Business Bytes

"Barney Miller" was a classic sitcom that doesn't get its due. To prove my point, I have launched this podcast to review all 170 episodes to put it in a broader social context. Despite the tone of that last sentence, I aim to provide some laughs along the way. In addition, I will speak with surviving members of the cast, crew and writing staff. Why have I assigned myself this task? “Barney Miller” might look like a typical workplace comedy at first glance, but the show was anything but typical. It was one of the first network shows to feature openly gay characters -- there were three of them -- and also told great stories touching on topics ranging from women’s rights to the Cold War to racial tensions without being preachy or condescending. That was a remarkable feat in the 1970s and early 1980s. Comments? Suggestions? Wannabe my co-host? Contact me at jdberr@gmail.com PS: I will figure out how to separate “The Squad Room” from my other podcast “Business Bytes.”

"Barney Miller" was a classic sitcom that doesn't get its due. To prove my point, I have launched this podcast to review all 170 episodes to put it in a broader social context. Despite the tone of that last sentence, I aim to provide some laughs along the way. In addition, I will speak with surviving members of the cast, crew and writing staff. Why have I assigned myself this task? “Barney Miller” might look like a typical workplace comedy at first glance, but the show was anything but typical. It was one of the first network shows to feature openly gay characters -- there were three of them -- and also told great stories touching on topics ranging from women’s rights to the Cold War to racial tensions without being preachy or condescending. That was a remarkable feat in the 1970s and early 1980s. Comments? Suggestions? Wannabe my co-host? Contact me at jdberr@gmail.com PS: I will figure out how to separate “The Squad Room” from my other podcast “Business Bytes.”

Little Earth Productions Co-founder Rob Brandegee discusses the secrets to his success including what it takes to forge a successful working partnership with one's spouse.

Business Bytes takes a light-hearted look at the election with Jacob Berr, who happens to be my son. Jacob is 9 and began to pay attention to the election a few weeks ago. He seems to have caught the politics bug from me. Though Jacob sometimes gets his facts wrong, his enthusiasm in infectious.

Entrepreneur Anupy Singla is trying to make Indian food less "exotic" to Americans. In fact, the founder of Indian as Apple Pie cringes when she hears the word applied to the subcontinent's cuisine. In an interview with Business Bytes, Singla argues that Indian food is a American as the dishes of other immigrant groups. She also discusses the challenges she's faced in building her business. which sells sauces, spices and lentils along with her cookbooks. http://www.indianasapplepie.com

AnthemVault CEO Anthem Blanchard discusses his views on the gold market, why the future for Bitcoin is bright and the reasons behind his unusual name.