American broadcast journalist
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I detta avsnitt pratar vi om hur AI påverkar beslutsfattande i företag, riskerna med om våra språkmodeller färgar för mycket av våra beslutsunderlag. Är Claude dagens Walter Cronkite och hur vi bör se upp som beslutsfattare för att undvika förlora företagets unika perspektiv.
What happens when the career you built changes, disappears, or no longer feels right? I talk with content marketing leader Nicole Pytel about career change, burnout prevention, imposter syndrome, entrepreneurship, professional identity, and the growing role of AI in content marketing. Nicole shares how she moved from sports journalism into business, built her own agency, learned to shut work off, and later chose employment over entrepreneurship without seeing it as a step backward. We also explore what layoffs can teach us about identity, why confidence can exist beside fear, and how AI can support human skill instead of replacing it. Her story is a strong reminder to trust what you know, keep learning, and ask yourself one powerful question: Why not you? Highlights: 21:44 - The turning point that pushed Nicole to leave television. 28:50 - Why never shutting off from work led to burnout. 39:34 - How confidence can exist alongside fear and imposter syndrome. 45:35 - What a layoff can reveal about professional identity and self-worth. 50:24 - Why AI still needs human judgment, strategy, and creativity. 1:00:24 - Why trusting your gut can make career change worth the risk. About the Guest: Nicole Pytel is a content marketing leader who's spent her career translating complicated things into stories people actually want to hear — first from a newsroom, now from the executive table. Her career started in TV news as a sports reporter, where she covered the legendary Friday night lights of high school football and spent her Saturdays on the sidelines of Texas A&M's Kyle Field. She was eventually promoted to news anchor, and those days of turning complex topics into compelling stories still shape how she approaches content strategy today. Nicole then spent nearly a decade as the founder of Premier Content Source, a content marketing agency she grew to serve over 1,000 clients across multiple industries. She later worked as an embedded content marketing expert inside teams at Google Cloud, Chrome Enterprise, and YouTube. Most recently, Nicole served as Vice President of Content Marketing at Firebrand Communications, where she built the agency's content marketing line of business from zero and held a seat on the executive leadership team. Today, Nicole is focused on how AI is changing content marketing, building a four-chapter framework for how content teams should operate now that AI has fundamentally changed how buyers search, discover, and evaluate the companies they work with. Whether it's a thirty-second news segment or a company's entire content strategy, Nicole's guiding belief hasn't changed: if you can't make the audience care, you're just making noise. Ways to connect with Nicole**:** LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolepytelmarketing/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson 00:04 What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe? Welcome to Unstoppable Mindset, where inclusion, diversity, and the unexpected meet. I'm your host, Michael Hingston, speaker, author, and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead, and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head-on, and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear. Together, we focus on mindset, resilience, and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Well, hi again, everyone, and once again, it is time for another episode of Unstoppable Mindset. We are having a lot of fun doing these podcast recordings, and I really appreciate all of you being out there. Love to hear from you if any of you have any comments on any of the things that we talk about, or even if you don't comment anyway. We'd love to hear from you, but I really appreciate you all being here and and and interacting with us today. We get to chat with Nicole Pytel. My screen reader pronounces it Pytel, but you know we were just besmirching technology, and it deserves it because it should pronounce it right. But anyway, that's okay. But no help. Nicole has been very much involved in a lot of content marketing and in a variety of things. I think we're going to have a lot of fun chatting and talking about different business things, and who knows what else will come up in the course of the conversation. That's what makes it fun because it is truly and always is intended to be a conversation. And who the heck knows where things may go as we follow along? But we'll make it work. So Nicole, welcome to Unstoppable Mindset. We're glad you're here. Nicole Pytel 02:08 Thank you for having me. I'm thrilled to be here. I'm so excited, and yeah, I can't wait to see where the conversation goes. Michael Hingson 02:14 I can't either. It'll we'll have a lot of fun with it. Well, I love to start this way. Tell us about the early Nicole, growing up and and all that. Let's get people to have a chance to get to know you a little bit. Nicole Pytel 02:28 Yeah, well, the the early Nicole is a a Florida native. I know people are always a little baffled by that. Not everybody in this state is from a transplant from New York or Philly or Boston or any of those places. Some of us are born here. And have you made Michael Hingson 02:43 and have you made friends with all the gators? Nicole Pytel 02:46 Ah, no, no. I stay away from the gators. Antisocial, Michael Hingson 02:50 aren't Nicole Pytel 02:51 they? They're yeah, they're they're a bit unfriendly. Yeah, I've I've never seen one in the wild, and I I'd like to keep it that way. Yeah, I hear you for sure. Yeah, yeah. Well, yeah, born in Miami, grew up in Fort Lauderdale. the The only daughter of two former Miami Dade police officers. So, yes, yes. My mom was actually an undercover narc in the days of the cocaine cowboys. So, she is incapable of being intimidated. And personally, I think she's amazing and also a little crazy for doing that. But yeah, grew up as an only child, had you know four-legged brothers. You know, just had a great childhood. You know, just really like as great as it could be. You know, dad worked from home, had his own business. Mom worked with dad a lot of the time and was in the PTA and running the Girl Scouts and the young astronauts and all all the things. So, you know, really great childhood and a lot of lessons that really kind of you know still stick with me today and kind of gave me that foundation to go and do all the really cool things I've done as a grown-up. A lot of lessons learned. So you know, it was a good childhood. Michael Hingson 04:06 What did your dad do, and what does he do? Nicole Pytel 04:09 He well, he was after he left the police force. He started his own business. He reconstructed traffic accidents. So he was an expert witness. His clients were personal injury attorneys in South Florida, which is probably the worst client you could have on the planet. Those are some demanding folks. He handled it really, really well. He had his own business for gosh, 30 years. So yeah, he was he was amazing. Michael Hingson 04:38 Did he ever consult for CSI Miami. Nicole Pytel 04:43 No, he did not. Just checking. Did not. The one that was the one cool thing he didn't do. No. Michael Hingson 04:48 Yeah. Well, talk about the potential for pressure, but that's okay. Sounded like he had a a good time and enjoyed what he did, and and it does sound very fascinating. It is. It is Nicole Pytel 05:02 indeed. Although you know, when you're learning to drive as a teenager and your father does that for a living, you know, you've you've seen all the terrifying accident photos and heard all the stories, and so it's a it's a little stressful learning to drive from somebody who sees the worst of the worst every single day, but you know, we made it. Michael Hingson 05:23 And did Dad work as a backseat driver for you every so often? Nicole Pytel 05:27 Oh, 100% 100% literally. I mean, till the day he died, he was the world's worst backseat driver. I, you know, I'm in my 30s, and he's like, "What are you doing? You know, so yeah, absolutely, 100% Michael Hingson 05:42 How about mom? Nicole Pytel 05:44 Oh, mom, mom is amazing, and yes, she's a backseat driver as well. Okay, I am as well. So, but you know, mom, mom is tough and and also amazing, and you know, such a a great mom to her fur kids and a good grandma to my fur kids, and you know, just just amazing the life that she's had. You know, just grew up as a State Department brat, lived all over the world, was cop, like just wild, just wild. So I I have I have some very cool parents. Michael Hingson 06:15 Do you have any kids of the two legged variety? Nicole Pytel 06:18 Not the two legged variety. I've got two of the four-legged kind. Yeah, Michael Hingson 06:22 that works. Yeah, they're they're demanding enough. Nicole Pytel 06:26 Oh, mine are little little tiny divas. Absolutely, and I'm proud of it. They were raised to be little spoiled divas. Michael Hingson 06:33 Well, I have my guide dog Alamo, and we have a cat who's now 16 and a half years old, named Stitch. She's the real demanding one, she she likes to be petted while she eats, and the only way to keep her from disturbing a podcast to get fed is to keep the door closed, which I do. But the the thing is that if if the door opened, she'd probably be in here, and she would be insisting pretty loudly if I didn't respond, that she needs me to go pet her while she eats. She loves it, and it's fine. There are just a few times that she doesn't get to do it, and mostly she's pretty quiet about it since the door's closed. But when we're done, I'll open the door, and I will hear from her pretty quickly that time for more food. Nicole Pytel 07:21 She's got you well trained. Very good. Have you well Michael Hingson 07:24 trained? Yeah. Now Alamo, Alamo, my guide dog, is a clock watcher, so he's going to get his his afternoon treat a half hour late, and and he's pretty quiet about that sort of stuff. He's pretty pretty nonplussed about it. He won't come over and bug me, even though he's here in the room during the podcast because he knows what's going on, but by the same token, as soon as we're done, he's going to be out there going, "It's after 130, Buster. Nicole Pytel 07:51 I hear you. Minnie, Minnie and Megs will be the same way. Don't you worry; it'll be time for their dinner when we're done here. So, yeah, they'll they'll be ready. Michael Hingson 08:00 Yeah, well, and Stitch also gets some treats in the evening. She gets them around 630 at night, but at five she starts demanding them, and she doesn't want to eat anything that's left over in her food bowl. She wants her treats, and she knows she's not going to get them until after 630, but she pushes anyway. Ah, it's fun. I wouldn't have it any other way, though. Nicole Pytel 08:23 No, absolutely not. They are just little rays of sunshine. Michael Hingson 08:27 They are. So you went to college, I gather. Nicole Pytel 08:30 I did. I went to the University of Miami. Both my parents did as well. Dad actually played football there back in the day. Yeah, actually, I mean, honestly, growing up, I pretty much lived at the Orange Bowl on Saturdays. We had season tickets to the Hurricanes, and you know, learned about football very, very early on. I was actually, I think I was like five, and I was sitting there on a Saturday playing with my Barbies, and Dad came in and was like, "All right, come on, put the Barbie dolls down. We're gonna go watch football. You're gonna learn about football, and I was I was hooked ever ever since. So you know, who needs copies? Michael Hingson 09:10 I got hooked more on on baseball. Of course, I still am of the opinion that for the longest time, we had the best announcers in baseball here in California. We had Vince Scully, we had Dick Enberg, and so many people. And I learned baseball from Vin Scully. I learned all about the rules and so on, because he could announce the game, and he could include stories, but never missed announcing what was going on on the field. So you you got both, and I don't think there are many announcers today who can do that. And they've got buddies, and they they kind of talk together, but they're yammering a lot and not announcing the game, which is all the more no fun. So yeah, what do you do? Nicole Pytel 09:54 Yeah, there's something special about those guys that can just do it solo for nine innings, especially with all the break. In between pitches and things like that, I mean that's it's a lot of air to fill. So yeah, I mean Vince Gully. There's there's nobody better to learn from. Michael Hingson 10:09 No, nobody better than Vinny ever ever in baseball. And and as I said, Dick Enberg was out here, and and then in basketball we had Chick Hearn who could talk faster than anybody in the world, which was pretty cool, and there were some other announcers. They weren't necessarily just announcers like Vinny. I mean, Harry Carey, who did the Cubs, and but he was well loved and had a great personality, and it was a lot of fun. But Vinny was definitely the best, and then Dick Enberg, who also did football, and I learned a lot about football from from him, which was kind of fun. But I've always been a baseball fan. Nicole Pytel 10:46 Same, I love baseball as well. There's just something so quintessentially like wholesome and American about baseball. It's just like the hot dog, and you know, there's just something about baseball where you just feel like just a pure good old fashioned American kind of thing, you know. It's just got this feeling Michael Hingson 11:08 to it. Yeah. Well, so you went and got. Did you do advanced degrees or just a bachelor's? Nicole Pytel 11:14 I did my bachelor's. Yeah. I I went into broadcasting. Actually, majored in in broadcast journalism and psychology. Ah, wow, that's a Michael Hingson 11:23 combination. Nicole Pytel 11:24 It is, you know, I the psychology part. You know, I've always been fascinated of like why people do what they do, and I wanted to be a sports journalist. You know, ever since I can remember, and I was like, well, what a great way to really understand people if you're going to interview them and talk to them all the time, and and tell them stories, you know, through the TV. Like, what a great way to understand them. Take take psychology, learn all about that. And and now that I'm in marketing, it's it's the same thing. Trying to figure out, you know, why'd they click on that ad and not this one? Why'd they open this email and not that one? Why'd they, you know, read this case study and not that one. So it's it that that major was kind of the gift that keeps on giving. Michael Hingson 12:07 Now you, so you got your bachelor's and then you went into broadcast journalism. Nicole Pytel 12:13 I did. I did. I I took off to College Station, Texas, to be a great reporter. Yeah, really no better place. I mean, you know, you start in broadcasting, and you're going to start in a small market. And there's all kinds of cities in in the country that I'm sure are lovely, but you've never heard of them before. Your God only knows what you're going to cover. But I was very, very blessed. I got to go to College Station, Texas, so that is the home of Texas A and M, and of course Friday Night Football, the local high schools. You know that the that was my job to cover that stuff. So you can't really ask for anything better than that for a first job out of school. Michael Hingson 12:55 So did you did you announce the games or what did you do? Nicole Pytel 12:58 I didn't. I was a I was a sports reporter for one of the local affiliates in town. So, and I was a one-man band. So I shot everything, edited everything, reported everything. I did, I did all the things, all the things. No photog following me around. No, no, nothing. It was all me. So I was the one, you know, on the sidelines shooting the games or standing behind home plate, and you know it was it was fun. It was it was definitely an adventure. We could probably do an entire podcast just on crazy stories about that. Well, Michael Hingson 13:29 how long ago was that? Nicole Pytel 13:30 Oh gosh, more years ago than I I'd like to think. My goodness, I went out there in 2006. So Michael Hingson 13:39 digital cameras had started to come into play. Nicole Pytel 13:44 Yeah, sort of. Although when you're working in a small market, they don't have the newest equipment, so the cameras were still big and heavy. You had this big bag of stuff to lug around. You had the big heavy tripod. You know, you're kind of going like carrying your weight in stuff. Yeah, you know, and and I'm doing it, you know, depending on where I'm going, you know, in in like dress clothes and and heels and and trying not to fall over, you know. So, but um, yeah, no, it's that was still the big and bulky stuff back then. Michael Hingson 14:14 Yeah, yeah, I'm I'm not surprised, and at the same time, you did it. What's what's the most memorable, if you have one, memorable event or thing that you can think of that you did while you were out there in Texas doing football and baseball and all that? Nicole Pytel 14:30 Oh man, there's there's so many, there's so many. But I think one of the coolest things I got to do was, you know, Kyle Field, which is Texas A&M's home stadium. It is it is enormous. It seats you know 100,000 plus people, and you know being there on a Saturday is is unreal. It's loud. Those are probably some of the most devoted fans on the planet. They never sit down. They they. Practice all their cheers the night before. I mean, it's just wild. But you know, I used to do obviously during the season. I'd go to the weekly press conferences during the week, and I'd I'd do stories. And you know, I never. I don't know if I ever told anybody this publicly, but they used to leave a chain link gate open at Kyle Field on Tuesday afternoons. It was just unlocked, and so I would I would go in there, and the stadium would be totally empty except for me, not a soul. And I'd go in there, and I was you know shooting my own stuff. So I had it all figured out where exactly where I had to put the camera and exactly how I had the angle of the tripod and exactly where I had to stand, so that I could get there. Home of the 12th man sign like right over my shoulder, the perfect shot for you know my stand up and my story. And so every every Tuesday I'd go in there. I'd kind of sneak in. I don't know to this day if they ever knew I was in there, but but being in there, you know, on the 50-yard line of this enormous stadium, all by yourself-it's totally silent. You know what it's like at at peak velocity volume, and being in there all by yourself, you're just like, this is the coolest thing I know ever. Like this is amazing. It's wild. It's just wild. Michael Hingson 16:19 Well, I won't tell anyone. I mean, it's sort of like Vin Scully, who always said, "This is between me and you, nobody else. Nicole Pytel 16:24 Exactly, exactly. Michael Hingson 16:26 Nobody will hear it. It's okay. That's that's cool. The only thing I would say about that is, and I experience this. If you talk about crazy fans, Kentucky and football is just as challenging, I went to do a speech somewhere, and the speech was on Monday night. It was the NCAA championship in football, and the and the Kentucky Wildcats were one of the teams. And I was told that my speech had to end at 630. It could not go any later because if it went later, I'd be speaking to an empty gym. Nicole Pytel 17:04 Yes, you would absolutely no pressure, no pressure. No, no Michael Hingson 17:07 pressure at all. Well, I kept an eye on the time and and ended it right at 630, and by 631, the place was empty. It was crazy. Nicole Pytel 17:14 Cleared out, cleared out. Well, hey, that speaks well for you that they were all there before the game. They weren't tailgating or anything, you you were bigger than the tailgate. Michael Hingson 17:22 I guess so, but it was it was fun, and and then you've got North Carolina for basketball, so oh yeah, it's again it's it's pretty amazing. Well, how long did you do your your stint dealing with sports and and being in the news media? Nicole Pytel 17:41 Yeah, so I was a sports reporter for two years, and then my contract was up in the summer of 2008 when the the economy was not so great. Yeah, and I I didn't want to stay in my job not because I didn't love it. I just wasn't really making any money. You don't make any money in TV. That's the big secret. It looks so glamorous, and and you're broke. But it was so it was basically impossible to get another sports job at at that time, you know. And I got a really good opportunity at the station I was at. They were like, you know what? Like everybody in town knows you. They see you on the sidelines. They see you behind home plate. Like they see you at all the things. And so why don't you be the main news anchor? Because they were rebranding the station, and I said, you know what? Okay, cool. I'll do that. You know that that'll be something new and different. And you know it kind of hurt to leave sports, but it was a challenge. You know to be the main anchor and the producer. So it was it was my show to run. So I did that for two years as well. No pressure, no pressure at all. No, it's fine. Michael Hingson 18:51 Yeah, Nicole Pytel 18:51 pressure. Michael Hingson 18:53 So you did that for two years, and then, Nicole Pytel 18:56 and then I left, and I totally did something different. I left TV and I started my own content marketing agency. Just me, myself, and I, and my little my little built-in desk in my kitchen in my apartment. So couldn't be more different. Michael Hingson 19:12 Did you do now? Was that in Texas? It Nicole Pytel 19:15 was in Texas. It was you know it was it was you know time to leave TV, and it was just like, okay, well, what am I good at? Like, what can I do? And I said, well, shoot, I can write anything, you know. So I'll do content marketing, and and there's so many journalists that go into PR. That's kind of like the the thing they all do. And I was like, I don't want to do that. Like, I don't know. It's just like being on the journalism side, you know, all the PR people. It's like, oh, come on, guys, stop! So I went into content marketing, started my own agency, just just me, myself, and I. And you know, was it was scary, but it was fun. It was you know throwing yourself into the deep end of the pool and and seeing if you could swim. If Speaker 1 20:02 you enjoy Unstoppable Mindset and would like to help us continue bringing these conversations to you each week, we've created a way for you to support the show. Your contribution helps us cover production costs and continue sharing stories, insights, and ideas that inspire people to live with purpose and possibility. If supporting the podcast feels right for you, you'll find the link in the show notes. Thank you for being part of the Unstoppable Mindset Community. Michael Hingson 20:35 So now, tell me something about what content marketing Nicole Pytel 20:40 is. Yeah, so you know content marketing, and and I I've always been on on the B 2b side, the business to business. So and usually, and most of my career has been in in tech. So you know, selling very expensive things to people who are very skeptical of whether or not it works and don't want to make the wrong decision on you know a six figure platform or something like that, and it's really the content marketer's job to really kind of give them almost like a buffet of things that that they need to really figure out. Okay, what problem do I have? What solutions are there for this problem? Like, who are the different vendors? What what are the different ways to solve this problem? What makes all these vendors different? How do I know which vendor you know will actually give me ROI? Like, do they understand my business? Do they understand people like me, and then you know, getting them all the way through until they're ready for a sales conversation. And as you might imagine, people don't like to talk to salespeople. They're you know at this point probably probably 80% of the way through. You know they they probably are pretty set on on which vendor they're going to go with before they talk to sales, but you know there's all kinds of different marketing. But content's the one that really runs the whole gamut of everything. You know, you everything ties back to content because you've got to bring them to something. Like you know, ads have got to drive to something. The website's got to say something. You know, like PR has got to plug something. So, you know, content's kind of that that through line for the entire process of them making these, you know, huge expensive decisions. Michael Hingson 22:33 Well, still going into content marketing, since you were in TV, is a pretty major, pretty major switch all the way around. And what makes me curious is how did you discover you really knew and understood content marketing? And more important, even than I guess, would be since you loved TV so much, when did you decide that it was worth staying in TV than it was to switch careers? That had to be a pretty scary thing, or maybe it wasn't. You may be just used to doing that sort of thing. Nicole Pytel 23:05 Yeah, no. Leaving TV, there was a there was a day, you know, when I knew I was done with TV, and and I was kind of frustrated with it. You know, you're not making much money, and and at that time it was so tough. The economy was was still tough, even even a couple years after that, and and it was just was tough. And news is a totally different kettle of fish than sports. Sports is is fun, and the fun stories and the feature stories and news is just it can be depressing. It can you know, it like you know. If it bleeds, it leads. That's you know where we're at, and that just started to get to me. And there, there was one day where things were just really, really slow, and and I was just like, oh my god, we don't have a lead story, and time is a ticking, and 10 o'clock is coming, whether I'm ready or not, and it's not like you can get on TV and go. Well, hey, good evening. Nothing happened today. Shut off your TV and go to sleep. And that's a story. That's a story in and of itself. Nothing happened, and I was really struggling. Like, oh my God, what's the lead story? What's the lead story? Am I going to have to take something and just kind of you know make make chicken salad out of chicken you know what and try to pass this off as important, and then we heard over the scanner there had been this this fatal car accident and this teenage girl had died in a car accident you know and for a split second I thought, "Oh, thank God, I have a lead story. And then, in the next second, I went, "Oh my God! Like, how is that your reaction to this story? Like, this girl is gone; her family is destroyed forever. Like, how did your brain even get to oh my god?" Thank God, I have a lead story, and and it was then that I was like, I don't want to do this anymore. You know, I was one foot out the door, and then I was like, uh, I don't like this. And to this day, I don't remember the girl's name. I don't remember any of the details, but I still think about it because it was really this turning point of like, I just don't want to do this anymore. Like I want to go do something else. That you know, maybe if I had stayed in sports, it would have been totally different. But the news side is just-it's tough. It's tough to see all that bad stuff day after day after day and kind of capitalize on it. Yeah, Michael Hingson 25:34 I-I'm amazed at some of the reporters that that I watch and and just listen to how they report the news, and now there's always it seems in our country a lead story of some sort. But how they do it and how they're able to do it day after day without registering too much emotion is pretty amazing. And I and I hope that their characters just don't become so hardened that they don't feel sympathy, and I and I think they don't. The reporters that I tend to watch, I think, are very human oriented, but and and they they behave appropriately, but at the same time, I'm amazed that they're able to do what they do, and it's got to be so tough. Nicole Pytel 26:24 It is tough. It is tough because sadly, you're kind of seeing the worst of the worst. I mean, you know, that's that's the stuff that that makes the news. And and today, you know, I don't watch local news really at all anymore. But it seems like now it's just kind of the police blotter, and it's like when I hear about all these bad things, you know. It's just, you know, the the storytelling has has kind of fallen out of it quite a bit. Michael Hingson 26:49 I collect old radio shows as a hobby, and I'm very fascinated to listen to the all the old news broadcasts from the 20s, well, the 30s, 40s, and into the 50s mainly. And I've heard some interviews with people who did news back in those days, and and who are somewhat still well, they're still alive or they used to be, and they talk about how news broadcasting has changed over the years, and they don't they don't do the same kind of news that they they used to do where they would report on things. Now they've got different people sort of chattering back and forth, and and they're they sometimes make light of stories and they just do a lot of different things, but they're not reporting the news the way the old reporters used to do. Nicole Pytel 27:36 Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, back in the day, you had you know Walter Cronkite kind of ripping the paper off, you know, or you know they're sitting there smoking a cigarette, giving the news. I mean, you know, stuff like that, and you know, yeah, it's just it's totally different. I think it's become so sensationalized, and everybody's obsessed with being first. I think, I mean, you always want to be first, but I I think people are obsessed with being first, even if they don't always get it right. Yeah, and that's Michael Hingson 28:08 happened a lot. It Nicole Pytel 28:09 happens a lot, and and also it's like who can be the most sensational, who can make the biggest splash, and you know it just I don't know. It's it has it's changed so much. Yeah. Michael Hingson 28:25 Well, so now, but but again, well, not now. But then you went into contact mark content marketing. Do you feel that you knew that business as you were going into it, or or did you have a lot to learn? And how did you do it? Because for a while, it was just you doing everything? Nicole Pytel 28:41 Yeah, it was it was me doing literally everything. And did I know about content marketing? No, I didn't. I knew how to write, so I knew I could do copywriting. And I said, okay, well, I'll I'll figure out the marketing part. And it took a lot of courses. I learned about SEO. I learned about email marketing. I learned about inbound marketing. You know, I just took every course that I could and kind of just built the plane as I flew it. And you know, because yeah, when you start your own business and you're all by yourself, there's no there's no senior person to go ask. You're the person, and you've got to figure it out, and you know, I like to say the money train doesn't doesn't just magically show up every two weeks. You know, you've got to you've got to work and you've got to earn it. And so, when you've got your own business, you know, that's just it's a lot of pressure. And so, yeah, I just I just went and and learned as I went and learned a lot quickly. And you know, would would I tell everybody to go do that? No, but for me it was like, well, if I can do that, I can I can probably do anything. I mean, shoot, I kept a a roof over my head and food food on the table for for eight years with my. Business, so that's that's something that a lot of people can't say. Michael Hingson 30:03 Did you make any kind of mistake at the beginning, or as you were starting and running this business, that you're very grateful today that you made? Nicole Pytel 30:11 Oh, I I made plenty of mistakes. Oh my goodness! And of course, you're going to make mistakes. You're you're just learning. You're just drinking from the fire hose and just hanging onto the bowl, you know, and I think there was a there was a couple of mistakes I made. I think probably the biggest was not shutting off, you know. And I had come from news where at 10 o'clock the news started, at 1030 the show was over. You were done for the day. Nothing carried over to the next day. You came into work the next day. You started over, and it was really hard to have work that dragged on for days or weeks at a time. And you know, it was hard to shut off, especially when it's your own business. It's like, oh, let me just reply to this one email, or let me check this one thing, or let me go do this one thing over here. And and when I started my own business, you know, I was working, I was working out of the kitchen. So you know, you go to sit down and relax on the couch at night, and and your computer's you know four feet away in the kitchen. So oh, I'll I'll just go check this one thing, and I never was shutting off, and you burn out that way. You really, you really do. And I'm glad I learned that lesson. And I'm not saying I've never repeated that lesson because I've definitely, you know, it's it's a very acquired skill to be able to just turn your brain off and and go focus on something else. But I'm glad I made that mistake because it really showed me, like, you don't have to be on 24/7 even to run your own business, you know, like, and you have to stop. And so, what I've done ever since then, ever since I was able to afford, you know, a two-bedroom apartment or whatever, even my house now. I've always had an office so that you know I go, I do my work, and then at the end of the day, I shut off the computer and I leave that room, and I don't come back until the next day. Where it's like you know, like if you go to a traditional office, you get up at 5o'clock, you walk out, you're back at 9o'clock the next morning, like I've worked really hard to do that at home to really avoid that whole always on kind of mentality because you've just got to kind of stop, you know. Michael Hingson 32:34 Yeah, I my wife passed away in November of 2022, and she was more of a late riser, and I was more of a morning person, but we compromise pretty well. But since she has passed, I tend to get up pretty early because I can eat breakfast and then come in and spend time before anything else happens, going through emails and doing some things. But I don't have to rush doing it, and that helps. But then, then then the the other things happen in the course of the day. But I I know what you're saying, and I work pretty hard at shutting things down by around 5o'clock. Of course, I also have to do that because I have two creatures who say it's five here, not somewhere else, and we better get our food. Yeah. Yep. So they help, but I hear what you're saying, and it and it is a it is a discipline. Working at home and working for yourself is a is a discipline that a lot of people Nicole Pytel 33:33 oh yeah Michael Hingson 33:34 could learn and don't or just don't have the skills to do. But it is, I think, a very doable thing, and I enjoy it. And I usually have I usually have television as well. I have television or something on in the background, although I don't listen to much of it. It's just background noise, but it's there and it helps. Nicole Pytel 33:53 Yeah, yeah. There's something about silence. I've always got to have you know some music on or something. It's like the silence gets a little deafening when you're at home working, it's it's it's funny that way. Michael Hingson 34:03 I do some stuff on the weekends, and when I when I do catching up on letters and things like that on the weekends, I typically don't turn anything on. I just focus and get it done, and then I go off and read and do other things. So it works out. But I but I hear what you're saying, and I think it's an important lesson to learn that you've got to learn. You've got to find a way to recognize that that it is important to turn off. And if you don't, you're going to drive yourself crazy. Nicole Pytel 34:30 You will. And and you know now that we've got you know email on our phones and Slack on our phones and LinkedIn on our phones, it's really easy to sit on the couch at night after dinner and just let me check my email this one more time, or or let me reply to this Slack message, and you just gotta stop because you will burn out, and and then you know you're you're of no use to anybody, most of all yourself, you know. And I think that Michael Hingson 34:57 oh, go ahead. Nicole Pytel 34:58 I was just gonna say I think it. I think it's a lesson that a lot of people struggle with, you know, because everything is just this on-demand one tap of your phone. You can just be back at work 24 hours a day, and I think you have to learn that I don't have to be on 24-seven to be successful. Think that's the thing you've got to learn. Michael Hingson 35:20 Do you think you've experienced burnout along the way? Nicole Pytel 35:23 Oh yeah, absolutely, absolutely. You know, I, I, you know, one of my bad habits is, you know, I'll kind of like put myself last, and I've learned that, you know, oh, it's really easy to, you know, oh, I won't go for a run this morning because I've got you know this work thing that I've got to do, and you know you've got to kind of treat yourself as a non-negotiable as well. You know, not that you get to do the run every morning. There's some mornings when you really can't, but if you look at the run as you know something of that's you taking care of yourself, and something that that is pretty non-negotiable, and it needs to be part of the schedule. You're you're more likely to to stick with it and not push it off to the side. Because yeah, I'm guilty of that. You know, you you push things off to the side. You're eating at your desk. You're passing up on this, or oh, I'm not going to go out to dinner tonight because I'm going to sit here and catch up on stuff, and and you burn out, you know, and it's exhausting. Michael Hingson 36:28 Yeah, yeah, you gotta gotta learn to keep things in perspective, and you're right. Yeah, yourself is is an important part of of what you do, and you have to be able to take care of yourself along the way as well, Speaker 1 36:42 yeah. Michael Hingson 36:42 Well, you had your own company for almost 10 years, and then you decided to go back to work for someone else. What what caused that to happen? Nicole Pytel 36:50 Yeah, so it was a couple of things. You know, one was you know when you own your own business, and and Michael, you understand this. You're you're the everything. You're you're the you're the president. You're the head of marketing. You're the head of sales. You're the head of operations. You're doing the taxes. You're you're doing all the things, and you're not necessarily good at all the things, and you don't necessarily enjoy all the things. You know, and so there was kind of two reasons. So I wanted to really focus on what I was good at, which was the content marketing part. You know, I didn't want to have to fill out quarterly reports for the state or you know things like that. All the admin work that goes in into running your own business, and so I said, okay, I want to be able to do what I do best, and I want to be able to work with clients that are bigger than I can get myself. And so I was really, really lucky to land at an agency. I worked remotely, but the agency was was based in Silicon Valley, and you know our our biggest client was Google, and you know for clients it doesn't get any bigger than that so you know I got to just focus on the content marketing part and work with with companies and and people that I never would have been exposed to if I had stuck with my own business you know no matter what I was never going to break into Silicon Valley from from my apartment in Florida, so you know it was the right decision. It really was, and and in job interviews, people asked me, "Well, you're giving up being your own boss? And it's like I've got very specific reasons for doing that. It was just time, you know. Michael Hingson 38:35 Do you feel like in any way it was a step backwards going to work for somebody rather than being the boss? Nicole Pytel 38:42 No, I don't think so. You know, because I've that eight years that I had in my own business, I got I I've got that under my belt, and you know, no one can take that experience away. You know, it is it is what it is. I learned a lot of lessons. I learned a lot of lessons the hard way too, and it was a great springboard. But I like being able to focus on what I'm best at, and you know the stuff that I've been able to do since then. I wouldn't have had those opportunities if I had just kind of kept with my own business. So I didn't see it as a step back at all because I had very specific reasons for making the move. Michael Hingson 39:20 Yeah, and you know I respect that, and and went through the same sort of thing. I owned my own company for four years back in the mid 1980s because I wasn't able to find a job at the time. People just wouldn't hire blind people, so I started my own company, and then eventually decided to go back into the workforce. And my wife and I worked out a a plan for that, and I created a cover letter that actually impressed some people, and I got a job out of it. But by the same token, I wasn't at all regretful about having to stop doing what I was doing and go back to work for someone else, partly because some of those very pressures that. We're talking about went away, and partly because, as you said, it was time, and I knew it, so we did. Nicole Pytel 40:07 Yeah, yeah. You've got to you've got to go with your gut and stuff like that. You know, like if if your gut is telling you something, or if you're like, I think I'd be a little bit happier doing something else, or if I didn't have to do this part of it, you know, go for Michael Hingson 40:24 it. Well, so there were times that, as you describe it, you would go into a role with no map. You were the only and the first content marketing hire, and you did a lot of stuff with Google Cloud marketing and and so on. What's the difference? I guess the best way to put it. What's the difference between, well, yeah, what's the difference between confidence and just hiding fear? That's probably the good basic question. Nicole Pytel 40:51 Yeah, yeah, they're probably kind of on the same plane, but they project Michael Hingson 41:00 differently. Nicole Pytel 41:01 They project very differently. They they project very differently. So so yes, you know, I created my own business, and then two of the agencies I've worked at, I was the first you know full time content hire. Built the content marketing practice. It was like building a business within a business, and and all the things that go along with that, I just didn't have to do the taxes, and which is a good thing. Yeah, it's a great thing. And then at the same time, yeah, I was I was embedded with with Google Cloud's marketing organization, and and so I think confidence is you know you can do it. Like deep down, you're like I know my stuff, I can do the work, I can do this, and then of course there's the fear of, oh my god! Like Google, like I'm gonna have a Google email address. I'm gonna have you know a title at Google and a supervisor at Google. Like, oh my god! Like, and then of course you know the the fear comes in. The imposter syndrome kind of comes in. Like me, me, really? And I think it's kind of like jumping into a really cold pool. You're scared, but you just gotta do it and kind of not fake it till you make it, but just dive in and trust in the confidence side. You know, there's like it's like the devil and the angel on your shoulder. One is your confidence. That's the angel, and the devil is the fear. And just listen to that confident part, and eventually, I feel like the fear gets drowned out. Now, does the imposter system ever imposter syndrome ever totally go away? Of course not. Of course not. We all have days where you're like, why am I here? Why is anybody listening to me? Why does anybody think I'm smart? We all have those days, but you know, eventually, you know, if you've got that confidence in yourself, it will win out. Michael Hingson 42:52 Yeah, and and it is something that we all have to deal with. But I think we can. I think if we truly understand ourselves and we listen to our inner voice. We'll get the guidance and the confidence that we need. I think so many people tend not to be introspective and tend not to go back and listen to the lessons that they could learn from their own inner subconscious, their own inner voice. And the result of that is that they they end up being very clueless, but the fact of the matter is, there's a part of you that monitors every single solitary thing that you do, and it's ready to give you the information that you need if you'll but take the time to learn to listen to it. And most people just don't do that. But the fact is, we should take that time because we'll get better results than we would ever get any other way. Nicole Pytel 43:45 It's funny because we'll say things to ourselves that we would never say to somebody else. Like you'd never say it to a friend, but you say it to yourself. It's like, why do we do that? And you know, sometimes I think one of the most important questions I've ever asked myself is why not you? You know, you want to go be a sports journalist in Texas? Why not you? Why can't you do that? You want to own your own business? Why not you? People do that all the time. Why? Why can't you do it? And I think if you if you're really honest with yourself, and you say, "Well, why not you? And you force yourself to kind of have this conversation with yourself and give an answer. A lot of times, you can't think of Michael Hingson 44:33 one, and you create excuses. Nicole Pytel 44:37 You do, which Michael Hingson 44:38 really are are not helping, and they're not healthy, but you do it anyway. And I understand the concept of imposter syndrome, but you ultimately have control over that. Nicole Pytel 44:50 You do, and I think that's the thing. It's you know I think anxiety gets the best of us a lot of the time, and and you've got to be like, okay, well, what can I control? What is totally out of my control? I actually heard somebody say today, you know, when anxiety creeps in and you have a thought, "Oh my God, what if X Y Z happens? You say to yourself, "So what if it does? Like, so what? Like, can you control it? Can you fix it? And if not, then then you shouldn't just give it airtime in your brain, you know. We Michael Hingson 45:23 spend so much time worrying about everything over which we don't have control, and we don't really learn the about the things over which we truly have control and should focus our time on, which is which is such an issue because the reality is over 95% of the things that we worry about and what if about all the time are things over which we have no control. I hear a lot of people say I don't watch the news because I just get angry at all that. Well, I like to watch the news because I love information, but I can do that generally without getting angry. Now, sometimes I will, I will yell at somebody on the the TV because they say dumb things. There are people who have learned how to do that, but I also don't spend a lot of time at it, and I also know that I'm not going to hurt them, even if they hear me. So the Michael Hingson 46:16 the bottom line is that I I work at not doing that, but I still want to get the information as to what's going on, so I do. Nicole Pytel 46:24 Yeah, and that's you. I want to know, and what can I control my reaction to it? I'm not going to get angry unless somebody says something really, really stupid, and and then you know it comes out. But yeah, it's it. That's a great example. I want to know what's happening, and I'm going to control my reaction to it, and a lot of times that's all we can control is our reaction to things. Michael Hingson 46:45 But we don't, which is really and we don't. We don't, and we should. Nicole Pytel 46:49 Yep. Michael Hingson 46:50 Well, speaking of reactions, earlier this year you got laid off from your VP role. I'm I'm curious, what did that do to how you see your own professional identity and and and so on, or did you know it was coming, or anything like that? Nicole Pytel 47:05 There, there were some rumblings right before it happened that it was coming, and you know I'm one of sadly very very many people, you know, 1000s, 10s of 1000s, maybe even hundreds of 1000s of people in this position, and and it's it's tough because you're not your job, but when you do something 40 hours a week and and you get up every day and that's what you do, it becomes part of who you are. It's like that's what I do, and then when that's gone, it's just like, well, now like am I still am I still useful? Like, am I still smart? You know, and and all these things go go through your mind, and you learn a lot about yourself when that happens. You know, talking about hey, all I can control is how I react to it. You know, Lord knows. You know, when you get laid off, like there's a a million what ifs running through your brain, and and all you can do is just keep putting one foot in front of the other, and and controlling how you react to it. But it absolutely, you know, it definitely shakes your confidence, and you know, it's it's it's a very weird feeling, you know that first Monday when you don't go to work. It's like, oh my God, the rest of the world went back to work, and and I didn't, and it's very jarring. You know, especially when you're when you're as old a fossil as me and you've been working for so long, it's like now you're not. You know, I've been I've been very very lucky to take on you know some freelance work and stuff like that, and and you know it's given me an opportunity to really catch up on a lot of the things that I wanted to learn and try and do when I was working full time and didn't really have the time. So from that perspective, it's been really good. But it it it'll knock you down for a minute, and it's up to you to kind of pick yourself back up, and that's where you kind of learn a lot about yourself as to how how you react to that. Michael Hingson 49:08 Yeah, and you have to again. It's a matter of choice, and you have to decide what what you want to do. Well, so you got laid off. Did you sleep late that first Monday? Nicole Pytel 49:19 I didn't. You know what I did. You know what I did. I I knew I had to give myself something to do, so I got up early on that first Monday and I went and got the oil changed in my car. I was like, I'm gonna go out and be productive. You know, could I have laid in bed all day and just kind of wallowed in self. Yeah, that doesn't help. Yeah, but that's not helpful. So I was like, "I'm going to go get that oil change I've been putting off for like two months. And you got to go Michael Hingson 49:49 in earlier than you otherwise would have, and probably got it done sooner. Nicole Pytel 49:53 There you go. There you go. Sometimes it just works out. Michael Hingson 49:57 And you probably had two little fur creatures who. We're very glad to see you continuing to support their habits. Nicole Pytel 50:04 Yes, yes, they my little fur divas. Yes, they're kind of like you know now you know Minnie Minnie's worked with me her whole life. She just turned 14. I've had her since she was 11 months old, and and I've I've worked at home her whole life, and so she she comes to the office with me every single day with her little memory foam, and and and and she gets her decompression time too. You know, she knows at 5o'clock when I take her memory foam bed back into the bedroom. Like, all right, I'm done working for the day. I'm good. But you know, at first she was like, "Why aren't we working, mom? And then you know, we got some freelance work and got back in the office, and I could tell she was like, "Okay, we're getting back to normal. Because at first they were both like, "What are we doing? Aren't you supposed to be working? Like, what's happening? But as long as they've got all their treats and all their toys and and and you know all their things, they're good. Michael Hingson 50:58 Didn't you tell them that was time for them to go get a job? Nicole Pytel 51:01 Oh yeah, absolutely. Michael Hingson 51:03 And how'd that work for you? Absolutely. Nicole Pytel 51:04 No, it didn't work out. They were like, "We don't do that. Like, I don't think you understand, Mom. Yeah, this is not how this works. Yeah, Michael Hingson 51:11 yeah. Well, so one of the things I think that's interesting, we're and we're all facing it to one degree or another, is the whole concept of of AI, a lot of people are afraid that AI is coming for their jobs, and I can make some comments, and I will about that. But you've chosen to face that fear and confront it. So I guess the real question is, why do you think that was the right call, and what do you think about this whole business of AI? Nicole Pytel 51:39 AI is really something, and so so I I've seen both sides of it. As a content marketer, you know we were supposed to become extinct because AI could just write everything. And my point is, is like, can AI create content? Sure, but it doesn't know what to create, and that's where the human comes in. It like the human has to come up with the strategy, and you know I remember the first time trying out ChatGPT and having it write stuff, and it wasn't very good, and and you know obviously things have gotten much much better in in the past 334 years, but you know it just became obvious that that this is a thing, and I guess you know, as a benefit, so many of of my clients were AI companies in some way, shape, or form, and it's like this is happening, and you have got to learn how to deal with it. And at least in my job, it can it can make me better at my job because it can speed things up. It can kind of eliminate some redundancies, you know. And is it ever going to replace me? No, because I'm the human with the judgment, and I understand, you know, the business goals of of what we're trying to do and how we hit the revenue goals and who the audience is and what they care about and all of those things, but I think one of the the silver linings of of getting laid off was you know I've I've had a you know a chunk of time to really dive in and get my hands dirty with AI like the things that I was like, oh, if I could have it do this, this, and this, that'd be really cool. And then go in and build it and see, hey, can I actually build this and go into Claude Code and see if if I really can do that, you know? And and it's given me a chance to really do that and go, okay, well, when I when I get another job, this is how I'm going to use AI on day one. I'm going to create, you know, this list of things, and here's why. Here's the order I'm going to do them in, and here's where I'm going to use AI to make it better. But more importantly, here's kind of the framework for how humans and AI should work together in content marketing, because there's so many people out there that are like, "Hey, ChatGPT, go write my website for me, and then they wonder why it's not very good or or why it sounds the same as as their competitors. You know, there's studies out there that say you know buyers think that these companies all sound the same, and you know AI is a big reason for that. So if you can really figure out how humans and AI work together, I think that's that's the piece, you know. And and there at the beginning there were a lot of content marketing kind of purists out there that were like, I will never use this. I'm gonna write everything myself. I'm gonna do everything from scratch, and I was just like, "That's like saying, you know, when cars came out, like I'm not, I'm not riding a horse. I'm not getting a car. I'm taking my horse and buggy to work. You know, I mean, it's the same thing. Like things evolve, and and you know, take advantage of it. Michael Hingson 54:56 Well, the reality is that AI is here. And I think you're right. What we need to do is to learn how to use it. I heard a friend comment a couple months ago that was talking to his boss about AI, and his boss said, "I will never fire you and replace you with AI. I won't do that, he said. "I might fire you if you don't learn how to use AI. Nicole Pytel 55:26 Yes, and Michael Hingson 55:26 I think that's absolutely true. I I use AI when I write because it gives me ideas, but ultimately I have to still be the one to create them, and I am not convinced that we're going to see AI in anywhere in the near future, develop the true human spirit and learn how to do the things that we do, Nicole Pytel 55:48 right? Michael Hingson 55:50 And so I think it's important that we learn how to use AI, and we I get a lot of great ideas from it, and so I go into what I write, and that's great because it's got a lot more information and experience than I do. So I don't mind doing that, and I'll be glad to take the ideas. The first time I heard anybody talking about AI was in a Christmas party with relatives, and somebody was complaining because teachers were grousing about the fact that kids were just letting AI write their papers, Nicole Pytel 56:22 yeah. Michael Hingson 56:22 And I said, why not let AI write the papers? You're missing a golden opportunity, and the golden opportunity. And I've said this before on Unstoppable Mindset, but the golden opportunity is the teacher should let students, if they want to use AI to write their papers, let them use AI to write their papers. But then, after you collect the papers, take a period, call each student to the front of the class, and say, "Now defend your position. You're going to find out who really knows what they're talking about and who doesn't. Nicole Pytel 56:50 Yep. Michael Hingson 56:51 What a great opportunity! Nicole Pytel 56:53 That's one way to do it for sure. And my guess is most of them would have no idea. Yeah. Michael Hingson 57:00 How was your view of a special of a professional career change since you started years ago, or has it? Nicole Pytel 57:08 Yeah, many, many, many moons ago. Many Michael Hingson 57:11 moons. Nicole Pytel 57:12 You know, I think when when you first start out in your career, and tell me, Michael, if you agree with this, you know, you just want to get going. It's like I'm a grown up now. I get to do all these grown up things and all the things that I learned about in school. I'm gonna run off and do them, and I want to do as much as I can, as fast as I can, and and climb the ladder and do all the things. And then, you know, that's still important, obviously. But I think it's more about, you know, am I doing something that I take? I truly, truly take pride in something that I believe in. You know, like you know, I could never go work for a company and and do marketing if if I thought the product was boring. You know, I just couldn't. I I don't really care what title you give me, or you know how much money you want to pay me. It's like if it's going to be boring, I don't, I don't want to do it. So I think part of it is, you know, are are you getting satisfaction out of what you're doing? Michael Hingson 58:13 Also, we need to recognize and understand that sometimes life gets in the way, and you start out with a great plan. This is what I'm going to do, and something happens to change it. And the reality is, again, it's of course how you approach that change. But that change might very well be for the best. I know that's happened to me several times, and I have learned that life may happen, things may happen, but I'm gonna not. I don't. I didn't have control over the change necessarily happening. So it's a question more about how I decide to deal with it and what I'm going to do. And I think that's what's really so important to be able to do. And so I find that it's so important to let life do what life is going to do, and you evaluate which way you want to go, but truly evaluate it. Don't don't just react. Sit back and think. You may decide to keep on doing what you're doing, and you're given another opportunity. And of course, for me, the most dramatic example of that is after September 11th, people started calling and saying, "Gee, would you come and talk to us and tell us what we ought to know about September 11th and talk to us about leadership and so on. We saw your name in the media and we want to hear from you and we'll pay you. And of course, you'll pay me. That was a great start. But but what happened was that so many of those happened that my wife and I at the by the beginning of 2002 realized that this was an incredible opportunity. It would take work, but it was an incredible opportunity, and that in reality, as I tell people, selling life and philosophy is a whole lot more rewarding than being a computer hardware sales manager and selling computer hardware. And so I've been doing it ever since, and I've had so many wonderful advances. And I've I've met so many people, learned so many things, and I spend the time working on learning wherever I go and wherever I speak, and so I can't complain at all about what what caused my life to change. Nicole Pytel 1:00:15 Yeah, I mean everything happens for a reason. I really do believe that, and and you may not know what that reason is right away, but yeah, I mean, look at you. I I I can't even imagine having been there on September 11th. It was it was jaw dropping enough to to watch it on TV, and and I'm sure there was a lot that went through your mind and and went through your mind during and right after. And but now look at I mean all the people that that you've gotten to inspire and and educate and motivate and and people who have really learned something and you never would have had that platform. It's it's it's really something. Michael Hingson 1:00:56 Yeah, and and it's and and if you're given a choice between two things that both really sound great, you make a choice, and then you live with the choice you made. Again, don't don't what if the things over which you don't have control, Nicole Pytel 1:01:13 right? Exactly. Michael Hingson 1:01:15 Well, if someone is in a position today where they're listening and they're standing kind of in the same place you were when you decided to go leave television, so on, and they're certain that they should be going off and doing something different, but they're terrified to admit it. What would you say is the one thing that you should tell them? Nicole Pytel 1:01:36 I would say if your gut is telling you to do something, you need to listen to it, and I would say, ask yourself why not me? Why can't I go do this now? If you want to run off and be an
My guest today is Gavin Baker, founding partner and CIO of Atreides Management. This is our seventh conversation, and just two months after Gavin's last appearance. It's about the gap between what the market is doing and what companies are seeing. It's been a tough month or so for public AI names, but there's no sign of a slowdown on the ground in Silicon Valley. We discuss the latest moves, contracted vs. spot GPU prices, the game theory of memory supply agreements, and why Claude has become the Walter Cronkite of the stock market. We close on SpaceX, orbital compute, and what Gavin sees as the single biggest risk to all of it. Please enjoy this conversation, from the famous table at Benchmark, with my friend Gavin Baker. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here. ----- Become a Colossus member to get our quarterly print magazine and private audio experience, including exclusive profiles and early access to select episodes. Subscribe at colossus.com/subscribe. ----- Ramp's mission is to help companies manage their spend in a way that reduces expenses and frees up time for teams to work on more valuable projects. Go to ramp.com/invest to sign up for free and get a $250 welcome bonus. ----- Trusted by thousands of businesses, Vanta continuously monitors your security posture and streamlines audits so you can win enterprise deals and build customer trust without the traditional overhead. Invest Like the Best listeners get a special offer of $1,000 off Vanta when you go to vanta.com/invest. ----- WorkOS is the infrastructure B2B and AI-native companies use to sell to enterprise. It covers everything enterprise security requires: SSO, SCIM, RBAC, Audit Logs, AI governance, and more. Trusted by 2,000+ fast-growing companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Cursor, and Vercel. ----- Rogo is the AI platform for finance. They're building agents for Wall Street that are trained to understand how bankers and investors actually do work: from diligence and modeling, to turning analysis into deliverables. To learn more, visit rogo.ai/invest. ----- Ridgeline has built a complete, real-time, modern operating system for investment managers. It handles trading, portfolio management, compliance, customer reporting, and much more through an all-in-one real-time cloud platform. Visit ridgeline.ai. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant. Timestamps: (00:00:00) Welcome to Invest Like The Best (00:02:35) First Question: July Was 2022 in a Month (00:04:08) The Private Companies Public Markets Can't See (00:05:06) Old GPUs Repricing Higher (00:06:53) Walking Through the Month (00:08:22) Kimi, GLM 5.2 & the Open Source Freak-Out (00:10:51) Real Yields, Spreads & CDS (00:11:54) Does the Build-Out Need Credit? (00:15:22) A Sell-Off With No Clear Villain (00:17:35) Open Source as Dark Matter (00:18:39) Nvidia's Lowest Forward PE in 10 Years (00:21:35) Claude as Walter Cronkite for the Stock Market (00:23:55) Continual Learning & Sample Efficiency (00:25:19) What Would Actually Scare Him (00:26:38) Routers & the Multi-Model Future (00:30:51) Tokens as a Percent of Comp Spend (00:33:37) The Game Theory of Breaking an LTA (00:36:41) Nvidia's Credit Wrapper & Revenue Share (00:37:45) What He'd Do If He Ran Hynix (00:41:46) Who's More Bullish than Him (00:43:28) China's DUV Machine (00:46:10) Bull Case for Software (00:48:16) The RSI Maximalist View (00:49:31) Inference Clouds Growing Without Burning Cash (00:50:35) The Biggest Risk Is Regulation (00:53:44) Telling the Story Better (00:57:15) Dark Horses (00:58:02) SpaceX in the Public Markets
On this summer break podcast. Dennis Morriseau is an interesting friend of mine with a political history worth recounting. He was the only US Army officer in the USA who refused orders to Vietnam after several in-uniform protests — including one at the White House gate, noted by Walter Cronkite on CBS-News at the time — and he beat the court-martial that resulted. Dennis went on to run for Congress in Vermont 3 times 1970, '71, 74 . Bernie Sanders was on Dennis's campaign staff in the '71 election, and we'll hear more about that. After politics, Dennis went on to found and run the popular Burlington, VT restaurant: Leunig's Old World Cafe (since renamed Leunig's Bistro). He lives in West Pawlet, VT in an art gallery on the Indian River called LOST & FOUND ART. He Winters in Belize. The KunstlerCast theme music is the beautiful Two Rivers Waltz written and performed by Larry Unger
Aaron Parnas is the Walter Cronkite of Substack. He has millions of followers who follow him on every platform to get his just-the-facts reporting, but even the most trusted voice on TikTok has some thoughts when it comes to our collective privacy.Make yourself harder to find, harder to hit: https://joindeleteme.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Geoffrey Wawro, guest author, recounts how, in January 1968, the Tet Offensive was launched by the NVA and Viet Cong to deliver a knockout blow to the South Vietnamese government. While the communists suffered massive tactical losses, they achieved a strategic victory in information warfare by shattering the American public's illusion of progress. This shift was cemented by Walter Cronkite's broadcast declaring the war a stalemate, leading Johnson to believe he had lost "middle America." Simultaneously, the Siege of Khe Sanh served as a symbol of the war's futility. Despite a harrowing months-long defense involving intense B-52 strikes to "freeze" NVA divisions, the US abandoned and bulldozed the base shortly after the battle ended. This segment emphasizes how both sides were "wasting human beings" in engagements that lacked tactical or strategic significance. The Vietnam War: A Military History (4)
TVC 741.2: Phil Gries of Archival Television Audio plays a few more audio highlights of In Celebration of US, the day-long CBS special that aired on July 4, 1976, including Johnny Cash performing at the Pageant of Freedom festival in Washington, D.C.; coverage of the air show in St. Louis commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic in 1927; Charles Kuralt's profile of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson; and "Reflections of America," a music and spoken-word performance by violinist Isaac Stern. Audio courtesy Archival Television Audio. Image of Johnny Cash courtesy Facebook.
TVC 741.1: Phil Gries joins Ed for Part 2 of our special Independence Day-themed edition of The Sounds of Lost Television that looks back at how network television covered the Bicentennial celebration of July 4, 1976, including a few clips from In Celebration of US, the sixteen-hour CBS special, hosted by Walter Cronkite, that aired on July 4, 1976. Highlights this segment include coverage from the opening of the National Air and Space Museum on June 30, 1976; Cronkite and Danny Kaye discussing the history of jazz music in Storyville, the famous red light district of New Orleans; and Cronkite and New York Metropolitan Opera soprano Beverly Sills discussing patriotic music. Audio courtesy Archival Television Audio.
TVC 740.2: Phil Gries, founder and owner of Archival Television Audio, and Ed discuss how In Celebration of US, the sixteen-hour CBS special hosted by Walter Cronkite that aired on July 4, 1976, not only was inclusive in tone and presentation, but marked the first time that a network had devoted day-long coverage to a single event since the moon landing of July 20, 1969.
TVC 740.1: Phil Gries joins Ed for a special Independence Day-themed edition of The Sounds of Lost Television that looks back at how network television covered the Bicentennial celebration of July 4, 1976. Audio, as always, is courtesy Archival Television Audio. Highlights this segment include the first few minutes of In Celebration of US, a sixteen-hour, day-long special produced by CBS News and hosted by Walter Cronkite, that included a cornucopia of festive events that day from venues across the country.
TVC 740.3: Phil Gries of Archival Television Audio plays a few more audio highlights of In Celebration of US, the day-long CBS special, hosted by Walter Cronkite, that aired on July 4, 1976, including coverage of the largest naturalization ceremony in U.S. history and of the massive parade in Philadelphia that included representatives from the forty-eight continental states plus several other countries. Audio courtesy Archival Television Audio.
Gentle Lapping 3 A.M. Waves! Wade into ten hours of uninterrupted lapping harbor waves, a few chatty birds, distant boat creaks, and sparse human-made noises. Whether you're studying, working, reading, sleeping, or unwinding after a long day, this immersive ambient soundscape provides the perfect background soundtrack. No talking, no interruptions—just pure early morning beach relaxation. Ignore the World._______Vineyard Haven has been a newer development for me. It's where we stay when we visit. The motel we like has its own beach on the harbor, so it's an easy place to put the kids when we're not on Circuit or in Menemsha. Vineyard Haven was not a favorite place growing up (outside of visiting Brickman's toy department). When I was a kid, Vineyard Haven meant back to reality—the place that stuffed you into a steamship to deposit you back on the mainland.I wanted to be in Katama (right fork), it's where my family had a place. I could bike to the fun beach or hitchhike into Edgartown for work. One of those summers I was a mechanic's helper at Old Colony Service, basically the shop's "gofer." I ran around cleaning bathrooms, cars, and the showroom, shuttling customers, etc. And gawd, I was such a naive doofus back then. One day a Wrangler rolled into a bay with a broken window, and I asked the mechanic, "What happened?"He gestured to the Jeep. "What do you think happened?"I peered through the broken window and noticed the radio was missing. "Oh... the driver got mad at his car radio and threw it through out the window."There was an older gentleman named Doug, in my imagining the shop's Yoda (with some Danny DeVito energy). He was older and knew his ****.Example: one morning a mechanic was wrestling with an engine that would only produce a "NE-YAYAYAYAYA... CLICK." And the mechanic was getting audibly annoyed and swearing and such. Doug wandered over, fiddled with a few things, and a couple of minutes later the car was coaxed back to life. I think the mechanic wanted to get that turnover on his own, but was appreciative of the assist. "Thanks, Doug," he said.And Doug returned to his station with, "Yap!"Of all the words he shared with me, "Yap" was the most frequent. I liked him, I thought he was a cool dude. One Friday at closing he dropped a cooler of beers in the middle of the shop. I reached for a beer, and he laughed and pointed me toward the soft drinks. (Some might see that as square-*** parental behavior. I haven't imbibed in 10 years for a reason, so I see the wisdom.)Anyway, one morning he barked at me, "Kid—put this in the lot," and tossed me the keys. "It's Walter Cronkite's, so don't mess it up."I sat idling for a few seconds after parking, just taking it all in. Wait until I tell everyone at school (who, no doubt, had no clue who Walter Cronkite was) about this. Mr. Spaceship Earth—I was sitting in his car. I was 16 or 17 and way too shy to ask for an autograph— but felt like I must. Doug would've frowned on that **** for sure.So, I took his vehicle registration.
On this week's episode of Change Agents, Andy travels to Chase Hughes' new studio to break down how human behavior is manipulated at scale, from bot farms manufacturing fake consensus to the psychological framework Chase calls WOUND that explains why outrage, fear, and loneliness keep us glued to our phones. They dig into why Chase believes the algorithm is less a sinister mastermind and more an engine optimized purely for ad revenue, how think tanks may shape policy more than most people realize, and why Walter Cronkite and Julia Child both have far stranger backstories than anyone learned in school. Andy also gets a tour of Chase's new independent news studio, Station One, built to show audiences the psyops behind the headlines rather than just the headlines themselves. Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:05:59 Why Chase Built Station One and How It Works 00:08:20 Unrestricted Warfare and the Chinese Playbook for Dividing America 00:13:34 The WOUND Framework: How Social Media Gets Weaponized 00:17:20 Do They Start With the Outcome or the Emotion 00:19:28 The Deep State and Think Tanks 00:23:26 Station One's Intelligence Brief Format 00:27:55 The Biggest Psyop Right Now Is… 00:29:49 Engineered Loneliness and the Fear of Judgment 00:38:58 Is the System Correctable From the Top Down? 00:41:58 True vs Truth: The Coaster and the Elephant 00:48:47 Why Chase Joined the Navy 00:50:56 What People Actually Regret on Their Deathbed 00:56:44 Veterans and a Broken Relationship With Money 01:00:21 Can You Truly Bulletproof Yourself Against Manipulation 01:03:15 Walter Cronkite Was on CIA Payroll: Operation Mockingbird 01:05:50 How to Fight Back Against Division 01:09:30 What Social Media Companies Will Do When Usage Drops 01:11:57 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mex loves when a girl shuts up Rush fans. We get to the bottom of the missing golf ball. Walter Cronkite cries like a baby, as The Artist returns to air disasters and thinks World Cup soccer players all make the Lee Harvey Oswald shot face.
Welcome to 1968: The Year America Came Apart. This is an episode of "The Realignment" a Hidden History Series. There are years in history that feel less like ordinary time and more like a fault line. Years where the ground beneath a nation begins to shift and the people can feel it, they may not understand what they're feeling, but they know something is changing.. For America, 1968 was one of those years. The country had already been changing throughout the 1960s. The Civil Rights Movement had challenged the old order. The war in Vietnam was growing more divisive. Cities were struggling with poverty, race, and unrest. Young Americans were beginning to question institutions their parents had trusted without hesitation. But in 1968, all of those pressures collided. And for millions of Americans, it felt as though the country itself was coming apart. I remember that year well. I graduated from high school in Houston in the spring of 1968 and entered college that September. Even in Texas, far from Washington and Chicago, there was tension in the air. Conversations about race, war, protest, and authority were no longer distant news stories. They were part of daily life. America was rapidly changing. And not everyone agreed on what that change should look like. Vietnam and the Collapse of Trust The year began with war. In January of 1968, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launched what became known as the Tet Offensive. Militarily, the offensive was repelled. But politically and psychologically, it changed everything. For years, Americans had been told the war was being won. Tet suggested otherwise. Television screens suddenly filled with images of firefights in cities, American casualties, and chaos in places many Americans had never heard of before. The war no longer felt distant. It entered American living rooms every night. Trust in government began to erode. Even respected broadcaster Walter Cronkite publicly questioned whether the war could truly be won. For many Americans, confidence in leadership was beginning to collapse. Martin Luther King Jr. Then came April 4th. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. The murder shocked the nation. For years, King had stood as the moral voice of the Civil Rights Movement, preaching nonviolence, justice, and reconciliation. But his assassination unleashed grief, anger, and frustration across the country. Riots erupted in more than one hundred American cities. National Guard troops were deployed. Smoke rose above neighborhoods already struggling with poverty and racial division. For some Americans, the unrest confirmed fears that the country was descending into disorder. For others, the riots reflected generations of anger and inequality that had gone ignored for far too long. The divide between those perspectives would become politically important. Robert Kennedy and Lost Hope Two months later, tragedy struck again. Senator Robert F. Kennedy had emerged as a candidate who seemed capable of bridging some of America's growing divisions. He spoke openly about poverty, race, and the need to heal the country. His campaign attracted young people, minorities, working-class voters, and many Americans exhausted by the war. Then, on June 5th, moments after winning the California Democratic primary, Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles. Another national figure gone. Another sense of hope shattered. To many Americans, it felt as though violence and instability were becoming the defining language of the era. Protest and Disorder By the summer of 1968, protest movements were spreading across college campuses and major cities. Young Americans marched against the Vietnam War. Civil rights organizations demanded deeper reforms. Groups like the Black Panthers emerged in cities across the country, reflecting growing frustration among younger Black activists who believed nonviolence alone was no longer enough. At the same time, police departments and local governments often responded with increasing force and suspicion. The tensions could be felt even in places like Houston, where concerns about policing, activism, and racial conflict became part of the atmosphere surrounding college campuses and urban neighborhoods. Then came Chicago. During the Democratic National Convention in August, protesters flooded the streets while police battled demonstrators in scenes broadcast nationwide on live television. Americans watched officers swinging clubs, protesters bleeding in the streets, and crowds chanting: “The whole world is watching.” The Democratic Party itself appeared divided and exhausted. And millions of Americans watching from home saw chaos. George Wallace and the Politics of Backlash Into that atmosphere stepped George Wallace. Running as a third-party candidate, Wallace appealed to Americans who believed the country was moving too fast, changing too much, and losing control. His campaign focused on law and order, resistance to federal authority, opposition to unrest, and anger toward political elites. While Wallace's earlier political career had been deeply tied to segregation, by 1968 his campaign also tapped into a broader sense of cultural backlash and working-class frustration. And millions responded. Wallace carried five Southern states and won nearly ten million votes. His success revealed something both major political parties would increasingly recognize in the years ahead: A large portion of the American electorate felt alienated from the direction of the country. Nixon and the Realignment In the end, Richard Nixon won the presidency. Nixon promised stability. Order. An end to chaos. His victory represented more than a normal election. It marked the acceleration of a political realignment already underway since the Civil Rights era began reshaping American politics earlier in the decade. Southern voters were beginning to move away from the Democratic Party. Many suburban and working-class voters were becoming increasingly concerned about crime, protest movements, and cultural upheaval. Trust in institutions government, media, universities was weakening. The coalitions that had dominated American politics since Franklin Roosevelt were beginning to fracture. And the consequences of that fracture would shape American politics for generations. Looking back now, 1968 feels like more than just a turbulent year. It feels like a turning point. A year when millions of Americans stopped believing the future would naturally bring unity and stability. The old political consensus was breaking apart. New coalitions were forming. And many of the arguments that still define American politics today, race, protest, policing, media, nationalism, cultural identity, distrust of institutions were becoming impossible to ignore. For those of us who lived through it, even as young people stepping into adulthood, the tension was real. You could feel it. And in many ways, America has been wrestling with the legacy of 1968 ever since.
Show Episode 526: Going Through the Big D This week Host Dave Bledsoe gets thrown out of a country bar after gravely misunderstanding what “Ho-Down” meant. (He pushed a woman off her barstool!!) On the show this week we follow JFK to Texas for the most important moment of his Presidency. (What? Too soon?) Along the way we discover that Dave's Dad had nothing to do with the Kennedy assassination! (Allegedly) Then we dive right into the life of Lee Harvey Oswald, Marine, communist defector, and moron. We examine the details of that fateful days in Texas. From Fort Worth calls girls to near fistfights with the medical examiner in Dallas. Then we look at the genuinely weird things that happened after JFK's death before moving on to all the “theories” surrounding those weird things. Finally, we look into the most plausible explanation for why the theories got started in the first place. Our sponsor this week is the Former Dallas County Administration Building, we never let our worst moment define us. We open with Walter Cronkite who has some bad news and close with Brett Monnier who is on a trip. Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense The Show on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatthehellpodcast.bsky.social The Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthehellpodcast/ The Show on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ The Show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehellwereyouthinkingpod/ Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/kHmmrjptrq Our Website: https://www.whatthehellpodcast.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast The Show Line: 347 687 9601 Closing Music: https://youtu.be/waWJUCfKJeA?si=U46OMEwNY6FXWmp2 Buy Our Stuff: https://www.seltzerkings.com/shop Citations Needed: Wikipedia: Lee Harvey Oswald https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Harvey_Oswald#Early_life Why JFK Ignored His Warnings: Was Told to Avoid Dallas https://medium.com/@archie.hodge01/why-jfk-ignored-his-warnings-8c353b84fc80 Warren Commission Report Chapter 3 https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/warren-commission-report/chapter-3.html#near The botched autopsy of president John F. Kennedy https://hekint.org/2025/09/08/the-botched-autopsy-of-president-john-f-kennedy/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
WE'RE BACK!!! And the boys are covering our third animated feature film, WE'RE BACK! A DINOSAUR'S STORY.It's a mammoth-sized flop that was so incomprehensible, not even the dino-craze of 1993, or STEVEN SPIELBERG'S name on the poster, could save it from extinction.With a star-studded cast that includes John Goodman, Jay Leno, Rhea Perlman, Martin Short, Walter Cronkite, Julia Child, and Lisa Simpson… I mean, Yeardley Smith… how could kids say no?!?!Travel back in time, then forward in time to the middle future, as Justin and Steve dig deeper than ever to excavate as much information as they can find about what should have been a box office layup, but ended up a total whiff.Check out more from Justin here: justindodd.rocksCheck out more from Steve here: stevejhward.comdrinkgenies.com
In 1988 history was made by JCP. A Premium Live Event given away free on TBS showcasing some of the best and brightest for our entertainment. Titles defended. Grudges resolved. Legends are born. Henceforth known as the Clash of the Champions. Join us as the Backbone on this journey recapping these amazing show of shows. This episode, Keithie welcomes "The Walter Cronkite of Wrestling Podcasts" or “The Howard Cosell of Wrestling Podcasts" or simply known as "The Dean of Podcasts", Matt Souza. Clash of the Champions XIII: Thanksgiving Thunder live from the Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum in Jacksonville, Florida and we hit Unlucky Number 13 as this show is.... not that good. The Fabulous Freebirds with Bobby Eaton and Little Richard Marley vs The Southern Boys Buddy Landel vs Brian Pillman Brad Armstrong vs Big Cat The "Z-Man" Tom Zenk vs Brian Lee Michael Wallstreet vs The Starblazer Sgt. Krueger and Col. DeKlerk vs The Beast and Kalua Lex Luger vs The Motor City Madman The Renegade Warriors vs The Nasty Boys The Nightstalker vs Sid Vicious The NWA United States Tag Team Champions The Steiner Brothers vs Magnum Force The NWA Worlds Tag Team Champion Butch Reed with Ron Simmons and Teddy Long vs Ric Flair with Arn Anderson All this plus The NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Sting trying to deal with the Black Scorpion and his black magic skills.
Bestselling author and historian Douglas Brinkley joins David M. Rubenstein in the Capitol's Kennedy Caucus Room to discuss America's 250th anniversary and his books about Walter Cronkite, the space race, Hurricane Katrina and D-Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode was originally released on 9/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes. ____________ In Breaking Walls episode 119 we continue our Americana mini-series by bringing our appetites to the diner. We'll hear stories from some of radio's best and center ourselves around shows taking place in establishments. —————————— Highlights: • What Exactly is a Diner? • Lux Presents Hollywood • Suspense At the End of World War II • The Diner After World War II • Bill Conrad, Burt Lancaster, and The Killers • ABC Takes Friday Nights With This Is Your FBI • Frank Sinatra and His Rocky Fortune • Going Back to Gunsmoke • James Earl Jones and Theater Five —————————— The WallBreakers: thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air - By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings — By Jim Ramsburg As well as: • From Hash House to Family Restaurant: The Transformation of the Diner and Post-World War II Consumer Culture — By Andrew Hurley from The March 1997 Journal of American History. And other articles from: • Paste Magazine • Smithsonian Magazine —————————— On the interview front: • Parley Baer, Conrad Binyon, Norman Corwin, and Lurene Tuttle spoke to Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Parley Baer, Jerry Devine, Lawrence Dobkin, Fred Foy, and Bob Maxwell, were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com. • William Spier spoke with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear this full interview at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • John Dehner was with Neil Ross for KMPC. • Frank Sinatra spoke with Arlene Francis, Walter Cronkite, and Larry King. • William Conrad with Chris Lambesis. • Norman Macdonnell with John Hickman of WAMU for his Gunsmoke documentary. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • Theme From A Summer Place — By Percy Faith • I've Got The World on a String and Why Try To Change Me Now — By Frank Sinatra • The Venice Dreamer Pt1 and 2 — By George Winston • Across the Alley from the Alamo — By The Mills Brothers
4. The 1968 Tet Offensive, led by Le Duan, aimed to knock the U.S. out of the war through a massive, coordinated strike. While the NVA suffered extreme casualties, the offensive was a strategic information victory. Images of fighting at the U.S. Embassy shattered domestic support, leading Walter Cronkite to declare the war a stalemate. Simultaneously, the siege of Khe Sanh illustrated the war's futility. U.S. forces fought a bloody, months-long defense of the base, only to bulldoze and abandon it shortly after the North Vietnamese were driven off. (4)1972
Chris & Amy look back on news broadcasters of the past, specifically Walter Cronkite's coverage of the Kennedy assassination; was this the best move for the Blues, trading Schenn?; Jacob Cerosismo from KMOV says it was a good deal; Did you see this?
Chris and Amy explore the history of St Louis on 'Three Flags Day' with historian Peter Kastor; celebrate St Louis's '314 Day' with entertainer Alex Rich; and Jacob Cerosismo says the Blues did well at the trade deadline in dealing Brayden Schenn. Plus, Chris and Amy mark the sign-off of Walter Cronkite and look at a push to eliminate the death penalty in St Louis.
This week's throwback guest is Cal Fussman. This was a very special interview for me, because Cal is one of the major reasons why I started podcasting in the first place. He made an appearance on Tim Ferriss' show, to which Tim talked him into starting his own show. As both of them are my podcasting inspirations, I knew this was going to be a good one! Cal is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Professional Speaker, Storytelling Coach, and host of “Big Questions” Cal was best friends with Larry King and shared breakfast with him every morning. He also traveled around the world for 10 years straight after booking a 1 way ticket to start a trip. He worked his way around the world, bus by bus where locals would invite him to their house to stay (more about this in the episode).Cal was a former writer for Esquire Magazine, where he interviewed a very impressive list, including: Muhammad Ali, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, Jimmy Carter, Robert DeNiro, Donald Trump, Al Pacino, Joe Biden, Larry King, Ted Kennedy, Tony Bennett, Barbara Walters, Bruce Springsteen, Dr. Michael DeBakey (father of open-heart surgery), Pele, Vint Cerf (co-creator of the Internet), George Clooney, Lauren Hutton (first super model) Leonardo DiCaprio, Dr. Dre, Walter Cronkite, Clint Eastwood, Mary Barra (General Motors CEO), legendary coaches John Wooden, Bobby Bowden and Mike Krzyzewski, Salman Rushdie, Tom Hanks, Shaquille O'Neal In this episode, we discussed:How A Good Question Can Get You To The Most Powerful Person In The WorldUkraine and Their Fight For A Free SocietyBuilding The Connection Bridge How Every Step back Is A Step Forward Rethinking Healthcare in America How To Tell Your StoryMuch More! Please enjoy this week's episode with Cal Fussman____________________________________________________________________________I am now in the early stages of writing my first book! In this book, I will be telling my story of getting into sales and the lessons I have learned so far, and intertwine stories, tips, and advice from the Top Sales Professionals In The World! As a first time author, I want to share these interviews with you all, and take you on this book writing journey with me! Like the show? Subscribe to the email: https://mailchi.mp/a71e58dacffb/welcome-to-the-20-podcast-community
Cutting Through the Chaos with Wallace Garneau – When incentives lose citizenship, accountability vanishes. None of this means Walter Cronkite was uniquely virtuous. He was the product of a system that rewarded seriousness. Today's system does not reward the most trusted voice. It rewards the most engaging one. That is not because audiences suddenly demanded manipulation. It is because the...
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brian Custer. Summary of the Interview On Money Making Conversations Masterclass, Rushion McDonald interviews Brian Custer—Emmy Award–winning sportscaster, ESPN anchor, play-by-play commentator, cancer survivor, fashion enthusiast, and HBCU graduate of Hampton University. The discussion moves through Custer’s early life in Columbus, Ohio; the influence of Black media figures on his career; his journey from a childhood dreamer sitting beside his grandmother watching Walter Cronkite to becoming a nationally recognized sports broadcaster; and his path into fraternity life as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi. Custer describes how he discovered broadcasting at an early age, secured internships in high school, and worked grueling night shifts in radio before transitioning into television. But the most powerful portion of the interview is his emotional recounting of his battle with aggressive prostate cancer at age 42—a diagnosis he initially wanted to hide. He shares the moment his doctor insisted he use his platform to educate men of color about prostate cancer, a mission he now treats as a calling. The interview ends with sports talk—including commentary on the Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight—and a heartfelt exchange about mentorship, legacy, and the importance of Black excellence and representation in media. Purpose of the Interview 1. To spotlight Brian Custer’s broadcasting journey He shares how childhood influences, mentors, and early opportunities shaped his journalism career. 2. To promote awareness about prostate cancer in men of color Custer uses his personal story to break stigmas surrounding screenings, early detection, and open discussion. 3. To inspire listeners to pursue their dreams despite obstacles He emphasizes resilience—from working overnight radio shifts to confronting a life-threatening diagnosis. 4. To highlight the impact of HBCUs and Black fraternities He explains how Hampton University and Kappa Alpha Psi shaped his identity and leadership. 5. To celebrate representation in sports media Custer honors trailblazers like Irv Cross, James Brown, and Carol Simpson, showing how visibility opened doors. Key Takeaways 1. Early exposure builds dreams Watching Walter Cronkite, Friday Night Videos, and Ted Koppel developed his passion for broadcasting.His grandmother’s nightly viewing rituals deeply influenced him. 2. Representation matters Seeing Irv Cross, James Brown, and Carol Simpson on television affirmed his ambition and provided powerful role models. 3. Hard work—not shortcuts—built his career Custer’s first job was midnight–8 a.m. radio, reading hourly newscasts.He later interned and volunteered long after programs ended to gain experience. 4. Prostate cancer is a silent but deadly threat His routine physical revealed a suspicious PSA level (5.4), leading to a biopsy and an aggressive cancer diagnosis.He initially refused repeat screenings due to stigma but credits his doctor’s persistence with saving his life. 5. Using his platform for good became a mandate His surgeon urged him to become an advocate for prostate cancer awareness—particularly for Black men, who are disproportionately affected. 6. Vulnerability creates connection Custer’s openness about fear, masculinity, and mortality mirrors Rushion’s own thyroid cancer journey, creating an intimate, healing conversation. 7. Career longevity requires authenticity and relationship-building Custer praises mentors like James Brown and the brotherhood of Black media professionals.He underscores the importance of connections—not shortcuts—in building a respected brand. Notable Quotes (All directly from the transcript.) [Brian Custer | Txt] On childhood dreams & representation “I knew what I wanted to do when I was five.” “Ted Koppel… the way he interviewed people… I was enthralled.” “Irv Cross was the guy… then it became James Brown for me.” On fraternity life “All I knew was Kappa Alpha Psi.” “The streets of heaven are crimson and cream.” On breaking into broadcasting “My first job… midnight to eight… delivering the newscast every hour.” “The news director said, ‘You certainly don’t look the way you sound.’” On prostate cancer “You got cancer. It’s aggressive.” “All I heard was cancer.” “My doctor said, ‘Use your platform… men of color need a young face like you.’” On stigma and survival “People stereotype what a cancer survivor looks like.” “Cancer doesn’t go away when you ignore it.” On sports and life (On Garcia vs. Tank Davis):“That liver shot… it was a business decision. He’s too pretty to get his face rearranged.” On brotherhood and mentorship “You’re a legend in this business.” “We’re brothers now… I’m lumping you in with my best friend.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brian Custer. Summary of the Interview On Money Making Conversations Masterclass, Rushion McDonald interviews Brian Custer—Emmy Award–winning sportscaster, ESPN anchor, play-by-play commentator, cancer survivor, fashion enthusiast, and HBCU graduate of Hampton University. The discussion moves through Custer’s early life in Columbus, Ohio; the influence of Black media figures on his career; his journey from a childhood dreamer sitting beside his grandmother watching Walter Cronkite to becoming a nationally recognized sports broadcaster; and his path into fraternity life as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi. Custer describes how he discovered broadcasting at an early age, secured internships in high school, and worked grueling night shifts in radio before transitioning into television. But the most powerful portion of the interview is his emotional recounting of his battle with aggressive prostate cancer at age 42—a diagnosis he initially wanted to hide. He shares the moment his doctor insisted he use his platform to educate men of color about prostate cancer, a mission he now treats as a calling. The interview ends with sports talk—including commentary on the Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight—and a heartfelt exchange about mentorship, legacy, and the importance of Black excellence and representation in media. Purpose of the Interview 1. To spotlight Brian Custer’s broadcasting journey He shares how childhood influences, mentors, and early opportunities shaped his journalism career. 2. To promote awareness about prostate cancer in men of color Custer uses his personal story to break stigmas surrounding screenings, early detection, and open discussion. 3. To inspire listeners to pursue their dreams despite obstacles He emphasizes resilience—from working overnight radio shifts to confronting a life-threatening diagnosis. 4. To highlight the impact of HBCUs and Black fraternities He explains how Hampton University and Kappa Alpha Psi shaped his identity and leadership. 5. To celebrate representation in sports media Custer honors trailblazers like Irv Cross, James Brown, and Carol Simpson, showing how visibility opened doors. Key Takeaways 1. Early exposure builds dreams Watching Walter Cronkite, Friday Night Videos, and Ted Koppel developed his passion for broadcasting.His grandmother’s nightly viewing rituals deeply influenced him. 2. Representation matters Seeing Irv Cross, James Brown, and Carol Simpson on television affirmed his ambition and provided powerful role models. 3. Hard work—not shortcuts—built his career Custer’s first job was midnight–8 a.m. radio, reading hourly newscasts.He later interned and volunteered long after programs ended to gain experience. 4. Prostate cancer is a silent but deadly threat His routine physical revealed a suspicious PSA level (5.4), leading to a biopsy and an aggressive cancer diagnosis.He initially refused repeat screenings due to stigma but credits his doctor’s persistence with saving his life. 5. Using his platform for good became a mandate His surgeon urged him to become an advocate for prostate cancer awareness—particularly for Black men, who are disproportionately affected. 6. Vulnerability creates connection Custer’s openness about fear, masculinity, and mortality mirrors Rushion’s own thyroid cancer journey, creating an intimate, healing conversation. 7. Career longevity requires authenticity and relationship-building Custer praises mentors like James Brown and the brotherhood of Black media professionals.He underscores the importance of connections—not shortcuts—in building a respected brand. Notable Quotes (All directly from the transcript.) [Brian Custer | Txt] On childhood dreams & representation “I knew what I wanted to do when I was five.” “Ted Koppel… the way he interviewed people… I was enthralled.” “Irv Cross was the guy… then it became James Brown for me.” On fraternity life “All I knew was Kappa Alpha Psi.” “The streets of heaven are crimson and cream.” On breaking into broadcasting “My first job… midnight to eight… delivering the newscast every hour.” “The news director said, ‘You certainly don’t look the way you sound.’” On prostate cancer “You got cancer. It’s aggressive.” “All I heard was cancer.” “My doctor said, ‘Use your platform… men of color need a young face like you.’” On stigma and survival “People stereotype what a cancer survivor looks like.” “Cancer doesn’t go away when you ignore it.” On sports and life (On Garcia vs. Tank Davis):“That liver shot… it was a business decision. He’s too pretty to get his face rearranged.” On brotherhood and mentorship “You’re a legend in this business.” “We’re brothers now… I’m lumping you in with my best friend.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brian Custer. Summary of the Interview On Money Making Conversations Masterclass, Rushion McDonald interviews Brian Custer—Emmy Award–winning sportscaster, ESPN anchor, play-by-play commentator, cancer survivor, fashion enthusiast, and HBCU graduate of Hampton University. The discussion moves through Custer’s early life in Columbus, Ohio; the influence of Black media figures on his career; his journey from a childhood dreamer sitting beside his grandmother watching Walter Cronkite to becoming a nationally recognized sports broadcaster; and his path into fraternity life as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi. Custer describes how he discovered broadcasting at an early age, secured internships in high school, and worked grueling night shifts in radio before transitioning into television. But the most powerful portion of the interview is his emotional recounting of his battle with aggressive prostate cancer at age 42—a diagnosis he initially wanted to hide. He shares the moment his doctor insisted he use his platform to educate men of color about prostate cancer, a mission he now treats as a calling. The interview ends with sports talk—including commentary on the Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight—and a heartfelt exchange about mentorship, legacy, and the importance of Black excellence and representation in media. Purpose of the Interview 1. To spotlight Brian Custer’s broadcasting journey He shares how childhood influences, mentors, and early opportunities shaped his journalism career. 2. To promote awareness about prostate cancer in men of color Custer uses his personal story to break stigmas surrounding screenings, early detection, and open discussion. 3. To inspire listeners to pursue their dreams despite obstacles He emphasizes resilience—from working overnight radio shifts to confronting a life-threatening diagnosis. 4. To highlight the impact of HBCUs and Black fraternities He explains how Hampton University and Kappa Alpha Psi shaped his identity and leadership. 5. To celebrate representation in sports media Custer honors trailblazers like Irv Cross, James Brown, and Carol Simpson, showing how visibility opened doors. Key Takeaways 1. Early exposure builds dreams Watching Walter Cronkite, Friday Night Videos, and Ted Koppel developed his passion for broadcasting.His grandmother’s nightly viewing rituals deeply influenced him. 2. Representation matters Seeing Irv Cross, James Brown, and Carol Simpson on television affirmed his ambition and provided powerful role models. 3. Hard work—not shortcuts—built his career Custer’s first job was midnight–8 a.m. radio, reading hourly newscasts.He later interned and volunteered long after programs ended to gain experience. 4. Prostate cancer is a silent but deadly threat His routine physical revealed a suspicious PSA level (5.4), leading to a biopsy and an aggressive cancer diagnosis.He initially refused repeat screenings due to stigma but credits his doctor’s persistence with saving his life. 5. Using his platform for good became a mandate His surgeon urged him to become an advocate for prostate cancer awareness—particularly for Black men, who are disproportionately affected. 6. Vulnerability creates connection Custer’s openness about fear, masculinity, and mortality mirrors Rushion’s own thyroid cancer journey, creating an intimate, healing conversation. 7. Career longevity requires authenticity and relationship-building Custer praises mentors like James Brown and the brotherhood of Black media professionals.He underscores the importance of connections—not shortcuts—in building a respected brand. Notable Quotes (All directly from the transcript.) [Brian Custer | Txt] On childhood dreams & representation “I knew what I wanted to do when I was five.” “Ted Koppel… the way he interviewed people… I was enthralled.” “Irv Cross was the guy… then it became James Brown for me.” On fraternity life “All I knew was Kappa Alpha Psi.” “The streets of heaven are crimson and cream.” On breaking into broadcasting “My first job… midnight to eight… delivering the newscast every hour.” “The news director said, ‘You certainly don’t look the way you sound.’” On prostate cancer “You got cancer. It’s aggressive.” “All I heard was cancer.” “My doctor said, ‘Use your platform… men of color need a young face like you.’” On stigma and survival “People stereotype what a cancer survivor looks like.” “Cancer doesn’t go away when you ignore it.” On sports and life (On Garcia vs. Tank Davis):“That liver shot… it was a business decision. He’s too pretty to get his face rearranged.” On brotherhood and mentorship “You’re a legend in this business.” “We’re brothers now… I’m lumping you in with my best friend.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Guest Author: Paul GregoryHeadline: The Day the World Changed: Perspectives from Fort Worth and OklahomaSummary: On November 22, 1963, Pete Gregory watched President Kennedy in Fort Worth while his son Paul, a student in Oklahoma, witnessed the news of the assassination. Seeing the suspect on television, Paul instantly recognized Lee Harvey Oswald, realizing the gravity of his connection to the unfolding tragedy.Article: On the morning of November 22, Pete Gregory stood outside the Continental Life Insurance building to watch President Kennedy address a friendly crowd, dispelling fears of right-wing hostility in Texas, before returning to his office where he later learned the President had been shot. Meanwhile, at the University of Oklahoma, Paul Gregory watched Walter Cronkite tearfully announce the President's death before seeing a bruised Lee Harvey Oswald on television, prompting him to tell his classmates, "I know that guy," and immediately concluding that Oswald was likely guilty and had acted alone.
This episode was originally released on 2/1/2021. While new episodes of Breaking Walls are on hiatus I'll be going back and posting the older episodes. ____________ In Breaking Walls episode 112, we finish our five-part mini-series by examining NBC's business and programming during the 1949-50 radio season in the wake of the CBS talent raids by examining the steps NBC took to regain their footing as the television era began. —————————— Highlights: • Garroway • Frank Sinatra's Tailspin • Monday Night of Music • Ivy College and their Hallowed Halls • Christopher London vs. Jack Benny • Randy Stone Prowls Chicago's Night • Dimension X and Arnold Moss • Cloak and Dagger • Vincent Price and Simon Templar • Looking Ahead to Elliott Lewis —————————— The WallBreakers: http://thewallbreakers.com Subscribe to Breaking Walls everywhere you get your podcasts. To support the show: http://patreon.com/TheWallBreakers —————————— The reading material used in today's episode was: • On the Air — By John Dunning • Network Radio Ratings, 1932-53 — By Jim Ramsburg As well as articles from the archives of: • Broadcasting Magazine • Radio Daily • Variety —————————— On the interview front: • Ken Carpenter, Dave Garroway, Jim Jordan, Phil Leslie, Vincent Price, Lurene Tuttle, and Herb Vigran were with Chuck Schaden. Hear their full chats at SpeakingOfRadio.com. • Raymond Edward Johnson, Arnold Moss, Vincent Price, and Bill Robson were with Dick Bertel and Ed Corcoran for WTIC's The Golden Age of Radio. Hear these at Goldenage-WTIC.org. • Lawrence Dobkin and Elliott Lewis were with SPERDVAC. For more information, go to SPERDVAC.com. • Don Quinn was interviewed by Owen Cunningham in 1951, • Frank Sinatra was with Walter Cronkite in 1965, • Lurene Tuttle spoke with Same Time, Same Station in 1972. —————————— Selected music featured in today's episode was: • I Can Dream, Can't I — By The Andrews Sisters • Salute to Charlie Christian — By Barney Kessel • Holo Holo Haa — With Lani McIntyre • It All Depends on You — By Frank Sinatra • The Look of Love — By Billy May • Moon Moods — By Les Baxter • Spooky — By Dusty Springfield
Greg Kelly in the first hour discusses America's largest military, President George H. W. Bush, his feelings on Walter Cronkite and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Happy Martin Luther King Day! MR's compilation of MLK-related audio returns! Excerpts include: -A previously unheard speech from MLK on reparations, white economic anxiety and guaranteed income -Dr. King's first TV "interview" from the show "The Open Mind – The New Negro" in 1957, hosted by Professor Richard D. Hefner. -"Beyond Vietnam", the speech delivered on April 4, 1967 at Riverside Church in New York City. -MLK's last speech, "Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution", delivered at the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C., on 31 March 1968. -Walter Cronkite reporting King's assassination in 1968. -Nina Simone performing the song "Why?" live, 3 days following MLK's assassination at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island in April 1968.
DINO, AND SAMMY, AND FRANK - O MY!What tomfoolery! It's 4 o'clock in the morning, and these bad boys are just getting started. This recording is a rare glimpse into the real, live, Rat Pack experience - and, the slightly distorted, overloaded sound is just part of the cinema verite. “YOU ARE THERE,” as Walter Cronkite once intoned. The year is 1962. Dean Martin has circled back to the 500 club in Atlantic City, where his career with Jerry Lewis first exploded, and his rat pack brothers in arms are there to support. For anybody devoted to, or interested in this celebrated entourage of 20th century entertainers, you can't get any closer to the actual experience of being there. The banter is not particularly clever (they're enjoying themselves, I won't say MORE than the audience, but equally, at least). There are lapses in taste and attention to keeping the show moving - (an extended drunken improv about stools is one example) - and, though the finest singers of that generation are not always on perfect pitch here, it matters not a jot! The real personalities of these icons is vividly on display. The pecking order and inter-relationships are fascinating. And, as far as sheer entertainment value goes: The band swings hard, the legendary Sammy Davis Jr. sings, dances, and does impressions; Sinatra and Dino croon medleys to die for, and the whole 40 minutes is boffo. Not to be missed!“The 4AM Rat Pack performance presented here was privately pressed on vinyl as a special gift to very special 500 Club patrons.We present this untouched audio from the original acetate as it represents the taste and feel of this historic occasion.”By Don AltobellI will never forget August 26, 1962.I was 24 at the time and after having the good fortune of seeing Dean Martin's appearance at the 500 Club in Atlantic City on Aug 19 -- his first solo gig since his split with Jerry Lewis -- the following week gave me an added treat.Thanks to a drawing I did of Dean, I was able to see his opening shows and also attend rehearsals. And 500 Club owner Skinny Damato introduced me to Dean, who autographed my drawing, which still hangs on my living room wall.Fans knew that Dean's pal, Frank Sinatra, would join him midweek to conclude the engagement. Atlantic City was bursting at the seams, with all hotels, motels, and restaurants jam-packed. At the club itself, tables were pushed together to make room for more patrons. It was a bonanza time for Atlantic City long before the first casino was opened.That closing night after early dinner, I made my way through the block-long line and was ushered inside by a policeman who remembered me after seeing me at so many shows. I didn't mind that I had no seat.Dean was introduced as the star of the show and opened with "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" followed by "Volare," "On An Evening in Roma" and "Goody, Goody."Then Sinatra sang, "I Get a Kick Out Of You," followed by Sammy Davis' Jr. doing "The Lady Is A Tramp." (Davis also imitated some actors singing the song including James Cagney and Marlon Brando).Then Frank, Dean and Sammy clowned around and sang "You Are Too Beautiful," "Love Walked Right In" and "This Is My First Affair."While Dean and Frank sang, Sammy danced to "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "Too Marvelous for Words," "It Had To Be You," and "I've Got the World on a String."Then all three stars joined to close the s
THE TET OFFENSIVE AND THE SIEGE OF KHE SANH Colleague Geoffrey Wawro. In 1968, North Vietnamlaunched the Tet Offensive to deliver a knockout blow; while a military disaster for the communists, the televised breach of the US Embassy shattered American claims of progress and turned public opinion. Simultaneously, the siege of Khe Sanh symbolized the war's futility, as US forces fought fiercely to hold the base only to abandon and bulldoze it shortly after the battle concluded. These events led trusted figures like Walter Cronkite to declare the war a stalemate, convincing President Johnson that he had lost the support of middle America. NUMBER 12
Topics: Brant and Sherri review the "Most Listened To Podcasts" of 2025 On this episode (Aired 2/21/25): Patience, The Super Bowl, Worry, Information, Life Is A Flash, Breaking Animal News, CURE BONUS CONTENT: A Discouragement DM Quotes: "There's a timetable for things. Just be patient," "Worry doesn't help." "What's the currency for the Czech Republic." "Let me load the high caliber discouragement bullets." Check out our other podcasts: Living Unoffended Podcast Apple // Spotify Urban Bible Stories Apple // Spotify Snacks and Good Company Apple // Spotify
Description: The long-awaited "Epstein Files" are finally being unsealed. In this breaking episode, we dive into the first batch of 3,900 files released by the DOJ, featuring never-before-seen photos of Jeffrey Epstein with high-profile figures including Bill Clinton, legendary newsman Walter Cronkite, and entertainers like Michael Jackson and Chris Tucker. We discuss the disturbing imagery from his homes—including the "massage room" with graphic wall art—and the 119-page "Grand Jury-NY" document that was released entirely blacked out. Join us as we analyze the newly public flight logs, the $200 payments to victims, and why the DOJ website had a massive virtual queue just to view these documents
EPISODE SUMMARY: Lesley Visser is the most highly acclaimed female sportscaster of all time. She shares her journey to becoming the first woman to achieve numerous recognitions, the people who helped get her there, and many great stories from along the way.Visser was honored as a Giants of Broadcasting by the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation at the 2025 Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts luncheon and awards ceremony.On this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody, Chachi talks to Lesley Visser about:Growing up with a love of sports and getting a Carnegie Foundation scholarship to go into the male-dominated field of sports writingThe terrifying but exciting honor of being the first woman to cover the NFL Beat at The Boston GlobeTransitioning from writing to broadcasting on TV at CBS SportsGetting to present the Lombardi TrophyTraveling the world to report on major news such as the fall of the Berlin WallWorking with other legendary sports figures like Greg Gumbel and Terry Bradshaw, and riding on John Madden's busThe greatest events she's covered from Super Bowls to Final Fours to The Olympics and moreWhat it means to be a trailblazing woman, how sports reporting is evolving, and the progress that must still be madeThe role of technology in sports journalism, and her advice to future journalistsAnd More!ABOUT THIS EPISODE'S GUEST: Lesley Visser is the most highly acclaimed female sportscaster of all time. Across numerous accolades, she has been the “First” – the First woman enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; the First woman to win the Lifetime Achievement Sports Emmy and the First woman to win the Broadcasters Foundation of America Lifetime Achievement Award; the First woman on the Network broadcasts of the Final Four, the NBA Finals, the Super Bowl and the World Series. She is the First and only woman to have presented the Championship Lombardi Trophy at the Super Bowl. She was the First woman to cover the NFL as a beat, the First woman on Monday Night Football and the First female NFL analyst in both Radio and TV. She was the First female sportscaster to carry the Olympic Torch and the only winner of the Billie Jean King “Outstanding Journalist Award.”Visser is the only sportscaster – male or female – to have worked on the network broadcasts of the Final Four, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the Olympics, the World Series, the Triple Crown, the World Figure Skating Championship and the US Open Tennis.Visser was voted the No. 1 Female Sportscaster of All-Time by the National Sportscasters of America. Her career began at the Boston Globe in 1974 after she won a Carnegie Foundation grant, given to only 20 women in the country who wanted to go into jobs that were 95% male. The Boston Globe made her the First woman to cover the NFL as a beat, at a time when the credentials said, "No Women or Children in the Press Box." She was elected to the National Sports Media Hall of Fame for her writing at the Boston Globe, magazines and CBS.com, and she was voted to the Sportscasters Hall of Fame for her work at CBS, ABC, ESPN and HBO. Visser has been named a Muhammad Ali “Daughter of Greatness” and won the Newseum Award for Lifetime Achievement – First given to Walter Cronkite. She reported from the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, focusing on how sports would change in East Germany after reunification, and had the privilege, in 2013, of throwing out the First pitch for her beloved Red Sox. In October 2024, she was honored with the Vin Scully Award for Excellence in Sports Broadcasting by Fordham University's public media service, WFUV.A graduate of Boston College, which awarded her an Honorary Doctorate in 2007, she served on the Board of the V Foundation for Cancer Research for more than 20 years, while also serving on the Board of NYU's “Sports and Society.” Visser has mentored young women for decades, while speaking at colleges and businesses around the world – from Doha, Qatar, to Charleston, South Carolina, where she delivered an address at the Renaissance Weekend, founded by President Clinton. Her book, Sometimes You Have to Cross When It Says Don't Walk, is a memoir of breaking barriers. It has been optioned for both a movie and a TV series.The Hall of Fame sportscaster has spent more than 30 years at CBS and more than 45 in the business. She is a contributor to the only all-female network sports show, We Need To Talk, on CBS, and had a podcast, In Conversation with Lesley Visser, on SiriusXM. Visser has been voted one of the “Women we Love” by Esquire magazine and one of the “Five Ideal Dinner Guests” by GQ.She and her husband, Bob Kanuth, a former captain of Harvard basketball, live in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida.ABOUT THE PODCAST: Chachi Loves Everybody is brought to you by Benztown and hosted by the President of Benztown, Dave “Chachi” Denes. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the myths and legends of the radio industry.ABOUT BENZTOWN: Benztown is a leading international audio imaging, production library, voiceover, programming, podcasting, and jingle production company with over 3,000 affiliations on six different continents. Benztown provides audio brands and radio stations of all formats with end-to-end imaging and production, making high-quality sound and world- class audio branding a reality for radio stations of all market sizes and budgets. Benztown was named to the prestigious Inc. 5000 by Inc. magazine for five consecutive years as one of America's Fastest-Growing Privately Held Companies. With studios in Los Angeles and Stuttgart, Benztown offers the highest quality audio imaging work parts for 23 libraries across 14 music and spoken word formats including AC, Hot AC, CHR, Country, Hip Hop and R&B, Rhythmic, Classic Hits, Rock, News/Talk, Sports, and JACK. Benztown's Audio Architecture is one of the only commercial libraries that is built exclusively for radio spots to provide the right music for radio commercials. Benztown provides custom VO and imaging across all formats, including commercial VO and copywriting in partnership with Yamanair Creative. Benztown Radio Networks produces, markets, and distributes high-quality programming and services to radio stations around the world, including: The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown, The Todd-N-Tyler Radio Empire, Hot Mix, Sunday Night Slow Jams with R Dub!, Flashback, Top 10 Now & Then, Hey, Morton, StudioTexter, The Rooster Show Prep, and AmeriCountry. Benztown + McVay Media Podcast Networks produces and markets premium podcasts including: IEX: Boxes and Lines and Molecular Moments.Web: benztown.comFacebook: facebook.com/benztownradioTwitter: @benztownradioLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/benztownInstagram: instagram.com/benztownradio Enjoyed this episode of Chachi Loves Everybody? Let us know by leaving a review!
The Counter Momentum of Spin, with Dr. Franco Musio – The war was initially met with acceptance by the US population, though following the Tet Offensive in 1968 and Walter Cronkite's pronouncements on CBS News that the war was a losing proposition, resentment of American involvement steadily grew. Technological evolution allowed for increasingly sophisticated aircraft and weaponry, which...
Send us a textLibby Roderick is a singer, songwriter, and recording artist, who was born in Anchorage just before statehood. Her father Jack Roderick was the last mayor of the borough of Anchorage prior to the unification of the municipality in 1975. Libby recorded her first album in 1990 which included the song, “How could Anyone,” which has been featured on CNN, CBS, and the Associated Press. Her music has been featured at the U.N. Conference on Women, with Coretta Scott King and Walter Cronkite in Washington D.C., and played on Mars by NASA. Libby has also been the director of the University of Alaska Anchorage's Difficult Dialogues Initiative since 2006; through that initiative she has helped reinforce and protect civil discourse at centers of higher learning and beyond. According to former UAA Chancellor and governor of Alaska Sean Parnell: “Libby's work is a critical keystone in the university's service to students and to Alaska. The democracy-threatening polarization of the American public, social media's influence on our inability to find common ground, and the difficult but necessary discussions related to human dignity and educational access have combined to maker her leadership paramount to meeting the mission to the university.”
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square‘s annual Christmas concert has become a beloved holiday tradition in Utah and around the globe. The unforgettable night of music, inspiration and faith showcases the choir’s immense talent. Each year, the choir invites a guest artist to join them on stage. Looking back at past performances, the long list of esteemed guests includes Gladys Knight, Walter Cronkite, Sutton Foster and Kristin Chenoweth. Just last year, Broadway singer Ruthie Ann Miles graced the stage. On Friday, the choir announced that the esteemed guest stars at this year’s concert will be Tony Award-winning actress Stephanie J. Block and her husband, Broadway and television star Sebastian Arcelus.
Headline stories and then King Randall and his innovative school for boys~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Politics, Manage Your Energy, Grantifa, No Kings, French Crown Jewels Stolen, Robot War Dogs, Walter Cronkite, Leon Black, Friedrich Merz, President Maduro, Gaza Ceasefire, Ukraine Tomahawk Missiles, Ukraine War, President Trump, President Putin, King Randall, Scott AdamsKing Randall: Thexforboys.org~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If you would like to enjoy this same content plus bonus content from Scott Adams, including micro-lessons on lots of useful topics to build your talent stack, please see scottadams.locals.com for full access to that secret treasure.
Here's a short clip from our upcoming interview with Julia Alexander, the media correspondent for Puck and one of the foremost experts on media in the U.S. The full interview will be available on Thursday. In this clip, Alexander discusses how social media has splintered for sports discussion and how the idea of one social media site being the centralized place for sports is akin to Walter Cronkite returning as the solo voice of news. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
GGACP celebrates the birthday (b. August 6) of actor and director Peter Bonerz, by revisiting this interview from 2018. In this episode, Peter shares his views on the state of television comedy, the pros and cons of laugh tracks and the rights and wrongs of improvisational theater and looks back on his decades-long friendships with Bob Newhart and Suzanne Pleshette. Also, Redd Foxx changes his tune, Carroll O'Connor cashes a check, Woody Allen brings down the house and Peter directs Gilbert in an episode of “Wings.” PLUS: Rod Serling! Captain Kangaroo! The wit and wisdom of Buck Henry! Murphy Brown meets Walter Cronkite! And Peter remembers the late, great Bill Daily! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“Thank God for South Park.” Words Matter is back for another weekly edition of political therapy with Dr. Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf. Tune in as Norm and David discuss the current administration's attacks on education, their ever-increasing political abuses, and how South Park is doing a better job than the Democratic party at laying bare the horrors of this administration. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“Thank God for South Park.” Words Matter is back for another weekly edition of political therapy with Dr. Norm Ornstein and David Rothkopf. Tune in as Norm and David discuss the current administration's attacks on education, their ever-increasing political abuses, and how South Park is doing a better job than the Democratic party at laying bare the horrors of this administration. Looking for More from the DSR Network? Click Here: https://linktr.ee/deepstateradio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
WABC Host Bill O'Reilly calls in to touch on the shifting media landscape and his puzzling relationship with Howard Stern. O'Reilly recalls knowing Stern from their Boston University days and even having him on The O'Reilly Factor, but Stern now denies knowing him, which O'Reilly finds strange. He critiques Stern's transformation from rebellious satirist to Hollywood insider and political activist, suggesting it alienated his core audience and may explain declining SiriusXM subscriptions. O'Reilly reflects on the disappearance of true media icons like Walter Cronkite, Rush Limbaugh, and Johnny Carson, saying no one of that stature is emerging today. He praises Sid for being one of the last daring voices in radio and predicts that Stern may soon retire, though he might stay if he accepts a pay cut when his current contract is up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mischke interviews James Barrat, author of "The Intelligence Explosion: When AI Beats Humans at Everything." Then Tommy radically shifts gears and does a deep dive into the world of ex wives, before wrapping up the show with a lesson on phone usage and the sad pathetic maudlin end of news anchor Walter Cronkite.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mischke interviews James Barrat, author of "The Intelligence Explosion: When AI Beats Humans at Everything." Then Tommy radically shifts gears and does a deep dive into the world of ex wives, before wrapping up the show with a lesson on phone usage and the sad pathetic maudlin end of news anchor Walter Cronkite.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Domonique has flown in to celebrate Shirt Tuesday with Greg Cote and he is ready to discuss the mental fortitude of the champions at Roland Garros this weekend. Before we get to tennis and the NBA Finals, we have to recap Roy delivering the news, much like Walter Cronkite, as the Edmonton Oilers tied Game 2 against the Florida Panthers with 17 seconds left. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Len Testa and Jim Hill break down the surprisingly intense history of Epcot's Mission: Space—from launch-day astronauts and jetpack stunts to the guest experience that made this ride one of Disney's most regretted one-and-dones. The Grand Opening – Jetpacks, Walter Cronkite, Buzz Aldrin, and a fireworks display that nearly gave journalists flashbacks. What Went Wrong – Mission: Space didn't just thrill—it made people sick, killed plants, and gave Epcot's custodial team nightmares. The Shrubbery Crisis – Yes, protein spills killed the landscaping. Fixing the Fail – How Disney added trash cans, benches, cold air, and a non-spinning version of the ride (that's actually better). Ride Longevity – Why guests rarely re-ride, and how Mission: Space quietly became the least essential thrill ride at Walt Disney World. What Comes Next – With depreciation schedules catching up, is it finally time to replace it? And what's the likelihood of a Figment/Inside Out combo attraction next door? A fascinating look at how cutting-edge ambition can spin a little too hard—and what happens when the recovery benches outnumber the ride's fans. SHOW NOTES Support Our Sponsors DVC Resale Market Thinking about joining Disney Vacation Club or selling your contract? DVC Resale Market is the leader in the secondary market, with over 70,000 satisfied DVC members. Their expert team of 21 former DVC Cast Members brings unparalleled knowledge and experience to every transaction, making buying or selling DVC simple and stress-free. Learn More DVC Rental Store Dreaming of deluxe Disney accommodations at a fraction of the cost? The DVC Rental Store connects guests with incredible savings on Disney Vacation Club resorts. Whether you're a DVC member looking to rent your points or a guest looking to stay in style, the DVC Rental Store offers a seamless process for both. Don't forget—they also offer exciting point swaps for unforgettable experiences like cruises and adventures! Learn More Be Our Guest Vacations Planning your next Disney vacation? Be Our Guest Vacations is a Platinum-level Earmarked travel agency with concierge-level service to make every trip magical. Their team of expert agents plans vacations across the globe, from Disney and Universal to cruises and adventures, ensuring you have the best possible experience without the stress. Learn More Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices