10.3.25 The connection between conscience, culture, and revival, Arsenio Orteza on the soundtrack for Reagan, and competitive rock skimming

Summary

The World and Everything In It (Oct 3, 2025)

Episode Summary:
This episode explores the intersections of conscience, culture, and spiritual revival in America, discusses the surprising contributors to the “Reagan” movie soundtrack, and captures the joy and competitive spirit of rock skimming in Pennsylvania. The hosts, along with guest Katie McCoy, engage in timely discussions about the implications of AI in media, the contours of current spiritual revival, and honor the late preacher Voddie Bauckham. Additional reporting provides in-depth looks at both music and community traditions.

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Main Segment 1: Culture Friday – AI Actors, Conscience, and Revival

[06:40 - 21:24]

The Rise of AI in Hollywood

• Discussion kicks off around "Tilly Norwood," an AI-generated actress starring in a fully AI-written comedy sketch.
• Hosts and guest Katie McCoy delve into both business and ethical anxieties caused by this innovation:
  • Katie McCoy [08:11]:
    “This is actually pretty terrifying ... we've long been desensitized to the idea of dividing parts of the human identity. So why should the simulation of a body have any meaning? … we are sleepwalking into a nightmare.”
  • The discussion covers how AI blurs real vs. virtual reality, with real-time consequences for both the entertainment industry and society's understanding of personhood:
  • Katie McCoy [10:25]:
    “The difference is quite simply that animation, we recognize that we're seeing in animation. With these AI creations, it's designed so that you don't realize you're looking at an artificial construction of a human being.”
• The proliferation of AI raises significant ethical concerns, especially with regard to objectification and commodification, such as the emergence of “cyber brothels” in Germany.

The Human Image: Theology and AI

• Katie McCoy articulates a biblical worldview:
  • Katie McCoy [11:41]:
    “At the core of it … humanity is in the image of God, has a capacity for a relationship with God. … An AI is not in the image of God. It's in the image of man.”

Potential Silver Linings?

• Michael Knowles’s tongue-in-cheek suggestion that AI may save some women from the pitfalls of Hollywood is quickly teased out for deeper implications:
  • Katie McCoy [12:40]:
    “Women are still going to have their lives ruined through the increasing objectification and commoditization ... through the advancement of AI.”

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Are We Experiencing a Revival?

• Attention turns to the question of spiritual revival in America, drawing on comments from John Stonestreet and influential pastors:
  • John Stonestreet emphasized the hallmarks of true revival:
    “Jesus is exalted, sin is abhorred and repented of. … It's happening in churches with highly doctrinal preaching, strong preaching, and it's happening among young people.” [14:24]
  • Josh Howerton’s assertion that political conservatism fosters Christian growth is discussed:
    • Josh Howerton [15:06]:
      “When political conservatism spreads, more people become Christians... Conservatism in general calibrates the conscience in such a way that it pushes people toward the God from whom the principles came.”
• Katie McCoy agrees that revival is happening and ties it to the societal roles of law, moral order, and mediating community institutions:
  • Katie McCoy [16:05]:
    “We’re seeing people come to Christ. … There’s an emphasis on faith, family, personal responsibility, respect for authority [in conservatism] … These mediating institutions ... provide far more social cohesion ... and loyalty.”
  • Quotes John Adams:
    “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” [18:53]

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Remembering Voddie Bauckham

• Tributes given to preacher Voddie Bauckham, recently passed at 56:
  • Katie McCoy [19:23]:
    “Anytime you can still remember what a preacher said 20 years later, you know, there was something really special about it… he told us things I had never heard before, like how reliable Scripture was… It bolstered my faith.”
  • She recalls Bauckham’s signature line:
    “It's not true because it works. It works because it's true.”

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Main Segment 2: Soundtrack to a President – “Reagan” Music Feature

[22:34 - 30:28]

What’s New on the Reagan Biopic Albums

• Music critic Arsenio Orteza reviews two newly released albums tied to the Ronald Reagan biopic:
  • The “official motion picture soundtrack” and an album of “Songs Inspired by the Film.”
  • Notable tracks:
    • Scott Stapp (Creed) – “Swinging on a Star”
    • Mariah – “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen”
    • Robert Davi – Sinatra classics
    • Commodores, Kathie Lee Gifford, and more– new love songs reflecting the Reagan/Nancy romance
  • Arsenio Orteza [23:45]:
    “One is the official motion picture soundtrack, the other an album of songs inspired by the film. … The good news is that the albums were worth the wait.”

Noteworthy Musical Cameos

• Bob Dylan records “Don’t Fence Me In” for the film’s credits:
  • Mark Joseph, producer [28:58]:
    “Don't Fence Me In kind of summarizes both Bob and Ronald Reagan in one swoop. You can't predict what Bob Dylan's gonna do next … and the same with Ronald Reagan.”
• Gene Simmons of KISS covers “Stormy Weather” after a private screening.
• The soundtrack is lauded for variety and star power, drawing a parallel between the unpredictability of its contributors and Reagan himself.
• Story of Lauryn Hill’s emotional response and impromptu song-writing for previous collaborations is recalled.

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Main Segment 3: Competitive Rock Skimming – A Slice of Americana

[30:55 - 37:25]

The Rockin’ River Festival, Franklin, Pennsylvania

• Amy Lewis reports from the annual rock-skipping competition:
  • Young competitors, “Sully” (7) and Ben (8), battled for the kids’ trophy, with winning skips of 29 and 31, respectively.
  • Sully [31:32]:
    “I would have got first if Ben wouldn't get 31 … He was still going to share the fudge with me though.”
• The culture and science of rock skipping:
  • Kurt Steiner, world champion (record: 88 skips):
    • Kurt Steiner [32:41]:
      “88 clear skips … judges ... gave an 88 and an 89 and a 90. So I submitted the 88 for the record.”
  • Steiner discusses technique: targeting near the body, unique middle finger grip.
• International perspectives:
  • UK “skimming” focuses on distance; Japan highlights aesthetics; Allegheny’s festival draws global and local amateurs alike.
• Contestant Katina Earhart on teaching and perfecting the art:
  • Katina Earhart [34:06]:
    “Find the biggest, bulkiest, weirdest shaped rock … and say, I'm gonna get two skips out of this. Start throwing things that shouldn't skip, and then you find a flat rock and like, ooh, that sails.”
• Festival finale:
  • Steiner wins again with 41 skips; Ben and Sully aspire to ‘professional’ level.
  • Ben [36:59]:
    “My favorite part, I could find my 31 … like, went straight, so I try to find it.”
  • Advice for beginners: plant your feet, throw at an angle, don’t aim flat.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “This is actually pretty terrifying… we are sleepwalking into a nightmare.” – Katie McCoy on AI actors [08:11]
• “It’s a great opportunity… to talk about what is truly a human being.” – Katie McCoy [11:41]
• “When political conservatism spreads, more people become Christians... Conservatism in general calibrates the conscience” – Josh Howerton [15:06]
• “Anytime you can still remember what a preacher said 20 years later ... there was something really special about it.” – Katie McCoy on Voddie Bauckham [19:23]

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Episode Flow & Highlights

• [00:05–06:32]: News headlines (terrorist attack in England, U.S. policy on drug cartels, government shutdown, market news, earthquake in the Philippines, Ten Commandments law in Texas)
• [06:32–21:24]: Culture Friday with Katie McCoy (AI in Hollywood, spiritual revival, tribute to Voddie Bauckham)
• [22:34–30:28]: Reagan biopic soundtrack feature – Arsenio Orteza
• [30:55–37:25]: Competitive rock skimming at Rockin’ River Festival – Amy Lewis
• [37:25–End]: Wrap-up, credits, encouragement to worship and sign-off

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Tone & Style

The episode combines thoughtful, measured cultural analysis (grounded in Christian worldview) with both joyful Americana storytelling and critical engagement of new technologies. The tone is reflective, sometimes witty, with a respectful and conversational style.

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Useful for listeners who missed the show:
This summary covers all key discussions, highlights moments of humor and insight, and offers direct quotes for the core takeaways—a deep dive into AI’s impact on culture, the signs and implications of revival, appreciation for Christian thinkers past and present, and a vivid community portrait of an age-old sport.

Transcript

[Myrna Brown]

Good morning. Today on Culture Friday, teams are normally.

[Katie McCoy]

Passed down from parents to offspring.

[Myrna Brown]

Not mine.

[Katie McCoy]

I'm built on everything that came before me.

[Myrna Brown]

Hollywood's new it girl isn't even human. She's AI. And what will this new art form do to our humanity?

[Nick Eicher]

Katie McCoy is standing by. Also today, two new Reagan soundtracks are out and the contributors may surprise you.

[Kent Covington]

He's got thousands of fans who were asked, why in the world are you on a Reagan soundtrack? And I can't give you a definitive answer either.

[Nick Eicher]

Later, holding hands and skimming stones.

[Myrna Brown]

It's Friday, October 3rd. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Iker. Good morning.

[Myrna Brown]

Up next, Kent Covington with today's news.

[Kent Covington]

In northern England, police are still investigating a deadly terrorist attack near Manchester that killed at least two people. A man drove a car into people outside of a synagogue on Thursday, then exited the vehicle and continued his attack with a knife. British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmoud.

[Katie McCoy]

I am horrified by the anti Semitic attack. Terrorist attack at a synagogue on the holiest day, the Jewish calendar. My prayers are with the victims and the families of all of those who are murdered here today.

[Kent Covington]

Officers shot and killed the suspect at the scene. The assailant was a British citizen of Syrian descent. Police also arrested three suspects, two men and one woman on suspicion of commission preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism. No word yet on how they may have been connected to the attack. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack and lamented that right now in the uk, Jewish buildings, synagogues, even schools require round the clock protection where dedicated specialist security is necessary because of the daily threat of anti Semitic hatred. He said that anti Semitic hatred is rising once again and Britain must stand up to it. President Trump says the United States is in an armed conflict with drug cartels. The president sent a memo to Congress declaring that armed conflict, he says military actions against drug cartels fall under his duty to protect Americans. And he told reporters, we had a.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Lot of drugs coming in through water.

[Nick Eicher]

We call it water drugs.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

So we hit a number of boats. You probably saw that. And since we did that, we have.

[Nick Eicher]

Absolutely no drugs coming into our country via water.

[Kent Covington]

And he said his administration is looking now at how to hit cartels harder on land as well. The administration now classifies major cartels as terrorist groups and states that the US Is in a non international armed conflict with them. The Memo references a September 15th strike on a Caribbean vessel tied to drug trafficking, warning that these groups could kill Americans. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, argue the move exceeds executive powers by using military force against criminal networks. And in Washington, a war of words continues between Democrats and Republicans. On Day three of the government shutdown, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries blamed Republicans and they have zero interest, zero.

[Katie McCoy]

In.

[Kent Covington]

Providing high quality, affordable and accessible care. He said Republicans must come to the negotiating table and consider Democrats demands. But Speaker Mike Johnson says passing a clean bill that temporarily continues the funding that was already in place is the only path forward. Gosh, I would have loved to have loaded this up with Republican conservative limited government proposals, but we didn't do that because I needed to maintain the high ground, he says. Those policy differences can be debated separately once the government has been reopened. Wall street did not appear to be too bothered by the shutdown, surging to new record highs at closing, World's Benjamin Eicher has more Tech shares led the way Thursday after OpenAI announced a new.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Partnership in South Korea for its Stargate AI project.

[Kent Covington]

And Fair Isaac stock had its best day in almost three years after launching.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

A program that could let customers bypass.

[Kent Covington]

The big credit bureaus for FICO scores. The S&P 500 inched a tenth of a percent, the Dow gained 2 10, and the Nasdaq rose nearly half of a percentage.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

For World, I'm Benjamin Eicher.

[Kent Covington]

In the Philippines, authorities have ended search and rescue operations after Tuesday night's deadly earthquake. Officials say all of the missing have been accounted for. The 6.9 magnitude quake struck a central region, killing at least 73 people and injuring hundreds near the city of Bogo. The village of Barangay Bennebog was especially hard hit. One resident spoke as he stood amid the rubble of crumbled houses.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

I'm really sad about the tragedy we've experienced here in Barangay Binabag.

[Nick Eicher]

It's a very big change.

[Kent Covington]

Landslides sent massive boulders crashing through homes while residents were asleep. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is reminding schools that they must post the Ten Commandments in classrooms. In an advisory this week, Paxton told districts that a law that took effect in September requires a 16 by 20 inch copy in every room. He called the Commandments a cornerstone of America's moral and legal foundation. But a federal judge in San Antonio has blocked enforcement in 11 districts, siding with parents who argued that it pressures children into religious observance. Paxton has appealed. Courts in Louisiana and Arkansas have also halted similar laws from taking effect. I'm Kent Covington and straight ahead, Culture Friday with Katie McCoy. Plus music from the recent Ronald Reagan biopic. This is The World and Everything in it.

[Nick Eicher]

It's Friday, October 3rd. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the World and Everything In It. Good morning. I'm Nick Eicher.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. It's Culture Friday, and joining us is author and Speaker Katie McCoy. Good morning, Katie.

[Katie McCoy]

Good morning, Nick and Myrta.

[Myrna Brown]

Well, Hollywood has its latest it girl, except she is literally an it. She's an AI generated actress named Tilly Norwood, a star of a fully AI written comedy sketch making the round.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

We all knew TV was dead.

[Katie McCoy]

AI generated 100 better ideas in minutes.

[Kent Covington]

It cast and budgeted itself.

[Katie McCoy]

It wrote the whole script.

[Kent Covington]

Claude 3 Gemini GPT.

[Myrna Brown]

We called it a writer's room.

[Kent Covington]

Who did it, cast Tilly Norwood 100%.

[Katie McCoy]

AI generated three seasons and a podcast.

[Kent Covington]

She'll do anything I say. I'm already in love. But can she cry on Graham Norton?

[Katie McCoy]

Of course she can. And it'll be clipped, subtitled and monetized on TikTok by lunchtime. We're all going to hell.

[Myrna Brown]

I wonder. You know, Katie, this is not just satire. The trade publication Variety reports that multiple Hollywood agents, presumably human ones, are already competing to represent Tilly Norwood, the AI creation. And this is happening in real time. A competition for which agency will sign her if she happens to become the next Scarlett Johansson. I mean, when you hear that, Katie, what do you make of it?

[Katie McCoy]

Well, there are a few stories that really grab our attention and bring such a visceral reaction in multiple spheres of society, and this is definitely one of them. I don't mean to sound like Henny Penny, the sky is falling, but this is actually pretty terrifying. Now, from an abandoned, just a business perspective, you hear different Hollywood guilds really sounding the alarm and saying, this is going to be very bad for the acting community if you can just construct a fake actor or actress. But more than that, this is something that we are not prepared for. We've long been desensitized to the idea of dividing parts of the human identity. A body doesn't have to have any meaning. So why should the simulation of a body have any meaning? You couple the invention of Tilly Norwood with things like AI girlfriends, and we are, in the words of one author, Laura Bates, sleepwalking into a nightmare. She describes how, you know, how is it possible that we could think a hyper realistic, customizable quote unquote woman who can be controlled without consent is actually a good thing for humanity? We are already blurring the lines between reality and virtual reality, between what is real and what is fantasy. This is just contributing to that. And I think that one of the big questions we're going to have is how do we relate as a society to the creation, the image of someone who is human, like when we know that they are not actually a human.

[Nick Eicher]

Being, you know, Katie, this whole discussion actually grew out of an internal post among our world editorial staff. Several colleagues weighed in on this, and one of our reporters, Juliana Chan Erickson, she made an observation I thought was worth putting to you as a bit of a pushback. She said, isn't this just the modern version of what animators have done for a century, namely creating characters out of thin air? What makes this different, do you think?

[Katie McCoy]

Well, the difference is quite simply that animation, we recognize that we're seeing in animation with these AI creations. It's designed so that you don't realize you're looking at an animation or an artificial construction of a human being. This is one of the many ways the technological innovation of AI is advancing at a far greater pace. And than our ethical considerations of how we use AI, I wish I could say that this could be some type of advancement, but when you consider the proliferation of pornography, this is only going to be used to depict the exploitation of women in an even more realistic way. The other thing, though, Nick, silver lining. It might be an opportunity for us to enter into some very helpful conversations, like what is a human being? Can an artificially generated, technologically programmed appearance of a human replace a human being? And you're seeing such a strong reaction against this that I think it's giving this opportunity for why do we instinctively feel like that? It's. It's a great opportunity for us to ask, because at the core of it, humanity. And when we're thinking worldviewishly here, humanity is in the image of God, has a capacity for a relationship with God. With that, we have human agency, we have responsibility. And an AI is not in the image of God. It's in the image of man. It's in the image of other human beings. It is incapable of communicating beyond what it is programmed to communicate. And that, right, there could be a great opportunity for us to talk about what is truly a human being.

[Myrna Brown]

Right. You know, Katie, you mentioned a silver lining. I heard commentator Michael Knowles. I think he was half joking, but he said maybe this is actually a good thing because it could mean fewer women get drawn into Hollywood and have their lives ruined. Might that be on point?

[Katie McCoy]

It might be. But the trouble is, with the advancement of AI, women are still going to have their lives ruined through the increasing objectification and commoditization of the female body. In Germany, they have something called a cyber brothel. It is actually blurring the lines between what is real and what is virtual. And it is taking these technological advances of AI and using it for sinful purposes. That shouldn't surprise us, because we live in a fallen world where the same types of minds that can come up with cures for otherwise incurable disease can take that same innovation and use it to harm. And every time we see something as remarkable as AI, we see two opportunities. We can use that either for the benefit of humanity, for the alleviating of suffering even, or we can see it as a means to bring harm to the image of God. Both of those things are happening in the world right now.

[Nick Eicher]

Well, Katie, I want to step out of the AI world into the real world and ask you to talk about whether you think we're in a revival or on the cusp of a revival or not. Now, we put the question to John Stonestreet last week, and I loved what he said. He started by analyzing Jonathan Edwards signs of revival. Jesus is exalted, sin is abhorred and repented of. It's happening in churches with highly doctrinal preaching, strong preaching, and it's happening among young people. And let's listen to the way that he wound that up. It's really good.

[Kent Covington]

Ultimately, we need to remember that if God brings that sort of awakening, it's out of his kindness, and we want to join it. And I think right now there's a lot of Christian voices that are really quick to condemn it in various ways and for various reasons. I don't want to be that guy. I want to be that guy that, you know, jumps on the bandwagon of a revival and an awakening in whatever form that it is, trusting that the Lord's bringing what the Lord's bringing, you know?

[Nick Eicher]

And that led me to a really great, really popular podcast by Josh Howerton. He was talking about what he was seeing. Now he's a megachurch pastor down in Dallas, and I'd like to play a clip from his podcast.

[Kent Covington]

This is a little controversial, but the more I think about this and read, the more convinced of this I've become. When political conservatism spreads, more people become Christians. And when political progressivism spreads, less people become Christians. If you start swimming in the streams of truth and liberty, you're eventually going to find its source. So, like, conservatism in general calibrates the conscience in such a way that it pushes people toward The God from whom the principles came. Progressivism is built generally upon a secular Marxist view of human nature, economics, governance. So what progressivism does, particularly secular progressivism, is it calibrates the consciences of people away from what is true, right and good. And it teaches people to call evil things good and good things evil.

[Nick Eicher]

Okay, so let me go back to the beginning to that question, Katie. Do you think that we're experiencing a revival in the land?

[Katie McCoy]

I do, and not only in the sense of just. I hope that it is true. I'm going to choose to believe that it is not only possible, but that it is happening because we are seeing the ingredients happen. We're seeing people come to Christ. We're seeing the people of God be awakened, stirred, renewed, a desire to serve and obey and be bold with the gospel. I, like many people after Charlie Kirk's assassination, just felt even more emboldened. And I think we're seeing that all across the country. I loved that clip from Josh Howerton. Now, something I know he would agree with, in fact, I think he said is that the gospel can spread in any environment, any type of culture, any type of government. But with that he makes this excellent point that laws are didactic. Behind every law is a moral claim. I just finished up writing a Bible study on Deuteronomy, and you see that all throughout God's law, God's law is teaching God's people not only God's righteous character, but how they are to live righteously. Here is what a good and just society looks like and how it behaves. So with some principles of conservatism, and I'm not talking about the difference between conservative and liberal as they used to be, like let's say 20, 30 years ago. I'm talking about the difference between conservative and progressive. And Josh Howerton makes this distinction as well. True progressivism is trying to deconstruct or dismantle foundations like family relationships, marriage, gender, economy. And so with conservatism, there's this emphasis on faith, family, along with that personal responsibility, work ethic, respect for authority, valuing moral order, equal opportunities, not equal outcomes, not looking to the government or any kind of centralized authority to fix our problems. And with that, a far more localized understanding of life, meaning family, church, community, these kind of mediating institutions, as Edmund Bark described them, that these mediating institutions are between the individual and the state. And with that they provide far more social cohesion and far more loyalty to one's community and consequently to one's country. And then finally, I always think of that quote from President John Adams, that our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

[Myrna Brown]

Well, we talked about this off air about a preacher who came to the campus that you attended when you were in college. He was a young preacher teacher and he came to Union University and had a role there as an adjunct professor. A young man by the name of Voddie Bauckham. We lost him this past week and sadly he passed away at age 56. Katie, would you reflect on the life of Voddie Bakam? I mean, what he meant to you?

[Katie McCoy]

Yeah. Anytime you can still remember what A preacher said 20 years later, you know, there was something really special about it.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Yeah.

[Myrna Brown]

It's a good test.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Yeah.

[Katie McCoy]

Yes. I was a college sophomore and I heard Pastor Vodi Baucam. I still remember when he gave. He told us things that I know I had never heard before, like how reliable scripture was and gave all these different historical events and said, did you know there is actually less historical corroboration for things like Caesar crossing the Rubicon than there are for the resurrection? And it just bolstered my faith. And I remember that was just one example of the things that he instilled in these college students of how to think about the world. He had the characteristic mic drop moment. I still remember the last line of this message. When he talked about Christianity, he said, it's not true because it works. It works because it's true. And this was something that as a 20 year old, I didn't fully realize or appreciate everything that I was hearing. But it stuck with me. And I'm like millions of people touched by his ministry, influenced by his preaching. He was bold on the dangers of critical theory, infiltrating evangelicalism, things that he was kind of a voice in the wilderness before people really woke up to the dangers of it. And he spoke so clearly. And we've lost some giants this year. And I know the Lord is going to raise up others. And I pray that it would be in my generation in Gen Z that we would just see for everyone that we lost. We'd see 10 more believers step up with the same type of boldness and moral clarity and just being completely unashamed of the gospel, just like Vodi Bakkam was.

[Nick Eicher]

You know, when Vodi Bauckham drops the mic, it stays dropped. Let's just put it that way.

[Myrna Brown]

Right.

[Nick Eicher]

Author and Speaker Katie McCoy. Great visit, Katie. Thanks so much for this.

[Katie McCoy]

Thanks for having me.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from Barnabas Aid, providing hope and support for our suffering brothers and sisters around the world. Aid from Christians through Christians to Christians [e-mail] from WatersEdge offering church building loans that are ministry backed, ministry built and ministry bound watersedge.com loans and from Asbury University where students are known, supported and prepared to lead customized visits.

[Nick Eicher]

Available asbury.edu visit today is Friday, October 3rd. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning, I'm Nick Iger.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Coming next on the World and everything in it. Music for the Gipper the Ronald Reagan biopic from last year featured Dennis Quaid portraying America's 40th president.

[Nick Eicher]

But the film also inspired two brand new albums. And the voices behind them? Well, let's just say there are a few of them you might not expect to find on a Reagan soundtrack. Here is world music critic Arsenio Ortezza.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Curb Records has just released two new various artists albums associated with Sean McNamara's 2024 biopic Reagan. One is the official motion picture soundtrack, the other an album of songs inspired by the film. They would have come out sooner, but the film's music supervisor, Tim Cook, unexpectedly died, leaving Team Reagan to figure out how to complete the projects on its own. The good news is that the albums were worth the wait.

[Katie McCoy]

Would you like to swing on a.

[Nick Eicher]

Star, Carry moonbeams home in a jar.

[Kent Covington]

And be better off than you are?

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Or would you rather be a mule? This is Swinging on a Star, as sung in the film by Creed's lead singer, Scott Stapp. It only plays for a few moments on screen, but it appears in a complete and a completely entertaining version on the official motion picture soundtrack. And as anyone who has seen the film knows, it's not the only selection from the Great American Songbook era that gets a fresh makeover. The singer Mariah, for instance, contributes a sparkling version of the 1937 Andrews Sisters hit Ber Mir Bistuchene, and Robert Davi, who in the film plays Leonid Brezhnev, contributes the Frank Sinatra hits this Town and, appropriately enough, Nancy with a Laughing Face.

[Kent Covington]

If I don't see her each day I miss her. Gee, what a thrill each time I kiss her. Believe me, I've been got a case on Nancy with a Laughing Face.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

I told Mark Joseph, the film's producer, how pleasantly surprising it was to discover that great actors could also be great singers, and vice versa. He agreed with the pleasant part, but he wasn't all that surprised.

[Kent Covington]

A lot of our actors could easily have been rock stars. Dennis Quaid came to Hollywood to be a recording artist. You know, he wanted to be kind of in the Bruce Springsteen vibe. And just as State would have it, he went down the acting road. And I think Robert is another one that could easily have had that kind of Michael Buble, Josh Groban type career. The acting kind of overtook the music in a way. But Robert is very, very talented in interpreting the Great American Songbook.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

I asked Joseph how he'd gone about assembling the talent on Curb's new Reagan albums. He told me that he'd made a list of about 60 acts from whom he'd welcome contributions. Then he made each one a pitch and waited for a response. Some ended up singing songs that were used in the film, while others contributed songs more appropriate to a collection called Songs Inspired by the Film. Unlike the official soundtrack songs, all of the Inspired by songs are originals. And as one can tell by their titles, many of them are rather on the nose. Travis Tritt's contribution, for instance, is called A Shining City on the Hill. And Lee Greenwood's Start the World over is a completed version of a song started by Mike Curb and Ronald Reagan himself. But others weren't as interested in political themes and instead focused on the love story between Reagan and his second wife, Nancy.

[Kent Covington]

As I watch you sleep so restful, so beautiful As I hold you in.

[Katie McCoy]

My arms Forever.

[Kent Covington]

Together.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

This song always is by the Commodores, the Kathie Lee Gifford Claude Kelly duet I knew it would be you. Mine's the Ron and Nancy vein as well.

[Amy Lewis]

I didn't know you but somehow I.

[Kent Covington]

Knew you Just as the heavens were.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Born I was born for you as you can hear. One benefit of Mark Joseph's cast a wide net approach is that it guarantees stylistic variety. Another is that it raises the odds that something unexpected will happen. When Joseph sent out invitations for the album the Passion of songs in 2004, he never thought that he'd get a nearly six minute track from the R and B superstar Lauryn Hill, who, according to Joseph, broke down crying in the theater and composed her song on the spot. But that surprise was nothing compared to the ones awaiting Joseph, where the respondents to the Reagan film were concerned.

[Kent Covington]

Let me straddle my old saddle Underneath.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

The western sky.

[Kent Covington]

All my K Let.

[Katie McCoy]

Me wander over yonder Till I see.

[Myrna Brown]

The mountain.

[Kent Covington]

Lose my senses I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand.

[Myrna Brown]

Fences don't trust me.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Yes, that's none other than Bob Dylan performing a song first made famous by Roy Rogers. And if you've seen the Reagan film. You know that the song plays over the closing credits. Getting Dylan to contribute an original recording was a masterstroke, if only because any album was with a previously unreleased Dylan track is guaranteed to sell. But Joseph thinks that the song is significant for other reasons.

[Kent Covington]

I just thought Don't Fence Me and kind of summarizes both Bob and Ronald Reagan in one swoop. You can't predict what Bob Dylan's gonna do next. You know, he's got thousands of fans who are asking why in the world are you on a Reagan soundtrack? And I can't give you a definitive answer either. That's just the way Bob is. And the same with Ronald Reagan.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

And so the biggest surprise of all though was getting Gene Simmons of Kiss to sing the standard Stormy Weather. And all that it took was a private screening of the film.

[Kent Covington]

He really threw me a curve ball. He called me and he said, let's do a song that really unites all the different age groups and all the different eras. And he just really wanted to come in from a totally unexpected place. And so we settled on Stormy Weather.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Actually, Simmons didn't come in from a totally unexpected place. He had, after all, concluded his 1978 solo album with a straight faced performance of when youn Wish Upon a Star.

[Katie McCoy]

Your Dream.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

I'm Arsenio Orteza.

[Myrna Brown]

Today is Friday, October 3rd. Good morning, this is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Well, finally this week, getting serious about skipping stones. Now turn off the screens, step outside and rediscover a simple joy.

[Myrna Brown]

Yeah, that's what's happening in what, Western Pennsylvania. A childhood pastime has become a semi serious competition, complete with trophies and world record holders. World correspondent Amy Lewis paid a visit to the Rockin River Festival to meet some of the competitors.

[Katie McCoy]

I would have got first if Ben wouldn't get 31.

[Amy Lewis]

Sullivan is 7 years old.

[Katie McCoy]

Most of my friends call me Sully.

[Myrna Brown]

That's my nickname.

[Amy Lewis]

Sully recently won second place in the Rock Skipping competition for kids when his rock skipped 29 times on its way across the Allegheny river in Franklin, Pennsylvania. His eight year old friend Ben won with 31. Yeah, he would have gotten first.

[Katie McCoy]

He was still going to share the.

[Amy Lewis]

Fudge with me though. Yeah, these two friends take skipping rocks seriously. But not too seriously.

[Myrna Brown]

Yeah, it's something we do.

[Katie McCoy]

It's just something we do.

[Amy Lewis]

Rock skipping isn't new. It's been around for millennia. There's just something about A smooth rock and a body of water that calls out for the challenge. But 20 years ago, enthusiasts took it up a notch or two.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

2000. 2002, I would say. I kind of reinvented things a little.

[Amy Lewis]

That's Kurt Steiner.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Kind of. Kind of brought a sports science, ergonomics kind of approach, too, and physics. It's really just kind of a naive and natural reflex.

[Amy Lewis]

He's throwing in Franklin's professional category, Steiner is the rock skipping world champion and world record holder.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Yeah.

[Amy Lewis]

And what's your record?

[Arsenio Ortezza]

88. Yeah. So 88 clear skips. I had three judges, all engineers of one kind or another, from around the world, aeronautics and physics, and they gave an 88 and an 89 and a 90. So I submitted the 88 for the record. My personal account was a 91.

[Amy Lewis]

In the early years of this festival, he and another local, Russ Buyers, swapped first places and world records. Steiner says the friendly competition motivated him to turn rock skipping into a science.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

The key difference is that I attacked the water very close in, landing within four or five feet of my body, and I also used a middle finger grip.

[Amy Lewis]

Steiner is in his 60s. Winning against the younger skippers is getting harder.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

I'll try to dig down a little bit for today. I would like to win this once more, but, boy, I could do it. Maybe I'll do it.

[Amy Lewis]

In the uk, throwing rocks across the water is called skimming, and competitors go for distance. Japanese Mitsukiri rock skipping competitions focus on aesthetics with two people competing simultaneously.

[Kent Covington]

All right, amateur competitors, I have a quick change to the rules today. Quick change to the rules, please.

[Amy Lewis]

Ben and Sully have their lemonade and fudge, and they gather at the Allegheny river shore to watch the amateur class.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

There's 55 of you, which is absolutely. Stella.

[Kent Covington]

We're going to do sets of stones in three.

[Amy Lewis]

Competitors come from around Pennsylvania and other states and even other countries. Last year's winner came from Japan. The watching crowd means there's pressure to perform. Young Ben felt it earlier.

[Myrna Brown]

I don't get it.

[Katie McCoy]

I'm always throwing pretty good when I'm not in the competition, and then I.

[Kent Covington]

Get into the competition and I'm not throwing good.

[Amy Lewis]

A competitor's stone might plunk or sink, so each person gets several tries. Amateur skipper Guy. No Kerplunkle Dunkel tried a new method this year.

[Kent Covington]

Don't throw the rock.

[Nick Eicher]

Spin the rock.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

You don't have to throw hard.

[Nick Eicher]

You don't have to go for distance.

[Kent Covington]

You need to make the rock rotate.

[Amy Lewis]

Contestant Katina Earhart often skips Rocks of shale. But today she's using the rounder sandstone. My granddad taught me and I teach kids. I'm a camp counselor and I specifically do the outdoor program, so I teach them how to skip rocks. Many people arrive at the festival with buckets of carefully selected rocks from secret locations. Earhart says practice rocks don't have to be perfect. Find the biggest, bulkiest, weirdest shaped rock that you can and say, I'm gonna get two skips out of this. Start throwing things that shouldn't skip, and.

[Myrna Brown]

Then you find a flat rock and like, ooh, that sails. Practice with the things that are hard.

[Amy Lewis]

The ones that sail make counting difficult for the judges because of all the little skips at the end.

[Kent Covington]

1919, I had 22. So the high commissioner has the final word.

[Amy Lewis]

Are you the high commissioner?

[Kent Covington]

I am indeed.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Yeah.

[Kent Covington]

We confer and then it's up to him. Yeah, sometimes it's a judgment, but a.

[Amy Lewis]

Lot of times it's all science.

[Kent Covington]

For those enterprising amateurs out there, like.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

This young man next to me, if.

[Kent Covington]

You throw 30 or more skips today, you will be eligible to enter the professional ranks and compete in the.

[Amy Lewis]

The 27 professional skippers are the big draw of the day. Amateurs gather around and take note of their form and style to emulate in their own practice over the next year. Others just sit and marvel at the pure beauty of rocks skimming across the river and sending up tiny sprays of water on each skip. In the end, Steiner got 41 skips and walked away with a large trophy. Amateur guy. No Kerplunkle. Dunkle missed joining the pros by once.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Kids, stay true to that name.

[Nick Eicher]

And no Kerplunkel.

[Kent Covington]

High score of 29 today.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Great job, man.

[Kent Covington]

Great job.

[Amy Lewis]

Professional rock skipper Colin Noodles Hales says afterwards, the tradition is to wade into the river to recover the skipped rocks, especially the winning ones.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

Bring some swimming trunks and water shoes.

[Kent Covington]

In your bucket out there and like, so, yeah, so the further you go.

[Arsenio Ortezza]

The further the rock got.

[Kent Covington]

So, like, people try to get, like, the winning rock.

[Amy Lewis]

It's the part Ben likes best.

[Katie McCoy]

My favorite part, I could find my 31. My 31, like, went straight, so I try to find it.

[Amy Lewis]

Next time you find yourself next to a lake or river, Ben has a few tips.

[Myrna Brown]

Plant your feet and throw the rock.

[Katie McCoy]

At an angle like.

[Nick Eicher]

Like this.

[Katie McCoy]

Kinda not flat to the water, like.

[Myrna Brown]

Angled up a little bit.

[Amy Lewis]

Reporting for World, I'm Amy Lewis in Franklin, Pennsylvania.

[Myrna Brown]

I remember when rock was young.

[Katie McCoy]

Me and Susie had so much fun. All the hands and skim and Stones. How the O.

[Nick Eicher]

It is time now to name the crew who helped to put this week's programs together. Mary Reichert, David Bonson, Caleb Weldy, Juliana Chan Erickson, Lindsay Mast, Daniel Darling, Hunter Baker, Jenny Lynn Schmidt, Janie Beachaney, Emma Frayer, Emma Eicher, Cal Thomas, Mary Muncie, Katie McCoy, Arsenio Ortezza and Amy Lewis. Thanks also to our breaking news team, Kent Covington, Christina Grube, Steve Klosterman, Travis Kircher in Israel and Daniel Devine. And thanks to the Moonlight Maestro. Staying up late so the program is ready for you bright and early. Carl Peetz and Benj Eicher. Paul Butler is executive producer, Harrison Waters is Washington producer, Kristen Flavin is features editor and Les Sillers is editor in chief. I'm Nick Iger.

[Myrna Brown]

And I'm Erna Brown. If you enjoy this podcast, help a friend find it too. Send a link to a favorite story or the whole podcast right from your app. It's a simple click that helps the program grow. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Bible records the Holy Spirit falling on all who heard the Word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles, for they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, can anyone with whole water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. Verses 44 through 48 of Acts chapter 10 a reminder to worship at a Bible believing church this weekend. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances and Lord willing, we'll be right back here with you on Monday. Go now in grace and peace.

[Katie McCoy]

Sam.