Ben Around Philly

Richard Marx has sold more than 30 MILLION albums to date. He’s a Grammy winner, he’s had 14 #1 songs both as a songwriter for himself and other artists, AND he’s the nicest guy. Kristen speaks with Richard Marx about his new memoir “Stories To Tell: A Memoir”, which comes out July 6th. It has an accompanying 2 Disc Greatest Hits album full of songs like Don’t Mean Nothing, and Right Here Waiting, Hold On to the Nights and lots more.  Listen as Richard talks to Kristen about about his dog Bette Davis, Barbra Streisand, Lionel Richie, Wayne Gretzky and lots more, plus hear some of the content from the book straight from the horse’s mouth! You’ll especially be interested in the first chapter, which has a BEN FM connection! BEN FM hosted a Richard Marx show at the Keswick Theatre back in October 2019. That show is brought up in the very first chapter of the book! Kristen posted a recap and videos from that show. Find it HERE.

Did you know that about 1/3 of Americans fail a basic sun protection quiz? Dr. Ivy Lee, board certified dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology goes over the results of the quiz, and speaks about sun safety and the importance of sun protection. Will shade protect you from the sun’s harmful UV rays? Does spray suncreen protect as well as lotion? Is tanning safe, as long as you don't burn? Dr. Lee goes over the answers to these questions and more. See how well you do on the sun protection quiz!  

The Wawa Welcome America Festival has been going on since Juneteenth this year. Sixteen days FILLED with over 50 free events and performances. Celebrate the 4th of July in America's birthplace this weekend! Kristen speaks with Jennifer Wolf and Alyson Mucha, who work in WAWA Public Relations. They go over all of the details on the concert at the Mann Center with Bebe Rexha, and Flo Rida (including how to score tickets), fireworks on the Parkway, the Philly Pops and more.  Find more details HERE.

Want to hear the story of the 76ers theme song "Here Come the Sixers"? Frank McDonnell from Newtown Square was a co-writer of the 76ers “Here Come the Sixers” song back in 1975. He talks about the history of the song and its legacy within the 76ers organization over the years. He also talks about an experience he had around 1976 when he saw a UFO on the Atlantic Expressway. He wrote a song about it called “Look to the Sky”. Contact Frank at: mac8816@gmail.com.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kim Turner has been a part of the Jazz Bridge organization since it's conception in 2004. Jazz Bridge confidentially helps local Jazz and Blues musicians and singers with a variety of needs, including medical, dental and legal aid, along with advocacy services, home repairs, unpaid bills, and instrument repairs.  Learn more about Jazz Bridge at: https://www.jazzbridge.org/. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karin Hencken talks about her journey and reign as  Mrs. PA USA Ambassador. The USA Ambassador Pageant is a charity driven organization that promotes Success through Leadership, Integrity, Character, and Confidence in today’s young women. Karin talks about her platform and work with Main Line Animal Rescue, and what it was like to step out of her comfort zone to enter her first pageant at 53 years old, and best of all WIN! Learn more about the Mrs. PA USA Ambassador program at https://www.facebook.com/mrspaUSAAmbassador/. Contact Karin at MrsPAKarin@gmail.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zoe Lowry, Associate Director of Communications at Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse in East Fairmount Park returns to BEN Around Philly to give the details on Kidchella 2021! Kidchella at Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse is happening three Fridays this summer. The first Kidchella show is THIS Friday, June 18th featuring the Johnny Shortcake Show (soul music for children/one big disco party) and Ms. Niki’s Music Class (FunkyRock/Dance). Then, save the dates for Kidchella on Friday, July 16th with Alex & the Kaleidoscope and City Love (R&B/Hip Hop and Bluesy Rock). Also Friday, August 13th with Lard Dog and the Band of Shy and Larissa Hopwood Band (Upbeat Pop/Rock). All Kidchella shows are rain or shine and fun for all ages. Buy tickets and find more information at https://smithplayground.org/. Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse received an incredible grant earlier this year. Hear all about it on this previous episode of BEN Around Philly. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa

Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence CEO, Marcus Allen joins Kristen on BEN Around Philly to talk about the organization and their need for BIGS! Become a BIG by volunteering to use your free time to mentor a LITTLE who needs your help. Marcus explains the process and the time commitment involved, and talks about a cross country trip he's taking via bicycle to raise awareness. On June 5th, Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence will officially kickoff the Miles for Mentoring campaign. Marcus and Governing Board member, Gary Jonas, will embark on a 3,700 mile ride from San Francisco to Atlantic City with the goals of raising critical funding and to bring awareness to the 750+ local children currently on the waiting list to be matched with a mentor and role model.  BEN FM and the other Beasley Media Philadelphia stations will call upon our listeners to support this mission with an all day, all station Radiothon on Wednesday, June 9th.  Get involved! Donate by visiting MILES.GIVESMART.COM or texting MILES to

June is Gay Pride Month in Philadelphia! Kory Aversa, (out and proud!) Owner of Aversa PR and Events returns to BEN Around Philly to give the details on this month's events. Check out his incredibly thorough list below, and find more details and updates at https://phillygaycalendar.com/pride. LOVE IS LOVE: PHILADELPHIA CELEBRATES PHILLY GAY PRIDE MONTH WITH 45 EVENTS, FUNDRAISERS, DANCE PARTIES, DRAG SHOWS, ART EXHIBITS AND MORE Please find 45 top ways to celebrate gay pride in 30 days of June in Philadelphia. We have broken the list down below by MONTH-LONG activities vs. DATE SPECIFIC activities. A) MONTH-LONG ACTIVITIES - 1) LGBTQ Hall of Flags and Philly Gay Pride Flag Exhibit Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square 120 S. 17th S., Philadelphia 215-569-8300 https://www.sofitel-philadelphia.com Sofitel Philadelphia invites the community to celebrate Philadelphia's Pride rainbow flag on the outside of the building in June. An oversize rainbow flag, with Philly's addition of the brown and black strip

Providence Animal Center in Media, PA offers life-affirming rescue, medical care, treatments, protection, and placement of companion animals. Taylor Brooke met with Caitlyn, Head of Events at Providence Animal Center to discuss their newly renovated facilities and post COVID protocols. Caitlyn also describes her role within the shelter, and provides information on how to donate and volunteer. With same day adoption, bringing these sweet souls home has never been easier. If you're looking for your forever best friend, listen as Caitlyn describes some of the awesome animals currently at the facility, all in need of a loving home! Learn more at https://providenceac.org/. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The PSPCA and Main Line Animal Rescue's 10th Annual Tails & Trails 5K Run and 2K Walk. Gillian Kocher, Director of Public Relations for the PSPCA gives the details on the event, happening in person at Main Line Animal Rescue’s beautiful location in Chester Springs, PA on Saturday, June 5th. Kristen will be hosting, and BEN FM has a team this year! Please join our team Gloria and BEN FM. Sign up to run, walk, or donate at https://runsignup.com/GLORIABENFM. Find all you need to know about the event HERE. See you there! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bancroft is a local non profit organization that provides specialized services for individuals with brain injuries, autism and intellectual disabilities. Tess Tebaldi, Development Director for Bancroft joins Kristen to talk about two very fun - in person - events coming up in the next few weeks to benefit this awesome organization. Join them for Sip, Swirl & Support Bancroft on Tuesday, May 18th at 5:30pm at the Camden County Boathouse in Pennsauken, NJ. Enjoy this intimate and elegant wine tasting followed by wine, exquisite hors d’oeuvres and desserts and live entertainment. Buy tickets HERE.  Then, find a corn hole partner and start practicing! Friends of Bancroft is hosting Bags for Bancroft. This round-robin style corn hole tournament will take place Saturday, June 5th on Bancroft's transformational Raymond & Joanne Welsh Campus, and it will feature a BBQ lunch, drinks, live music and prizes! Find more information and register your team HERE. 
 All proceeds from these events support Bancroft’s mission

There’s a new Miss Philadelphia in town! Elaine Ficarra is Miss Philadelphia 2021. The Miss Philadelphia and Miss Philadelphia’s Outstanding Teen competition took place on May 1st at the CEG Performing Arts Academy on North Broad Street in Philadelphia. Kristen was one of the judges this year! Each winner receives a cash scholarship, and a full tuition scholarship to attend Cabrini University.  They will also represent Philadelphia at the Miss Pennsylvania state competition in June. Hear as Kristen speaks with Elaine Ficarra, your newly crowned Miss Philadelphia 2021. Elaine is from Glenmoore, PA and attends Drexel University as an Honors Biology Student. She enjoys singing and Taekwondo. She is also passionate about her platform, which she hopes will spread awareness about adolescent depression and suicide prevention. Elaine’s crowning marked the 100th Anniversary of the Miss Philadelphia Competition, and she is ready to hit the ground running. Be sure to say hello to Elaine if you see her out and about i

The Colonial Theatre has been a staple in Pheonixville since 1903. This iconic theatre hosts independent films and a number of special programing events throughout the year, and is run by the Association for the Colonial Theater (ACT), a non profit 501c3 organization. Blobfest is their biggest event and fundraiser of the year. The 1958 Steve McQueen film ‘The Blob’ was filmed locally, and the theater scene in the movie (where The Blob comes out of the projector screen to attack the audience) was filmed at the Colonial Theatre. Kristen speaks with Chuck Francisco, a longtime Blobfest committee member, film curator and host at the Colonial Theatre to talk about this year’s 22nd Annual Blobfest celebration. The festival will take place July 9-11, 2021. Because of Covid restrictions, there are no public festivals in the borough of Phoenixville until October 1st, so Blobfest will again be celebrated virtually.  Tickets for "Blobfest 2021: House of Harris" go on sale May 28th at 10:00 AM for Colonial Theatre memb

Spring has sprung! Natalie Carmolli, Marketing and Public Relations specialist for Proven Winners ColorChoice Flowering Shrubs shares the secret to hydrangea success and some other great gardening tips. Learn more here: https://colorchoiceplants.com/explore-hydrangeas/. Find Mom a beautiful gift for Mother's Day at your local garden center. They’re easy to spot in Proven Winners white container. Find more information about these plants and all the shrubs they grow at ProvenWinnersColorChoice.com, or buy online at ProvenWinners.com.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Theatre is BACK! Theatre Philadelphia’s Executive Director LaNeshe Miller-White talks about the 4th Annual Philly Theatre Week, happening April 22nd to May 2nd. There are 64 different organizations involved, with 75 events and hundreds of performances all over the area. Originating companies hail from every corner of Philadelphia, from Center City to the suburbs, from Chester County to Wilmington, and from South Jersey to the Main Line. Events will include a variety of live and pre-recorded virtual performances, panels, workshops, theatre-by-mail, audio plays and in-person outdoor events. All tickets for participating shows are specially priced to be accessible to all, with tickets being free, $15 or $30 each. Philly Theatre Week tickets are on sale now at www.phillytheatreweek.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fran Egler, Senior Director of Programming and Presentations for the Kimmel Center talks about the Kimmel Center's plan to return to live theater and programming. The Kimmel Center just announced its planned re-opening this fall, along with the 2021-2022 season schedule for Broadway Philadelphia. It’s incredible. To start, they'll be offering a little-known show called HAMILTON. You may have heard of it? The upcoming schedule includes so many wonderful shows including Waitress, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, Pretty Woman: The Musical, the new Oklahoma! revival, Hairspray, Dear Evan Hansen, the Rent: 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour and lots more. Oh, and don’t miss the Philadelphia premiere of the multi-award winning Hadestown, and Aaron Sorkin’s super popular adaptation of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird. See all of the ways that the Kimmel Center is working to keep everyone safe, and find a full show schedule, ticket and subscriber information at KimmelCenter.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for

Jewish Relief Agency mobilizes volunteers to pack and deliver monthly food assistance to over 6,400 diverse low-income individuals across Greater Philadelphia who are coping with food insecurity. Visit www.jewishrelief.org to learn about opportunities to volunteer.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristen speaks with local filmmaker Ricky Staub, and actor Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things). Caleb stars alongside Idris Elba in the new Concrete Cowboy film, Directed by Ricky, and now streaming on Netflix.  Black urban horse riders have been an integral aspect of North Philadelphia culture for more than 100 years. Concrete Cowboy is set and shot in Philadelphia, and highlights and co-stars members of this unique Fletcher Street Stables community. Watch the film on Netflix now, and learn how you can help preserve this special community HERE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jim Pappas talks about his epic Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure. Jim has eaten over 800 cheesesteaks since his adventure began on May 16th, 2018, at restaurants and dives all over the area. Check out his website for a video review of each and every one. Hear as he talks with Kristen about some of his favorites, his rating system, his favorite toppings, and lots more. His March Cheesesteak Madness competition is going on now. Who will be the 2021 champion?! Vote for your favorite cheesesteaks HERE. Find more info and follow along on Jim’s Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure at https://philadelphiacheesesteakadventure.com/. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.