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“The more you try, the luckier you get…” Words to live by, from podcast guest Arthur Smith, the pioneering television producer behind some of the longest-running unscripted series in history, and author of the just-published motivational memoir Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from a Lifetime in Television. Arthur's long-running hit “Hell's Kitchen,” with Gordon Ramsey, helped to forge the modern food competition reality genre, while his Emmy-nominated “American Ninja Warrior” has spawned a cultural movement and inspired millions to push themselves to next-level successes in their own lives and careers. As the founder and chairman of A. Smith & Co. Productions, Arthur has produced over 200 shows, for virtually every network and streaming platform, including “The Titan Games,” “Mental Samurai,” “Kitchen Nightmares,” “The Swan” and “Paradise Hotel.” Prior to launching his own production company, he served as the youngest Head of Sports in the history of the Canada's CBC television network, and as Executive Vice President of Programming, Production and News for FOX Sports. He also served for four years as Senior Vice President of Dick Clark Productions, producing a wide variety of award shows, special events and non-fiction programming. In Reach, written in collaboration with podcast host Daniel Paisner, Arthur reflects on his remarkable career and shares some of the lessons he's learned while pushing himself beyond what he ever thought possible. “In the nonfiction genre people get tired of the same thing,” he recently told a reporter from the Jewish Journal. “The biggest hits in reality/nonfiction television come from originality. So we have to keep reinventing. We have to keep freshening up ideas. We have to keep reaching.” To learn more about Arthur Smith: A. Smith & Co. website A. Smith & Co. Facebook A. Smith & Co Twitter Reach: Hard Lessons and Learned Truths from A Lifetime in Television Please support the sponsors who support our show. Daniel Paisner's Balloon Dog Film Movement Plus (PODCAST) | 30% discount Libro.fm (ASTOLDTO) | 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 when you start your membership Film Freaks Forever! podcast, hosted by Mark Jordan Legan and Phoef Sutton A Mighty Blaze podcast The Writer's Bone Podcast Network
This week on Finding Your Bliss, Life Coach and Bliss Expert Judy Librach is joined by award-winning television pioneer, maverick, wunderkind producer and now author, Arthur Smith! Arthur Smith is the Chairman of A. Smith & Co. Productions and is an industry veteran and a pioneer in nonfiction television, known for creating some of the longest-running unscripted series in history since founding A. Smith & Co. in 2000. With 200+ shows for 50+ networks under Smith
Arthur Smith is the Chairman of A. Smith & Co. Productions and is an industry veteran and a pioneer in nonfiction television, known for creating some of the longest-running unscripted series in history since founding A. Smith & Co. in 2000. Smith was inducted into the Realscreen Awards Hall of Fame in 2021, honored as Broadcasting & Cable's “Producer of the Year” in 2020, nominated for several Emmy® Awards and received dozens of awards including NAACP Awards, Realscreen Awards, and Critics Choice Awards. Smith was the first-ever inductee to his alma mater's “Ryerson Wall of Fame,” and was the founding sponsor of Ryerson in L.A. scholarship program to create hands-on learning opportunities for Ryerson students. With 200+ shows for 50+ networks under Smith's leadership, A. Smith & Co.'s credits include Gordon Ramsay's “Hell's Kitchen” which forged the modern food competition reality genre in the U.S. and is FOX's longest-running reality show, “American Ninja Warrior” which recently aired its 12th season on NBC and garnered its fourth Primetime Emmy® Award nomination for Outstanding Competition Program, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson's “The Titan Games,” “Mental Samurai,” Pharrell Williams' “Voices of Fire,” “Welcome to Plathville,” “American Ninja Warrior Junior,” “Unsung,” “American Gangster: Trap Queens,” “Ellen's Next Great Designer” and “NFL Pro Bowl Skills Showdown.” Other past groundbreaking series include “Kitchen Nightmares,” “Trading Spaces,” “The Swan,” “Pros vs. Joes,” “I Survived a Japanese Game Show,” “UFC Countdown,” “The Dunk King” and “Paradise Hotel.”Smith also serves as Chairman of Tinopolis Group U.S., the leading TV production and distribution group which acquired A. Smith & Co. in 2011. In this role, Smith also oversees the unscripted powerhouse Magical Elves, the Emmy Award®-winning producer of uplifting unscripted series such as “Top Chef,” “Nailed It!,” “Sugar Rush” and more. Prior to launching A. Smith & Co., Smith held the role of Executive Vice President of Programming, Production and News for FOX Sports. He launched the network into cable sports – supervising production, development, scheduling and acquisition of all national and regional programming. While at FOX, Smith launched 22 sports networks, serving as executive producer on all events and original programming.Before FOX Sports, Smith served as Senior Vice President of MCA - Universal Television Group, where he rejuvenated MCA's first-run division, developing a number of projects and acquisitions. Smith also spent four years as Senior Vice President of dick clark productions, producing a wide variety of award shows, special events, and non-fiction content. Smith was named the youngest Head of CBC Sports at the age of 28. He orchestrated the modernization of the network, creating sports content in an entertainment format filled with stylized graphics, driving music, high-profile features and technological innovations. His career began at CBC Network Sports, where he produced and directed major events around the world. This included overseeing three Olympic Games as an executive producer, for which he won numerous accolades, including two Gemini Awards.As a youth, Smith acted in feature films, television commercials and comedies. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/unimpressedpodcast. https://plus.acast.com/s/unimpressedpodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aaron Solomon has been a writer, format consultant and co-executive producer on a wide-range of US network shows, including Mental Samurai, Weakest Link, $100,000 Pyramid, and the version of The Joker's Wild presented by Snoop Dogg. He explains the hidden mechanics that are used to make game shows such as these tick. Meanwhile, David and Justin put their best foot forward for a job at the BBC, and David briefs Justin on some internet stories he's missed. Plus the usual format news and a tasty 'Fake or Format'. David's FREE question writing guide is here: https://tinyurl.com/quizbible1-2Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tv-show-podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What exactly is a mental samurai? Your guess is as good as ours. In this game show that combines all your favorite elements of parking lot carnivals with puzzles from Highlights Magazine, Rob Lowe helps determine who is the mental samurai (again, we're still not sure what that means).
The John Madden of Mental Samurai, Dr. Ken Franklin, returns to discuss matters of love and faith. I've long admired Dr. Ken's ability to be loving, even in the challenging environment of Facebook, and he tells the story of how he developed his faith, how it was tested, and why he won't ever stop trying to love others. And if you like the wisdom of Dr. Ken, you can get it on tap in his book, "Spit Out That Apple," which is available on Amazon as a paperback, on Audible (free with your free trial), and via Kindle Unlimited: https://www.amazon.com/Spit-Out-Apple-embrace-rejecting-ebook/dp/B07XNL86MD
I'm pleased to welcome my first Season 2 Mental Samurai to the show (check the archives to listen to my interviews with the three other Season 1 Mental Samurai--with a slightly different definition: Nathan Gonzalez, Dr. Jackie Boehme, and Ben Bergstrom), the purple fauxhawk himself, Wesley Chang. Wesley and I discuss the origin of his trademark look, why his dog has a similar purple fauxhawk, and where he and his fiancee plan on going for their honeymoon. Wesley also talks about strategy and how he prepared for the show. It's a great conversation, and I hope you listen in!
Dr. Ken Franklin returns to help me recap and break down the season finale of Mental Samurai. We discuss the individual competitors, Caroline Glymph's mental game, and reflect on the patterns we saw for the entire season. Competitors: Hercules Magnus, Real Estate Agent Caroline Glymph, Baton Twirler and Psychology Ph.D. Student Anya Lester, Forensic Scientist Jeromy Robert, Former Navy Cryptographer Joshua Florence, Pre-med College Student Laith Wallschleger, Former Pro Football Player / Voiceover Artist
"Kinoveebi Jututuba" on taskuhääling, kus kino Artis programmijuht Ra Ragnar Novod, Forum Cinemas programmispetsialist Henryk Johan Novod ning kultuurikriitik Raiko Puust võtavad igal nädalal läbi uued filmid ja seriaalid ning ka olulisemad filmiuudised. "Kinoveebi Jututoa" 121. saates arutavad Ragnar, Henryk ja Raiko nende filmide ja seriaalide üle, mida on nad vahepeal koduste vahendite (Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Apple TV+ jne) abil vaadanud (Attack on Titan, Beastars, Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny jpm) Seejärele anname hinnangud uutele kinofilmidele: "Hulkurid", "Vaalapüüdja", "Luca" ja "Vanad". Sisukord: 08:43 26. saatejuhtide kuulajamäng 19:54 Mis filme ja seriaale on Raiko kodus vaadanud? (Beastars , The Daily Life of the Immortal King, Einstein, Mental Samurai, Attack on Titan Schmigadoon!, Battle Game in 5 Seconds, Record of Ragnarok, Ted Lasso, Attack on Titan: Chronicle, Attack on Titan: Crimson Bow and Arrow, Attack on Titan: The Wings of Freedom, Attack on Titan: The Roar of Awakening, Attack on Titan Part 1, Attack on Titan Part 2) 1:29:23 Mis filme ja seriaale on Henryk ja Ragnar kodus vaadanud? (The Outlaws, Good place, Rick and Morty, Tenacious D, Deadpool 2, Seinfeld, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace) 1:48:50 Anname hinnangud uutele kinofilmidele: "Hulkurid", "Vaalapüüdja", "Luca" ja "Vanad". 2:32:05 Mida uuel nädalal kinodes näha saab? Kui sul tekkisid küsimused ja kommentaarid, siis saad need jätta meile siin: info@kinosaade.ee. Kõik saated on leitavad ka Kinosaade.ee, Delfi Taskus, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Soundcloud ja kõikides teistes podcasti rakendustes.
So here it is, the best episode in the season so far. And Donnell seems to think that this series could top WandaVision. Robert doesn't agree, but they both do agree that it's good. Real good. Now it's just a matter of if they can stick the landing a put out a great finally. Also, Robert talks Black Widow, with out spoiling it (though next week we will probably spoil the crap out of it, just a heads up). And Donnell gets one step closer to getting on Mental Samurai. Music Intro: BEES! by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Outro: "Special Spotlight" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/watchin-it/support
Logan and The Giggler discuss Loki Episode 5 & Prepare for Black Widow. Sources: https://deadline.com/2021/07/richard-donner-dead-superman-lethal-weapon-director-1234786372/ Promo: www.jockandnerd.com Whatchu Watchin: The Tomorrow War, Dirty John, Mental Samurai , I Think You Should Leave New episode Monday. Sunday on Patreon. Thank you for supporting you favorite independent podcasts. Remember to turn on those in-app reminders to know when new episodes are available. Subscribe and tell a friend. We appreciate you. Call or Text Us: Buy some #MostlyMerch. Listen to The Music Show Meet the team. Subscribe to our YouTube and Twitch channels. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Tumblr. Something new everyday at www.MostlySuperheroes.com ©2021 Carrogan Ventures, LLC
Dr. Ken Franklin returns to help me recap and analyze Episode 8 of Season 2 of Mental Samurai. This episode featured the fewest correct answers of any episode, and also the first Mental Samurai to wear the crown without a perfect run. We also discuss the extensive IMDB credits of two competitors, who were actually regulars on two popular unscripted shows, and our admiration for Laith Wallschleger. Competitors: Krystyna Ahlers, Triple Valedictorian (Millionaire Matchmaker) Laith Wallschleger, NFL Player/Math Tutor/Voice Actor (Worst Cooks in America) David Rendon, Army Veteran / Amputee / Mountain Climber Charity Clark, Online Business Coach Shadi Ireifej, Veterinarian Nick Santo, Jewelry Designer / Daytrader
Episode 7 competitor Jamaal Williams stops in to discuss his childhood in German, his many college majors, and his dual careers in government service and content creation. Jamaal also reveals why so many competitors are talking it out, and how he felt about winning $10,000, but not getting a chance to go to the Circle of Samurai. https://www.maalys-world.com/
Hi folks, sorry for the delay on this episode, but I was in Monaco last week, and couldn't record until now. Once again, Dr. Ken Franklin joined me to recap and analyze the most recent episode of Mental Samurai, which featured three perfect runs, and a down-to-the-wire finish. We also discuss why stress and sleep deprivation can lead to flameouts, and learn why Dr. Ken didn't go to Stanford for college (which is the university's loss!). This week's competitors: Tony Mangione, Restauranteur Jennifer Jacobsen-Wood, Librarian Jamaal Williams, Data Analyst / Dad Haylee Hilton, Aquatic Mammal Trainer Ryan Cohen, Mechatronics Engineer (and Stanford alum) Nick Santo, Reigning Samurai
Dr. Ken Franklin returns to help me recap and analyze the action from Episode 6 of Season 2 of Mental Samurai. For the first time ever, Fox aired Mental Samurai twice in the same week, likely to avoid running into the Tokyo Olympics, so Dr. Ken and I pulled a double shift to cover the action. Competitors this week: Devin Collins, Stilt Walker (who also sings and as a teenager, opened for Chaka Khan, Dionne Warwick, and Roberta Flack) Jeff Vaughn, Professional Poker Player Jillian Gloria, Aspiring Astronaut Nick Santo, Daytrader / Jewelry Designer Kaitlyn Chu, USC Student Wes Chang, Reigning Samurai
Dr. Ken Franklin returns to break down Episode 5 of Season 2. Scott Perry tries to extend his reign as Mental Samurai for yet another episode, but he has some strong competitors standing in his way. Not only do we break down the action, we also hear Dr. Ken's technique for acing the Memory tower. This week's competitors: Avery Kane: Surfer/Drummer Victor Velez: Multi-lingual Speaker Layci Petrakis: Hunter Wes Chang: Fauxhawk Enthusiast Courtney Evans: Dentist Scott Perry: The Man Who Married His Cat
Dr. Ken dials in from his road trip to analyze the events of Episode 4, with a focus on defending champion Scott Perry. We discuss the various contestants, my desire for a Wikipedia page, and where Dr. Ken and his wife have been. Competititors: Meri J Van (model) Ashlea Archer (college professor) Jeff Ahern (sales) Alexa Lowery (homeschool teacher) Scott Perry (marketing consultant)
Hurricane Sally money, a state official's retirement, Mental Samurai and high drama in Tarrant. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I'm joined by Season 1 competitor Becky Eldridge, who joins me to recap Episode 3 of Season 2 of Mental Samurai. We discuss how Becky's life has changed since Mental Samurai, and what she likes and doesn't like about the new format. Then we recap the action, leading up to the amazing perfection of the newest Mental Samurai reigning champion, Scott Perry. Contestants: Ruby Ortega: Army veteran, antiques Aaron Fraley: Lab scientist, Ohioan Lisa Overman: Brand manager, gifted child Scott Perry: Marketing consultant, laughs a lot Don Hecht: Stuntman, Italian Dr. Laura Kerber: NASA scientist, Reigning Samurai
@HuddsMagruder, @RealRonWarner and Edwardo are back to discuss condiments, but first they discuss celebrity image and America's obsession with them. Ron found a new job and Edwardo regales the fellas with a #Crocs purchase tale, the Croc Drop, if you will.
@HuddsMagruder, @RealRonWarner and Edwardo are back to discuss condiments, but first they discuss celebrity image and America's obsession with them. Ron found a new job and Edwardo regales the fellas with a #Crocs purchase tale, the Croc Drop, if you will.
I'm joined by Episode 2's Peter Freyer, a former entrepreneur and finance executive who was also a one-time professional magician. Tune in to learn about how I know his childhood BFF, how he earned so much money doing magic, and hear the story of how being unemployed led to appearing on 11 different game shows, including both Wheel of Fortune and The Price Is Right.
Dr. Ken returns to help me break down Episode 2 of Season 2 of Mental Samurai. We discuss the runs of Ben Hockman, his fiancee Dr. Laura Kerber (note that Ben has a Ph.D too), Ryan Shyng, Bianca Harris, Peter Freyer, and Reigning Samurai Gleb Golfin. Tune in for our analysis, and to learn whether $30,000 is more than $0.
Season 1 Mental Samurai Chris Yeh recaps the Season 2 premiere. I discuss the changes to the show's format, and discuss the events of S2E1, including the right way to approach Gridlock puzzles. Competitors: Anthony Trucks Michelle Joy Nixon Dave Lim Erin McLean Gleb Gofin Deborah Edwards
The good and the bad. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/geoff-brenneman/support
Have you ever wanted to know more about Classical music, but felt you weren’t ~fancy~ enough to ask? Well, you’re in luck, because today, our guest, musician (and current Mental Samurai!) Heather Hurley has all the information you crave. Later, take a quiz on plays and ears called “Playing by Ear”! . . . [Music: 1) Ludwig von Beethoven, “Allegretto” from Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92; 2) Frau Holle, “Ascending Souls,” 2017. Courtesy of Frau Holle, CC BY-NC 3.0 license.]
It's one of the most-requested and most-anticipated interviews in the history of the podcast. Finally, I sit down with Mental Samurai Grand Champion Heather Hurley to talk about life under quarantine, her childhood, her history with game shows ("my weird side hustle"), and the fact that she really does wear pink and dress like a librarian in real life. During the podcast, we talk extensively about her appearance on "The Chase," which she first encountered on vacation in the UK, and on which her team won a then-record $180,000. You can find the complete episode on YouTube. We end with some words of inspiration for all you aspiring game show contestants out there!
We talk about the 80s/90s Lakers and Bulls. Chris Yeh's great podcast. The reality TV show Mental Samurai! Full show notes - https://www.boxscoregeeks.com/articles/the-boxscore-geeks-show-277-chris-yeh-and-the-lakers-last-dance
On today's episode of Let's Talk LoCo, your host Lauren Colvin is joined by Mila Jenkins to discuss Television Production. Mila Jenkins currently works as an associate producer on reality tv shows in Los Angeles, CA. She has worked on shows like Mental Samurai, Beat Shazam, Bring the Funny and Dancing with the Stars to name a few. With a passion for organization and problem solving, Mila has always known she wanted to be in an organization role within a creative field. She just wasn't sure what that career path would be one day. Mila shares tips for creating connections in the industry, hustling at your job and how she has stayed employed show after show. She shares tons of fun behind the scenes info about being in production on reality tv. Time to get talking LoCo about the Television Production with Mila! Find more info at: https://letstalkloco.com/mila-jenkins Follow Let's Talk LoCo at: www.instagram.com/letstalkloco/ Follow Mila: https://www.instagram.com/milabean/?hl=en
Tom Hewitson is CEO and founder of Labworks.io, a voice app studio in London known from some of the most popular games on Alexa such as Would You Rather, Trivia Hero, True or False and Mental Samurai hosted by actor Rob Lowe. In this week's episode, Tom offers 10 Hot Takes from 2.5 Years in voice based on his presentation at the All About Voice Conference in Munich. He touches on some controversial topics such as lack of discovery, how closed platforms like Alexa and Google Assistant stifle innovation, the lack of return on multimodal efforts, too much focus on persona, and lack of monetization. It's a rare dose of unvarnished honesty from a voice developer in a public forum. Tom Hewitson founded Labworks in 2016 as a chatbot consultancy but shifted into voice apps about a year later. Before Labworks, Tom worked as a freelance journalist and a content designer. He spent time as a digital editor for Lonely Planet and a content strategist at Facebook. He earned an M.S. in political journalism and TV production from City University London and an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Sussex.
Chris Yeh is back to discuss the Lakers bizarre offseason. We talk: The Anthony Davis trade and how the Lakers are the real winner. Also, the NBA's new draft rules sadly give incentives for bad things. The NBA draft, and why the Denver Nuggets won it. We also talk a few around the NBA topics including Evan Turner, Mike Conley, and Tony Snell. We catch up a little with Chris as well, who has been on a whirlwind tour since becoming a Mental Samurai and a Blitzscaling master. Tune in!
Hey! Rob Lowe is a busy guy. He only has three days to film an entire season of a game show. He can’t afford to shut down production just because TWELVE guys with swords are challenging him to a duel. Oh, wait, it’s just one? Everyone take five: Rob’s gotta bust a sucker real quick. Zach becomes a “Rock”, Jared hates on Samurai Imposters, and Adam defends the Good Columbus. Talking Points Include: City of Powerful of Thighs, Kentucky Caves, Carnival Scams, Modern Samurai, Alcatraz “The Rock” Johnson, The Right Amount of Stalling, 12 Duels of Honor
Dr. Jackie took time out of her incredibly busy schedule (she just had time to squeeze me in between 28-hour shifts) to record this interview. Think of it as an appetizer, allowing you to learn about her incredible family, how trying beauty pageants in college helped turn her from a shy nerd into the amazing, born-to-the-stage nerd we know and love, and her other television in a famous singing competition. Start thinking of follow-up questions you'd like me to ask when Jackie returns!
It's almost summer, the season of lightning bugs, Otter Pops and game shows! In this episode, Kyle and Allie discuss the rise of high-octane, high-budget game shows Million Dollar Mile, Titan Games, Ellen's Game of Games, Mental Samurai and the series that influenced them all, American Ninja Warrior. Opening Theme: "Cousin Louey" by Bill Robuck & Jerrold W. Lambert
I hope you enjoy this super-sized interview with Ryan "Mr. Fabulous" Jones. We discuss Ryan's life, including the impact of Hurricane Katrina on his family. Ryan then reveals that he is actually a second-generation game show contestant, following in the footsteps of his mom and dad, who both won big on Wheel of Fortune. He was literally raised to be on TV, which he proved on Wheel of Fortune, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and Mental Samurai. We also talk about his passion, Soulcycle, and how his first session literally changed his life. Finally, we do a deep dive into the behind-the-scenes machinations of Mental Samurai, which explained a number of things that I had been wondering about, and conclude with some suggestions for how we might return to your living rooms in the future. Enjoy!
In this special episode, Season 1 competitor, seasoned game show guy, and litigator extraordinaire Joey Gutmann interviews me about the Mental Samurai finale, my April 30 run, and my future in the game show world. We do discuss the results of the finale, so if you haven't watched it yet, this is your spoiler alert. Stick around for the end, where Joey makes a surprise announcement to share some incredible news.
In this episode, I interview fellow Mental Samurai Ben Bergstrom, whose run appeared in Episode 9 of Season 1. In this extended interview, Ben and I discuss his amazing life story (he is the biological son of a famous actress, his adopted parents are actors, and he thought he might want to become a lawyer before ultimately moving to Hollywood to become an actor), the dramatic events of his run, and why his birth mom was so animated during the show. This is the longest interview yet, so enjoy!
My recap of the final regular season episode of Mental Samurai, Season 1. I discuss the runs of Boris Chernin (the emergency consultant), Marlie Clarke (the flight attendant), Courtney Courter (the model), Miles Nye (the game maker), Eric Schroeder (the tennis pro), Josh Kronz (the math teacher) and Ben Bergstrom (the bartender). In particular, I discuss how Ben's approach helped him become a Mental Samurai (don't rush!) and fill people in on the story behind his surprisingly young and attractive mom, Amy!
We talk the NBA Playoffs. Namely: Milwaukee vs. Boston - ho-hum Toronto vs. Philadelphia - a barnburner thanks to stars. We recorded this before Kawhi went Nova in game 5. Denver vs. Portland - an amazing chance for Denver. Luckily, so far, they've delivered. Golden State vs. Houston - It all comes down to health. We talk Chris Yeh's Mental Samurai run too. Finally, we spend a lot of time, a little under half the show on Game of Thrones. What can we say, we're fans!
It's a banner day--two episodes in a single afternoon. Can we go for three? In this episode, I interview my fellow Tuesday competitor Stella Zawistowski. We get to learn all about her eclectic life, including how she got into crosswords, and how "revenge dating" after breaking off an engagement allowed her to find true love with her husband. Tune in and hear about her upcoming performance at Carnegie Hall!
Chris Yeh is back with another Mental Samurai episode recap! This week's competitors were Alex Goines (the adventure racer), Marissa Willman (the woman gamer), Arius George (the trick shot cop), Zach Engel (Tom Selleck meets Billy Ray Cyrus), Kristy Agamegwa (the late-in-life graduate), and Dylan Gentile (the classical pianist). This week's episode features two winners who are going on to the May 21 season finale!
In this episode, I interview former Marine Corps intelligence officer and current stay-at-home dad Adam Thomas about his life journey, and his run on Mental Samurai. I think you'll enjoy hearing the details on how he and his wife met in Iraq without ever seeing each other face-to-face, how he ended up on the show (hint: Once again, it was MENSA), and why the circumstances of his run may have contributed to his going too quickly.
In this extra-special recap, I discuss the action of Episode 7 of Mental Samurai, including my own run which led to my being crowned the third Mental Samurai (after Nathan Gonzalez and Dr. Jackie). I also talk a little bit about the experience of hosting my own Mental Samurai watch party. Competitors covered include Nick Bremner (the Accountant), Matthew Schultz (the Handsome Pastor), La Tawnya Robinson (the 3rd-Grade Teacher), Kenyatta Smith (the Firefighter), Roz Paul (the 74-year-young Retiree), and Adam Thomas (the Marine turned Stay-at-Home Dad). This episode features some extensive discussion of the pros and cons of taking your time.
I hope you enjoy this extended interview with America's first Mental Samurai, Nathan Gonzalez! We dig deep into his life, including how he ended up carrying on the family tradition in the hospital, his days as a football star, before a devastating injury ended his dreams of a Division 1 scholarship, and what he has planned for the future. We also discuss some of the crazy things he encountered backstage, which make his amazing run even more impressive.
In today's episode, I recap the action from Episode 6 of this season of Mental Samurai. The theme of today's show was the Memory tower, as contestant after contestant--including two memory champions, Ron White and Luis Angel--lost on Memory questions. Today's competitors were Hannah Cussen (Stanford freshman and tae kwon do black belt), Steve Kaye (Las Vegas entertainment executive), Chad Poist (farmboy, dad, and supply chain manager), Stella Zawistowski (crossword champion), and the night's big winner, Ryan "Mr. Fun" Jones (soulcycle instructor, fabulous).
In this episode, I interview Mental Samurai competitor Matt Potts, a Marine and Mensa member who came up just one question short of perfection. Matt and I discuss his life and journey, and his very cool plans for after he retires from the Marine Corps.
In this episode, I recap the action that took place in Episode 5 of Mental Samurai (Tuesday, April 16). I discuss the runs of Glenn Hetrick (the black-belt pilot), Ed Moses (the Olympic Gold medalist), Jack Vomacka (the USC freshman and aspiring fantasy novelist), Nancy Jo Perdue (the retired journalist), and Dr. Jackie Boheme (the anesthesiologist). I also spend some extra time discussing Dr. Jackie's amazing story, which I think the show edited down simply because it is so unbelievable that a single person could be so accomplished. I hope you enjoy the episode!
In this episode, I interview the first pair of spouses to tackle Mental Samurai, Stephanie and Jameson Thornton. We talk about how they met (Mensa), what they do for fun (Mensa), and re-live their thrilling pair of runs, which ended up giving Jameson the family bragging rights.
I recap the action in Episode 4. Stephanie and Jameson Thornton became the first husband and wife couple to compete on Mental Samurai, and while Stephanie might win most of their matchups, Jameson came out on top, though neither finished the course. Matt Potts, the Marine intelligence officer completed the course and nearly became a Mental Samurai, missing only the final question, but still won $75,000, and will be back for the season finale on May 21. Leah Khoury and Marlena Gasper both had good runs, but may have been tripped up by time pressure. And finally, Andrew Ames set a new record by taking all five minutes and failing to answer Question 1. Hey, he still got on TV!
We talk: The reality TV show "Mental Samurai", as well as "The Chris Yeh Podcast", which has behind the scenes info on it. Tune in April 30th on Fox at 9pm for Chris' appearance on the show. We recap the Lakers season. We recorded this the day before Magic stepped down! We return to Babylon 5 briefly, which somehow ends with a trip down memory lane for the Lakers and Jerry West! We talk Chris' book Blitzscaling (co-written by Reid Hoffman), as well as some criticisms Brian found researching it. Tune in!
In this episode, I interview Episode 3 competitor Marie Criddle. We discuss her upbringing and family, how she ended up going on Mental Samurai, and what it felt like to sit across from Rob Lowe. I think you'll enjoy Marie's story, and I hope we see her on television again soon.
Join me for an interview with Episode 3's "Queen" Jaimi Alexander. We discuss her eventful life, how she got into show business, and of course, whether or not she listens to Neil Young or has been to Albany. Enjoy!
This week the guys sit down with the very funny and talented L.A.. comic Mitch Emerson! Mitch tells stories of grinding it out in the comedy and acting trenches doing extra work, open mics, improv groups, TV commercials, and a recent appearance on Mental Samurai with Rob Lowe, all while hosting karaoke in Koreatown and driving Uber. Fans of the show will get to know Mitch as we will be checking in with him from time to time. Trust us, this guy is going places. (Beyond just where Uber customers tell him to go.) Check it out!
Chris Yeh discusses the runs of Kevin Hays, Marie Criddle, Bam Bam Bloise, Jaimi Alexander, and Nathan Gonzalez. Lock it in!
We talk: Even more of the WWE style of fandom between Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. Really, Kevin Durant is Roman Reigns and a Face Push just isn't going to work. We talk about Jokic and the stupidity of fouls. And how maybe dunks vs. floaters impact ref perception. Trae Young got a game winner recently. But he had 12 points on 19 shots. So can we really say that's a "Game winner"? We equate it to Bill James "B.S. Win" stat. Just a fun jab - how many talented young bigs have the Lakers let walk? Chris Bosh and Manu Ginobili both got their jerseys retired. We've espoused our Manu love before, so we give Chris Bosh some attention. More TV Talk - a Mental Samurai checkin and Babylon 5? We talk some March Madness and how even Coach K realizes they might be taking the grift too far. We discuss John Oliver's WWE segment and how tame it actually is. Tune in!
Hey Mental Samurai fans! I hope you enjoy these interviews with two more competitors from the season premiere, Jorden Halvorsen, one of America's only female bull riders, and writer and performer Becky Eldridge, who came oh so close to completing the course. Thanks to both of these wonderful ladies for making time to record these interviews!
Well, it's officially the start of baseball season and Lisa and Sam have been ordered by the HHG to go drink beer! Apps were ordered, beer was drank and the Jays lost... it just proves you can't have everything in life! Lisa recovered enough to podcast because the show must go on! The ladies talked about Mama June, the HHG'S face, penis puppetry, unicorn KD, Mental Samurai, and woodpeckers. Everybody does it, online shopping that is and Lisa and Sam share some fun facts, trends and weird stuff you can only find online! Keep listening, the I Shake My Heads are too funny! If you love what you hear you can support the podcast by following the links below! Podbean: https://patron.podbean.com/ismhead Patron: https://www.patreon.com/join/ishakemyhead You can also find us on Twitter www.twitter.com/i_shakemyhead Instagram www.instagram.com/ishakemyhead We are proud to be a part of The Podfix Network www.podfixnetwork.com Editing and Audio by John Bukenas at john@audioeditingsolutions.com
I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Ken Franklin after his run on Mental Samurai, and I hope you'll enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
On the March 27, 2019 episode of /Film Daily, /Film editor in chief Peter Sciretta is joined by /Film managing editor Jacob Hall, weekend editor Brad Oman, senior writer Ben Pearson and writers Hoai-Tran Bui and Chris Evangelista to talk about what they've been up to at the Water Cooler. You can subscribe to /Film Daily on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the popular podcast apps (here is the RSS URL if you need it). At The Water Cooler: What we've been Doing: Peter went to Disneyland and did some vlogging on Instagram Stories. Jacob has doubled down on the whole “not being dead before 50” thing. What we've been Reading: Chris read Kill or Be Killed Volume 1. Ben is reading The Art and Making of The Handmaid's Tale Peter subscribed to AppleNews+. Brad read Marvel Team-Up Featuring Spider-Man and the Not Ready for Prime-Time Players What we've been Watching: Peter watched Alex Gibney's documentary The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley on HBO, binge watched The OA Part 2 on Netflix, rewatched Us, and watched the pilot episode of the new Fox game show Mental Samurai. Chris re-watched Aquaman. Jacob saw Us again, finished Bodyguard and has been watching HBO's Succession. Brad watched Us and re-watched Captain Marvel. Worked through the second season of Queer Eye. Ben watched 42nd Street, To Be Or Not To Be, Little Women, The Asphalt Jungle, Shazam!, and rewatched Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Game of Thrones. Hoai-Tran watched Us, One Cut of the Dead, A Separation, Like Water for Chocolate, season 3 of Queer Eye, and rewatched Kung Fu Hustle, and The Lives of Others. What we've been Eating: Peter learned to cook steak from Kiefer Sutherland, and discovered Dang Lightly Salted Toasted Coconut Chips. Brad tried Peeps Cereal, Pancakes & Syrup and Root Beer Float flavored Peeps, and Lays Beer Cheese Potato Chips. What we've been Playing: Ben played Pickleball for the first time Jacob played The Estates and HMS Dolores. Other Articles Mentioned: The Limitations of the Marvel Cinematic Universe PART 1 and Part 2 Road to Endgame series Gordon Ramsay's Scrambled Eggs All the other stuff you need to know: You can find more about all the stories we mentioned on today's show at slashfilm.com, and linked inside the show notes. /Film Daily is published every weekday, bringing you the most exciting news from the world of movies and television as well as deeper dives into the great features from slashfilm.com. You can subscribe to /Film Daily on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the popular podcast apps (RSS). Send your feedback, questions, comments and concerns to us at peter@slashfilm.com. Please leave your name and general geographic location in case we mention the e-mail on the air. Please rate and review the podcast on iTunes, tell your friends and spread the word! Thanks to Sam Hume for our logo.
I provide a recap with color commentary on Mental Samurai Episode 2 (airdate March 26, 2019). One of the in-depth topics I discuss is the dichotomy between the "all business" and "dramatic" approaches to running the course, illustrated by Heather and Mitch's respective runs.
We talk: Harden vs. Giannis for the MVP The Nuggets and the Warriors and their race to the top of the West. Also, why the logic behind Durant being more or less valuable than Curry being silly. Ja Morant and why people scout and interview incorrectly. We spend a lot of time bashing the outdated hardnosed coaching model thanks to Tom Izzo's March Madness antics. Thanks to Coach Nick at bballbreakdown for bringing this subject up. We talk the new reality TV show Mental Samurai and how Dre is already digging into the stats. Tune in!
Want the inside scoop on Fox's Mental Samurai? Season 1 competitor Chris Yeh (that's me!) talks about the show and interviews his fellow competitors. In this episode, hear from Clay Anderson (the astronaut), Joey Guttman (the lawyer), and Episode 1's big winner, Sam Durbin (the drag queen).
Welcome to another episode of Media Boat Podcast. Today, Marvel welcomes back James Gunn and Warner Bros says good-bye to Kevin Tsujihara. Next, Fox News is in trouble while the rest of the Fox brand officially becomes a part of the Disney umbrella. Later, MySpace accidentally deletes old music and a line-up for Woodstock 50 is announced. We wrap it all up with a big Google announcement called Stadia and Steam gets it right with review bombs. We also have thoughts on Mental Samurai and Death Race for Love by Juice WRLD. All this and more on this weeks episode of Media Boat Podcast.
Project Runway returns to Bravo for its 17th season (the spread-eagle), and Fug Girls Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks return to the podcast to talk about new judges, new mentor Christian Siriano, a new challenge "twist" we all dislike, and the same old reliable show structure. We make some shot-in-the-dark guesses about the season's eventual winner, too, while feeling relieved the show has a proper budget again. Then it's a super-size Around The Dial discussing Shrill, Instant Hotel, the return of Hoarders, Summer House, and Mental Samurai before we tucked into some wine and cheese with Caroline's Extra Credit on our favorite shows to snack in front of. Spring was in the air for Heather's presentation of a first-season Beverly Hills, 90210 for the Canon; Great British Bake Off won, and Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin lost, some more; and we had our Phil of "Easy Lover," Jacqueline's love-triangle Game Time. Where's Andre? He's listening to an all-new Extra Hot Great. GUESTS
Do you play the lottery? Alexis watched Mental Samurai; Lily Singh is the newest edition to late night tv; Birthday Pranks; Dawn saw the Movie US
Project Runway returns to Bravo for its 17th season (the spread-eagle), and Fug Girls Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks return to the podcast to talk about new judges, new mentor Christian Siriano, a new challenge "twist" we all dislike, and the same old reliable show structure. We make some shot-in-the-dark guesses about the season's eventual winner, too, while feeling relieved the show has a proper budget again. Then it's a super-size Around The Dial discussing Shrill, Instant Hotel, the return of Hoarders, Summer House, and Mental Samurai before we tucked into some wine and cheese with Caroline's Extra Credit on our favorite shows to snack in front of. Spring was in the air for Heather's presentation of a first-season Beverly Hills, 90210 for the Canon; Great British Bake Off won, and Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin lost, some more; and we had our Phil of "Easy Lover," Jacqueline's love-triangle Game Time. Where's Andre? He's listening to an all-new Extra Hot Great.SHOW TOPICSProject RunwayShrillInstant HotelHoardersSummer HouseMental SamuraiExtra Credit: The Cheese And Wine ShowThe Canon: Beverly Hills, 90210 S01.E21: Spring DanceWinner and Loser of the WeekGame Time: Easy LoverSHOW NOTESGo Fug YourselfReality SteveAgain With ThisSUPPORT EHG ON PATREONThe EHG gang have been recording this podcast for almost a decade now. In podcasting terms, that makes us positivity Methuselahian. Since the start of EHG, our listeners have asked if we had a tip jar or donation system and we'd look at each other and say surely that is a joke, people don't pay other people to do podcasts. We'd email them back "Ha ha ha, good one, Chet" and go about our business. Now we are told this is a real thing that real nice people do. Value for value? In today's topsy turvy world? It's madness but that good kind of madness, like when you wake up a 3:15am and clean your house. Or something. In all seriousness, we are humbled by your continued prodding to get a Patreon page up for EHG and here it is! Extra Hot Great on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Mental Samurai a new show on Fox with Rob Lowe; NIcholette Sheridan shares her thoughts on Felicity Huffman; School Admissions Scandal; Would you rather; Rubics cube
Today on the Woody and Wilcox Show: SHATG Report: New Bear Grylls show and Mental Samurai; Craig’s List Price is Right; A best man faints at a wedding so we take your calls about passing out; It Happened in Flori-duh; And so much more!
Today on the Woody and Wilcox Show: SHATG Report: New Bear Grylls show and Mental Samurai; Craig’s List Price is Right; A best man faints at a wedding so we take your calls about passing out; It Happened in Flori-duh; And so much more!