We welcome Angela Ricketts, an author, business owner, and nonprofit founder, ahead of the show’s 400th episode. Angela discusses her son’s diagnosis at age five with choroideremia, an ultra-rare, progressive blinding eye disease affecting boys and men. She contrasts families who wait to accept the disease with her approach of learning, fundraising, and advocacy.

She shares how grief after losing her grandmother and father led her back to clay, inspiring Sight Stones—thumbprinted clay “worry stones” with a center hole symbolizing vision loss and messages about choosing focus. The donated proceeds (100%) of Sight Stones and her August-released book Never Lose Sight fund research for a cure for choroideremia. She highlights growing hope through gene therapy research and describes integrating the “never lose sight” mission into her St. Louis-based cleaning company’s supportive culture.

[00:00] Choosing Hope

[00:34] Show Introduction

[01:41] Meet Angela Ricketts

[03:49] Son’s Diagnosis

[04:28] Understanding Choroideremia

[05:55] Taking Action Path

[08:08] Not Broken Moment

[11:23] What Are Sight Stones

[12:18] Never Lose Sight Message

[15:13] Grief and Finding Focus

[15:50] Hope in Clay Origins

[21:37] Seeds of Happiness Connection

[23:43] Genetics and Gene Therapy

[25:29] Book and Speaking Mission

[26:46] Break and What’s Next

[27:19] Sponsor Break Better Rate

[28:04] Welcome Corps Refugee Program

[28:49] Back With Angela Ricketts

[30:00] Grandma Inspired Cleaning

[32:53] Ripple Effect Culture

[34:21] Funding Vision Research

[36:23] Waiting Room Sightstone

[38:52] Kids Adapting To Vision

[40:41] Family Coping And Travel

[43:26] Story Matters Takeaway

[46:08] Donations And Gift Ideas

[48:32] Closing Thanks

Takeaways:

• I remind listeners that every day we get to choose what to focus on, even amid crushing uncertainty.
• We created Sightstones — small clay worry-stone tokens stamped with a thumbprint and a hole — to fund research and spread a simple, tangible message.
• I started rolling stones from my garage and basically turned grief into purpose by fundraising for choroideremia research.
• We put 100% of the book proceeds toward research and I truly believe gene therapy will halt this disease for future kids.
• I learned that clay and pottery reconnected me to my dad and grandmother, pulling me out of stuck grief and into action.
• We use Sightstones in corporate settings, schools, and hospitals because a tiny, tangible reminder can change how people see their worth and purpose.
• As a mom I watched my son navigate progressive vision loss since age five, and I want listeners to know their stories matter — never lose sight of purpose, consider giving, because every dollar and shared stone moves research and hope forward.

• Home Page - Sight Stones
• Facebook - Sight Stones
• Instagram - Sight Stones
• Linktree - Sight Stones

This is Season 9! For more episodes, go to stlintune.com

#sightstones #choroideremia #visionloss #visiondiseases #rareeyedisease #visionawareness #stlouisnonprofit

We welcomed St. Louis native Jessica Radloff, a New York Times bestselling author, TV host, and podcaster, to discuss her upcoming book, Young Sheldon: The Juicier Than Meemaw’s Brisket Inside Story of the Hit Comedy (releasing October 20, 2026), and her work on The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series and official podcast. Jessica explained she began watching The Big Bang Theory after seeing reruns while sick in St. Louis, then pursued deep, new interviews—over 200 hours—for fresh behind-the-scenes details.

Many cast members recorded their own audiobook portions for the Young Sheldon book, including Reba McEntire. She teased surprises such as Jim Parsons becoming narrator late in development and a recast librarian role, plus end-of-series tensions and spinoff drama. Jessica encouraged preorders and will appear on November 8, at 7:00 PM at the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival with Matt Hobby. She advised aspiring journalists to diversify skills and build relationships amid major media industry changes.

[00:00] Opening

[00:41] Show Welcome Sponsor

[00:52] Meet Jessica Radloff

[02:41] St Louis Roots

[03:03] Big Bang Breakthrough

[04:49] Deep Research Process

[06:16] Cast Reads Audiobook

[07:37] Juicy Book Surprises

[10:35] Naming Young Sheldon

[12:28] Big Bang Universe Updates

[14:31] Sheldon The Cat Story

[15:25] How To Get The Book

[17:48] St Louis Jewish Book Festival Event

[20:16] Why Audiobook Is Special

[25:01] Advice For Media Careers

[30:01] Final Thanks Wrap Up

[30:32] Recap & Outro

Takeaways:

• Jessica spent over 200 hours interviewing cast and crew to ensure new, deeply reported material for the book.
• The oral history format made people more willing to be candid about tensions and surprises behind the scenes.
• She confirmed there are genuine surprises in the book, including narrator choices, casting changes, and spin-off-related tensions.
• Many original actors recorded their own sections, bringing authentic voices to listeners.
• She advised aspiring journalists to diversify skills across multimedia, public speaking, and platform-building to succeed in modern media.
• Jessica emphasized building professional relationships early and maintaining them rather than waiting until you're out of a job to ask for help.
• Listeners were encouraged to pre-order Young Sheldon to secure a copy for the October 20 release and to attend the November 8 event in St. Louis.

• St Louis Jewish Book Festival Speaker Series - Jessica Radloff
• Purchase - Young Sheldon The (Juicier-Than-Meemaw’s-Brisket) Inside Story of the Hit Comedy
• TikTok - Jessica Radloff
• X - Jessica Radloff
• LinkedIn - Jessica Radloff
• Instagram - Jessica Radloff
• Facebook - Jessica Radloff

This is Season 9! For more episodes, go to stlintune.com

#jessicaradloff #youngsheldon #thebigbangtheory #YoungSheldonbook #YoungSheldonoralhistory #BigBangTheoryoralhistory #StLouisJewishBookFestival

Our conversation was like we were on a tour bus with Jefferson Starship original member David Freiberg and current lead vocalist Cathy Richardson. We trace David’s arc from the 60s San Francisco scene (Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane, and yes, the Starship family tree) to being that humble glue-guy who’d rather make the song work than hog the spotlight. Cathy walks in with Broadway chops (she played Janis Joplin in Love Janice) and then casually becomes the modern voice of Jefferson Starship (with Grace Slick’s endorsement at the GRAMMY Salute to Music Legends).

We get behind-the-scenes magic: the Miracles studio night, Pete Sears tracking bass on their new single "Jetpack," and recording in the very rooms where legends were made in Sausalito. Beyond the nostalgia, we also look into the practical stuff: what keeps a decades-old band alive (low ego, real friendship, and a shared mission), how they psych themselves up before stadiums with a ritual we now lovingly call "the clump," and the surprising logistics (yes, sometimes the bass is coming from a keyboard).

The conversation moves from thoughtful nostalgia to the realities of the road, long bus days, the thrill of thousands of voices, and the joy of still having more music left. If you want a warm, honest look at longevity in rock with a side of good-natured ribbing, this is the one.

[00:00] Jefferson Starship Intro

[00:33] Show Welcome and Sponsor

[01:02] Meet David and Cathy

[03:08] Still Touring at 88

[05:16] Band Chemistry and Mission

[07:04] David the Glue and Ego

[08:28] Making of Jane

[09:44] Favorite Moments and Miracles

[11:33] Cathy Journey to Frontwoman

[14:30] Grace Slick and Hall of Fame

[15:46] Tour Energy and The Clump

[19:56] Musical Roots and Training

[23:47] St Charles Show Details

[24:05] Advice for Young Musicians

[26:22] New Single Jet Pack

[28:57] Thanks and Closing

[29:36] Play Jet Pack and Sign Off

Takeaways:

• We’ve kept Jefferson Starship alive by putting egos aside and focusing on the song, not stardom.
• David learned to be the glue by playing whatever fit the song, valuing arrangements and team contributions over personal spotlight every single time on stage and in studio.
• Cathy never imagined fronting Jefferson Starship, but portraying Janis opened doors and taught her to step into historic shoes confidently.
• Tour life is brutal and boring between shows, so JS invented the "clump" ritual to "psych ourselves up and blow each other's lungs out before hitting the stage."
• If you want it, do it: gig constantly, record your songs, hustle smart, and understand success can mean many sustainable musical lives, not just global superstardom.
• We put out "Jetpack" to have new conversation starters on tour, recording in the same Sausalito room where classic Jefferson Starship magic was made.
• Musicians don't retire — we stop when the music's gone; honestly, we still wake up hungry, so we're in it till we drop.

• Home Page - Jefferson Starship
• YouTube - Jefferson Starship
• Facebook - Jefferson Starship
• X - Jefferson Starship

This is Season 9! For more episodes, go to stlintune.com

#jeffersonstarship #rockband #psychedelicrock #stcharlesfamilyarena #graceslick #paulkantner #davidfreiberg #cathyrichardson