Interviewed on Neyom Friday, the actor who plays Billy Black—whose son is werewolf Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner)—offers his take on why Twilight is so captivating and addictive to audiences the world over.

“It’s the story of Romeo and Juliet. I think people tap into the heart more than anything. And that’s what they feel, even if it is a fantasy story,” Gil tells host Neyom Friday.

“It’s been spoken of before, but nobody has ever witnessed it or experienced it,” Gil (above with Taylor) tells us of Jacob’s transformation into a werewolf in “New Moon."

“It speaks to the longing that I think we all have, to love and to wanna be loved—and higher aspirations of ourselves.

“That’s why I feel proud to be part of it: It’s not filled with graphic violence or gratuitous sex. It makes you feel good.”

Gil also chats about the hit flick’s forthcoming sequels, New Moon and Eclipse.

“I’m so happy that the storyline’s gonna follow more of ‘the puppy pack,’ as I call them, and the wolves and the development of the story with my son, Jacob,” he says.

“We just finished filming Eclipse and it’s very, very rare to do two films so close together like we did. Sometimes you forget your scenes— when you did what and in which movie.”

And when it comes to comparing himself to his signature character, Gil gets downright weepy.

“There’s a lot of parts of Billy that are like myself,” he says.

“But Billy carries a secret of his people, of his tribe. And I think that’s why I relate to Sitting Bull and people that have—where did they find the courage to be able to see themselves and guide their people in a way that they know they can survive and be healthy and happy, given the circumstances that they encounter?

“That’s Billy’s challenge. And it’s a very personal thing because he loves his son so much. And he knows what his son’s gonna go through.

“But the beauty of Stephenie Meyers and her writing and the way she’s integrated the Native Americans into this plot is that the only reason they even transform [into werewolves] is to protect the people and to protect the land, which is one of the major values of the Native culture in general, and always has been.”

To hear Gil’s full interview, click here.

Funnyman Steve Guttenberg’s plea for more screen time came a bit too late.

But Movie Addict Headquarters listeners loved it all the same.

"I know that Ravi and I are going to make more movies together," Steve (above) tells us.

Earlier today on the show, host Betty Jo Tucker was chatting with indy writer-director-actor Dr. Ravi Godse—who’s also a real-life physician—about his new comedy, If It Ain’t Broke, Break It, when a surprise guest called in with some criticism.

That guest, as you may have guessed, was none other than Steve himself, who plays the lead in the flick.

“Ravi, what aren’t I in more close-ups? I should have more close-ups. I don’t know why there aren’t more close-ups of me?” the Police Academy staple raged.

Ravi’s response?

“OK, I’ll fire the editor! Anything for you, buddy.”

From there, it was nothing but love, as Steve gushed about the good doctor, whose previous silver-screen titles include I Am a Schizophrenic and So Am I (2008) and Dr. Ravi & Mr. Hyde (2007).

“I gotta tell you how talented a director Ravi is, how much he reminds me of the guys working today, like Judd Apatow and Peter Segal, who are great comedy directors, and also put inside their movies lots of touching moments and heart.

“He reminds me of when Rob Reiner used to do When Harry Met Sally, and those type of movies.”

Co-starring Richard Kind, If It Ain’t Broke, Break It, tells the story of a who doctor discovers that he has just six months to live, so he sets about trying to improve the lives of six pals in the match-making, career and personality departments.

To hear Ravi and Steve’s full interview, click here.

To read more about If It Ain’t Broke, Break It, which opens November 6, click here.

This new feature allows you to:

Download Skype.

—Easily dial into your show with a Skype-to-Skype call directly from the switchboard.

—Enhance the quality of your audio broadcast.

—Avoid domestic and international phone charges.

It’s easy to get started. If you already have a Skype account, you’ll just need to click on the Skype logo on the switchboard to initiate your Skype-to-Skype call.

If you don’t have a Skype account, you’ll just need to download the Skype software and go through a brief registration process.

To get more details about this new feature, visit our online FAQ, or contact us at service@blogtalkradio.com.

"I've been blessed to have that kind of mother," Rhonda says of Diana (above). "A mother who wanted the best for me."

You can’t hurry grandkids, as Diana Ross learned this year.

But now that the pop legend has finally got one, she’s tickled pink.

So reports her daughter, Rhonda Ross Kendrick, whose dad is Motown Records founder Berry Gordy.

Interviewed tonight on Timothy Hodge, Rhonda chats about giving birth to her son, Raif-Henok Emmanuel Kendrick, on Aug. 7, and how her mom has reacted to the bundle of joy.

“This is the first grandchild. It took us a long time—I mean, you know—but what are you gonna do?” Rhonda, who has been married to jazz pianist Rodney Kendrick since 1996, tells host Timothy Hodge.

“So my mom is thrilled. She is beyond thrilled. And it’s been so amazing because my mother—some people know, some people don’t—my mother is and was a very, very hands-on mother.

“From my birth, it didn’t matter what performances she had at night, she was always up for breakfast in the morning, she got us ready for school, she was there if we were sick.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for this little person to have what he needs to achieve in his life," Rhonda (above, with Rodney) tells us of three-month-old Raif.

“And that continued with my two younger brothers [Evan Ross and Ross Arne Naess], who are now just 21 and 22. I got to witness her really be hands-on with them,” Rhonda, 38, adds of Diana, 65.

“Now she gets a chance to be that kind of a hands- on grandmother. She’s so good with my son, it’s amazing.

“Throughout my pregnancy, she was able to be here on the East Coast with me. She came to every doctor’s appointment with me. She really was so hands-on and so supportive and so encouraging of me,” adds Rhonda, who played Toni Burrell on Another World.

“And because I have that relationship with her, and I’m doing my best to emulate that relationship with my son, I feel so excited.”

On Nov. 12, Rhonda will host It’s A Love Thing! an annual fundraising gala that benefits Hearts of Gold, a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance the lives of New York City’s homeless mothers and their children. Also scheduled to appear at the NYC event will be Hearts of Gold board members Vanessa Williams, Marcia Gay Harden and Soledad O’Brien.

To learn more about It’s A Love Thing! click here.

To hear Rhonda’s full interview tonight at 9 p.m. ET, click here.

For those of you who think the BlogTalkRadio guest roster is populated by nothing but Oscar winners, Emmy winners, Grammy winners, Tony winners, Pulitzer Prize winners, Nobel Prize winners, Olympic gold medalists and so on, think again. Because, thanks to Larry Suttles, we’ve also got names like Nick Mutton, who’s a prominent python breeder; Dave Kaufman, who directed Herpers, the first feature-length documentary on reptile culture; and Will Bird and Phil Peak, who penned the new book, A Snake Hunting Guide II. Since launching Reptile Radio two years ago, Larry and his sidekick, Brian “BT” Taylor, have become the go-to guys for news and info on the pet-reptile industry. And though Larry knew little about pythons when he began collecting the creatures in 2004, today he’s the proud owner of Bluegrass Reptiles, a Louisville, Ky.-based company that breeds and sells snakes and rodents. Now do us proud and put your tails claws hands together for Mr. Larry Suttles…

Larry: Lookin' sssssslick at the 2009 National Reptile Breeders Expo.

Give us a 15-second pitch for your show - why should listeners tune in?

Reptile Radio covers everything reptile hobbyists need to know. If you’re interested in reptiles on any level, you’ll find the show to be a wealth of information. Guests include the top herpetologists, breeders and keepers the world has to offer. [Editor's Note: Herpetology is the branch of zoology dealing with reptiles and amphibians, which we know because we just Googled it  We also Googled "breeders," but we'll refrain from repeating what that search turned up.]

Tell us two things listeners would be surprised to learn about you?

I’m a full-time police officer. That has never been revealed on the program before. [Editor's Note: Thanks for the scoop!]

Who’s your broadcasting hero?

Alex Jones! Ha-ha. [Editor's Note: Alex Jones is nationally-syndicated talk-radio host based in Austin, Texas, who is known to espouse right-wing ideologies. As for his views on snakes, we haven't the foggiest, though we suspect there's a joke in there whose punch line contains the word "Democrat."]

If you could book any person on earth as a guest on your show, who would it be and why?

The ultimate guest would have been Steve “The Crocodile Hunter” Erwin, may he rest in peace. Steve did huge things for the reptile industry, and we’re all so grateful to him for that. In fact, without Steve, Reptile Radio most likely wouldn’t have had the success it’s had. He was a great, down-to-earth man, and his passion and enthusiasm would’ve no doubt made for the all-time greatest interview.

As we speak, what are you wearing?

Spider-Man boxers with a coffee stain on the right leg. [Editor's Note: No comment.]

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever done while in the middle of hosting your show.

I’ve cut open snake eggs a couple of times now. Then again, that’s pretty normal to us weirdoes. [Editor's Note: Still, we'd like to think there was no bacon or cheese involved.]

To sample Reptile Radio, click here.

To check out the Bluegrass Reptiles website, click here.

To read all our SoundBits profiles, click here.

Equally as often, big names take the time to address issues of a social nature. And so, for your listening pleasure and edification alike, we’ve woven together a socially-conscious edition of The Daily Mix.

On tonight’s show you will learn:

"Our foremothers and forefathers always kept the heat on the system, even if they were not armed with guns or baseball bats," says Bill (above).

—What comic Bill Cosby is referring to when he says, “You do not participate as a parent when you think the school system is going to do it for you.”

—When former E! News anchor Steve Kmetko—who now works for a website that connects the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community to local events—says, “She’s just there to do a good job. She’s not there because of her sexual orientation,” who he’s talking about.

—Who Beauty Shop star LisaRaye is chastising when she tells us, “They think our stories are ‘ghetto’ or ‘in the hood’ or only depicted to be in the black population. And that’s not true.”

—Why acclaimed poet Nikki Giovanni tells us, “The election of Barack Obama does not say there is no more racism, but it does say that black people have made changes, and the changes have been for the better.”

—How Good Hair star Chris Rock helped Nia Long come to the conclusion that “Women have a choice about how they want to look.”

So don’t miss The Mix, hosted by everyone’s favorite pod jockey, Shaun Daily, tonight—and every Monday—at 9 p.m. ET!

To tune in, click here.

If ever there were a time when family time was money—and less of both to boot—that time is now. Or more simply (albeit crudely) put: It’s a bitch out there for moms.

Fortunately, this week’s Blurb! Book of the Week honoree, Kristin Delfau, can help.

Kristin: For whom the clock tick$.

For her 272-page Turbo-Mom’s Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time “is written for women who need to save both time and money—while living in constant ‘turbo mode’ to squeeze everything into a 24-hour day.”

“We’re managing our households, taking care of our kids, holding down a job or two, sometimes with help from spouses and sometimes not,” says Kristin.

“How many hours do you spend trying to save money— and then realize that the effort and time outweighed the savings? Turbo-Mom isn’t about color-coding your closet or 101 uses for baking soda,” adds the Danbury, Conn., resident.

“It’s for the Turbo-mom who needs to be able to pick up this book, use it as a concise but informative guide on her chosen topic, and be on her way to saving money—and hopefully get a laugh or two along the way.”

A Turbo-mom herself, Kristin is not only a Fulbright scholar and member of the National Association of Tax Professionals, but owner of Delfau Tax and Financial Services.

So when she talks, we listen—just as you can do today at 12:30pm ET when Blurb! hosts Sally Shields and Dr. Kent welcome her to their show.

Each week, Sally and Dr. Kent review not books but prerecorded pitches from five writers in one genre whose literary works are hot off the presses.

And each scribe gets a mere three minutes to convince our resident critics that theirs is the book worth cracking. But if they succeed, they capture the coveted Book of the Week title.

That means Sally and Dr. Kent post it prominently on the Blurb! website, just as they did with Kristin’s book.

To top it all off, the winning author gets a guest spot on the show, during which to pitch his or her book live to listeners worldwide.

To tune into Blurb!, click here.

To hear Kristin’s winning blurb and learn more about Blurb!—including how to submit your pitch for an upcoming show—click here.

To read more about Kristin and Turbo-Mom, click here.

To see all our Blurb! Book of the Week winners to date, click here.

Today’s PR props go to Maegan Carberry—for being the latest BlogTalkRadio personality to hit the national press.

The co-host (with Ted Johnson and Teresa Valdez Klein) of Wilshire & Washington spoke to U.S. News & World Report recently for its Nov. 1 feature headlined “The Youth Movement: Confident, entrepreneurial, and socially conscious, generation Y begins to show the sure—if just a bit different—makings of leadership.”

Maegan: Makin' news.

Therein, Meagan finds herself mentioned alongside two of the most prominent names in the social-media industry.

“Companies are losing millions of dollars because of turnover and worrying over how to retain young talent long enough to move them into management positions,” writes reporter Amanda Ruggeri.

“An upside to all that is generation Y’s entrepreneurial streak. Combined with millennials’ tech savvy, the same confidence that’s irking managers is creating wunderkinder like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg or WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg, both 25.

“‘The value system in America says you should be in an office from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, in khaki pants at your cubicle. That’s not necessarily effectiveness,’ says New York City’s Maegan Carberry, 29, who left her journalism job for a more patchwork path of blogging for sites like the Huffington Post, cohosting a radio program for BlogTalkRadio, founding the microblog Truu Confessions, and writing a book on millennial communication.

“‘We want to do things differently.’”

To read the full U.S. News report, pick up the magazine the oldfangled way—on newsstands nationwide.

To check out Wilshire & Washington, click here.

Interviewed on Film Festival Radio, the former child model reveals what it’s like cohabitating with the carnivore she calls Voodoo—who’s nearly as tall as she is.

Bella: Cool with canine creature.

“[Wolves] are known to scare away people in your yard. But Voodoo’s like, ‘Come here, guys! Let me show you to the door.  Come inside!’” she tells host Janice Malone.

“The funniest thing about having a wolf is that they’re so, like, not what you think when you hear, I have a wolf—even though his howl is kinda really scary. Because when he was attacked by two pit bulls, he got his jugular removed,” adds Bella, who has replaced Jolean Wejbe in the role of Tancy Henrickson on HBO’s polygamous-family drama Big Love, Season 4 of which gets under way January 10.

“His howl used to be like, ‘How-ooooo!’ Now it’s like ‘Argg-rrrrrr!’ It’s actually pretty funny when he howls and you’re on the phone.  I’m like, ‘Voodoo! I’m on the phone!’ Then he’ll go ‘argg-rrrrrr!” and try to snip at me, but his snips don’t hurt. It kinda tickles.”

When asked if she plans to bring Voodoo to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre tonight for the opening of Forget Me Not—which co-stars Hannah Montana’s Cody Linley, Sonny with a Chance’s Jillian Murray and Camp Rock: The Final Jam’s Chloe Bridges—Bella says:

“I don’t think I should bring him to the screening, because if there’s any pit bulls there, there will be a problem. He’ll just eat them.

“But he’s really nice when you meet him. If you give him a hot dog or scratch under his neck where he likes it, he’ll love you forever.”

To hear Bella’s full interview, click here.

"At the end of the day, we have to do the things that make us feel great," Nia (above) tells us of beauty enhancements.

The longing for long, lustrous locks isn’t limited to African American ladies.

So says Nia Long, who’s among the A-list sisters interviewed in Good Hair, Chris Rock’s hilarious new documentary that “explores the wonders of African American hairstyles.”

Interviewed on Timothy Hodge, the actress, who has appeared in such hit flicks as Boyz n the Hood, Soul Food and Big Momma’s House, offers her take on terrific tresses.

“Good hair is hair that’s shiny and healthy. And for all my sisters out there who weave it in, that’s good hair. too,” Nia tells host Timothy Hodge.

“[Good Hair] is not about chastising or criticizing women who choose extensions. It’s really about acceptance, and understanding what makes you feel comfortable.

“If I put extensions in my hair, it’s usually for work. Or it could just be that I’m in the mood to have long hair,” she continues.

“Hair is a huge business in the black community. But also it’s something that women talk about secretly and quietly amongst themselves.

“We shouldn’t be ashamed of our beauty choices. We aren’t the only people gettin’ hair weaves. White women get hair weaves. Black women get hair weaves. Asian women get hair weaves.

“It’s a part of our beauty culture these days.”

To hear Nia’s full interview, click here.

To check out the Good Hair trailer, click here.