Theme Machine

Join us on a journey through the untold stories and cultural conversations that have shaped our world. Each episode of The Theme Machine offers a unique exploration of a single theme, guided by the legendary John Carney.

The Kennedys: Power, Glory, and Grief 08/15/2025

The Kennedys: Power, Glory, and Grief The Kennedys story isn’t just one of success; it’s also one of heartbreak. Known as the “Kennedy curse,” this family has faced unimaginable tragedies. Carney shares original interviews from his own archives from experts who have studied the family extensively, and those who were close to them - some so close they even had blood splatter from the assassination of JFK. Join us as we uncover the stories that continue to captivate the nation—this is the Kennedy dynasty like you’ve never heard it before. Featured interviews: Chris Mathews Clint Hill (Part ONE) Mark Shaw Cory Taylor Rosemarie Terenzino Clint Hill (Part TWO) Paul Landis David Hayman David Talbot Find John Carney's ThemeMachine on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere else you find podcasts. Check thecarneyshow.com for all episodes of the ThemeMachine, info about CarneysKids and anything else John wants you to see. /episode/index/show/0a40ee9d-b643-488d-b9f4-d2ff4b06d398/id/37834085

Word On The Street: Insights from Writers 07/31/2025

Word On The Street: Insights from Writers Welcome to another edition of The Theme Machine. This week, we're diving into a topic that's been on my mind—how the people behind our favorite books and screenplays do it all. You know, how they craft stories that resonate with us, inspire us, and sometimes even change our lives. It all started when a friend asked me, 'How do they do it?' And now, here I am, sitting here thinking about it too." /episode/index/show/0a40ee9d-b643-488d-b9f4-d2ff4b06d398/id/37777055

Laugh Track to Legacy: Sitcoms PART TWO 07/24/2025

Laugh Track to Legacy: Sitcoms PART TWO (Sitcoms PART ONE can be found in our previous episode.) /episode/index/show/0a40ee9d-b643-488d-b9f4-d2ff4b06d398/id/37777065

Laugh Track to Legacy: Sitcoms PART ONE 07/24/2025

Laugh Track to Legacy: Sitcoms PART ONE This episode of "The ThemeMachine" delves into the television shows became part of the fabric of our lives and decades later, live on in syndication and YouTube clips. One exceptional highlight of this episode is the story Sherwood Schwartz tells about the creation of the iconic "Gilligan's Island" theme. /episode/index/show/0a40ee9d-b643-488d-b9f4-d2ff4b06d398/id/37777075

Woodstock - Things That Went Wrong 07/10/2025

Woodstock - Things That Went Wrong In this inaugural episode of The Theme Machine, John Carney shares conversations of with people who were pivotal in the event back in 1969. /episode/index/show/0a40ee9d-b643-488d-b9f4-d2ff4b06d398/id/37777080

John Carney's Theme Machine ... COMING SOON! 07/08/2025

John Carney's Theme Machine ... COMING SOON! John Carney, a celebrated St. Louis radio icon, has dedicated his career to capturing the essence of American storytelling. As an inductee into the Radio Hall of Fame, alongside his father Jack Carney, John brings a wealth of experience and a unique interviewing style to The Theme /episode/index/show/0a40ee9d-b643-488d-b9f4-d2ff4b06d398/id/37777085

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