National Memorial Day Concert 2025 Special LIVE!

0:00 In this episode of Pop Culture Weekly, I am live once again from the West Lawn of the US Capitol and Washington, d C. For National Memorial Day Concert twenty twenty five. Let's go Welcome to pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon from iHeartRadio your pop culture news, views, reviews, and celebrity interviews on all the movies, TV, music, and pop culture u CRABE Weekly. Here's Kyle McMahon. Hello, and welcome to pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon. I have course from Kyle McMahon. I thank you once again for joining me for another episode of Pop Culture Weekly. I am here on the West Lawn of the US Capitol in Washington, d C.

0:45 For PBS's National Memorial Day Concert. This is I believe my ninth or tenth show doing you know, year doing this, and they, the amazing people at Capital Concerts always put on a credible production that truly honors our brave men and women that you know, gave the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms that we enjoy every day. You know, it simply comes down to that it's told in a beautiful way, you know, with real stories from real people. And this show is all about honoring those people. The lineup for the show is amazing as always, and I'll be talking with the performers, including Gary Sinise once again, Assi Morales, hot off of Mission Impossible, Final Reckoning, country star Scottie Hasting, opera singer Angel Blue, actress Gretchen mull, the incomparable Blair Underwood, and mister Robert Patrick returns to Pop Culture Weekly once again.

1:52 And let's get right into it. PBS's National Memorial Day Concert airs live on PBS at eight pm Eastern Time, May twenty fifth. It also airs live on YouTube and Facebook, and then for two weeks following you can watch it on demand or you know, on demand. On YouTube or Facebook or whatever. So let's start off with Angel Blue. So I'm here with Angel Blue for National Memorial Day Concert. You. I just heard you in rehears where you were absolutely amazing. Thank you. Yeah, So what does this moment mean for you?

2:33 You know, you're here in Washington, d C. For Memorial Day? What is that like for you? It's very special to me. I'm I'm a really proud American. I'm thankful to be American, and I've had a lot of family members serve in the military. And at present, my brother is serving in the United States Army. So for me, this is a very important moment for not just me and for our country, but also for my family, the Blue family. So I'm thankful very blue us to be here. And is that as you're performing, which again absolutely incredible, does that like seep in as you're or are you able to like kind of separate it and. Perform? No, it's not. I don't feel that it's a performance.

3:14 It's for me. It's really every word of the star Spangel banner really does mean something to me. When I was actually when I was in middle school, one of our assignments was to look up each word and understand what it meant. So when I'm saying things like perilous, I know, I know what perilous means. I know what it means to Don's early life. That's you know, I understand what these these phrases mean. And the fact that my family has been so involved in the military brings all of it to life to me. So I would say it's less of a performance and it really is an anthem. It really is something that is deeply felt in my heart. And so you all of that, does you know, all of the sacrifice from your family and all of the anilys you know, both today and over generations, is coming through for you through every single work.

4:01 Yes, absolutely, I thank them for their sacrifice and what they've done for for our freedoms and the fact that we can live in such a wonderful place and enjoy life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. We get to do that because of what they've done for us. Yeah, what is next for you? You're you're doing all kinds of stuff all the time. What's next? Well, next, Actually, I'll be still in the in the Washington, DC area, and that not too far In Baltimore, I'm singing Aida and i'd one of my favorite opera roles to sing with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and that's going to be I think it's coming up June thirteen and fifteen, So hope to see you there. Shell. What is it called the plug?

4:42 Oh blood for the opera? And you you know you are. I think it's interesting because in opera you don't often this sounds horrible, but like you're. Young and you're like cool, you know what I mean. So it's like almost like you're like making it cool for future gen and that sort of thing. Do you feel that responsibility. Well, first, thank you for saying that I'm young, because I had a big birthday a few years ago and I definitely feel the not youngness in my body, you know, like the aches and pains of things that happened. So thank you for saying I'm young. And also thank you for saying that I'm cool. I think opera is cool. I think music is cool, and it's it definitely. As Aristotle said, it's the universal language of mankind. So it really does touch people. So hopefully the youngness, the coolness will allow other people who are generations behind us and people today will feel welcomed and invited to the opera, you know. I mean, it's a form of expression. It's a great form of expression, just like what we're doing here today.

5:40 Yeah, awesome, Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Thank you, Kyle, it was so great meeting it nice to teach you to Thank you. Angel Blue such an incredibly talented singer, and like I said in the interview, she's young and she's cool. She's just great. Next up, veteran and country singer songwriter Scotty Hasting. He has an incredible story and here he is to tell it. Scotty Hasting. All right, so we are here at the West Lawn of the US Capitol for National Memorial Day Concert. What does this mean for you? You're you're you know, a veteran, thank you for your service?

6:23 How is that? How is that all playing out in your head right now? Ah? My head is crazy right now. I mean I never thought this should be a thing, but uh, but yeah, I mean, this is this means everything. I mean as a veteran, as someone who has lost some of the greatest people that I've ever known, you know, being able to pay tribute to them and all of the heroes before. I mean, it's it's it's everything, absolutely. And the song you're singing is particularly poignant, you know, as you're performing this, How how is that it's got to be. So hard for you to be playing that song? Yeah, man, it's it's it's if you're trying not to think about it in the moment, or else you get caught up and you start crying, it's you know, it's it's a heavy song, and it's and it's something that I've witnessed firsthand. And uh, and it's it's hard to sing about, but it's something that I feel like needs to be hurt.

7:15 Yeah. Absolutely, And is you know, I feel like and I hope I'm not adding to your stress, but I feel like, you know, you have a voice where you. Are honoring you know, your brothers and sisters both in. Arms and those that we have lost, and you're using your voice to to honor them. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, you know, I'm trying. You know, really, all I want to do from the very beginning of starting music and getting into music and getting signed and all that was I just I want to help somebody with my music and with my story, and hopefully this is a platform where I can hopefully someone hears my story or hears the song that I sing and it helps them a little bit in some way, shape or form.

7:58 And I think they will in your story is absolutely incredible. We'll be talking about it on the show. And but I got to ask you, you know, you've been against the od the odds have been against you so many times. And. Here you are and you're you know, you're booting them all. What what? How? How did that happen for you? Do you know? I think I'm just too hard headed. No, no, you know, it was just I felt like I needed to do something that meant something. You know, I'm on borrowed time, I was, I was shot a bunch of times. I'm grateful to just be able to be breathing every day, let alone be able to do I mean, things that I never thought dream possible, and our dreams for so many other people in and you know, I just try to take every moment in and try to do the good that I can with.

8:47 All of the bad. What is your motto that has gotten you through? Oh, just we're don't forget to do good basically. I mean, that's that's all it's ever been about, is just trying to help somebody. Awesome, thank you saying guys, I really appreciate it. I really appreciate you very much. Thank you, and thank you for your service. Thank you, Scotty Hasty, Thank you sir for your service and for using your voice. As you said, for good. I love that so much. All right, Next up, we have Gretchen Mall. Everybody has been telling me, has been talking about her role in Boardwalk Empire, and I had watched the first episode and then through no fault of the show.

9:31 I thought the show was amazing. I never watched another episode. So since so many people you know on set have been talking about how amazing she is in it and how amazing the show is, I'm bumping it up on my watch list to watch it. So all right, here she is Gretchen Mall. So I am here with Gretchen Mall at the West Lawn of the US Capitol for National Memorial Bay Concert. I just watched you your rehearsal in one tape which you're absolutely killed. How you know this is a real story, such a powerful story.

10:12 How so are you happen to do that? How are you? It's a channel of that right? So beautifully? Thank you. I would actually say the fact that it is real story of a real family, and I loved it. This is it feels like a huge responsibility, but it also allows you to sort of take yourself out of it and any feeling of the result, which is, you know, it's not without that. It's about honoring the family and honoring anyone who's looked or sacrificed their life for this country in service, you know, And so just keeping your thoughts on that. The words are written so beautifully. I think they were coming from interview with Christa herself. So it feels very this and then and then that's easier, that's easier to tap into that. That then the sometimes things that are hard, you.

11:14 Know, right, And what does memorial I'm so sorry that son is like, oh no, here's some book by does Memorial Day. Memorial Day to me is a day of remembrance families, people that have served our country and sacrificed for our country and sacrificed their lives. And I you know, I lived in New York City for many years as an adult, but as a child, some of my favorite memories were those parades and then ending up in the cemetery and the sort of good, the feeling of heaviness. I thought it really touched me as a child, and and I think it's important. I have two children myself, and I think it's so important as part of the day, as part of the weekend to go to that. It's like a service, It's a church service, feels like of the community really saying thank.

12:17 You, I love. And finally, you are in a position where you are able to cheer. Are the types of projects that you do and you've made a curcious decision for my understanding, to choose ones that are closer to your. Home a of New York City. Why has that been important for you? Truth is, well, when my kids were younger, I wanted to stay close by because you don't get. The time back. Really, that's what it is, and that's kind of what days like this remind us, is that really it's the people, your family, the people that are closest to you that matters. I always thought at the end, at the end of the day or the end of your life, you're not going to look back and say, should have taken that job, But it's really about I should have taken that time and spent more time, more real time with people that I love lot less. So I had some feeling about that, but I love work to so it's it's I said that, but I I continue. You know, nobody where I live right now. I still have to travel for work, and my kids are now teenagers and jlue she of course.

13:31 And thank you for speaking with Arkay. Gretchen Mo. She's so sweet. I don't know if you heard, but the sun was like blaring in my eyes and I couldn't see, so I kept having to close my eyes and she's like, do you want to switch with me? Like out? Just such a sweet woman and an incredible actress, and she nailed in rehearsals one take. She did her entire touching performance in one tape, just so so incredible. All right, we're gonna take a quick break. When we come back, I speak with Blair Underwood, Asi Morales, and Gary Sinise.

14:12 I'll see you in sixty all right. Welcome back to Pop Culture Weekly. Thank you for supporting our sponsors that help me bring this show to you each and every week. We are here live on the West Lawn of the US Capitol for National Memorial Day Concert twenty twenty five, airing live on PBS Sunday, May twenty fifth. Next up, incredible actor, awesome guy if you want, and only Blair Underwood. All right, I am here with the one and only Blair Underwood.

14:52 We are at the West Lawn of the US Capitol for National Memorial Day Concert. What does this mean for you? We have fen the stand for while I was uh raising army brat when Na has retired army colonel, so you know the that's it's military and h you know the service and honor and duty to country. It's always been h critical and important in our lives. You know, we grow up a military basis and all that. So you know, to me, my dad is ninety three years old today, still kicking, still going strong, and he is an armed Vietnam VIT. So it's it's not only honoring him, but it's absolutely honoring him, that's my access point. But it's honoring all those men in with it for many different wars and engagements throughout the years. So it's just I think it's something that's very important to do to to remember them and honor them and salute them. And what he'll I'm sure be watching. Yeah, that's got to be a moment for you, right, Yeah, now know what no, it is it is because it's it's because of him. Yeah, you know, so, so I hope he watches, and I know it hits deeply with him. You know, it's a very profound remember it because you know, if you understand he he like a lot of that's didn't talk much about the Vietnam but he asked no specific question about it.

16:11 He'll answer it, but he doesn't like to dwell on it. And still to this day it does like to spend much time thinking about it or sharing those stories, but it cuts the Yeah, while your performance is amazing, the story you're telling is a true story, and it's you know, it's so powerful. It's just one of the you know, millions of stories that are out there that may never be told. That's exactly right, that's you know, these veterans are unsung heroes. And there's say a lot of civilians. It's hard to really understand and appreciate the depth of sacrifice that so many of our men and women throughout the years and to this day take beyond the politics. What I love about this is it's it's a political a lot of the political affiliation. It's about service to this country. Yeah, and honoring, honoring those those men and women. Exactly.

16:58 I can't let you go without asking you. You have a film coming out directed by Rizza. Oh yeah, and you've directed a film viral, viral, Yes, So tell me about those two. Well, viral. We'll see it's in can right now, so we'll see it's an independent film, so we can see. Who buys it. And Rizza's film, who wrote and directed, is called One Spoon of Chocolate and that got into the New York Tribeca Tribeca Film Festival. Yeah. Yeah, yes, we'll be there on two weeks in June eighth and nine. Okay, yeah, so we're excited about that. Awesome, and then we're just waiting on word for for viral to get picked up where we can watch ask exactly right, Well I knew i'd tell you, Yeah, you'll come to me first. Yeah, man, thank you, brother, I appreciate it. Thanks v of course, Claire Underwood love him.

17:46 I can't wait to see his two upcoming films and maybe we'll talk to him about those when they come out as well. Next up, and finally, the hosts of National Memorial Day Concert this year as Simon Morales, hot off of Mission Impossible, Final Reckoning, and Gary Sinise. So let's just get right into that. Aside Morales and Gary Sinise, first of all, thank. You both once again West Lawn and the US Capitol for National Memorial Day Concert. What does this mean to you? It means that it's my humble way to bring the attention that I get and focus it on real heroes.

18:31 We make believe heroes. These folks have given it all, so it's it's a way for me in the least I could do to serve the interests of our country and acknowledge the sacrifices of our heroes. And how about for you, Gary. We've talked before about how Memorial Weekend can be kind of the ballgame and the barbecue and the backyard pool and the day off and all of that, but really this weekend is one of our most important holidays that our nation cherishes because of the people that have sacrificed over the many years to keep us free. And that's what this Memorial Weekend is all about. And that's what's so special about this concert is that it highlights those sacrifices and brings into the consciousness of our fellow citizens that there are a lot of people that have given our lives in service to our country and we should never forget them.

19:29 And you have a special. There's been a special music that has come into your life that is beautiful. Are you able to speak to that a little bit? Sure? You're talking about my son's music, and this year at the concert he passed away, unfortunately in twenty twenty four, and he was just a really tremendous composer and songwriter and he wrote beautiful orchestral music, and they're going to use one of his compositions during. The concert this year. So you know, when the National Symphony or Orchestra said they wanted to do it, I mean, it's just verified for me, it just validated how how good the music is.

20:15 It's really really good music, and so I'm just honored, and I know my son is just smiling away at the fact that they're going to play his piece tonight. I love I love that, and it's a beautiful kind of you know, the universe and God whatever, it's all coming together for such a beautiful thing, for something that you're so passionate about as well. Yeah, yeah, it's amazing. I mean his music is going to be playing up there when y are up there talking, and his music is going to be backing us up as we talk. So it's like Mac is right there on stage. I heard it. It's beautiful and it's going to be hard to keep a dry eye. Thank you both. I really appreciate it. Thank you, sir a.

21:01 Thanks good to see you as well. God bless you. Simur Alis and Garysonees. I am so moved by Gary's openness and authenticness and talking about his son Mac that loss, and how you know he's taking something from it, from that awful horribleness and turning it into something beautiful by you know, continuing to put his music out there. And you know now it's being played by the National Symphony. Orchestra in a piece that will be narrated by his father at National Memorial Day concerts.

21:43 Just unbelievable. All right, that is our show for this episode. As always, the Capitol Concert crew, the production team, publicists, everybody, there is just such a top notch group that just puts on the National Memorial Day Concert is just I really hope that you watch it. It is powerful, it's beautiful, it's touching, and it's an amazing tribute to those brave men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for us, for you, for me, for our rights, for our country.

22:27 National Memorial Day Concert airs live Sunday, May twenty fifth at eight pm on PBS, Facebook, and YouTube, and will be on demand the next two weeks after all right, that's it for this episode until next week. I love you, We thank you for listening to pop Culture Weekly. Here all the latest at popcultureweekly dot com.