"We're talking about taking back the country."

— Barry Gordon

"You're ... setting an example to others in

the media: that you don't have to be timid."

 — Rep. John Conyers Jr.

"Barry, you keep speaking your words,

speaking your mind, speaking your heart."

— Burt Bacharach

BARRY GORDON — lifelong entertainer, longest-serving president of the Screen Actors Guild, and former candidate for Congress — is talking politics, entertainment, and other hot topics. Down-to-earth, with a voice known to millions, Barry's takes on the political ballgame are smart and lively, filled with passion and humor. Throughout this last year, Barry has fielded calls from listeners and interviewed some of the top guests on the air today: 

Political Leaders, including ...

Senator Barbara Boxer

Senator Byron Dorgan

Former Senator and Presidential Candidate Gary Hart

Rep. John Conyers Jr.

Rep. Brad Sherman

Rep. Henry Waxman

FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein

Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich

Former Ambassador Peter Galbraith

Former Ambassador Swanee Hunt

Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson

Jerry Brown, California Icon

Bev Harris, Founder of BlackBoxVoting.org

Dolores Huerta, Legendary Labor Leader

Paul Rieckhoff, Veterans Activist 

Scott Ritter, Former U.N. Weapons Inspector

Cindy Sheehan, "Peace Mom"

Andy Stern, President of the SEIU

John Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO

Bestselling Authors, Renowned Commentators, and Respected Scholars, including ...

Dr. Helen Caldicott, The World's Leading Anti-Nuclear Activist

Noam Chomsky, Professor of Linguistics and Advocate for Peace

David Corn, Washington Editor of "The Nation" and Bestselling Author

Craig Crawford, Washington, DC Columnist and TV Commentator

Catherine Crier, Court TV Host and Bestselling Author

John Dean, Watergate Principal and Bestselling Author

Lou Dobbs, CNN Business and Financial Anchor

Michael J. Gerhardt, Professor of Constitutional Law

Robert Greenwald, Documentary Filmmaker

Thom Hartmann, Progressive Talk Show Host

Arianna Huffington, Author & Multi-Media Commentator

Paul Krugman, New York Times Op-Ed Columnist

Robert Kuttner, Co-Founder of "The American Prospect"

Michael Lerner, Progressive Rabbi

Mark Crispin Miller, Author/Activist/Scholar

Markos "Kos" Moulitsas, Top Blogger

Greg Palast, Investigative Journalist

William Rivers Pitt, Bestselling Author

Ron Suskind, Bestselling Author

Helen Thomas, Dean of the White House Press Corps

Gore Vidal, Iconic American Writer and Intellectual

Jim Wallis, Progressive Christian Leader

Lawrence Wright, Bestselling Author

Howard Zinn, Legendary Historian and Activist

Representatives of Influential Organizations and Publications, including ...

ACLU

Amnesty International USA

Campaign for America's Future

Center for American Progress

Center for Public Integrity

Common Cause

Demos

Economic Policy Institute

Free Press

"The Hotline" from the National Journal Group

IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America)

Media Matters for America

"Ms." Magazine

Planned Parenthood

Sierra Club

WakeUpWalMart.com

Celebrated Entertainment Figures, including ...

Ed Asner, Barry's Fellow Former President of the Screen Actors Guild

Burt Bacharach, Legendary Composer

Ed Begley Jr., Actor and Environmental Activist

Terence Blanchard, Grammy-Winner

Chris Bliss, Comedian / Activist / Juggler Extraordinaire

Andy Borowitz, Humorist

Scott Dikkers, Satirist, Editor-in-Chief of "The Onion"

Nora Dunn, "Saturday Night Live" Alum

Argus Hamilton, Comedian and Nationally Syndicated Columnist

Chris Lemmon, Actor/Author Son of Barry's Old Friend Jack Lemmon

Lisa Loeb, "Billboard"-Topping Singer/Songwriter

Robert Loggia, Actor

Jim Meskimen, Impersonator (Jibjab), Improvisationist, & Funnyman

Chef Harry Schwartz, Popular TV Personality

Kenneth Turan, Film Critic of the Los Angeles Times

Billy West, Voice Artist ("Ren & Stimpy" and many others)

Michael Wilmington, Film Critic of the Chicago Tribune

And Many More!

Please see the Podcast Archives for a complete rundown of our great guests and diverse topics.

BARRY GORDON began his professional life at age three, as a child singer and actor. He won second place on the "Ted Mack Amateur Hour" singing Johnnie Ray's "Cry" (He still knows the words). At six, Barry recorded "Nuttin' for Christmas," still listed as one of the top ten best-selling Christmas records of all time.

When he was thirteen, Barry's Broadway debut, in Herb Gardner's "A Thousand Clowns," earned him a Tony nomination for the role of Nick, a role he reprised in the successful film version.

Barry became a fixture as a character actor in feature films and television, most prominently as a co-star in the hit series "Fish" and playing opposite Carroll O'Connor as the lawyer Rabinowitz in "Archie Bunker's Place." Barry's voice has been heard for decades as the Nestle Quik Bunny and as Donatello in the original animated series "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." Most recently, he has a recurring role as the Rabbi in HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Outside of show business, Barry's interests moved into law and politics. In his mid-thirties, he returned to school; graduated summa cum laude as a political science major from California State University, Los Angeles; and went on to Loyola Law School, receiving his J.D. in 1991.

Putting his love of show business and law together, Barry became the longest-serving president of the Screen Actors Guild, holding the office for seven years — one year longer than either Charlton Heston or Ronald Reagan.

In 1998, as a Democratic nominee for Congress, Barry stunned the political establishment by coming within three points of beating the popular Republican incumbent, Rep. James Rogan, who went on to become one of the House impeachment managers and subsequently lose his seat.

In addition to teaching a course in politics and the media at the California State University – Los Angeles, Barry has been heard in Southern California and across the Internet on his popular radio show, BARRY GORDON FROM LEFT FIELD, which aired every Sunday afternoon on KCAA 1050 AM and which will soon enter Monday through Friday syndication. He also has a webcast TV show called "NewsRap," airing Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Pasadena Channel 56. And in Barry's Blog — which he calls "an occasionally fair and largely unbalanced look at politics and political media" — Barry invites you to talk back!

Don't miss Barry's TV talk show,

Webcast 9 to 10 p.m. PT,

Tuesday through Thursday,

on Pasadena56

"Radio Host Shows It's All Right to Be Left" (The Jewish Journal, 9/8/06)

"Wide Range of Topics Take the 'Field'" (San Bernardino Co. Sun, 2/12/06)

"So Very Barry" (Pasadena Star News, 1/12/06)

Barry Gordon From Left Field Press Kit