Anne Rice is the author of 32 books, including “The Wolves of Midwinter” and “The Wolf Gift.” Her first novel, “Interview with the Vampire,” was published in 1976 and has gone on to become one of the best-selling novels of all time.

To the legions of Monty Python fans and comedy aficionados, Cleese’s work with the Pythons has become the stuff of legends. He co-wrote and starred in the now classic sitcom, “Fawlty Towers.” He wrote and co-starred in “A Fish Called Wanda” and “Fierce Creatures,” and has appeared in many other films, from James Bond to Harry Potter to Shrek, and has guest-starred in TV shows that have included 3rd Rock from the Sun, Will & Grace, and Entourage.

After 25 years writing and performing in her own widely popular television shows on the BBC, and serving as Script Editor for the entire run of the hit series Absolutely Fabulous, comedienne and bestselling author Ruby Wax deploys humor to spread the word about neuroscience, rewiring our thoughts to find calm in a frenetic world, and how to survive the 21st century. 

Martin Short interviewed by Steve Martin! He tells the tale of how a showbiz-obsessed kid from Canada transformed himself into one of Hollywood’s favorite funny men.

Bill Nye is a scientist, engineer, comedian, and inventor. He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University where he studied under Carl Sagan, and worked on the 747 as an engineer at Boeing before creating and hosting his much-loved Emmy award-winning PBS/Discovery Channel show Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Jane Smiley is the author of numerous novels, including “A Thousand Acres,” which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, as well as four works of nonfiction. In 2001 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She received the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature in 2006.

Samuelsson, the youngest chef ever to receive two three-star ratings from The New York Times — is owner of Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem and former Executive Chef and co-owner of New York’s Restaurant Aquavit, AQ Cafe at Scandinavia House, and Riingo. He starred on Discovery Home Channel’s “Inner Chef,” is winner of “Top Chef Masters” and is a five-time James Beard Award recipient.

Yotam Ottolenghi owns an eponymous group of four restaurants, plus the high-end restaurant, Nopi, in London. His previous cookbooks—Plenty, Jerusalem, and Ottolenghi—have all been on the New York Times bestseller list. He writes for The Guardian, and appears on BBC.

George Clinton revolutionized R&B during the ’70s, twisting soul music into funk by adding influences from several late-’60s acid heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Sly Stone. The Parliament/Funkadelic machine captured more than forty R&B hit singles (including three at #1) and recording three platinum albums.

A beloved star of stage, television, and film, Alan Cumming is a successful artist whose diversity and fearlessness is unparalleled. He currently stars as the Master of Ceremonies opposite Michelle Williams in Cabaret on Broadway, wrapped season 5 of the CBS hit drama The Good Wife. In his memoir, Not My Father’s Son, he shares the emotional story of his complicated relationship with his father and the deeply buried family secrets that shaped his life and career.