Inside ArtScroll Episode 17: At the Top of Jewish Radio for 40 Years…How Does Nachum Segal Do It?

[Music] Hello everyone and welcome back to Inside Art Scroll. Today we are joined by a special guest, the voice of Jewish radio, Nakam Seagull. How are you? A pleasure. Nice to be here. Nice to be here. I hope that introduction is okay. That introduction was fine. Yeah. I'm trying to channel my inner Nakam Seagull. You know, I always wonder about people who are introduced with he there's no need for an introduction or you know, everybody here knows him. Like is that is that is that a compliment? Is is he being cheated out of a good introduction? I'm not so sure. But yours was definitely fine. But I must have missed the memo about the no tie. Uh yeah, I don't know. just uh I I found out I was discovered that the Arts Girl atmosphere is a relatively casual one. At least at least the Arts Girl studios, so I figured I'd go with that and show up Tylus. Well, we're happy to have you here. Thank you. And I'd like to start with Arts Scroll and your connection to Arts Scroll. You've been speaking about and promoting Arts Scroll for many years. You're an avid Arts Scroll fan. Talk about that and specifically how Arts Girl has impacted you. Um, it's funny you say this because a couple of nights ago I was actually thinking about this and um, aside from the fact that Rabbi Sherman and I are both Newark, New Jersey boys, so there's that connection and Rab Sherman of course has been instrumental in the growth of art school over all these decades. I remember as a kid um, not that it's such a dramatic story, but I think it's a poignant one. Uh when I was a kid, my older brother was the rabbi of a local nursing home and he would take me uh every erra of Pesah to the nursing home to run the seder with him and he of course was the rabbi and I was the kid who was supposed to sing all the songs and that's what I did. Well, my uh my older brother who who um is no longer with us unfortunately was a was really a quintessential older brother when it came to certain things. And he always made shade always made sure and he always made sure to take care of us in a variety of ways. And every time I would go with him to this nursing home each year, he would purchase for me as a gift a new hagada. And there was the first time it happened, there was a specific Hagada everybody was talking about and I wanted it and of course he got it. And then I remember the second year I did it with him. There was the brand new Hagada from Art Scroll and that was the one that again everybody was talking about and was making an impact out there already. Was that Rabbi Elias? I believe so. Yes. And um he purchased it for me as a gift for coming along you know to do the the the Arab Pes with him. And I just remember that. I remember that as a kid that that there was a significant art scroll publication that for me was important that for me you know I actually you know considered what would I want and that that was that was the gift. So an early memory of Arts Scroll as a little kid. Over the years, obviously you've watched Art Scroll grow and seen the tremendous expansion of Torah. And on your show, you've interviewed many people. You've promoted many projects. Any particular art school project that to you was so groundbreaking and so transformative and you were kind of the conduit to bring the news of that project to the public? Yeah, I think the one that I remember the most that fits into what you're asking is the Arts Girl sitter. Um, it was revolutionary not only that there was a new sitter. We had been used to so many other ones that had dominated the the shelves in the synagogues for so many years. When the arts girl sitter came out, there were a lot of innovations, a lot of interesting commentary and uh in general it was a discussion that I felt the entire Jewish community could have. There was sparum that only a certain segment of the community could appreciate and people who were learned enough to explore certain things and there were other things biographies and others that were appealing to you know a specific crowd or someone with a specific type of background. The sitter comes out and all of a sudden there's an art scroll presentation art scroll product that is completely absorbed by Jews across the board of every religious stripe of every background. And I remember the discussion on the air. I believe it was with Rabbi Sherman. Uh when the sitter came out, there was such a uh there was such enthusiasm and so much curiosity about what was and wasn't included in the sitter and what is in fact different about it and who they turned to for, you know, comments on each part of the sitter. And it was a very um how do I put it? It was it was one of those um it was one of those items uh one of those um uh topics in the Jewish community that was really really hot at the time. Uh, and I think that um that my show and in general the ability and the um and the fact that I was able to to bring someone on to discuss it, you know, really opened up the the discussion even further and gave people an opportunity to get answers to questions that were curiosities for them and to um and and I think in general discussions like that help propel it to become the natural next sitter. consider in most synagogues. Um, and that I think is a is a good example of that. Yeah, no question. You've been an integral part of bringing the arts school message to the masses basically and uh arts school definitely considers you a dear friend. Well, I appreciate that and the people at Arts School have been great friends and there and there have been different points in my career where art school really has been a uh a driving force behind some of the things we do. There were uh there was a time when on a regular basis uh we would bring in authors to discuss their work and how the you know how the book got to be the final product that it is um and and and that it became and the the um the interesting thing to me about the experience of interviewing art scroll people and its authors about their products books. The interesting thing to me is always the more I don't want to use the word obscure because I don't know if that's fair, but books that that if not for Arts Girl, they never would have been published. Uh whether it's books of photographs of certain things or biographies that we would not be familiar with the subject of biography without them. Uh when those come out and we have the ability to sit and discuss, you know, the the procedure and the process that went into making those, that to me is very fascinating and interesting. uh there are a lot of publishers that over the years have explored and have gone ahead with their own Talmud with their own kumish not to say art world scroll doesn't have its uniqueness in those areas we know it does but I think that when it comes to some of the novels some of the biographies some of the special projects those are the ones that are really fascinating to analyze well you have an appreciation for history which I think allows you to really delve into these type of topics and appreciate the broad treatment that they've been given bioarchical. But speaking of history, take us back and our viewers to your history. You referenced Newark growing up there like Rabbi Sherman did. You would have soned a rabbi, Rabbi Zev Seagull. Talk about your younger years and how you were impacted by being brought up in that millu. Uh well, I think there's two points to this. The first is that um even as a little kid they they claim and some people actually um say that they have recordings of this uh that I always wanted to have a microphone in front of me. There was always whatever excuse I had to make announcements or even give my own news or sports report, you know, I went ahead and did it. Even as a little kid, there was always that radio track. And I've always and I've always given credit to my mother, frankly. Um I mean, I've discussed this openly. uh when I went to college she said to me you know there's a radio station there at Diva University I think it's something you would enjoy that was the quote I think it's something you would enjoy so the insightful intuition of a mother uh certainly helped propel me maybe I would have discovered the radio station on my own I don't know but certainly helped propel me to something that I ended up loving uh so there was always that radio aspect and as a kid was in love with radio frankly loved listening to it uh analyzing it loved sports sports broadcast are on radio, you know, the old traditional transistor radio under the pillow. That was me. The other aspect is um I grew up in a house where both my parents were very very community-minded and when it came to my mother, she was the rebbitson of the community and took that role very seriously. I remember when she was she was officially the chaplain of the sisterhood. You know, she was the Rebbitson. And I remember the the diligence that she uh that she undertook and the time that she took to prepare the invocation for the next sisterhood meeting. She took every little aspect and of course the larger aspects of the job of that responsibility uh as the represent of the community very seriously. Uh my father was an internationally known figure who had a tremendous impact uh on both the American rabbinet and the American Jewish community. We talk about the Kiru movement today. This was something that he was involved with in the first part of the 20th century. We talk about Jewish camping and how important it is in the education of our children. It's something he was involved with in his in his 20s in this country. And uh and then of course he made a tremendous impact in Israel. He was one of the few people who were religious leaders who was fluent in both Hebrew and English and knew many of the players from pre-state Palestine and uh and was counted on and turned to by many including Shereebas and nonorthodox leaders who needed him to intervene on their behalf or to bring a cause to the four uh and to be involved to to most people are familiar with his relationship with Lababba which was uh quite extensive. The satire was somebody that he actually went on missions for and delivered messages for to members of the Israeli government. So, I think the whole community-minded aspect of being in a family like that when I go into radio, there are a lot of things I could have pursued. Obviously, the Shabas situation doesn't allow for a lot of it if I did want to pursue news, sports or something like that. But I always felt that, you know, with the background that I had, the natural thing was to do something that would be appreciated by people in the Jewish community. Now, growing up in Newark, you referenced your older brother, Oliv. Many people know your brother, Rabbi Nas Seagull. Were you Was it just three? No, I'm the fifth of six children. Oh, okay. The third of four boys. Mhm. And um and we I mean some of us I mean you talk about our vice seagull and and others in the family have worked also on behalf of what we people would consider the clal on behalf of the the Jewish public and the Jewish community in many different capacities. And um even when I was in YU, even when I was in YU doing a simple college radio show and there was a story about how I gravitated toward, you know, doing a Jewish show, but I ended up doing a Jewish music show in Yeshiva University. And even there, I felt that the, you know, to make things as fun as possible and as inspiring as possible with the music and guests, even for the few people relatively who were listening, it was a small college campus radio station. I felt that was important and and really when I went to WFMU, my first stop in the JM and the AM scene. When I went there, I sort of took that entire model of good fun college Jewish radio with all the serious aspects of Jewish news and, you know, things that are important, Torah, Israel, etc., and I brought it to the broader public. And, you know, some of that still goes on today after 37 years. You know, there's still a there's still a free flowing uh radio presentation that a lot of people do consider fun, but there's a lot of inspiration, a lot of Torah, a lot of Zionism, a lot of news that's important to the Jewish community, a lot of calls to action. We have an audience that's very very active. So, if we ask them or suggest to them that senators and congressmen have to be, you know, spoken to or written to on certain issues, they they hop on and do so. And frankly, we have an active audience. We make a recommendation that the latest biography from Art Scroll is something that will really enhance their Shabas table or really enhance their family's experience in general. It's something that they're going to take very seriously and usually listen to. I mean, I'm hearing from you that it's not just about the entertainment part of it. There's a holy endeavor there. Yeah. It's about bringing a message and and motivating people, guiding people. You have a very diverse audience from people who are from who are from from birth, others who maybe were introduced to Judaism later on or through the show frankly or through the show. Any specific stories? People are shocked about that that and I used to say this um years ago I would say it very often that for some people and I know this from listeners for some people the Friday morning JM and the AM right name of the show JM and the AM Jewish moments in the morning. The Friday morning JM was their shabas. And they would say this to me that they had no connection but but the music we were playing and the discussions we were having about the shabas the we have para shu every sing on every week giving para shu so this was their shabas this was their they got their shabas sermon they got their shabas they're listening to all the music it may not qualify for actual observance of shabas but imagine that that you're giving somebody a shabas with a Friday morning radio show. So yeah, the the and I'll tell you a couple other things that I think you'll find interesting. There are a couple of small nuanced uh acts uh nuanced um segments that we introduced over the years to the show that have become in my opinion um very important subconsciously to the Jewish listener who's tuned in. For instance, every morning at 7 a.m. we play the Gal News from Israel. Now, the majority of people in my audience are not, especially the ones outside of Israel, are not familiar with Hebrew and certainly not enough to listen to a newscast. Uh, it is four or five minutes of radio, pretty valuable radio time. So, why is Nah Stigle doing this? And I'm doing it for one reason. Because when they hear that newscast, they're going to remember when they were in a cab or on a bus in Israel. It's going to take them to remember. It's going to give them the ability to remember and reminisce in their own minds about what's going on in Israel. And and it's possible that they'll actually even tune in and, you know, to the news in a little bit of a deeper fashion and understand what the situation right now is in Israel. Somebody now during COVID who's hearing a news report, they may pick up on what the latest is with the co COVID cabinet and with the restrictions that are going on there. Um, so that's all done just to transport people as radio has the ability to do to transport listeners to Israel for that moment. It's the reason why every weather forecast that I give and it's one of the most important things to wake up and tell people what to expect outside. Every single time I announce the weather before I tell before I wrap up the weather forecast by telling people what the current temperature is in New York, I will tell them what the temperature is in Yusel. because what's more important to us than what's going on in your shell and even the weather. So, I think those attitudes, those subliminal and sometimes direct um uh additions to a show like mine uh are really key and important in getting the listener to focus on what I think is an important thing to focus on. Now, music is a major major part of your program, the basic staple. In fact, when I was growing up and I would d my mother would drive us to school and we would always hear Rabbi Goldwer's dizz at 7:30, right? And I heard of JM and I grew up thinking it was Jewish music in the morning. Well, it was a time. Was music always a major major component? Going back to your college days when you were introduced to Jewish radio, was it always a major part of your program and the other things came later supplementing what the music provided? Yeah. I mean, I would say that uh from the beginning, Jewish music has been the basic staple of the show. It's what holds the show together. I don't think people realize, I don't think radio people realize that, especially as the week goes on, how important music is in the Jewish world and in the Jewish mind. Frankly, there are people who can make it through their day if they don't hear Jewish music on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. As Thursday and Friday and Shabas begins to get into everyone's head, it is very common that people who don't dominate their entertainment or their casual listening with Jewish music, all of a sudden they're going to turn on a kumzitz. They're going to turn on some Arab Shab selections. They're going to have, you know, some schlavoc music going. That's the way it is. I know for my own kids that the Jewish music was much more prevalent in the latter part of the week than the beginning part of the week. So, so music is a really important part. It's not just there programmatically to keep the show flowing and together. It's there because Jewish music has a tremendous positive effect on people. And we know the type of negative effect media can have. Radio, TV, internet, media can have on anybody. So imagine if there's something positive out there, really good positive messages in both Hebrew and English that are being transmitted musically, how important that is for everyone's development. So music's always been important, but from the very beginning, even in my old college days, I always felt that there's there's too much happening in the Jewish world to ignore. There's too many people that need to be introduced to the Jewish public. So that that part of our programming till today is really vital, really important. So, Jewish organizations and government officials who want to address the Jewish community and Jewish music stars that people like to hear from and other role models and heroes in the Jewish world, whether they be in Israel, the United States, or anywhere around the world, uh, are always going to be a very important part of the programming. What year was it that you made that transition from college radio kind of just feeling your way through your introduction to radio and then take the plunge to go to WFMU which was listener sponsored correct radio which is also very unique kind of an innovation talk about that transition what period of time was that well that was 1983 two years after I started college radio um they they desperately and it wasn't known as J&M at that point but uh They up at Yeshiva University, some of the administrators got a phone call. Is there anybody there that could possibly take over this Jewish show? We're going to lose it. Nobody wants to do it. It's going to die out. Is there anybody who could do it? The person on the other end of the phone up at Yish University and I were very, very close. Really, my mentor and uh said, "I'll have someone for you in 20 minutes." And they were like, "What?" And sure enough that day which was ervashana 1983 by the end of the day I was hired so to speak showed up at the radio station the next morning er of Russashana that Wednesday morning and it was actually on the air for the last half of the show that morning. Yeah. And I've been on every every morning ever since. We stayed at WFMU until the end of 2016 then used JM to establish our own independent network. And um it's funny you ask about the transition from college radio because some people would argue I'm still doing a college radio show and in some ways frankly the way things went this morning they may be right but so a lot of that element is still there but obviously in terms of the professionalism and incorporating a lot more serious discussions that's changed over the years but you your voice and your personality have become synonymous with Jewish culture over the last 40 years I would say. I hope so. And you've also watched the growth and expansion of the Jewish music industry which I'll touch on just for a moment. Morban David Afreed, you were there 1983. Those are the early 80s. That's when they really were coming out on the scene. Late 70s, early 80s. Talk about watching the explosion of the Jewish music industry, which you were kind of on the sidelines reporting it as it was growing. Now obviously the world has exploded, the from community has exploded. Talk about watching that from the sidelines and being the reporter so to speak. It's interesting because first of all it's a numbers game out there as you know. I mean in the world of publishing it's also a numbers game. And um there was a certain limit I guess we could say of people who had an interest in Jewish music 50s 60s7s etc. um as the Jewish community grew and as the world became smaller because I mean I'm obviously I'm referring more to the internet era but even before that it did condense somewhat in terms of activity between Israel and the United States and other parts of the world as the world became smaller all of a sudden there was a a greater international interest right so concerts that were few and far between in this country all of a sudden started getting not only uh not only were there more concerts here uh and live presentations But all of a sudden, other countries were bringing in performers from different places to do their own local events. That that I think was the is a good way to describe the concert scene. In terms of the interest in Jewish music, um number one, I think we were helped tremendously by general media. I think that uh parents and children alike, maybe older children, realized that that as much as general media had some things that you know to offer that may be okay or maybe parv uh the majority of what they were offering was not for a good Jewish family or not for one that had you know strong family values. Let's put it that way. So I think that both generations parents and children uh made an attempt to incorporate more of the Jewish music into their lives. A lot more became available, right? right? There were more artists and more performers. A lot more became available. Uh, and I think there was one other element which I'll I'll take great pride in. You you mentioned in your question about having a a sideline view of all this, which of course I did as I'm watching everything grow and more and more performers come onto the scene. But, uh, there was a there was a wonderful woman uh, Mrs. Newman who was the principal of Buria High School and she once said to me she said we were talking about the show and she took tremendous pride in the growth of the show especially visav Jewish education and Israel she felt the show had tremendous uh influence in those two areas. You mentioned listening to it in a carpool. You know, it became a show that was, you know, that everybody could listen to in a carpool. You know, especially as news stations started reporting stuff that you didn't want your kids necessarily to be waking up to on a daily basis. And she said, "What what you did, she says in reference to me, what you did is one thing. You made it cool for high school students to listen to Jewish music." Now, if that's the case that because either I was young or had the personality that you're alluding to or just was caught in a wave of tremendous, you know, Jewish music that was coming out at the time that was really starting to influence Jewish families, whatever it is, I take great pride in that, that the show had a lot to do with showing people that Jewish music is not just for grandfathers and grandmothers anymore. And it's not just, you know, 70 and 80 year olds who are enjoying, you know, the alter the alter music, you know, from from the uh from the old days, but it's people who are who are fascinated by the contemporary selections and who want to hear and want to be inspired by what's being offered now. And I think that was a big piece of what JM and the AM and all of our efforts uh ended up accomplishing. Most people know that you're a Jewish music afficionado or something of that sort. I don't know if I'd say that. But many people don't know, which I didn't know till recently, that you're a longtime Kazan. You've you've been a Kazan for the Yam for 37 years. 3 37 years. This year was quite a challenge. I heard I heard about it. Very large facility with co and you relocated. Um but that's interesting because not only are you interested in music, but you're you're a performer, so to speak. Um, and I'm sure you've incorporated a lot of the music you've heard into Davening Fed. Just take a moment to talk about that role in your life which is totally separate from being a broadcaster and a radio personality and an announcer at musical events and things like that. It's a whole different role. Yeah, it is a different role and a much more serious role frankly. Uh, and thank God I'm in a shul where they really appreciate a tibbor who can elevate them. Like they they want to be elevated. They want the experience of the high holidays to be one that's enriching. Uh that's why frankly so many people came to shul thank god this year when a lot of people you know in many communities you know felt that it was safer to stay away but people you know fought through that and and they came to shul. Um but I think that that whole aspect of um being a and somebody who can thank God enhance the on the is really the byproduct of being a shul family. I always say that half the time I go to shul is because I watched my father with 105 fever and 10 feet of snow go to shul no matter what. As I always say that half the time I go is only because I saw and grew up with the dedication that one must have to shul and even if we are not as strong in other aspects of Jewish life and I mean I would like to hope that we are but one thing I can say about our family now the one that I lead with my wife is that we're very very serious about shul in fact I have a a rule that my kids call the football rule which is if you would sit at a football game in this weather you are going to sh and unfortunately for my boys they will sit in 10 inches of snow at a football game so the football rule always works against them right I mean that's a joke of course but I'm proud to be a father of sons and daughters who are always in shul and understand the importance of it and hopefully they're going to give that to their children so I think this whole aspect of being a really starts with just being enveloped by the synagogue I love the synagogue and growing up I loved leading services whether it was from ankalanu or then eventually as a bar mitzvah kabal shabas and mus and I love doing it. So yes I am a kazen as you put it or at a very important time of the year but it is so enjoyable for me and such an incredible feeling that I you know the only thing I don't like about the roy is that is at 12 midnight. That's the other than that other that I love that one night of the year where I'd rather go to sleep than head out to Staten Island for sleep is the one night I complain other than that Rashan Kipper honestly are my favorite days of the year. Now, it's interesting. Over the years, your morning radio show was very early, 6:00 to 9 every day, still is. And that surely affected your daily schedule, number one. And number two, getting up that early, I don't know about you, but my voice doesn't start till around 10:11. I remember working on a musical project about 20 years ago, and I was in a studio. one of the other fellows there who was singing. He told me he went to a voice teacher who trained some very very well-known secular singers and those singers would not open their mouth till midday. You couldn't get any and when he shared with this uh voice teacher that in synagogues in sh orthodox Jewish men are getting up and doing doing shad at 8:30 on the top of the lungs the guy couldn't believe it. like goes against every grain of what he trains his his uh students to do. So talk about both of those things, waking up very early in the morning as it affects your family schedule and also getting your voice going so early in the morning when most people are not interested in talking. Yeah. Uh on the first part, by the way, there are now guests of mine who've made a very good move to alleviate this problem. Eton Katz was on the air this week. He just moved to Lion and he says to me now and I'm on your show, it could be 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I don't have to go and try to sing at 7 o'clock in the morning in your studio. So, there are people with creative answers to this and creative solutions. Um, but the early morning think it's funny because I would say it goes based on eras. The the early era when I was still, you know, finishing my teenage years and and in my 20s, it was very common for me to oversleep and panic to set in uh and try to get to the show, you know, in a reasonable amount of time. And both my mother of blessed memory uh you know could could have told you those stories and now my wife you know she should live and be well could certainly tell you plenty of those stories of the panic that sets in when it's you know 6:20 in the morning and I'm supposed to have been in the radio station already 20 minutes early or even earlier than that. Uh so the early morning uh hours are a uh are a challenge and it's sometimes funny to refer to 10 am as lunchtime and and and often when people complain like when my kids complain about getting up at 6:30 in the morning I remind them that my alarm now goes off at 3:59 which is you know so that I always win I could always win that contest of the you know who's who's upset about getting up earlier in the morning. I always win that one. Um, but it's a, you know, th those who don't know it, those who are, uh, you know, night people or those who really have difficulties in the morning don't realize how incredible those early morning hours are. How my voice sounds the way it does at 6:00 a.m. I don't know. I really don't know. And there are mornings that, you know, it is a challenge. Do you have a routine? A coffee, a tea. I mean, I'll drink I'll drink something. You drink something? I'll drink something. And um you know but but even on fast days you know it seems like you know thank god thank god I'm able to present and and you know you know where my voice often um really uh has a really t where things really take a toll on my voice when when I'm in an arena if I'm in a concert hall often I'll find and some by the way I feel myself doing it now frankly to an extent if I'm overusing my voice projecting too much shouting more than I should and not really taking advantage of the microphone like I forget sometimes that I'm wearing a microphone. Um then then I start to feel that the voice is going a little bit, you know. Have you have you taken voice training at all over the years? It's funny in YU I actually took um a voice training with an with a legendary expert and honestly I was never there are a couple of things I did and there are a couple things I've been able to implement especially being a kazin I was able to implement but the majority of the breathing exercises and the and that whole routine which I wish I would have been taught as a teenager because you know you just get things used to doing things certain way right and and I I never really cpped all of that but there are a couple couple of aspects uh from those lessons and from that uh and from those courses that have stuck with me over the years. I I also there there are there are a couple of subtle things that people don't realize are very very helpful um that really speak to somebody who's a radio announcer. For instance, I was taught again almost by accident, but there's nothing, you know, we don't consider anything an accident. I had a speech teacher uh in YU because there was no radio department at YU, but I had a speech teacher in YU who actually gave a specialty elective in radio. And honestly, not that now that I look back, she wasn't an expert in radio, but there were a couple of things that she taught us that were so valuable to us. One of them is how to read while you're still saying words from a previous sentence. So when I whenever and I mean this this I practiced and did incorporate for the last you know almost four decades when I'm saying something on the air the likelihood is that as I'm saying it I am reading something else and boy does it help a presentation and boy does it help a presentation go smoothly you know to flow better. You're already preparing for the next thing that you're I mean it's all happening in a split second but literally as you're hearing me say what I'm saying I am looking at and previewing the next sentence. very valuable by the way on stage especially when you write not to give away all the secrets but when you're writing last minute notes backstage because you were just told that this guy's coming out and so if if you have that practice down pat so you can go to those scribbly notes while you're still speaking on stage and making that announcement and process it in time for it to seem like it's really you know flowing well. Let's put it that way. One of my favorite segments on your show that you've done over the years is the top song of all time. Very much in the bed. AB's Val is the perennial winner, right? What? Talk about that experience and talk about your own personal musical favorite songs that when you hear just open up the, you know, tug at the heartstrings, open up your feelings. Talk about that. The music you connect to. Uh, okay. Okay. So, we'll stick with Vegas only because I don't want to get into trouble with any contemporary artists. So, but and you can't go wrong with ABN. You can't go wrong. And if you want an instant kumzit, put on Vegas, too. And you have an instant kumitz in your house. Like, you know, um it's like my kids now with eight time Cats live in your life. You want to be in a concert, put on the thing, and you know, start getting dressed for Shabas, right? Um so, I mean, I don't know if I would actually discuss favorites. So I mean there are a lot of songs that are like you say you know touch the heart and are and are meaningful. What was the first part of your question? There was I wanted to answer. I was I was asking regarding the the not a contest but the idea of people voting right for their favorite song. Right. So one thing I'll tell you is that when you're the one running the contest there's no chainery going on but there are strong suggestions going on. You know, for instance, we did one of our usual contests and I essentially said for about five weeks that you shall Zahav cannot be embarrassed by not winning this contest and my listeners were kind enough to actually make sure it pushed through. Exactly. I think in subsequent years AB Shalai made it, but the first time we did it, I said no. I mean, come on. You know, any of us who grew up in a Jewish home, no matter what our background, we have no choice but to vote for that one. Um, but look, the thing about the contest and the thing about these, you know, music countdowns or is that it's all again about taking something that's, you know, helping to inspire people and helping to and making it fun. That's exactly it. And, you know, people get focused on it and and it it drives up the ratings and people want to hear the countdown and uh, you know, it's why radio stations have Thanksgiving weekend countdowns or Memorial Day weekend countdowns. know, it's all we want to see where our favorite songs end up. It's funny you're mentioning this because we're actually just now talking about something we may introduce next week to do a quick type of countdown with with with another network that's counting down uh songs. So, this is always on the table. It's always something that we're considering. Uh but in radio, stunts are very important and all these stunts I believe just increase the awareness of what we do and increase the awareness of the things we promote. And frankly, as opposed to a lot of other media sources, we're promoting stuff that's really good for the Jewish people. Which leads me to the next question. We know that you play a lot of the new music, but every once in a while, you'll throw in a vintage song, an old Miami, an old regular song, and sometimes you think to yourself like, where did that come from? So, how do you determine what you're playing at any given time? Is there a sader to it, or is it just arbitrary? Well, it's funny because someone once said, "Whatever mood I'm in, that's the mood the Jewish community wakes up in." So, assuming that's true sometimes. Well, we always wake up to the regggishi by Brazil. That's an untouchable which right and which the overwhelming majority of people are happy we start with that song. It may not be their favorite modani, but obviously the words, you know, make up for it and for some people it's really a tremendous way to wake up. Um, I I would say that the um I lost my train of thought. What was the I would Oh, yes. I would say that the the So, so whatever mood I'm in, if I am in literally in the mood to hear an oldie or to, you know, take something off the back shelf that hasn't been on for a while, I'm going to do it. And it's I I can't describe why the mood overcomes me like that. Maybe there's an upcoming YTIF or words from McGill that we're about to read or something that that triggers it. But sometimes I just I like taking advantage of the fact that I can do whatever I want and in a free form manner everything fits in. Everything's part of the format. So that's how that works in sometimes. Now one of the my favorite parts of the show also, I'm sure many others is when you do an interview. You're a master interviewer and I want to talk about that. It's a little ironic we're doing an interview. I'm a little intimidated. We're interviewing about interviewing. I'm a little intimidated. But what in your mind makes a good interview? What makes the interview interviewer good? You said you studied radio, television, how people do interviews. What makes a good interviewer and what makes a good interviewee? Well, I think there are different good interviewers and good interviewees. I think that uh if you get that if you're sitting with someone who's, you know, who connects well, who has good chemistry with a guest, then you know it's a big home run. you're not always going to have a home run no matter how good the interviewer and or interviewe are. Um I think when it comes to interview were from my perspective it's about curiosity. You need to have a level of curiosity that's usually somewhat off the charts. And I say it like that because there's a level of curiosity that human beings in general have. But to get to that next step, to delve even further, to ask someone a further question, I think is is really important. When a listener says to me, I was thinking of that question and you asked it, that tells me that I was in tune with those who had the same curiosity that I had. Uh listening is very important. Really important. Um, I mean, the only way to do a really good interview is to listen to every single word the guest is saying, which is challenging sometimes when you're distracted by anything going on in the studio on the computer or the equipment or anything else. Um, sometimes the clock itself as you're looking at the clock and knowing this has to end soon, you know, it can be distracting. Uh, also I think sometimes less is more. Uh, people who think that a 35minut interview is better than a 25-minute interview usually have 10 minutes worth of why on earth did I do that? Are you hinting something here or no? This is fine. But interesting Miriam Wallik, you're a manager and you're Makanister, correct? Everyone has Makister first. When we spoke before your interview, she told me, you know, Nakam loves to do interviews knowing nothing. The less you know about the person, the more I guess natural the questions come and the more the curiosity come. I mean, I think knowing her and and uh I she probably put it a drop differently. The way I would say the way I would say it is it doesn't bother me to know a lot about the person. That doesn't bother me. In fact, I've gotten to a point where in the old days I did not read guests books and now I read guests books because I'm in a different space when it comes to how I interview and now it's better for me to have that information. But what I will say, and I think what she meant is that I want zero communication, either in person or even on video with a guest before that interview starts. It's got to be a blank page. I know why you're here. I know you're here to promote this or to discuss this or to announce this or to analyze this. I know why you're here, but I don't want to know anything further about what you think of all this. I've read that you went to college here and you've been here and you have a family. You know, I there's a way these days to research easily, but when it comes to you walking into my studio, you are a blank sheet of paper. She did tell me that today. There you go. When we sit down, if Nahim ignores you, Correct. before the mics go on, don't take her personally. Correct. I And by the way, that's a practical piece of advice also because she knows that if I that if if I don't have those instructions or if you don't have those instructions, I will start to smoo and the best part of the interview will be done before the interview's on the air. So, it's it's just a good practical piece of advice. Definitely a practical thing. But I have to add one thing if I may. I don't know what our time constraint. Yeah, we're good. We're good. I you asked about the what makes a good interviewer and I will never forget the great interviewer who some of you out there in in in arts land may have heard of, others may not. You could Google it. Larry King used to say the following. They they asked him a question. What is the difference between you and Ted Cppel? Now, just to give perspective for those who are not from that generation, Larry King was a sit down one-hour ask anything I want. I believe never really read the guest books if I'm not mistaken type of interviewer. Ted CPP was a investigative journalist, wants the hard facts and I'm going to ask you the uncomfortable questions until you answer them type of person. So, they said to Larry King, "What's the difference between you and Ted CPP? You're both interviewing people on a nightly basis and at that time they were dominating television. and he said, "Let's say there's a fire, right? Building a building is burning down. There's a fire." So Ted Cppel would run over to the fire chief who's standing outside the building supervising this rescue effort and would say, "How'd the fire start? Is it under control?" I would walk over to the fireman, Larry King says, and say, "What made you want to become a fireman?" And I think that the combination of those two, sometimes I'm more Larry King, sometimes I'm more Ted CPP, but the Larry King method is much more endearing and usually is, you know, for our purposes, meaning that with the format of my show the way it is is usually the type of approach that's better for my audience. But you also want your guests to feel comfortable enough that they don't feel like you're going to ambush them with a question that's going to make them feel uncomfortable or caught off guard. Correct. There's there's a balance there between investigative right well there's a lot of methods that one can use to do that a lot of methods manipulation I would never ask this question but somebody suggested that maybe you you know like there's ways to do that but we try not to be too underhanded is there any particular interview that you remember from over the years that stands out to you look I've I've answered that question before and um there are a variety of answers that I've given in terms of top interviews and responses that I've gotten. Um, but but I think today, especially, you know, for those who are watching this, I think they realize we're in the middle still, although hopefully toward the end of this whole CO 19 challenge. I think one of the biggest challenges of this era for American jury has been our physical separation from the land and state of Israel. to me. I haven't been there since January. I get it. I'm a big shot. I get to go a couple of times a year and I'm not I'm not uh taking that for granted. I know there are plenty of people who haven't been there in 20 years and I and I feel for them as well. But it's it's hard. It's difficult knowing that we cannot just do what we normally do and that is basically pick up whenever we want, go to Israel for the length of time we want and come back. And I think that that physical separation has been very difficult. With that in mind, the interviews and the experience that we have every summer until this one of doing a radio show from the Nephesh Benesh plane where we literally set up a studio in business class of the charter flight and we bring people from all over the plane who have interesting stories. A farmer from remember Nev is tracking people from 30 35 states every trip. You know, it's not just New Yorkers with the with our typical background. And you know, you hear about these people who are now going to be serving as lone soldiers in the Israeli army. People who are dropping everything and have decided, I've got to get with my family to Israel now. Or I've made the decision that if I don't move now, my kids are going to get too old. I won't be able to easily make this or as easily make this move later on. Um or or anybody out there, rabbis who have made aliyah, Jewish music personalities, my own staff members. We were on the plane when my own staff member made aliyah from Baltimore to b She which was amazing. So we've done this every summer and to me the only way to answer that question now in the era that we're in is those shows because number one it's exciting to do a show from a plane. But number two, the reaction that we get that we are accompanying people on the ultimate mission of ours, which is to move for the entire Jewish people to move to Israel, knowing that the future of the Jewish people is in the state of Israel. Now in 2020, that has to be my answer. How about doing a show, think back to over the past 40 years, probably the most life-changing event was 911, right? How about doing the show on the 12th? Because the the 9/11 attacks happened after your show ended that day. Well, yeah. Right. Cutting and after. Right. And um actually the during part was we didn't know what was going on. We didn't know what was going on. And I was working at a radio station where the window looked at the World Trade Center and and and one and the uh the bookkeeper from the radio station calls me and said she says to me, "Are you looking out the window? Do you know what's going on?" And sure enough afterwards I go to our parking lot and I'm standing with a thousand other people watching you know the second plane hit and everything. But but the point is 9/11 was a really delicate situation for a million reasons, but for me was not as serious or historic as one might think because it it's one of the only times, one of the few times that I can recall in my career where it was obvious based on reaction and anecdotes that most people were not listening to me that morning. M the entire world and certainly anybody in the New York New Jersey area were all tuned into the news stations were all concerned with what was going on and what were the instructions were how New York and New Jersey are going to work now for the next 48 hours 72 hours two weeks 3 weeks what's closed remember they closed all the bridges and tunnels there was a lot of practical information that you know that needed to be shared and people were tuned into rightfully so the news but did you feel compelled to kind of the next day and the week after as people were still recovering and I'm thinking back also to the Persian Gulf War and different trying times. Did you feel that you have to tailor your programming and the music specifically to the times? No question about it. In fact, in fact, you have to remember that and and by the way, just in reference to 911 for a second, it was the first show I ever did that started with Tahillan. It was the first show that that you know together we are this is how we're going to start the broadcast. Uh but it's funny because if one remembers that era and I'm sure you remember there were so many terror attacks in Israel, so many bus bombings, so many shootings, driveby shootings, stabbings, etc. So many episodes that we we were always we as a radio show and we as a community were always looking to the news from Israel in that era. 911 happens obviously you know traumatic. You mentioned the Persian Gulf War. Of course, all our shows are tailored to that to whatever the, you know, is affecting. Even now when election season, many of our shows are tailored to what everyone's talking about in the United States. But what I remember about 911, is that at 9:00 on the 12th, which was a Wednesday, so I remember specifically who was on the air, um, the person on the air after me, remember it was a Jewish show till 9:00 a.m. and then it was a regular free form secular show. The person on the air after walks into the studio and says to me, "Tell me what to do. You've done a million of these memorial shows, you know, meeting because a million of these disaster shows where, you know, you have to reflect the mood and and the collective Jewish pain of the Jewish heart, the collective Jewish heart that's feeling all what advice can you give me? I'm about to do my first, you know, America was just attacked. I'm going to do my first tragedy show." And I I said to myself, "Wow, the irony." You know, there were people that looked at what happened at the World Trade Center and part of a small part, but part of what we were thinking was, okay, the people in the United States are now going to understand what people in Israel are going through on a regular basis. But this guy was opening my eyes up to the fact some of our so much of our programming has to do with tragedies that are going on in the Jewish world. And that's something I learned from the 911. We don't need an introduction to that. Not at all. Unfortunately, many people know you besides for your voice on radio. you become of an announcer of sorts at different events. What was the first event where you were utilized in that capacity? And were you prepared for that? Because you you were always behind the mic without people seeing you and suddenly you're announcing at musical events and things of that sort. Talk about that part of your career. It's funny because and this I will credit Mish Rosenbomb. I'm sure you guys here know him very well from Akoba Safer Judeica and Woodburn. He was producing a diaspora yeshiva band final appearance concert tour on December 4th and December 11th, 1983. First at Queens College and then at Brooklyn College with your begun Miami Boys Choir and a bunch of other acts. This was the farewell tour. Uh some might say first of many, but the truth is that since then we've had reunions of that. This was the real farewell. And I'm sitting with a friend of mine. We'll give him credit as well as a Rabbi Azriel Cif in a pizza shop on the Lower East Side of Manhattan where I was visiting. I was not a resident then of the Lower East Side like I am today. And we were sitting there and and Mais Rosenbound was in this pizza shop and and Azriel says to him, "Hey, this guy, you know, Nakam Seagull here just started a radio show, which I just started at WFMU a month or two before and you know, why don't you use him as an MC for your concert?" What actually prompted me to sign off and let me be the MC of that concert? I have no idea. But I found myself in Queens College and Brooklyn College at the age of 20 announcing what was to me the most significant event in the history of Jewish music because I am the biggest and certainly the tallest I asked for a fan out there. And I'll never forget that night in Brooklyn College. They had done an amazing set to wrap it up. Uvoa Odim from Kalbath that went on for like 15 minutes. And a kid who today I today today I guess is you know a full-fledged adult comes over to me backstage with a program from that night's event and he has all six members of Diaspora's autographs on that play bill and he says to me would you autograph this for me and I said to him you don't want me ruining that you know 20-year-old you know new on the seat and I I'll never forget that that was I don't know what I would say today frankly but uh you've been you've done many shows since then I have signed an autograph for two as well. Was there has there been any memorable or not such memorable gaff or mistake or error that you think back and kind of uh wish that you could have done it again? I am seen an event where the electricity went out. Big challenge. I am seen an event where someone had a heart attack in the audience and you know essentially that event came to an end because of that. But you know that was a very sensitive situation. I was at a HS concert where um generally frankly we don't like we I'll say collective we it is a lot me but I think there are many others involved I would agree we don't like that stage turning into a happy birthday to this one stage and messages for this one stage unless absolutely necessary or appropriate. So, anytime we're asked to make an announcement backstage by somebody and we're asked to go out there and mention this, whatever it might be, there's always a lot of vetting and hesitation. But a police captain was backstage, plain closed police captain at the HS concert one year and says, "You must announce that this gentleman is missing. And if anyone," it was somebody with special needs. And if anybody sees this person on the way out of the concert, you know, or anywhere in the vicinity. Now, not to be too cynical, but I'm like, is this announcement really going to make a difference? We're in the middle of Lincoln Center. He could be anywhere now in Manhattan at this point having run away. I make the announcement, which, you know, obviously was the right thing to do. And um minutes later, I'm informed that a couple gets to their car and sees a stranger sitting in their car after the concert. And having heard the announcement about this individual, instead of calling the police right away, it said called Hatsala and because they wanted to deal it's a community situation, maybe they could deal with it without the police getting involved, etc. called Hatsala and of course Hatsala called the police or whoever had to be you know and they handled it and of course it was that person and till this day this member of the NYPD says you know I facilitated saving this person whatever I did or didn't do the answer is that yes so a lot of interesting things happen behind the scenes but you're still not a big fan of the happy birthday shout no I I mean there are times I'll make an exception and understand why an exception has to be made but I do feel that certain stages have to remain as dignified as possible and that the audience appreciates it when you keep it that way. Now, when you get up to announce Lincoln Center or these big venues, do you get nervous anymore or are you you kind? Yeah, first of all, I get nervous every morning. Now, it's not, you know, butterflies in the stomach nervous, but every time the mic goes on, I am. Some may say excited, some may say pumped. Use whatever word you want. I call it nervous. I always tell my kids if I wasn't nervous, I'd be nervous. Um, backstage, I mean, you the the aforementioned Miriam Wallik can certainly attest to this. Uh, my wife Stacy would spend an entire day just telling you about this experience of what it's like for me before a stage performance. Um, yes, I I get very I was nervous on the way here, frankly, and express that that this was a but but usually after the first sentence or two is when things settle down. My first announcement, you know, things settle down. But I I always tell people, and I say this about public speaking in general, I've said this to school kids who are pursuing, you know, to to hone their skills in public speaking. If I wasn't nervous, I'd be nervous. If you're if you're not at all concerned, if you're not at all, you know, hyped up because of what you're about to experience, I would be nervous. That's a problem. I think so. I think so. I'm not sure I'm 100% right. So, different personalities and not everything works for me and works for everybody else. But I think that that's something to think about. Now, after almost 40 years, you clearly have not lost your passion. You're still enjoying it because you're saying you you got pumped up for your show. Most shows People would say, "You've done it for so long, it's kind of repetitive, but you're still finding a fresh appeal to what you do, right? There are challenging mornings where I would rather not be in the studio, but those are, thank God, few and far between that the old never worked a day in my life and I get that. I have, you know, I enjoy everything I do. I I don't know how I could possibly be doing anything else." and uh and the fact that I mean now that the audience is international and that you know just the global reach you know you you say something and there could be I don't know a few thousand people listening to it that moment and knowing that you know by the end of the day another few thousand or tens of thousands or hundreds of depending on what the topic is are going to hear it and be inspired by it or incorporate into their lives or pass it on to a friend. One of the greatest feelings is when people ask for links to certain shows or to certain interviews because they want to distribute it to their entire WhatsApp list or email list. That's amazing. But now that you're off radio and fully online, is there a practical difference in how you do your show or preparation or execution? That's a good question. Um, I would say that there definitely is. Um, not all of it consciously. Um, but the fact that it that I know that it's an international audience and that now equally people in New York and New Jersey are trying to understand my references just like, you know, equally the rest of the world is trying to understand it. That definitely is a consideration. There are things I'll I'll translate or or make sure people understand. I'll if I introduce an organization years ago, I would never have to tell my audience, you know, I could tell people what the name of the organization is and their subtitle and that would be enough. Now I might have to explain more, you know, the impact that they're having and what they're doing in a specific part of the Jewish world. So yeah, there's definitely adjustments that have to be made. Now, as we wrap it up, I want to ask you a final thing. You referenced living on the Lower East Side. You have the to live near the Pisad Feinstein. Same building. Same building. I didn't know that. Yeah. Talk about that. I see all the time when you guys come to visit. Don't worry. But talk about that experience of living on the lower east side. Many people don't know that there still is a Lower East Side. They know they know it from Rabbi Schmol's tapes. They didn't know it still exists. There are still people living there. Still a pickle store. Um, talk about that experience and the fact that you haven't moved from there. The the reality is that I'm a rookie on the Lower East Side. I'm only there 31 years. And honestly, if you ask anybody if I'm a Lower East Sider, they'll, you know, be allow me to maybe say that because I haven't been there for 60 70 years and my family was not living there before uh before I was. Uh, in fact, you know, my wife is a real Lower East Sider, you know, has lived there every day of her life. Um, but it's it's a very nice community. It's nice to be in Manhattan, uh, and still be in a section of the community that's more, you know, it's it's a drop more quieter. You got to be careful, live on the FDR Drive. No such thing as real quiet. Um, the other thing that's funny is that I mean you mentioned Revit Feinstein who of course is uh is incredible and has a has such a positive influence on so many families in the community. Uh, I will also give a shout out to Rebbitson Feinstein who has um who has also been very um kind with both her words and actions to everybody uh on the Lower East Side. and uh whenever you know she gives us or my wife an opportunity to get involved in a project or to or to you know just be part of a a committee it's something that uh you know is very meaningful. Um, but my funniest story about all this is that years ago they um they published a story in one of the downtown newspapers about Jewish Lower East Side. And it said that among the well-known residents of the Lower East Side, you know, of yesterday year and of today, among the well-known residents are the uh the Torah giant Rabbi Mosha Feinstein, the Yiddish actress Lillian Lux, and radio announcer Nah Seagull. to which I responded, this is the only time where you will see the names and a seagull in the same sentence. Well, we want to thank you. Thanks for coming down. Thank you for sharing your memories of your youth, your experiences in your industry in which you become iconic and we want to bench you with many more years of using your voice and your influence to inspire, uplift, and bring Jews closer to the heritage. I appreciate that very much. and everybody here at Art Scrolls should continue doing so many wonderful things on behalf of the global Jewish community. Thank you. Pleasure. [Music]