Gareth's Guests

In the midst of these crazy times, it’s astonishing that Pepe Marais has been able to not only raise the bar at Joe Public United, but also inspire and assist people towards being the best version of themselves through his writing. Gareth talks to him about his new book, and finding your purpose. www.cliffcentral.com

John Hunt’s new novel, ‘You Never Really Know’, has been described as one that is “filled with warm humour and serves up a double shot of pathos as it moves from playful satire to true tragedy, whilst examining the inner workings of power.” He chats to Gareth about how life has been for him over the past year, and shares his writing process with us. www.cliffcentral.com

Molly Bernstein (Development and Communications Manager) and Sita Cacioppe (Head of Health and Medical Sector) from IsraAID, which is an international non-governmental humanitarian aid organisation based in Israel, to chat to the team about their massive task of rolling out a vaccine programme in Eswatini. www.cliffcentral.com

She’s the woman of the moment - calling the shots as a number of men chase after her affection. She’s the star of South Africa’s very first 'The Bachelorette SA'... Qiniso Van Damme joins the #GCS team to talk about her dating experience and what she is looking for when it comes to love. www.cliffcentral.com

He’s probably been on more Zoom calls than anyone else under lockdown... Rich Mulholland joins the team to talk about adapting to the new normal of doing things, why “Zoom fatigue” is a myth, and a few apps that will improve your virtual experience. www.cliffcentral.com

With a career spanning over 40 years, Cindy Alter joins the team to talk about her new single, 'Last One Standing', her album - having sold 12 million units to date... and she also shares some interesting stories about what she got up to back in the day. www.cliffcentral.com

Live from his car and still in his PJs is Idols judge and media personality, Randall Abrahams. He takes us on a musical journey like no other, letting us into his music room and sharing how he connects with music. Plus a random fun fact on why he thinks kids are overrated. www.cliffcentral.com

"Larry King was passionate about radio... he was the king of talk." - John Berks. The iconic Larry King has passed on. Gareth reminisces about his life and times with another legendary broadcaster, John Berks. www.cliffcentral.com

With the advent of Covid-19, most of the world has had a sharp response to external factors, but what are the controllable factors which we have ignored for far too long? Though jobs have been lost en masse, is there any hope for the global citizenry as we leave the pandemic behind? What is the difference between complex and complicated modes of economic activity? Should we still have a desire to go back to what we once considered 'normal'? John's new book is called 'FutureNEXT' and is available now. www.cliffcentral.com

In this special edition of Gareth’s Guests, Prof. David Block - astronomer and author, Emeritus Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand - gets to know the remarkable Dr Edith Eger. Dr Eger is a holocaust survivor and psychologist. At 93 years old, she has a stunning amount of experience in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Following on some insight from her international bestselling book, 'The Choice - Embrace the Possible', she speaks about what she knows for sure about life, and in her way, leaves you looking up in this special one-on-one. www.cliffcentral.com

The Covid-19 lockdown has affected the global economy, but the life of citizens has been different on each continent. Laurel McCulloch of 'Pumpkin Patch' fame - who is now a New Zealand citizen living in Australia - joins us to discuss how living in the first world isn't blissful during a global pandemic. How stringent is Australia's lockdown? Laurel also shares a touching story surrounding the tragic mosque shooting in Christchurch. www.cliffcentral.com

Can you fall in love with someone in two months? Are you able to love more than one person at a time? What if your intentions are pure, but you enter a reality show where it's all about ratings? Is the magic of television lost if you understand the tricks of the trade? Lee Thompson from 'The Bachelor' talks about his mental health struggles after being thrust into stardom, and being part of a contrived idea of what love is. He gives us "the truth behind the rose". www.cliffcentral.com

What is the role of political commentary in society? Can humour address incompetence effectively? Should satire be restricted only to certain parts of society? Cartoonist Jeremy Nell (Jerm) has in the space of 12 months been de-platformed on Facebook, Vimeo and YouTube. Who decides which voices and opinions can be heard, and why is Jerm being marginalised? The satirist and content creator joins us to discuss his journey with cancel culture, and possible alternative platforms for content creators. www.cliffcentral.com

When a 30-year habit ends, how does one adjust? As a man who loved radio so much that he failed a year in high school, Aki Anastasiou has pulled the curtain down on being the voice of traffic information in South Africa... so where to now? What other business interests does he have, how will he pivot as the future unfolds? What life lessons did other radio legends share with him over the years? One thing is for sure, Aki will never be forgotten in the hearts and minds of South Africans everywhere. www.cliffcentral.com

How does gender-based violence fall on the shoulders of men in this day and age? This is what Gareth Cliff discusses with educator, filmmaker, and author Jackson Katz. He is also the Founder and President of MVP Strategies, and has a lot of insight to share to interrogate what a man truly is. www.cliffcentral.com

Has the art of erotica been lost as it's become commercialised? Some say the dismissal of sensuality as smut has led to relationships becoming stale and lifeless. What role does adult entertainment play in modern day society? Are dancers expressing feminine power, or are they victims of the commodification of their bodies? Is it all chaos and debauchery, or is decorum the name of the game as a dancer and strip club owner if you want to be the best? Money, power and sex... the holy trinity of the post-modern age. www.cliffcentral.com

The COVID-19 lockdown has created many social and economic problems, and those affected by sexual and gender-based violence are at even more risk than normal in these abnormal circumstances. What can be done to deal with this pandemic of violence? How can the community play its part? What are the consequences of the shame and stigma associated with SGBV? Join Gareth Cliff in conversation with Monica Adhiambo Onyango, Sophie Hobbs and Miranda Jordan-Friedmann. www.cliffcentral.com

When we talk about sexual and gender-based violence, there's always a lot mentioned about women... as victims, what they can do to protect themselves, etc. But what about the men? What are they doing to help fight this social pandemic? Gareth Cliff speaks to a few men who are doing extraordinary work in the SGBV battle - Jackson Katz, Mark Ramsing, Charley Pietersen, Tumelo Mokowe and Jacques Rousseau. Brought to you by Absa. www.cliffcentral.com

The ownership of a lethal weapon is often characterised as 'men's territory'... well Lynette Oxley is having none of that. Firearm training of young women is starting around the age of 11 now. The aim isn't to create gung-ho gunslingers, the reality of the world means the safety of women is in their own hands. 'Girls on Fire' is allowing women to have a safety valve - should it ever come to that. Safety first, that's the motto. www.cliffcentral.com

The pandemic has been brutal for the arts, but Netflix and the digital revolution have allowed actors to continue to thrive, even during the global lockdown. Fulu Mugovhani - star of ‘Seriously Single‘ - divulges the pleasures of working with comedy legend Tumi Morake, and who she uses as a muse for her characters. She's on screens in 183 countries now, but is her family proud of her? ‘Seriously Single’ is available on Netflix. www.cliffcentral.com