Spirit Guides. She is Clairaudient, which is the ability to communicate with the spirit world and the other side. She is also Clairsentient, which is clear feeling. She can feel the emotions and personalities of her clients and the deceased. By reading clients energy she can tell them of childhood experiences or past lives that can assist them in letting go of a negative pattern, thoughts or feelings in the present.

Joanmariewhelan.com || Joan Marie's MySpace Page