Hello! And Good News

Hello! And Good News! Another long break between episodes brings us together once again. This month’s good news guest is Casey Margaret Craig. Casey is a very funny lady who works in film and television here in Los Angeles on shows you probably know like Workaholics, Silicon Valley and Ghosted. Casey and I sit together on the true blue couch and talk about:        3D printed houses! ICON has developed a method for printing a single-story 650-square-foot house out of cement in only 12 to 24 hours. If all goes according to plan, a community made up of about 100 homes will be constructed for residents in El Salvador next year                 Parley, a global cleanup organization that works internationally to develop solutions to current and future pollution problems within our oceans. Parley is currently partnering with Adidas by releasing shoes made from Parley Ocean Plastic™ - materials created from upcycled plastic waste intercepted on Maldivian beaches and in coastal communities before it reaches the

Hello! And Good News! This weeks good news guest is Peter Banifaz. Peter is an an actor and an improviser. So insanely funny and wonderful. If you live in Los Angeles you can see Peter on Harold Night at the UCB Theater with the team Queen George. They knock it out of the park on a regular basis. You can also catch him on Season 8 of Shameless. I have a new couch, and it’s blue, but Peter and I hang out on it and talk about:        Jahmal Cole, who started the non-profit My Block, My Hood, My City which works to provide underprivileged youth in the Chicago area with opportunities and education beyond their neighborhoods.        Clean Slate a program in the Presbyterian Night Shelter in Fort Worth Texas that provides the homeless with the opportunity for paying work through the shelter and eventually successful job placement.          Salvador Gomez Colon- a fifteen year old who is delivering 100’s of solar lamps to those in Puerto Rico who are still without power.        Peter was originally born in Tehran, I

Hello! And Good News! This week I have on guest Nina Concepción. Nina is an actress, writer and comedian. She is so hilarious. If you live in Los Angeles you can see her on Harold Night at UCB Theater with the team Crush. Join Nina and I as we sit on the big red couch and discuss: A young boy on Halloween who filled up an empty candy bowl left on a porch with his best loot for other children after him to find. 200 Universities just released 600 free online courses. An online magazine, Foreigner, is redefining the stigma associated with being a “foreigner” by highlighting stories of entrepreneurship and challenges, inspiration and creativity, alternative takes and cultural diversity, to give an honest representation of what being a foreigner is really about. Fire Department Coffee, a coffee company that donates a portion of its sales to support firefighter and military charities is currently putting all of their charitable funds towards helping the firefighters of Northern California who lost their h

Hello! And Good News! This week I have on guest PJ McCormick. PJ is an improviser (and former Pro Wrestler!) in Los Angeles. He was most recently on the UCB Mess Hall team Bomb Pop. PJ is one of my favorite performers here in LA, and I have never had a dull conversation with him. This week we discuss the light and the dark side of life, both in the stories we touch on and PJ’s own life experience, and how ultimately empathy and appreciation for living in the moment are lessons that lot of us humans learn the hard way. Don’t worry we also talk about J. Lo and the timeline of her career. So join us as we sit on the big red couch and discuss: A grandfather in New Jersey who forgot he bought a lottery ticket and then a year later realized he had the winning numbers! The world’s first negative emissions plant that is turning Carbon Dioxide into stone instead of emissions. A man who found a missing teenage girl, who had been kidnapped from her house, and gave the reward offered to him back to her. Positive Ne

Hello! And Good News! This week I have on guest Joseph Kibler who is an actor, producer and improviser. Joseph also has a feature length documentary entitled Walk On, which follows Joseph's own story having been born disabled and HIV positive. He was told he would never walk or live past four years old and Walk On follows him training, at age 21, to walk 6.2 miles in the LA AIDS Walk. Joseph is an incredible person and performer we sat on his big red couch and talked all about:   Julio Canales, a Delta pilot who is using his own plane to fly to Puerto Rico and deliver care packages and aid as well as medical evacuation flights for those affected by Hurricane Maria. The city of San Diego just reached it’s goal of housing 1,000 homeless veterans. They are now focussing on finding long term housing for another 1,000 homeless in the next 15 months. Restoration Station, is more than just an upcycled furniture store. It a non-profit social enterprise run by an addiction recovery charity that helps those reco

Hello! And Good News! This week I have Charlie Mihelich back on the ‘ol pod to talk good news. Charlie is an improvisor, writer, and actor. Charlie and I get back on the big red couch and talk all about: Montana Brown a childhood cancer survivor who now works as a nurse at the center she was once a patient at. We touch on some celebrities who have donated to disaster relief in Puerto Rico. Which leads us into talking about doomsday prepper, Joseph Badame, who after learning his house would be foreclosed, donated everything (40 years worth of survival prep)  to hurricane relief. Animal corner features Frida, a 7 year old search-and-rescue labrador who has helped find 52 people in her career. Frida is currently in Mexico aiding the Mexican Navy as they search for earthquake survivors. This leads us into a discussion about emotional intelligence in animals and whether it is instinctual or a learned trait. Charlie is from Riverside, and Riverside County is home to one of the largest solar farms in the co

It’s Hello! And Good News’ 50th Episode! This week's episode features Veronica Gruba! Check out her blog at veronicagruba.com, and if you live in Los Angeles you can see her around town performing at The Clubhouse and other indie shows with her team Rebel Without Applause, Totally Heather, and Tyrant. Hannah and Veronica hang out on the big red couch and talk about: The Flying Seagull Project, a group of performers, musicians, and artists who travel around the world to refugee camps, hospitals, shanty towns and classrooms to bring entertainment and happiness to children undergoing difficult times.  Check out this video featuring them on BBC, it might make you cry. The Shoe That Grows, an organization that provides shoes to children in need. One thing that makes this shoe special is that it is adjustable and can grow up to five sizes and lasts for several years. Aeric McCoy, a heroin addict who was living on the streets of Baltimore who found a woman’s purse and wanted to return it. He travelled all th

This week's episode features another favorite recurring guest, Matt Apodaca! Matt is an improvisor and comedian here in Los Angeles. You can see him on Harold Night at the UCB Theater and around town doing other sketch and improv shows. Matt and Hannah will both be performing in the Seattle Sketch Fest on September 23rd. If you live in Seattle, get tickets to Totally Real Friends! Hannah and Matt hang out on the big red couch and talk about nonesense, Apple products and really good news: The cruise ships are killing it again this week in terms of good samaritanism. Carnival Cruise Lines gave 2 Million Dollars to support Hurricane Harvey recovery and just pledged another 10 million to support Hurricane Irma victims. Humble Bundle, a game content provider, donates part of its proceeds to charities. The cool part is that it lets the consumer decide how much of their money goes to the content creators, host site, or charity. The second cool thing is that they just reached a benchmark of 100 million dollars d

Episode Title: 47. Hurricane Help, Solar Power, And Reincarnation with Charles Mockler This week's episode features one of Hannah’s all time favorite recurring guests, Charles Mockler! Hannah and Charles hang out on their big red couch and talk about: The hurricanes. Ways people can help, how cruise lines are sending ships to help assist/evacuate victims in the caribbean islands, and a touching story of people coming together to rebuild a texas man’s home for his 100th birthday. The UK will be providing free solar power to 800,000 low-income homes in the next five years. Los Angeles has renounced Columbus Day and replaced it with Indigenous Peoples Day Animal Corner features a dog that rescues earthworms! Follow Hannah on instagram @cannongator Follow Hannah on twitter @cannongator Follow Charles on instagram @charles.mockler Follow Charles on twitter @charlesmockler  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's episode is a palette cleanser solo episode. Hannah has been traveling and so this episode slows things down with a few short good news blips to get you through the week, some interviews about staying grateful and positive, as well as where to donate to Hurricane Harvey Relief and Montana Fire Relief. Good News Later! Follow Hannah on instagram @cannongator Follow Hannah on twitter @cannongator  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s episode features standup comedian and improvisor Noah Findling. (What Now, Hollywood Improv) We sit on the big red couch and discuss: Hurricane Harvey and the 29 year old screenwriter, Zachary Dearing, who stepped into a leadership role to help people in a small coast town. Ira Campbell, a trashman in Albers, IL. who is so beloved by his community for his positive attitude and helpfulness that he is being awarded the key to the city. The humanitarian charity, Muslim Aid, that knocked out two great birds with one stone by making the world's largest samosa for the Guinness Book of World Records and feeding it to the homeless community in need. Noah is from Fair Lawn New Jersey, where Laura Oblitas just turned 110 years old. Naturally Noah and I discuss the meaning of life, getting old, funeral plans, and what happens when you die. Also in Fair Lawn, high school students came together with stylists from the Bellezza Salon to raise money for the Children's Therapy Center Academy, a non-profi

This week’s episode features improvisor and writer Rachel Chapman (UCB Theater, The Telephone Show, Inside The Disney Vault)  We sit on the big red couch and discuss: Combatting hate. Last week’s events in Charlottesville lead us into a great conversation with the help of a resource guide from Southern Poverty Law Center about combatting hate and unifying communities.  Another amazing organization, Life After Hate, a nonprofit created in 2011 by former members of the American violent far-right extremist movement that works to combat hate by working individuals who wish to leave a life of hate and violence and helping organizations (community, educational, civic, government, etc.) grappling with the causes of intolerance and racism. Rachel is from Merritt Island, Florida where an osprey was stranded in a canal after being pelted with torrential rain. The osprey was successfully rescued after it made it to shore, and the footage of it swimming to shore reminds Hannah of a Disney character. Also in Florida i

Episode Title: 44. Cats Are Great And Goats Are Kings, With Cara Meyers. This week’s episode features improvisor and writer Cara Meyers (Sleepover Party Moving Arts Theater , UCB Theater)  We sit on the big red couch and discuss: A Police office in Toronto, Niran Jeyanesan, who ended up buying a shoplifter the clothes that he was attempting to steal instead of arresting him. When the officer realized that the 18 year old was trying to steal clothes for a job interview in order to help provide for his family, he decided to give him a second chance. Niran bought him a shirt and tie and the young man ended up landing the job! A 23 year old who has been working for years to come up with a solution to cleaning up the massive amount of waste that has accumulated in our ocean. What started as a school science project when he was 16 has now developed into The Ocean Cleanup, a foundation dedicated to using advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic waste. The federal government in Canada has just r

This week’s episode features improvisor and actress Michelle Thompson (UCB Theater-Mess Hall, Purgatory)   We sit on the big red couch and discuss: A father who built an entire theme park for his daughter. When Gordon Hartman realized that there were no theme parks for children with disabilities he decided to build one for his daughter Morgan. Gordon was a former property developer who sold his homebuilding business in 2005 to set up a non-profit organization that seeks to help those with disabilities. His next step was to develop the world's first “ultra-accessible theme park.” After consulting with doctors, therapists, parents and those with and without disabilities, he developed a 25 acre theme park fully accessible to all. He named it “Morgan’s Wonderland” after his daughter who was the inspiration for his entire project. For many visitors it is the first time they themselves or members of their families have been able to experience traditional theme park rides such as the ferris wheels and water parks.

This weeks episode features actress and improvisor Lauren Holt (UCB Theater, Maude Night) We sit on the big red couch and discuss: 35 Police officers who came together to honor a fallen state trooper by finishing the tree house he was building for his daughter.   The sword of civil war hero, Robert Gould Shaw, which had been missing for decades was found in an attic this month. Shaw led the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, one of the first official black military units in the United States. The sword is now on display at the Massachusetts Historical Society along with other Civil War Memorabilia. A ten year old boy who noticed a labelling mistake in one of the Dinosaur Exhibits in the Natural History Museum. Nearly 100k dollars was raised in a local charity fundraiser for the program Camp Hope, a nonprofit that helps veterans suffering from PTSD receive treatment free of charge. Lauren is from Charlotte, North Carolina and just outside of her hometown is a farm program called Mitey Riders. Mitey Riders

This weeks episode features Jacquis Neal. Jaquis is an improviser and an actor. Catch his podcast with Carl Tart and Edgar Momplaisir- Against The Grain. You can also see him performing Improv and Sketch at The UCB Theater.   We talk about ·     The Good News Paper! A printed newspaper that only highlights good news. Much like this podcast! Hannah just received her first edition and chooses a couple of stories to highlight from the paper including a restaurant that uses donated food from nearby bakeries to make soup free of cost to those who need a meal, and New Orleans finally tossing out all of their old confederacy monuments! ·     Band of Brothers, a charity established by men committed to positive social change through personal development and community building. They work with at risk or troubled young men and mentor them to teach them importance of emotional expression, communication, and trust. They teach them to tear down the barriers of what society has often taught “being a man is” and create a saf

This week’s episode features Max Castillo! Max is a stand up comedian who performs around Los Angeles. Catch him in the show Group Shower at The Clubhouse in Los Feliz on August 10th at 8pm. You can also check out his blog, it’s all about golf! Max is hilarious and we have a great episode including lots of good news from his hometown Pensacola, Florida as well as the best animal corner I’ve seen in a minute. We’ve got: ·     Afghanistan’s version of Sesame Street that introduced a young female puppet aimed at inspiring young girls. They recently introduced another character, her brother Zareek, as a way to illustrate gender equality between the two and show a relationship that demonstrates the importance of respecting women.   ·     It’s been a minute, but I found a Go Fund Me of the week! Aaron Tucker who was recently released from a two year jail sentence, became a hero when he jumped off of his bus on the way to a job interview to help with a very serious car accident. A stranger who saw the accident deci

This weeks episode features brother and sister duo Mei and Willy Ratz! Mei is an artist, a photographer, and a conversation and experience engineer. Willy is also a photographer, a dope mountain biker, and adventurer. Possibly soon to be helicopter pilot? The future will tell. This week we talk about a ton! ·     A sidewalk chalk art festival in San Bernadino that donated all of the proceeds to furthering art programs and education in the community. ·     A global movement of former neo-Nazis who are helping others renounce extremism. ·     A group of strangers that bought a car for a young man who was walking to work each day. ·     A police officer that adopted two children after investigating their child abuse case ·     Mei and Willy were just on a crazy world wide trip, one of their mutual favorite places was Penang, Malaysia and so for hometown news I focused on the story of social worker Ah Ban and the senior center he started by himself called Peace and Harmony. ·     Animal corner features the Cat

This week’s episode guest is Clark Canez! Clark is an improviser in Los Angeles. You can see him around the indie scene with teams RavenPuff, Gosh Guys, And Hempire Strikes back. Clark and I catch up and talk all about:            Yet another baby that was born on an airplane! This baby now gets free flights for life from Jet Airways.            There are a few different groups around the country that do “Re-Cycling”, i.e. fixing up old, donated bicycles and gifting them to children. I found one in Illinois that’s been around since 1950. They are currently looking for a new home after being forced out of their rental space.             The Brooklyn Community Bail Fund is a non-profit that works to bail out those who can’t afford to pay their pre-trail bonds. Often people are put in jail simply because they can’t afford fines. This means that non-violent and presumably innocent people are stuck behind bars. Brooklyn Bail Community Bail Fund raises the funds to bail people out, provides support through cas

This week's episode features Katie Nathan! Katie is a comedian, improviser and actress who you can see performing around Los Angeles with Parker Posey, 4 Non Blondes, and The 2004 San Antonio Spurs.Here is what we talk about this week: Same sex marriage was legalized in Thailand. Thailand is the first country in Asia to do so and the hope is that other counties will follow in their footsteps. Accueil Bonneau a homeless shelter in Montreal that has started integrating urban beekeeping as work available to their residents. The work is therapeutic, helps the bee population, and they provide honey to local grocery stores! The world’s first all women anti-poaching unit in South Africa who have become internationally recognized for the work they have done to protect the animals of their country. Katie is from Indianapolis where IndyVolved takes place. More than 100 non-profits and community organizations come together to not only recruit volunteers and advocates, but to raise awareness of events and cause