Ira's Everything Bagel

About Ira's Everything Bagel

Discover Ira’s Everything Bagel, a blend of US arts and culture. Schmeared with podcasts rich in ideas worth spreading, as well as captivating stories.

Publisher

Ira David Sternberg

Category

arts · education · leisure

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 May 2021

Latest episode

15 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

249 episodes in the feed.

1. 15 Oct 2026

   FROM THE LUFTHANSA HEIST TO HOLLYWOOD: EDWARD MCDONALD’S REAL-LIFE MOB STORIES

   Noshing With Ed McDonald – October 15, 2026 Author, Chasing Goodfellas: Lufthansa, Henry Hill, Point Shaving, and Making Movies What happens when a federal prosecutor takes on the mob—and winds up playing himself in an Oscar-winning movie? Former federal strike force chief and “Goodfellas” actor Edward McDonald joins Ira to discuss his extraordinary career and his book, Chasing Goodfellas: Lufthansa, Henry Hill, Point Shaving, and Making Movies. From the infamous Lufthansa robbery and encounters with Henry Hill and Jimmy “The Gent” Burke to the Boston College point-shaving scandal and his experience working with Martin Scorsese, Edward shares remarkable stories that prove truth can be stranger than fiction. Watch Full Podcast Video (#full-video) ABOUT EDWARD: Edward McDonald headed the Justice Department’s largest and most successful Organized Crime Strike Force in Brooklyn throughout the 1980s. He was responsible for the convictions of the leaders of four of the five Mafia families in New York, over sixty La Cosa Nostra capos and soldiers, more than seventy corrupt labor union officials, and countless others associated with the LCN. He also successfully tried New Jersey Senator Harrison Williams and successfully prosecuted five US congressmen. A member of the Screen Actors Guild, Ed played himself in Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award-winning film Goodfellas and appeared in three other films. He has been a fixture on television, with appearances on news shows including Good Morning America and Today, and countless organized crime documentaries, including GOTTI: Godfather &#38; Son on History/A&#38;E/Bio and The 5 Families on Netflix. In private law practice in New York since 1990, he has been praised by the Legal 500, which said, “the ‘excellent Edward McDonald’ lives up to his reputation as ‘one of the best criminal defense attorneys in New York.’” A graduate of Boston College and Georgetown Law School, he lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Mary, a short walk from his three sons and five grandchildren. Watch the full Podcast Video <iframe class="video" src=" https://www.youtube.com/embed/bK7sSAG2sKk?si=Di-B2HUGHAPyoQlS" title="YouTube video player" title="YouTube video player Chasing Goodfellas Book        Website         (https://www.chasinggoodfellasbook.com/)

2. 8 Oct 2026

   FROM ‘CATCH ME IF YOU CAN’ TO ACCOUNTABILITY: DAVID WATSON’S JOURNEY TO REDEMPTION

   Noshing With David Watson – October 8, 2026 Author, Forward Only: A Memoir What happens when a troubled life of rebellion, crime, and consequences finally leads to accountability? On this episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” I talk with David Watson, author of Forward Only: A Memoir, about an extraordinary and deeply personal journey from childhood upheaval and grief to crime, prison, self-reflection, and ultimately, redemption. Watch Full Podcast Video (#full-video) David was raised by his grandparents after his mother gave him to them to raise. He was a good kid and a good student—until the death of his grandfather when David was just 12 years old sent his life in a very different direction. What followed was decades of what David describes as a “catch me if you can” mentality. He was arrested more than 30 times, repeatedly managed to escape serious consequences, and eventually found himself facing federal charges for credit card fraud. In 2018, David was arrested by the Secret Service and sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Then, during his first year behind bars, he learned that his mother had died. That moment—and how he initially responded to it—became part of a much larger reckoning. David began examining the choices, behaviors, and patterns that had shaped his life. He started writing down what he had done wrong and researching what it would take to become an “upstanding citizen.” We talk about the moment when the light bulb finally came on, why he decided to write Forward Only: A Memoir, what he learned from a business management class in prison—including the true value of a dollar—and why he says, “You can’t buy time.” David also discusses the importance of his family today and why he founded the Redemption Foundation this year to help others find a different path. He wrote Forward Only in just six months, but he says he never wanted the book to glorify his crimes. Instead, he wanted readers to connect with the person behind the mistakes—and to understand that change is possible. This is a raw and remarkably personal conversation about grief, rebellion, crime, prison, accountability, second chances, family, and redemption. &#60;b&#62;(Also Watch Full Podcast Video)&#60;/b&#62; ABOUT DAVID: David Watson is a Texas author, entrepreneur, and founder of the Redemption Foundation. Raised by his grandparents in North Texas, his life changed forever at twelve when he lost his grandfather—the man who raised him. What followed was a turbulent journey across the United States and beyond, through arrests, foreign jail cells, devastating loss, and ultimately more than seven years in federal prison. Rather than hide from his past, David chose to confront it. His memoir, is an unfiltered account of consequences, accountability, family, loss, second chances, and redemption. Today, David uses the lessons of his past through writing and community work to encourage others—especially young people—to understand that their worst decisions do not have to define their future. David Watson Website (https://iamdavidwatson.com) Watch the full Podcast Video <iframe class="video" src=" https://www.youtube.com/embed/S9H52oLzdto?si=hPNa3DH7ZIhSRInR" title="YouTube video player" title="YouTube video player

3. 1 Oct 2026

   LEE WOODMAN ON POETRY, PERFORMANCE, SOUND AND THE LANDSCAPES OF THE HEART

   Noshing With Lee Woodman – October 1, 2026 Author, Heartscapes Award-winning poet Lee Woodman joins Ira for a wide-ranging conversation about the power of poetry — and why poetry is far more than words on a page. The author of Heartscapes (published by Shanti Arts Publishing and the seventh book in her acclaimed “Scapes” series), Lee talks about the growing connection between poetry, rap and hip-hop, and why she believes today’s performers can be remarkably sophisticated with language and lyrics. Watch Full Podcast Video (#full-video) Lee explains why performing poetry can create a different experience than simply reading it, the phenomenon of the crowd, and her lifelong fascination with sound and what she calls “tongue language.” She also gets into the technical side of poetry — rhythm, language, sound and structure — and even discusses the influence of performers such as LL Cool J. Her own story is equally fascinating. Lee grew up in France and India before moving to the United States at 14. She discusses why she considers herself a “global citizen,” her work at the Smithsonian and Library of Congress, and the transition from nearly 50 years in Washington to becoming a full-time poet. Lee also explains how her “Scapes” series began, reads a moving poem about her mother, and explores the themes at the heart of Heartscapes: love, family, nature, loss, renewal and the unexpected moments that give life meaning. It’s a conversation about where poetry is going, where it comes from — and why it continues to make us think. Lee Woodman, author of the “Scapes” poetry series, is winner of the 2026 Indie Reader Gold Discovery Award, the 2025 Independent Press Gold Award for Poetry, the 2025 Nautilus Gold Award for Poetry, and the 2020 William Meredith Prize. Her six published collections include Heartscapes, Colorscapes, Soulscapes, Artscapes, Lifescapes, Mindscapes, and Homescapes. All these books that treat inner and outer landscapes—literal, emotional, cultural, spiritual. Her essays and poems have been published in Poet Lore, Tiferet Journal, Zócalo Public Square, Grey Sparrow Press, The Ekphrastic Review, vox poetica, The New Guard Review, The Concord Monitor, The Hill Rag, Naugatuck River Review, Tulip Tree Publishing, and The Broadkill Review. Lee has been profiled on the following radio shows and podcasts: KJAG-FM, WSIU-FM, KMA, KORE-AM, Goodnews Broadcasting, Ron Van Dam, KLTF, WAMV-AM, WMST-AM, Steve Maggi, Cyrus Webb, Cover to Cover Book Beat, with RodgerNichols, Grace Cavalieri’s “Poet and the Poem” at the Library of Congress, “The Packaged Tourist Show” at The National Archives with Andrew Dibiase, “The Authors Show” with Don McCauley, and “Gab Talks” with Gabby Olczak. She believes poetry is a reflection of all creative expression: dance, music, drama, visual arts, and language. Lee Woodman Website (https://poetleewoodman.com) Lee Woodman Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/lee.woodman2) Watch the full Podcast Video <iframe class="video" src=" https://www.youtube.com/embed/fDPwq8sh2zE?si=lWxe9Kv6mNjgIHMQ" title="YouTube video player" title="YouTube video player

Who has been a guest on Ira's Everything Bagel

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Deb Miller
• Evan Sayet
• Sam Kelly
• Jane Loeb Rubin
• Peter Samuelson

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

15,643

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 69 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

98

Social presence

0

YouTube

72

Engagement

27

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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