Kuci: Get The Funk Out

I’m excited to welcome Madeline Halperin Robinson of the Center for Reproductive Rights back to Get the Funk Out. Madeline joined me during the Daisy Chain Festival, but our conversation was brief, so I’m thrilled to have her back for a deeper conversation. We’ll talk about what it was like for Madeline and her team to be part of Daisy Chain, the response they received from people who came out to meet them, the conversations that stayed with her, and the impact of bringing people together around community, advocacy, and change. We’ll also learn more about the Center for Reproductive Rights, an organization that uses law and advocacy to advance reproductive rights around the world. The Center has been involved in major reproductive rights cases in courts around the world, including every major U.S. Supreme Court abortion case. Tune in as we continue our conversation about connection, community, advocacy, and the people doing meaningful work to create change. Madeline Halperin Robinson joins me on Get the

What if a death sentence gave you a second chance at life? The story of Joaquín José Martínez, the first Spaniard exonerated from U.S. death row, challenges our beliefs about justice, faith, and forgiveness. Synopsis: “I would have been dead today if I hadn’t gone to death row.” Joaquín José Martínez, the first Spaniard ever exonerated from U.S. death row, was once a supporter of capital punishment until, at 24, he was convicted of a double murder in Florida. He spent more than five years behind bars, three on death row. Two decades after he was exonerated, Joaquín transforms his trauma into advocacy. The Window on Death Row explores urgent questions: What happens when we almost execute an innocent man? Is closure possible for the victims’ families? And how do we reconcile the contradiction that facing a death sentence, even an unjust one, can paradoxically lead to a second chance at life? Director: Linda Catherine Freund Executive Producer: Mike Farrell (Actor & Activist) Watch the Trailer

The former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman and Juilliard-trained opera tenor joins Janeane to discuss his extraordinary journey, the award-winning short film The Platform, and the courage to begin again when life takes an unexpected turn. From the NFL to the Opera Stage: Ta’u Pupu’a and Mark Harris on Reinvention, Resilience, and Finding Your Voice What happens when the future you’ve worked your entire life to achieve suddenly disappears? For Ta’u Pupu’a, a devastating injury ended his professional football career before it truly began. Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1995, the former NFL defensive lineman faced an unexpected crossroads that would ultimately lead him from the gridiron to the world’s opera stages. In this episode of Get the Funk Out, I sit down with Ta’u and filmmaker Mark Harris to explore the extraordinary story behind The Platform, an award-winning 10-minute narrative short inspired by Ta’u’s life and directed by Mark. Born in Tonga and raised in a working-class family in Utah, Ta’

    World College Radio Day is October 2! College radio is more than music. It’s a place where voices are heard, new artists are discovered, unexpected conversations happen, and communities come together. At KUCI 88.9 FM, we believe in the power of radio to connect us — to music, ideas, artists, storytellers, and most importantly, to each other. For me, hope is always in the air. I feel it every time a new host comes into the station, a listener calls or sends a message, an artist or guest shares their story, or a song creates a connection between people who may never meet. On World College Radio Day, we’re celebrating the magic of college radio and the people who make it possible — our DJs, producers, guests, artists, volunteers, and listeners. Tune in. Turn it up. Find something new. And remember: connection is always on the air. KUCI 88.9 FM | Irvine, CA #WorldCollegeRadioDay #CollegeRadio #KUCI #KUCI889 #SupportCollegeRadio #CollegeRadioDay #RadioConnectsUs #HopeIsInTheAir

  ABOUT KALIFORNIA KARL DETKEN   Did you miss Kalifornia Karl Detken on today's show? Listen HERE!       "Kalifornia Karl" went from Star Search winner to playing a singer in the movie Duets with Gwyneth Paltrow to marketing executive at Pioneer Electronics who's DJ division went on to become a half billion dollar a year division. Now, he sings to the elderly for a fraction of what corporate exec life used to pay but he is 1000% more fulfilled professionally and personally from the joy that it brings the people that need it most. There is research about the effects of music on patients. The Wall Street journal just ran a story on these important findings. It’s no secret that music can help you feel better seniors and hospital patients. "From a massive library of 30,000+ songs from every decade and style; from Bing Crosby to Bruno Mars, we bring live performance & interactivity to those that need it most" says Kalifornia Karl Detken. "Engaging & entertaining activities which I call 'Engagetain

Kris Evans is an award-winning makeup artist and designer whose distinguished career began in New York City. She quickly rose to prominence, traveling the world alongside Barbara Walters working with presidents, world leaders, A-list celebrities, and top-tier entertainers.  Her artistry has graced the runways and editorial pages through collaborations with some of fashion’s most iconic designers, including Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Sonia Rykiel, Norma Kamali, Thierry Mugler, Azzedine Alaïa, and Halston. Her work has been featured in publications such as Vogue, French Vogue, Vanity Fair, L’Officiel, and Elle.    Kris has an extensive background in film and television. Her film credits include Megalopolis (with Francis Ford Coppola), The Hunger Games, Pirates of the Caribbean I, II & III, Free State of Jones, The Rum Diary, The Postman, National Treasure, Coyote Ugly, Con Air, Dr. Dolittle 2, and X-Men: The Last Stand, for which she received a Hollywood Film Festival Award for Best Makeup of the Year.   

HOLLYWOOD’S ULTIMATE SOUND WAREHOUSE EXPANDS WITH NEW IN-HOUSE RECORDING STUDIO LOS ANGELES, CA — LA Percussion Rentals & Recording (LAPR), a leading source of elite instruments for the entertainment industry, has launched new in-house recording studio services designed specifically for film, television, video game, and professional media composers. LAPR offers composers the opportunity to explore and record in one location, providing a fully equipped live-tracking space for solo multi-tracking and intimate ensemble sessions. The service offers an agile, budget-friendly alternative to traditional Hollywood scoring stages. “We wanted to remove the barriers between a composer’s imagination and the final recording,” says Abby Savell, Founder and CEO of LA Percussion Rentals. “Instead of waiting for a truck to arrive, creators can walk directly onto our warehouse floor. It is a massive sonic playground!” LAPR houses thousands of orchestral percussion instruments, rare world instruments, sound effects, and the

Chaya Segelman Program Director  www.obkla.org @obklosangeles   Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles  OBKLA  |  September 2026  Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles (OBKLA) is a community-run, non-denominational nonprofit that brings people together to prepare fresh, nutritious kosher meals for people experiencing food insecurity across Los Angeles. Through hands-on volunteering, OBKLA nourishes people and strengthens community connections.  Our history  Established in 2020 and inspired by Our Big Kitchen in Sydney, Australia, OBKLA began as a grassroots response to hunger during the pandemic. In June 2022, with support from the Feder family, it moved into the 4,600-square-foot Margaret Feder Our Big Kitchen on Pico Boulevard. During the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, OBKLA also mobilized volunteers to provide meals for evacuees and first responders.  Our impact  In 2025, OBKLA prepared 190,534 fresh meals and 315,243 baked goods, with 24,437 volunteers contributing 46,292 hours. The kitchen welcomed 477 groups and worke

 Zibby's Most Anticipated List: Fall 2026 A 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist "An engaging and accessible approach to living a happier, less stressful life."   - Kirkus   Twenty years ago, Beth Ricanati, MD, felt overwhelmed as a physician, wife, and mother of three children under the age of six devoted to doing her best at everything. When she started to suffer intermittent chest pain, she attributed her symptoms to heart disease. Then, her physician diagnosed the real culprit: stress. Struck by the toll on her health, Dr. Ricanati sought out a way to manage her stress for the long haul and found the answer in a bowl of dough in her kitchen.      In THE BRAIDED PRESCRIPTION: Seven Practices for Living Well from the Ancient Ritual of Making Challah (She Writes Press; September 1, 2026), Beth Ricanati expands on the story, which she began in her memoir Braided, of how she experienced solace and a newfound centeredness in making the traditional braided bread served in Jewish households on Shabbat

Ryan Johnson, President and Head Fabricator of NewRuleFX, to discuss his journey in the special effects industry, the impact of the devastating fire, and how the company is rebuilding stronger than ever while continuing to create innovative work. RISING UP FROM THE ASHES…. NewRuleFX has been an industry leader in special effects fabrication since 1991, creating work for clients including Netflix, Disney, Marvel, and MrBeast. The company's products have appeared in acclaimed film, television, live entertainment, and music productions, including Captain America: Brave New World, Only Murders in the Building, Everybody's Live with John Mulaney, The Bear, MJ The Musical, Conan Must Go (Conan O'Brien), Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa's High School Reunion Tour, Game of Thrones, and hundreds of other high-profile projects. On November 13, 2025, NewRuleFX's workshop was devastated by a major fire that destroyed much of its facility, equipment, materials, and an extensive collection of custom molds built over decades. W

    LADY FREETHINKER’S EXPLOSIVE DOCUMENTARY “CRUELTY FOR CLICKS” TO WORLD PREMIERE AT INDIEWOOD FILM FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 12th   LOS ANGELES — CRUELTY FOR CLICKS, an explosive new documentary from animal protection nonprofit Lady Freethinker (LFT), will make its world premiere at the Indiewood Film Festival on September 12th. The provocative film exposes a disturbing global phenomenon: animal cruelty created, staged and shared for clicks across some of the world’s largest social media platforms. Produced by Lady Freethinker Founder and President Nina Jackel and directed by Kirk Murray, CRUELTY FOR CLICKS brings together true-crime investigation and animal advocacy to uncover the disturbing industry behind viral animal content. From staged puppy “rescues” to sadistic abuse of baby monkeys, the film reveals how cruelty can be disguised as entertainment — and how social media has enabled abusive content to reach audiences around the world.   “This documentary was born from a deep urgency to expose the dark reali

Dr. Michael Hicks, Assistant Professor of Physiology & Biophysics at UCI School of Medicine and Associate Director of the UCI Muscle Biology and Disease Research Center, talks his role as researcher and curator of “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” event with CureDuchenne   Dr. Hicks is an Assistant Professor of Physiology & Biophysics at UCI School of Medicine and Associate Director of the UCI Muscle Biology and Disease Research Center. His research focuses on muscle stem cells, regeneration, human pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and developing potential cell therapies for muscle-wasting diseases. There is also a particularly interesting personal/professional connection to Duchenne: before coming to UCI, Hicks was a CureDuchenne postdoctoral fellow at UCLA, where his work involved muscular dystrophy, gene editing and pluripotent stem cells. And he's one of the people behind the September 18 “Remarkable Life of Ibelin” event with CureDuchenne—the 2026 UCI grant listing identifies Hicks and CureDu

              Running with Lions is a remarkable story! Dr. Kamau is a tireless advocate for education and equity, among other causes. Kamau established Africa America Higher Education Partnerships (AAHEP), a nonprofit that helps African women scientists to pursue graduate degrees in the US, and is the host of Never Again, the podcast of the Coalition Against Global Genocide. Dr. Kamau champions education and equity, supporting African women in STEM and serving on boards to expand minority access to science. His philosophy is rooted in openness, inquiry, and service—striving for a more humane world through healing and storytelling. As a Health Equity Leader, he continues to inspire with a vision of unity and the power of diverse voices Born in Kenya and trained in Spain, Pius Kamau has been in surgical practice in the Denver area for three decades. He was a columnist for The Rocky Mountain News and has written for The Denver Post. Kamau’s commentaries have also been featured on NPR, in the Huffington Pos

  About Lisa Kenner Grissom Lisa is an award-winning screenwriter and playwright whose work engages dynamic social issues, often through a female lens. She’s known for creating multi-layered characters, exploring the complexity of human emotion, and finding levity in discomfort. After visiting Vilnius, Lithuania, Lisa began exploring themes of Jewish resistance, resilience, memory, and legacy. Her TV pilot, FANIA IN THE FOREST, was a Top 5 ScreenCraft Fellowship Finalist and an Austin Film Festival Pitch Finalist. Most recently, the pilot was named to The 2026 Women’s List of top unproduced scripts. Lisa also wrote and produced the award-winning short film TATTOO YOU, based on her published one-act play, which has screened at more than 15 film festivals nationally and internationally. Her critically acclaimed play HERE COMES THE NIGHT is currently being adapted as a screenplay. A two-time Kennedy Center O’Neill Fellow, Lisa’s work has been developed and produced across the country. Originally from Bost

Daisy Chain Fields:  Where Music Meets Purpose Conversations with Daisy Chain Fields’ Nonprofit Partners This week on Get the Funk Out on KUCI 88.9 FM, Janeane takes a closer look at Daisy Chain Fields, the new music festival celebrating women and girls through music, creativity, community and connection. With an extraordinary lineup featuring Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, Stevie Nicks, Sarah McLachlan and many more, Daisy Chain Fields promises to be a major celebration of women in music. But there is another important story happening beyond the stages. Daisy Chain Fields is also bringing attention to nonprofit organizations working on issues affecting women, girls, families and communities. On this episode of Get the Funk Out, Janeane speaks with several of the festival's nonprofit partners about their work, what brought them to Daisy Chain Fields, and how listeners can learn more about the causes they represent. Meet the Guests Madeline Halperin Robinson Center for Reproductive Rights J

  Directed by: Doug Pray Written by: David Greene, Ketch Secor Edited by: Doug Pray Produced by: Stephanie Meurer, Ashley York, Doug Pray Executive Produced by: Ketch Secor, David Greene, Foster Phillips   RT: 89 minutes   “Thought-Provoking, Poignant, A Must See” Janet Walker, Haute-Lifestyle   “Easily one of the most important films of 2026” Steve Kopian, Unseen Films   “A perspective that feels almost radical in a media landscape built on outrage” Chris Jones, Overly Honest Movie Reviews   We’re having the conversation…   In the wake of yet another mass shooting, this time at The Covenant School in Nashville, Ketch Secor, lead singer of the popular country-bluegrass band Old Crow Medicine Show, decided it was time to speak out on gun reform. He wrote an op-ed in the New York Times entitled, “Country Music Can Lead America Out of Its Obsession with Guns.” It caught the attention of Ketch’s friend, David Greene, former NPR reporter and host of KCRW’s “Left, Right & Center,” and the two set out to kickst

    Dayna Altman is an energetic and dynamic mental health speaker, entrepreneur and advocate. The full force and sole operator of Bake it Till You Make it LLC, Dayna harvests her passion for mental health advocacy by using food and baking to create an authentic recipe for vulnerable storytelling. The author of five mental health cookbooks, the facilitator of a variety of mental health presentations and the subject of an award winning documentary, Dayna is a sought after storyteller. She has been invited to speak at national conferences, in community kitchens, on the news and most notably, at the White House in 2022. With experience working in both clinical and advocacy mental health settings, Dayna’s breadth of knowledge in the field informs her work, as does her own recovery. Today, Dayna lives with major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and is in lifelong eating disorder recovery. When she’s not testing out new recipes in her kitchen or quoting her therapists, Dayna is in pursuit of

  The mission of Neighbors Who Nourish is to  bring communities together by nurturing meaningful connections and providing mental health resources to those facing food insecurity.    Below is our instagram page highlighting the various events they have had so far:    https://www.instagram.com/neighbors.who.nourish?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==     Aafiya Mahmood Age: 16 Co-Founder, Neighbors Who Nourish Aafiya is a student and co-founder of Neighbors Who Nourish, a youth-led initiative focused on addressing food insecurity while strengthening mental well-being and community connection.   Yeshwi Sharma Age: 17 Co-Founder, Neighbors Who Nourish Yeshwi is a student and co-founder of Neighbors Who Nourish, working alongside Aafiya to bring families together through food, mental wellness activities, and community-based support.   How We Got Started Neighbors Who Nourish grew out of our personal connections to food insecurity, mental health, and the isolation that can come with both problems. We realized that food could

Today's guest Austin Cauldwell is a Los Angeles–based writer/director/actor and acting teacher. His short film IDYLL premiered at the Florida Film Festival in April 2026. He has appeared in various stage, film, and TV roles.   In January 2025, devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles. Through firsthand interviews, children reflect on what they experienced, what they lost, what they carried with them, and how their lives have been forever changed; while simultaneously holding onto hope for what comes next. Co-directed by Nat Wolff and Austin Cauldwell, the film was produced by Mina Sundwall and her company Zenosyne Media, along with Eliza Paprin and Julia Pitch, who also served as Cinematographer. The film was edited by Ben Schwaeber. According to Wolff and Cauldwell: “In the wake of the fires, much of the conversation focused on what had been lost: homes, schools, and a sense of stability. What felt missing were the voices of the children living through it. Rather than speaking about them, we wanted

Sagar V. Parikh, M.D., FRCPC is the John F. Greden Professor of Depression and Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. As a psychiatrist and former family physician, he focuses on diverse mood disorder treatments: novel medications including psychedelics, psychotherapy, digital tools, ketamine, and TMS.  He conducts research on how to improve health care delivery as well as how to improve public and clinician education about mood disorders.  He also works extensively in Workplace Mental Health, identifying best practices for businesses and workplaces to prevent and treat burnout and mental health problems.  He is Medical Director of the National Network of Depression Centers (USA) and a prolific author, with 3 books and over 200 articles on research and treatment of mental disorders.  He has won multiple national and international awards for education, teaching, and research.  Education Chair, CANMAT (Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments)   more: getthefunkoutshow.kuci.org