Kuci: Get The Funk Out

Victoria E. Johnson, professor of film & media studies, is the author of Sports TV, which looks at the genre from a distinctly humanistic perspective, exploring American history, culture, class, race and identity through the lens of broadcast sports. One chapter in Sports TV specifically focuses on Title IX and its legacies, including the explosion of female participation and visibility in sports at all levels, as well as in the boom in marketing of the “female athlete icon” that has occurred from the 1990s onward, thanks to the growth of the first and second post-Title IX generation of female participants in sports. According to Johnson, "Perhaps the most visible legacy of Title IX has been the explosion of female participation in sports at all levels since its institution. Title IX has encouraged subsequent generations of female-identified athletes and professionals to participate in and to re-imagine sports as athletes, coaches, and sports media professionals. Crucial here, also, have been the ways that m

Four-time cancer survivor, comedian and former SNL writer, Glenn Rockowitz, is back with his highly anticipated second memoir, “Cotton Teeth” (Harper & Case, December 14, 2021). Diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1998, Rockowitz recalls being told he had only three months to live. He was 28 years old at the time, and starting a family. His wife was eight months pregnant. Rockowitz’ psychoanalyst father, after praying that they could switch places, received his own surprising terminal diagnosis only a week later. In the weeks that followed, the two would battle cancer side-by-side. With writing that is visceral, raw and poetic, Rockowitz dives headfirst into old memories, and tragedy gives way to a darkly funny and intensely loving experience. Named one of Kirkus’ Best Books of 2021, this is Rockowitz's unflinchingly candid account of the heartbreak, joy, and wisdom shared between father and son as they face their final months of life alone, and together. “Cotton Teeth” is the long-awaited follow-up to Rocko

Wade Rouse, internationally bestselling author of 13 books, is back with his first memoir in a decade. MAGIC SEASON: A Son’s Story (Hanover Square Press; May 3, 2022; hardcover) In the 1970’s Ozarks, sports, hunting, and fishing defined a boy’s world. But they didn’t define author Wade Rouse’s world, which was instead filled with reading, writing, and cooking. This was a problem for Rouse’s father Ted, a by-the-book engineer who was incapable of the emotional support his gay son so desperately needed. The only thing the two had in common was a love for the St. Louis Cardinals. When Ted’s health is in decline, Rouse returns home to Southwest Missouri to watch one last season of baseball with his father. Emotions run high on the field as the Cardinals race for the pennant; and on the couch, where Rouse races to make peace before his dad passes on. As Rouse recounts the past and confronts the present, readers may find themselves rooting for reconciliation on one page, then hoping for a final and permanent spli

ABOUT RUTH WEISBERG Ruth Weisberg is a versatile and vivacious voiceover narrator and coach, on-camera moderator, and keynote speaker. Her distinctive and dynamic presence can be seen and heard on radio/TV spots, news commentary programs, interactive sites, e-learning and animated productions. Ruth is also an instructor at The Voice Box, teaching group classes in voiceover narration, as well as mentoring and coaching voiceover students with individual private instruction. Despite appearances she never spills ink. She is also a big part of the Nokomis Beach Drum Circle in Sarasota County, Florida. WATCH Ruth in the Accidental Art Model LISTEN to her VO Reels ruthweisberg.com

When Amy Daughters reconnected with her old pal Dana on Facebook, she had no idea how it would change her life. Though the two women hadn’t had any contact in 30 years, it didn’t take them long to catch up—and when Amy learned that Dana’s son Parker was doing a second stint at St. Jude battling cancer, she was suddenly inspired to begin writing the pair weekly letters. When Parker died, Amy—not knowing what else to do—continued to write Dana. Eventually, Dana wrote back, and the two became pen pals, sharing things through the mail that they had never shared before. The richness of the experience left Amy wondering something: If my life could be so changed by someone I considered “just a Facebook friend”, what would happen if I wrote all my Facebook friends a letter? A whopping 580 handwritten letters later Amy’s life, and most of all her heart, would never ever be the same again. As it turned out, there were actual individuals living very real lives behind each social media profile, and she was beautifully

THE EIGHTY-YEAR-OLD SORORITY GIRLS As a group of eighty-something girlfriends deal with the mental decline of their sorority sister, they reconnect with their college sorority, advise their grandchildren, find new lives for themselves and continue to stay the closest of friends. Vivian, nicknamed “Button,” is an Alzheimer’s patient who adores her sorority group, Helen rediscovers love at age eighty-one, Ida’s crazy side comes out during football season and Laney is the “big sister” in charge of baking for the group. These three women consistently show up for Vivian as her mental health deteriorates — because that is what sisters do. MORE: getthefunkoutshow.kuci.org

While visiting friends in New Hampshire, Hartnett became fascinated with nineteenth-century robber baron Austin Corbin’s historical estate, and a real life Doctor Doolittle that worked there! This surreal property, Corbin''s Park, became a secret, exclusive hunting park that still exists today. The true story is fascinating and it's no surprise it inspired Unlikely Animals—already receiving rave reviews! “Hartnett masterfully balances a story of deep loss with the perfect amount of hilarity and tenderness.”—Booklist (starred review) “Hartnett’s whimsical storytelling casts a spell.”—Publishers Weekly “This is a big novel doing big things. It bears some similarity to Hartnett’s much- loved first novel, Rabbit Cake. . . . But Unlikely Animals is a broader, brassier, and even more fiercely tender story. In this, her second novel, Hartnett lands an astonishing leap as a storyteller.”—The Rumpus “Wistfully charming . . . This unapologetically genre-bending tribute to life and death, and the beautiful weirdne

We often focus on the material things we leave behind when we die, when what we really should consider is the legacy we leave behind. We write a will to divvy up who gets what, but rather than just stuff, we should be leaving something that speaks to who we wanted to be, who we were, and what we want for our loved ones in their lives. In FOR YOU WHEN I AM GONE: Twelve Essential Questions To Tell a Life Story, beloved Rabbi Steve Leder, bestselling author of The Beauty of What Remains, offers a new guide to help readers put into words what they hope their loved ones know after they have gone - creating what he calls an ethical will. Rabbi Leder has helped thousands of people to write their own ethical wills, and in this intimate book helps us write our own. Rabbi Leder appears frequently on national TV and you can watch a few of his appearances here: FOX LA (grief during the pandemic), CBS Sunday Morning (the war in Ukraine), TODAY with Hoda and Jenna (on grief). Rabbi Steve Leder is available for interviews o

Justine Bautista Ph.D. Student | Social Ecology University of California, Irvine B.A. | Psychology Chapman University B.A. | Integrated Educational Studies, Community Emphasis, Health Concentration Chapman University Pronouns: she/her Justine was born and raised in Orange County, CA with roots in the Philippines. She is currently attending the University of California, Irvine for her PhD and Master’s. She graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and in Integrated Educational Studies, and currently serves as a Research Fellow for the Connecting the EdTech Research Ecosystem Center (CERES). Justine has leveraged her skills in research to be able to understand how digital tools impact mental health outcomes in young people and how we can use media as a tool for creating lasting change. READ MORE about the Mental Health Youth Action Forum in DC. Visit: getthefunkoutshow.kuci.org

“A thrilling, endlessly stimulating work that demands to be read and reread.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review Jennifer Egan’s bravura and brilliant new novel, THE CANDY HOUSE, a sibling novel to her Pulitzer Prize-winning A Visit from the Goon Squad, has just been published to rave reviews and massive attention, including profiles in Vogue, Time, and the Los Angeles Times and rave review in The New York Times and The New York Times Book Review. THE CANDY HOUSE is a very smart novel asks big questions about the totalizing and flattening effects of digital culture, privacy, and surveillance – while also being a huge pleasure to read. It is one of this spring’s most hotly anticipated novels.Vogue’s recent profile of Jennifer Egan can be found here: https://www.vogue.com/article/jennifer-egan-profile Scribner is thrilled to announce the publication, on April 5, 2022, of Jennifer Egan’s new novel, THE CANDY HOUSE. A sibling novel to her Pulitzer-Prize and National Book Critics Circle-winning A Visit from The

My name is Yuran, and I am a third-year PSCI major. I am the Vice-Chair of WISE PAC. I am interested in mental health because I want to become a high school counselor in the future, hoping to help students/youth in need.

In less than two whirlwind years – from summer 2020 to spring 2022 - DICI has evolved from a quarantined 17-year-old freestyling rhymes and mastering the Pro Tools rig in his bedroom to emerging rap star with thousands of worldwide followers, a popular critically acclaimed indie EP on his own label (DICI Records) and an ever-growing discography of more than 17 singles. Since dropping his self-titled debut in January 2021, the multi-talented Italian born, Milan and Miami raised artist’s infectious tracks and dynamic, professionally directed and produced videos have garnered massive press hits, over 5M combined Spotify streams and YouTube views and over 100K Tik Tok followers. MORE: http://getthefunkoutshow.kuci.org

Vanessa Hua, award-winning, best-selling author and columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. For over two decades, she has been researching and writing about Asia and the diaspora. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, San Francisco Magazine, Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Newsweek, among others. Her books, which integrate many of the themes she covers, are critically-acclaimed. A River of Stars was named to the Washington Post and NPR’s Best Books, and was called a "marvel" by O, The Oprah Magazine, and "delightful" by The Economist. Deceit and Other Possibilities, named a New York Times Editors' Choice, received an Asian/Pacific American Award in Literature and was a finalist for a California Book Award, and a New American Voices Award. Vanessa Hua's forthcoming book, Forbidden City, has already been hailed “magnificent” by Publisher’s Weekly, and is getting rave reviews. I've pasted materials below Hua's new book, as well as some of the articles she's written, establishing her as a voice for

This electric and seductive debut novel is about a woman at a turning point in her life, and what happens when she discovers the spark that makes her feel whole again. After twelve years of marriage and two kids, Merit has begun to feel like a stranger in her own life. She loves her husband and sons, but she desperately needs something more than sippy cups and monthly sex. So, she returns to her career at Jager + Brandt, where a brilliant and beautiful Danish architect named Jane decides to overlook the “break” in Merit’s résumé and give her a shot. Their relationship quickly becomes a cornerstone in Merit’s life. And as Merit starts to open her mind to the idea of more—more of a partner, more of a match, more out of love—she begins to question: What if the love of her life isn’t the man she married. What if it’s Jane? MORE: http://getthefunkoutshow.kuci.org ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lauren McBrayer is a graduate of Yale with a law degree from UC Berkeley. A working mom of three, she is the head of business affairs

Emmy-nominated screenwriter Sascha Rothchild has written and produced for lauded television series like GLOW, The Bold Type, The Baby-Sitters Club, and The Carrie Diaries. Now she brings this signature sparkling wit and irreverent charm to her fiction debut, BLOOD SUGAR, a dark and utterly delicious noir thriller about Ruby Simon, an absurdly charming murderess accused of killing her husband—which is, ironically, the only murder she did not commit. Readers will be enraptured by this smart stunner of a novel and its loveable antiheroine, cementing Rothchild’s status as one of the most dynamic, inventive storytellers writing today. Rothchild is currently show-running Netflix’s series spin-off of the To All the Boys film franchise, XO, Kitty, and she is set to make her first foray into film with her screenplay, Who Invited Her, already optioned by DreamWorks with Reese Witherspoon attached to executive produce. MORE: http://getthefunkoutshow.kuci.org

Fearlessly fusing the joyous intensity of pop-punk with the soulful swagger of blues, this Portland, Maine based quartet has been turning heads since their debut in the New England music circuit in 2017. Lead by frontman and namesake Xander Nelson, the group features Manny Urgiles on guitar, Chuck Martin on drums, and Conor McGrory on bass. Flashing the chops they honed at Berklee College of Music, they’ve shared the stage with Grammy nominees and local legends alike, and have become known for their high-energy live sets. Unlike most rock bands out there, they give you both something to pump your fist and shake your hips to. They’ve released two critically acclaimed EPs – 2017’s “A Dull Roar” and 2018’s “See You On The Other Side.” What’s more, their single “You Got A Problem” has received extensive airplay on 94.3 WCYY and102.9 WBLM. MORE: http://getthefunkoutshow.kuci.org

For almost a decade, Sara was held hostage to wanting the perfect physical image. It was not until late adolescence that her disorder came to fruition, physically that is. Full: A Memoir of Overcoming an Eating Disorder is her powerful and utterly raw story of her battle with anorexia. Filled with humor, wisdom, and inspiration, readers will feel empowered to overcome their own battle with disordered eating. Sara’s battle with anorexia began when she was sixteen years old. What started off as a “simple” diet on the quest to be healthy quickly spiraled into a path of rigidity, confinement, and malnourishment. She lost the most innate desire the human body has—to eat. Everything that Sara once found joy and pleasure in only fueled her anxiety. Sara began to lose herself mentally, emotionally, and physically. She battled through endless appointments, unrelenting questions from doctors and professionals, and feelings of defeat and overwhelm. She was full. Full of her eating disorder. Sara graduated from Bridge

Approximately 1 in 54 children in America is diagnosed with autism, making Autism Awareness Month each April ever more crucial to spreading awareness, knowledge, and most importantly, compassion, for those with autism in their lives. One of those people is Kate Swenson, whose world stopped when her then-toddler, Cooper, was diagnosed with severe, nonverbal autism. Cooper is now eleven, with three younger siblings, and Kate shares posts and videos of their day-to-day life in the community of 730K+ that she’s built across her blog, Finding Cooper’s Voice, and Facebook page. With her popular blog Finding Cooper's Voice, Kate Swenson has provided hope and comfort for hundreds of thousands of parents of children with autism. Now, Kate shares her inspiring story in this powerful memoir about motherhood and unconditional love. When Kate Swenson’s son, Cooper, was diagnosed with severe, nonverbal autism, her world stopped. She had always dreamed of having the perfect family life. She hadn’t signed up for life as a

ABOUT ISAAC ZABLOCKI Festival Founder & Director Isaac Zablocki is the Director of Film Programs at JCC Manhattan. He attended film school at Columbia University and went on to work at Miramax Films. Previously, he produced and directed feature films and developed film educational programs for the Board of Education. Since 2004, Isaac has been developing film programs at the JCC including the Israel Film Center. Beyond ReelAbilities, he programs multiple film festivals annually, including the acclaimed Other Israel Film Festival, which focuses on Arab and underrepresented populations in Israel. ABOUT ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York Founded in 2007 by the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, ReelAbilities Film Festival: New York is the largest festival in the country dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. The weeklong festival is renowned for its wide-ranging international film selection, riveting conversations, and perf

Dean Tyrus Miller Dean of the School of Humanities and Professor of English and Art History Interests: 20th- and 21st-Century British, Critical Theory Blossoms are blooming and spring is here. It’s the perfect time to visit the UCI School of Humanities outdoor museum that weaves through the corridors of its corner of campus. 21 light poles are adorned with banners featuring unique illustrations of significant historical moments that the humanities help us understand. The diverse display features global art, literary, film, television and social history achievements ranging from the first summer blockbuster in the movie industry to the genesis of Chaucer’s writing of The Canterbury Tales and from the construction of the first transcontinental railroad tracks in the U.S. to the start of the Salvadoran revolution. Each banner features a QR code that links visitors to a website with explanations about how the moment impacted history from the faculty member who selected it. “‘Humanities: It’s Time’ reflects h