Episodes

What if the future isn't something we're trying to predict... but something we're trying to understand about ourselves? The stories we tell about tomorrow often reveal more about today than we realize. In this thoughtful conversation, Michael sits down with author and cultural thinker Amy Bernstein to explore why speculative fiction has become one of the most powerful ways to make sense of an uncertain world. Together, they examine how imagination helps us process fear, hope, identity, and the ...

In this episode, Diane and Michael take a deep dive into Elle, the new prequel series that reimagines Elle Woods’ early life. With their personal connection to Karen McCullah Lutz, the screenwriter behind the original Legally Blonde, they bring a fresh, intimate perspective to the conversation. They discuss: • The show’s premise • Cast, producers & creative team • The 1990s Seattle setting • Themes of identity, belonging & early empowerment • Mixed reviews & audience reactions • Why this ...

In this powerful, unhurried conversation, Michael sits down with Hakeem Bourne McFarlane, the creator of the Choose Yourself movement — a man whose life has been shaped by instability, loss, addiction, discipline, and the courage to rebuild from the inside out. Hakeem grew up mixed‑race inside addiction and silence, always adapting, always earning belonging instead of feeling it. Sports became identity. Performance became validation. And then everything collapsed — five knee surgeries, chronic ...

Welcome to Part Two of our special two‑part conversation with Leah Renee — the only ex‑Mormon housewife turned stand‑up comedian she’s ever met. In Part One, we explored the life she lived before everything changed: her Mormon upbringing, the early cracks in her identity, the pressure of motherhood, and the moment she realized the life she was living wasn’t truly hers. Now, in Part Two, we step directly into the transformation itself — the unraveling, the rebuilding, and the wild, hilarious, d...

What happens when the identity you were handed… no longer fits the person you’re becoming? In Part One of this special two‑part cinematic conversation, Michael sits down with Leah Renee — the only ex‑Mormon housewife turned stand‑up comedian she’s ever met. Before the comedy stages, before the sold‑out shows, before the reinvention… there was a life built inside a belief system she once thought she’d never leave. In this first half of her story, Leah opens up about: • Growing up devout Mormon...

Art is more than color on canvas — it’s memory, identity, and the way a culture says, “We were here.” In this powerful conversation, Michael sits down with Dr. Archana Srivastava, TEDx speaker, PhD historian, award‑winning artist, and founder of ArtSage and Les Trésors Art Gallery. Her mission is urgent: to save India’s vanishing folk and tribal art forms, some preserved by only a few families left. Together, they explore how art becomes activism, why creativity is the most underrated leadershi...

What happens when a lifelong storyteller refuses to stay in one lane? In this episode, Michael sits down with Richard Sparks — acclaimed British comedy writer, opera collaborator, and fantasy novelist — to explore a career defined by reinvention, imagination, and the courage to follow creativity wherever it leads. Richard has written for some of the most iconic comedy voices in the UK, crafted librettos for opera, and now builds entire worlds through fantasy fiction. His journey is a maste...

What happens when a Special Forces operator, professional fighter, and lifelong warrior finally meets the one opponent he can’t out‑run: his own nervous system? In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Michael sits down with Tim Thomas, founder of Breathwork in Bed, former Australian Special Forces operator, PTSD survivor, and a man who rebuilt his life one breath at a time. Tim shares how trauma rewired his body, how sleep became impossible, and how breathwork became the doorway back t...

With Father's Day just around the corner, we're reaching back into our library to bring you one of the most moving conversations we've had at this table — and one that has stayed with us long after the microphones turned off. At 72 years old, Marine combat veteran Rand R. Timmerman did something most people half his age will never attempt. He hiked the entire 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail. But this wasn't just an adventure — it was a mission of love. Rand's brother Ron, a 71-year-old Army veter...

What does it mean to keep your voice — your real, human voice — in a world where AI can mimic almost anything? This week, narrator, actor, voice artist, and writer Kris Keppeler joins Michael for a warm, honest, and deeply human conversation about creativity, identity, and staying connected to the people you create for. Kris has narrated more than 50 audiobooks, performed everything from cats to presidents, and built a storytelling career around curiosity, humor, and the power of voice. Toget...

Some conversations stay with you long after the microphones turn off — and this is one of them. This Producer’s Favorite encore episode brings back a powerful, deeply reflective dialogue with Daniel Anderson, a Holistic Success & Legacy Coach whose work helps people break free from burnout, inherited patterns, and the quiet disconnection that keeps them from living out their purpose. Daniel’s journey — from feeling voiceless in a large family to becoming a guide for others seeking clarity, heal...

In this cinematic conversation, Michael sits down with Richard McWhorter, a Beverly Hills–based Private Wealth Advisor with more than 32 years of guiding high‑net‑worth and ultra‑high‑net‑worth individuals — including athletes, entertainers, and multigenerational families — through the most pivotal moments of their lives. Richard’s work goes far beyond financial planning. He is the person people call when life gets complicated. Takeaways: Money is not merely a numerical value; it serve...

A profound exploration of metaphysical awakening unfolds in this producer‑favorite replay from September 2025, as Michael sits down with Sara Byers — a respected business leader whose life was transformed by an unexpected spiritual opening. After the passing of her stepfather in 2020, Sara began receiving more than 3,000 pieces of poetry, often in the quiet hours of the night. These writings became a channel for deep truths about grief, identity, intuition, and the unseen forces that shape our ...

Director Ricardo de Montreuil joins Michael for a cinematic conversation about Mistura, the Peruvian film that blends food, memory, identity, and virtual production to bring 1960s Lima back to life. Together, they explore the emotional and cultural heartbeat of the story — from Afro‑Peruvian heritage to the flavors that shape who we are, individually and collectively. As Ricardo reflects on the personal journey of resurrecting a city that once flourished, the conversation opens into something...

In this Over the Teacup Sunday episode, Michael & Diane sit down to explore Rooster, the new HBO series starring Steve Carell and created by Bill Lawrence & Matt Tarses (Ted Lasso, Shrinking, Scrubs). They dive into the show’s warm, character‑driven storytelling, the small‑town secrets at its center, and the grounded emotional depth Carell brings to the role. With a standout ensemble cast — Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster, Charly Clive, Lauren Tsai, Annie Mumolo, Madison Hu, Rory Scovel, and J...

What if the story you’ve been told about food your whole life… wasn’t the truth? In this conversation, wellness pioneer Cherie Calbom opens up about the trauma that shaped her, the healing that rebuilt her, and the lies about nutrition that changed the health of an entire generation. Together, we explore the seed‑oil scandal, the rise of chronic illness, and the emotional journey of reclaiming your body — and your life. This is an unhurried, human conversation about truth, identity, and the cou...

What is it about travel that transforms us? Does stepping into a new place make us wiser, more compassionate, more connected to the world? Or is travel sometimes just an escape — a temporary break from the weight of everyday life? Today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes with Douglas Brouwer, author of The Traveler’s Path: Finding Spiritual Growth and Inspiration Through Travel. Douglas has spent a lifetime exploring the world — not for the postcards, but for the meaning beneath the...

What happens when the story you’ve been trained to tell can no longer hold the truth you’re living? In this cinematic and deeply human conversation, journalist‑turned‑storyhealer Candace Lynn Talmadge joins Michael to explore grief, myth, reinvention, and the power of narrative to transform emotional trauma. After decades in the disciplined world of journalism, Candace’s life was shattered by the loss of her wife — a moment that revealed the limits of reporting and opened the door to something ...

In this Over the Teacup episode, Michael and Diane sit down to unpack Margo’s Got Money Troubles, the new Apple TV dramedy created by David E. Kelley and starring Elle Fanning, Nick Offerman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nicole Kidman. Together, they explore the show’s messy, heartfelt world — from Margo’s unexpected journey into single motherhood and OnlyFans survival, to the complicated, hilarious, and deeply human relationship with her estranged wrestler‑dad, Jinx. Michael and Diane dive into the...

In this cinematic and deeply human conversation, Heather Ann Ferri joins Michael Herst at the Mediterranean table to explore healing, identity, trauma, and the stories we carry — and the ones we choose to rewrite. Heather shares her powerful journey through childhood trauma, chronic illness, spiritual awakening, and the lifelong work of reclaiming the self. Together, she and Michael dive into the emotional patterns we inherit, the cultural forces that shape us, and the rituals that help us retu...

What if one journey could rewrite the story you’ve been carrying your entire life? In this listener‑favorite episode, we revisit the extraordinary journey of Kirsten Rudberg, whose life was shaped by growing up overseas with a mother battling severe depression — a childhood marked by instability, emotional distance, and the quiet work of trying to understand her place in the world. Everything shifted when she felt an undeniable pull to walk the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage that challenged h...

What do we learn about ourselves when we step into places that test us? The exploration of our true selves often unfolds in the challenging environments that test our limits. The nature of self-discovery is intrinsically tied to the journeys we undertake, particularly those that challenge our preconceived notions of comfort and fulfillment. In this cinematic episode, Michael sits down with Miles Spencer — adventurer, multi exit founder, media innovator, artist, and mentor — to explore the less...

This encore episode—originally aired April 30, 2025—remains one of my favorites. Emmy‑nominated producer and director Neil Laird joins me to explore how untold stories become powerful narratives that captivate audiences worldwide. With more than 1,000 hours of documentary programming for Discovery, National Geographic, and the BBC, Neil shares insights from his adventures across 70+ countries, the balance between historical accuracy and entertainment, and the importance of representation in stor...

Award‑winning author Lexy Shaw Delorme has lived a life as genre‑defying as her fiction — rock musician, scientist, attorney, and global traveler. In this conversation, she shares the real stories behind The Limerent Series, the themes that shape her work, and how living across three continents transformed her voice as a writer. If you love creativity, reinvention, and emotionally charged storytelling, this episode is for you. In this conversation, Lexy (writing as L.S. Delorme) takes us inside...