Hello, it's been a long time since you've heard from us, but as you may remember, I'm Joshua

Melina.

And I'm Rishi K. Sherway.

Thank you for still being here among the rolling tumbleweeds of our untended podcast feed.

It has been nearly four years, but we're back today to present

a new episode of sorts. On August 10th, we moderated a special event celebrating the release of the

book, What's Next? A backstage pass to the West Wing, its cast and crew, and its enduring

legacy of service, which was written by our friends Mary McCormick and Melissa Fitzgerald.

The event took place in Los Angeles and also featured an exaltation of other West Wing friends.

Okay, without further ado, here it is.

I said to Richard before we walked out, we are following through and our promise to put out new content at least once every four years.

Like the government does.

We're not going to take up too much time because there's so many great people to bring out onto the stage.

Before we do that, though, I just thought I would read a little bit from the introduction of this book to introduce the book.

It's an introduction that Alison Janie wrote, and here's a little excerpt.

We'll let her know she got tepid applause.

It's too late. It's too late.

That's what she gets for not being here to read her own production. Also, she gets the one person who isn't an actor to read her words.

Okay.

Apparently, this all began at my house, or at least my friend Alana's house, because that's

where my birthday party was in

2019, when Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormick went to the table to get a piece of cake at the

...