My Fame, Explained

In this episode Larry Gilbert sat down with the multi-talented actor Oliver Trevena , a name synonymous with success in Hollywood, philanthropy, and entrepreneurship. With over 20 years in the entertainment industry, Trevena has seamlessly navigated various roles from acclaimed TV host to award-winning actor, producer, and philanthropist. Trevena’s journey in the spotlight began with his charismat...

Guest: Barry L. Levy - Creator, Showrunner, Executive Producer About the Episode: In this episode, we dive into the creative journey of Barry L. Levy, the mastermind behind Apple TV+'s latest original series, ME, premiering in July 2024. A seasoned screenwriter with a rich history in both film and television, Levy brings a wealth of experience and insight into the ever-evolving world of entert...

Meet Sophia Laurenzi , a dedicated journalist who covers health and policy, with a special focus on mental health and the criminal legal system. Sophia believes in the transformative power of words and humanity, and she is an ardent advocate for changing harmful systems into ones that are kinder, healthier, and more equitable for everyone. Sophia's journey into journalism took a profound turn...

Join us as we delve into the remarkable journey of Jim Keller , an icon of the American music scene whose illustrious career has spanned over four decades. From his roots as the co-founder, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter of the legendary rock band Tommy Tutone, to his pivotal role in working with music luminaries like Philip Glass and beyond. As the driving force behind Tommy Tutone, Kelle...

Larsen Jensen, the Founder and General Partner of Harpoon Ventures , is a pioneer in the world of venture capital, having co-founded one of Silicon Valley's first dual-use VC firms, now boasting over $300 million in assets under management. With a keen eye for innovation, Larsen has led numerous investments in defense tech, cybersecurity, AI, enterprise infrastructure, and frontier technology....

Delaney Harter is a highly skilled violinist renowned for her contributions to the scores of numerous hit films, such as "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves," "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," and "Mozart in the Jungle," among others. Notably, she has showcased her talent in diverse platforms, starring in Olivia Rodrigo 's music video "driving home 2 u&...

Devo Harris attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with a in degree in Economics and Strategic Management. Devo then earned an MBA degree from Columbia Business School. He signed his former college roommate, John Legend, to Kanye West’s GOOD Music label in 2003. Devo won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song in 2006 for his production of "Diamonds from...

Dr. Leonard Kleinrock is a computer scientist who developed the mathematical theory behind packet switching. He sent the first message between two computers on a network that was a precursor of the Internet. His is a distinguished Professor of Computer Science at UCLA. He has published over 250 papers and authored six books. Follow the My Fame, Explained podcast on  ⁠ Facebook ⁠  and  ⁠ Instagram...

Helena Nicklin is an award-winning, freelance, wine and spirits writer, broadcaster, wine consultant, drinks influencer and judge for various international wine and spirits awards. With twenty two years in the drinks industry, the London based writer's works have been published in newspapers and magazines and is a host of the global, drinks and food travel series, 'The Three Drinkers'...

Listen: Apple Podcasts  —  Spotify  —  Everywhere Else Christine Lakin began her acting career at a young age growing up in Atlanta, GA. She is best known for her role as Alicia "Al" Lambert on the 1990s ABC sitcom ' Step by Step .' Beyond acting, directing and producing, she performs voice-over work including the voice of Joyce Kinney on FOX's 'Family Guy.' Follow Christi...

Known as the largest candy and soda shop franchise in America, Robert Powells, along with his business partner Ryan Morgan, founded The Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shops . Though Powells has since sold his interests in the brand, there'w now over 100 locations in the U.S. and Canada. In 2015, he was featured on an episode of CBS's Undercover Boss. He has written a book titled, The Story of Rock...

Starting in the 1970s Robert Metcalfe co-invented Ethernet, 3Com, his multibillion-dollar networking company, now part of Hewlett-Packard. He formulated Metcalfe's law, which describes the effect of a telecommunications network. Most recently he is a retired Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at The University of Texas at Austin. He holds degrees from MIT and Harvard, including his PhD i...

Maja Kuczyńska, 22, was introduced to skydiving by her father when she was 10 years-old during a tandem jump with him. Five years later should would go on to become the junior champion in freestyle at the FAI competition in Prague. Participating in both outdoor and indoor tunnel skydiving as a Red Bull athlete , she has amazed a following of over a million on TikTok and 400k on Instagram posting h...

Jon Gabrus is an actor and comedian, best known for his work on MTV's Guy Code. He's had roles in TV Land's 'Younger,' 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine,' and 'Bones.' His podcast credits include, 'High & Mighty Podcast,' 'Raised By TV' and 'Action Boyz.' His latest show, '101 Places to Party Before You Die' comes to truTV on July 14, 2022. Follow Jon Gabrus on Instagram and Twitter . Follow the My Fame, Ex...

Chris Ume is a video visual effects specialist from Belgium with experience in social media, entertainment and business. He is probably best known as the creator of the parody deepfake Tom Cruise account on TikTok. The account went viral when it launched in 2021 and has amassed nearly 3.5 million followers as of early 2022. Beyond the social media account, Chris is the co-founder of Metaphysic.ai...

Fresh off the set of Ansley Gordon 's latest film, "Love on the Reef," in which she wrote and stars is as Dr. Isla Waters, she took time to join us for this episode. In February 2022, Ansley wrapped the starring role in another TV RomCom "Lean Into Love," which is set for a Spring 2023 release. In December 2021, she filmed another title she penned, "A Single's Guidebook to Love" which is set to co...

Imogen Crimp  studied English at Cambridge, followed by an MA in contemporary literature from University College London, where she specialized in female modernist writers. After university, she briefly studied singing at a London conservatory. She lives in London. Her debut novel, 'A Very Nice Girl' was released in early 2022. Follow the My Fame Explained podcast on  Facebook ,  Twi...

Chris Morris is only the second Master Distiller at the Woodford Reserve Distillery . He had an important role in the development of the Woodford Reserve launch in 1996. The whiskey is one of the world’s fastest growing bourbons. He's the mastermind behind Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, Rye, and Master’s Collection. Chris began his career in the spirits industry in 1976 as a trainee in Brown-Forma...

Natalie Rose is a professional Tiktok content creator, who became a viral sensation after posting a dance video in a hospital where someone commented on the clip, ”remember when you are a nurse you are supposed to be taking care of people instead of making a Tiktok,” and she replied to the person saying she is not a nurse.  Her actual job has never been revealed, which led her followers to at...

Recently featured in the fun auto insurance commercial for GEICO, the 90s classic duo Tag Team is back. Bursting onto the scene with their hit “Whoomp! (There It Is) in 1992, the track quickly climbed to #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B charts in just 14 days. The song has been showcased in national ad campaigns, Hollywood films and television series Tag Team pioneers DC The Brain Supreme and Steve...

Martin (Marty) Cooper , born in 1928, is a pioneer in the wireless industry, an inventor, entrepreneur, executive, and author. His essays and articles have been widely published. He is the author of Cutting the Chord . He believed the cellular phone should be a "an extension of its owner; that a telephone number represented that owner, not a place, not a desk, not a home, but a person." Cooper con...

Dr. Helen Fisher , Biological Anthropologist, is Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute and Chief Science Advisor to Match.com. She uses brain scanning (fMRI) to study the neural systems associated with the sex drive, romantic love, attachment, rejection, love addiction and long-term partnership happiness. She has written six books on lust, romance and attachment now sold in 25 countries—...

Veteran Disney animator Tom Bancroft (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” “The Lion King,” “Pocahontas,” “Mulan, ” “Mary Poppins Returns”) and founder of Pencilish Animation Studios, the world’s first, brand new crowd-owned animation studio - where fans become the owners -- created by a team of legendary alumni from Disney, Nickelodeon and DreamWorks. Bancroft, having animated on a number of top bo...

Jarom Sidwell is a Hollywood visual effects veteran known for his work on blockbuster films such as The Avengers, Avatar, The Hobbit, The Adventures of TinTin, Man of Steel and Transformers, among others. The highlight of his career though was being an especially ugly Gundabad Orc in The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies. Jarom created Immersive History, a software company focused on bringing the past...

After earning his Ph. D. in brewing from the University of Brussels in Belgium, an honor only a handful of brewers have achieved, Keith Villa came back stateside with the idea of crafting beers inspired by Belgian styles, but with a twist. His first interpretation turned out to be one of Coors Brewing Company's most popular beers, Blue Moon Belgian White and in 1995, the Blue Moon Brewing Company...