New talk show features I.C. guests

Iowa City residents have the chance to hear from local newsmakers every week, courtesy of a new talk show.

Local author Joseph Dobrian began hosting 'Interesting People with Joseph Dobrian” in late September. The program airs at 8 p.m. Tuesdays on Iowa City's public access television station, PATV.

Dobrian, who has lived in Iowa City since 2010, previously hosted a talk show in New York City called 'Hardfire.” That program focused on political issues and current events from a Libertarian perspective, he said. Guests usually included political candidates, activists or economists.

For the show in Iowa City, Dobrian is including guests who work in academia, the arts, politics, clergy or business.

'I'm looking forward to getting better acquainted with some of the more interesting people in the area and helping them promote their interests, whatever their interests are,” Dobrian said.

The show debuted Sept. 29 with John Kenyon, executive director of the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature. Other guests have included artist Marcia Wegman, activist Richard Campagna and humanitarian Hani Elkadi.

On Tuesday, the show will feature actor Rip Russell, a University of Iowa Theatre Arts graduate. Russell has performed as John Proctor in 'The Crucible” and portrayed Willy Lohman in 'Death of a Salesman” in Iowa City.

Russell said he had a good experience during taping of the program.

'I don't have trouble talking. I tend to overtalk things,” Russell said. 'I think it went well. He asked some very intelligent questions, some questions that I kind of could foresee coming and others that I didn't really see coming, so I thought he was a good interviewer.”

Dobrian said he 'won't restrict my guest list to people who agree with me.

'I'm up for inviting people from all points on the political and artistic spectra, if they care to tangle with me,” he said in a news release.

How to help

To suggest guests for Joseph Dobrian's new show on PATV, email jdobrian@aol.com.