Month: August 2020

BAMM ROSE – Fighting for Sex-Workers’ Rights and More

August 23, 2020 Activist, Artist, Entertainment 00:32:28

BAMM ROSE, a retired stripper, is the founder and CEO of Stilettos, Inc, a non-profit that works for improved and safer working conditions for strippers and sex workers in the Philly area. She has also organizes the Philly Stripper Strike to bring awareness to the racism and colorism in gentlemen’s clubs and to the harassment that sex workers endure on a daily basis.

Rose also organizes “dog walks,” which are protests were women dog-walk consenting white people to signify an end to white supremacy and a future that is more inclusive of women and people of color. So far, the dog walks have taken place down South Street and in Rittenhouse Square.

Bamm joined us for this episode to  discuss her activist work, her experiences as a sex worker and what brought her to the place she is now, and how she is looking to improve the sex work industry and the world around her.

Shout out to our sponsors. Shibe Vintage Sports where you can score all your Philly team gear as well as shirts about Philly’s cultural history. Local owners. Local artists. Shibe Vintage Sports where every stitch tells a story.

And Jawnville.com for the rants, ramblings, and observations of a born-and-raised Philly bloke.

LINKS:
BAMM ROSE
Stilettos, Inc.

Dr. Stephen Klasko – The Most Honest Man in Healthcare

August 9, 2020 Authors, Business, Healers, Writers 01:18:51

Dr. Steven Klasko is the CEO of Jefferson Health, named the #2 Most Influential Person in Healthcare, and probably the most honest healthcare executive in the country. In this interview he spills the dirt on the issues of government, healthcare providers, insurance companies, and pharmaceuticals and how to make the country better and healthier for all citizens.

Dr. Klasko, born in South Philly, started his career out as Little Stevie Kent, a radio disc jockey on WYSP in Philadelphia. After being fired, a counselor told him to consider taking the MCATs. He went on to become an OB/GYN, delivering thousands of babies. He transitioned to the management side of healthcare after earning his MBA. On top of that, he’s an author having written numerous books on America’s healthcare industry.

He pulls no punches in discussing the impact of COVID-19 on Philadelphia or America’s healthcare crisis.

Dr. Klasko professes what we already know—healthcare in America is broken. He provides valuable insight into the absurdities that exist between insurance companies, the government and providers and how they often fail the American citizens.

The discrepancies in healthcare between the wealthy and the poor is a major concern on Dr. Klasko’s. He talks about how two zip codes in Philadelphia, a mere mile or two apart, can have a twenty year difference in life expectancy and steps that we, as a nation, can do to combat this.

Klasko thinks out of the box. He is changing the way medical schools select students and the training they receive. He wants to change the way healthcare is delivered, provide broadband to all citizens, and work with other health institutions in the city to make Philadelphia as healthy a city as possible.

This is easily the most honest and informative discussion over healthcare, government, and insurance you will hear from a true visionary in the industry.

LINKS:
Dr. Stephen Klasko

Terrill Haigler – Philly’s Favorite Trash Man

August 2, 2020 Activist, Business 00:41:17

Philly’s favorite trash man, Terrill Haigler, joins us to talk Philly trash.

In a city that prides itself on being blue collar, it should come as no surprise that its latest viral sensation is a sanitation worker.

Terrill Haigler saw that a storm was brewing Philly, people angry at the trash department without understanding why trash was running so late. So he decided to start an instagram page where he’d explain exactly why they were running late. In about 6 weeks, he’s gotten over 9000 followers and his regular video updates get anywhere from 1000-6000 views. 

Terrill talked about a typical work day, about his theatre background, and about how he had to stay on the waiting list for 2 years before he landed the job. But most importantly, he talked about how difficult the job is in the COVID age. Going into work with not enough PPE, dealing with the heat and the Karens and the fact that people are throwing out way more trash than they used to. We discussed the good (engaging with people on route), the bad (almost a third of the workforce being quarantined because they either have COVID or were in the truck with someone who tested positive), and the ugly (sh*tboxes, which are….you’ll have to listen and find out). It’s a fascinating look at what goes on behind the scenes after you take your trash out, and Terrill has an infectious personality, which has a lot to do with the IG pages success. Informative, fun, and hilarious: this episode is really the epitome of what the Blunt is all about. 
 
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