Best Justin Smiley Podcasts (2024)

1
All Rise with Judge Argie Brame and Judge Lewis White 1:11:13

14h ago1:11:13

1:11:13

This unique episode begins with a comical case of jilted lovers, lucky for me we had judge Argie Brame and Judge Lewis White in studio to solve the issues. From there, clearly, I had a ton of questions. What keeps a person up at night? Does a robe provide protections outside of the courtroom? Should we judge a person by their questions rather than …

1
BONUS: The "Is Elvis Alive?" Conspiracy Theory + "The Elvis Files" (1991) (with Justin Gausman) 3:24:10

15d ago3:24:10

3:24:10

For the last few months, Justin and Rabia have been co-hosting TCBCast After Dark, a deep dive into the seamy underbelly of the Elvis conspiracy world available only on the TCBCast Patreon feed. As they approached Part 6 of an exhaustive investigation into the truth behind the grifters who perpetuated the false "Is Elvis Alive?" conspiracy througho…

1
It’s Just Me with Tamra Goins 46:23

20d ago46:23

46:23

Hollywood super-agent Tamra Goins (Innovative Artists) represents actors, comedians and something called a multi-hyphenate! Intrigued, me too. Hear stories from this stellar guest who not only represents talent but has been talent herself once before. This episode is a conversation where we talk about Tamra’s time as a rapper, stepping away from en…

1
52: Wake Up and Live, Part 4 - The Secret 1:54:32

1M ago1:54:32

1:54:32

This week, we continue to act as if it were impossible to fail in part four of our exhaustive deep dive into Wake Up and Live. Picking up the story from the end of World War II, we look at the legacy of Dorothea Brande's book and the essentially identical self-help scam that generations of grifters have perpetuated on the world ever since. Wasn't t…

1
Who Does She Think She Is with Valarie Benning Thompson 55:57

2M ago55:57

55:57

From the Olympic Games to television, from Digital Content Creation to Live Entertainment, producer and entertainment industry veteran Valarie Benning Thompson has successfully done it all. This fifth episode (Episode #5) is a amazing conversation with Valarie (known as “Madam Producer”) who has produced or managed live events or tv specials for ar…

1
Man of the Year with Justin Reid 51:49

2M ago51:49

51:49

When you close your eyes, what is your vision for the future? Do you have a life goal you want to achieve? One man’s vision was to attend Stanford University, play in the NFL and be nominated for The NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award! His name is Justin Reid. In this conversation with NFL Defensive Back Justin Reid, we talk through the journe…

1
51: Wake Up and Live, Part 3 - Dancing in the Dark 2:24:34

2M ago2:24:34

2:24:34

The history books forgot about the 1944 radio adaptation of Wake Up and Live, a bizarre and disastrous production in which a fascist self-help book adapted into a comedy movie about duelling radio shows is adapted back into a radio show in which several other radio shows exist within the world of this radio show, and characters with real people pla…

1
The Reinvention of Big Smiley 58:22

3M ago58:22

58:22

Take a gamble on yourself. Hear from a man who bet on himself over and over again and won. From college sports to big brand model, to fashion editor of the largest hip hop magazine, to writer and producer the evolution continues. Hear stories from behind the scenes of music, entertainment, sports and fashion. This third episode (Episode #3) is a co…

1
The House of Kings with Janine Sherman Barrois 56:24

3M ago56:24

56:24

Welcome to the House of Kings! What TV series do you love, and why? What is it about a great story that captures your imagination and keeps your attention so thoroughly? Your favorite characters were inspired by some things you would not quite believe, and even your heroes have flaws! Today, we dive into the essence of bringing wonderful stories fr…

1
50: Wake Up and Live, Part 2 - Machine Men 2:48:48

3M ago2:48:48

2:48:48

Please note that the accompanying graphic for this episode has not been chosen lightly and is intended in the spirit of historical education, criticism and artistic commentary. In part 2 of our investigation into the saga of Wake Up and Live, we look at the original 1936 self-help book by Dorothea Brande, the toxic ideas that the book perpetuates a…

1
49: Wake Up and Live, Part 1 - Mic Fright 44:15

3M ago44:15

44:15

This week we begin a three-part investigation into Wake Up and Live. What is it? Good question. It's a 1930s self-help book, a musical in which a real-life journalist/radio host plays himself, and later, a radio drama adapted from the film. All these things interrelate in a way that's confusing to make sense of in 2024. Just beneath the surface of …

1
Who Does She Think She Is? 55:56

3M ago55:56

55:56

From the Olympic Games to television, from Digital Content Creation to Live Entertainment, producer and entertainment industry veteran Valarie Benning Thompson has successfully done it all. This fifth episode (Episode #5) is a amazing conversation with Valarie (known as “Madam Producer”) who has produced or managed live events or tv specials for ar…

1
48: Post Time 2:15:22

3M ago2:15:22

2:15:22

***SPOILERS AHEAD - LISTEN TO EPISODE 47 FIRST*** It is now post time. Selected resources and links mentioned this week: * Follow @covidconsciousqueersnaarm on Instagram * Godmother of Elvis Sightings video essay by Johnny Law & Order * TCBCast After Dark, Rabia's new side project with Justin Gausman, which you can hear by subscribing to the TCBCas…

1
Welcome to the Darling Show 52:01

4M ago52:01

52:01

Can you navigate through tough waters and keep smiling? The NFL sounds like a dream to most, but what does it really take and how do you satisfy your purpose when tragedy strikes? (Episode #4) is a conversation with retired NFL wide receiver, Devard Darling. The conversation spans the death of Devard’s twin brother Devaughn Darling, the life plan a…

1
47: The Joker is Wild 1:15:35

4M ago1:15:35

1:15:35

What if someone slashed Sinatra's vocal cords at the height of his powers? Would he still be able to cut it in showbiz off his charm alone? Could he get into comedy instead of music? More importantly, what would be left of the man without his act? Of all the fictional characters Sinatra portrayed in his early years of dramatic film roles, "Joe E. L…

1
A Common, Uncommon Kid From The Bahamas 52:28

4M ago52:28

52:28

Is it good to be first? Ask Frank Rutherford. Meet 3-time track & field Olympian, World Cup of Track & Field winning, World Championship winning, NCAA Champion, honored by Congress, and native son of the Bahamas, Frank Rutherford. In this episode you will learn about the mindset of a champion on and off the field of play. What did Frank say to Nels…

1
Your Techy’s favorite Techy presents, “Our America: In The Black.” 57:10

5M ago57:10

57:10

In a groundbreaking initiative to address the racial wealth gap, Microsoft Philanthropy tech specialist, Darrell Booker, alongside a team of dedicated experts, embarked on a journey that would help shape the narrative of financial literacy and economic empowerment. The result? A powerful documentary titled “Our America: In The Black.” Now streaming…

1
Go On Say It with Alex Homer 36:49

5M ago36:49

36:49

What should you absolutely have in your closet? Best color for an interview? Wear what to meet a President? So many style questions we all have in common, here you’ll get your fashion answers. This first episode (Episode #0) is a conversation with nationally acclaimed personal stylist and custom clothier Alex Homer, who provides bespoke and ready t…

1
Authorized x SUDDENLY - Robin and the 7 Hoods 2:40:43

5M ago2:40:43

2:40:43

We went on Authorized Novelizations Podcast to talk about Jack Pearl's 1964 novelisation of Sinatra's Robin and the Seven Hoods. This episode was recorded around six months ago and just released by Authorized this week. They've graciously given us permission to repost it on our feed. If you like what we do on SUDDENLY, you'll definitely have a good…

1
46: Why "Our Town" Matters 31:06

5M ago31:06

31:06

In Episode 43 ("Love and Marriage"), Rabia and Felix watched the infamous televised 1955 musical version of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, starring Frank Sinatra as the Stage Manager. The songs were so terrible, and the acting so bad, that Wilder personally called the station and ensured that it would never air ever again. Neither Rabia nor Felix had …

1
45: Suspense 1:55:10

6M ago1:55:10

1:55:10

We think of Sinatra as emerging as a serious dramatic actor from the early 1950s onwards, shedding his clean-cut MGM image for the first time when he takes intense roles as mentally disturbed soldiers in From Here to Eternity and Suddenly. But there's a part of the story we've all forgotten. In January 1945, at the height of the bobby-soxer era and…

1
44: In the Wee Small Hours 1:37:32

6M ago1:37:32

1:37:32

In the Wee Small Hours is often considered Sinatra's best work and arguably the first concept album. The "concept" is something along the lines of “I am awake at 3am and I am feeling deeply sad about a lost love.” And that's really it. Just when you think there couldn't possibly be any more songs about the nuances of that kind of misery, there are …

1
Annie Lalla - How to create a healthy, inspiring and love-filled romantic relationship 1:15:12

6M ago1:15:12

1:15:12

Today's guest is Annie Lala. Annie is one of the top relationship experts and coaches on the planet. I am very fortunate to have called her my relationship coach through my 11 year marriage, my recent divorce, and now with my new partner Melissa. I would not be in the happy co-parenting relationship I currently an with Miki (my ex) without her love…

1
43: Love and Marriage 1:32:05

6M ago1:32:05

1:32:05

"Love and Marriage" was one of the worst songs Sinatra ever recorded, and the toxic ideas about marriage that it perpetuated left a negative impact on the world. This week, we look into the song's unlikely origins in a televised musical version of Thornton Wilder's Our Town and its shameful legacy as the theme song for the vile 1980s-90s sitcom Mar…

1
42: The Tender Trap 3:12:49

7M ago3:12:49

3:12:49

The phrase "tender trap" essentially didn't exist before the mid-1950s, entering common usage from the film and song which were both popularised by Frank Sinatra. The image of being lured into your downfall by a thing pretending to be soft speaks to a basic element of what it is to be human, and people all over the world have projected their emotio…

1
41: Sinatra Was Wrong About Israel 2:32:08

9M ago2:32:08

2:32:08

In a special emergency episode, we examine Frank Sinatra's long history with Israel, Palestine and Zionism. Many don't realise just how connected these topics are. This week, we weave a story all the way from Sinatra personally helping run guns to the Nakba in 1948 and his starring role as a fighter pilot for the IDF in 1966's Cast a Giant Shadow, …

1
Jayson Gaddis - ”Getting to Zero” - How to master conflict resolution in your important relationships 59:21

9M ago59:21

59:21

These days, I only fire up the podcast for people who I believe to be truly world-class at what they do. @jaysongaddis is one of those people. His book “Getting to Zero” provides a practical framework to master conflict resolution in our important relationships. Jayson offered up a ton of practical wisdom about how we can approach conflict consciou…

1
40: Church on Fire (with David Nichols) 2:44:34

10M ago2:44:34

2:44:34

Who burnt down West Melbourne Stadium in the middle of Sinatra's 1955 Australian tour, and why did this happen? This week, on our final episode of the year, SUDDENLY investigates. And we're joined by David Nichols - Australian history expert, senior lecturer in Urban Planning at the University of Melbourne, and author of Dig: Australian Rock and Po…

1
39: The Big Show 1:50:53

11M ago1:50:53

1:50:53

Frank Sinatra's first Australian visit in 1955 followed shortly after the repeal of decades-old laws preventing "coloured" musicians, or any foreign musicians, from performing in the country. The tour was part of the initial run of the now-legendary "Big Shows" put on by mysterious American promoter Lee Gordon, who took advantage of the newly-liber…

1
38: Dream Empire (with Karina Longworth) 1:00:07

12M ago1:00:07

1:00:07

Surprise! We're joined from Los Angeles by the legendary Karina Longworth, renowned film historian, author, critic and host of the iconic podcast You Must Remember This. This week, we're jumping ahead to discuss HIGH SOCIETY (1956). Louis Armstrong definitely deserved better, and we tackle the explicitly racist treatment of his character in the con…

1
37: BONUS - More Guys, More Dolls 1:05:08

12M ago1:05:08

1:05:08

Because six hours wasn't enough, it's a special, informal bonus episode where Henry and Rabia discuss some leftover elements of our GUYS AND DOLLS series we didn't find time to discuss. Here we finish off the story of Damon Runyon's life and his legacy today, discuss the critical reception of the 1955 film, and spend some time thinking about the un…

1
36: Dolls 2:13:46

1y ago2:13:46

2:13:46

Fall in love with people, not with gamblers. It's all too strange and strong. Sit down, you're rocking the boat. This week, Henry leads us through the third and final part of our epic GUYS AND DOLLS series. We've got a spectacular supercut of Sinatra recordings of "Luck Be a Lady" through the ages, and a climactic 10-minute mashup that brings toget…

1
35: and 1:45:27

1y ago1:45:27

1:45:27

Why can't Nathan Detroit remember the colour of his own tie? In the second part of our GUYS AND DOLLS series, Henry begins taking us through the musical (and the 1955 Sinatra film) proper, beginning with "Fugue for Tinhorns", "Oldest Established" and "I'll Know." We discuss the intertwined relationship between gambling and religion, and finally com…

1
34: Guys 1:29:51

1y ago1:29:51

1:29:51

Henry Giardina takes the lead as host for the first time as we begin our month-long GUYS AND DOLLS odyssey. In this first installment, the stage is set as we're introduced to the world of legendary short story writer, journalist and master of the "historical present", Damon Runyon. Best known today as the author whose stories inspired the musical G…

1
33: Love Like Surgery 2:46:51

1y ago2:46:51

2:46:51

It's 1955 and we're deep into the masculinity crisis. It's an era of lofty 800-page novels adapted into 2-hour-plus movies. We've got navel-gazing middle-aged white men, coming out of a period of deep repression and trauma, wondering who and what they really are. Sinatra is one of their icons, as here is Robert Mitchum. This week’s film could have …

1
32: Three Coins Reloaded (with Justin Gausman) 4:19:02

1y ago4:19:02

4:19:02

That's amore. Non paghiamo il fossile. And just like that... Boom, kiss, come on, God bless America. In 1966, a pilot for a potential Three Coins in the Fountain TV series was filmed on location in Rome. It only aired on TV once in August 1970, was not picked up thereafter and has never been made available ever since. Probably very few people have …

1
31: Transcribed 3:33:15

1y ago3:33:15

3:33:15

The word "homosexual" was first uttered on American television on the night of October 21st, 1963. The show was Breaking Point, a drama series set in a psychiatric hospital. The episode was a confronting take on sexual harassment and toxic masculinity that directly posed the question to its audience: "What is a man?" Despite network objection, this…

1
30: Lost and Found - Bobby Long and the World of Soundies (with Mark Cantor) 1:47:10

1y ago1:47:10

1:47:10

We found out what happened to Bobby Long. Mostly. And on this episode we're joined by Mark Cantor, America's leading jazz film archivist. Mark is an expert in "Soundies", the early music videos/short films that played on Panoram video jukeboxes in bars, cafes and other public places across America throughout the 1940s. Yes, they had video jukeboxes…

1
29: Not By Ranting, Nor By Chanting 1:51:21

1y ago1:51:21

1:51:21

Millions know the song: "Forget your troubles and just get happy." But where does it come from, and what does it really mean? Why are we getting ready for judgement day, and how did Judy Garland end up associated with something that sounds so gospel? This week, we dive into the long and complicated multicultural (and especially Black) history of "G…

1
28: Glamour 3:35:35

1+ y ago3:35:35

3:35:35

In 2007, Italian artist Graziano Cecchini poured red dye into the Trevi Fountain to protest the Rome Film Festival. "You wanted just a red carpet", he said. "We want a city entirely in vermilion. We who are vulnerable, old, ill, students, workers, we come with vermilion to colour your grayness." Escapism, tourism, power, vanity, royalty, memory, se…

1
27: The Long 2:10:38

1+ y ago2:10:38

2:10:38

For almost the entire back half of the 20th century, Sinatra sang "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" over and over again. At every show, he would proudly call himself a "saloon singer" and paint a picture for the audience: a drunk, broken-hearted loser, in a bar at 2:45am, pouring his fool heart out to the unlucky bartender. Sinatra reve…

1
26: A Tribute to Bobby Caldwell 2:17:10

1+ y ago2:17:10

2:17:10

The world has lost the legendary Bobby Caldwell. More than just a futuristic and soulful singer/songwriter, he was also the greatest Sinatra interpreter of his era. This week, we pay tribute to his life - from the strange original songs that made him a superstar in Japan during the City Pop era, to his stunning Sinatra-inspired recordings and the l…

1
25: In the Lamplight 2:54:31

1+ y ago2:54:31

2:54:31

Where does the visual motif of "leaning on a lamp post" come from? Since at least 1840, it was associated with drunkenness, sleaze and criminality. At some point in the mid-20th century, it became a symbol of sophistication, nonchalance and cool. How did this happen? All evidence seems to point to the cover of Frank Sinatra's 1953 album, SONGS FOR …

1
Valter Longo - An introduction to Intermittent Fasting 53:52

1+ y ago53:52

53:52

Valter Longo is an Italian-American biologist and gerontologist who is a professor of gerontology and biological science at the University of Southern California. He is the director of the USC Longevity Institute and the Program on Longevity and Cancer at IFOM (FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology) in Milan, Italy. Longo is known for his research o…

1
24: SUDDENLY 2:48:19

1+ y ago2:48:19

2:48:19

To a modern Australian audience, Sinatra's shockingly violent noir film SUDDENLY (1954) now seems like an obvious cautionary tale: Guns are bad for society, they drive you mad with power, and kids should be kept away from them. But 1950s American audiences took home the exact opposite message: that guns keep your home safe, everyone should own them…

1
23: White Man's Graveyard 2:53:05

1+ y ago2:53:05

2:53:05

The Mau Mau Rebellion of 1952 saw the Kenyan Land and Freedom Army (KLFA) take up arms against the British Empire's occupation of their land. The struggle for decolonisation was bloody and protracted, with many of the KLFA ending up tortured by British soldiers in cruel labor camps. A film crew from Pathé arrived from London to film staged propagan…

1
22: Lonesome Man Blues 2:19:19

1+ y ago2:19:19

2:19:19

In 1987, the Scottish band Danny Wilson released their debut album, Meet Danny Wilson. The name came from an old movie that band members Gary and Kit Clark had never actually seen. They knew Frank Sinatra was in it. Their father had seen it once and had complained he’d never been able to find it again. He wasn't alone. MEET DANNY WILSON (1952) bord…

1
21: Brisbane's Jane Russell 2:39:51

1+ y ago2:39:51

2:39:51

Howard Hughes named DOUBLE DYNAMITE (1951) after Jane Russell's breasts - and the city of Brisbane was obsessed with them. This week, the lost stories of Fr. Kiley, the Catholic priest who tried to ban a Jane Russell film from the Brisbane suburb of Coorparoo, and Shirley Vercoe, the woman who became known as "Brisbane's Jane Russell." On theme wit…

1
PREVIEW: TCBCast x SUDDENLY - A Very Clambake Christmas (Part 1) 2:04:39

1+ y ago2:04:39

2:04:39

During the 2022 Christmas break, we went over to TCBCast and embarked on an epic four-part, six-hour deep-dive into Elvis Presley's CLAMBAKE (1967). Here's a special preview of Part 1. The rest can be heard on the TCBCast feed (episodes 246A-B, 247A-B). This was a really special experience and if you're into our regular episodes, you'll definitely …

1
Case #07: Kam 29:05

1+ y ago29:05

29:05

Kam is rapidly losing her motor skills as she’s attacked by an unknown & unseen disease. In a matter of months, she goes from starring on her high school soccer team to struggling to make it up the stairs. Bouncing between doctors and facing countless misdiagnoses, Kam never wavers in her chase to uncover what is threatening to take away her mobili…

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