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Once upon a time, there was a radio show called the Eric Mataxas show.

It had an announcer named Todd, who was the handsomeest announcer in the land.

Eric was bitterly jealous of Todd's good looks.

But there was nothing he could do.

He just had to accept that cruel fate had made him as ugly as a toe.

And now your host, Warts and All, Eric Mataxas.

Wow, that's just so generous.

Thank you, Todd Wilkerson, my dear, dear former friend.

Folks, as you know, the Eric Mataxas show

reports to be the show about everything, which is to say we can talk about

anything I find interesting, which is most things.

One thing that I'm very, very interested in as you know is show

business or as I like to say show business.

And one of the icons of the 20th century,

one of the biggest figures in show business ever,

whom I had the great privilege to meet some years ago, was Mickey Rooney.

And I'm holding in my hands a definitive biography of the great Mickey Rooney.

It's called The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney by Richard Lertzmann and William Burns,

both of whom are on the line now.

Richard Lertzmann and William Burns, welcome to the program.

Thank you.

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