Judd Apatow On Comedy, Creativity, And Embracing Your Inner Weirdo

You can’t grow if you don’t confront that which limits you. So face it. Ask for help. Have the hard conversations. Commit to the work. And I promise, your life will change. I’ve seen it come to pass countless times—in myself and many others. But few have more experience with personal transformation than Karamo Brown—a man who overcame tremendous adversity to enliven the best in others. The ‘culture’ expert on Netflix’s massive hit show Queer Eye, Karamo is a father, former social worker, and psychotherapist who was first introduced to audiences on MTV’s The Real World in 2004. He continued to build their trust as a host on Dr. Drew Live, HuffPost Live, and Access Hollywood Live. Karamo’s self-titled primer on emotional healing, Karamo: My Story Of Embracing Purpose, Healing, is an inspiring must-read for anyone grappling with adversity. In addition, he is the founder of 6in10, an organization that provides mental health support and education to the LGBTQ+ community, and the co-founder of Mantl, a skin-care line for bald men. Today he shares his powerful story, dropping pearls of guidance in the process. This is a conversation about culture beyond art museums and the ballet. It’s about how people feel about themselves and others, how they relate to the world around them, and how their shared labels, burdens, and experiences affect their daily lives in ways both subtle and profound. It’s also about the culture of Karamo. Raised in the South by a Jamaican father and Cuban mother in predominantly white neighborhoods, it’s a story of overcoming personal issues of colorism, physical and emotional abuse. Alcohol and drug addiction. And public infamy. But more than anything, this is a conversation about what holds people back. It’s about the importance of exploring our difficulties. And what’s required to transcend our past, move forward, and ultimately live our best lives. FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll573 YouTube: bit.ly/karamobrown573 I adore this man and I love this conversation. Peace + Plants, Rich

11 Jan 20211h 39min

Growing surveillance states. Tech intrusions on privacy. Cyber warfare. International dissent. Assassination. In October 2018, beloved Washington Post journalist and Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered and dismembered upon entering his country’s consulate in Istanbul. The perpetrator: the Saudi government. The reason: speaking truth to power. And yet, to this day, the Kingdom has yet to be held accountable for its actions. It’s a story that shocked the world. Filmmaker Bryan Fogel was compelled to better understand just how such an event could occur. What he discovered was truly Orwellian—and far more disturbing than you can possibly imagine. The result of this quest is The Dissident—a candid portrait of Khashoggi and the bone chilling events surrounding his murder that plays more like an international thriller than a documentary. Best known for Icarus—his Oscar winning exposé of Russia’s elaborate state-sponsored Olympic doping program—Bryan’s follow up is incendiary. Expanding on themes related to those explored in Icarus, it’s controversial. Placing himself and those portrayed on screen at great personal risk, it’s courageous. It’s also expertly crafted. Executed with precision. And a film more than deserving of Oscar consideration. Today Bryan takes us behind the scenes of The Dissident in a riveting tell-all conversation about the consequences of absolute power, global economics, citizen activism, and using your voice for change. Tracking Khashoggi’s trajectory from reformist journalist to dissident to target, this is a discussion about the sacrifice of human rights when they transgress the consolidation of economic and political authority. It’s about citizen activism. The rise of cyber warfare. And the weaponization of social media to both promote and commandeer global political narratives. It’s about Mohammad Bin Salman’s unchecked power in Saudi Arabia. And how international financial interests compromise political and economic relations with the Kingdom. Hollywood is not immune. In fact, Bryan is quite frank about how the industry that celebrated Icarus has snubbed The Dissident out of cowardice. Despite unanimous praise for the film after it’s Sundance premiere, every major distributor and streaming service (including Netflix, which released Icarus) declined to acquire the film due to the Kingdom’s influence over the entertainment business. Much like its protagonist, The Dissident was itself nearly dismembered. Nonetheless, the film will be available on-demand on January 8th. Not to be missed, it’s an Oscar-worthy documentary that demands your attention. One of the most important filmmakers of our time, it was an honor to reconvene with Bryan (check out our first conversation if you missed it). Strap in, because this conversation will leave you with more than a few important things to ponder. READ MORE: bit.ly/richroll572 WATCH: bit.ly/btyanfogel572 Peace + Plants, Rich

7 Jan 20212h 55min

It’s hard to predict success in the real world. But there’s a reason why some people thrive — even when things get hard. But what exactly is that reason? Today’s guest became obsessed with better understanding what differentiates those who prevail from those who fail. What he discovered would forever change the game. Rich Diviney is a former Navy SEAL Commander who served up 13 overseas deployments over 21 years as an active member and officer of the armed forces’ most elite, secretive group. A group that shall remain unnamed—but one I suspect you might quickly surmise. Throughout his career, Rich was intimately involved in a specialized SEAL selection process, which whittled a group of hundreds of extraordinary SpecOps candidates down to a handful of the most elite performers. Oddly, which candidates washed out and which succeeded was often wildly unpredictable. Some could have all the right skills and still fail. Others more easily dismissible would ironically prove to be top performers. The seemingly objective criteria weren’t telling him what he most needed to know: who would succeed in one of the world’s toughest military assignments? Over time, Rich began to see that beneath obvious skills are hidden drivers of performance,surprising core attributes—including cunning, adaptability, courage, even narcissism—that determine how resilient or perseverant we are, how situationally aware and how conscientious. This epiphany evolved into a SpecOps training program called MindGym—the first of its kind scientifically devised to help elite soldiers perform faster, longer, and better in all environments—especially high-stress ones. In his new book, The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance, Rich defines and examines these various attributes to explain how we perform as individuals and as part of a team. As you may suspect, his military methodology is equally applicable to our personal and professional lives. Understanding the valence of one’s attributes not only promotes greater self-awareness, it provides a guiding rubric to train the characteristics that predict optimal performance in any situation—from parenting and sports to business and relationships. Diviney currently works as a speaker, facilitator, and consultant with the Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute and Simon Sinek Inc. He’s taught leadership and optimal performance to more than five thousand business, athletic, and military leaders from organizations such as American Airlines, Meijer Inc., the San Francisco 49ers, Pegasystems, Zoom, and Deloitte. Today he breaks it all down. This conversation continues our annual tradition of welcoming the new year with a Navy SEAL—and the bankable life advice you need to embrace 2021 correct. A must-listen for anyone looking for deeper self-understanding, this is an incredibly powerful primer on how your attributes determine life outcomes—and how you can train said disposition to create more optimal performance in all areas of your life. READ MORE: bit.ly/richroll571 WATCH: bit.ly/richdiviney571 I can think of no better conversation to harken in 2021. May it change your personal game. Because the new year is now upon is. And it requires everything we’ve got to give. Peace + Plants, Rich

4 Jan 20212h 31min

We look skyward for answers. But prophets walk among us. Allow me to indulge this truth with yet more timeless and timely wisdom courtesy of the amazing individuals that grace this third and final installment of my annual yearbook. Once again, it’s been an honor to share my conversations with so many extraordinary people over the course of 2020. Second listens brought new insights—and more reminders that these exchanges continue to both inspire and inform. For long-time listeners, approach this episode as a refresher to launch you into 2021 with renewed vigor. For those new to the podcast, my hope is this anthology will stir you to peruse the back catalog and explore episodes you may have missed. Guests featured in this episode (all hyperlinked to their respective episodes) include: Erin Brockovich Matthew McConaughey Shane Parrish Chris Mosier Hakim Tafari Chris Hauth Doug Evans Kamal Ravikant Mirna Valerio Kevin Smith & Harley Quinn Smith Compiling this auditory yearbook is both a joy and a challenge. I have great fondness for all my guests. I take no comfort in leaving anyone out. Should you find one of your personal favorites missing, I get it—please don’t @ me! The visually inclined can watch it unfold on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you for taking this journey of growth alongside me. Here’s to an extraordinary 2021. Join me, and, as my friend Doug Evans would say, let’s make it the best year ever. Peace + Plants, Rich

31 Des 20201h 56min

Meaningful conversation matters. Now more than ever. Allow me to indulge this truth by introducing Part II of my annual yearbook—a means to reflect on the past twelve months by revisiting some of the year’s most compelling podcast guests. It’s been an honor to share my conversations with so many extraordinary people over the course of 2020. Second listens brought new insights—and more reminders that these evergreen exchanges continue to both inspire and inform. For long-time listeners, approach this episode as a refresher to launch you into 2021 with renewed vigor. For those new to the podcast, my hope is this anthology will stir you to peruse the back catalog and explore episodes you may have missed. Guests featured in this second of three total anthology episodes (all hyperlinked to their respective episodes) are as follows: Andrew Huberman, PhD Margaret Klein Salamon PhD Will Bulsiewicz, MD Darin Olien Dr. Alan Goldhamer Julie Piatt Chris Burkard Laird Hamilton Blake Mycoskie Caroline Burckle The visually inclined can watch it unfold on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Thank you for taking this journey of growth alongside me. The third and final installment of this series will post on New Year’s Eve day. Here’s to an extraordinary 2021. Join me, and let’s make it the best year ever—together. Peace + Plants, Rich

28 Des 20201h 54min

It’s time to pause. Reflect on the past twelve months. Set new aspirations. And visualize the year to come. I think we can all agree it’s been a challenging year. All the more reason to optimize body, mind and soul to tackle 2021 correctly. In furtherance of that end, allow me to introduce what has become a tradition on the RRP—our annual ‘Best Of’ series wherein we reflect upon the previous 12 months with a 3-part compilation of clips excerpted from a handful of the year’s most compelling guests. Think of it as a refresher course for the avid fans. An anthology or digest for those newer to the podcast. A love letter to my guests. And most importantly, a way of thanking you, the audience, for taking this journey of growth alongside me. Guests featured in this first of three total anthology episodes (all hyperlinked to their respective episodes) are as follows: Chadd Wright Kelly McGonigal, PhD David Sinclair, PhD Rickey Gates Gregg Renfrew Zach Bush, MD Dan Buettner Byron Davis & Phil Allen, Jr. Charles Eisenstein Knox Robinson Compiling this auditory yearbook is both a joy and a challenge. I have great fondness for all my guests. I take no comfort in leaving anyone out. Should you find one of your personal favorites missing, I get it—please don’t @ me! The visually inclined can watch it unfold on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Here’s to an extraordinary 2021. Join me, and let’s make it the best year ever—together. Peace + Plants, Rich Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

24 Des 20202h

Do hard things. Become unbreakable. Let’s end the year on a high note. It’s time to turn quitters into people who commit, courtesy of one of the toughest people on the planet. Fire ready aim! If the name Joe De Sena strikes a familiar chord, it’s likely because he’s the entrepreneurial mastermind behind Spartan—the obstacle course racing series that became a global phenomenon. Fewer know he’s also the evil genius behind Death Race—perhaps the most absurd sufferfest ever conceived.  Under appreciated is just what an utter machine this guy is. An absolute endurance freak, in a mere one week period, Joe completed the Vermont 100 mile run, Ironman Lake Placid, and the Badwater 135. In addition, Joe knocked off 50 ultramarathons and 14 Ironman events in a single year (a certain kind of insanity that must be some kind of record). To top it off, on a whim, he once ran from New York City to Vermont. A man of questionable masochism, Joe knows hustle. But his relentlessness isn’t limited to athletics. It begins with business, servicing mafioso swimming pools as a Queens high schooler. It appears in academics. It took him four attempts to secure admission to Cornell. And, most importantly, it shows up in service. At his Vermont farm, Joe freely welcomes all who dare join in his legendary daily grind. Everything Joe does—be it Spartan, his books or public speaking—reflects his genuine commitment to helping millions of people live healthier more fulfilling lives. Today he shares his extraordinary story. This is a conversation about commitment to an ideal. How to manifest the better self within. And pay it back in service to others. It’s about Joe’s colorful life path. His Goodfellas-esque upbringing. His natural-born entrepreneurial inclinations. His insane endurance feats and unique relationship with suffering. And the impenetrable focus required to accomplish lofty dreams. But more than anything, this is about turning quitters into people who commit. It’s about why doing hard things makes you better, happier and healthier. And it’s about the potential we all possess to catalyze radical transformation. From the heart, Joe is bullshit-free and 100% authentic. His message is powerful. Entirely experience-based. And paired with practical tools fundamental to shattering stagnation. The visually inclined can watch our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. May his words propel you to craft your own challenge for this impending new year—something extraordinary. So let’s dive into it headfirst. Or, as Joe says, fire, ready, aim. Peace + Plants, Rich

21 Des 20201h 45min

Post-election thoughts. Managing stress and disagreement. Connecting to gratitude. Weekly wins. And, of course, listener questions. Welcome to another edition of Roll On. Commanding co-host duties as always is my hype man Adam Skolnick, an activist and veteran journalist perhaps best known as David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me co-author. Adam has written about adventure sports, environmental issues and civil rights for outlets such as The New York Times, Outside, ESPN, BBC, and Men’s Health. He is the author of One Breath and is currently hard at work on a novel. Some of the many topics explored in today’s conversation include: What can be learned from the life + death of Zappos’ Tony Hsieh; The unpredictability of happiness; The antitrust campaign to break up the tech behemoths; Rob Bell lessons on writing + self-love; Our growing adoration of ‘Feels Good Man’; and Celebrating grassroots environmental activism In addition, we answer the following listener questions: Is pursuing a more authentic life path an ego trip? How can a person with low self-esteem and avoidance discomfort develop more intimacy? Does endurance racing in your 50’s pose health risks? Thank you to Joe from northern New York, Seth from Wisconsin, and Michael from Boulder, CO. If you want your query discussed, drop it on our Facebook Page, or better yet leave a voicemail at (424) 235-4626. The visually inclined can watch our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Peace + Plants, Rich

17 Des 20202h 20min