On Sunday, June 21, this week’s SHAKE IT OFF WITH MERT & LUCAS, LIVE! pulls back the curtain on the quiet shifts reshaping how we define family, how we regulate emotion, and how we search for steadiness in a world that keeps rewriting the rules.
Hour 1 — The Parentage Debate & Seeking Sanity
The hour opens with New York’s decision to replace “mother” and “father” with gender‑neutral parentage terms — a small statutory change that instantly triggered a national argument over identity, tradition, and the emotional meaning of family. The hosts trace how a bureaucratic update became a cultural flashpoint, and why the words we use for the people who raise us carry a weight no legislature can fully neutralize.
Then therapist and author Joe DeNicholas, MBA, LCSW, joins the show to discuss Seeking Sanity, his practical guide to reclaiming clarity and emotional steadiness when the world keeps pulling people off center.
Hour 2 — The Emotional Support Animal Dilemma & Belonging to the World
The second hour examines the rise of emotional support animals — how a legitimate mental‑health accommodation expanded into a sprawling cultural and regulatory dilemma touching airports, housing law, generational behavior, and a booming ESA industry. The hosts ask whether the real issue is the animals themselves or the emotional burdens we keep trying to hand them.
The show closes with Barry Hoffner, global traveler, former international investment banker, and founder of Caravan to Class. His book Belonging to the World chronicles his journey to every country on Earth and explores healing, connection, and renewed purpose after profound personal loss.
About the Hosts
Lucas A. Ferrara — New York attorney, law professor, award‑winning film producer, and editorial strategist. Lucas brings legal precision and narrative muscle to every exchange, cutting through spin to reach substance.
Mert Roberts — A seasoned commentator whose wit and grounded analysis keep every conversation unpredictable, alive, and unmistakably human.
Tune In
LIVE on AM970 Radio or the AM970 mobile app
Sunday, June 21 | 7–9 PM Eastern
Replays stream everywhere: Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spotify, and more.
More info: shakeitofflive.com
Some shows chase headlines.
This one follows the fault lines.
# # # # # #You can also find the show playing here:
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To view a list of some of Lucas's other projects, click here: https://linktr.ee/lucasaferrara
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