Anything Mentionable with Tim Madigan

Fred Claire, A Championship Heart, A Warrior’s SpiritThe Dodger LegendEarly Career: Fred started as a sports journalist before joining the Dodgers in 1969 as a PR assistant. He was the man behind the famous "Think Blue" marketing campaign and helped establish the "Dodger Blue" brand that is still iconic today.General Manager: He was thrust into the GM role in 1987 under difficult circumstances. In just one year, he rebuilt the roster by signing key veterans like Kirk Gibson. His vision led the "underdog" Dodgers to their legendary 1988 World Series victory.Integrity: Known as a man of immense character, he spent 30 years with the organization before being fired in 1998 following the team's sale to Fox—a move many fans still point to as the "end of an era."The Ultimate FightThe Diagnosis: In 2015, what Fred thought was a small spot on his lip was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer). It eventually migrated to his jaw and neck.The Battle: Fred faced the fight of his life at City of Hope. The treatment was grueling, involving experimental immunotherapy and a major surgery where doctors replaced his jawbone with a bone from his leg.The Recovery: He didn't just survive; he became an advocate. He wrote the book Extra Innings to chronicle his journey and raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research through his annual celebrity golf tournament.

In this profoundly inspiring episode, Kevin Curnutt joins Tim Madigan to share his remarkable transformation — from surviving a tragic shooting at age 13 that left him quadriplegic, to finding peace, meaning, and joy beyond unimaginable suffering.Guided by the wisdom of Viktor Frankl, Joseph Campbell, and years of spiritual exploration, Kevin discovered an inner light untouched by tragedy — a place of love and serenity he now shares with others. Together, Tim and Kevin discuss forgiveness, resilience, and how to live “joyfully amid the sorrows of the world.”This is not just a story of survival. It’s a lesson in awakening, compassion, and the boundless strength of the human spirit.💡 If Kevin’s story moved you, please subscribe, rate, and share The Anything Mentionable Podcast.Your support helps us grow a community of listeners seeking light, meaning, and hope in difficult times.#spirituality #healing #resilience #trauma #recovery #meaning

JoIn this poignant and important conversation, Tim and Jess Serrante address a question central to so many in this dark historical moment: How can we remain aware and constructively engaged in this time, while continuing to find peace, joy and meaning in our lives?Jess a climate activist and leadership coach, was a close friend and protege of Joanna Macy, who inspired thousands with her work as a philosopher, writer, lecturer, Buddhist scholar and climate activist. Macy, who her died in July at the age of 96, "found a way to transcend 'eco-anxiety,'" the New York Times said in her obituary. "With books and workshops, she helped others deal with the stress caused by climate change, inspiring them to take action and not be paralyzed by despair." Macy was also an advocate for what she called "The Great Turning," a grassroots spiritual renaissance rising up to challenge the greed and destructiveness of so much of modern society.As this conversation with Jess makes clear, Macy's influence survives and remains essential in our tattered world. Links: Joanna Macy's New York Times obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/climate/joanna-macy-dead.htmlWe are The Great Turning podcast, with Jess Serrante and Joanna Macy: https://resources.soundstrue.com/we-are-the-great-turning-podcast/For more about Jess Serrante: https://www.jessserrante.comTo purchase Tim's books, including I'm Proud of You: My Friendship With Fred Rogers, and The Burning: The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, visit his Amazon page: https://amzn.to/3tVoAH0For more about Tim: www.timmadigan.net

In Episode 3 of the Anything Mentionable podcast, Tim Madigan’s guest is Harry Parker, a longtime professor in the theatre department of Texas Christian University, and an accomplished director of more than 100 stage productions around the nation. Several years ago, after reading Tim’s memoir, I’m Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers, Harry had the idea that the story of the unlikely friendship between Tim and the icon of children’s television would make a great play. As it turned out, Harry was right. He and Tim collaborated on the script for the play, I’m Proud of You, that made its world premiere in the fall of 2023 at Circle Theatre in Fort Worth. After three other successful productions around the nation, the play returns to the Metroplex at Theatre Arlington, beginning August 8. As he did for the Circle premiere, Harry will also direct the latest production. In this conversation, Harry and Tim recount how the play came to be, give insights into the latest production, and speak of how the story about friendship, wisdom, kindness and hope is an important one for this difficult moment in history. --For tickets to I’m Proud of You at Theatre Arlington: https://bit.ly/45mQkaITo purchase Tim’s memoir, I’m Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers: https://amzn.to/32rhXim

Tim Madigan’s guest on episode 2 of the Anything Mentionable podcast is Maddie Suttles, soon to be a second-year law student at the University of Houston Law Center. Though just 23 years old, she has already fashioned a compelling life story. A reserved young person, she discovered as a teen through high school writing assignments that her public voice had weight and meaning. She went on to become an accomplished young actor, landing a major role in a professional stage production in Fort Worth, Texas, while still a theater student at Texas Christian University. Then, after graduation, she surprised many and set out on a much different course, putting her Broadway dreams aside to pursue a law degree so she could be a more effective advocate for the voiceless. In a deeply affecting recent essay about her experience as a legal intern in federal immigration court, and in this soulful conversation, Maddie suggests the golden rule – kindness and love – as the best ways to negotiate this dark moment in history. Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Tim Madigan’s conversation with Stephen Cady, president of Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth. Read here: https://bit.ly/3HOVTpdTim Madigan’s Amazon book page: https://amzn.to/3tVoAH0I’m Proud of You, the story of Tim’s friendship with television’s Fred Rogers, begins August 8 at Theatre Arlington, in Arlington, Texas. For tickets and more information visit www.theatrearlington.org

In this, the first episode of the Anything Mentionablepodcast, a conversation for those who are grieving, people supporting a grieving person, or those trying to navigate the emotional turbulence of life in this difficult time. Host Tim Madigan is joined by Dr. Patrick O’Malley, a belovedgrief therapist with more than four decades of experience. His book, Getting Grief Right: Finding Your Story of Love in the Sorrow of Loss, has informed and consoled thousands. Read an edited transcript on Tim’s Substack:  https://substack.com/home/post/p-166431696Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3HOVTpdPurchase Getting Grief Right: https://bit.ly/447xZMT