My Views Are My Own

Elevator Pitches

In this episode, screenwriter Tom Schrack joins me to embrace the era of life where you can be a skateboarding dad without caring if anyone tries to judge you. Tom teaches me about how to do elevator pitches, which is a skill I've always wanted to learn. We discuss what we would want to do if we had the rights to certain intellectual properties and millions of dollars to create amazing films. And of course, we do a script read of one of Tom's screenplays and turned it into an audio drama. 

Aristotle to Trump: A History of Far-Right Extremism

What does it mean to be on the extreme political right? How is Aristotle considered a historical right-wing figure? What is the connection between conservatism and nostalgia? These are just some of the questions answered by Matt McManus, lecturer of political science at University of Michigan and author of "The Political Right and Equality: Turning Back the Tide of Egalitarian Modernity." He breaks down concepts such as how the right is unified by a hostility toward equality, reactionary politics, and the rise of fascism. We also discuss why Trump is the figure-head of the right wing movement in America but is not considered an intellectual, and who, then, is considered the intellectuals of the right wing movement in America and abroad. We then talk about why fascists believe there is a superior authority and what is required ideologically to make their arbitrary hierarchy function. All this and more in this week's episode.

 

Is The Muppet Christmas Carol the Best Christmas Movie of All Time?

Obviously, that is a rhetorical question. I am joined by special co-host Zach to discuss why, when, where, and how "The Muppet Christmas Carol" became the greatest Christmas movie of all time. We Bah-Humbug some of the most beloved Christmas films ever created. Then we explain why we love this movie and why it is one of the greatest musical, acting, and directing masterpieces for a Christmas movie that has ever happened. Don't believe us?? Listen to the episode, watch the film, and tell me why. 

Getting Dauntless with Will Blagrove

In this episode, the amazingly talented and hilarious actor Will Blagrove joins me to talk about leaving law school to pursue an acting career. We discuss several actors that have started liquor brands and I immediately become obsessed with being the marketing director for Blagrove Bourbon. We also create movie magic with a cold script read of some of the best arguments I could find between my neighbors on the Next Door app. I take the opportunity to ask Will for some much needed legal advice and we talk about his latest film "The Christmas Classic." Will has several other projects coming up including "American Rust" with Jeff Daniels. And we find out which New York borough every McDonald's Playland character is probably from. Spoiler alert: Mayor McCheese is from Manhattan, obviously.

Radical Dreamers with Amerigo Gazaway

In this episode, Amerigo Gazaway returns to the podcast to discuss his career as a DJ, producer, and emcee who is most known for his innovative mashup productions such as Fela Sol and "The Miseducation of Eunice Waymon." We discuss his recent album "Radical Dreamers," a departure from the mashup productions he is most known for. In "Radical Dreamers," Amerigo returns to his roots of 1990s video games which served as the inspiration for his career as a beat-maker and producer. We talk about Amerigo's journey from Nashville, TN where I first met him as a rapper and extraordinary DJ, to Croatia where he currently lives and produces his own music. I also debut my own track based on my favorite nostalgic video game.

From the Archives: 2,653 Miles from Mexico to Canada

This episode was originally released on October 6, 2021.

 

In this episode, Brandon Case tells me about hiking 2,653 miles from Mexico to Canada solo on the Pacific Crest Trail while recovering from a traumatic brain injury from a motorcycle crash. We talk about treasure hunting, encounters with mountain lions and bears, and hiking through wildfires. And there is a 1 in 12 chance I will read you your horoscope.

Art Imitates Life Imitates Art

In this episode, I am joined by author, actor, and producer D. Elliot Woods. We discuss the power of entertainment media and the arts and how storytelling through film, television, and books has the ability to change society in ways that are often much more effective or pervasive than government policy or news media. We discuss his latest suspense/thriller novel Rise of the Unicorn, and how his own lived experiences help inform and inspire his creative works. Elliot has acted in many popular shows such as NCIS: LA, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and several Star Trek films and TV shows. We discuss the particular impact Star Trek has made as a franchise that has long centered inclusivity and diversity. We also talk about how Elliot is from the same city as my favorite author, Kurt Vonnegut, and the humbling and epic journey of fatherhood. 

Never Rat on Your Friends and Always Keep Your Mouth Shut

In this episode, actor, director, and filmmaker Steve Young joins me to talk about why he decided to quit his lucrative job as an actuary on Wall Street to pursue his passion for making movies. We discuss how he landed several roles in feature films as well as his directorial debut "Hell's Kitchen," a short film about mobsters in New York City. Steve and I talk about our shared love for gangster films and how we surprisingly have the almost exact same top five ranking for best gangster films of all time. Obviously I had to ask Steve to join me in some improv to find out what it would be like if the Godfather Don Vito Corleone went to Jurassic Park or played Pokémon. You can find out too by listening to this podcast episode.

From the Archives: Wilderness Adventures with Frank Wolf

This episode was originally released July 10, 2021.

 

In this episode I talk with renowned explorer and gnarly wilderness dude Frank Wolf. I get inspired to go on an adventure. And I hope this conversation inspires you to go on an adventure too. 

Florida vs. New York: This Time It’s Personal

When I first discovered there was a raging debate on the internet about whether the state of Florida or the state of New York was a better place to live, I knew that I had to bring a voice of reason to this age old argument. That's why I called actor and comedian Torrey Huggins to help settle this dispute once and for all. We use the latest advancements in journalistic excellence to analyze, dissect, and scrutinize the top headlines from both states to come to a decisive conclusion about which place is worse. Which one comes out on the bottom? The only way to find out is to listen to this podcast episode. Obviously, Doug and Torrey remain extremely unbiased and professional, and this is the most objective analysis of Floridian and New York news that has ever been done. We also write an entire Law and Order episode using a Mad Lib that we will submit for Dick Wolf's consideration.

Halloween Spooktacular 4

In a terrifying turn of events, Doug and Zach were kidnapped by the clown puppet from the Saw movies and are being held hostage on a train! Clown puppet is threatening to release their nude photos to TMZ and ruin their chance of ever getting a People's Choice Award! The clown puppet's demands are clear. Doug and Zach have to produce five terrifying Zoom calls in order to unlock the train car doors and escape the train as well as keep their nudes off of TMZ forever. Will they survive this harrowing predicament? The only way to find out is to listen to this spooky episode. 

Featuring: Special co-host Zach Wilkinson, Danny Moss, Marianna Barksdale, Jasna Celovic, Liz Saydah, co-producer Bill, and co-producer Colleen.

Living to 100 Years Old and Beyond

In this episode I am joined by William J. Kole, award-winning journalist and author of "The Big 100: The New World of Super-Aging," an exploration of extreme longevity. We discuss the rapidly increasing demographic of people who are 100 years old and older and how this trend is continuing. We also talk about blue zones and how they may or may not affect people's ability to extend their lifespan due to their surroundings and lifestyles. In Bill's incredibly impressive career, he has reported on several extraordinary events including being a reporter at the Hague. I ask Bill if there's a chance we'll see a 120-year-old Nazi go on trial there, and he says it's certainly a possibility. We also discuss the increased risk of elder poverty and how we can combat that as a society, the implications of our youth-obsessed ageist culture and how this is a modern development, and all of the tricks and tips you might need if you want to live to be 100 years old yourself. 

Taking the Perfect Photo with NitaInNashville

For long-time listeners of the show, you've probably heard me talk about "Old Nashville" vs. "New Nashville." And I haven't always been objective on how the city has changed. But thankfully I met photographer Nita Ann who not only inspired me to take a new look at the city, but also inspired me to even make a new vision board for myself, no joke. Nita Ann moved to Nashville from Ohio and turned her side hustle into a full-time career, doing professional photography with her iPhone. In this episode, she shares step-by-step instructions on how to get the perfect photo. We discuss the fun and not-so-fun parts of networking, the dos and don'ts of taking a great picture, and why Nashville is such a fun city to be a photographer in. 

Bonus Episode: Ask A Stupid Question Day

It's time for another holiday special. And this time we're celebrating Ask A Stupid Question Day. I'm joined by special cohost Zach Wilkinson as we learn everything there is to know about this holiday and how to celebrate it. And we celebrate it. Hard. So join us on this journey of knowledge and discovery as we grow to love and admire the stupidity in all of us.  

From the Dojo to the Director’s Chair with Choice Skinner

Award winning filmmaker Choice Skinner joins me on the podcast today to talk about deciding to go from running his own martial arts studio to working in the music industry. Then we talk about why he left the music industry to become a stuntman. After being a stuntman he moved to acting. And then he moved from actor to director. Then from director to starting his own production company Darkan Entertainment. We also discuss the making of his latest film A New Life. All that and more in this episode.  

The Talented Mr. Steiner

When I first met Andrew Steiner, he told me that he was a stand-up comedian. But I felt like there was more to the story. So I investigated. Deeply. On Google. And I was astounded to find out there was so much he wasn't telling me! The first thing I uncovered in my research is that Andrew Steiner teaches theoretical nuclear astrophysics to graduate students. My research further revealed that he holds a senior position at a leading medical research organization and has had a decades-long career in finance. He has been passionate about cheese for years, and even rose from a waiter to become a nationally renowned cheese expert. On top of all that, he died in 2009 and yet still showed up to our interview. The following podcast you are about to listen to is my interrogation of Andrew Steiner and the discrepancies in his resume.

Don’t Hate the Player, Hate the Game

In this episode, the amazing and talented Elizabeth Saydah joins me to share her talents as a voice actress. You may recognize her voice from some of your favorite video games! It also turns out she is a master of improv, and we are finally able to find out what it would be like if Ian McKellen acted in Red Dead Redemption, if Joe Pesci was in Halo, if John Malkovich was in Mario Kart, and if Hugh Jackman was in Grand Theft Auto. But more importantly than all that, she teaches me the difference between how to voice act in a Mercedes Benz commercial compared to a Hyundai commercial. I forgot which country Mercedes Benz and BMW fought for in WWI, but that's because I drive a Hyundai, and if they want me to care about things like that they can contact me at myviewsaremyown.podcast@gmail.com!

Alaska’s Mysterious Triangle: Portals, Strange Phenomena, and the Nature of Time

Mike Ricksecker is a best-selling author and researcher who has appeared as an expert on several investigative programs on the History Channel, the Travel Channel, and Disney+ to explain things that are difficult to explain. He joins me on the podcast to talk about the Alaska Triangle, shadow beings, time travelers, extraterrestrials, and UFOs. We also get the opportunity to talk about his latest book, "Travels Through Time" to discuss ancient alchemy and the secrets of the Ouroboros, the nature of time, and the paradoxes of time travel. I gain insight on a personal experience I had many years ago concerning lucid dreaming and how this experience relates to a phenomenon that has been documented for thousands of years.

Extry! Extry! Read All About It!

Martin Morrow is an LA-based comedian that has appeared on NBC's Last Comic Standing, Netflix's I Think You Should Leave, and Comedy Central, but now most importantly he has joined me on My Views Are My Own Podcast. We make sense of some of the most sensational news stories that have gone under the radar in recent weeks. We discuss an enormous bologna sandwich in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and a missing Texas rodeo goat from a small rural county (rumor has it Jason Aldean is writing his next hate song about this goat!). And, in world news, sea otters are stealing surf boards off the coast of Santa Cruz in solidarity with orcas and we support them implicitly.

Good News! Hanging Out is Good for Your Health!

Hanging out is one of my favorite things to do already. But now, I can feel even better about it because Sheila Liming, author of "Hanging Out: The Radical Power of Killing Time" told me it would help me be happier and make the world a better place. Yay! We talk about what makes hanging out a radical act, why we both love and hate parties, how to find friends as you get older, and how hanging out on a reality TV show inspired her to write her book. Should you seek out strangers and start hanging out with them? Can dinner parties be both fun and stressful?  Does hanging out on the internet count? All this and more on this week's episode.