Best Stephen Robbins Podcasts (2025)

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"David Duchovny" 1:07:43

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5h ago1:07:43

1:07:43

Ok with the pretzels; it’s David Duchovny. A ship of fools, Dads’ novels, making music, and finalllllly teaching Jason how to read. “I mean, dishwashing liquid is pretty good.” …on an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or …

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746 Wild Jane Austen (with Devoney Looser) | #9 Greatest Book of All Time 1:04:37

8h ago1:04:37

1:04:37

Author Devoney Looser may be a mild-mannered English professor to most people, but roller derby fans know her as Stone Cold Jane Austen, her smashmouth alter ego. In this episode, Devoney tells Jacke about her new book Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane, which suggests we also rethink the commonly held view of "spinster Jan…

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#22 “This Stopped Me Taking My Own Life” A Miraculous Healing Journey Using Amanita Muscaria - World Expert Amanita Dreamer 1:03:13

3d ago1:03:13

1:03:13

Amanita Dreamer shares her profound journey from a life of debilitating trauma, mental health issues, anxiety, and benzodiazepine withdrawal to discovering the healing powers of Amanita Muscaria mushroom. She discusses its effects on the body and mind, explaining how it balances the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems via GABA and gluta…

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745 Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti (Halloween Fun-Size Edition) 2:14:14

4d ago2:14:14

2:14:14

In the spring of 2022, Jacke dropped everything to plummet into one of the strangest poems he had ever read, "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti (1830-1894). The result was a two-part episode that never quite found its home. In this special Halloween episode, we've combined the best parts of both of those episodes to bring you the full story of a…

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"Oscar Isaac" 59:09

7d ago59:09

59:09

Get your claws out: it’s Oscar Isaac. Memory, dance belts, Travis picking, and the buddy system. The river doesn’t dam itself… on an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Si…

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744 Love, Sex, and Frankenstein (with Caroline Lea) | #10 Greatest Book of All Time | My Last Book with Geoffrey Turnovsky | A Letter from a Middle School Teacher and Mom 1:26:42

7d ago1:26:42

1:26:42

The year is 1816, and 18-year-old Mary Shelley has fled London with her lover, Percy Shelley, and her sister, Claire. They're on their way to visit Lord Byron's villa in Lake Geneva, Switzerland - and to change the course of literary history. In this episode, Jacke talks to Caroline Lea about her novel Love, Sex, and Frankenstein, which tells the h…

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743 Fairy Tales (with Jack Zipes) [RECLAIMED] | Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (#11 GBOAT) | Chaucer News 1:02:07

11d ago1:02:07

1:02:07

An early encounter with one of the most famous people in the world initiated Jack Zipes into the world of fairy tales - and he never looked back. In this episode, Jacke talks to the fairy tale expert about his book Buried Treasures: The Power of Political Fairy Tales, which profiles modern writers and artists who tapped the political potential of f…

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Paula Robbins "Hitchhiking into Recovery" 51:44

14d ago51:44

51:44

Paula's book "Hitchhiking into Recovery" takes center stage as we learn about the four pillars of connection and the fascinating details of her journey to recovery and beyond. Click HERE to donate to Sober Shares via PayPal. Website: www.sobershares.com Email: [email protected]

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"Edgar Wright" 1:02:24

14d ago1:02:24

1:02:24

Get the motion-sensors on in here: it’s Edgar Wright. Free ice cream, the dregs of humanity, and a fistful of fingers. Turn on your joke-delivery machine… it’s time for an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting …

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742 Edgar Allan Poe (with Richard Kopley) | Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (#12 GBOAT) | My Last Book with Christopher Herbert 1:17:41

14d ago1:17:41

1:17:41

It's October, the perfect month to celebrate the master of mystery and the macabre. In this episode, Jacke talks to author Richard Kopley about his book Edgar Allan Poe: A Life, a comprehensive critical biography that combines a narrative of Poe's enduring challenges (including his difficult foster father, poverty, alcoholism, depression, and his n…

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741 Gabriela Mistral 1:04:27

18d ago1:04:27

1:04:27

In 1945, the Nobel Committee awarded its prize for literature to Gabriela Mistral (1889-1957) "for her lyric poetry which, inspired by powerful emotions, has made her name a symbol of the idealistic aspirations of the entire Latin American world." Born in a rural Andean valley and abandoned by her free-spirited father at the age of three, Mistral s…

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"Julia Roberts" 59:47

21d ago59:47

59:47

This week it’s one of the greats: Julia Roberts. Selling shoes, love letters, a weatherman on Donahue, and the mystery elves that are insurance. “Abandonment can be funny!” …on an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by v…

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740 Mel Brooks and Other Eminent Jews (with David Denby) | War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (#13 GBOAT) 1:03:56

21d ago1:03:56

1:03:56

In this episode, Jacke talks to author David Denby about his new book, Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer, a group biography (loosely inspired by Lytton Strachey's Eminent Victorians) that describes how four larger-than-life figures upended the restrained culture of their forebears and changed American life. PLUS in honor of War and P…

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"RE-RELEASE: Paul Thomas Anderson" 1:02:37

25d ago1:02:37

1:02:37

Italian candy expert, amateur filmmaker (and recipient of 11 Academy Awards) Paul Thomas Anderson joins us this week to dig into the businesstry and take a bite outta’ life. Motto panukeiku! Hai? This episode was originally released on 3/7/2022. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. S…

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739 Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (#14 GBOAT) | Johannes Gutenberg (with Eric Marshall White) 1:34:01

25d ago1:34:01

1:34:01

Thanks to his invention of Europe's first typographic printing method, and his pioneering work on the first printed Bible, the fifteenth-century German inventor Johannes Gutenberg has a fame and reputation that continues to this day. In 1997, Time magazine credited him with the most important innovation of the past one thousand years. However, due …

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"Kirsten Dunst" 55:59

28d ago55:59

55:59

Wake up with the TV on; it’s Kirsten Dunst. Cheer squad, burger talk, dream work, cake campaigns, and a sign that says “Smile, It’s Showtime.” Make sure to clean the CPAP machine in between… on an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple…

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738 Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (#15 Greatest Book of All Time) 1:16:09

28d ago1:16:09

1:16:09

Emily Brontë only published one full-length book before dying at the tragically young age of 30. But that book, Wuthering Heights, which tells the story of obsessive and vengeful love on the rugged moors of Yorkshire, is still considered one of the pinnacles of English literature, landing at #15 on the list of Greatest Books of All Time. In this ep…

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Tricia Lewis. "Recovery Happy Hour podcast" 1:17:57

1M ago1:17:57

1:17:57

Tricia Lewis is the creator of the RECOVERY HAPPY HOUR PODCAST. We explored her journey to sobriety and what inspired her to start her show. Click HERE to donate to Sober Shares via PayPal. Website: www.sobershares.com Email: [email protected]

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737 "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs 42:21

1M ago42:21

42:21

It's October! Jacke kicks off his favorite month with a classic tale of horror, "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs. Perhaps you know the general contours of the paradigmatic "be careful what you wish for" story from the Simpsons or another popularization - but just how scary was the original story? And who was W.W. Jacobs? Join Jacke on a trip throu…

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"Michelle Pfeiffer" 56:16

1M ago56:16

56:16

Fill the lighter with butane, it’s Michelle Pfeiffer. Honeywagon territory, mildewy screenplays, the trauma of stenography, and cutting Al’s finger. Welcome to the final episode [until next week]... of an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now …

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736 Jane Austen's Favorite Brother, Henry (with Christopher Herbert) | A Letter from the South of France | My Last Book with Nicholas Jenkins 1:00:29

1M ago1:00:29

1:00:29

Jane Austen had six brothers, but her older brother Henry was her favorite. Kind and witty, Henry has long been appreciated by Austen fans for his devotion to Jane and his championing of her novels. But Henry was a fascinating figure in his own right, capering through risky financial schemes and marrying an enigmatic French countess before ending h…

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"Lionel Richie" 1:02:52

1M ago1:02:52

1:02:52

If you can believe drummers and motorcycles: it’s Lionel Richie. 12 notes, sleep outs, God’s words, and winning Wimbledon. Fungus is among us… on an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastspl…

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735 Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (with Mark Hussey) | My Last Book with Graham Watson 1:23:55

1M ago1:23:55

1:23:55

Jacke talks to author Mark Hussey (Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a Novel) about Virginia Woolf's beloved novel Mrs Dalloway, which turned 100 earlier this year. PLUS author Graham Watson (The Invention of Charlotte Bronte) stops by to discuss his choice for the last book he will ever read. Join Jacke on a trip through literary England (signup open thr…

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734 The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (#16 GBOAT) | 1925 - A Literary Encyclopedia (with Tom Lutz) 56:09

2M ago56:09

56:09

Jacke talks to author Tom Lutz about 1925: A Literary Encyclopedia, which provides a fascinating window into a year when literature was arguably at its peak centrality. PLUS a look at J.R.R. Tolkien and his influential Lord of the Rings, #16 on the list of the Greatest Books of All Time. Join Jacke on a trip through literary England (signup open th…

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INTRODUCING: We Need A Fourth with Brian Baumgartner, Cooper Manning and Kenny Mayne 9:06

2M ago9:06

9:06

Smartless Podfather Will Arnett interviews Brian Baumgartner, Cooper Manning and Kenny Mayne, the hosts of Smartless Media's new comedy golf podcast We Need a Fourth. Together, they break down their love of golf, their lack of interest in yoga, and a freak injury to Chris Pratt. We Need A Fourth premiered September 15 with guests Eli Manning and Ja…

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#21 - The Electrical Nature of Health | Tristan Scott on Melanin, Light & Invisible Forces 1:37:58

2M ago1:37:58

1:37:58

The Electrical Nature of Health | Tristan Scott on Melanin, Light & Invisible Forces About Our Guest: Tristan Scott is an electrical engineer and health enthusiast who specializes in exploring the fascinating connections between biology and electrical engineering. With expertise in electromagnetic fields, semiconductor properties, and their biologi…

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"Kate McKinnon" 52:42

2M ago52:42

52:42

Folks are doing carpentry— it’s the dulcet tones of Kate McKinnon! ASMR, traffic, chicken juice, and Natalie’s mother’s costume jewelry. This is chaos. Welcome to SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podc…

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733 Haruki Murakami (with Mike Palindrome | To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (#17 GBOAT) | A Letter from Tehran 1:24:11

2M ago1:24:11

1:24:11

Haruki Murakami (b. 1949) is one of the rare writers who combines literary admiration with widespread appeal. Host Jacke Wilson is joined by lifelong Murakami fan Mike Palindrome to discuss what makes his novels so compelling, so mysterious, and so popular. Works discussed include The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore, and …

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"RE-RELEASE: Kerry Washington" 54:58

2M ago54:58

54:58

The incredibly talented actor/producer Kerry Washington joins us this week to give us a safer-sex education. Sean becomes our next Barbara Walters, Will makes a promise he’ll never break, while Jason confirms the level of college education in the group… and we’re just a few credits shy, folks. That’s why it’s called SmartLess. Kanpai! This episode …

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732 The Bible (#18 GBOAT) | The Diaries of Samuel Pepys (with Kate Loveman) | Health Advice 1:13:35

2M ago1:13:35

1:13:35

Jacke starts the episode by looking at the different ways that ten writers have viewed the Bible, #18 on the list of the Greatest Books of All Time. Then he's joined by scholar Kate Loveman, one of the few people in the world who's been able to read the diaries of Samuel Pepys in the original shorthand, for a discussion of her book The Strange Hist…

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"Mel Robbins" 1:04:52

2M ago1:04:52

1:04:52

Mel Robbins joins our friend group as we count 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. A Gabor latte, what’s really under the soda can in the green room trash bin, and did they pick up incidentals? This is you motivated, on an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on …

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731 The Brothers Karamazov Reclaimed (#19 Greatest Book of All Time) 1:21:06

2M ago1:21:06

1:21:06

Responding to a special request from a listener, Jacke discusses Fyodor Dostoevsky, his novel The Brothers Karamazov, and the search for meaning in a meaningless world. This episode was originally released as episode #250 on October 7, 2020. For reasons Jacke discusses, it has not been available for several years. One show note: at several points i…

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730 "To Autumn" by John Keats | The Invention of Charlotte Brontë (with Graham Watson) | My Last Book with Sara Charles 1:06:20

2M ago1:06:20

1:06:20

Jacke looks forward to a new season by exploring the language and imagery of John Keats's famous ode to autumn. Then he talks to Graham Watson about his new book The Invention of Charlotte Brontë: A New Life, which tells the story of how how Charlotte reinvented herself as an acclaimed author, a mysterious celebrity, and a passionate lover. PLUS Sa…

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"Steve Buscemi" 57:26

2M ago57:26

57:26

We’re hanging out with Steve Buscemi. The Material, how to come through doors, actor/director catnip, and yoga on the weekends. Wasa, bee? It’s SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by…

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729 Milton the Revolutionary (with Orlando Reade) | My Last Book with Jodi Picoult | More Exciting News 1:07:45

2M ago1:07:45

1:07:45

Since the publication of John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost in 1667, readers and critics have noted the relationship between the poem and the author's political and personal struggles. What has been less prominent - at least until now - is how the poem came to haunt various political struggles over the next four centuries. In this episode, Jacke…

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"Olivia Colman" 57:28

2M ago57:28

57:28

Congratulations, you won: it’s Olivia Colman. A timely pat on the back, getting slightly better at saying no, and “nice to meet you” (and then you have a sex scene). How very dare you! It’s an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Pod…

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728 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (#20 GBOAT) | Lorraine Hansberry - RECLAIMED 1:30:35

2M ago1:30:35

1:30:35

As part of the "25 for '25" series, Jacke starts the episode with a look at #20 on the list of Greatest Books of All Time, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Then he reclaims a previous episode devoted to Lorraine Hansberry, author of A Raisin in the Sun, a brilliant playwright who died at the tragically young age of 34. (The Hansbe…

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727 Earthly Paradise in Old French Verse (with Jacob Abell) | My Last Book with Victorian Literature Expert Allen MacDuffie | A Dueling Neapolitan Passionate for Poetry 1:04:12

2M ago1:04:12

1:04:12

What happened to Eden? While today we might view the story of Adam and Eve as metaphorical, for many generations of Christians, the Earthly Paradise was a vibrant symbol at the heart of the cosmos. In this episode, Jacke talks to Jacob Abell about his book Spiritual and Material Boundaries in Old French Verse: Contemplating the Walls of the Earthly…

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"James Gunn" 1:02:03

3M ago1:02:03

1:02:03

It’s fun with the words… with James Gunn. Super subjects like a Kevin with a hard C, the super-package, and sensitivity as a superpower. Keep your eyes off my plums, man; it’s an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by vi…

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726 England vs France - A Literary Battle Royale (with Mike Palindrome) - RECLAIMED 1:03:36

3M ago1:03:36

1:03:36

“Our dear enemies,” a French writer once called the English. Englishman John Cleese called the French “our natural enemies” and joked “if we have to fight anyone, I say let’s fight the French.” With the exception of some (very important) twentieth-century alliances, the French and the English have been at each others’ throats for a thousand years. …

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#20 Healing from Within: Consciousness & Energy Fields with Dr. Mauro Zappaterra 1:29:26

3M ago1:29:26

1:29:26

Biofield Therapies & Regenerative Medicine: Optimizing Human Performance with Dr. Mauro Zappaterra About Our Guest: Dr. Mauro Zappaterra is a Harvard Medical School graduate and specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. With a focus on neuronal stem cells and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), he bridges cutting-edge regenerative medicine with ho…

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"RE-RELEASE: Liam Neeson” 1:02:47

3M ago1:02:47

1:02:47

Avid fly fisherman Liam Neeson brings his very particular set of skills (and his Stanley thermos) to the show this week. To Sean’s dismay, we don’t talk about Star Wars. However, of his over 100 film roles, we discuss Alfred Kinsey, Oskar Schindler… and Jesus. And the time he made Jason’s mom cry for a week. This episode was originally released on …

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725 The Trial by Franz Kafka (#21 GBOAT) | Edith Wharton and Patrick O'Brian (with Olivia Wolfgang-Smith) | An Uplifting Story 1:18:40

3M ago1:18:40

1:18:40

Jacke starts the episode with an uplifting story, then submerges himself into chaos and absurdity for a look at The Trial by Franz Kafka, which lands at #21 on the list of Greatest Books of All Time. Then he welcomes novelist Olivia Wolfgang-Smith to the show for a discussion of her admiration for Edith Wharton, her passion for the works of Patrick…

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"Jason Momoa" 1:00:23

3M ago1:00:23

1:00:23

Put your hands on yourself, it’s Jason Momoa– making his pod-debut. Hot topics across the board on this one, like cute boy haircuts, facial creams and lotions, dollar drinks on Thursdays, and other little things like near death experiences. He’ll reach through [your audio device] and grab you… on an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts…

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724 The Stranger by Albert Camus (#22 Greatest Book of All Time) | Christopher Isherwood (with Jake Poller) | Postcard from a Listener in Yunnan 1:01:38

3M ago1:01:38

1:01:38

Put on your black turtleneck! Jacke starts the episode with a look at #22 on the list of The Greatest Books of All Time, The Stranger by Albert Camus. Then he talks to Jake Poller about British and American novelist and playwright Christopher Isherwood, whose Goodbye to Berlin was adapted into the stage musical and movie Cabaret. In discussing his …

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#10 LEVEL UP Your Hormones & Mitochondria With Optics Expert Scott Zimmerman 1:23:13

3M ago1:23:13

1:23:13

Summary: Sara welcomes optics expert Scott Zimmerman to explore the profound link between light and human health. Scott unravels how ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths affect mitochondrial function and hormone balance, while exposing the pitfalls of artificial lighting and sunscreens. He also delves into the roles of melatonin and melan…

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723 The Moral Rights of Authors (with Mira T Sundara Rajan) | My Last Book with Radha Vatsal 1:16:28

3M ago1:16:28

1:16:28

As technology advances, the ability of authors and artists to prevent their works from being pirated or misused has become urgent. In this episode, Jacke talks to copyright expert Mira T. Sundara Rajan (The Moral Rights of Authors and Artists: From the Birth of Copyright to the Age of Artificial Intelligence) about the history of copyright law, the…

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#19 Hidden Natural Energy Fields & Healing Substances: Ancient Wisdom For Modern Health with Cultivate Elevate Matt Roeske 1:21:32

3M ago1:21:32

1:21:32

Hidden Natural Energy Fields & Healing Substances: Ancient Wisdom For Modern Health with Matt Roeske Your health is the only thing you truly own - everything else can be taken away. In a world dominated by synthetic solutions and industrial agriculture, ancient healing wisdom offers a powerful path back to optimal health and abundance. Matt Roeske …

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"Marc Maron" 1:07:51

3M ago1:07:51

1:07:51

Zip your hair on, it’s Marc Maron. The dark side of luxury problems, exciting medical stories, and the gift of yet another microphone. Get duct taped into position, it’s an all-new SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting…

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722 Kerouac's Road - A Conversation with Ebs Burnough, Director of a New Kerouac Documentary | My Last Book with Beat Generation Expert Steven Belletto 1:03:15

3M ago1:03:15

1:03:15

Since its publication in 1957, Jack Kerouac's iconic novel On the Road has inspired millions to head for the highways and live life to its fullest. In this episode, Jacke talks to filmmaker Ebs Burnough about his new documentary Kerouac's Road: The Beat of a Nation, which interweaves stories of modern-day travelers with those influenced by or conne…