Podcast appearances and mentions of Frank Portman

What if companies could tap into powerful behavioral AI without compromising user privacy or crossing legal lines? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sit down with Frank Portman, CTO of Yobi, to explore how his team is building foundation models grounded in real user behavior, backed by ethically sourced and consented data. Frank shares how Yobi is taking a distinct approach. They're not building large language models or racing to dominate generative AI headlines. Instead, they're focused on data integrity, transparency, and security from day one. With a strategic partnership with Microsoft Azure, Yobi delivers models that run directly within a customer's environment. That means privacy is preserved, data stays protected, and companies still benefit from intelligent, adaptive systems. We unpack how Yobi avoids risky use cases like financial underwriting and healthcare, how their models are trained to avoid demographic bias, and why they actively reward systems for being bad at guessing personal traits. This isn't just about compliance. It's about designing products that work better because they're built responsibly. Frank also opens up about Yobi's internal culture, his belief in first-principles thinking, and how empowering engineers to "place bets" drives innovation. He offers insight into what the AI industry must learn quickly from recent missteps, including data misuse and growing public skepticism. If you're exploring AI solutions and wondering how to build or buy systems that scale without cutting ethical corners, this conversation delivers clarity, honesty, and direction. Are you ready to rethink what responsible AI should look like inside your company?

This week, Frank Portman — better known as Dr. Frank — sits in to dive into the creation of the fan favorite 1996 single "Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba" by The Mr. T Experience. Inspired by The Partridge Family, the song was initially imagined as a folk tune arranged by a rock band. Dr. Frank discusses how the lyrics explore themes of doubt and finding a place for “people like us.” He discusses the challenges of translating his original vision into the final recorded version and emphasizes the importance of connecting the live performance with the recorded music to create a cohesive experience for the audience. The episode also highlights the universal appeal of their music, bassist Joel Reader's contributions to the harmonies, and the unique mix of irony, humor, and emotion that captures the adolescent point of view in their lyrics. Dr. Frank also reflects on how his writing career extends from his songwriting, exploring similar themes and perspectives, and hints at the possibility of more music and shows in the future. Chris DeMakes A Podcast is brought to you by DistroKid, the ultimate partner for taking your music to the next level. Get 30% off your first YEAR with DistroKid by signing up at http://distrokid.com/vip/demakes  If you love Chris DeMakes A Podcast and you'd like to support the show AND get weekly bonus episodes of The After Party podcast, head to http://www.ChrisDeMakes.com to sign up for the Supporting Cast. Some great quotes from this episode… "I'm a sucker for a good laugh.” "One thing that happens when you just take the bare bones of a song that's good enough to stand on its own. And you just do it as unadorned as possible for whatever reason, because you can't afford to do it better or because you don't have the talent to do it better. That means you can actually recreate the exact thing on the stage." "It is interesting to think that it could have been maybe the outro music of The Partridge Family TV show." "It's not just the ba-ba-bas that do it. There's the changing from the halftime parts, which are kind of groovy, and then the faster parts, which are kind of exciting. There's a, again, not rational or intellectual, but there's a drama there between the highs and the lows that does actually work on a crowd." "You can play that song for a small child who doesn't even speak yet, and that child will get it. And I've seen it many, many times. And the only other anecdote about that is that we could tell when we first started playing it that it was working. And we just in our little clubs with audience five or six people, it would even work then." "Old bands never really break up. And, you know, as long as there's as long as there's one guy who was once in the band, there's still a possibility that you'll see him on tour. So I'm not sure when but I'm sure you haven't heard the last of me because, you know, like they say — too dumb to quit. That's me. So we'll see." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 87: featuring Dr. Frank Portman of The Mr. T Experience on LoFi Interviews with HiFi Guests.  In this episode we talk to Frank about such things as Sounds Rad Music and a plethora of re-issues, Vinyl Records and theorizing about what is next in the digital world, Frank's early band relationship with Jon Von, That Hippie show with Green Day, Screeching Weasel and The Mr. T Experience, and way to much philosophy talk for those who don't dig philosophy, and of course we deconstruct the idea of much much much more.www.jugheadsbasementpodcast.com

Frank Portman is better-known to listeners as "Dr. Frank," the musical moniker the singer, guitarist and founding member of The Mr. T Experience has used for close to four decades. Over the course of the seminal Berkeley punk project's long and accomplished run, the band has managed more than a dozen releases, performed all over the U.S. and Europe, and shared the stage with some legendary acts. Even though there have been lengthy breaks and lineup changes through the years, The Mr. T Experience and its ever-present leader are still releasing music, playing shows to packed rooms (in pre-pandemic times, at least) and influencing new generations of musicians along the way. Recently, My First Band host Tyler Maas had an opportunity to speak with Dr. Frank about The Mr. T Experience's impressive over-35-year run, some of the ups and downs the project has experienced through the years, and all his pre-MTX musical endeavors. Over the course of the conversation, Portman talked about the process of collecting "disparate" and hard-to-find Mr. T Experience songs for the third/final volume of its Shards series of releases (pre-order from Sounds Rad now!), the role college radio played in developing his musical taste as a kid, his stint in The Bent Nails in high school, and MTX's opportunity to open for Green Day on a European arena tour (during which audience members threw sandwiches at him). Before the interview's end, Dr. Frank also talked about his career as a novelist, where he feels The Mr. T Experience fits in the punk rock pantheon and much more. My First Band is sponsored by Mystery Room Mastering and Lakefront Brewery. The show is edited by Jared Blohm. You can listen to My First Band on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever else you get podcasts. You can also listen to rebroadcasts of previous My First Band episodes on WMSE every Wednesday from noon to 12:30 p.m. CST. Music used in this episode comes courtesy of Devils Teeth ("The Junction Street Eight Tigers") and The Mr. T Experience ("You Alone").

In part 3 of their “Coming of Age” Set, Jay and Travis read through Frank Portman’s coming of age novel “King Dork”. Hear them gush over Dr. Frank’s previous work with the band Mr. T Experience and find out what they think about his story about navigating high school and solving family mysteries.

Whoa! It's a sneak attack episode! Josh pesters Dr. Frank Portman from legendary Bay Area pop punkers The Mr. T Experience. They discuss MTX Forever, King Dork, and probably some other shit too. We dunno; just listen! This episode is brought to you by New World Designs - Vancouver's finest selection of Retro Inspired Fashions!

My guest is Frank Portman, the singer, guitarist, and songwriter of The Mr. T Experience. On the podcast, Dr. Frank (as he's affectionately known to fans) discusses the decades of work that went into the new best-of compilation, MTX Forever.  We also talk about Frank's career as an author of Young Adult fiction, the death of the music industry, his songwriting process, and lots more. Songs heard on this episode: I Wrote A Book About Rock N Roll (MTX Forever) The History Of The Concept Of The Soul (MTX Forever) With My Looks And Your Brains (Revenge Is Sweet... And So Are You) Hell Of Dumb (MTX Forever) High School Is The Penalty For Transgressions Yet Specified (King Dork Approximately: The Album) London (MTX Forever) Links: Sounds Radical Records Dr, Frank's Blog

Episode created by Cris Vazquez

This week Taylor Williams takes us back to the horrors of high school bullying and sexual awakenings with Frank Portman's "King Dork". We talk a bit about our own days in high school, wrestle with whether or not the book has a reliable narrator, and how it deals with the oftentimes horrible ways that real teenagers speak and how these young men and women are portrayed in the story. You can find Taylor on Twitter @FilmMajorRegret or IG @TDubbInDaClub and all of my stuff at TylerEaton.net 

In this very special episode, we chat with the founder of the legendary punk band, the Mr T Experience, Dr Frank. What was it like to sing love songs during the political days at Gilman Street? What happens when fans ask him for love adice? As the author of three books, can we expect an MTX memoir? We get to the bottom of all of this and more. Plus, there are a few hidden funny moments listen carefully. Song: Deep Deep Down by MTX

Sara is back and we make up for literal lost time. Plus, she brings some Go Chicken Go G-sauce from Kansas City. Let’s catsup! Don’t forget to call in to the Squirt Line 419-7-SQUIRT. LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE iTunes | Stitcher | Google Play | RSS Theme Song: “Ketchup Time” by Isaac Goyem  

Fall Preview! September 18-24, 1976 In this episode recorded live at Piano Fight in San Francisco during SF Sketchfest Ken welcomes musician and author Frank Portman to the show. Ken and Frank discuss growing up in the Bay area, being banned from television, Mike's two Grandmothers Edna and Jean, The Chesterfield vs. The Davenport, agricultural game shows, The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, being terrified of hippies, the Zodiac Killer, The Spirit of '76, Ken's odd childhood habit of making political jokes at his neighbors house, Richard Nixon, Watergate, Streets of San Francisco, anti-hippies, the literary status of TV Guide's writing, Holmes and Yoyo, Mr. T and Tina, the secret origins of The Mr. T Experience, ethnic comedies, tone shifts, All in the Family, Maude, Norman Lear, beating up the Gooch, Mr. T's angry comic book years, punk rock scare TV, Quincy M.D., Fantasy Island, being treated like a monkey only to be replaced by Christopher Hewitt, Filmmation's Saturday Morning Shows, Kroft, Elektra Woman and Dynagirl, Speed Racer, having your life saved by the theme from Spider-Man, Love American Style, Charles in Charge, songwriting lessons from Gilligan's Island, The Greatest American Hero, Mr. Smith, trying to figure out the dumbest show ever on TV, the Flying Nun, Six Million Dollar Chico and the Man, the importance of correct lunch box decisions, the secrets of Furniture Care, Say Yes to the Dress, Ellery Queen, Angel Heart, The Muppets, Jan Brady accent, Baretta, The Love Boat, writing misunderstood Murder Ballads, and how Bob Newhart is eternal.

Frank Portman sends me his new record a few hours before we’re set to meet up at a coffee shop on Market Street. The whole thing came together at the last minute at the tail end of a three week long work road trip, and I only have time to listen to three or four songs before checking out of the hotel and meeting him down the street. But it’s enough. It’s new and familiar. It’s self-deprecating and funny, bouncing sugary pop-punk with a humorously cynical bit. The second song is called “Sadistic Masochism.” It goes, “Sadistic masochism, that’s how its gonna be / Sadistic masochism, baby you and it.” After a dozen years, the Mr. T Experience is back. It’s a perfect sort of return to music for Dr. Frank, a soundtrack for the sequel to his hit YA book, King Dork. The album, (like the book) titled King Dork, Approximately, finds Portman inhabiting the voice of his protagonist, high school rock musician, Tom Henderson, on 12 songs that are unmistakably the work of the MTX starship.  Portman’s time away from the microphone was largely unintentional, the result of a changing record industry, the implosion of the beloved East Bay record label that had served as their longtime home, and a somewhat accidental career as an author. In this extra long edition of RiYL, the artist discusses motel laundry, the publishing industry and not being Green day.

Frank discusses workplace safety and the family farm, his thoughts on Upton Sinclair, and what life is like as a workplace health and safety lawyer.

Join young adult novelist Frank Portman (aka Dr. Frank of The Mr. T Experience) and poet/novelist Gerry LaFemina (Expletive Deleted and Tom Collins and the Cocktail Shakers) for a reading from their literary work: Portman from his young adult sequel, King Dork Approximately, and LaFemina from his recent novel, Clamor. Introduced by Gregg Wilhelm, executive director of CityLit Project and publisher, CityLit Press.

Join young adult novelist Frank Portman (aka Dr. Frank of The Mr. T Experience) and poet/novelist Gerry LaFemina (Expletive Deleted and Tom Collins and the Cocktail Shakers) for a reading from their literary work: Portman from his young adult sequel, King Dork Approximately, and LaFemina from his recent novel, Clamor. Introduced by Gregg Wilhelm, executive director of CityLit Project and publisher, CityLit Press. Recorded On: Saturday, May 2, 2015

On this episode of the Jersey Beat Podcast, we interview Frank Portman, aka Dr. Frank of the Mr. T Experience, about his new novel King Dork Approximately, a sequel to 2007's King Dork.Songs on this episde:"King Dork""King Dork Approximatley""Andromeda Klein""I Wanna Ramone You""She Turned Out To Be Crazy""Gooey Glasses""How'd The Date End""Thinking of Suicide""Two Martinis From Now"

For the fifth year in a row, Porchlight teams up with the San Francisco Sketchfest to bring you a rollicking night of storytelling by a line-up of people in the writing and funny business. Working with the theme FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT, six superstars tell ten-minute stories for your joy and entertainment. Stories from: Shelley McLendon, Derrick Brown, Frank Portman, Phoebe Robinson, Scott Capurro and Ophira Eisenberg.    Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick on January 25, 2015 at the Verdi Club in San Francisco. Recorded by Paula Junn. Mixed by Patty Fung.  

Frank Portman has been a big influence on me for over half my life. From his days as the songwriter and front man for the popular rock group The Mr. T Experience to his current work as an author, Frank's writing has played a big role in how I see and reinterpret the world in my own storytelling. Obviously, I jump at the chance to talk writing with him any chance I get and in this special bonus episode we catch up to talk about his new book 'King Dork Approximately', the demise and resurgence of his rock band The Mr. T Experience and the herculean task of creating stories from a personal place that resonate with a larger audience. If you're a writer or creative of any form I think you'll love this episode!

SourceFed's Trisha Hershberger joins us this week to help wrap up my birthday weekend! Trisha tells us about her upcoming gig competing in Red Bull LAN: Seattle this weekend even though she's new to DOTA 2! I try to give her some positive confidence after running The Spartan Race Malibu this past weekend for Fox and Team Maze Runner! We share your favorite all time video game related holiday gifts and Ben explains why Krypton might be a doomed premise for a brand new SyFy show! And I geek out quite a bit when one of my heroes, Frank Portman, calls in to talk about his new book 'King Dork Approximately' and reveal some news that still has my head spinning!

This installment comes from our collaboration with the yearly Litquake Literary Festival. The theme of the evening was brushes with the other side of fame told by Jennifer Longo, Antonia Crane, Caitlin Doughty, Joshua Safran and Owen Egerton along with songs by Frank Portman. Hosted by Arline Klatte & Beth Lisick on October 13, 2014 at the Verdi Club. Recorded by Paula Junn. Mixed by Patty Fung.

Tomboy (Zest Books) Razorcake and Skylight Books are teaming up to present graphic novelist Liz Prince, presenting her new graphic memoir Tomboy!  Growing up, Liz Prince wasn't a girly girl, but she wasn't exactly one of the guys either (as she learned when her little league baseball coach exiled her to the distant outfield). She was somewhere in between. But with the forces of middle school, high school, parents, friendship, and romance pulling her this way and that, the middle wasn't exactly an easy place to be. Tomboy follows award-winning author and artist Liz Prince through her early years and explores—with humor, honesty, and poignancy—what it means to “be a girl.” From staunchly refuting ”girliness” to the point of misogyny, to discovering through the punk community that your identity is whatever you make of it, Tomboy offers a sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking account of self-discovery in modern America. Praise for Tomboy “Liz Prince tells gender norms to eat dirt. A delightful, thoughtful, and compulsively readable memoir. And an important one.” —Ariel Schrag, author of Adam and Potential  “Liz Prince may have been an uncertain, confused kid, but she's a confident and sincerely expressive cartoonist. Tomboy is a funny and relatable look at what every child has to deal with at some point—figuring out who you really are inside, when everyone else only sees what they think you should be on the outside.” —Jeffrey Brown, author of Clumsy, Jedi Academy andDarth Vader and Son “It's hard to imagine anyone failing to be charmed by this entertaining, clever, and genuinely funny memoir of growing up with gender identity confusion. Even this pretty unconfused regular old dude found plenty to identify with in Liz Prince's story of adolescent bafflement, exploration, and discovery—all delivered, like all the best such stories, with a light touch, wry wit, understated irony, and not one iota of preachiness. Meaning: I'm a fan. Go Liz!” —Frank Portman, author of King Dork  “Tomboy is a thoughtful, honest look into the evolution and acceptance of personal gender identity, as told by a smart-mouhed punk named Liz Prince. I wish it had existed when I was in high school.” —Nicole Georges, author of Calling Dr. Laura “Liz Prince portrays the awkwardness and humiliation of childhood with wonderful (not to mention painful) accuracy. Any kid that picks up this book is going to be privy to secrets most of us don't learn until it's too late, and any adult who reads it will be reminded of an essential truth: that's it's okay to be exactly who we want to be, no matter how weird everyone else thinks we are. Tomboy isn't a self help book, but it should be.” —Julia Wertz, author of Drinking at the Movies and The Infinite Wait “It's not very often you read a goofy coming-of-age comic written with an astutely critical lens… and then there's Liz Prince'sTomboy. By tackling everything from Green Day to girl-hate, Prince does a kick-ass job at dissecting gender politics (and playground politics) through riotous anecdotes from her childhood, making this feminist inquiry, well, fun.” —Suzy X., illustrator at Rookie Mag  “Navigating life as a young tomboy would have been a lot easier if I'd had Liz's brave, hilarious, and honest story to guide me. Reading this book will make weird kids like us feel a little less alone.” —Melissa Mendes, author of Freddy Stories  Liz Prince's first book, Will You Still Love Me If I Wet the Bed?, was nominated for several awards and won the Ignatz Award for Outstanding Debut in 2005. Born in Boston, MA, she grew up in Santa Fe, NM, and has been drawing comics since the third grade. She has since produced many of her own comics and mini-comics, which mix her real-life foibles with charming cartooning and comic timing. Fans have described her work as being "cute," making them feel "warm and fuzzy," or simply being "too much information." She now lives outside of Boston and drinks more than her fair share of coffee. 

Frank Portman is an author of two Young Adult (YA) novels King Dork and Andromeda Klein with a sequel to King Dork due in December. He also fronted the pop-punk band Mr T Experience over two decades. Assistant Producer Jeffrey Sprague spoke to him about the struggles of a touring band, riding the wave of Green Day, and how he was launched into one of his dream jobs, being a novelist.

BJ has a conversation with author Frank Portman, a.k.a. Dr. Frank from pop punk band the Mr. T Experience.

In this episode of Jughead's Basement, John and friends resuscitate the Mr. T Experience's 1996 album, Love Is Dead. This edition features interviews with all of the '96 era member's of the band; Frank (Dr. Frank) Portman, Jym Pittman, and Joel Reader. Along with producer Kevin Army, and Lookout Records Representative Christopher Appelgren. Also featuring performances pieces from Michael T. Fournier and Evan Hanover. "Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba" : Michael T. Fournier has written a novel titled "Hidden Wheel" as well as a book-length discussion of the Minutemen's "Double Nickels on the Dime" album (for the 33 1/3 series). He is the editor of Cabildo Quarterly, a broadsheet literary journal, and plays drums in Dead Trend. He and his wife Rebecca live in Western Mass with their cat. "Thank You (For Not Being One of Them)" : Evan Hanover is an anthropologist by day and a dramaturge and photographer by night. This is the latest in a string of collaborations with John Jughead, many of which have been with the Neo-Futurists, with whom he is an Artistic Associate. Also, he sincerely would like to thank you for not being one of them. Please support Jughead's Basement by becoming a patron at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4145447