📺 In this special bonus episode of Life After News, Jason reflects on the powerful new documentary Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything (🎬 stream it on Hulu), Barbara’s 2008 memoir Audition, and her complex, groundbreaking legacy in the news business.

🔍 Topics covered in this episode:

· 🛫 Barbara’s rise from “Today Girl” to Today co-host—over Frank McGee’s dead body (literally)

· 💰 Becoming the first million-dollar anchor at ABC—and the sexist backlash

· 🎤 How she redefined interviews, disarmed world leaders, and helped shape global headlines

· 📚 Jason’s reflections on Audition and why he still recommends it to young journalists (especially women)

· 🎭 The intense behind-the-scenes rivalry with Diane Sawyer

· 🎥 The record-breaking Monica Lewinsky interview—and how she outmaneuvered Oprah for the exclusive

· 🧠 How Barbara’s childhood trauma and complicated family life fueled her drive and perfectionism

· ❤️ Personal takeaways: what Barbara sacrificed, what she modeled, and the importance of balance

💬 Favorite quote:

“Mostly I just worked and didn’t whine.” – Barbara Walters

🧠 Jason's takeaway: “She wasn’t just the role model—she created the role and the model.”

🎁 Want Jason’s copy of Audition? Follow him on Instagram and DM your interest! First come, first mailed.
📸 https://www.instagram.com/mrjasonball
📸 @lifeafternewspod

🎧 Referenced Media:

· 📺 Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything on Hulu

· 📖 Audition: A Memoir by Barbara Walters → Find on Amazon

· 📹 2008 20/20 Special with Charles Gibson → Watch on YouTube (insert correct link if different)

🗨️ Have you seen the doc or read Audition? Let Jason know your thoughts—DM or tag him!

⭐️ If you enjoy Life After News, leave a 5-star review and share it with someone who grew up watching Barbara (or interviewing like her). Until next time…

Let Life After News inspire your next chapter. Because leaving the news doesn’t mean the story’s over—it means a new one’s just beginning.

🎙️ God, Gossip, and Getting Real: Dorothy Lucey on Life After Morning TV

🎧 Episode Summary

In this wide-ranging conversation, Jason Ball sits down with Good Day LA alum Dorothy Lucey to talk about fame, faith, fire—and finding purpose after live TV. Best known for her role in the iconic morning trio with Steve Edwards and Jillian Barberie, Dorothy gets candid about the real dynamics behind the scenes, how it all came crashing down, and the unexpected gifts of life after news.

From being told her voice made someone’s “eyes bleed” to saying goodbye to the show, Dorothy shares it all with her signature humor and honesty. She opens up about volunteering with Mending Kids, her journey of teaching journalism, navigating faith in Hollywood, and surviving the devastating Palisades fire that nearly destroyed her Malibu home.

Jason and Dorothy reminisce about their late friend Sam Rubin, swap newsroom war stories, and imagine a new kind of media—one rooted in meaning, spirituality, and real connection.

🔑 Key Topics

• Behind the scenes of Good Day LA: chaos, chemistry, and candid moments
• Getting fired and finding identity after a long TV career
• The “gift wrapped in sh!t”: parenting after leaving morning news
• Global medical missions with Mending Kids
• Teaching the next generation of journalists at Chapman and Pepperdine
• Balancing gossip and grace: Dorothy’s faith blog and spiritual life
• Surviving the Palisades fire and the trauma of natural disaster
• Remembering Sam Rubin: legacy, friendship, and laughter
• Reimagining purpose: from gossip reporting to soul work

🧭 Notable Quotes

“We were the housewives of morning TV—minus the booze.” – Dorothy Lucey
“I always say it was a gift wrapped in sh!t.” – Dorothy on being home with her son post-firing
“We can all be more than one thing.” – On faith, gossip, and being a whole person
“My faith has made me a slightly better person—I hope.”

🔗 Links & Mentions

• Mending Kids – global nonprofit Dorothy volunteers with
• Chapman University – where Dorothy teaches journalism
• Follow Dorothy’s faith reflections: @DorothyLucey on Instagram

🙏 Gratitude

Thank you to Dorothy for sharing so openly—and reminding us that life after news isn’t just about what comes next, but who we become along the way.

🎙️ Next Up

Sometimes, life after news can be a drag. Former TV news producer J.D. Cargill now performs as drag queen, Anita Doll. J.D. owns and operates Drag and Fly Tours in Palm Springs. It’s one of the best lives after news so far.

🔗 Stay Connected to Life After News

· 🎧 Subscribe: Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more

· 📺 Watch: YouTube.com/@LifeAfterNews

· 📱 Follow: @MrJasonBall & @LifeAfterNewsPod

· 💼 LinkedIn: Jason Ball

· 🏨 Stay: Old Ranch Inn

· 🗞️ Read: Desert Dispatch – the newsletter on storytelling & reinvention

· 📅 New Episodes: Every Tuesday

· 💌 Love the show? Share it with a friend!

Let Life After News inspire your next chapter. Because leaving the news doesn’t mean the story’s over—it means a new one’s just beginning.

Guest: Carlos Amezcua
Host: Jason Ball
Run Time: ~43 min
Watch on YouTube: Life After News YouTube Channel
Website: lifeafternews.com

🧭 Episode Summary

Carlos Amezcua was there at the beginning of the KTLA 5 Morning News — a show that changed not just local TV, but the entire morning news landscape. In this candid, never-before-shared conversation, he opens up to Jason Ball about why he really left KTLA after 17 years, the heartbreak behind that departure, and why he wishes he’d stayed.

Carlos also shares the fascinating journey of building BEOND TV, a digital platform he co-founded with his daughter Amy. From a spelling bee mishap that inspired the name to a vision of uplifting, inclusive content, BEOND is Carlos’s answer to the future of media — content created for and by the people, not just big media gatekeepers.

🔥 Highlights

• KTLA Morning News Origin Story
  “It was lightning in a bottle.” Carlos recounts the early chemistry of the original team and how the 1992 Ventura floods cemented their role in LA TV.
• Why He Really Left KTLA
  After three years without a contract and no clear future, Carlos made a gut-wrenching decision to protect his family — a decision he still questions.
• The Hal Fishman Question
  Did Carlos want to take over the 10pm news? He explains why his strengths were in the morning, and why serious news didn’t quite fit his DNA.
• Building BEOND TV from Scratch
  Carlos and Amy created BEOND to uplift, educate, and entertain — focusing on creators, not gatekeepers. With 10M+ viewers and growing, it’s a platform with heart and hustle.
• The Real Story Behind the BEOND Name
  Spoiler: It involves a fourth-grade spelling bee loss. And yes, it’s hilarious.
• What Content Gets Greenlit?
  Thoughtful storytelling, high production value, and impact. “Big media says no. We’re designed to say yes.”
• Legacy Media’s Future
  Carlos predicts local TV’s survival — but only one dominant station per market. “The economics have changed. So must the model.”
• Remembering Sam Rubin
  Carlos reflects on Sam’s audition, his genius, and the energy he brought to the morning news family.

🎧 Listen If You’re:

• A media professional rethinking your next chapter
• A content creator looking for your own “seat at the table”
• Curious about how the KTLA Morning News became a cultural force
• Wondering how to turn media heartbreak into entrepreneurial fire

📌 Links & Mentions

• BEOND TV
• Follow Jason on Instagram: @MrJasonBall
• Follow the show: @LifeAfterNewsPod
• Subscribe on YouTube: Life After News Channel

🌟 Up Next

Dorothy Lucey joins Jason for another wide-open conversation. From outrageous news director comments to parenting revelations, you won’t want to miss this one.

🔗 Stay Connected to Life After News

· 🎧 Subscribe: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your shows

· 📺 Watch: YouTube.com/@LifeAfterNews

· 📱 Follow: @MrJasonBall & @LifeAfterNewsPod

· 💼 LinkedIn:

Let Life After News inspire your next chapter. Because leaving the news doesn’t mean the story’s over—it means a new one’s just beginning.