About Sally Jessy Raphael

Prior to launching her signature television show, Sally was a pioneering presence in TV and Radio. She served as a UPI and AP foreign correspondent in Europe and Central America; a familiar TV personality in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean; and one of the first female TV news anchors in New York. She was also one of the first female rock deejays and, for many years, hosted the most successful nighttime radio shows on the NBC and ABC radio networks. Sally hosted her own radio call-in, advice show for six years (1981-87) on NBC's Talknet, and for three years on ABC radio. She was the first female reality talk show host on TV when her show debuted on October 17th 1983. The Sally Jessy Raphael Show was the longest-running talk show on daytime television and the first nationally syndicated single-topic talk show hosted by a woman. It left the air in the US in 2002, but continues to be syndicated worldwide. In 1992, she was honored by the National Association of Radio Talk Show Hosts as Talk Show Host of the Year, having already received 2 Emmy Âwards™ for Outstanding Talk Show Host in 1989. In 2002 Raphael was one of only three people named on both industry publication Talkers magazine's 25 greatest radio, and 25 greatest television, talk show hosts of all time lists. She lives in upstate New York with her husband Karl of forty years, her family and extended family. Sally@sallyjr.com

Karl Soderlunds’ real story

His mother, a Swede, who married his father, a Norwegian, to have a perfect son, was completely surprised when Karl made his appearance. From that early start he was primed, for his first job, at age 18 working in gigantic vats of sauerkraut with pitch forks, turning the cabbage in brine, over and over until it was ready for cooking, 500 cans at a time. From this job, he worked in a pickle factory, a candy factory, as a soda jerk and finally as a gofer at a radio station in Seattle. He was now ready for his formal education. A graduate of Michigan State University in radio and television; directing and producing the first ever dramatic, one-hour original drama; producing radio and television programs for foreign language students. He does not speak Japanese, Greek or Russian, but some how, through his charade experience, he found the gift of broadcasting. While in the Air Force he managed a group of radio stations and was badmitten champ on his base. He managed an English language radio network in Puerto Rico and was the Sales manager of a television network in San Juan. Then he went straight. He is the Father of many children . . . . both kinds, and can be found begging for coffee at the corner of 54th and 5th avenue in New York City . Karl@sallyjr.com

Steve Cortez

...Sally’s older brother, has worked as a radio news anchor and reporter on stations around the country, including ABC radio network news, WCBS, WHN and WNEW in New York, WEEI in Boston, KPRC in Houston, Texas, KRIO in McAllen and WEXI in Jacksonville, Florida. In addition, Steve has been a District Manager in Florida for a major automobile manufacturer, and owned three restaurants and bars in Jacksonville. His military service was in the Air Force, where he flew 70 combat missions in Vietnam and earned two Air Medals. He’s married to Mary Margaret Myers, and between them they have five children, five grand children, two great dogs and one fabulous cat. Steve@sallyjr.com

Mary Margaret Myers

...was the most-listened-to woman in radio news, during her tenure of nearly two decades at ABC NEWS Radio Network. In addition to anchoring newscasts, she was a frequent host on the award-winning Hugh Downs’ Perspective series, on which she conducted in-depth interviews with top-level politicians, news makers, and celebrities. Her efforts helped garner an Ohio State Award for ABC’S “Crime in America” series. Her on-location assignments included Presidential conventions and elections, disasters, and special events such as the Royal Wedding of Charles and Diana. Before joining ABC, Myers anchored at New York’s WCBS-News 88, and was News Director at 92-WKTU Radio. Her broadcasting career began in Philadelphia and included stints at the CBS Flagship station WCAU, where Myers starred in “The Candy Apple News Company”, which ran for thirteen seasons on television and won an Ohio State Award. MM@sallyjr.com

Andrea Vladimir

Andrea Vladimir is an accomplished massage therapist and acupuncturist with degrees from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, Swedish Institute, and the University of Washington. Her goal is to use acupuncture and lifestyle recommendations to help restore each persons natural balance. This is accomplished by paying deep attention to the evolution of each individuals unique health experience and treating any underlying imbalance that manifests in physical, emotional, or spiritual symptoms. Ms. Vladimir is in private practice in Ossining, New York. Andrea@sallyjr.com

Nannette Stone

Nannette brings more than her sunny Scandinavian disposition to the show. As a psychotherapist, she co-founded a highly successful mental health and substance abuse clinic on New York City's Park Avenue. This prolific author has written nine books, and has appeared on The McNeil-Lehrer Report, Good Morning America, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Stone has lectured nationally and internationally on topics such as creativity, parenting, and habit breaking. She's written hundreds of articles for professional journals, and has coordinated pharmacological and psychotherapy research projects sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. An accomplished poet and playwright, three of her works were selected for publication in the annual Best Monologue series published by Smith and Kraus. And if all that doesn't keep her busy enough, she spends her spare time doing photography and constructing conceptual art objects. Her "Pun Art" project, "Table of Contents", was featured at the Cork Gallery at New York's Lincoln Center.
(After Nannette sold her clinic in Manhattan, she began shrinking less and talking more.)

Anthony Spallone

...age 22, is a budding Audio-Visual genius. Among his duties as Director of Operations and Engineering, Tony runs the board for the radio show and is a key player in related business ventures. He is also Webmaster for sallyjr.com .