Were You Still Talking?

Episode #102 – Ken Cox: Punchlines, Punching Bags & A.I. In this episode, I sit down with Ken Cox — a stand-up comedian, boxer, gym owner, and storyteller who bridges worlds we don't always see together. We talk about the connections between comedy and combat, why he chose to buy the gym where he trained, the past and present of editing, and what AI might mean for creators. What We Dive Into: ·   ...

  Episode #101 – With Me. This one is not about me though, it's about all of you. Big thank you to everyone who has ever listened to the show or been on the show or thought about being on the show or contacted the show. Still learning, still growing, still doing the podcast. Stay tuned! 🎙️ Were You Still Talking? is hosted by Joel Albrecht – actor, content creator, and curious conversationalist. N...

Episode #100 – Albert Bramante: Hypnosis, Agents & Managing Self-Doubt In this special centennial episode, I'm joined by Albert Bramante, Ph. D. — talent agent, hypnosis & NLP practitioner, psychology expert, working with actors and creatives to push past mental barriers. We went deep: acting, agents, hypnosis, and even near-death experiences (NDEs). Here's what we unpacked. What We Talk About ·  ...

Episode #99 – John DeDakis: From White House Press Room to Novels & Edits In this episode, I talk with John DeDakis — former White House correspondent, longtime journalist, editor at CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer , now novelist, writing coach, and editor. We unpack what it means to tell stories in news versus fiction, the hard lessons behind writing & rewriting, and how editing makes...

Episode #98 – Mike Schwab: Lights, Laughs & Local Skies This week I sit down with Mike Schwab — a writer, actor, comedian, and short film creator who also happens to spend part of his days observing the weather at the local airport. (Yes, that's a real job, and yes, it's exactly as cool as it sounds.) We talk about the creative grind: from the challenges of writing and producing short films to the...

Episode #97 – Alan Lazaros Had an amazing conversation with Alan Lazaros, co-founder and co-host of Next Level University . We dove deep into the art (and science) of personal development, turning big dreams into actionable goals, and why self-improvement is a lifelong game worth playing. Alan shared how he overcame a near-death car accident to completely reinvent his life, build a thriving busine...

Episode #96 – Chuck McGee III: Breathing Through the Ice and Everything Else This one's a deep breath in and a blast of cold air out. Chuck McGee III—aka @icedvikingbreathworks —joins me for a wild and wide-ranging conversation about breathwork, recovery, resilience, and the power of the cold. Chuck is a certified Wim Hof Method instructor who has helped thousands reconnect to their breath, their...

🎧 Were You Still Talking? – Episode 95: Brad Elder – Thrillers, Texas & Starting Over In this episode, we cover everything from his law firm to writing his first novel to quitting smoking—and yes, even the passing of Ozzie Osbourne. Author Brad Elder joins me to talk about his debut legal thriller Recoil of Justice , and how he went from Texas businessman (who never rode a horse) to published nov...

Were You Still Talking? – Episode 94: Tim Thomas – Breath, Sharks, and Peaceful Sleep In Episode 94, I sit down with the deeply insightful and endlessly interesting Tim Thomas—a man who's swum with sharks, brewed coffee for fellow soldiers in Afghanistan, and now teaches people how to breathe their way to better lives (and better sleep). This conversation flows from adrenaline rush to stillness. W...

  Episode 93 – Kevin Palmieri | Leveling Up, Staying Consistent, and Getting (a Little) Off Topic In this episode of Were You Still Talking? , I chat with Kevin Palmieri—CFO, co-host, and co-creator of Next Level University —about his journey from hitting rock bottom to building a globally-ranked podcast and coaching brand focused on self-improvement and consistency. We talk about what it really t...

Episode #92 Robert J. Wolf 🎙️ Episode 92 – Dr. Robert J. Wolf: Survival, Family, and the Fight for Freedom In this powerful conversation, I talk with Dr. Robert J. Wolf—neuroradiologist, speaker, and author of Not a Real Enemy: The True Story of a Hungarian Jewish Man's Fight for Freedom . We explore the astonishing true story of his father, Ervin Wolf, who escaped both Nazi terror and Communist p...

Episode #91 Alan Katz Well that was a blast. Had a great conversation with AL Katz about his journey through Hollywood and beyond. We got into his time writing for iconic shows like Tales from the Crypt , working with legends like Robert Zemeckis and Walter Hill, navigating the wild world of TV and film production, and why he walked away from it all. We also dove into The Donor: A Modern Horror St...

Episode #90 With Peter Moore Ok, that was fun. Talked to Peter Moore about a few of the things he's been up to over his career. We talked about working as a columnist/cartoonist, writing for major magazines like Backpacker and, Men's Health, flying on a private jet with Matt Damon, meeting with Barack Obama, going on the Today Show, his favorite two spots in the world and so much more. Best place...

Episode #88 With David Amerland This one was a lot of fun. We had a great conversation even before the podcast started. (some of it included on YouTube). We talked about human behavior, his new book "Built to Last", understanding why we do the things we do and much more. David Amerland is a writer focused on how human behavior is shaped by modern forces, especially technology, and how that shift i...

Episode #88 With Jaime Schwarz Had a great conversation with Jaime about so many things, NFT's marketing, digital art, AI, cats and even raising kids a little bit. This short bio just scratches the surface: After growing up surrounded by over 20 struggling artists, performers, and art historians in his family and a decade long career as a creative director in NYC ad agencies, Jaime Schwarz filed t...

In the studio today I have Miles Spencer.   Great conversation. Learned a lot and enjoyed talking about his book - A Line in The Sand, trekking 1100 miles through the middle east, kayaking across the Long Island sound on a bet, doing it for 11 years after for charity, and running with bulls. More about the book: https://a.co/d/4l4MeXb More about Miles: Miles Spencer is an American digital media en...

In the studio today I have James "BLAME" Duhaime professional standup comedian and founder of the Eugene Comedy Crescendo company based in Eugene Oregon. James started his comedy career in 2012. He has since performed in hundreds of comedy shows all over the Pacific Northwest. James is also a movie producer and actor. He produced a video documentary "Coping With Comedy" released in 2015. http://ja...

Today, I am with Bob Coppes, a scientist and retired financier who has studied near-death experiences for decades. I'm ask him what those even are. His latest book on NDEs " Impressions of Near-Death Experiences" (2023 ) contains a wealth of quotes from a variety of NDE experiencers. In 2023, he became a board member of IANDS, the International Association for Near-Death Studies. I watch a lot of...

Episode #84 John Pabon Great and inspiring conversation with John. We talked about saving the Earth! OK, let's face it, it's not the earth that really needs saving, it's all the things that live on Earth. Anyway, he has a much more positive view on the subject than I do, and it was a very refreshing conversation. There was also a bit of controversy, Ooooooh, everyone loves controversy!   In his ow...

Episode #83 Chris White Hello, thanks for checking out the podcast. On this episode I am sitting down with Chris who I have worked with many times but know very little about. We talked about making movies, different jobs on set, memorizing lines, pdnos and all kinds of stuff. A link to some of the work that Chris has done: https://pdnos.ninja/ Music for all episodes by Jon Griffin. My YouTube chan...

Wow that was fantastic! What a great conversation with Taylor Morden , writer director producer and as it turns out neighbor. His documentaries include "The Last Blockbuster", "Ska In The 90s", "Unstuffed: A Build-A-Bear Story", and soon to be released I hope "Getting Lost" a lost documentary. We talked about how he got started making documentaries, how he writes, how he edits, reaching out to cel...

Episode #81 With Ricardo Martinez II: Amazing and personal interview with Ricardo. Learned a lot. Will never think of 911 calls the same again! Thanks for being on the show Ricardo. Ricardo Martinez II is a storyteller, author, and the host and creator of Within the Trenches - True stories from the 9-1-1 dispatchers who live them, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. He i...

Episode #80 With Dr. Carolle Jean-Murat: Had a wonderful conversation with Dr. Carolle about being a medical intuitive, her books, Louise Hay, eating, praying, loving and much more. More about Dr. Carolle, Dr. Carolle Jean-Murat, MD, is a gifted medical intuitive, spiritual healer, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, trained primary care specialist, and burnout prevention coach. Born an...

Episode #79 With Liz Entin: Today on the podcast I talked to Liz Entin. We talked about her book, her podcast, helping companies go to zero waste and a lot more. From her website: Liz began examining if there was evidence of an afterlife and anything paranormal in 2015 following the passing of her father. While she still considers herself skeptical and an atheist, (although she's a cultural Jew),...

Episode #78 With Rob Gutro: Today on the podcast I talk to Rob Gutro, an author, paranormal investigator, and medium with Inspired Ghost Tracking of Maryland. Since he was a teen, Rob has been able to receive messages from ghosts or spirits who have crossed over. As a scientist, he provides scientific explanations about how energy is the baseline for the afterlife and the medium that entities use...