Unscripted: the NolaPapa Podcast

Send us Fan Mail I am so excited to welcome back our segment, NolaPapa  EATS! Everybody loves New Orleans cuisine. For me, my heart flutters when I’m able to find a real authentic and delicious French bakery. That is what led me to my next guest, chef, and owner Cara Benson of New Orleans’ own French bakery, Tartine, New Orleans; a highly accomplished chef who has made a name for herself in the cu...

Send us Fan Mail  Welcome to this special episode, brought to you by Ochsner Hospital for Children in recognition of World Autism Awareness month and today we are joined by Dr. Lee  Annotti,  a pediatric psychologist at Ochsner Hospital for Children and an expert in autism spectrum disorders. Find out the myths, early warning signs and learn how to cope as a parent dealing with autism. Because par...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast, where we feature inspiring stories and conversations with people who are making a positive impact on the world. Today, we are honored to have Rob Sheer, the founder of global nonprofit Comfort Cases, join us. Comfort Cases is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing comfort and support to children in foster care. Through their p...

Send us Fan Mail We've got two wonderful guests this episode, and my goodness did I learn a lot! First up we talk to Dominique Fleitas, an assistant curator at the Audubon Zoo in NOLA who takes care of the Jaguar Jungle and the Louisiana Swamp exhibits.  Dom tells us about how she got interested in zoo work through her favorite animal, the North American Otter. We talk about Audubon's ne...

Send us Fan Mail Getting good beauty sleep is about more than just keeping yourself looking fresh. March 12-18 is National Sleep Health Week, so this episode we're talking to Ochsner Hospital's pediatric pulmonologist and sleep expert Dr. Leyden Lozada about healthy sleep habits for adults and kids.  Dr. Lozada tells us why sleep is critical for our health and growth, especially for kids...

Send us Fan Mail We're getting real and deep this week with inspirational writers Kari and John Turner. We're talking about what it's like to be a disabled person with children in America today. Kari and John are my husband's dear cousins, who accepted me into their family immediately and with open arms, and I'm thrilled for y'all to hear their story of inspiration an...

Send us Fan Mail I've been drinking coffee for a long time y'all, and as you may know I'm an anxious person... but are those two things connected? Does caffeine make us anxious, and if we're anxious people, should we be avoiding that sweet morning nectar we call coffee? Educating us this episode about the health impacts of coffee is my sweet husband, Oschner-affiliated psychiat...

Send us Fan Mail I love CBS's The Price is Right, it's been one of my favorite shows since I was little. So this episode we're paying homage to the show by talking to two people who's lives have changed because of TPIR! First up, Kerry Maloney come on down!  We talk to my good friend Carrie, photographer and blogger from Traveler Broads, and one of the winners of The Price Is R...

Send us Fan Mail There's a lot going on in February, and this episode we're discussing two of those important events.  First, we're talking about National Heart Health Month with Dr. Jake Kleinmahon, Pediatric Cardiologist at Ochsner Children's Hospital in New Orleans. Dr. Jake tells us how to keep our hearts and our kids' hearts healthy through healthy play and diets. He...

Send us Fan Mail I know it seems early, but it's already that time of year when many of us start planning our spring and summer vacations! This episode we're talking to Nick Bryan, a fellow gay dad and the owner of Sandpiper Vacations. Nick and I dig into what's the best cruise for adults with and without and kiddos, what we can expect when we book our families onto cruise ships pos...

Send us Fan Mail Which medicines should we be buying for our kids? And what are the differences? We're back this week with our good friend Dr. Jake Kleinmahon, Pediatric Cardiologist at Oschner Hospital for Children in New Orleans, for another "Dr. Jake's Take!" We're talking about getting our babies healthy before Mardi Gras parades kick off. We cover the difference betwe...

Send us Fan Mail I got CHILL BUMPS this week y'all! First we're checking back in with the one and only Cari Roy, New Orleans' famed psychic medium, about the guardian angels that stay all around us. Cari tells us how we're beloved by those in other realms, whether we know it or not, and we have spirit guides that can follow us across lifetimes. She gives so many people such pea...

Send us Fan Mail This episode we hear the stories of some really inspirational and strong people from our communities.  First, I talk to Jodi Harris, one of two gay sisters behind the incredible lotion company (and one of our beloved sponsors!) Pinxav. As Jodi tells us, her grandparents started Pinxav in the 1920's, and it was such a useful product it's now being used by families all ove...

Send us Fan Mail Happy new year, y'all! We're excited to be back for 2023 with a great lineup. This episode we've got two amazing guests talking to us about being healthy, and finding happiness in the new year.  First, we check in with the fabulous Ms. Patricia Greenberg AKA The Fitness Gourmet. She's the author of four healthy-eating cookbooks including "Eat Well, Live We...

Send us Fan Mail Parents get stressed at New Years, and I have three babies so I know our littles are feeling it too. This episode I'm talking to Dr. Nikita Patel, Pediatric specialist at Oschner's Hospital for Children in New Orleans, about how to help our kids manage the stress we all feel around the start of the new year.  Dr. Patel and I  talk about preparing our kids for stresses li...

Send us Fan Mail Can y'all believe it?! Christmas is here! And so is Country  Music Superstar, Ty Herndon!  He is joining us on our special Christmas Eve episode!! Ty tells us about his experience being raised in the church in Mississippi and following his dreams of being a country singer, years before he came out in 2014. We talk about how he dealt with telling his fans he was gay while he w...

Send us Fan Mail We're checking in with Dr. Jake Kleinmahon, Pediatric Cardiologist at Oschner's Hospital for Children, for another edition of Dr. Jake's Take. He's got some really important bits of holiday health info, like how to calm stressed out kids (and parents!) during the end of the year chaos. Then Dr. Jake spills the tea on why parents of teenagers should be alarmed a...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is all about the famous NOLA Réveillon Dinners - 23 courses, all-night parties, holidays done New Orleans Style! We're blessed with some delicious restaurants in NOLA, and one of my personal favorites is Commander's Palace, a 130-year-old family-run creole restaurant in the heart of the Garden District. I'm talking to Ti Martin, owner of Commander'...

Send us Fan Mail It's the winter season, when all the germs spread and everyone gets sick. Including Papa! This episode we're talking all about how we can help our kids stay healthy.  First, I talk to Dr. Lauren Mutter, who works in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Oschner Hospital for Kids here in New Orleans, about her top health and safety tips for parents this holiday season. We talk...

Send us Fan Mail Babies change everything, I say it all the time. Our three babies came to us through adoption, and since November is National Adoption Month, we're going to be talking about what it's like to adopt as a gay man, and what it's like to adopt a premature baby. First,  We Revisit Gayswithkids.com and pluck an INSPIRATIONAL article that I LIVE FOR.  I talk to fellow gay...

Send us Fan Mail When I was a kid I nerded out over meteorologists! I thought they were the coolest. This episode, I'm talking to one of my favorite NOLA meteorologists, David Bernard. When I heard he was leaving Fox8 to pursue his education in social work at Tulane University to be a therapist, I knew I had to ask him why he chose that path.  We talk about what it's been like for David...

Send us Fan Mail November is National Adoption Month, and as y'all may know, all three of our babies came to us through open adoption. So this episode, my husband Douglas joins us to talk about our experiences with the adoption process through the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. We're reliving those early days as new dads, how we chose the path of open adoption, and what it means fo...

Send us Fan Mail It's the spookiest time of the year y'all, Halloween! We all know New Orleans is haunted, so this episode we're talking to our friend Misti Gaither, paranormal investigator, and famed NOLA psychic medium Cari Roy, who you may have seen on The Today Show, A&E, and the Discovery and Travel Channels. I'm excited to be on location with Cari and Misti as we talk...

Send us Fan Mail I'm so excited for our new segment on kid's health, "Dr. Jake's Take" with our friend Dr. Jake Kleinmahon, pediatric cardiologist at Oschner Hospital in New Orleans! First up, Dr. Jake talks to us about balance when it comes to screen time for our kids. Does time on the Wii or Netflix really impact our children's heart health?! Dr. Jake says yes! FASC...

Send us Fan Mail Look out! A Brand New Segment that I am thrilled to launch is coming in hot!  NolaPapa Eats is a local, culinary segment sponsored in part by Rouses Markets.  It’s simple. I track down the chefs and restauranteurs that personally inspire me.  If they inspire me, I bet they will inspire you too!  This week we welcome chef, restauranteur, and author, Jarred Zeringue from Wayne Jacob...