Stop Drop and Rawle

Teamwork really does make the dream work with this dynamic creative duo. Writer/director Michael Shoob and writer/producer Joe Mealey have been collaborating since the mid-1990s, creating critically acclaimed indie festival favorites such as Driven, Bush's Brain, and now their latest collaboration, Road to Everywhere. The film stars Whip Hubley of Top Gun fame alongside Native American actor, musician, painter, and all-around Renaissance man Robert Mirabal.Road to Everywhere is an indie film that has been cleverly described as a "coming-of-age film for grown-ups." Now, I may be a bit biased, but those seven words capture the heart of this film with remarkable accuracy.What I love about this episode of the podcast is that we get to chop it up with Michael and Joe as they give us the inside scoop on the indie filmmaking scene, along with insights into their successful collaborative process. Michael Shoob and Joe Mealey's passion for storytelling is self-evident as they effortlessly bring us into their world of creative collaboration. Listening to them feels a lot like sitting in on a DVD behind-the-scenes commentary track.Film buffs, beware—you are now in danger of nerding out.At any rate, these two storytellers don't seem to be slowing down on their Road to Everywhere.

I have a fantastic conversation with writer, actor, comedian, and all-around great guy Samba Schutte. Samba recently became a U.S. citizen, and this shift in his immigration status opened the door to a heartfelt and sincere discussion about ICE, immigration, and what American citizenship truly means to those who choose it.While chasing the American Dream, Samba was also pursuing the Hollywood dream—a dream shared by many who arrive with stars in their eyes but no stripes on their shoulders. Remarkably, he seems to be realizing both. On the Hollywood front, he has starred in several television series, including NBC’s Sunnyside and HBO’s Our Flag Means Death. His versatility has landed him roles ranging from romantic leads to memorable guest appearances in film and television.Listening to Samba’s impassioned, emotional reflections in this episode, it's hard not to feel his deep gratitude, love, and respect for the American Dream. He shares a strong kinship with fellow immigrants who are striving toward that vision and offers inspiring words of encouragement. He also delivers thoughtful reminders to those born in the U.S., who may have grown distant from their sense of national pride, encouraging a renewed appreciation for the country they call home.

Mike Hale recounts his life of a child actor with fondness and joy. The way most children talk about summer camp. Even though his short stint as a child in show-biz in retrospect wasn’t very long lived, he still managed to have a more robust career than most adult actors who have been in the game for years. But don’t hate the kid playing , hate the game. Even though he survived Hollywood as a child, Mike Hale still warns parents of the potential perils when signing their kids up for the Hollywood Shuffle.

My “Cool Runnings” costar Doug E Doug and I play catch-up as we discuss a myriad of topics. Nothing is off the table as we traverse through subjects like Fatherhood, Fame and Beyoncé. We even get around to talking about the movie “Cool Runnings” and the effect it had on our young lives. Doug is a great conversationalist who maneuvers through sensitive and or complexed subject matters with humor and ease. His insights are very noteworthy and I often leave these conversations feeling enlightened and enriched. They usually spark some of my own insights and helps me to gain several new perspectives.

Having an improvised conversation with comedy legend Mindy Sterling was quite a delightful podcast adventure. She flowed through these talks with effortless charm. Perhaps it’s all her years of improv mastery that has prepped her for such smooth flowing conversational ease. Mindy was at one time a teacher at the world famous “Groundlings“ where she taught comedy improv to many of the comedic legends we now know and love today. So, it was not surprising that Mindy displayed such humor and wit during our conversation but what caught me off guard was the warm candid open nature of her dialogue with me. This interview was one for the books, as they say. The world knows Mindy Sterling as a comedic gem, continuously digging up comedy gold in her various acting roles. On this podcast and during this dialogue we come to know her sweetness and kind hearted nature.

Stroke survivor Sekou Writes gives a compelling inspirational interview. His situation unfortunately has a hint of familiarity to many, and yet his attitude and reaction to his pain is transformational to say the least. Sekou started a Health kick in order to change his life when a sudden stroke uprooted all his plans. He was an avid runner who did not drink, smoke and stayed relatively healthy. This health crisis came as a surprise to all, and needless to say it completely threw his life out of whack. I have no doubt that Sekou’s warrior like attitude had everything to do with his boarder line miracles recovery process. Though he is currently still on the mend, he has completely superseded doctors expectations on a rapid path to recovery. At the time of this interview Sekou had already started running marathons. His inspirational journey is packed with multi layered messages of hope to so many of us. Enjoy.

Sarah Alami is an amazingly accomplished actress, model and voice actor. Unfortunately we were not able to talk about Sarah’s great artistic achievements. No time to brag about her recent role in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3”. The recent Israel-Hamas conflict has got the world on edge. This is even tenfold for Sarah. Being a Palestinian American brings this conflict even closer to Sarah’s heart and trembles her soul. Fearing for family members safety is utmost on her mind and rightfully so. Her passion for peace in that region has magnified, so much that, her attention is fully occupied with using her voice towards enlightening all within her reach. This conversation was incredibly candid yet elevating. Sarah’s level of empathy is heartwarming. She wasted no energy picking sides or casting blame. What she does do however, is spend time advocating for human beings safety and care. She takes the humanitarian road. Sarah speaks in-depth of her concerns for the people in Gaza, family members included. These are polarizing times and this is a volatile topic. My hope is that we all can listen without prejudice.

Conversing with Mark Sanderson is a complete joy. Mr. Sanderson is a very accomplished screenwriter. He is part of the over 40 club, meaning he has written over 40 screenplays throughout his accomplished career. Mark has been enamored with Hollywood from The early age of 11 years old, when he was making movies on the streets of LA with his super 8 film camera. These early experiences is were Mark gained his well-versed insights on screenwriting and the the entire film making and storytelling. Mark candidly lays it all out during our chats and provides a myriad of keen insightful tips and tidbits on what being a Hollywood screenwriter is all about. I feel a tiny bit smarter after having this wonderful conversation.