The Person Who Believed In Me

Before Sebastian Maniscalco became one of the highest paid comedians in the world — selling out five shows at Madison Square Garden and earning his own Sirius XM channel — he was a waiter at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, spending seven years serving nuts to celebrities while bombing at open mics. Then Mitzi Shore, the legendary owner of the Comedy Store, saw something in him that the rest of the industry had missed. In this deeply personal conversation, Sebastian sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the woman who believed in him when he barely knew her, and how she gave him the one thing he needed most: a place to belong. Sebastian opens up about the moment Mitzi grabbed him after his audition and said the words that changed everything: Come back for 10 minutes next week. He talks about skipping straight to paid regular status, getting hot spots one week and 1:30 a.m. slots in front of four people the next, and how Mitzi manipulated lineups to build his thick skin without him realizing it. His relationship with her was never verbal — her love came through the stage time she gave him, and his came through never letting her down. There's also a raw reflection on family and work ethic. Sebastian's father Cecilion, a 79-year-old hairdresser, still cuts hair and refuses to retire because he believes stopping means dying. He rented Sebastian a lawnmower as a kid to teach him about business expenses — making him cut grass while allergic to it — and after a quadruple bypass, his first question from the hospital bed was when he could go back to work. Sebastian bought his parents cars last year, because the journey was never just his. He covers a lot of ground Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.com Chapters ☀️ Chapters 00:00:00 Intro: The Woman Who Gave Him a Stage 00:03:00 Why Her? The Audition That Changed Everything 00:09:29 The Hulk Hogan Documentary: A Morning Cry About Family 00:11:20 From Anger to Disbelief: Finding His Voice on Stage 00:13:36 Seven Years at the Four Seasons: The Nuts That Never Got Stale 00:16:18 Renting the Lawnmower: Learning Business from Dad 00:21:40 Selling Satellite Dishes in the Ghetto: The Kiosk Days 00:29:54 The Photo That Made Him Cry: When They Were a Unit 00:33:37 AI and Comedy: Using Technology to Brainstorm Ideas 00:39:53 The Grind: Boxing Rings, Bowling Alleys, and Blood-Stained Canvas 00:42:05 The Sandman Moment: Worst Night Ever, Best Lesson Learned 00:45:40 From 91 People to 91,000 Tickets: The Madison Square Garden Journey 00:47:39 The Introvert Comedian: Steam Rooms and Recharging Alone 00:52:36 The SNL Sketch: When Marcello Called 00:53:59 Thank You, Mitzi: A Relationship From Afar ABOUT THIS PODCAST: The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew. In each episode, David asks one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? David is also a CBS News contributor and host of Beg Knows America, airing every Monday morning. Host: David Begnaud Guest: Sebastian Maniscalco Executive Producer: Olivier Delfosse Associate Producer: Jonah Johnson Booker: Sully Bloch Director of Photography: Foster Parks Live Production: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative) Social: Mariah Maull, Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee Anderson Theme Music: Slipstream Post-Production: Longwave Digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast

Before Arthur Brooks became a Harvard professor, bestselling author, and one of the world's most influential voices on happiness and human behavior, he was a 34 year old PhD student standing in front of a room full of Nobel Prize winners, delivering what he calls a catastrophic dissertation defense. Then James Q. Wilson, the most distinguished social scientist of the 20th century, walked up and said the words that changed everything: You know, you got something special here. If I can ever help you, just let me know. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the renowned social scientist sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in him when no one else did. There's also a raw reflection on faith, struggle, and the complex problem of God. Arthur talks about the priest who rejected him, why he believes therapy isn't about solving problems but living with complexity, and why your marriage is not a problem to solve. He shares the one regret he carries every day, why he still asks if his father would be proud of him, and how losing his parents too soon led him to move his entire family to one place so he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He opens up about the meaning crisis destroying young people today, why happiness is love and love is a choice, and why the greatest act of selfishness is refusing someone's generosity. Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.com Chapters ☀️ Chapters 00:00:00 Intro: The Man Who Changed Everything 00:01:14 The Catastrophic Dissertation Defense That Led to Destiny 00:01:46 From French Horn Player to Social Scientist 00:06:31 The Email That Opened a Door: Will You Let Me Help You? 00:08:56 The Calling You Can't Articulate: Right Brain vs Left Brain 00:10:58 Faith, Struggle, and the Complex Problem of God 00:15:03 Complex vs Complicated: Why Your Marriage Isn't a Problem to Solve 00:18:19 The Power of Being Present: You Can Only Love Right Now 00:20:55 Growing Up Brooks: The Mathematician and the Artist 00:23:29 Why I Quit Music: When You Don't Love the Craft, Only the Dream 00:25:48 Every Day I Ask: Would My Dad Be Proud of Me? 00:28:12 Moving the Whole Family to One Place: Learning from Loss 00:30:03 The Meaning Crisis: Why Young People Are Suffering 00:31:55 How to Find Your Calling: Earning Your Success and Being Needed 00:33:05 The I Self vs The Me Self: Why Looking Inward Makes You Miserable 00:33:41 The Funk and How to Get Out: Forcing Yourself to Serve 00:36:27 Why We Connect Through Struggle, Not Success 00:37:58 James Q. Wilson's Legacy: Community Policing and Broken Windows 00:39:36 Did You Ever Ask Him Why He Believed in You? 00:46:26 The One Takeaway: Happiness Is Love, and Love Is a Choice ABOUT THIS PODCAST: The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question. David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning. Host: David Begnaud Guest: Arthur Brooks Executive Producers: Ellen Rocamora, Olivier Delfosse Associate Producer: Griffin Hamilton Booker: Sully Bloch Director of Photography: Foster Parks Director of Social: Mariah Maull Live Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative) Theme Music: Slipstream Post-Production: Longwave Digital CONNECT WITH US: The Person Who Believed In Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast

Before Carly Pearce became a Grammy-winning country music superstar and a member of the Grand Ole Opry, she was a 24 year old singer who had spent eight years in Nashville being told she wasn't enough. She'd done countless showcases, recorded endless songs, and watched labels pass her by again and again. Then she met Daniel Lee, a music publisher who saw something the entire industry had missed. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the multi-platinum artist sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in her when she was cleaning Airbnbs and ready to move home. Carly opens up about the moment Daniel sat her down at a coffee shop and said the words that changed everything: I know your story. I know how long you've been here. I know what the industry thinks. I believe otherwise. She talks about growing up in Taylor Mill, Kentucky, telling her parents at age five she was going to be on the Grand Ole Opry, dropping out of high school in ninth grade to work six shows a day at Dollywood, and spending years in Nashville chasing what everyone else wanted instead of trusting what made her different. She shares what it felt like to play five songs for a manager who told her to her face that they would never work, only to watch one of those exact songs, Every Little Thing, debut at number one on iTunes 12 hours after it hit Sirius XM's The Highway. If you've ever wondered whether one person's belief could actually change the trajectory of your entire life, this episode will remind you that sometimes the greatest gift someone can give you is faith when the world says no. And sometimes, that's all you need to become unstoppable. Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter:https://www.thedogoodcrew.com Chapters ☀️ Chapters 00:00:00 Intro: The Publisher Who Believed When Nobody Else Did 00:02:13 The 12-Hour Period That Changed Everything: Every Little Thing 00:06:36 I Believe Otherwise: The Coffee Shop Meeting That Saved Her Career 00:10:20 Stop Chasing Other People: Finding Her True Voice 00:12:18 These Songs Will Never Work: The Manager Who Said No 00:07:57 Meeting Busby: The Producer Who Understood the Purist in Her 00:18:50 The Kentucky Girl's Dream: From Age Five to the Grand Ole Opry 00:37:36 Cleaning Airbnbs While Her Song Played on the Radio 00:26:43 Eight Months of Marriage: The Mistake She Knew on Her Wedding Night 00:25:06 Never Wanted to Be That Girl: The Grammy-Winning Collaboration 00:39:48 Recurrent Pericarditis: When Doctors Dismissed Her Heart Condition 00:41:38 The Sacrifices: How Mom and Dad Held It Down 00:22:57 Dolly's Surprise: Becoming a Member of the Grand Ole Opry 00:50:10 I Don't Feel Like I've Achieved What I Deserve Yet 00:54:14 Daniel's Lifeline: You Continue to Make Me Believe I Matter ABOUT THIS PODCAST: The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question. David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning. Host: David Begnaud Guest: Carly Pearce Executive Producer: Olivier Delfosse Associate Producer: Jonah Johnson Booker: Sully Bloch Director of Photography: Foster Parks Director of Social: Mariah Maull Live Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative) Theme Music: Slipstream Post-Production: Longwave Digital CONNECT WITH US: The Person Who Believed In Me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast

The Person Who Believed In Me is a heartfelt podcast that celebrates the unsung heroes behind some of the world's biggest names. Hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist David Begnaud, this series shines a spotlight on the everyday people who saw potential, offered unwavering support, and changed the trajectory of extraordinary lives. In this trailer, you'll hear from an incredible lineup of guests including Oprah Winfrey, Charlie Puth, Nick Cannon, Barry Diller, Sherry Lansing, Jason Ballard, and 2 Chainz - each sharing powerful glimpses into the people who believed in them before the world knew their names. These weren't just words of encouragement from afar. This was presence. Sacrifice. Dedication. From the music teacher who recognized raw talent, to the parent who refused to let their child settle, to the mentor who saw past society's limitations - these believers changed everything. Every episode features a big-name guest, but the true star is always the ordinary person who saw something extraordinary and chose to nurture it. Join David Begnaud as he explores the profound impact one person's belief can have on another's destiny. Get ready for intimate conversations, emotional revelations, and inspiring stories that remind us all of the power of believing in someone. Host: David Begnaud Created By: David Begnaud A Do Good Crew Production Executive Producer: Ellen Rocamora For Do Good Crew: Executive Producers Olivier Delfosse, David Begnaud, Associate Producer Griffen Hamilton, Editor Jonah Johnson, Booker Sully Bloch Director Of Photography: Foster Parks Music Composed By: Slipstream Post-Production: Longwave Digital