Set Lusting Bruce: The Bruce Springsteen Fan Podcast

Host Jesse Jackson welcomes Holly Cantos, co-host of the mostly ’80s music show What Difference Does It Make? Podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation that moves beyond Bruce Springsteen into radio, fandom, and podcasting. Holly shares her early love of AM radio after moving from New York to Los Angeles, her career behind the scenes in radio syndication and production, and how her parents’ music shaped her broad tastes. She recounts discovering U2 on the 1983 War tour, seeing them across every tour, and a highlight at the Sphere, plus taking her son to Bono’s Stories of Surrender. Holly and Jesse discuss how her podcast began in 2018, evolved through studio recording and pandemic-era Zoom access to guests, and the challenges of monetization and audience engagement. They close with Holly’s Springsteen memories and her view that Mary gets in the car in “Thunder Road.”

https://www.wddimpodcast.com/

00:00 Welcome and Setup

01:55 Holly’s Radio Roots

05:21 Parents and Early Music

08:28 AM to FM Era

12:52 Discovering U2 Live

20:03 Concert Memories and Family

24:02 Podcast Mission and Format

27:51 Starting the Show Fast

31:44 Podcasting Advice and Growth

36:23 Guests and Great Interviews

38:33 Money Downloads and Rejection

41:26 Respectful Declines

41:46 Springsteen Intimidation

42:40 Ranking 80s Icons

46:08 Barry Manilow Stories

47:38 Podcast Growth Goals

51:04 Community Over Downloads

54:11 U2 Sphere Highlights

56:31 Bruce Live Memories

01:00:22 Music Tied to Family

01:06:24 Thunder Road Debate

01:08:32 Plugging The Podcast

01:11:51 Wrapping Up Goodbye
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Host Jesse Jackson welcomes author and former teacher Sara Goodman-Confino to Set Lusting Bruce to talk Bruce Springsteen, fandom, and fiction. Sara shares her path from 21 years teaching to writing full-time, her Springsteen origin story rooted in hearing “Atlantic City” during a difficult college week, and her family’s deep reading culture. She recounts seeing Bruce live (including being pulled onstage in Charlottesville in 2012 with a “Can I dance with Jake?” sign), attending dozens of shows, favorite songs and albums (especially Born to Run and “Backstreets”), and sending Bruce a copy of her novel Don’t Forget to Write featuring a brief Bruce cameo. They discuss Sara’s focus on humorous, intergenerational stories with strong female characters and “Jewish joy,” including why she writes Jewish characters beyond suffering narratives and how her novels highlight the recentness of women’s legal and social limitations. Sara previews upcoming projects, including her June 9 release Off the Record about a young woman in a 1960s newspaper typing pool who uncovers a Cuban spy plot, plus a planned 2027 novel centered on the Beatles’ first U.S. concert after Ed Sullivan. Find more about her and her books here - https://saraconfino.com/

00:00 Welcome to Set Lusting Bruce + Meet Author Sara Goodman Canino

00:53 From Teacher to Full-Time Writer: Beyond the Palace Origins

03:54 Growing Up with Books & Classic Rock (and Early Bruce Memories)

05:24 The Springsteen Mix CD That Got Her Through Grief

10:13 Writing Strong Women & Finding Her Voice (Humor, Publishing, Historical Fiction)

13:29 Jewish Joy on the Page: Representation Beyond Trauma

16:28 Intergenerational Healing: The Mother-in-Law Story Behind Good Grief

19:24 New Release Spotlight: Off the Record—Jewish Romcom Meets Cold War Spy Thriller

23:00 Why the Early ’60s Still Matters: Women’s Rights, Research, and Remembering History

27:34 Why These Stories Matter (Especially for Younger Readers)

29:04 Next Novel Tease: The 1964 DC Beatles Show + A Photographer’s Big Break

31:12 Switching Gears to Bruce: The ‘Dance with Jake’ Sign & Getting Pulled Onstage

34:20 Counting Shows & Favorite Springsteen Songs (Born to Run, Backstreets, Sandy)

37:29 Have You Met Bruce? Mailing Him a Book + The New Jersey Cameo

39:27 Family Concert Memories: Dad, Uncle, and the Legendary Ticket Scores

42:46 What’s Next as a Writer: Secret Projects, Building an Audience & Future Horror Book

44:09 Thunder Road Debate: Does Mary Get in the Car? (Plus ‘Waves’ vs ‘Sways’)

44:58 Where to Find Sara: Socials, Website, Buying Options & Final Wrap-Up

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Jesse Jackson welcomes back author **Ann Abel**, whose memoir *High Hopes* Jesse calls one of his favorite reads of 2025.

Abel—who discovered Bruce Springsteen at age 59—shares the extraordinary story behind her book: how a lifetime of severe depression, the loss of her teaching career, and a desperate need for structure pushed her to book a solo trip to Australia for **eight Springsteen shows across five cities in 26 days**. What began as an escape from “the abyss” became a journey of fear, resilience, connection, and unexpected joy.

Ann recounts:

- **Battling self‑doubt and loneliness** while navigating a foreign country alone

- A terrifying night stranded after the Hunter Valley show when her driver vanished and her flip phone died

- Quiet, intimate moments of being “invisible” in hotel lobbies near E Street Band members

- Meeting Bruce’s longtime manager **Barbara Carr**, the conversations that followed, and the fundraiser where Ann won a silent auction to **co‑host SiriusXM’s E Street Radio with Dave Marsh**

- The months of intense rock‑history study she undertook to prepare—and the unforgettable on‑air moment when she corrected a punk‑rock attribution

- How storytelling open mics and winning a **Moth StorySLAM** helped her break through writer’s block and finally write *High Hopes*

- Seeing the Springsteen movie and feeling deeply validated hearing Bruce speak openly about struggle

- The concert moments that changed her life, including “Dream Baby Dream” and Bruce’s reminder that “It’s all right to have a good time”

Ann also talks about her recent **TEDx talk**, her unexpected rise as a late‑in‑life social‑media creator with **750,000 followers and multiple viral videos**, her upcoming travels, and the joy of becoming a grandparent. She closes by sharing where listeners can follow her work online.

This is an episode about music, survival, reinvention, and the way Bruce Springsteen’s art can crack open a life at any age.
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Feeling the pinch from ticket prices? Remember, wisdom can be found in every decision. Don't miss my take on making peace with concert costs and loving the music, wherever you are! 🌟 #SetLustingBruce #ConcertWisdom

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"I've got a battle ahead with prostate cancer, but with an excellent prognosis and your support, I'm ready. Join me in spreading love, sending good vibes, and sharing tunes for my F Cancer playlist. 🎧🙏 #ProstateCancerAwareness #MusicHeals"
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