William Shatner, Jane Monheit, and Kelly Finnigan

We're in December now, and this week we have three conversations.
William Shatner's face is on the pop culture Mt. Rushmore, and
when I had a chance to interview him for The New Orleans
Advocate in advance at his appearance at Pop Expo in town, I
couldn't pass up the chance to ask him about 2018's Shatner
Claus. It's a short interview, but I have it so you get to hear
it. 


The interview begins with us talking about You Can Call Me Bill,
a documentary from 2023 about his life and career. The story I
wrote for the Advocate deals with the way that his career has
opened up opportunities for him late in life.


The episode also features a new song, "I am Falling Snow," from
Sara Noelle. In 2023, Sara was a guest on 12 Songs to talk about
her body of Christmas music. 


Jazz vocalist Jane Monheit has become well known for Christmas
music with two Christmas albums and a yearly holiday season tour
that will bring her to New Orleans on Sunday night. 


This conversation is an edited version of a longer conversation
that we'll run in its entirety next season 


Finally, singer Kelly Finnigan has a new Christmas single.
Earlier this season, I talked to Shawn Lee about recording "Say
It Again" with soul singer Kelly Finnigan. 


I first talked to Finnigan in 2020 when he released A Joyful
Sound, which I consider to be a modern Christmas music classic.
It sounds like a lost R&B record from the late 1960s or early
1970s with psychedelic and moody touches. We talk more about that
album five years later and his new Christmas single, "I Can't
Wait (for Christmas Time)."  


Finally, we revisit the new A Strange Daisy Christmas, a
collection of Christmas songs by members of the New Orleans indie
rock community. A week or so ago I featured Loucey's "Christmas
(bAbYpLeAze CoMeHoMe), and this week's show ends with The
Self-Help Tapes' version of Christmas Treat." The song started as
a late-in-the-show Saturday Night Live sketch that The
Strokes' Julian Casablancas remade as a rock 'n' roll Christmas
standard.