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5 Ways to Spot a Cheater I’m binge watching the series Mad Men, which is set in the 1960s and the main character is the definition of a player. The amount of workplace infidelity and the casualness of it all was surprising at first but then I realized this is a human problem that still exists today. Let’s explore the DEEPER reasons why wounded men cheat and why they seek out validation, often from women. Let’s talk about…5 Ways to Spot a Cheater Resources: FREE Discovery Call ► http://jonathonaslay.com/coaching Join My VIP Group for $7– http://jonathonaslay.com/midlifelove Self-Love the Book: http://selflovethebook.com Recommended Books: http://jonathonaslay.com/jonathon-recommends
Susanna Fogel is a director, screenwriter, and novelist best known for her work in BOOKSMART and THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME. David Iserson is a filmmaker, writer, and producer best known for his work on MR. ROBOT, MAD MEN, and NEW GIRL. Iserson, alongside Fogel, served as co-creators, writers, and executive producers for the television series PONIES, a 70s-set spy thriller starring Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson. The series follows two PONIES ("persons of no interest") working anonymously as secretaries in the American Embassy until their husbands are killed under mysterious circumstances in the USSR, and the pair become CIA operatives. Together, they work to uncover a vast Cold War conspiracy and solve the mystery that made them widows in the first place. In this interview, we talk about the professional marriage between Susanna Fogel and David Iserson, the development history and production origins of their series PONIES, research and working with consultants, plus much more. Want more? Steal my first book, INK BY THE BARREL - SECRETS FROM PROLIFIC WRITERS, right now for free. Simply head over to www.brockswinson.com to get your free digital download and audiobook. If you find value in the book, please share it with a friend, as we're giving away 100,000 copies this year. It's based on over 400 interviews here at Creative Principles. Enjoy! If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It only takes about 60 seconds, and it really helps convince some of the hard-to-get guests to sit down and have a chat (simply scroll to the bottom of your iTunes Podcast app and click “Write Review"). Enjoy the show!
265 | Phantom Smells, Thinning Hair, and Palm Beach Rules: The Midlife Truths You Need to Know Have you ever smelled cigarette smoke when no one is lighting up? Or wondered why your favorite 70-year-old socialite looks exactly like a 40-year-old? In this "Post-Ice Edition" of the Life Coach BFF Show, Heather Pettey and Dr. Carol Lynn are back to catch you up on everything you missed while hunkered down in the winter storms. From the strange "phantom smells" of menopause to the strict fashion rules of Palm Beach high society, this episode is a whirlwind of laughter, medical insights, and midlife realizations. Whether you're navigating a "choke and poke" (the medical term will surprise you!), setting boundaries, or realizing that menopause actually happens to everyone, this episode is the ultimate catch-up with your best friends. In this episode, we discuss: The "Name Game": The professional and personal hurdles of changing names after marriage and remarriage. Strange Menopause Symptoms: Why phantom smells (like cigarette smoke or worse) happen during hormonal shifts and post-COVID. Palm Beach Etiquette: What the show Palm Royale (and real-life society) teaches us about boobs, knees, and "Old Palm Beach." Life-Changing Shifts: Real feedback from our community on how divorce, pellets, retirement, and saying "no" improved their lives. Expectation Management: The freedom that comes with releasing expectations of others. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Join the Community: Our Midlife Moxie Private Facebook Group TV Shows: Members Only: Palm Beach (Netflix discussion), Schitt's Creek, and Mad Men. Health: Discussion on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Pellets. Snag your My Midlife Moxie Journal Digital Version My Midlife Moxie Journal Sign Up and Get the latest MOXIE news! Join The Facebook Group: @ourmidlifemoxie Connect with Host Heather Pettey: Email: hpetteyoffice@gmail.com Private Coaching with Heather:https://www.ourmidlifemoxie.com/heatherpetteycoaching Speaker Request Here Instagram @HeatherPettey_ Facebook: @HeatherPettey1 Linkedin: @HeatherPettey Book: "Keep It Simple, Sarah" (Amazon bestseller) Connect with Host Dr. Carol Lynn: Linkedin Website: https://www.drcarollynn.com Facebook Group: @ourmidlifemoxie Website: www.ourmidlifemoxie.com Don't forget to subscribe to the Life Coach BFF Show for more inspiring content and practical life advice! Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Always consult your own physician for personal medical advice.
Philosopher and writer Eamon Evans on humanity's relentless and impossible pursuit of happiness through materialism, social media and self help, and why the kindest and best people have been 'crushed by life' a couple of times.Eamon started to think more deeply about happiness and contentment in his 20s, after a bout of serious depression.He realised that trying to be happy all the time was paradoxically making him miserable, and says that's true for most of us in this modern world.Eamon began to trace the history of human's infatuation with being happy.What he found was that the story of humanity was tied up with other pursuits like survival, honour, virtue and discipline until very recently.Only in the 20th century did people start wanting to stop to smell the roses all the time, but Eamon says a permanent state of happiness impossible and emotionally counterproductive.In fact, our obsession with being happy is actually making us sad, and on top of that, it's making us sad about the fact that we're sad—a concept called 'meta-unhappiness'.Eamon acknowledges misery can sometimes be pathological, and it's important that lifesaving progress has been made on creating spaces here people can speak out and seek help.But in terms of daily, natural feelings of struggle, he says it's better to accept these as a normal part of human life, and look upon seasons of misery as miracles that build character, make us kinder, and more interesting.The Importance of Being Miserable is published by Simon and Schuster.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris, Executive Producer was Nicola Harrison.It explores advertising, marketing, smart phones, addiction, dopamine, serotonin, Gen Z, glimmers of hope, gratitude, being grateful, how to be grateful, gratitude journal, Buddhism, enlightenment, Mad Men, advertising, capitalism, mental health, mental wellbeing, self help books, religion, industrial revolution, greed, property, wants versus needs.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.
Most B2B marketing fails for one simple reason: it forgets how persuasion actually works.That's why Mad Men still hits. Beneath the suits, pitches, and personal drama, it's a masterclass in what actually moves people. In this episode, we break down its B2B marketing takeaways with the help of our special guest Fahad Muhammad, Former VP of Marketing at TealBook.Together, we explore why fundamentals matter more than tactics, why emotion drives demand, and how originality is the only real advantage left in modern B2B marketing.About our guest, Fahad MuhammadFahad is a revenue-centric and data-driven marketing leader with 17 years of experience in strategic marketing at severalSaaS/Tech companies ranging from start-ups, SMBs to enterprise organizations. Specializing in demand creation and generation, he takes a data driven approach to identify unique growth opportunities in order to drive revenue and foster meaningful connections with customers. He is a diehard college football fan (Sun Devil for life!) and attends ASU's homecoming game each fall. An avid reader, he loves to read with a cup of his favorite coffee in hand.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Mad Men:Anchor on positioning before you touch tactics. Fahad's biggest takeaway from Mad Men is that modern B2B often skips the hard thinking and jumps straight to execution. The show strips marketing back to its core, and the lesson is uncomfortable in its simplicity. As he puts it, “This discipline is around three core things. It's about positioning, it's about having a very compelling piece of creative… and then the last piece is really understanding who your audience is.” The danger for B2B teams is mistaking activity for strategy. If positioning is fuzzy, no amount of optimization will save it. Get the foundation right first, or everything else is just noise.Emotion is the real differentiator. Fahad makes it clear that cutting through the noise is about resonance. He says, “Something that does speak to us, no matter what medium [it's in], is always going to cut through the noise.” Mad Men works because it understands human psychology hasn't changed, even if the channels have. For B2B marketers, the lesson is simple: logic might justify the purchase, but emotion earns attention. If your message doesn't connect at a human level, it won't survive the noise long enough to matter.Originality beats borrowed playbooks. Fahad warns that one of the fastest ways for B2B brands to disappear is by copying what already worked for someone else. Mad Men celebrates originality because it shows how differentiation is built through conviction, not consensus. As Fahad puts it, “They're not taking the shortcut route of copy pasting or referencing creative… they are elevating themselves and going through their own version of creative.” In a world where everyone has access to the same tools, the only sustainable advantage is saying something true in a way only you can. That's what people remember.Quote“ Everybody has the same access to the tools now. They can do the same thing. And the playing field is more level than ever. So how do you now cut through the noise? It still goes back to the core elements of: How strong is your positioning? How strong is your creative? Are you really thinking [that] this is going to cut through the noise and is it going to move people?”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Fahad Muhammad, Former VP of Marketing at TealBook[01:37] Why Mad Men?[04:28] Role of VP of Marketing at TealBook[05:20] Behind-the-Scenes of Mad Men[09:21] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Mad Men[32:08] The Role of AI in Marketing[42:43] How to Connect Content to Your Marketing Strategy[45:44] Advice for First-Time VPs of Marketing[47:19] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Fahad on LinkedInLearn more about TealBookAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Building A Boutique Events Agency As A MomA single decision can change the way you work, parent, and lead. When Sarah realized staying in a comfortable role was dimming her optimism, she chose the unknown—and co-founded The Parts Department, a boutique events agency designed for impact, not bloat. We get candid about what it really takes to build a modern experiential marketing shop, from value-first delivery to relationship-led growth and the courage required to quit without a safety net.I loved hearing how Sarah's career at Periscope and Advocate shaped her point of view on events: people love brands that love them back. That belief anchors their niche—high-touch experiential strategies that actually move the needle. We unpack their two modes of working—embedding with teams on retainer or owning projects end to end—and why a lean model beats the old habit of filling rooms with extra bodies. You'll also hear the realities of client outreach on LinkedIn, using relevance over hard sell, and why most early wins come from trust that's been earned over years.There's a deeply human thread here, too. The London chapter—navigating a foreign city with a one- and two-year-old—reshaped how Sarah thinks about fulfillment. She talks about “buckets” that need filling: work, motherhood, movement, community. Flexibility isn't a perk; it's a system. A 9:45 a.m. Friday hockey game becomes proof that work can bend around life when partners trust each other. And yes, we talk about women leading in an industry that once looked like Mad Men, and how kindness as a business practice never goes out of style.If you're building a brand, leading marketing, or figuring out your next bold move, this conversation offers practical playbooks and real encouragement. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review—then tell us: what's your next hell yes?Connect with Sarah:Website: The Parts DepartmentLinkedIn: Sarah BohlineIG: @thepartsworkContact the Host, Kelly Kirk: Email: info.ryh7@gmail.com Get Connected/Follow: The Hue Drop Newsletter: Subscribe Here IG: @ryh_pod & @thekelly.tanke.kirk Facebook: Reclaiming Your Hue Facebook Page CAKES Affiliate Link: KELLYKIRK Credits: Editor: Joseph Kirk Music: Kristofer Tanke Thanks for listening & cheers to Reclaiming Your Hue!
More and more men are showing up in therapy convinced that desire is a technical problem—something that can be solved through optimization, symmetry, and self-correction. Jawlines, ratios, bodies, images. Looksmaxxing promises certainty, control, and relief from rejection, but what it actually delivers is anxiety, perfectionism, and a dead end.In this episode, I bring together several threads that have been colliding for me lately: re-watching Mad Men, clinical conversations with men struggling under the pressure to optimize themselves, and Jacques Lacan's unsettling idea of objet petit a—the object-cause of desire that can never be perfected, possessed, or secured.Along the way, I draw on Slavoj Žižek's famous example of Cindy Crawford's mole, and on Jessica Paré's portrayal of Megan Draper, whose gap-toothed beauty in Mad Men illustrates a simple but uncomfortable truth: desire doesn't emerge from flawlessness, but from the excess, the gap, and the imperfection that refuses to be optimized away.This episode is a critique of looksmaxxing culture, perfectionism, and the fantasy that being desirable means becoming complete—and an invitation to think about desire as something far less controllable, far less marketable, and far more human.
This week, Jeff has some weird audio issue but powers through as the boys head way back to 1937! After a pre-show shot, a few mini-reviews to set the mood, some news about the DGA and declining industry-relevant jobs, the boys set up the year 1937- what was happening, what movies were popular- before a feature conversation about Leo McCarey's “The Awful Truth”. Stick around and hear why John didn't like the movie as much as Dave and Jeff! linktr.ee/theloveofcinema - Check out our YouTube page! Our phone number is 646-484-9298. It accepts texts or voice messages. 0:00 Intro; 4:00 “The Secret Agent” mini-review; 8:06: “Avatar: Fire & Ash” mini-review; 10:01 Gripes & DGA/Streaming News; 22:43 1982 Year in Review; 36:58 Films of 1937: “The Awful Truth”; 1:07:56 What You Been Watching?; 1:18:06 Next Week's Episode Teaser Additional Cast/Crew: Cary Grant, Irene Dunn, James Cameron, Kleber Mendonca Filho, Robson Andrade, Wagner Maura. Hosts: Dave Green, Jeff Ostermueller, John Say Edited & Produced by Dave Green. Beer Sponsor: Carlos Barrozo Music Sponsor: Dasein Dasein on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/77H3GPgYigeKNlZKGx11KZ Dasein on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dasein/1637517407 Recommendations: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, City on the Edge of Tomorrow, Mad Men, The Pitt, Eastbound and Down, Bed Knobs and Broomsticks, Mary Poppins, The Perfect Neighbor, Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story, Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart. Additional Tags: Amazon, Robotics, AMC, IMAX Issues, TWarner Brothers, Paramount, Netflix, AMC Times Square, Tom Cruise, George Clooney, Christopher Nolan, DGA, SAG-AFTRA, MGM, Amazon Prime, Marvel, Oscars, Academy Awards, BFI, BAFTA, BAFTAS, British Cinema. England, Vienna, Leopoldstadt, The Golden Globes, Past Lives, Apple Podcasts, West Side Story, Adelaide, Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Melbourne, The British, England, The SEC, Ronald Reagan, Stock Buybacks, Marvel, MCU, DCEU, Film, Movies, Southeast Asia, The Phillippines, Vietnam, America, The US, Academy Awards, WGA Strike, Stellan Skarsgard, the matt and mark movie show, YouTube, Paramount, Jeff Bezos, Rupert Murdoch, Larry Ellison, David Ellison, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg.
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
Award-winning author and journalist Elizabeth Arnott spoke with us about her early studies of serial killers, a wild journalism career, and her latest period-set crime novel THE SECRET LIVES OF MURDERERS' WIVES. Elizabeth Arnott has written critically acclaimed historical fiction as Lizzie Pook (her maiden name). As a journalist, she covered everything from true crime to Arctic exploration and appeared in publications such as The Sunday Times, National Geographic, The New York Times Book Review, and The Guardian among others. She has described her much-anticipated latest historical crime novel as Mad Men with murders, and Lessons in Chemistry with a body count. The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives [available for pre-order and landing March 3, 2026; Berkley Hardcover], is a story that “... centers on three unlikely friends—all former wives of serial killers—and their efforts to solve a string of local killings in 1966 California.” The book was acquired in a heated seven-way auction and named one of “The Best Books for Book Clubs in 2026” by Glamour, and among “The 10 Most-Anticipated Mystery-Thriller Books of 2026” by Marie Claire. Parade wrote of the book, “... a story that feels like Bright Young Women collided with Mindhunter …. a propulsive, period-set whodunit perfect for anyone who loves early criminal profiling and Mad Men-era aesthetics with bite.” [This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to ulys.app/writeabook to download Ulysses, and use the code FILES at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription."] [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Elizabeth Arnott, Milena and I discussed: Elizabeth's early obsession with the film Almost Famous Renting a flat above a brothel in grad school Her freewheeling freelance days traveling the globe for stories When her journalism career hit rock bottom The path to writing about the forgotten victims of violent crimes How to write a novel in six weeks And a lot more! Show Notes: Elizabeth Arnott on Instagram The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives By Elizabeth Arnott – March 3, 2026 (Amazon) Elizabeth Arnott on Twitter Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Volume 77 of Brad & Mira For the Culture...Brad goes to the nursery...encounters an angry pit bull...confronts Mira about her unused Christmas gift...Mira rewatches Mad Men...Angry Adam returns with a vegeance...Kanye takes out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal...claims brain damage caused him to hate the Jews...Alex Honnold free solos a skyscraper...unleashes psychological trauma on millions....Erika Kirk begins another national tour...wants to 'make heaven crowded again'...& more... *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to ulys.app/writeabook to download Ulysses, and use the code OTHERPPL at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription." Available where podcasts are available: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Get How to Write a Novel, the debut audio course from DeepDive. 50+ hours of never-before-heard insight, inspiration, and instruction from dozens of today's most celebrated contemporary authors. Subscribe to Brad's email newsletter. Support the show on Patreon Merch Instagram TikTok Bluesky Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How to Use AI for B2B Storytelling Without Losing Your Brand So many B2B companies and marketing teams waste budget on generic content that fails to resonate or support core business goals. In an era where AI-generated is everywhere, smaller B2B brands often struggle to maintain a unique identity while competing against larger firms with massive content engines. The key to staying relevant lies in a B2B brand’s ability to be authentic, human-centric, and strategically consistent despite the pressure to automate everything. So how can B2B brands effectively integrate AI into their marketing workflows without losing their unique voice and brand integrity? That's why we're talking to Nick Usborne (Founder, Story Aligned), who shared his expertise on leveraging AI through the lens of strategic storytelling. During our conversation, Nick discussed the critical distinction between simple narrative and a brand’s unique story, highlighting a significant gap where only 7% of top AI prompt libraries actually focus on storytelling. He shared actionable advice on building a “story vault,” training staff to avoid “brand drift,” and enforcing consistent AI usage to maintain the trust of the audience. Nick also underscored the importance of keeping human elements at the forefront of content creation to prevent AI from feeling overly mechanical, and advocated for a balanced approach that ensures scalable growth without sacrificing a brand's authenticity. https://youtu.be/dtgvg2-XXoU Topics discussed in episode: [02:53] The “Why” Behind AI Adoption: Why companies must embrace AI not just for efficiency, but to avoid being left behind by competitors who are already scaling their reach. [04:10] The “Moat” of Storytelling: Why narrative and voice can be easily copied by AI, but your brand's unique “lived story” is the only defensible moat you have. [11:27] Pitfalls of Inconsistent AI Use: The dangers of “shadow AI” use by employees (e.g., Using personal accounts vs. company custom GPTs) and how it leads to brand drift. [16:46] The Human Element vs. AI: Nick explains why AI can describe the beach but can't “feel the sand between its toes,” and why human “messiness” is key to connection. [24:26] Building a Story Vault: Nick provides a practical framework for formalizing your brand's folklore—from founder stories to customer service wins—so they can be systematically used in AI content. [28:17] Actionable Steps for Marketers: Three immediate steps to take: build your story vault, interview key stakeholders (founders, early employees), and analyze customer service transcripts for sentiment. [30:11] The Problem with “Killer Prompt” Libraries: Why copying “top 20 prompt” lists is a strategic mistake that leads to generic, non-differentiated content. Companies and links mentioned: Nick Usborne on LinkedIn Story Aligned Transcript Nick Usborne, Christian Klepp Nick Usborne 00:00 AI can do a wonderful job in many ways, but it’s never walked down the beach and felt the sand between its toes. It’s read about it. It’s never eaten ice cream. It’s read about that, but it’s never felt it. So that’s what I mean by lived experience. I think that content and stories that truly resonate with people you use those kind of touch points the the deeply human side of being alive. And like, say, I think AI can get close when you prompt it really well, but also, there’s a messiness that makes us recognize one another, the little mistakes we make. That’s what makes us human. We are messy. AI, it’s not very good at being messy. You can ask it to be messy, and it’ll try to figure that out, but it’s really not the same. And like I say, I think people are very sensitive to this kind of nuance. Christian Klepp 00:51 When brands rely on the same AI tools and prompts, they start to sound like everyone else. That loss of voice can hurt trust and lead to something called Brand drift. So how can B2B Marketing teams scale content with AI while staying true to their story? Welcome to this episode of the B2B Marketers in the Mission podcast, and I’m your host, Christian Klepp, today, I’ll be talking to Nick Usborne, who will be answering this question. He’s the Founder of Story Aligned, a training program for Marketing teams that want to scale content using AI while protecting the integrity of their brand story and voice. Tune in to find out more about what this B2B Marketers Mission is. Mr. Nick Usborne, welcome to the show, sir. Nick Usborne 01:32 Thank you very much. Thank you Christian. Thank you for having me. Christian Klepp 01:35 Pleasure to have you on the show. Nick, you know we had such a fantastic pre interview call. It was a bit of a you did drop a few hints and clues about what was to come, and I’m really looking forward to this conversation. I’m going to keep the audience in suspense a little while longer as I move us into the first question. So off we go. Nick Usborne 01:55 Okay. Christian Klepp 01:56 All right, so, Nick, you’re on a mission to equip Marketing teams to scale AI powered content while staying aligned with their organization, story and voice. So for this conversation, let’s focus on the topic of how to use AI for B2B content without losing trust. And it is at the time of the recording, the end of 2025 and of course, we’re going to talk about AI, but we’re going to zoom in on something specific as it pertains to B2B content and a little bit of branding in there as well. But I wanted to kick off this conversation with two questions, and I’m happy to repeat them. So the first question is, why do you believe it’s so important for brands and their Marketing teams to embrace AI so that they can scale? And the second question is, why does this approach require the right prompts and guardrails? I think that’s one thing that you mentioned in our previous conversation, the whole the whole piece about prompts and guardrails. Nick Usborne 02:53 Well, the first question, why do companies need to embrace AI? And the ridiculous answer to that. It’s not a good answer, but it’s true is that because everyone else is, because your competitors are, and they will create content at scale while you are not, and they will achieve reach that you can’t achieve without AI. And in fact, if they do it well, their content, their new content, will be very good, content deeply researched beyond perhaps what you can do. So it’s like everything within AI right now, like, like, Why? Why do all the companies like open AI and Google and Meta, why they all racing? Because if they don’t, someone else will get there first. And it’s, I’m not saying it’s a great reason, but I think it is the fundamental reason for companies to embrace AI, is that you will be left behind if you don’t. This is a transformational moment, and as much as we’d like to have choice, I think in this matter, we don’t have a lot of choice. So that’s my answer to that question. Repeat the second question for me. Christian Klepp 04:00 Absolutely, absolutely so based on, based on that, like, why does this approach require the right prompts and guardrails? Nick Usborne 04:10 As part of my business, I’m constantly researching this, and in particular, I’m researching the prompts people do so when say, could be writers coders, but in our world. Let’s say writers, principally, or marketers, are using AI. They’re using prompts, and they’re generally prompting about two things. One is narrative, like, what should we say? Or, you know, please write us a blog post about x. So that’s the that’s the topic, that’s the narrative. And then they’ll put in something say, oh, please do it in a voice that is authoritative and yet accessible. All right, so now that’s a voice. What they haven’t mentioned is what I think is the foundational layer, which is, which is story. And that’s important, because story is the only thing that is uniquely yours, if you have an narrative, if you, if you have voice, if you talk about something in a particular way, I can copy that with AI. I can copy it at scale. I can, I can look at the transcripts of Christian podcasts, and I can say, oh, I want to do one in exactly. Tell her the same topic. I can, you know, so when you focus on narrative, on what you write about in voice. I can copy it. There’s no moat. The only moat you have is with story, because every company’s story is unique. We can look at origin stories, foundation stories, we can look at customer stories through case studies, things like that. Those are always unique. No one else has Apple’s origin story. No one else has virgin Atlantic’s Founder’s story, etc. But we did some research recently. Actually, we did some research months ago, and I reconfirmed it earlier this week. I ran it. I ran it all again to look at the data. If you look at the top 20 prompt libraries that you know the big, trustworthy companies and organizations that put out prompt libraries for companies. If you look at the top 20 libraries and the 1000s and 1000s of prompts within there, 76% of those prompts are about the narrative. What to say? 17 are about voice. How do you sound? Only 7% relate to story. So this, to my mind, is where we have a problem. We have a disconnect. Everyone is going crazy, prompting for narrative and story, both of which have 0, zero mode, anyone can copy them at scale. And only 7% this very small percentage, are actually focusing on the one thing that is uniquely theirs and cannot be copied or challenged. So that when you say, when you, when you say I’m on a mission, that’s the mission for me to say, Hey guys, wake up. You’re You’re prompting the wrong things in the wrong way. Let’s like, go back and look at story Christian Klepp 07:12 Absolutely, absolutely. It almost sounds like an oxymoron to us to a certain degree, because you’re saying scaling B2B content using AI without losing trust. Because, you know, the narrative that I keep seeing on social media, particularly LinkedIn, is that if people are using AI, there is a bit of a trust factor there. But I think it’s to your point and correct me if I’m wrong, it’s being able to embrace AI and you leveraging it the right way, so it’s not, it’s not, it’s not to replace, it’s not to replace the writers, right, or to replace the Marketers, I hope not. Nick Usborne 07:50 It may replace some. But, yeah, yeah. I mean, I mean, you’re right, and the keyword you mentioned there is trust. I think, I think trust is going to be the most valuable commodity that a company can have in the months and years to come, because people don’t actually don’t if we’re talking about brand. So we’re trying to protect brand with story, right? And brand is something that a lot of companies have spent millions of dollars building and protecting over years or decades and well, one of the things let me come back to trust in a moment. But if I’m looking at brand, and I’m looking at all the stuff goes out there, it either builds brand or it burns brand. And if you burn brand, you lose trust. So if you’re going out with a whole bunch of content that sounds like everyone else is that it’s kind of meh. It’s ordinary. It’s in the middle, which is what AI is really good at. Without the right prompting, it will give you kind of in the middle, mediocre output. So you got to be much better at prompting than just like a, I don’t know, being careless about it, or taking a shortcut, shortcuts, or being lazy about it, because then you get brand drift, and all of a sudden the brand doesn’t sound quite right. And when that happens, you lose trust. And when you lose trust, you lose revenue. I mean, you really do. And people are getting very sensitive to brand of brand trust we saw recently. Was it tracker barrel tried to just change its logo. People freaked out. People freaked out. Christian Klepp 09:27 It was an awful rebrand, but, yes. Nick Usborne 09:30 Yeah, but it wasn’t. These weren’t. These weren’t. Saying is, I don’t think the design is up to snuff. It’s like, don’t mess with my tracker barrel. We actually feel very strongly about the brands. Talk to people who are absolute fans of Apple. Doesn’t matter that it costs twice as much, perhaps as not quite as good. It’s Apple. It’s my brand. Don’t mess with my brand. So we’re very sensitive to our loyalty to brands. And in fact, in some sense, it’s brand define us like a football team, a baseball team, in part, we can be defined by the brands that we support, local, Pepsi. You know, it’s like everywhere. So when a company uses AI carelessly at scale and all of a sudden that blog post, it kind of sounds like them, but something’s a tiny bit off. And then that LinkedIn update. Again, yeah, it’s them, but again, it’s, did I say is that the same as they were six months ago? You get the you get these little these little things that sound off, and now you get brand drift. And now you get people feeling uneasy, and the public are sometimes we think we can just make the public believe whatever we want them to believe, or companies to believe whatever we want them to believe, but actually, individuals, in their home lives and in their business lives are very, very sensitive to brand and they’re very, very sensitive to voice and what they hear, and if it’s off, they really don’t like it, and that does translate into loss of trust, and that does directly translate into loss of revenue. Christian Klepp 11:07 Absolutely. I’m going to move us on to the next set of questions, particularly that one pertaining to key pitfalls that Marketers need to avoid when they’re trying to scale their B2B content using AI without losing trust. So what are some of these key pitfalls they should avoid, and what should they be doing instead? Nick Usborne 11:27 What I’m hearing from inside a number of companies is that there is an inconsistency in how people are using AI and even when systems are in place, that not everyone follows the system. So it’s early days. It is. These are messy times for, you know, working with AI within companies. So I think it’s really important that companies do have some frameworks in place, that people within the organization are using the same tools in the same way, and that they are encouraged to be consistent in what they do. So I’ve heard stories of where companies are set up, you know, they’re using Copilot, or whatever they use, and then some of the manager will walk by someone’s desk, and they’re actually, actually, they’re using Claude on their phone. That person like phone, and it’s like, well, yeah, but no, this is now, you know, you have no control. You also have to get people to do what they ask. I was talking to a Founder the other day. She has a PR (Public Relations) company, plenty of clients, and she’s smart. She’s created custom GPTs for each client. So each custom GPT is trained on with with a kind of database of information on that client and the content, so that you know when you when you ask it to do something else, it’s already has the context and the voice instructions and everything, and you can and it’s great, you get this consistency. But she says, what’s happening is some of her employees come in in the morning, they start work on client X, and they’re using that custom GPT. Then they move on to client Y, but they keep using the original custom GPT and not switching out. So the management has put in the structure in place to be consistent and to output the best, you know, the best content, but the employees are not always playing game, you know, going along with that. So so I do think we’re in a messy period now where companies are not entirely sure how to apply this, how to structure it, what kind of frameworks and guidance to put in place. What guardrails to put in place? Like? Again, I’ve heard horror stories of people grabbing content that should not be shared and putting it into a large language model and then turning that into customer facing or public facing content. Christian Klepp 13:57 Oh, plagiarism. Nick Usborne 14:04 So yeah, it is messy. So what I would say is, before you even try to make the best of the use of AI that you do, need to put systems and frameworks in place and educate your staff. So if you want your staff to use AI effectively give them access to training. Don’t just throw them at a tool and say, go for it, because they won’t know what to do with it, or they’ll be able to create stuff, but they won’t be able to create good stuff. So invest in the systems, invest in the frameworks and instructions, and invest in training for the people who are going to be using the tools. Christian Klepp 14:46 Definitely some relevant points. I wanted to go back to something you said, though, because I think it’s really important. It’s certainly one thing to have the prompts and the guardrails in place and some kind of like, framework and structures. But to your earlier point, how do you enforce that? And I think you gave a really good example about like, if you have a custom GPT, and then they resort to like, using. Um Claude on their personal accounts, and then it’s a little bit like the wild west out there, isn’t it? Nick Usborne 15:06 It is, it is, and it’s and it’s, how do you enforce it? Well, that’s going to be a company by company decision. Like, like the Founder with the PR of the PR company, when she was telling me about how her employees just weren’t doing what they were asked. I was like, part of you is thinking about, why haven’t you kind of cracked down on this? But again, it depends on the company and what options you have when it comes to enforcing stuff like this. But I do think you need to, because then if we circle right back, if you have people who are untrained, and that’s the company’s responsibility to train their employees. If you have people who are untrained and they’re using these tools inconsistently, that is when you far more likely then to see errors for, you know, unforced errors like publishing stuff that you shouldn’t but you’re also going to see more brand drift, because you’re going to get this inconsistency between output and that is a disaster. Like I say, companies have sometimes spent, in a decade, several years in establishing and building a trustworthy brand. And people are very unforgiving. You can, you can lose all that goodwill very, very quickly. So, yeah, training frameworks make sure people are, you know, working within those boundaries, but as a company, it’s your responsibility to help make that happen. Christian Klepp 16:29 Yeah, yeah. Oh, absolutely, absolutely. You kind of brought this up already, but you mentioned that AI can help to scale content, but it can’t replicate your lived story, so please explain what you meant by that, and provide an example. If you can, Nick Usborne 16:46 AI can do a wonderful job in many ways, but you know, it’s never walked down the beach and felt the sand between its toes. It’s read about it. It’s never eaten ice cream. It’s read about that, but it’s never felt it. So that’s what I mean by lived experience. So I think that content and stories that truly resonate with people, you use those kind of touch points, the deeply human side of being alive and like say, I think AI can get close when you prompt it really well, but also there’s a messiness that makes us recognize one another, the little mistakes we make, that’s what makes us human. We are messy, and it’s not very good at being messy. You can ask it to be messy, and it’ll try to figure that out, but it’s really not the same. And like I say, I think people are very sensitive to this kind of nuance and the lived story. It’s the it’s the weird stuff. I think that resonates. So I’ve spent quite a bit of my career doing copywriting for companies, and for a long period, I was doing some freelance, a lot of freelance copywriting. So this is just a little side note, a little side story for you. I used to live on a hobby farm. We had some sheep and pigs and chickens and all that good stuff, the good life. And also had freelance customers. And I went in, and I was and I went, you know, you go out, you feed the animals, you come in, I sit down to work, and my client said, this is just on the phone. This is even before the internet. Client said, Hey, you’re late. I was just out farming the pig and feeding the pigs. And the guy says, what? And this, I hadn’t realized. I never told him that I lived on a farm. He thought somewhere. So anyway, we talked a little bit about the pigs, then we get to work. So the project we’re working on worked out really well, and it won an award. So we fly off to your hometown, Toronto, for the awards ceremony, direct marketing awards ceremony, and he stands up and he says, Thank you very much. Blah, blah, blah. And special thanks to Nick Usborne, the pig farming copywriter. And I’m like, I’m like, in the audience, and I’m thinking, oh, please no. This guy is like, rebranding me constantly in front of all my peers, all my potential clients for next year. Big drama turns out so, so that that’s messy, all right? AI wouldn’t do that, you wouldn’t imagine that it wouldn’t do that. That’s a deeply human moment of my humiliation and him laughing, and everyone slapping me on the back and laughing and asking about my pigs. Turns out, over the next 12 months, I got a few phone calls out of the blue. And I say, Hello, Nick Usborne. I said, Oh, is that Nick Usborne? The cover of James Barber. And I say, why? Yes. And so I actually got work out of that, because it was such a distinct difference from every other copywriter out there. I was the only copywriter who had pigs. So that was just a fun story, but it also speaks to the difference between humans and AI, and it’s a live that’s a lived experience, and it’s a lived anecdote, and I tell the story, and it’s a true story that is really important, I think so, even when we use AI, even when we use it at its best, and it can be really good when you use it well, I think everyone should keep leave space for the human in the loop, as they say, keep that human element in there, big for those stories. So I so I encourage companies to create what I call like a story vault. So there’s the obvious stories, like the Founder story, the origin story, the six original success story, also put in the little quirky stories, like that one I just described, and and make that part of your process. And also go, you know, if you’re creating something with AI and it’s a big project, take the time to go and interview someone, talk to someone, get a human story, put it in just because you’re using AI, doesn’t mean to say that everything you create has to be 100% AI, you can, you can? I do this all the time. I look for it a draft with AI, then I’d go back in and I’ll rewrite the beginning with an anecdote, like the small s story, not a big dramatic story, just a little story. And what it does then is that then connects it with us, because as people, we recognize stories. Story is profound to all of us. I think in every country in the world, parents read their children bedtime stories. It’s something we share in common. It’s how we communicate, and it’s how we recognize our humanity in a sense of like, if you tell me a story, you connect with me, and vice versa. So that’s why I think stories are so important in this world of AI, because if you just go AI, it can get a little cold, and sometimes, as a reader, you don’t quite understand what’s happening and why, but you kind of feel it. There’s an absence. There’s something missing, and that what’s what you feeling is missing is that human touch, that human element, Christian Klepp 21:59 Absolutely, absolutely. I mean, there’s like, there’s like, telltale signs, right? Like em dash being one of them, Nick Usborne 22:06 em dash Christian Klepp 22:07 Yes, or Yeah. Or it tends to, like, regurgitate the same type of war. It’s like, I find it loves using the word landscape or navigate, you know, things of that nature, right? Nick Usborne 22:20 Yeah. Christian Klepp 22:21 Or uses these funny like, you know, the colon or for, for, for titles of episodes, for examples. Nick Usborne 22:30 In titles, even when I give it clear instructions, do not use them. So sometimes, when I create content like that is, I’ll create it in with one model like say, GPT5, and I’ll take it over to flawed, and I’ll say, hey, please edit and clean this up for me, and remove any, you know, repetition or whatever. And sometimes it comes back say, hey, looks pretty clean, pretty good. Other times it’ll change stuff. And then, of course, always I will, you know, I will review. And that’s the other thing that the companies need to think about. Is that, at the moment, content generation at scale within companies, it is a bit like a conveyor belt in a factory of all these boxes flying off the end into the FedEx back of the FedEx van, and without, without any kind of quality control, which, which is actually what you do have with income within you know, if you’re manufacturing, and you do have quality control, and you pick out every 20th item or whatever to make sure that it’s good, a lot of that isn’t happening, that isn’t happening with a lot of people using AI is people don’t even see it. It’s fully automated, like, like a week’s worth of social media is automated, or a month’s work worth, and no one, no human, has read it or reviewed it. It’s just flying out automatically. And that is where at some point you’re inevitably going to have a problem. And it may not be a big problem, it may be lots and lots of small problems, lots of lots of things sounding not quite right, and then all of a sudden, when you’ve got enough little things not sounding right, then you start getting a medium sized problem. Christian Klepp 24:06 Yeah, yeah. No, exactly, exactly. Okay. Now, you talked about it a little bit in the beginning, but talk to us about some of these, these frameworks and these processes that B2B companies can use to help them, you know, organize themselves and reap those benefits of AI without losing trust. Like, what are some of these processes and frameworks? Nick Usborne 24:26 I do some training, and I have done a few rubrics where people can kind of use those to formalize the process. But I think if we talk about story, and I think I already mentioned the idea of each company having a story vault, so be formal and deliberate about it. Everyone can chat about their company’s stories, but if I say to you, hey, is there a folder? Can I can I get a Google folder and find a compilation of all of these stories? And have you graded those stories in terms of how strong and relevant? And they are, and how engaging they might be, or how evocative they might be, and the answer is almost always no, the story is around. But there’s no story vault, and there’s no rubric in place to grade those stories and decide which might be the most appropriate points at which to share those stories. So it’s that, it’s that formalizing the process, and I don’t like being 100% rules based, but I think in the AI world right now, where we are in that kind of messy middle period, I think it’s really important to have some systems in place so that we do have a consistent output, so that when you so that your brand doesn’t suffer from brand drift, and that you don’t make some significant missteps along the way. So somebody within the organization needs to be responsible for this. Maybe it’s the Chief AI Officer, if you have one, or otherwise, somebody in Marketing. So yeah, help people with training, but also help them by giving them some framework, some rubrics and some just a system like, you know, hey, picked up a story from customer service, put it in the story vault, categorize it. Customer service in the story vault says someone else can come back and find it. So it’s not just word of mouth. It’s not accidental. There’s a place where people can go to and then you’re going to do the same with narrative, the things we say. And you have another vault, as it were, and another rubric to to assess voice, how we say it. So it’s just this formalization of the process, and also trying to make sure that people use these systems as you put them in place. So somebody’s got to be walking along behind, behind and sort of, and again, it’s like, I guess, like early days of anything. Not every, not everyone will love the process. Not everyone loves using AI. But it’ll come. It’ll come. People will get in their heart better, not only using AI, but doing it well and following these processes. Christian Klepp 27:02 Okay, fantastic, fantastic. Let me just quickly recap, because I was writing this down. So obviously, having a story vault, grading them if you can, if possible, having systems and frameworks in place, training the team and getting them to familiarize themselves with the systems having a vault for narrative and voice, I think was the other piece. And finally, using, using the systems, once you have them, not letting them collect dust, as it were, right? Nick Usborne 27:32 Like and it is, I get it right now. I get it. It’s hard for a lot of companies, because I think using AI has been very kind of mixed. Some companies have dived straight in. Others are resistant, particularly companies that have compliance issues, financial, medical stuff like that. They’re being very careful, very cautious, and for very good reason. So the rate of adoption is very uneven at the moment, Christian Klepp 28:01 Absolutely, absolutely, all right. Nick you’ve given us plenty here, right? But if we’re going to talk about actionable tips, like something that somebody who’s listening to this conversation that they can take action on right after listening to this interview, what are like some of the top three things you would advise them to do? Nick Usborne 28:17 Well, I guess first is just we’ve talked quite a bit about the story, the story of collecting stories. Just do that because, like I say, I think story is your is your superpower, because it is the only place where you have a moat you don’t in what you say and how you say it. Anyone can copy you, and I can automate copying you through AI as well, but I cannot steal your story, because it’s just not true if, if it’s not my story. So I’d always start there and again, start, start that. Build the vault, select the story and formalize that process. Interview the Founders, if you can, interview early employees, even if they’re retired, interview the first three clients, if you can access them, interview customer service. So often overlooked, customer service in one way or another, so long as that’s not all automated, if there’s still humans in that loop, then have conversations with them. And you can, you can, you can, get transcripts, customer service transcripts, and feed them into AI and say, hey, please analyze and summarize this. What are, what are the most powerful messages we can get from our customer service? Sort of stream of content? Do? Do a sentiment analysis? What are people upset about? What are people happy about? So, yeah, story, I think, is like, I say, it will be your motive, it will be your savior. So first start to formalize that process of getting story and then making sure that it finds a place, somewhere in your automation of, you know, AI generated content, Christian Klepp 29:58 Fantastic, fantastic stuff. Okay, soapbox time. What is the status quo in your area of expertise that you passionately disagree with, and why? Nick Usborne 30:11 I guess again, I’m just going to overlapping. I don’t know what a status quo, but the thing that I passionately disagree with is is every time you see most or a social media title that says top 20 killer, unbeatable prompts. Christian Klepp 30:31 Oh, yeah. Nick Usborne 30:32 No, no, no, absolutely, just, just no for two reasons. One is that they’re going to be generic. They’re not going to apply to your company in particular, they’ll be generic, and just because they work for someone else does not mean they’re going to work for you. And like I say, we did, I’ve done research on those prompt libraries, and only 7% of them even touch on story. So if I’m writing stories, the most important thing almost all of those prompt libraries are missing out on that. They’re just focusing on narrative and voice and ignoring stories. So not good and and, yeah, so, so that is, I don’t know whether the status quo, but it’s something I keep seeing, and it irritates me when I get it. I understand why they’re doing it, but not helpful for your company. Christian Klepp 31:18 Yeah, you and me both. I mean, those are the those are the pulse they attempt to ignore immediately. I mean, I just skim through it and see the prompts, and I’m like, Nah, but I think it’s human nature too, isn’t it? Like everybody wants to chase the next hack. They want to find that the you know, the shortcut, like the quickest route to get something done. And I get that, but it sometimes does more harm than good. Nick Usborne 31:43 Easy button, but also to be fair and to be a little bit more generous. This is early days, and so people are looking for help. And if it says top 20, this is, oh my goodness, thank you. I’ll take that now. Over time, that’ll change, and people will become a little more sophisticated, I think, but like us, like you. You know, I get it. I understand why those those posts and titles are attractive, and that’s why people create them. But we can do better. We can do better Christian Klepp 32:12 Absolutely, absolutely we can, and we will, hopefully, all right, here comes the bonus question. I’ve been thinking about this one, but Nick Usborne 32:23 I feel strangely nervous. I feel nervous, but it’s a bonus question. Christian Klepp 32:30 Just breathe. Just breathe. I mean, clearly from this conversation, you know, writing is in your blood, right? It’s something that you are passionate about, but it’s also something you’ve done professionally for a long time, I suppose. The bonus question is, if you had an opportunity to meet your favorite writer or author, living or dead, who would it be, and what would you talk about? Nick Usborne 32:55 One of the people, I really admire, and I’ve already spoken to him, is David Abbott. So David Abbott is a copywriter from from England, and he had an agency called Abbot Mead Vickers, and he was an amazing writer. So I’ve already met him. Who I haven’t met I would like to re write to meet is Susie Henry. She was the copywriter behind a series of advertisements in the UK for an insurance company, and she is just a delightful writer, so I told you, well, no, I hadn’t told you. Maybe I will tell you I’m like, when I started out copywriting, it was at the tail end of the Mad Men period, and creatives were the Kings and Queens, and copywriting was such a craft, it was something to be absolutely proud of, like we’d go through so many drafts, and it was, I was, you know, I was, I was a craftsman, learning from other craftsmen. And David, ever I met, he was in a fantastic writer, just written Susie Henry so good, very, very conversational writer, which was very unusual for that time. So I’d like to meet and talk with her, and I still can’t remember the fiction writer. He’s science fiction writer. I completely lost blank on his name, and I’ve actually met him once briefly, but I’d like to get back to him and chat, but I can’t, because he’s he’s since passed. Christian Klepp 34:19 Oh, I see, I see, I see. All right, well, that’s quite the list of people, but, um, but yeah. No, fantastic. No. Nick, thank you so much for coming on the show and for sharing your experience and expertise with the listeners. And please quick introduction to yourself and how people can get in touch with you. Nick Usborne 34:37 All right. Hi. My name is Nick Usborne, so my business build Story Aligned. So storyaligned.com and what we do there is pretty much, what I’ve talked about today is we train teams within companies to look at story, narrative and voice with a lot of emphasis on story, because that’s where the note is, so if you get a Story Aligned, you’ll find we have a white paper you can download. We have a blog that you can read, the description of the training. So yeah, if this interests you, if you find this an interesting topic, there’s plenty to do when you get there. So Story Aligned, A, L, I, G, N, E, D, yeah. Story Aligned. Christian Klepp 35:21 Fantastic, fantastic. And we’ll be sure to pop that into the show notes so that it’ll be easy for everyone to access. But once again, Nick, thank you. Nick Usborne 35:28 Sorry, one last thing, if you want to please opening myself up, if you want to just talk to me directly, you can write to me at nick@storyaligned.com. Christian Klepp 35:38 Perfect, perfect. Nick, once again, thanks so much for your time. Take care, stay safe and talk to you soon. Nick Usborne 35:44 Thank you. Thank you for inviting me. It’s been a pleasure. Christian Klepp 35:47 Thank you. Bye for now. You.
This morning Katie brought up something interesting about the tv show 'Mad Men' which came out years ago... and it has stood the test of time!
This morning Katie brought up something interesting about the tv show 'Mad Men' which came out years ago... and it has stood the test of time! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Michael Kent, traveling comedian and magician, joins Marissa to share hard-won lessons from 20 years of marriage while spending up to 250 days per year on the road. Discover why performer relationships fail, the "dopamine trap" of audience affirmation, and the one ritual that saved his marriage. Learn the three pillars of healthy relationships (communication, respect, trust), how to communicate vulnerably without blame, and why human connection matters more than ever in our isolated world. Michael reveals advice from Ralphie May that transformed his marriage and shares practical strategies for maintaining intimacy across distance. Topics covered: Why entertainment industry marriages fail (and why his didn't) How to distinguish between audience affirmation and real love The power of saying "What can I do to help?" Reframing relationship conflicts Breaking the content vs. happiness debate Connection as the antidote to addiction and loneliness Keywords: healthy relationships, marriage advice, communication skills, long-distance relationships, relationship tips, emotional intimacy, relationship goals Full Transcript: Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) Welcome, Michael. I'm so excited to have you on the podcast today. Thank you so much for joining us. Michael Kent Absolutely. It's so good to be here. I was happy to have you on my podcast recently, and I've never been on a podcast like yours, so I'm kind of excited and nervous. Oh, don't be nervous. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) It's easy, breezy conversation. We're just chit-chatting. But tell everyone about your podcast, because I thought it was so much fun to be a guest on yours. Thank you. Sure. Michael Kent Well, my podcast, it's funny because it has nothing to do with what I do for a living. So I make my living as a comedian and magician. During the pandemic, me and so many other people decided we were going to podcast. So I decided that mine was going to be about history, but not like the boring history. I am fascinated by the fact that I'm in my 40s and I'm still learning things. Every day, like there's new things to learn. And some of them are important. Some of them are just interesting. They're not important. And so what I decided to do was find a different story from history every week. And it has to sound like it's something that I just made up. And initially, the podcast was called Tell Me What to Google, because tell me what to Google, because there were people giving me these ideas like, hey, you should Google this. Because after the first season, I realized that it's really hard to be found on Google when you have Google in the name of your show. So my buddy Jonathan Burns came up with the title, The Internet Says It's True. And that's what it's been called for 267 episodes. Every week is a news story that sounds like it's absolutely made up. And they're all 100% verifiably true. I go through painstaking efforts to like go back and find the original newspaper articles and everything. But I present them in a way that's really fun and lighthearted. And then we do a quiz at the end. So yeah, it's been a fun project. It's really fun for me to work on something that is not me. It's not about my show and me. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) And it sounds really fun. History is so interesting, and there's so much fun stuff out there. I love being on your podcast. For the last couple episodes, we were talking about food, which anyone who knows me knows that food is a passion of mine. Not cooking it, just eating it. But yeah, so check out The Internet Says It's True. It streams everywhere. You can listen to the episodes I'm on. But let's jump into the Healing for Emotional Abuse podcast. Michael, so you mentioned that you are a traveling comedian and magician. Will you tell us a little bit more about what you do? Michael Kent Yeah. Basically, my job for the last 22 years has been to give people an hour of their life where they don't have to think about what's going on outside. They don't have to think about the... about the... They Thank You know, the stress and the tests and the exams, or if it's a workplace, you know, the deadlines and the news and politics. I'm just giving them an escape, which is what magic is. Magic is an amazing ability for us to be able to suspend our disbelief as if we're watching a wrestling match. And it's really easy, it turns out, for people to believe that something's happening that's impossible, because we all want to believe that that's true. Even the most skeptical people react to magic in a way that is almost childlike. Magic has a different reaction from everyone. Everyone has a different way of reacting to it. And I really love that, but I don't love the tension that magic brings. So I do a comedy show. I do a comedy magic show that sort of acknowledges the strange elephant in the room, and that is, I'm a man in my 40s pretending to be a wizard. This crazy career has taken me quite literally all over the world to 49 states. I still need to go to Wyoming. I haven't performed there yet. But 49 states, 19 countries, I believe, and cruise ships and military bases. And gosh, I performed on board an aircraft carrier last year while they were active in the sea. It's been an amazing career for the last couple decades. I'm focusing my efforts now more toward corporate groups and providing corporate groups with sort of an engagement tool and being that engagement facilitator for them to improve their events. So that's sort of the focus of my career currently. But for the last 20 years, I've been one of the top comedian magicians on the college market. So that's how I know you. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) That's true. That's awesome. So you have... You've in one relationship for basically like the extent of all of your career. So 22 years on the road, and you and your wife, first, can you tell us how you met? Michael Kent Yeah, it's not like one of those, you know, Hallmark stories. But my wife and I went to college together, had the same major and several of the same classes and never met. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) We figured that out after the fact. Michael Kent So we met through the girl that I grew up next door to when I was a little kid. So from the time I was born until I was eight years old, I lived next door to this person who I won't name because I don't know if I have their permission to talk about them publicly. So I grew up next to her, and she's like a sister to me. And we reconnected after college, like right after college, for the end of college, and we're hanging out. And Allison, my wife, was always around in the friend group. And I started sort of jokingly referring to her as my girlfriend because I had a crush on her. And finally, I asked her out, and we went on what I thought was like an amazing date. It was an amazing date. And then, let's see what happened next. We went off and dated other people. It didn't last. And then we reconnected like four or five months later, and that was the end of that. And we're coming up on our 20th wedding anniversary in August. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) Wow. Yeah. Michael Kent And like any marriage, know, it's had ups and downs and good times and bad times. And much of the good times and bad times have come from dealing with exactly what you're talking about, the idea that I do spend. At one point, I spent 250 days a year on the road doing shows. And that's really tough on any relationship, married or not, however long, you know, it's... It's just a difficult thing to learn how to deal with. When we met and started, you know, getting serious about dating, I was wanting to be a magician. I was wanting to do this, but I wasn't very successful yet. So she was sort of my sugar mama for the first few years because she had a job and I didn't. And so, you know, it took a while for my career to take off. And then it's been obviously a very, like, fulfilling and lucrative career since. And so, yeah, that's sort of where we are. And she and I are one of those sort of opposites attract couples, you know, like she is a bit more conservative and pragmatic. And I'm sort of a dreamy artist who, you know, head in the clouds type. But we have sort of become more similar as we've gotten older. think that probably just happens with married couples. After a long time, our tastes have become more similar. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) That's awesome. So 20 years married, more than 22 years together. In our industry, like the college market, the traveling to entertain market, I don't know the statistic. I can look it up. But I think most marriages end with one partner that travels a lot and the other that doesn't. And thinking to the conferences that we go to or the colleagues that we have, most of them have been divorced. I can really only think of four people who have been consistently married to the same person. So keeping the communication, the love, the marriage alive is very challenging. So what do you and Allison do or like what have you learned over the years that has helped you guys navigate this, you know, kind Michael Kent Yeah, first of all, she is a saint to be able to deal with this, right? Like when you think about someone being gone that much, and that's just the half of it. The being gone part is only half of the equation. We'll talk about the other half in a minute, but I was in Chicago Midway Airport headed to, where was I going? St. Louis. And I was headed to a conference, and the comedian Ralphie May, who has since passed, I recognized him just being a fan of comedy, and we struck up a conversation, and we sat next to each other on the flight, and we talked the whole way to St. Louis, and somehow we got talking about relationships. And at that point, Ralphie was married. He ended up getting divorced later, but he gave me the best relationship advice ever, and it sort of, I think, saved my marriage. And Basically, what he said was, the reason that show business relationships fail is because entertainers, night after night, get this amazing feeling from complete strangers. This affirmation that everyone would love. You'd be crazy not to love it. You have complete strangers. You know, it's like if your husband tells you, you look great today. It means something. It's important. But if a stranger at the gas station says, look great today, why does that? It means a little bit more because they don't have an incentive or motive, you know, like they don't have to tell you that. And that's kind of the feeling that entertainers get on stage is like, oh, my God, these complete strangers adore me. And then that night after night after night. And then you go home to your significant other. And they're like, where have you been? Your dirty laundry is on the floor. You didn't do the chore you said you were going to do. And you start comparing them to the people in the audience. And that's. It's so unfair because the people in the audience only know you for one hour at the most, and it's your best hour. It's the hour that you've been rehearsing. It'd be bad. It'd be weird if they didn't love you for that hour. You know what I mean? Whereas now you're comparing them to someone who knows all of you and all the warts and all of the, you know, the, the history and the, the arguments and your tendencies. And, and it's just not a fair comparison. You're comparing apples to oranges in that instance, and it's not And so I spent so much time like thinking about that and examining that and how, which one's wrong, which one's right? You know? And I think the answer is like, neither one's wrong. Neither one's right. But what I realized is that audience while I, God, I love them. I appreciate them so much that they come to my shows and that they laugh with me. They're not my friends in most Most instances. And so when the show is over, that relationship is over. Now, that's not to say, like, I don't want to, you know, put out content for them to consume and interact with people and enjoy their acquaintanceship. But those aren't family. They're not friends. And so that's the that is the struggle that most entertainers run into is that they see that feeling that they get from a complete stranger when they're on stage or when they're, you know, someone who's reacting to their art and they say, oh, this person sees me. This person really likes me because they see me and through my art and all this. But that's not a real healthy. That's not a relationship. That's just a one sided thing. And and so it took a really long time to realize that. And so what I did, I put in almost immediately after talking to Ralphie, a know, A new tradition slash ritual. When I finish a job, a gig, when I finish a show, after I load out, I have a schedule that I do normally. And this is just what I do. I get to, when the show's over and I've done a meet and greet or merch or whatever it might be afterward, when I start loading out and tearing down my show, I text my wife. I let her know I'm loading out. And both of us know that that means that I'm going to be sitting in my car in about 45 minutes to an hour. And when I get in my car, I don't put in the directions to the hotel. I don't put in directions to the airport. I just sit and I call her and we talk. And we don't talk about my show or my travels. We talk about her day. And we talk about the dogs and what's going on back home. And what it is, is a snapback to what is real. It's a snapback to what is good and what is real. And it's a buffer between this world that can make anyone feel like a king to a world that is more mutual, where this is like, this is reality. This is two-way now. It's not just a one-way thing. That call has met the world to me, and I think to Allison, too, because she doesn't want to hear about magic. Allison hates magic. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) I tried to show her magic on our first date, and she goes, know what you're doing, and it's not going to work on me. Michael Kent And she wasn't talking about the trick wasn't going to work. You know what I mean? I had just spent all those years in college using magic to impress strangers, and now all of a sudden I have to use my personality. I was like, I like this girl. So when we talk after the show, it's, you know, it's about her and her horses and the dogs and what's going on back home, you know, and it's, while that's nice for her, it's also nice for me because then... Let's see. I don't do what I used to do, which is before that, I would be like, how can I make this feeling of this audience continue? And I would start looking and saying, okay, who added me on Instagram? Who liked my show? Who commented on that photo? You know, and being like, you know, you just want that feeling to continue. It's why a lot of artists, musicians, comedians turn to substance abuse, because they're trying to continue the feeling that they get when they're on stage. It's an indescribable feeling, and I'm sure you get it when you speak as well. You know, it's indescribable how it feels to be affirmed by complete strangers in a room where there are hundreds of them looking at you. So it's a really difficult thing to compete with, but that's a much bigger aspect of the problem than is the just being gone. Because I could do, it doesn't matter if you're gone, if you're gone. All the time anyway, mentally or emotionally, you know, like that's the important thing is, are you emotionally there? And it's taken me a long time to do this. And you're talking, you're talking to someone who has spent years in therapy dealing with this. think therapy has been just as important as that discussion with, with, with Ralphie May on an airplane, you know. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) That's so interesting. I, first of all, that's really cool that you got to, you got to sit next to Ralphie May, but also like that, that advice and like that thought process makes a lot of sense. And I never really thought about it that way, where that like euphoric feeling of being loved and adored, right? Right. And then you turn to your family or your partner where, you know, they don't, you know, they know the full you versus other people who only know, like you said, the one dimension of you, you know, it's, and I wonder just in like the full world, not just our world, but how. that translates to them, right? Sure. Michael Kent Well, it does, because like people that are in the workplace have their work life and their home life. And it's completely different. The people that the way that they interact with people at work is completely different than the way that they interact with their family. And. It's I know that this is a problem for a lot of people, because when you get to that place where you're pulling into the driveway or you're pulling into your garage or whatever to go home, there's a really harsh shift that has to happen between how you deal with work and how you deal with home. And it is it is incredible. It's the same with sports teams as well. When you're on a sports team, your relationship with that sports team or military unit is a bond that you might feel like you never can compete with, with your with your personal relationship. And you have you have to realize and look at it that. It's apples and oranges. It is not the same type of thing. And it's okay for both of those things to coexist. They are not competing with one another. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) Yeah. And I think it translates a lot to why people cheat, right? Because if you, like even just looking at work wives and work husbands, right? You have somebody that you have developed a relationship with in your place of work and you're like, oh, this is my work husband or this is my work wife or my work whatever, you know? And then that person only knows the little bit of you that you show at work versus at home where, you know, you leave your dirty socks everywhere and, you know, or, or you're acting at your very comfortable personality, right? And then the other people, when you get upset with your partner and you talk to your work friends about it, right? Or like your work, whatever work wife about it. They're like, oh, I would never do that. I don't understand. I would never yell at you for something so minuscule. So that becomes very, um, attractive, right? Like, oh, this, Person, they would never treat me. But if they knew you the way that your home partner does, right, your real partner, they would absolutely not be okay with that, right? Or they would also have, there would be tiffs, right? And so I just think that that's so fascinating. That's such an interesting perspective. Michael Kent Well, was a perspective that was sort of forced on me that I'm glad that I came to because, you know, when you are in a relationship that you value, that you really want to, if you realize in that moment the value of it, you'll do anything you can to keep it. And in my case, what I realized was that the problem was me, right? The problem was that, and it wasn't just me being gone a lot. Obviously, that's tough. But the problem was that, like, I needed to look at things realistically. And, you know, it's kind of like... When you look at an artist's painting that they've put up in a gallery, like if they put it up in a gallery, they know it's good. But what you're not seeing is all their early works that they're not proud of, that they're not showing off. And your relationship with your significant other probably knows and has seen those early works. And so to stick with the metaphor, the gallery goer might be like, this is the best artist in the world. They can never do anything wrong. You know what I mean? And that's that audience member. That's that person who's only seeing you for or knowing you for an hour. Or the people who only know that you're really good at work and you're a good problem solver. Oh, that person must be like that at home. And, you know, and you fantasize and you create this thing that's not there. And reality is often much more boring. And reality is the... Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) The reality is in between the highs and lows. Michael Kent That's where most of our life happens, is in the waiting for the next exciting thing to happen. And so you have to kind of get, like, very comfortable with the fact that things aren't always exciting and full of affirmation and butterflies and puppy dogs. Sometimes the greatness of life is those days where you're like, you want to go out to dinner, but we're just so exhausted. So we're going to just make ramen and sit on the couch and watch TV. And that's going to have to be fine. And that's like even the most successful, exciting movie stars do that. You know what I mean? Like they have, it might not be ramen. might still be, you know, their executive chef cooks them something, but everyone has in between times where you might be in between projects or you might be in between this. And that's what, like, to me, that's kind of the beauty of relationships. It's like, this is someone who you have deemed to be comfortable with you when things aren't exciting, when things are good, and when things are really difficult and hard and you're at each other's throats and fighting, like, someone that you can get through that with. So, yeah. I'm talking, like, I feel like I'm really self-conscious right now talking about this because I know how I have struggled as a husband, and, like, I know how I've had my, like, shortcomings in the past, and I'm talking as if I'm some expert on relationships. It's taken a lot of work for me to get here, and in 10 years from now, I probably will look back at this and be like, I was, I didn't know what I was talking about because I will have learned more. You know, that's the hope anyway, right? Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) That's the whole point of life and relationships, right? Like, we are always growing. We're always learning, right? On your podcast, the premise of it was, I can't believe I'm in my 40s and I'm still learning every day. I have always been like an avid lifelong learner, right? I still – I'm in my mid-30s. I still want to go back for more degrees. I still want to do more learning. And my mother-in-law is always making fun of me because I told her at Christmas I want to go to law school. And she's like, why? Why do you want to go to law school? You don't want to be a lawyer. And I'm like, yeah, but I want to understand. And I want to be able to help. And like if you're not learning, you're dying, right? And so, you know, I can look back on things I wrote. My first book, know, Breaking Through the Silence, I wrote it in 2017. And when I put it out, I was like, oh, this is incredible. Like I did so much work. I did all of this. And look where I got, right? And now I read it and I'm like, oh, my God, this is so embarrassing, right? Because we are always growing. We're always learning. So where you are – about when I make a promo video for my show. Michael Kent By the time I'm editing it, I'm embarrassed by it. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) That's how quickly I'm always changing stuff, you know? Yeah, but that's, I mean, we're always growing, and right now, especially in the world with technology and all that we have, we're absorbing so much stimuli and so much information every minute of every day to a point where our brains have shifted so much, and we're kind of getting off topic, but I'm happy about it because I like to talk about this. Yeah, two quick things. Michael Kent Something that I realized that I have realized about relationships is another thing that makes them fail, in my opinion, is that people expect it to always feel the way it did in the beginning. I mean, this isn't a surprise to anyone. Everyone knows that this is a problem, right? You might feel that way with someone at work or someone that, you know, like comes through your life, incidentally, and you'll be like, oh, this is the way I felt with my significant other in the beginning. And what you fail to realize is that relationships always... Are changing and you're never going to have, I mean, I can't say never because I don't, you know, obviously there, I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but it's rare to be able to have the same relationship with your significant other that you had when you met and my wife and I have had different iterations of our life together, right? Like there have been different, it's almost like a different thing that you find that you love about that person and you both grow and you're not the same people you were back then. It would be silly if you were acting the same way you were when you were, you know, I met Ali when I was like 22 or something, right? So there's a, my favorite book is called Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki. It's just a book about Zen and the main premise of it is in the beginner's mind, there are many options. In the expert's mind, there are few and many possibilities, I think is what he says. And that is to realize that you don't know. Everything is the ability to learn and to change and to grow. Whereas if you say, well, I got married, I aced it, done, I succeeded, I'm at the plateau, now everything's always going to be like this, and everything's always going to be great, and I don't have to try anymore. That's death, right? That's death. As you described, when you stop learning, you're dying. So anyway, those are the two quick things I wanted to bring up. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) And I appreciate that. So Larry and I had a conversation, my husband, it was more of like a debate actually a few months ago where do you strive to be content all the time or do you strive to be happy all the time? Like what's the right, what's the right way to look at life, right? Because if we are striving to be happy, and I was on team, I want to be happy. Thank you. All the time, right? I want to always be feeling like I'm accomplishing. I always want to be feeling like I'm doing something and growing. And he was like, no, because if that's the case, then you're basically chasing a moving goalpost, right? If you always strive to be happy, then you are never happy where you are. And I thought that was so fascinating. So like striving to be content versus striving to be happy. It sounds like from what you said, you strive to be content, right? You know that things are changing and growing and you adjust and adapt and you grow together or you grow apart, right? But you guys work to grow together. So what's your take on that? Michael Kent Well, you're right. mean, I think of those two options, I would say like striving to be content, but I'm not even sure I'm, I like the phrasing of like content because content, it can bring about feelings of like, I'm content, so I'm not going to strive for happiness or for joy, I guess is what I would replace happiness with is. So Or pleasure. Joy and pleasure are fleeting, whereas contentment is not. Contentment is what I would describe as the middle path or the middle road. If you can't tell, I'm really into Buddhism, and that's kind of where a lot of my philosophy comes from, is that it's going back to what I said earlier about how most of life are those in-between times. And those in-between times, contentment is a great way to describe those. You're fine. There's nothing wrong. You're lacking pleasure in that moment, maybe. But you're also lacking profound sadness or fear. You know what I mean? There's just times when you just are. And if you aren't happy, and I mean happy in a very large, vague sense here, if you can't survive, and if you're suffering in the times when... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... There's nothing to be particularly pleasurable or to be joyful about or whatever. That's most of your life. Most of our life are those in-between times. And so if you were on a desert island, a deserted island somewhere, and you didn't have anything, how would you be happy? What would you do to not suffer? And the answer is, you have to just be able to live with yourself. You have to be able to understand that we are beings. The only thing we have to do is breathe. And that's it. We have to eat and breathe and just be. Everything else is icing on the cake. So, but the reason I kind of have issue with the word content is because I think, at least in modern use, it sort of can mean settling or not striving. And I'm always... This is a struggle for me. Sometimes it's really difficult for me to just sit. And it sounds like you're the same way. You've written 40 books. Sometimes it's difficult to just be still. I always have to have that project to worry about. And thanks to my therapist, I know that that's a nervous system response. That's a nervous system response medicating me to try to run away from being here right now. And so it's okay once you have that in mind to do what you want. But realizing it is the hard part. Realizing it is the part where you have to be like, okay, my nervous system is telling me that I'm only doing this and I'm only stressing about this because I need something for it to stress about. We'll be right back. be right And so now that I know that, I can work on it, but not freak out if I don't do it, or not freak out if, you know, about having this thing. So, and allowing yourself to be kind to yourself and take breaks and do whatever else. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) I think what you said about, you know, content being kind of sitting still, that's kind of exactly how I felt and feel. I just didn't know how to verbalize it. So thank you, because you just kind of gave me the more of an understanding of what I meant. Yeah, stillness is the middle way. Michael Kent Like, it's the middle path. It's not the big hill you're trying to climb or the valley that you're falling into. It's just being. Yeah. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) And I love that. So I loved what you said about, like, if you were on a deserted island, what would you do to not suffer, right? Because you're not going to be happy sitting there on a deserted island every minute of every day. Like, you just can't. How does that translate? Out of relationships, right? So if you're not happy with yourself, you know, the theory is, and I 100% agree with it, but like, if you're not happy with yourself, you're not going to be happy with someone else because you're looking for what you're missing in someone else to come from someone else. So like, how does that, in your opinion, like, how does that translate? Michael Kent Communication. I think you and your partner need to be able to tell each other how you're feeling. So I mean, it starts with you knowing how you're feeling, right? A lot of people just don't realize how they're feeling. But like, or a lot, you know, you might be feeling anxiety, but not know what the anxiety is about. And that's a perfectly acceptable thing to say to a partner, is that saying, I'm just on edge, and I don't know why. That's such a great thing to say. Because if you are short with your partner, and you didn't mean to be short with a partner, which is what most arguments start from, I think is like, you know, Someone's already have something going on by themselves, right? There's something in their life that they're stressed about, and they just accidentally put that on the other person in the act of normal conversation or whatever. If you start that by saying, by realizing, I'm really anxious today, or I'm really, I feel like I'm really on edge today. Just saying that can maybe stop that next interaction from blowing up into an argument or a fight. And because there's a little bit more communication and understanding of where the other person is coming from. And, you know, my wife and I both suffer from general anxiety at different times. And we both know that sometimes there's not a thing that triggers it. It's just there. And so we know that the answer isn't, why are you anxious? What's making you anxious? How can we make that go away? You know, sometimes the answer, a better answer is, what can I do to help? Which is... That's phrase that both of us use quite often with each other. And sometimes that question is enough to help. Because usually there's not a thing, you know, because our brains are weird and we don't understand them. And sometimes you just have anxiety about stuff. So what can I do to help is like one of the most loving things you can say to a partner. One of the most caring, one of the most efficient ways to show care is by saying, I'm here. That's all you're saying. You're not trying to solve problems. That's a big pet peeve of mine. That'll, that'll, if I tell someone my problem and I don't want them to solve it and they start trying to solve it, that is so frustrating. Not just relationship wise, but just in general, you know, family members, anything like that. Like sometimes I just want a . Just let me complain. And getting that complaint out is, is the purpose, right? So, you know, what can I do to help is like commit that to That statement, because there have been so many times my wife has said that to me, and it's all I needed to hear. Because what she's saying is, I'm here, I hear you, and I care. And that little bit of affirmation is enough to be like, oh, it's going to be fine. She's here to help me with whatever this is. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) So that's such a good point. And I teach that to a lot of people, especially college students, right? And you're not solving anyone's issue. Just ask what you can do. Be empathetic. I'm here with you, right? We're going to do this together. What do you need right now? You know, so I love that that's how you two communicate with each other and show support. We also both have anxiety and we both have bad days. I'll wake up sometimes and just be like, nope, this is one of those days I'm not getting out of bed. No bones day. Michael Kent Yeah, yeah. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) I'm going to melt into my couch and eat as much popcorn as my body can handle. Michael Kent And that's my day, you know? Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) But I love that. So what piece of advice would you give to... listeners, to our listeners, about having healthy relationships and maintaining a healthy relationship. Michael Kent You have to be brutally honest with yourself about what it is that you're feeling and be able to be vulnerable enough to share that with this other person. That's the thing. Because I think most fights from unspoken things, most fights stem from unspoken things. And humans are just notoriously bad at working our brains. Sometimes we just don't know why we're thinking the way we're thinking. But if you can acknowledge it, it all of a sudden doesn't seem that bad. There's an analogy that I like to use. It's like most suffering in our lives is, it seems a lot larger than it actually is. Whether it's like physical pain, you know, our nerve endings send these signals to our brain that say, like, there's danger, something's wrong, you should know about this. lives. All And that's the siren, not the thing causing it. That's the that's the response. So the analogy I like to use is like on your car, you have like a headlight. And if you've ever seen what a headlight is, it's a tiny little light the size of a pinky. It's a tiny little thing that plugs in. And that creates hundreds of feet of of brightness in front of you because of the reflector. Most of the suffering that we experience in our lives, we perceive from the receptor, not realizing that the thing that's causing the pain is the pinky is the little tiny little the tiny little element that's inside that thing. And so if you can find a way during painful moments, whether it be emotional pain or physical pain, to focus on the pain and what's causing it, it can actually alleviate some of the pain. It can alleviate some of the suffering because you're able to look at what attachment it might be that that brought you to that point. Or what it is. And it takes a lot of work to be brutally honest with yourself to know how you're feeling in order to communicate it. And you have to have a partner who is on that journey with you and receptive to hearing about that. Which is tough because a lot of people, when they hear someone's problems, they want to do what we were just talking about. They want to try to solve them. They feel like that's their job. And sometimes, you know, you just need to . That's sometimes all you need. I had a long conversation about that. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) My mom is a problem solver. And so I'd call her and just really want to vent. And she would try and solve the problem. And I'd be like, no, mom, I just want to talk. Right? So we've developed a system where if I call her to, you know, for anything, she'll stop before she says anything and say, is this for comfort or for advice? Like, do you want me to just sit and listen? Or do you actually want me to advise and you want my opinion? And then I get to choose. That's a huge win. Michael Kent mean, what an evolved thing to be able to say, like. And that's because that's like, what she's asking you is, would you like me to turn my maternal instinct that's inside of my body and I can't get rid of off for a moment? And it's probably hard, really hard for her to do that. Because that's just a, I think that's just a parent thing. Parents hear your problems and it's been their job, you know, for the first 18 years of their life, it was their job to absolutely solve those problems for you. No questions asked. And so it's hard. It's got to be, I'm not a parent, so I don't know, but it's got to be hard to turn that off and be like, okay, I'll just listen. Yeah. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) I mean, I can't, I had to remind her many a time, but we finally got to a point where I feel comfortable and safe talking to her. Whereas in the past I would call her for something and she would advise, advise, advise. And I'd be like, I don't want your advice. And it would, it actually caused a lot of rifts in our relationship. So it was, it took work, but, but we're in a good spot where like, she's very respectful of, of what I need, whether I want to just vent or, or get advice. So that could be really good way. Michael Kent If you're listening, Marissa's mother, good job. Good work. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) Thanks, Amy. You call your mom by your first name? Michael Kent No. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) Oh, okay. That was just for the show. Okay. Thanks, Amy. Michael Kent I can say it. You can say it. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) So thank you for that advice. That was really helpful. I think even to kind of, it was, it is. And to kind of spin off that, not just to tell, you know, yes, tell like, I'm feeling anxious today. And being honest about it. So instead of saying something like, you know, you're always at work and we never talk, right? It's, I feel lonely, right? So like, I feel like I'm not a priority to you, right? Personalizing it. So you're not talking about this symptom. You're talking about the cause, right? I feel lonely. It feels like you're prioritizing work or it feels like you're prioritizing your friends or it feels like you're whatever over me, right? So it's addressing the things that you're feeling, but also making it honest. Michael Kent And you also have to learn sometimes to sort of reframe that, that statement. So like, you know, if my wife says to me, you're always gone. My tendency is to hear that as what do you want me to do? Not work, not have money. You like, you know, like you're, my tendency is to hear it as a complaint. But I can reframe it to mean she's complaining because she wants me to be around more because she likes Like, you know what I mean? Like that's, you can reframe these types of things and think like, what is, what is this person really saying to me? And, you know, and that's the common thing that people say in relationships when there's some sort of issue is like, what's wrong? And the other person will say, I'm just tired. It's just the easiest thing to say. And it's usually a cop out. I mean, you could legitimately be tired, but usually there's something else going on. Even if you don't know what it is, or, you know, it might be depression, it might be anxiety, but usually it's not just that you're tired, but it could be. I mean, it could be, I do not have the ability to have an in-depth conversation right now because I'm emotionally exhausted or I'm physically exhausted or whatever it might be, and then sometimes you just have some space, but that goes back to communication, right? Like, that's a huge part of a relationship. Yeah. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) It's my three pillars, right? My triangle of healthy relationships, communication, respect, and trust, right? If you don't have all three of those things, you don't have a healthy relationship. If you can't communicate and resolve issues, right? If you can't trust each other to be honest and vulnerable, and then you don't feel like you're being respected or like your needs are being met by your partner, like the boundaries or what you say, you know, are not being respected, then you don't have a healthy relationship. And even missing one of those three, just the communication piece alone is so important. You know, it was trust, communication. Michael Kent What was the third pillar? Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) Respect. Respect. Okay. Yep, yep. If you don't have one of the three, right, you don't have a healthy relationship because trust is built on respecting communication. Michael Kent Yeah, they all are interrelated, right? Yeah. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) And so it's important that you have, you know, that strong communication because no one wants to wake up every day and resent your partner because of an issue that happened 10 years ago. And I use Friends, the show Friends is a great reference for that because if you look at Ross and Rachel, right, they had one fight one time in like season two and they never talked about it. Like they talked about it, but it was always very nitpicky and jabby and aggressive. Michael Kent Yeah. And so then by season 10, like there's still, I think it was 10, right? Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) There's still, were they on a break? Were they not on a break? I don't know. Cause they never had a 15 minute sit down, honest discussion about it. And so they are such an unhealthy relationship. But everyone's like, I want the Ross and Rachel kind of love. Michael Kent And I'm like, no, you don't. No one would have watched if it was a healthy relationship. That's where most of the conflict and the storylines came from. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) In any show, right? The only show I can currently think of where the two protagonists have a very healthy relationship is Nobody Wants This. Have you seen that? No. Oh, it's so good. It's Adam Brody and Kristen Bell. But the toxic relationships. weird? I think I have two friends that are in that show. Oh. Michael Kent And I've never watched it. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) I do have two friends that are in that show. Like, I've never watched it. Michael Kent And I have no excuse for that. So I'm sorry, friends. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) It's a really good show. But Adam Brody and Kristen Bell's characters, anytime there's conflict and there's a lot of external conflict, they have a conversation about it and they work it out together and they understand. So even when one is feeling slighted or one is feeling put off, they have a conversation about it and they resolve it. The rest of the conflict is from external sources. So you're seeing these two people. It's like us against the world, but in a very positive way. And so more shows, I think, are going to start to have that similar dynamic. But up until now, and I do this at colleges all the time, think of a TV show or your favorite movie and think of a healthy relationship dynamic that's in it. It doesn't need to be 100% healthy all the time because that's not realistic. But think of one relationship where through the arc of the show, it is built on healthy principles. Yeah, I can't. It's so hard. It is really hard. Because conflict, like we're addicted to that conflict. That's why we watch the reality TV shows, right? Love is Blind. It's all built on conflict. It's nonsense. Right. Real housewives and all that. It's all conflict. They're all unhealthy. It's all produced on purpose that way. Michael Kent Also, like, you know, there was probably a push in the 60s that was like, we need TV couples to fight and to be unhealthy because real couples are. And people don't want to see the 50s, you know, Cleaver family, like perfect relationships because it doesn't they don't identify with it. So it might be a thing of like where, you know, reality, art imitates life rather than life imitating art. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) But I think the pendulum swung too far. Right. Now we look at like we've got Walter and Skylar White, who it's like impossible to know who's telling the truth and who's not. Right. And I mean, now we've set terrible expectations. Right. So in the 50s with Leave it to Beaver and all that, we set a terrible expectation for women. Right. If you are not happy and made up, if you don't like look at Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Did you watch that show? I watched. Right. Michael Kent Real housewives and all that. It's all conflict. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) They're all unhealthy. It's all produced on purpose that way. Also, like, you know, there was probably a push in the 60s that was like, we need TV couples to fight and to be unhealthy because real couples are. And people don't want to see the 50s, you know, Cleaver family, like perfect relationships because it doesn't they don't identify with it. So it might be a thing of like where, you know, reality, art imitates life rather than life imitating art. But I think the pendulum swung too far. Right. Now we look at like we've got Walter and Skylar White, who it's like impossible to know who's telling the truth and who's not. Right. And I mean, now we've set terrible expectations. Right. So in the 50s with Leave it to Beaver and all that, we set a terrible expectation for women. Right. If you are not happy and made up, if you don't like look at Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Did you watch that show? I watched. Michael Kent Some of it, but I'm currently rewatching Mad Men, but it's a similar era and the same vibe, yeah. If the woman isn't made up, hair perfect, dinner on the table the second the father gets home, right? Then if that's not what you're doing, you're a bad wife. Whereas now, it's like, you know, if you're not fighting about dumb stuff or if, you know, one of the people in the relationship isn't just a complete follower. Like, one person's not allowed to have an opinion and the other person has an opinion or whatever the dynamic is, right? It sets a terrible precedent for what people are willing to accept, which is why I have such a fundamentally challenging time at colleges when I do this activity. And inevitably, somebody will say, you know, well, Joker and Harley Quinn, I want that kind of love. Like, that's a healthy relationship. There's not a moment of time where that's a healthy relationship. But like when Suicide Squad came out, how many young women do you know dressed up like Harley Quinn for Halloween? Yeah. Yeah, there's a similar thing right now with one of my focuses with my career is engagement and dealing with, particularly in the corporate sphere, dealing with apathy and people who are not wanting to open themselves up to connect with other people. And it is somewhat generational, which I hate to say, but this is more of a younger person problem than an older person problem. And when you look at a very famous quote that came from Schitt's Creek, I'm trying really hard not to connect with people right now. It's on sweaters, it's on tote bags, it's on bumper stickers, and it's funny, but I hate it because it is contagion. Like there are people that now think like staying in and binge watching Netflix is a replacement for real live connection. And we are all needing more connection. And it becomes, you know, it's cliche to say, like, you know, because of the internet and social media and all that, but we need connection. We, like, people need connection to be fulfilled in our lives. It's how we, we are a very social species. And so everyone, when they get in that room with friends and they're connected, feels amazing. And if there's those times when you're in that room and you don't feel amazing, it's because you're not connected, which means you're either not present or you're not listening or you're not, you know what I mean? Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) Like, but when you really, truly feel connected, there's no feeling like that. And it's, we're setting a really bad example by having these types of quotes, like, I'm really trying hard not to connect with people right now as, like, a popular feeling. Because it's, it becomes more than just a TV, you know, line. It becomes like... A whole culture type of thing where you're just, you know, this is more preferable. And I get it. It is more preferable sometimes to not like it feels more safe to just stay at home. But it's sort of lazy and it's sort of it's an easy way to you're letting your nervous system win. You're letting your, you know, your anxieties and everything win when you could be a much more fulfilled, happy person if you content person. If you do allow yourself to connect and be open to connection. Yeah. So fun fact, you might, you might be able to use this on your podcast, but the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia was the first penitentiary in the country that tried using isolation as a tactic as like a punishment for inmates. And what they found, yeah. So what they would do is like, they'd have everybody, um, uh, In their cells, staggered outdoor time. So they'd never know who was outside with them, and they couldn't see anyone. And they were all in like little, literally high wall, brick wall, five by five outdoor spaces. So they were completely isolated from each other. And they did not have any interaction with anybody, not in their cell, not around their cell, nothing. They were on one wall, separated by walls. And what they found was that within a few months of that lack of connection to anyone, these men went crazy. Michael Kent They went bananas. They tried to unalive themselves. They like were starting to hallucinate and like having severe mental health like backlash from it. So it's not, you know, it is in us. It's biological, that need for connection. And so phrases like I'm trying really hard not to, you know, connect with people right now. I agree with you. It's very funny. I love Schitt's Creek. I'm rewatching it for like the 18th time right now. I just watched that episode. It's like the second episode. But it really does set a bad precedent. And then you have the backlash of that where the loneliness epidemic. And when I go to colleges, a lot of these advisors are talking about, my students come to me and say, I feel like I have no friends, like I'm not connected. But then they have events and the students don't come out to events, right? So it's kind of like you're shooting, you're cutting off your nose to spite your face. Yeah, it's a huge problem. And outside, I don't know whether or not in the higher education world, if this is as much of an issue, but it definitely fuels addiction in the real world. The isolation fuels addiction. And have you ever heard of the Rat Park study? There's a famous study in the 70s. I think it was in Canada, but like British Columbia. Basically, they had a bunch of mice or lab rats or whatever. And they gave them access to, in their water bottle, they had like drugs in the water bottle, like morphine or cocaine or something in the water bottle. And the rats that were isolated constantly drugged themselves, but the rats that were in a community of other rats did not. That's so interesting. Yeah, and it's been used for, you know, for 40 years as this or 50 years as this study that shows that, like, we need connection. We need connection because we don't have connection. find other ways to satisfy our, I don't know if that's our nervous system or whatever that is in us. But we end up, you know, basically the connection aspect of it replaces the need to get dopamine from other things, right? Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) So we're getting dopamine from those connections, which is critically important to our data. And it might not be substance abuse, right, particularly in those instances like you were talking about where the college students complain and then they don't leave. Michael Kent Well, they might be getting dopamine from scrolling Instagram or scrolling TikTok or reading or watching Netflix or whatever it is that they're doing. I'm not saying any one of those things is worse than the other. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) I'm just saying all of them are a thing you do when you're not connecting. If that becomes a replacement for connection to get your dopamine, that's when you're going to be, you know, basically you have to keep feeding that beast, you know, and keep you because that's where addiction comes from. need to keep feeding that dopamine thing because you're not getting it naturally. So I think the key here is, right, even if it's uncomfortable or if it feels, you know, weird, especially post-COVID, right, which I think creates... Michael Kent Created a lot of disconnection. It's finding that connection somehow. And so it kind of takes you away from, you know, trying to find it in other sources. Is that, I love that. absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. You know, we, I think like just natural human connection provides a lot of dopamine. Yeah. But that's if you're actually connecting. That doesn't mean being in a room with a person. means actually connecting. Yeah. That's really interesting. I feel like we've overshot your episode. This is gonna be like three different episodes. No, this is great. Honestly, I love this conversation. I was going to say like, I think we, you know, I could talk to you about this kind of all day. I love your perspective. But we should probably, we should probably get on with our days, you know, but thank you so much, Michael, for being here. Would you mind, I know you just put out a book. So would you mind talking about that for a second, telling everyone where they can get it, how they can reach you? Yeah, I selected more than 50 episodes or topics. pass.,ages, take you It's from my podcast, The Internet Says It's True, and compiled them into sort of like a bathroom reader style book. So you pick this thing up, and each story is only three or four pages, and they're all these amazing stories that sound made up but are really true. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) Like, for instance, one of the stories is about how before the Teachers in Space program from the Challenger space shuttle mission, their first idea was to put Big Bird in space. Michael Kent And I did an entire episode about how they really were going to, and Carol Spinney, the guy inside Big Bird costume, agreed to it and wanted to do it. And so we talk about that and, like, why it eventually failed and didn't, you know, that's what launched the Teachers in Space program. So there's stories like that that were, like, you know, make you say there's no way that's true, and they're all true. And at the end of every chapter, there's a QR code that you can scan that links you to the episode where you get to hear not only, you know, that story, but then also... Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) A quiz with a guest, like we did with you on my previous two episodes. So, but yeah, you can find that wherever you buy books. Michael Kent It's called The Internet Says It's True, Stories That Sound Made Up But Aren't. Thank you so much. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) Thank you so much, Michael, for being here, for having this conversation. It felt very, I know we covered kind of a wide range of topics, but I think that it was all very valid and very, like, fascinating. Michael Kent So thank you, and I'd love to have you back on any time that you'd like. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) I would love to. Michael Kent This is, I agree with you. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) We could have just kept going because I love to talk about things that aren't magic and aren't, you know, history. Like if I can get to a point where I can just talk about real world stuff that, you know, is affecting all of us, I love that. So I envy what you do for a living, that you're helping people in a way that's like very connecting A to B in a straight line, you know? Michael Kent So it's really cool. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) Thank you very much. Michael Kent And I love what you do. Marissa F. Cohen (Marissa F. Cohen) I think magic is so fascinating and comedy just makes. People happy. I wish I was funnier. I always laugh when I'm talking to you, so. Oh, it's usually at me, but I appreciate it anyways. Well, you have a very happy new year, you and Larry, and it's good to talk to you again. Thank you. You too. That was awesome. Thank you very much. very welcome. Absolutely. Yeah, that was a lot of fun. Oh, good. And truly, anytime you want to come back. I will. Yeah. I don't know. I feel like we covered everything in the first episode. My episodes always range. Thank you. Yeah, absolutely. All right. So now I'm going to record my two episodes, and I won't have to do anything next week. Woo! Thank you. So I have one set up for this week and next week, so this will be probably January 21st, and when it goes up, I'll send it. me in it, and yep. Will do. Sounds great. Okay. Thanks, Marissa. Thanks, Michael. Have a good one. All right. You too. Bye. Bye.
Don and Tom break down why hedge funds' so-called “comeback” doesn't justify their massive fees, showing how simple index portfolios continue to outperform. They challenge the idea of allocating even small amounts to speculative assets like Bitcoin, emphasizing academic research and real-world risk. The show covers Roth TSP strategies for young federal employees, the importance of international diversification, and why overcomplicated portfolios rarely add value. They also dismantle “Power of Zero” and life insurance retirement schemes, exposing their sales-driven motives. Throughout, Don and Tom reinforce their core message: disciplined saving, diversification, and simplicity beat hype, sales pitches, and emotional investing every time. 0:20 How the live radio show becomes a “magical” podcast and why Don controls the edit 1:55 Wall Street Journal hedge fund article feels like advertising 3:28 Hedge fund returns vs. outrageous fees 4:59 How simple 60/40 and 80/20 portfolios beat hedge funds 6:43 Jason in Sammamish and the Tesla/Bitcoin debate 8:11 Why speculative investing hurts regular savers 10:56 Bitcoin, hype, and institutional money myths 11:45 Bessenbinder research and why stock picking fails 13:09 Why money decisions stay emotional 14:03 Micro-cap stock failure rates 15:11 Roth TSP matching and young federal employees 16:32 When Roth vs. traditional makes sense 19:21 Mad Men, old computers, and optimism about the future 21:45 Asset allocation for young investors and AVUV vs. global funds 23:52 Why international investing matters 25:21 The case for simple one-fund portfolios 27:45 Advisors pushing annuities and insurance 29:14 Why LIRPs and “Power of Zero” plans are dangerous 34:43 Exposing insurance-driven “tax-free retirement” marketing 34:55 RetireMeet preview and upcoming events 36:39 Voice-to-text tools and listener questions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Alison Brie (Glow, Mad Men) joins Paul, June and Jason to discuss the 1984 breakdance drama Body Rock starring Lorenzo Lamas. LIVE from Largo in Los Angeles, they talk about Chilly's hairy chest, all the breakdance moves, post shower roast beef, and breaking the fourth wall. Plus, June believes she can breakdance with no practice. (Ep. #188 Originally Released 05/11/2018) • Do YOU want to pick the movie for an upcoming ep? Vote on our discord here• Get up to 20% off tix to see Jason in ALL OUT on Broadway with code ALLOUTPOD at AllOutBroadway.com• Go to hdtgm.com for tour dates, merch, FAQs, and more• Have a Last Looks correction or omission? Call 619-PAULASK to leave us a voicemail!• Submit your Last Looks theme song to us here• Join the HDTGM conversation on Discord: discord.gg/hdtgm• Buy merch at howdidthisgetmade.dashery.com/• Order Paul's book about his childhood: Joyful Recollections of Trauma• Shop our new hat collection at podswag.com• Paul's Discord: discord.gg/paulscheer• Paul's YouTube page: youtube.com/paulscheer• Follow Paul on Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/paulscheer• Subscribe to Enter The Dark Web w/ Paul & Rob Huebel: youtube.com/@enterthedarkweb• Listen to Unspooled with Paul & Amy Nicholson: unspooledpodcast.com• Listen to The Deep Dive with June & Jessica St. Clair: thedeepdiveacademy.com/podcast• Instagram: @hdtgm, @paulscheer, & @junediane• Twitter: @hdtgm, @paulscheer, & msjunediane • Jason is not on social media• Episode transcripts available at how-did-this-get-made.simplecast.com/episodesGet access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using the link: siriusxm.com/hdtgm Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jo and Rob team up to take on that threesome, Don Draper parallels, room service orders, and more during this week's recap of Episode 3 of ‘Industry' Season 4. Intro (0:00)Homage to Jodi (0:43)‘Habseligkeiten': What We Carry With Us (1:35)Mailbag Check-in (3:31)Girlboss Yasmin (13:24)Muck Cuck (17:26)Let's Talk About Fascism (24:42)Needle Drop Corner (30:39)‘Mad Men' Energy (35:35)Shifting Team Dynamics (43:13)Shady Journalism Hour (46:04)Kenny's back! (Unfortunately/Fortunately?) (53:09)Eric's $10 Million Problem (55:12)Room Service Orders (56:53)Eric and Harper Go Head-to-Head (57:48)The Rishi/Sweet Pea Confrontation (1:03:37)Outro (1:05:40) Email us! harpsichordstrapon@gmail.com or prestigetv@spotify.com Hosts: Joanna Robinson and Rob MahoneyProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Justin Sayles and Ashleigh Smith Subscribe to the Ringer TV YouTube channel here for full episodes of ‘The Prestige TV Podcast' and so much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week the system has let Ali & Ever down. We are talking sleep paralysis, sexual exploration, horse girl crushes on this podcast redo. If you don't like Mad Men you can lose my contact on episode 171 of Y'all Gay Podcast!Content warning: ICE kidnappings, depression, murder, rapeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This Podcast is Making Me Thirsty (The World's #1 Seinfeld Destination)
Seinfeld Podcast Interview With Judy Kain. Judy played Lorraine Catalano in the Season 2 Seinfeld episode, "The Chinese Restaurant." You know Judy from more than 100 TV roles including, The Morning Show, Mad Men, The Odd Couple, General Hospital, and How We Roll…She also authored two books, "Life is Like a Hike: The Best View Comes After the Hardest Climb" and "I Booked It: The Commercial Actor's Handbook." Follow Judy: https://www.keepitrealacting.com/epkOur guests are Seinfeld writers, Seinfeld actors and actresses and Seinfeld crew.We also welcome well-known Seinfeld fans from all walks of life including authors, entertainers, and TV & Radio personalities.We analyze Seinfeld and breakdown the show with an honest insight. We rank every Seinfeld episode and compare Seinfeld seasons. If you are a fan of Seinfeld, television history, sitcoms, acting, comedy or entertainment, this is the place for you.Do us a solid, support the Podcast
Don and Tom tackle fears about U.S. national debt by breaking down who actually owns it (mostly Americans), why “China owns us” is wildly overstated, and why rising interest costs matter more than sensational headlines. They explain why government debt isn't a looming foreclosure scenario, how interest payments circulate back to investors, and why politics often distorts financial decision-making. The show also covers 60/40 portfolio resilience, the real role of bonds, listener questions on AVGE and DFAW, investing simplicity, and a nostalgic detour into Spam keys and Mad Men—ending with encouragement for disciplined, long-term investing. 0:05 National debt fears and the “Mr. Potter foreclosing America” analogy 0:27 Holiday movies, Home Alone sequels, and It's a Wonderful Life 1:13 Who really owns U.S. debt and why it matters 2:50 Japan, UK, and China holdings explained 4:02 Why foreign selling wouldn't crash the economy 5:13 Most U.S. debt is owned domestically 5:31 Interest payments now exceeding military spending 6:18 What debt interest really costs households 7:19 Why investors shouldn't panic over government debt 8:15 Politics vs. rational investing decisions 9:55 Debt, taxes, and what society is willing to give up 11:28 Historical tax rates and Mad Men economics 12:37 Military spending and post-WWII budgets 13:22 60/40 portfolios and market downturn protection 14:43 Worst historical declines for balanced portfolios 16:37 Long-term resilience of diversified investing 17:51 Bonds: income vs. volatility control 19:08 Spam keys, Hormel, and changing industries 20:52 AVGE, DFAW, and Apella portfolio structure 22:29 Simplicity vs. complexity in investing 23:47 Podcast longevity and download estimates Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
He's mysterious and aspirational, but is he even real? Or is he just a reflection of all of our society?The ‘finance bro' has become a pretty ubiquitous figure in the American zeitgeist. From American Psycho and Mad Men to the tech bros of Silicon Valley, he's taken many forms. And these days he has flipped genders in the hit HBO series Industry. But what makes the finance bro mythology so compelling? And why do we sign up to watch him again and again?To find out, Brittany is joined by chief correspondent at Business Insider and host of Channels, Peter Kafka and Roxana Hadadi, TV critic for Vulture and New York Magazine.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Don and Tom open with sports banter and TV talk before diving into state-run retirement savings programs, explaining how auto-enrollment boosts participation and what fees and investment options really look like. They discuss why forced saving works, why Roth structures make sense, and how these plans compare to traditional IRAs. The conversation shifts to the emotional side of retirement, emphasizing purpose, “mattering,” and the mental health risks of disengagement. Listener calls cover annuity sales masquerading as fiduciary advice, helping a widowed parent invest conservatively, and managing old 401(k)s. The show closes with a thoughtful discussion of advisor fee models, self-management, and why planning and tax strategy matter more as retirement approaches. 0:04 Show intro, Broncos talk, Mad Men, and settling in 2:02 Retirement as the biggest lifetime expense 2:47 State-run retirement plans and auto-enrollment 3:47 Who really pays for “free” state plans 4:09 Why Roth-style saving makes sense 6:25 OregonSaves fees and State Street target-date funds 8:07 Limited investment choices in most retirement plans 9:24 Florida has no state savings plan 9:33 WSJ article on purpose and meaning in retirement 11:12 “Mattering” and being needed after retirement 12:19 Longevity after age 65 14:30 Retirement without a plan vs. needing structure 15:36 Depression and suicide risks in older retirees 16:52 Caller: “Fiduciary” selling indexed annuity 17:40 Why annuity pitches violate fiduciary duty 20:20 Knowing yourself before retiring 21:18 Caller: Helping widowed mother invest safely 22:33 When CDs and Treasuries make sense 23:47 Using brokerage CD ladders 26:34 Sports updates and listener mail 27:36 Old 401(k)s and consolidation 30:43 Listener saved $100K/year in advisory fees 31:47 AUM vs hourly vs flat-fee advisors 34:47 Subscription advisors and limited portfolios 35:51 Why advice matters more in retirement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this week's episode, host Caryn Antonini is joined by Jason Liebig, America's foremost historian on candy and snack brand history, as well as a champion of the consideration of candy and snack brands as nostalgia and pop cultural touchstones. Jason's career began in the world of DC and Marvel Comics, where he learned the power of fandom and storytelling—skills that later shaped his unique voice in consumer packaged goods - brand history and innovation. He's consulted on ideation and design for major brands, such as Oreo, Skittles and Ferrara and helped usher in Big League Chew's first female mascot. Behind the scenes, Jason is known as “The Indiana Jones of Snacks” thanks to his massive archive of more than 100,000 pieces of vintage packaging, which he has used to advise shows like Mad Men, Stranger Things, Young Sheldon, The Goldbergs and The Queen's Gambit. Jason is currently the lead storyteller and on-screen star of the History Channel hits, The Food That Built America, The Mega-Brands That Built America, and Hazardous History with Henry Winkler.For more information on our guest:linkedin.com | IG @collectingcandyCaryn Antoniniwww.cultivatedbycaryn.com@carynantonini@cultivatedbycarynshow###Get great recipes from Caryn at https://carynantonini.com/recipes/
On this episode of the Osborne Adventure Podcast, it is just me, talking honestly about missing a deadline I made up, and what that revealed about how much pressure I was putting on myself. November 2025 became a hard line in the sand, and missing it forced me to confront the difference between progress and performance.I discuss revisiting the book A Voyage for Madmen and being reminded that this is the kind of adventure people used to undertake as individuals, not corporations or professional teams. There is no safety net beyond the choices we make every day. The timelines, the funding, and the mission all rest on us. This is our life, not a job. Despite missing some marks along the way, the mission itself has never changed.CLICK HERE to leave a comment or ask a question.CLICK HERE to check out our t-shirts, hoodies and hats!CLICK HERE to check out the Safe Bed Model 100 by Safe Place Bedding and use discount code "sleepwell10" for a 10% discount on anything on the site.A Huge Thanks to our Partners!Battle Born BatteriesGoDuRonstanTylaska MarineWichard GroupYacht SolutionsFor more information visit our website:www.osborneadventure.comDonate Today (Osborne Adventure is a 501c3 nonprofit):https://www.osborneadventure.com/donationsFollow Us on Instagram:www.instagram.com/osborneadventure
TRUMP AND FARAGE: Are They Talking Common Sense — or Madmen? #Trump #Farage #Davos #WEF #GlobalElite #MassMigration #SecureBorders #DEI #JonGaunt #JonGauntTV #LIVE Donald Trump walked straight into World Economic Forum in Davos and delivered a blistering message the global elite didn't want to hear. From green energy dogma to Greenland, Denmark, and world security, Trump made it clear: this wasn't a speech for the room — it was a message for the public. Just like Nigel Farage, Trump was speaking over the heads of the political and media class and directly to millions across the Western world who feel their countries are becoming unrecognisable. People who are fed up with uncontrolled migration. People exhausted by imposed woke DEI ideology. People who want secure borders, national sovereignty, and the right to be proud of their country without being lectured or labelled. The real divide today is no longer left vs right — it's the public versus a detached global elite and their allies in the mainstream media, who simply cannot cope with a world changing outside their control. And while all this was happening, one question remains unanswered: Where exactly was Keir Starmer? Never here Keir was HERE!
One-on-one pod recorded live and uncut from our hotel room at Wilco's Sky Blue Sky Festival in Cancun, Mexico. We chat about our live pod here with Katie Crutchfield and MJ Lenderman, the pros and cons of an all-inclusive resort, the makrut Lime leaf cake from Quartersheets, Al Roker's jailhouse Biscoff hack, bad ass kids on the plane, Gen Z's discovery of Mad Men, Spiritual Gangsters, we get to the bottom of 2016, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are back on track, A$AP Rocky's SNL performance, will Heated Rivalry bros burn upon entry? And what to do when streamer nazi metrosexuals go to Miami. twitter.com/donetodeath twitter.com/themjeans howlonggone.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Our long hiatus is over! Just in time for everyone to be revisiting this masterpiece with HBO Max, we conclude our return to Mad Men in a packed 2-parter finale, starting with Season 7 Part One: The Beginning. (Rec. 5/25/25)
This week we have...Change of plans! Jermaine had a family situation and a technology glitch, so he will join us at the end of the month. You are stuck with Mike and Bill and we are determined to be Your Favorite Time Suck.Mike started out with his reading and it was one of our favorites from 24 Hours A Day and from January 6th. We have talked about it before, but we do explain the importance of the reading.We jumped into the show Mad Men, faith and determination, Bill Burr, wasted time, early happiness and joy and dangerous minds.We wrapped up talking about a Crown Royal commercial and the reason that we need to stick around.Enjoy the episode.Visit us Podcast www.sobernotmature.comStore www.sobernotmatureshop.comHobo www.themoderndayhobo.com
Episode Description: “If you were stuck in the last TV show you watched, where would you be—and could you survive?” That's the playful, thought-provoking question that launches this episode of The Sandy Show, sparking hilarious confessions and pop culture debates that will have you laughing and reminiscing.
SEASON 2 - EPISODE 175 - Embeth Davidtz - Actor / Director In this episode, of the Team Deakins Podcast, we speak with actor and director Embeth Davidtz (DON'T LETS GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT, MAD MEN, SCHINDLER'S LIST). Embeth's directorial debut, DON'T LETS GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT (an adaptation of the book of the same name written by Alexandra Fuller), is one of our favourite films from this past year, and we spend most of our conversation learning how Embeth pulled it off. The film is centered around the experiences of a young white child living in Zimbabwe at the end of the Rhodesian Bush War, and Embeth shares how her own childhood memories of South Africa's Apartheid influenced her telling of the story. Among many topics, we discuss: the film's effective use of voiceover, Embeth's approach to directing the lead child actress, managing a monkey break-in on location, the deceptive allure of the Steadicam, how the movie was financed, and whether or not she considered changing the title. We also reflect on the challenges of navigating a career in the entertainment industry, and we learn what Embeth has planned next. - Recommended viewing: DON'T LETS GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT - This episode is sponsored by Aputure
There was a time when a movie title sequence was just the moment you grabbed your popcorn and waited for the real show to start. But in the mid-90s and early 2000's, that changed forever with films like Seven and shows like Mad Men and Stranger Things. The title sequence became a prologue—a metaphor for the film itself. This is a preview of a premium episode. To listen to the full interview, head over to our Substack:https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/mikon-van-gastel Our guest today, Mikon Van Gastel, was right there in the trenches of that revolution. After a formative and intense education at the Cranbrook Academy of Art—where the only teachers were artists in residence and your toughest critics were your peers—Mikon cut his teeth at the legendary studio Imaginary Forces. Today, Mikon is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Sibling Rivalry, a hybrid brand studio and production company he founded with his best friend, Joe Wright. They've built a reputation for work that blurs the lines between branding, storytelling, and architecture.z In this episode, we explore the sheer scale of modern experience design. Mikon takes us behind the scenes of his work for the Sphere in Las Vegas—a venue he calls the “Champions League of content creation”. We discuss how to design for shared emotion, balancing the “collective gasp” of a 20,000-person audience with moments of intimate connection. We also dig into the business of creativity. Mikon opens up about the “sleepless nights” of running an agency in a project-based economy and how he refuses to transition fully into a management role, preferring to write treatments and stay hands-on with the work on nights and weekends. Whether you are designing software interfaces or directing films, Mikon's philosophy on collaboration and stripping away the noise to serve the core idea is something we can all learn from. Bio Mikon van Gastel is Director, CEO, and Co-Founder of creative agency Sibling Rivalry, based in New York and Miami. Originally from Holland, he earned his MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art before launching his career at Imaginary Forces, where he designed award-winning title sequences for feature films and theatrical trailers. Van Gastel's work spans multiple disciplines, with notable projects in architecture and experience design including MoMA's interactive signage system, BMW World in Munich, the digital displays at Santiago Calatrava's World Trade Center Oculus, and most recently, immersive films for the world's first keynote inside The Sphere in Las Vegas. He also created a VR series with renowned curator Paola Antonelli. He continues to direct commercial campaigns and product launches for major brands including Apple TV+, Ford, Google, Target, BVLGARI, and Vogue, working with high-profile talent such as Drake, Taylor Swift, Lionel Messi, and Lewis Hamilton. Van Gastel speaks internationally about design integration and emerging industry trends at cultural and educational institutions worldwide. *** This is a premium episode on Design Better. We release two premium episodes per month, along with two free episodes for everyone. Premium subscribers also get access to the documentary Design Disruptors and our growing library of books: You'll also get access to our monthly AMAs with former guests, ad-free episodes, discounts and early access to workshops, and our monthly newsletter The Brief that compiles salient insights, quotes, readings, and creative processes uncovered in the show. And subscribers at the annual level now get access to the Design Better Toolkit, which gets you major discounts and free access to tools and courses that will help you unlock new skills, make your workflow more efficient, and take your creativity further. Upgrade to paid ***
This week Josh and Drusila discuss the incredible Japanese arthouse horror film Onibaba (1964). From wiki: “Onibaba (鬼婆; lit. "Demon hag"), also titled The Hole, is a 1964 Japanese historical drama and horror film written and directed by Kaneto Shindō. The film is set during a civil war in medieval Japan. Nobuko Otowa and Jitsuko Yoshimura play two women who kill infighting soldiers to steal their armor and possessions for survival, while Kei Satō plays the man who ultimately comes between them.”Also discussed: SLC Punk, Ghost World, Muriel's Wedding, A Swedish Love Story, Songs from the Second Floor, Roy Andersson, Mad Men, Wuthering Heights, and more!NEXT WEEK: 200th episode! We're doing a high brow low brow NUN double feature: Benedetta (2021) and The Nun (2018). Bloodhaus:https://www.bloodhauspod.com/https://www.instagram.com/bloodhauspod/https://letterboxd.com/bloodhaus/Drusilla Adeline:https://www.sisterhydedesign.com/https://letterboxd.com/sisterhyde/https://www.instagram.com/sister__hyde/Joshua Conkelhttps://www.joshuaconkel.com/https://www.instagram.com/joshua_conkel/https://letterboxd.com/JoshuaConkel/
CNF50 Is Dead! 2025 NYE LiveStream CNF50isDEAD! 2025 is finished. #CNF50 was the journey through that year—my response to the cultural milestone of #SNL50—but now that year is done. #CNF50isDEAD means we are moving into the new year, leaving the old way of doing things behind. This is the full breakdown of everything that defined 2025. From the Mad Men marathons and the deep dives into Star Trek and Pluribus, to the dental surgery recovery, hitting the big 5-0, and bringing home Vincent Von Cat. From the grind of the events industry to the highs of the stand-up stage and the community that showed up for it all, this is the final look back before we start what's next. A new podcast? Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. 00:00 Introduction and New Year's Eve Reflections 03:31 Media Consumption and Recommendations 05:05 Personal Milestones and Reflections 12:20 Entertainment Industry Insights 21:38 Comedy and Live Shows 40:52 Supporting Local Arts and Community 58:02 Debating 'Sinners': A Divisive Movie 59:20 Star Wars and Andor: A Fan's Perspective 01:00:17 Mountain Head and Other Entertainment Highlights 01:01:09 Podcast Adventures and James Bond Discussions 01:02:38 MC Chris and SNL 50: Memorable Moments 01:03:38 Birthday Celebrations and Facebook Fiascos 01:09:19 Vincent the Cat and Superman Obsession 01:15:36 Summer Highlights and TV Show Reviews 01:21:05 Reflecting on a Busy Year 01:35:30 Halloween Fun and Year-End Thoughts https://www.leaguepodcast.com https://www.vampcouncil.com https://facebook.com/leaguepodcast https://www.instagram.com/leaguepodcast https://bsky.app/profile/leaguepodcast.bsky.social https://www.threads.net/@leaguepodcast https://www.youtube.com/@leagueofordinarygentlemen https://www.youtube.com/@claynferno https://www.instagram.com/dursin https://www.instagram.com/claynferno https://dursin.substack.com https://claynferno.substack.com I Think This Is Great! with Clay N. Ferno is an interview podcast about people doing and being their best. We talk about compassionate work, working on teams, getting over hurdles and doing great things even when the chips are down. This is part productivity podcast and part interview show about fascinating people in my life. Welcome, and please let me know what you think is great!
En este episodio especial de cierre y comienzo de año, Lucas y Cristóbal comparten sus libros favoritos del año y usan esas lecturas como excusa para reflexionar sobre atención, dopamina, AI, creatividad, genios obsesivos, tecnología, poder y cómo leemos (y pensamos) en un mundo cada vez más ruidoso. __Muchas gracias a nuestro Sponsor, Analytics Town por apoyar este episodio!¿Quieres crear un producto basado en inteligencia artificial pero no sabes por dónde empezar?En Analytics Town te ayudamos a diseñar tu nuevo producto y modelo de negocio, desde la estrategia hasta la ejecución del software con módulos de IA.Descubrimos oportunidades para tu empresa y validamos tu idea.Armamos el diseño funcional y el modelo de negocio.Diseñamos y desarrollamos tu producto potenciado con Inteligencia Artificial.Te acompañamos en todo el proceso, desde la idea hasta convertirlo en negocio rentable...Si mencionas que vienes de Indie vs Unicornio, te llevas el primer diagnóstico gratis!
2025 has been the year of the LIVE! show at DT!HQ, so we're capping off the season with one more. Back in July, we braved the muggy streets of downtown Pittsburgh, PA and had our largest crowd yet at Tekko! With large crowds comes large responsibility and thus we asked: which IRL job would make the best subject matter for a JRPG? Andrew is marketing, Todd is installing, and Kyle is at home in bed. Recommended reading: You can find the PowerPoint at the following link. If your podcast app doesn't support links, please visit our website to find the slides at debatethiscast.com! https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1btW1ztuclWB8N9mLE6JaVGVMjQiSbgTuE_X9o7vuOgc/edit?usp=sharing A massive thank you to the folks at Tekko Pittsburgh for inviting us to their event! You can find out more about their other events at https://tekko.us! Have you seen out Patreon? patreon.com/debatethiscast Have you seen our Instagram? instagram.com/debatethiscast Have you seen our Threads? threads.net/debatethiscast Want to send us an email? debatethiscast@gmail.com MERCH! We have that! Right now you can go on the internet and order things that say Debate This! On them! All you need to do is head to MerchThis.net and give us your money! Ever wanted socks with the DT! logo on them? Well now you can get em! One more time that website is MerchThis.net! Properties we talked about this week: Mad Men, Severance, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Triangle Strategy, Garrus Vakarian Music for Debate This! is provided by composer Ozzed under a creative commons license. Check out more of their 8-bit bops at www.ozzed.net!
This week's episode rewinds the chaotic final days of Sherrone Moore's tenure, as five women—speaking anonymously and not alleging anything criminal—describe a pattern of uncomfortable interactions with the former coach. From erratic emotional swings to late‑night DMs and the now‑identified apartment break‑in involving Paige Shiver, we unpack how a five‑year timeline of awkward encounters painted a picture of a man unraveling.Then we hit the news cycle you might've blinked and missed: • Devin Bush is found not guilty after a domestic dispute that somehow began with mashed potatoes and ended with conflicting stories, a smashed phone, and a judge ruling prosecutors didn't prove intent to harm. • Georgetown's Ed Cooley earns a one‑game suspension after launching a water bottle into the stands post‑loss. • Samson Nacua—yes, Puka's brother—is arrested after allegedly taking Lakers forward Adou Thiero's vehicle for a valet‑assisted joyride to the One Hotel in West Hollywood. The investigation rolls on.And finally, this week's Biggest Pickle: Brian Smith. The former Ohio University football coach managed to turn his office into a low‑budget Mad Men set—bourbon drawer included—before a string of letters, reprimands, and an investigation into an alleged relationship with a student ended in his firing. He's 45, looks older, and apparently thought dating someone college‑aged was a brilliant life choice. Smith is fighting the dismissal, but the timeline is… a lot.It's a full plate of sports chaos, questionable decisions, and the kind of stories that make you wonder how any of these people thought this would end well.
You follow Lindsay Manfredi's wild, non-linear path from merch table to main stage, and she shows you exactly how saying yes, showing up, and outworking your fear can change your entire trajectory. You hear how she moved to Florida at twenty chasing a rock-star dream, became an instant Cold superfan, and eventually landed the bass gig through a Twitter message that felt too unreal to be real. She talks candidly about law-of-attraction moments, why every Cold song has to matter, and where the line sits between authentic human creativity and formulaic or AI-generated music. Through it all, she reminds you that most fears never materialize and it takes the same effort to believe in yourself as it does to doubt yourself. Always Be Performing. From there, you shift into the discipline behind her artistry: preparing for tours months in advance, running the set nearly every day, and over-preparing so the stage actually feels fun. She shares how making the road feel like home keeps her grounded, and how her book “The Girl Who Cried Love” came from losing her sense of self and rebuilding true self-worth, not just confidence. You explore dropping habits that don't serve you, reconnecting with what you really value, and even why revisiting Mad Men taught her to only compete with herself. Finally, you wrap with a deep dive into in-ear monitor strategy, why a great mix beats great gear, and the small decisions that make performing sustainable for the long haul. 00:00:00 Gig Gab 513 – Monday, December 22nd, 2025 December 22nd: National Cookie Exchange Day Guest co-host: Linsday Manfredi NAMM coming up! GG Coverage Sponsor: Ultimate Ears Pro! 00:01:30 Twenty years old, moved to Florida to become a rock star Sprung Monkey needed a “merch girl”, Lindsay grabbed the gig Saw Cold, loved the music, loved Scooter's voice. Instant fan! Unfuckwithable: A Guide to Inspired Badassery 00:04:45 Bringing the Law of attraction into the rock world Lindsay's Cold tattoo made it into the album insert 00:06:00 Getting the Cold gig… on Twitter in 2014 Picture Yes was playing at The Vogue in Indianapolis on tour with Saving Abel Check your Facebook messages: “Will you be in our band?” 00:07:32 Always say “yes!” — Build the plane while you're flying it. Bought a 5-String 00:09:09 Play music because you love to play music No fluff songs in Cold Every song matters 00:11:25 Fuck AI to create music Is Formulaic Music from humans just as bad as AI-Created Music When do we hit the point where it's OK to use AI to create music 00:20:13 If you're an artist, you're going to create art. 85% of what we're afraid of won't happen. It takes just as much effort to have faith in something as it does to fear something 00:23:46 Transitioning from fan to band member Scooter says: “bring your personality to it!” Capture the original intent and emotion Lindsay rewrote the run in “So Long June” and… it was welcomed! 00:27:30 Preparing enough to have fun on stage Months of practice before a tour In order to have fun on stage… I need to be an over-preparer! Fender P-Bass at home to learn and prepare for tour Heavier strings on the practice bass Run the set every day (almost) 00:33:42 Start rehearsal in December for tour in April It's more fun to be prepared 00:36:10 Making the road feel like home Making your bunk your own Cold is a family Touring is my favorite thing to do 00:39:52 The Girl Who Cried Love, a Pivot to Self Worth Lindsay: I lost myself into what became a failed relationship Trying to prove my worth to someone who didn't see my worth So many of us aren't taught what our true worth is Asking herself: “Lindsay, what do you really want in your life? What is your purpose? What are your values?” The difference between confidence and self-worth. 00:45:33 It's hard to drop the shit that's not serving you 00:46:37 How can I make the world a little bit better? Being in the audience first makes everything so much clearer 00:47:51 Identifying a bad habit before you can drop it “My goal in life is to wake up laughing every day” 00:49:01 Revisiting Mad Men, of all things Better to compete with yourself 00:51:19 In Ear Monitors Having a great mix Mix is more important than gear Dissecting in-ears Universal Fits Dave recommends: Ultimate Ears Universal Fit Soundbrenner Wave Huberman Lab episode on hearing health 01:01:52 Gig Gab 513 Outtro Follow Lindsay Manfredi On IG @Lindsay Manfredi ColdArmy.com Contact Gig Gab! @GigGabPodcast on Instagram feedback@giggabpodcast.com Sign Up for the Gig Gab Mailing List The post Lindsay Manfredi's Road to Cold: Music, Micro-Pivots, and Radical Self-Worth — Gig Gab 513 appeared first on Gig Gab.
It's the end of the year review, but with a twist. Jay is subjected to a Geek Quiz to see if he cuts the mustard with his geek cred after multiple years of soaking in knowledge from Art and Robbie. Will he pass and enjoy a lunch from Robbie and an extension of his co-host contract? Or is his future in jeopardy? (Can a guy of a certain age even be expected to remember things?) Take the quiz yourself along the way to see how you rate as a long time listener (or a future listener!) Meanwhile, Jay and Robbie lead off with Geeks of the Week, including a new (and stranger) thing premiere/finale that Netflix is doing, an interesting update to Mad Men streaming, and a rumor about a Marvel actress making the leap to DC. You heard it here next!
:Have you ever wondered how it feels to say goodbye to a beloved Austin institution that's been serving up classic Tex-Mex for four decades? In this heartfelt episode of The JB and Sandy Show, the crew kicks things off with sad news: the iconic South Congress location of El Mercado is closing its doors for good this Wednesday, December 17th – but don't worry, the Burnet Road spot lives on, and you can still grab their famous salsa at HEB! The team dives into Austin's ever-changing landscape, debating Torchy's vs. Taco Deli (you're one or the other, right?), sharing hilarious foil-eating mishaps, and reminiscing about classics like Matt's El Rancho and the "all-American taco." They also reflect on saying farewell to longtime spots like Catfish Parlor and ponder what's next for that prime SoCo real estate (condos, anyone?).Things heat up with the Story We Love: Austin City Council just greenlit Southwest Airlines' huge expansion at ABIA, bringing 2,000 new jobs with an jaw-dropping average salary of $180,000! Could this mean more direct flights, cheaper fares, and Austin-based pilots and crews? The gang breaks it all down.Then, hop in the Wayback Machine as Sandy finally dives into the legendary Mad Men – four episodes in and already hooked on Don Draper's mysterious past (is he a deserter?!), the nonstop smoking and cocktails, pointy bras, and that shocking picnic litter scene. JB raves about rewatching it endlessly, while they marvel at the 1960s office antics and unforgettable characters like Christina Hendricks.Memorable moments include: "You're going to eat a little bit of foil" from Taco Deli tacos, tales of accidentally devouring In-N-Out wrapper paper, and laughs over vintage lingerie that looked like "the Egyptian pyramids." Cold weather debates, hot chocolate rants, and Pioneer Woman's shoutout to Austin's Trail of Lights round out this fun, nostalgic ride through Austin life and pop culture.Don't miss this mix of local heartbreak, big news, and binge-worthy TV talk – tune in now before El Mercado's final day slips away! Hit play, subscribe for more daily Austin vibes, leave us a review, and share with your fellow Texans who bleed breakfast tacos and Mad Men drama.
This week on Second Helpings, Jackie and MJ are back to talk more of this weeks goss'! Up top producer Adam, MJ and Jackie talk about the upcoming Bright Eyes anniversary shows, and Jackie gets more ready for Christmas by listening to Evermore for the first time this season, and then there's some more Tay talk including her recent Colbert appearance! JoJo Siwa announces a return to form with a massive bow filled cruise, HILARIA let us know she HAS to post photos of her kids, or else the papz won't leave her alone! Outside of the holiday season watches, Jackie's been bingin' "Madmen" with Geoff and lovin' it, as well as "Welcome to Derry" AND "Heated Rivalry" the mere image of Jacob Elordi made Jackie's brain break, but he's doing "Actors on Actors" with GOOP! Timothée Chalamet's Ping-Pong character gonna be on the Wheaties box, Jackie enjoyed "Rental Family", and Jackie hopes MJ, along with everyone gets PLURIB'D, and then a solemn moment of realization that this is the first non-DWTS episode until next season! All that and more on this weeks Second Helpings!Want even more Page 7? Support us on Patreon! Patreon.com/Page7Podcast Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Page 7 ad-free.Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jason Liebig, the Candy Historian and TV Consultant & Storyteller, joins the show to share his journey from DC Comics & Marvel Comics to becoming the leading expert on candy, snacks, and nostalgia for shows like Stranger Things and Mad Men. Hear how to get good at collecting things, the top candy entrepreneurship stories, which candies are related to each other, the most unusual candies in history, and the most creative use of chocolate. Connect with Jason at CollectingCandy.com, on social media @CollectingCandy, and on LinkedIn
In which we talk Khloe Kardashian mold exposure, Rosalia's Southwest Airlines ventures, forgotten memories from Rihanna's 777 tour, Mad Men's 4K restoration errors, Sabrina Carpenter Trump songs, and Lily Allen's USB butt plugs. JOIN US ON PATREON BONUS EPISODES + TV TALK EVERY WEEK About Eating For Free: Hosted by journalists Joan Summers and Matthew Lawson, Eating For Free is a weekly podcast that explores gossip and power in the pop culture landscape: Where it comes from, who wields it, and who suffers at the hands of it. Find out the stories behind the stories, as together they look beyond the headlines of troublesome YouTubers or scandal-ridden A-Listers, and delve deep into the inner workings of Hollywood's favorite pastime. The truth, they've found, is definitely stranger than any gossip. You can also find us on our website, Twitter, and Instagram. Any personal, business, or general inquires can be sent to eatingforfreepodcast@gmail.com Joan Summers' Twitter, Instagram Matthew Lawson's Twitter, Instagram
Pressure is mounting for transparency on a “double tap” boat strike in the Caribbean that critics say may constitute a war crime. NBC News reports on how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is defending the administration’s actions. Trump pardoned the former Honduran president who was convicted of taking bribes from cartels that flooded the U.S. with cocaine. BBC News reports that the clemency comes as Hondurans are electing a new president. Services like 23andMe have revealed the existence of “surprise heirs” asking for a piece of the family inheritance. The Wall Street Journal’s Ashlea Ebeling explains how the development is throwing estate planning into chaos. Plus, ICE is set to crack down on Somali immigrants in Minnesota, a Republican win in Tennessee but Democrats gained ground, and why ‘Mad Men’ fans are catching some unexpected mistakes on streaming. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.
Dave and Chuck the Freak talk about emailer opened bathroom door on old lady, rub and tug on Facebook Marketplace, driverless taxi drove through active police standoff, food delivery robots, a bunch of people used illegal disabled parking tags, people trying to help 88-year-old veteran retire, clip of Rodney Harrison freezing up during broadcast, athlete suffers mysterious burned legs at home, Diddy trying to get 50 Cent's documentary removed from Netflix, Netflix removed screen casting feature, YouTube's Top 5 best of 2025 lists, wrong Mad Men files delivered to HBO, Radiohead broke attendance record at O2 arena, road rage incident with motorcycles, man's mistress seen scaling out of 10th story window, raccoon got into liquor store, tourist got stuck in vagina sculpture, man swallowed ‘Octopussy' egg, are you pleased with your married sex life?, drug trafficking suspect fled police and got attacked by pit bull, couple busted cheating at casino, teens arrested after viral door kick challenge, school boys sang Xmas song on doorbell cam, IRS monitoring OnlyFans for tax crackdown, sea turtle found with tumor, and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Dave and Chuck the Freak talk about emailer opened bathroom door on old lady, rub and tug on Facebook Marketplace, driverless taxi drove through active police standoff, food delivery robots, a bunch of people used illegal disabled parking tags, people trying to help 88-year-old veteran retire, clip of Rodney Harrison freezing up during broadcast, athlete suffers mysterious burned legs at home, Diddy trying to get 50 Cent’s documentary removed from Netflix, Netflix removed screen casting feature, YouTube’s Top 5 best of 2025 lists, wrong Mad Men files delivered to HBO, Radiohead broke attendance record at O2 arena, road rage incident with motorcycles, man’s mistress seen scaling out of 10th story window, raccoon got into liquor store, tourist got stuck in vagina sculpture, man swallowed ‘Octopussy’ egg, are you pleased with your married sex life?, drug trafficking suspect fled police and got attacked by pit bull, couple busted cheating at casino, teens arrested after viral door kick challenge, school boys sang Xmas song on doorbell cam, IRS monitoring OnlyFans for tax crackdown, sea turtle found with tumor, and more!
Hawk asks what time it is, Cory has stories about women in Florida and Mad Men in Headlines, Halvy reviews Heated Rivalry
Hawk asks what time it is, Cory has stories about women in Florida and Mad Men in Headlines, Halvy reviews Heated RivalrySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We might soon have the first big IPO of the AI era, and it doesn't look like it will be OpenAI. Amazon takes another few swings at Nvidia's dominance. Proof positive that self driving cars really are significantly safer. And the disastrous 4k upscaling of Mad Men. Anthropic taps IPO lawyers as it races OpenAI to go public (FT) Amazon's Custom Chips Pose Another Threat to Nvidia (WSJ) Amazon Has New Frontier AI Models—and a Way for Customers to Build Their Own (Wired) AWS puts Kiro and other AI agents to work on truly autonomous software development (SiliconANGLE) The Data on Self-Driving Cars Is Clear. We Have to Change Course. (NYTimes) Microsoft Lowers AI Software Growth Targets as Customers Resist Newer Products (The Information) The ‘Mad Men' 4K Stream on HBO Max Had So Many Problems (Not All of Which Involved a Barf Machine) (THR) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jared Harris (Chernobyl, Mad Men) joins us this week for a deeply personal and fascinating conversation about legacy, loss, and learning to trust himself as an actor. He opens up about growing up with his father Richard Harris, how that chaotic love shaped his view of art and fame, and the long road it took to find his own voice. Jared shares candid stories from Mad Men and Chernobyl, the pain of being written off a show, and the surprising moments of grace that came from failure. Thank you to our sponsors:
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