NewsEntertainment News

Beyond the Fame with Jason Fraley

Hosted by Jason Fraley

Host Jason Fraley picks the brains of the most influential filmmakers, musicians and artists of our time in the new podcast “Beyond the Fame with Jason Fraley!” Based in the nation's capital, Jason has interviewed just about every famous figure you can imagine: Aretha Franklin, Carol Burnett, Jon Stewart, Barry Jenkins, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the list is endless! Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. (Royalty-Free Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")

Play

Open in

24 episodes
a few times a week
Avg 34 min
English

Episodes 24

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Friday · 16 min
'Dear Evan Hansen'
Jason Fraley marks the 10th anniversary of “Dear Evan Hansen” opening on Broadway before winning six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Actor for Ben Plat and Best Original Score for Benj Pasek & Justin Paul. He spoke with lead actress Laura Dreyfuss for the pre-Broadway world premiere at Arena Stage in Washington D.C. in 2016. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
Wednesday · 1 hr 5 min
Twisted Sister
Jason Fraley interviews Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French as the band rocks the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia this Saturday. He breaks down the band’s biggest hits from “I Wanna Rock" to "We’re Not Gonna Take It," as well as the best live concert experiences of his youth, including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and The Grateful Dead. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
Monday · 15 min
Alex Trebek
Jason Fraley marks the 10th anniversary of “Jeopardy!” airing its Teen Tournament at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. in 2016. We briefly spoke with the show's iconic host Alex Trebek, who sadly died just four years later. You'll also hear from Executive Producer Harry Friedman, who was honored that day for setting the Guinness World Record for most game shows produced. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
November 5 · 45 min
Ron White (Part 2)
Jason Fraley catches up with comedian Ron White, who cracks up The Lyric in Baltimore, Maryland tomorrow night! They chronicle his career in comedy, most famously the "Blue Collar Comedy Tour" with Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy. He also discusses running a tequila company while sober, having recently conquered alcohol, and does it all while puffing a cigar. (Theme Music: Scot Buckley's "Clarion")
November 3 · 24 min
Paula Poundstone (Part 6)
Jason Fraley catches up with comedian Paula Poundstone, who returns to The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia this Friday and Saturday to perform political comedy near the nation’s capital just days after the midterm elections. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
November 2 · 16 min
Eva Cassidy
Jason Fraley marks the 30th anniversary of Eva Cassidy's untimely death at age 33 on this date in 1996. Jason spoke with Blix Street Records Owner Bill Straw in 2021 about the re-release of Cassidy's album “Live at Blues Alley,” recorded at the legendary jazz supper club in Georgetown just months before her passing. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 31 · 1 hr 15 min
David Seltzer
Jason Fraley hosts a special Halloween convo with "The Omen" screenwriter David Seltzer to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his 1976 horror classic. He describes working with director Richard Donner, composer Jerry Goldsmith and a killer cast of Gregory Peck, Lee Remick and Harvey Stephens. They also chronicle his screenwriting career, including secretly writing the script for "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 28 · 14 min
Radford Sechrist
Jason Fraley celebrates International Animation Day with Radford Sechrist, who served as a story artist on “Kung Fu Panda 2,” “Madagascar 3” and “How to Train Your Dragon 2” before working on “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” the reigning Oscar champ for Best Animated Feature. They spoke when he gave a lecture at George Washington University in Washington D.C. back in 2020, fresh off his original Netflix series “Kipo & The Age of Wonderbeasts.” (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 26 · 14 min
Dweezil Zappa
Jason Fraley interviews Frank Zappa's son Dweezil Zappa, who brings his “Like Father Like Son” tour to The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia on Nov. 1. They spoke when Dweezil previously played The Birchmere in 2016 to raise money for his charity Guitars Not Guns. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 23 · 15 min
Freddie Highmore
Jason Fraley celebrates Hitchcocktober by revisiting his 2016 chat with Freddie Highmore, who played young Norman Bates across Vera Farmiga in the A&E series “Bates Motel." They discuss the thrill of creating a hit prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's iconic 1960 horror masterpiece "Psycho." (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 21 · 12 min
Kelli O'Hara (Part 2)
Jason Fraley interviews Broadway icon Kelli O'Hara as her Tony-winning Broadway show “Fallen Angels” hits the big screen tomorrow in movie theaters nationwide. She called in to rave about co-star Rose Byrne and explain why Noël Coward’s play still rocks in 2026. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 19 · 1 hr 34 min
Ann Hornaday
Jason Fraley mourns the loss of longtime Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday, dead at age 66. Ann joined Jason in studio to discuss the release of her 2017 book "Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies," so we're replaying that extended conversation in tribute to one of the greatest film critics ever in the nation's capital. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 19 · 32 min
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Jason Fraley interviews Rodrigo Sanchez of the Grammy-winning guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, which rocks The Anthem in Washington D.C. tomorrow night. They preview the show and chronicle the duo’s journey from Mexico to Ireland to Japan where they recorded their latest album "Our Home" in honor of their late cat. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 17 · 24 min
Rita Moreno (Part 2)
Jason Fraley celebrates the 65th anniversary of the iconic movie musical “West Side Story" by flashing back to his convo with the legendary Rita Moreno from her “Profiles in Creativity” event at the Kennedy Center in 2017. They chronicle her journey from Puerto Rico to New York to eventually star in Hollywood classics like “Singin’ in the Rain,” “The King & I” and “West Side Story,” becoming a rare EGOT. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 15 · 55 min
'Willy Wonka'
Jason Fraley chats with the original cast of the 1971 film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" as Peter Ostrum (Charlie Bucket), Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt), Paris Themmen (Mike Teavee) and Rusty Goffe (Oompa Loompa) reunite for The Chocolate Expo at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Maryland on Oct. 24-25. They preview the event and reflect on working with Gene Wilder to create an iconic family musical. Stay tuned until the end as we join together to sing “Pure Imagination.” (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 14 · 14 min
The Moody Blues (Part 2)
Jason Fraley celebrates the 80th birthday of The Moody Blues frontman Justin Hayward, who was born on this date in 1946. The progressive rock genius called in to promote his show at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia in 2018, just months after band’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. You'll hear Jason tag team this interview with WTOP colleague Dave Preston. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 12 · 1 hr 11 min
Chuck Todd
Jason Fraley welcomes Chuck Todd to predict the midterm elections where a potential “blue wave” might be fueled by a “red undertow.” They also riff on the state of journalism, the history of the news business, and Todd's own career highlights, culminating with hosting NBC’s “Meet the Press" and now embracing the future with “The Chuck Toddcast." (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 9 · 24 min
Julia Udine
Jason Fraley celebrates the 40th anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera,” which premieres on the West End on this date in 1986 before setting the record as the longest-running show in Broadway history. Jason spoke with lead actress Julia Udine backstage at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. in 2016 between her two stints as Christine Daaé on Broadway, first from 2014-2016, then from 2021-2023. Listen until the end for a bonus laugh with Gerard Butler, who played The Phantom of the Opera in the 2004 film version. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
October 6 · 20 min
Lewis Black (Part 4)
Jason Fraley interviews comedian Lewis Black, who cracks up the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland this Saturday, Oct. 10. They spoke when Black previously performed at the Warner Theatre in Washington D.C. in 2018. (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")
September 29 · 27 min
Margaret Cho
Jason Fraley interviews comedian Margaret Cho, who cracks up the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia this Saturday. She reflects on her career and current events, explaining how she would run her own country under a system she calls “The Choligarchy.” (Theme Music: Scott Buckley's "Clarion")

Showing 1–20 of 24 episodes