FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lisa Shenkle|MPT |410.439.4695
Elton John, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jane Fonda and Mary Wilson among
My Generation’s Third Season of Inspirational Stories
Living the Dream and How to Make Life Happen, Your Way
Baltimore, MD -- What was Elton John’s “light bulb moment” that made him a change-agent for HIV/AIDS? How did one American woman transform ways the Chinese government nurtures millions of orphaned children?How is 19-timeNBA All-Star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reaching out to a new generation? In Season 3, the Emmy®-nominated My Generation with host Leeza Gibbons goes behind the scenes with some of the world’s most intriguing people and their inspired lives. Produced by AARP in association with Maryland Public Television, the new season ofMy Generation begins airingon public TV stations inMay 2012.
“My Generation is a show for the curious who want to get more out of life –adventure, health and passion,” says host Leeza Gibbons.“Whatever inspiration you need to take on life in your own way- that’s My Generation.”
Mining some of the most unique stories from around the globe, My Generation is both inspired and inspiring. The weekly lifestyle seriesfeatures entertainers, athletes and public figures finding purpose beyond the stardust and living happily in their ‘second and third acts.’
My Generation’s exclusive interview with Elton John reveals what’s really behind his platform shoes and diamond-studded eyewear. In an emotional conversation with special contributor Martina Navratilova,Elton John discusses his past inner demons, the spark that motivated him to save lives, and becoming a new father. It’s an intimate look at the legend and how he morphed from demanding pop star to HIV/AIDS advocate.
Viewers will learn the ways of wisdom from Desmond Tutu, Clint Eastwood, Judi Dench, Jane Goodall, Nick Nolte, Madeleine Albright and Robert Redford through author and filmmaker Andrew Zuckerman’s worldwide wisdom project. They will also find out why E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren is tap dancing and how Wayne Rogers of M*A*S*H fame is enjoying sweet success in the bridal gown industry.
“My Generation provides a spark of optimism and encouragement combined with inspiring profiles of individuals who make a difference by giving back and connecting with others,” says Executive Producer David Pepper. “These stories prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that living a happy, healthy life while generating positive change is possible at any age.”
In the Power of One, a show dedicated to the notion of one person making a difference, My Generation travels to Ghana with a Maryland man who earned the title “Chief Living Water“from the villagers to whom he brought clean drinking water. Plus, viewers willexperience the story of Jenny Bowen, a Hollywood screenwriter and director who traveled to China to adopt a baby and ultimately developed training programs forevery one of the country’s child welfare workers.
Proving that taking a detour can lead to new passions, Linda Evans shares how she left the popular Dynasty TV series to find a more fulfilling sense of purpose away from Hollywood. Evanstells My Generation,“I wouldn’t trade my wisdom to be younger for anything in the world.” Similarly, viewers willfind out what violin virtuoso and conductor Itzhak Perlman is learning from his students.
In association with Maryland Public Television,My Generation is produced by AARP, a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in their lives. Under Executive ProducerDavid Pepper, the staff is comprised of an outstanding team of top contributors from across the country and around the world. Veteran producers from ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, MTV, Discovery, History, NPR, PBS and BBC bring with them major industry awards including Emmy®, Peabody, DuPont and Edward R. Murrow doing what they do best - crafting positive, inspiring stories about people who want to get the most out of life. For more information go to
My Generation’spartner programInside E Street, also an AARP production in association with Maryland Public Television, is hosted by Emmy® Award-winning journalist Lark McCarthy who brings 30 years of experience to her interviews as an anchor, investigator and public affairs journalist. She is a former White House correspondent for ABC and a CBS News Nightwatch anchor. For more info:
Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a leading producer and distributer of national public television programming to the 350 member stations of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). MPT boasts more than a 40-year legacy of groundbreaking and innovative contributions to national PBS and public television schedules nationwide.
# # #