Randy Unscripted

What is shameful?  It’s a question that seems simple at first, but the answer depends a lot on when—and where—you ask it. Inspired by a thought-provoking quote from Jerry Seinfeld, this episode explores how society’s understanding of shame, embarrassment, and social expectations has changed over time.  From privacy and humility to self-promotion and public attention, we examine how cultu...

What does it really mean to own something? For generations, ownership was simple. You bought a book, a record, a movie, or a piece of software, and it was yours. But in an age of streaming services, cloud platforms, subscriptions, and digital purchases, that definition has become much less clear. Have we quietly traded ownership for convenience?  A recent announcement from Sony sparked a much...

Every generation worries about the one coming up behind it. We hear concerns about phones, social media, artificial intelligence, and attention spans almost daily. But what if we’re asking the wrong question? What if the biggest challenge facing the next generation isn’t technology at all?  In this episode of Randy Unscripted, Randy explores the idea that young people don’t necessarily need b...

What did God leave out of the Bible? That simple question—shared on a note and discussed on an episode of We Get To Do This with Adam Curry and Pastor Jimmy Pruitt—sparked a much deeper conversation. As Christians, we often focus on what we wish Scripture would tell us: what Jesus wrote in the dirt, what Paul’s thorn in the flesh really was, what happened during the silent years of Jesus’ life, an...

More than a decade ago, I saved a simple educational technology graphic that made a lasting impression on me. In fact, I liked it so much that I contacted its creator, received permission to use it, and even printed it on the back of my business cards. Recently, while scrolling through old photos on my iPhone, I stumbled across that same image. At first glance, it looked like a relic from another...

For more than four decades, "Weird Al" Yankovic has remained one of the most recognizable and respected creators in entertainment. While many artists have come and gone, Al has continued to find new audiences, adapt to changing technologies, and build a career defined by creativity, professionalism, and longevity. In this episode of Randy Unscripted, Randy explores seven lessons podcasters—and cre...

Six months ago, Mikey joined me on Randy Unscripted to talk about his senior year, his growing passion for music, and his plans after high school. Now, just days after walking across the graduation stage, he’s back to reflect on what has changed, what surprised him, and what comes next. We discuss the friendships he built through marching band and jazz band, the memories he’ll carry with him, and...

Why does every graduation ceremony seem to use the same song? In this episode of Randy Unscripted, we explore the surprising history behind “Pomp and Circumstance,” the melody that has become synonymous with graduation season across America. Long before it echoed through school gymnasiums and commencement halls, the piece began as a British military march composed by Sir Edward Elgar in 1901. Over...

Episode #43 of Randy Unscripted takes a reflective look at Memorial Day and the meaning many Americans have gradually lost sight of over time. While the holiday has become widely associated with cookouts, travel, sales, and the unofficial beginning of summer, this episode gently revisits the original purpose behind Memorial Day: honoring the men and women who gave their lives in military service t...

In this episode, we discuss the psychology of podcasting and why the format can feel especially personal and intimate. We explore parasocial relationships, how repeated listening and familiar voices can make creators feel like part of a listener’s social world, and how the microphone can shape what we emphasize and repeat over time. We also look at the value of these connections, including comfort...

In this episode of Randy Unscripted, Randy explores the growing cultural phenomenon known as “Main Character Syndrome” — the mindset that life revolves around us and everyone else exists as supporting characters in our personal story. From social media and performance culture to identity, validation, anxiety, and loneliness, this episode examines how modern life increasingly pressures people to cu...

In this episode of Randy Unscripted , Randy explores the concept of Continuous Partial Attention, a term coined by Linda Stone to describe the modern habit of constantly dividing attention across multiple devices, notifications, conversations, and streams of information. He reflects on how smartphones, social media, email, and the expectation of perpetual connectivity have reshaped the way people...

In this episode of Randy Unscripted , Randy reflects on a powerful 60 Minutes segment featuring Scott Pelley interviewing former university president and senator Ben Sasse about community, relationships, and the growing isolation present in modern culture. The discussion centers on a terminally ill professor’s perspective on what ultimately matters in life and how many people spend their time purs...

In this episode of Randy Unscripted , Randy examines public education funding in West Virginia and asks whether the state is seeing meaningful academic results from its educational spending. Using publicly available statistics and national assessment data, he compares West Virginia’s per-student spending against national averages while also looking at student performance rankings in subjects like...

In this episode of Randy Unscripted , Randy reflects on the meaning of the word “remarkable” and why it has been occupying his thoughts lately. Inspired by comments from podcasting educator Dave Jackson about creating remarkable content, Randy examines how the word is often automatically associated with praise and success even though its true meaning is simply something worthy of attention or disc...

In this episode of Randy Unscripted , we examine the fatal shooting of a woman in Minnesota by a federal ICE officer. Many discussions around this incident have focused on emotion, politics, or selective interpretations of video footage. Here, we cut through the noise and analyze what Minnesota law actually says about use of deadly force. We review the publicly available video evidence, which show...

In this episode of Randy Unscripted , Randy Black takes a thoughtful, even-handed look at the growing school choice movement in West Virginia, with a particular focus on the Hope Scholarship Program. As the program expands toward universal eligibility, it has sparked intense debate among parents, educators, policymakers, and taxpayers. This episode breaks down what the Hope Scholarship is, how it...

In this episode of Randy Unscripted , we explore the top ten myths about podcasting that can hold creators back before they even hit record. From the pressure to include video, to fears about gear, downloads, and consistency, we examine the most common misconceptions and why they aren’t always true. This episode is designed to help both new and experienced podcasters cut through the noise and focu...

In this episode of Randy Unscripted , Randy reflects on a thought-provoking opinion article published by Fox News that challenges a long-held assumption in education: that a 4.0 GPA automatically signals academic mastery. Drawing from the article and his own experience as an educator, Randy explores how grades have increasingly come to represent effort, compliance, and system navigation rather tha...

In this episode of Randy Unscripted , Randy takes an unfiltered look at apostasy and its growing impact on the modern Christian Church. Drawing from Scripture and cultural observation, the conversation defines apostasy as a “falling away” from biblical truth and explores how this spiritual drift is not a distant theological concept, but a present and visible reality within today’s faith landscape....

Reflection and Challenges Randy Black reflects on the month of NAPODPOMO 2025, highlighting how the journey tested his discipline and creativity. The month was particularly challenging due to a personal loss when his father-in-law passed away on day 24. Despite this setback, Randy realized that the routine and focus cultivated through NAPODPOMO provided a lifeline, helping him maintain purpose and...

Reflection on NaPodPoMo 2025 Experience: Randy Black reflects on the challenges and lessons learned from completing 30 podcast episodes in 30 days. Initially expecting the endeavor to be incredibly difficult, Randy faced worries about creativity, inspiration, and burnout. However, he discovered that commitment to the process led to personal growth and resilience. Challenges and Adaptations: Creati...

Randy Black’s Reflection on Christmas Introduction: Randy reflects on the holiday season, focusing on the deeper spiritual meaning of Christmas rather than the commercialism often associated with it. The Commercialization of Christmas: Randy notes the overwhelming commercialism during the holiday season, with advertisements for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and other sales inundating people. He emph...

Spiritual Meaning of Thanksgiving The episode discusses the spiritual significance of Thanksgiving, emphasizing it as a command and a posture in the Christian faith rather than just a holiday. It highlights how thanksgiving involves remembering God’s faithfulness, trusting in His sovereignty, and aligning our spiritual center with God’s goodness. Scripture References The episode references several...

On this episode of Randy Unscripted, Randy presents an episode focused on the character of a nation, using Thanksgiving as a moral compass. He emphasizes the importance of understanding a nation through its values rather than just its timeline. The Role of Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is highlighted as a reminder of virtues like humility, responsibility, generosity, and empathy. Gratitude is seen as...