🇺🇸 AMERICA AT 250: The Story We Tell… vs. The Truth We Live 🚗🔥

The Not Old Better Show Smithsonian Associates Interview Series, commemorating 250 Years of Independence in 2026

Welcome to The Not Old Better Show Smithsonian Associates Interview Series—on radio and podcast.

For ten years now, The Not Old Better Show has celebrated health, wellness, culture, and the stories that remind us we're not old—we're better.

Now, as America commemorates 250 years of independence in 2026, this special series offers a dynamic exploration of America's past, present, and future.

Explore the people, ideas, conflicts, and aspirations that have shaped America–and how the past informs the challenges and possibilities ahead.

At 250, America is still young enough to dream, and seasoned enough to know that freedom asks something of every generation.

Through our Smithsonian Associates Interview Series, we invite you to hear that story with fresh perspective, honest reflection, and renewed purpose.

This is The Not Old Better Show Smithsonian Associates Interview Series, commemorating 250 Years of Independence in 2026.

Anniversaries matter. Meaning matters more.

History is never just behind us. Sometimes it sits right beside us, asking who we are, what we value, and what we owe the future.

Stay with us as Paul Vogelzang continues this Smithsonian Associates conversation on the people, ideas, and moments that still call us to be better.

Thanks for joining us this week on The Not Old Better Show Smithsonian Associates Interview Series, commemorating 250 Years of Independence in 2026—on radio and podcast.

To hear more about today's stories, catch our new Smithsonian Associates Interview Series, and enjoy our extensive back catalog of previous shows, please visit notold-better.com.

Follow us on X at Not Old Better, and on Instagram at Not Old Better.

This is a production of N.O.B.S. studios.

I'm Paul Vogelzang. Thanks for spending this time with us. Join me again next time as we continue sharing stories that remind us we're getting better, not just older. Because 250 years later, Better is still a conversation worth having.

Let's talk about Better.

This is The Not Old Better Show Smithsonian Associates Interview Series, commemorating 250 Years of Independence in 2026

This Is Your Life, Carolyn Forté: Good Housekeeping's Queen of Clean Opens the Big Red Book

The Not Old Better Show, Good Housekeeping Interview Series: Good Better Best

Today's episode is brought to you by Wayfair, Every Style Every Home. And today's episode is special. Today's guest is special. we open a very large, very red book… and it begins with a familiar scene: a kitchen. A sink. A dish towel. And someone—possibly you—asking, "Do I really have to pre-rinse this?"

Carolyn Forté has spent more than 40 years at Good Housekeeping, moving from the Textiles Lab to the Home Care & Cleaning Lab—where "clean" isn't a vibe, it's data. She and her team don't just read labels; they challenge them. They make stains on purpose. They time cycles. They inspect fibers. They argue with myths. They test what works, what's hype, and what's going to leave your towels smelling like regret.

She's written books, taught millions, partnered with the American Cleaning Institute, and helped turn everyday home care into something practical, even reassuring—especially for those of us who want our homes to stay safe, comfortable, and easier to manage as the years add up.

And yes… somewhere in the pages of this big red book is a sentence you never expected to hear: a waterproof computer keyboard… went into a dishwasher. For science.

So settle in—because today is a warm, funny, heartfelt look back at the career of the woman who's saved more family arguments than any referee ever could.

Remember today's episode is brought to you by Wayfair, Every Style Every Home.

When "Denied" Goes Viral: AI Claim Denials, TrumpRx, and America's Healthcare Trust Crisis

The Not Old Better Show, Art of Living Interview Series

Thank you, I'm Paul Vogelzang. Today's episode is brought to you by Caraway. Good Looking. Clean Cooking.

Have you ever stood at the pharmacy counter, card in hand, and heard one word: denied?

For our listeners over 50, that moment isn't about inconvenience. It's blood pressure meds. It's insulin. It's the medication that keeps you steady, independent, and in your own life.

And then comes the "solution": "Try a coupon." "Pay cash." "Use a marketplace."

Behind that advice is a system that can feel like a black box—prior authorization, shifting formularies, and now, more and more, algorithms. AI can speed up decisions, but it can also shut a door without giving you a clear, human explanation.

Now add the third ingredient: social media. A nonstop feed that can take real pain and turn it into a blame spiral—until people stop asking, "How do we fix this?" and start asking, "Who do we punish?" We've seen how fast outrage can spread, and how dangerous it can become when it's celebrated instead of cooled down.

Today on The Not Old Better Show, we're connecting those dots—insurance hurdles, AI-driven denials, and the polarization that's eroding trust.

Our guest is Dr. William Soliman, CEO of the Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs and a leading expert on pharma and health insurance. He'll explain TrumpRx—what it is, what it isn't, and why a discount price that doesn't count toward your deductible can backfire for seniors on multiple medications.

We'll talk reform. We'll talk responsible tech. And we'll talk empathy—because healthcare can't run on anger. And it's never too late to insist on dignity at the doctor's office. Remember, support our sponsors: today's episode is brought to you by Caraway. Good Looking. Clean Cooking.