Ellie 2.0 Radio

After 357 episodes, this is the final Ellie 2.0 radio show and podcast In light of how the far right  and incoming Trump administration have signaled their intent to continue attacking transgender Americans, I’ve decided to step up my broadcast advocacy with a brand-new radio and podcast show, “The Illegal Transwoman,” which will focus on… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – November 23, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

Ellie is the host of Ellie 2.0 Radio, airing at 4 PM Saturdays and replayed on Sundays. The post Ellie Krug with Matt – November 20, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

We begin this week’s show with two idealists of opposite minds—former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh and gun safety advocate (and father of his murdered daughter, Jaime) Fred Guttenberg. Both hated each other for years until they began to talk human-to-human. Now they are on a speaking tour titled “2 Dads Defending Democracy,” and we air… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – October 26, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

Wow, we’ve hit the 350-episodes mark! For this show, the featured idealist is the recently deceased Kris Kristofferson, who as a teenager, and way before he was famous, wrote about the wrongs of racism. The Big Interview is with Sarah Curtiss and Ed Heisler, leaders at a Duluth-based nonprofit, Men As Peacemakers. In the C-Block,… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – October 5, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

We’ve got an Ellie’s Talking Head show this week, starting with highlighting idealistic NewGround, an LA-based group that seeks to help Jews and Muslims form friendships and have respectful conversations about their differing views on Palestine. I also share two wonderful stories of compassion—one about a UPS driver who helped a stranger with a life-threatening… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – September 28, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

This week’s featured idealist is Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, the outdoor clothing and adventure store. Early on, Yvon made his mark as an idealist by devoting one percent of Patagonia’s revenue to protecting the environment and fighting climate change. In 2022, Yvon, by then a billionaire, donated his entire company’s stock to a… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – September 21, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

We start with our historical featured idealist, the founder of St. Mary’s Academy in New Orleans: Mother Josephine Charles battled racism and misogyny in the mid-19th century to create a religious school for girls of color. Nearly 160 years later, St. Mary’s had 100% graduation and college admission rates—unheard of in education! The Big Interview… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – September 7, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

With the DNC convention over, our featured idealist is Adam Kinzinger,   the former Illinois congressman who denounced Trump way back in 2016, and later served on the bipartisan January 6th Committee. Kinzinger isn’t afraid to speak truth to power and was a speaker at the convention, exhorting Republicans to understand that “Democrats also love our… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – August 24, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

This week is an Ellie talking head show. We highlight our featured idealist, Lawrence O’Donnell from MSNBC. Plus we talk about legislation around birth certificates for transgender people, JK Rowling’s anti-trans social media posts, how charitable giving in America might change and more. The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – August 17, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

This week’s featured idealist is retired federal circuit judge J. Michael Luttig, who began as a conservative but found his way to idealism in combatting Donald Trump’s attempts to subvert democracy. It was Luttig and a conservative scholar, Jon Yoo, who told VP Mike Pence that the Constitution didn’t permit him to decertify electors. Thankfully,… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – August 10, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

It’s another Ellie’s Talking Head show! Our featured idealist is the comedian, Trevor Noah, who set up the Trevor Noah Foundation to promote literacy a in his native South Africa. From there, I talk about Jessica Norton, a Broward County FL school district employee who was disciplined for letting her 16-year-old transgender daughter participate on… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – August 3, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

My, how the political landscape changed from the last show! That means this week’s featured idealist is none other than President Joe Biden for deciding to relinquish his presidential bid in favor of the country’s greater good. I’m positive that President Joe will go down as one of the greatest presidents of all time! The… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – July 27, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

It’s an Ellie’s Talking Head show, and we start with the actor, George Clooney, who is also an activist working against genocide and atrocities across the world and who is involved in awarding the Aurora Prize that recognizes individuals for their humanitarian work. Clooney is also a huge supporter of the Democratic party and recently… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – July 13, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

With the 80th anniversary of D-Day this week, I thought it fitting to have the acclaimed actor and “late historian” Tom Hanks of Saving Private Ryan as our featured idealist of the week. Some of his movies, particularly Philadelphia, are incredibly idealistic. The Big Interview is with Gloria Perez, the President and Chief Executive Officer… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – June 8, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

Another Ellie’s Talking Head show where we begin with this week’s featured idealist, documentarian and filmmaker Ken Burns—you won’t want to miss the clip I share from his recent commencement speech at Brandeis University. I also talk about MN banning gay and transgender “panic defenses” for criminal defendants accused of murdering or assaulting trans or… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – June 1, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

On this week’s show Ellie was joined by High School student, idealist and founder of Sanya’s Hope for Children, Sanya Pirani. Plus Ellie shares updates on her work on the Eastern Carver County School Board and backlash against DEI programs. The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – May 25, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

It’s an Ellie’s Talking Head show! In honor of World Press Freedom Day (May 3), this week’s featured idealist is Edward R. Murrow, who famously reported on the London blitz and later took on Senator Joe McCarthy. I also discuss the most recent oppression of transgender people by the state of Utah, which recently launched… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – May 4, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

We start with our featured idealist Ella Baker, who was a “doer” in the civil rights movement of the 1930’s to 1960’s, and who worked behind the scenes to strengthen the NAACP and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (which orchestrated lunch counter protests). Ella is one of the unsung heroes who made things happen! The… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – April 20, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

With this week’s tragedy of 7 World Central Kitchen workers being killed by Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza, we revisit an idealist, Chef Jose Andres, whom I highlighted in April 2020, and the incredible work that WCK is doing across the world. The Big Interview is with Kelsey Waits, who shares about Stardust Farm, an… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – April 6, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

Our featured idealist is Siddharth Kara, the author of Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives (St. Martin’s Press, 2023), a NYT bestseller, and who has journeyed to more than 50 countries to document modern day slavery and human exploitation. You won’t want to miss the clip of Siddharth talking about… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – March 30, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

This show’s featured idealist is unsung hero Clyde Kennard, who the State of Mississippi Sovereignty Commission targeted and framed for a theft crime when Clyde persistently attempted to integrate the University of Southern MS in the late 1950’s. After wrongfully serving two years in prison, and after an outcry from civil rights leaders, including Dr.… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – March 23, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

Our featured idealist of the week is Greg Carr, a philanthropist who has invested $100 million of his own money to rehabilitate Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. The Big Interview is a reprise with Staphanie Glaros, who talks about One Small Step, an initiative of StoryCorps. In my C-Block I share about the very successful… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – March 16, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

It’s an Ellie Talking Head show!! We don’t have a guest, and instead you get me for the entire show! Today our featured idealist is Col. Ben Jonsson, who has been singled out for a “promotion hold” by MO. Senator Eric Schmitt because Col. Jonsson’s had the audacity to write a letter telling white Air… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – March 9, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

In the A-Block, I revisit a recent featured idealistic organization, PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), and how it’s now the subject of a “Demand for Information” from Texas Attorney General, who seeks detailed personal information about Texas PFLAG members who are transgender or who have trans kids/youth. This is all about Texas’… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – March 2, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

t’s a live show! Our featured idealist is Laura Belin, the curator of the Bleeding Heartland blog that covers Iowa politics. Laura and I talk about legislation introduced at the behest of Gov. Reynolds which seeks to require transgender people who’ve transitioned genders to list both an M and F on their driver’s license. Ugh.… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – February 3, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

Our featured idealist of the week is Jeanne Manford, who in 1971 wrote a letter to the NY Post telling the world the she loved her gay son who had been the victim of a homophobic attack. As a result of the positive outpouring to that letter, Jeanne would go on to found PFLAG—Parents and… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – January 27, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

This week’s featured idealist is Zyahna Byrant who, as a 15-year-old, launched a petition to remove Robert E. Lee’s statute in Charlottesville VA in 2017. That led to a city commission recommending the statute’s removal, which in turn led to the “Unite the Right” rally with the Tiki Torch white supremacists marching through the city.… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – January 13, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

We start off “Tumultuous ‘24” with our featured idealist, Medgar Evers, an idealist who worked to desegregate Mississippi in the 1950s and early ‘60s until he was assassinated in July 1963. His murderer wouldn’t be brought to justice until 1996. The Big Interview is with Heather Tran of A Better Society, a small Chanhassen MN… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – January 6, 2024 first appeared on AM 950.

It’s the last “fresh” show of 2023 and our featured idealist is Stephen Ritz, a South Bronx educator who created the “Green Bronx Machine” centered around exciting students about growing plants. His idea has taken off and earned him and his school national accolades—along the way, it raised student attendance and grades. The Big Interview… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – December 23, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

This week’s featured idealist is Rashida Tlaib, who represents Michigan’s 12th District in the House. She’s been a fierce protector of Palestinian rights, for which she was censured last month. (For the record, I believe that Israel has the right to exist, and I don’t put up with antisemitism.) The Big Interview is with Mikki… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – December 16, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

Our featured idealist is none other than the immortal John Lennon, who was shot and killed 43 years ago yesterday. His song, Imagine, is the idealist’s anthem! In my C-Block, I interview Hal Sansoney, the producer, director and performer for Trans Voice Cabaret, that’s opening at the Mixed Blood Theater. In my C-Block, I talk… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – December 9, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

It’s another Ellie’s Talking Head show! Our featured idealist is Majorie Kelly, who has written and spoken extensively on changing America’s capitalist system to end “financial extraction” where only the rich get richer. Instead, she favors community-based ownership where everyone is lifted up. I also highlight Frank Bruni, a NYT columnist and author who recently… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – December 2, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

Ellie Krug, host of Ellie 2.0 Radio every Saturday at 10 AM on AM950 joins Matt to mark today’s Transgender Day of Remembrance. The post Ellie Krug with Matt – November 20, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

It’s a live Ellie’s Talking Head show! I begin by highlighting the sad state of legalized discrimination against transgender people in America today. From there, I pivot to talk about a November 16 piece by Tom Nichols in The Atlantic titled, “Trump Crosses a Crucial Line,” re: Trump’s use of the word, “vermin,” in his… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – November 18, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

Our featured idealist is the late Matthew Perry, who tried to help others who struggled with drug and alcohol addictions, just like he struggled. The Big Interview is with Bob Roepke, the former mayor of Chaska MN, who talks about the importance of feeling a sense of connectedness through “community.” In my C-Block, I talk… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – November 11, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

This week’s featured idealist is the one and only James Baldwin—an extraordinary writer and an advocate for Black folks at a time when doing so put him at risk professionally and personally. The Big Interview is with Marshall Tanick, a Twin Cities lawyer-writer who talks about how Edward Blum and his organization, Alliance for Equal… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – October 29, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

We begin our 300th (!!) show by acknowledging the on-going horror of what is occurring in Israel and Gaza following the horrendous October 7 terrorist attack. Relatedly, for this week’s featured idealist, I highlight Rachel Corrie, a 23-year-old American college student who was killed in 2003 as she attempted to protect the Gaza homes of… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – October 21, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

A live show! The Big Interview is with Robert Shetterly, who founded the portrait-story initiative, “Americans Who Tell the Truth,” which highlights Americans who have spoken truth to power. Also, courtesy of transgender blogger Erin Reed, we play a clip of a young Utah transgender girl speaking truth to her local school board re: the… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – October 14, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

Our featured idealist of the week is Laphonza Butler, the newly appointed U.S. Senator from California, who succeeds the late Diane Feinstein. The Big Interview is with Juliany Taveras, the playwright for the world premiere of Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress, which opens at Children’s Theater Company on October 14 (note: I’m a CTC… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – October 7, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

This week’s Ellie’s big interview is with John Blake of CNN! The post Ellie 2.0 – September 29, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

This week’s featured idealist is Robert Shetterly, a Maine artist who’s painted 260 portraits of living and deceased Americans who spoke truth to power—this is all part of an initiative titled “Americans Who Tell the Truth.” The Big Interview is with Pam Hrick, executive director and legal counsel for LEAF, a Toronto nonprofit that works… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – September 9, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

David Hogg, a young (only 23 years old) idealist who survived the shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day 2018, and who later became a gun control advocate, is this week’s featured idealist. The things that he’s accomplished so far have been incredible! The Big Interview is with Jen Perez of Red,… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – August 26, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

Our featured idealist is the late Father Charles Strobel, a Nashville priest who conceived of “Room in the Inn,” where houses of worship provide safe sleeping spaces for those who are experiencing homelessness. His idea has rippled to hundreds of congregations across the U.S. The Big Interview is a reprise of my July 2022 interview… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – August 18, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.

We begin by talking about Ohio’s rejection of Issue 1, which would have raised the threshold for passage of citizen-initiated ballot measures from 50% to 60%. An architect of that victory was the idealistic Red, Wine, and Blue, which works to mobilize suburban women to vote left. The Big Interview is with Deepinder Mayell, the… The post Ellie 2.0 Radio – August 12, 2023 first appeared on AM 950.