The Art Of Kindness Podcast: Making The World A Better Place

I was hired recently to listen to and review several right-wing podcasts on SiriusXM and The Daily Wire. These podcasts are not conservative in the traditional sense because they don't espouse the basic tenets of William F. Buckley and his acolytes. What I listened to was two days of denigrating large swaths of the nation's population. Gays, transgender, climate control advocates, progressives, racial equality advocates, women, and supporters of helping the disadvantaged in our society. These groups were either unholy, groomers, pedophiles, traitors, or just bleeding hearts.

Right after that assignment, I stumbled upon The Art Of Kindness podcast. The show beamed shards of light into my psyche after days of grievance-filled darkness. 

The Art of Kindness (AOK) bills itself as "A positively star-studded podcast that converses with and celebrates artists from all areas of the entertainment industry (Film, TV, Broadway, etc.) who use their platform to make the world a better place. Join The AOK as we sprinkle positivity around like confetti and get to the bottom of what kindness really means through compassionate conversations."

In every episode, host Robert Peterpaul elicits tales from Broadway people about how they sprinkle kindness throughout their world. Peterpaul always asks each guest, "What does kindness mean to you?" He also asks guests how they react to people praising them.

Robert Peterpaul is one of those rare hosts who can be so engaging that, as a listener, you say, "I could listen to him for the entire episode."

Peterpaul could probably carry a one-man show on Broadway. I'd call it, "Peterpaul on Kindness."

As a host, Peterpaul exudes flamboyant energy, crackling with enthusiasm, passion, and a desire to please. He's like a popcorn machine, always bristling with motion and offering his listeners butter on their podcasts.

As an interviewer, Peterpaul channels a gossipy, chatty vibe that relaxes his guests and delights the listeners. Peterpaul bathes in sincerity, and when you hear his life story, you quickly understand that focus on kindness and giving back 

 Robert Peterpaul is an award-winning actor, writer and celebrity interviewer with a passion for storytelling and spreading kindness. A New Jersey native, he discovered his love for the arts at a young age, frequently found either: putting on shows in his living room or browsing the aisles at Blockbuster.

At age 9, Robert made his Off-Broadway debut at the York Theatre and from there was cast in the Broadway musical SEUSSICAL. He has been working in the TV/Film and theatre space ever since. 

Robert Peterpaul has also been a writer for over a decade, writing for major publications and shows such as NBC’s America’s Got Talent, Screen Rant, The Huffington Post, Backstage, Casting Networks, Writer’s Weekly, and HOLA! USA, where he was the Head Weekend Editor for six years. 

Most importantly, Robert Peterpaul is intent on giving back. It's not just rhetoric for the podcast. 

He and his family formed the nonprofit THE THOMAS PETERPAUL FOUNDATION in honor of his late brother Thomas, who passed away from cancer. TPF has helped countless pediatric cancer patients and their families since its inception. Peterpaul notably teamed up with Novartis and spoke before Congress at the US Capitol on behalf of TPF to get the CAR T Cell Therapy approved (read more in the NY Times). In addition, he works for the nonprofit Women In Entertainment, which assists women both working in and aspiring to work in the entertainment industry.

 During episodes of the show, Peterpaul has the foresight to offer listeners a brief summary of the guest's career (usually Broadway), and that is helpful for non-Broadway listeners. In a fun episode with stage actor Stephanie Block, his summary before the interview gave me an intimate sense of how much she has accomplished in her career. 

One of my favorite episodes is with actor Chris Sarandon, who's probably most famous for his role in The Princess Bride, and his voiceover in Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. In the episode, Sarandon tells this story about his daughter as a child, comparing the careers of their fathers. After several children explained their dad's careers -- such as, my dad is a plumber -- Sarandon's daughter exclaimed, "My dad looks for work!" And that, Sarandon noted, is the non-glamorous, gritty reality of being an actor.

Peterpaul is so adept as a host and interviewer that an episode speaking with actor and activist Oliver Reid took place while Reid was inside his gym. With the sound of grunts and weights clinking on the floor, Peterpaul went on as if they were in a soundproof studio. A true professional!

Finally, as a podcast journalist, I thought I knew all the podcast networks, ranging from medium size to the giants like Spotify. 

Was I ever wrong. In researching this podcast, I discovered that The Art Of Kindness is part of the Broadway Podcast Network. 

The Broadway Podcast Network explains itself like this: "We're about creating an engaging, immersive, user-friendly experience where theatre stories of all kinds can be easily found, shared, and enjoyed. Part original programming, part hub for the podcasts you know and love, Broadway Podcast Network is building the perfect hub that includes tremendously talented content creators, all-star hosts, producers, writers, industry leaders, and storytellers of all kinds."

The Broadway Podcast Network offers listeners everything from a  vast range of theatre, TV, and film-related programming, in addition to original radio plays, audio dramas, and even an original soap opera. Podcasts include As The Curtain Rises (a soap opera), The Musicals of Tomorrow, and The Great Game Broadway Game Show.

There's a lot of hate in some news websites and news networks. I recommend a break from name-calling and put-downs, and listen to The Art Of Kindness podcast. You'll discover two things. One, is that kindness, helping others, and caring have not disappeared. Two, is that host Robert Peterpaul was born to be a performer, and he lights the podcast stage with his effervescent hosting skills. 

Even his name -- Robert Peterpaul -- demands attention. After all, who has two first names as a last name? Eat your heart out, Paul Simon. Or is it now Paul SimonPeter?

Got kindness tips or stories? You can email the podcast at:

artofkindnesspodcast@gmail.com