Edition Nine- Week Nine; Unit 2:
Written by: Mercedes Barreto
THE WALSH WEDNESDAY PODCAST MAKES ITS TRIUMPHANT RETURN IN JANUARY 2025.
CMJW Entertainment INC is proud to announce the revival of the podcast Walsh Wednesday. Host and producer Conor Walsh is excited to get back behind the microphone, sharing stories aimed at inspiring and educating his New York audience, focusing on community awareness, health awareness, public affairs, and of course, arts and entertainment. New episodes are set to release Wednesday, January 8th, 2025.
Conor Walsh has nearly 10 years of experience in Entertainment and Community Journalism as a writer, editor, host and producer. In 2016, Conor Walsh launched the first iteration of the Walsh Wednesday podcast and web series, based on a monthly performance-based program he did in high school. This early iteration of Walsh Wednesday focused interviews surrounding community events, charities and local entertainment in the Hudson Valley and Capital Regions of New York.
Notable episodes included highlighting members and events of the American Cancer Society, Manic Cat Record’s Pie to the Face Challenge, “Morning Mayor of the Hudson Valley” and esteemed radio host Joe Daily, Guiness World Record Holding Pianist Ethan Bortnick, award-winning Nashville songwriter and artist Ash Taylor, and Platinum-Selling musical acts like 3oh!3 and Jay Sean. Walsh Wednesday grew and developed through 2021, leading to spin-offs such as The Walsh Wednesday Concert Series, Walsh Wednesday Spotlights, and Walsh Wednesday: The Reflective Series.
Walsh Wednesday went into hiatus in late 2021, around the time Conor Walsh was hired by Townsquare Media of the Hudson Valley, where he began to host a weekend radio show on 92.7/96.9 WRRV, Keepin’ Company w/ Conor. Later, Conor Walsh went on to host and produce In Touch, Townsquare Media of the Hudson Valley’s Award–Winning Public Affairs and Issues Program from August of 2022 to November of 2024. During that time, he released over 120 episodes of In Touch. While the host and producer of the program, In Touch won the Excellence in Broadcasting Awards for “Outstanding Public Affairs Series” in 2023 and 2024, and “Outstanding Editorial/Commentary” in 2024 from the New York State Broadcasting Association.
He then created the Arts and Entertainment-Based Spinoff of In Touch called Townsquare Spotlight, which ran from April to November of 2024, releasing over 30 episodes. Notable guests included New York Yankee Legend and Renowned Jazz
Musician Bernie Williams, Grammy-Nominated Platinum-Selling Artist Five For Fighting, Hollywood Icon Clint Howard, The Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo, acclaimed comedic actress and founder of The John Ritter Foundation Amy Yasbeck, Golden
Globe Nominated Actress Mel Harris, super model and filmmaker Katie Cleary, and TV Legend Tony Danza. To listen to previous episodes of In Touch and Townsquare Spotlights, and read articles, please visit https://linktr.ee/intouch_hv
Ushering into 2025, Conor Walsh is going out on his own once again, founding CMJW Entertainment, reviving Walsh Wednesday, and turning the program into a household name. That being said, let’s say curious, keep an open mind, and as always, we’re glad we get to Spend Some Time.
What are some relevant topics or discussions of different kinds heard via Walsh Wednesdays?
Walsh Wednesday is no stranger to change. When Walsh Wednesday TECHNICALLY started in 2013, it was a performative series I did live in my high school cafeterias. I would play music for people on a random Wednesday almost once a month to help break up the day and to give something to smile about. Then in college, when I turned Walsh Wednesday into a web series in 2017, it became a talk show highlighting local events in the Hudson Valley and Capital Regions of New York, along with promoting arts & entertainment. This would eventually lead to spin-offs such as Walsh Wednesday: The Concert Series which took a lot of inspiration from VH1 Storytellers, MTV Unplugged, and 1 Mic 1 Take; Walsh Wednesday Spotlight which focused more on community activism and events; and Walsh Wednesday: The Reflective Series which honed into mindfulness during the pandemic. Also during the pandemic, I did weekly livestreams on Wednesday’s playing music and taking requests.
After a 3-year hiatus, I’m pretty much consolidating Walsh Wednesday into just one program. After working in radio the last 3 years, I learned a lot about marketing, promotions, social media, SEO content, and how to navigate the algorithms. Not just that, I have an incredible network of people supporting the show. As of now, the goal is to have at least two interviews per episode – one that’s more focused on public affairs while the other one is more focused on arts & entertainment. Expect to see a lot of local charities, business owners, medical professionals, musicians, filmmakers, actors, athletes and more!
Already, in the first three weeks of the Walsh Wednesday revival, we’ve featured some incredible guests. On the more public affairs side of things, we spoke with:
- World History Encyclopedia writer Harrison Mark. World History Encyclopedia is the largest and most-read history site on the internet, often referring to itself as the “world’s most-read history encyclopedia”.
- President & CEO of Dutchess Tourism Melaine Rottkamp about local events happening this winter and programs that are helping Dutchess County be more accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities.
- IAABO Board 114 Interpreter and Officials Versus Cancer Board Member Terry Walsh about the Officials Versus Cancer Charity Tournament and about the current referee shortage.
- Clinical Social Worker from Hudson Valley Therapy Megan Hawkins about post-holiday/seasonal depression, how to create new habits and break old habits, and breaking down misconceptions of mental health brought up through social media.
And on the arts & entertainment side:
- 2024 APHL Champion Hockey Player Trevor Souza talks about what led to their championship win in their inaugural year as a team.
- From WICKED: The Musical, Conductor/Pianist/Composer Paul Loesel talks about his 21-year run with the Broadway musical, how it has changed over the years, and about the impact of the Wicked Movie.
- From “The Music of the Hudson Valley Book Series,” author Mercedes Barreto, photographer Joe Mack, and musician John Newhall. Each person talks about their involvement in the book series and the importance of promoting local art.
- New York Yankee Legend, World-Renowned Jazz guitarist, and Founder of Tune In To Lung Health Bernie Williams talks about the current free agent season in the MLB, recounts his free agency that forever impacted the face of baseball, his time as a jazz musician after retiring from the Yankees, and how losing his father to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis inspired him to create Tune In To Lung Health to spread awareness and raise money for research for interstitial Lung Diseases.
What makes Walsh Wednesday’s podcast relevant to today’s listening perspective?
It’s the storytelling aspect. There’s something to learn from every guest. I grew up watching VH1 Storytellers, MTV Unplugged, E! Hollywood Story, and programs like that. Heck, I enjoy really well-made documentaries and watch all the behind the scenes content on DVD’s! I love learning about how things happen and how things come to be because there’s usually so many examples of enginuity, imagination, and perseverance.
I really don’t discriminate when it comes to the topic because there’s something to be found in every experience. Walsh Wednesday is about supporting the community, whether that be my town, my state, my country, or our planet. Sure, many of the topics and organizations these days pertain to New York, but a lot of the messages are universal. And I’m starting to see listenership go up in various parts of the country and worldwide. Walsh Wednesday is here to highlight the human experience, whether that is through charity, science, arts, culture, and more.
When you interview people, what are some immediate responses you’ve heard regarding your incredible professionalism and overall working quality?
First of all, that’s very kind of you to say, thank you. To answer your question, I do my best ahead of time to research and understand the topic someone is coming in to talk about so I have relevant questions to ask. Obviously, I don’t need to be an expert to be able to talk with them or ask questions, but it’s good to have a surface level idea of what I’m going into so I can provide the best experience for my guests and my listeners. One thing people have said, and it’s something that I pride myself on, is that doing an interview with me – talking with me – is like talking with an old friend. Guests have said I’ve been able to put them at ease, ask thought-provoking questions, and that they feel that I truly listen to what they are saying. If you want to make a connection, you have to listen. You can’t just read questions off a sheet. Many times, I’ll come up with questions on the spot based on something they just said, and that leads us down avenues I couldn’t have anticipated. There’s a spontaneity and authenticity to our conversations. Honestly, that’s it right there! They are conversations.
And I’ve been very lucky in that regard throughout my career. It’s very difficult to just meet someone randomly and ask “What are you passionate about?” If you were to do that with a total stranger out of the blue, they will look at you weird and put up their walls. But when you can interview people like I have, those walls get removed at the door. The emotional and mental barriers are left behind and we are able to engage in meaningful, deep conversations about growth and understanding right away. I feel like the interviews benefit from that, and honestly, I’ve made some incredible connections and friendships this way. It’s a great way to streamline a relationship!
IF you could work with any top industry executives, who are the top two? Why and how so?
The first two people who come to mind may seem very different at first, but I feel like they have overall similar missions at the core. I would love to work with MatPat and with Jay Shetty.
Matthew Patrick, aka MatPat, runs Theorist Media, which produces phenomenal content, primarily on YouTube with channels such as Film Theory, Game Theory, Food Theory, and Style Theory. For well over a decade, he was hosting all the shows himself, but now he has stepped back to work on other projects in the company and has passed the torch to new hosts. MatPat has a knack for creating fun, engaging, wholesome content that attracts people young and old. I love the channels, and much of his work has inspired me as a content creator. Though we don’t produce the same exact content, his whole mission is to think about the world around us under a different lens. Sometimes it feels like a cliche when people say that they bond with a media personality, but I think it’s safe to say a lot of people feel like MatPat is a friend. There was a lot of love on the internet when he announced his retirement from hosting last year, and that’s something so profound and positive that you don’t see everyday.
Jay Shetty is a podcaster, author, life coach and former monk. He has his own podcast called On Purpose, where he has groundbreaking conversations with mental and physical health experts, spiritual leaders, business owners, celebrities, and more. He has a very holistic approach to how he conducts his interviews and his business. I remember when he was building his brand, he used to film and direct short movies that told an important life lesson. I saw his videos all the time on Facebook while I was in college. I’ve also bought a couple of his books, and they are terrific reads about love and interpersonal relationships. The way this guy built his empire of love and learning, and how he continues to give back and grow is amazing, and I would love to work with him someday.
If you could pick just one person to interview but anyone in the world, who are you interested in interviewing?
I am going to cheat a little bit and say someone who is deceased. I would love to have been able to interview Mr. Fred Rogers. This man was an inspiration to kids and adults alike for generations, and he managed to have a fun program that was accessible to everyone, while also educating people on important life lessons. For someone so calm, peaceful, and down-to-earth, he could be quite controversial for promoting social justice the way he did on his show. He was an atypical counter-cultural figure who promoted kindness, tolerance, and love.
The reasons why I love Mr. Rogers are the same as why I love the character Superman. In a dark, cynical and what feels like an unforgiving world, there’s still plenty of room for something bright and happy. It is NOT old-fashioned to be kind, compassionate, and to want to do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do. People say Superman is unrealistic. People say that Mr. Rogers was one of a kind and there will never be anyone else like him. I disagree with both sentiments. The idea of Superman and the life of Mr. Rogers are beacons of hope. They give us all an ideal to strive towards, and one day, we will join them in the sun.
Where can we find your podcast, and overall, why should we do so? What makes Walsh Wednesdays iconic for its time?
At the end of the day, Walsh Wednesday is a talk show. I am a podcaster and entertainment journalist. There are thousands of amazing shows and podcasts out there. Yet, in a day where you see so many on-the-street interviews of guys constantly asking girls their body count, it’s important to have impactful conversations about topics that affect us day to day. I hope to inspire people to be better, to be kinder, and to think about the world around them with greater appreciation. As I say in each episode, “Stay curious, keep an open mind, and as always, I’m glad we get to spend some time.” That whole mantra encourages people to never stop learning, and to be present in the world around them. We have this life – make the most of it, whatever means to you.
Podcasting and entertainment journalism is an artform. Just like every kind of artform, every piece of art speaks to each person differently. Hence why people have favorite songs, favorite movies, favorite TV shows, favorite paintings, etc. Something about each of those things resonates with people on an inner level. And much of those forms of media express all the same thing: love or the there lack of it. How it’s presented is how we latch on to it and relate to it. With my music, my goal is to become the soundtrack to people’s lives like my favorite artists have been for me. With Walsh Wednesday, I hope to get between the cracks, go behind the scenes, and show people how much is possible so that they can learn to be the greatest versions of themselves.
For anyone who wants to check Walsh Wednesday out, they can visit the Linktree below. It’ll take you to the Castos website where everything originates for Walsh Wednesday. Not to mention, you can also go to the main CMJW Entertainment website to learn more. You can watch full episodes on YouTube to get the full experience, otherwise, you can listen to the audio only almost anywhere you listen to podcasts (Spotify, Apple, iHeart Radio, Amazon, etc). And if any of your readers would be so kind, there is a Walsh Wednesday Patreon. By subscribing to the Patreon, you’re not only supporting Walsh Wednesday, but you’re also supporting all the businesses, charities, and individuals who are making a difference in their community.
Anything to add here?
Thank you so much for this opportunity, and to your readers out there, pick up a copy of “The Music of the Hudson Valley: Volumes 1 & 2” along with “Landscapes!” Until next time, stay curious, keep an open mind, and as always, I’m glad we get to spend some time.
