Rob Paulsen on depression and the redemptive power of cancer and cartoons

Paul sits down with Caleb and Shelby Ward, Co-Founders of the World’s First Home for AI Storytellers, Curious Refuge. From western Texas to the mahogany boardrooms of Hollywood studios, Caleb and Shelby are at the center of the AI filmmaking revolution. Artists and educators first, this new generation power couple, share their thoughts and feelings on what is going to keep this technology... human.

Curious Refuge is dedicated to those who seek to harness AI tools for crafting exceptional art, pioneering a new era in the future of storytelling. They blazed a trail with the creation of the world's first viral AI film trailer, reimagining Star Wars with the distinctive flair of Wes Anderson.

Caleb Ward, CEO of Curious Refuge, has been a guiding force in the realm of creative arts and AI. His work, prominently featured in The Hollywood Reporter and CNBC, emphasizes the synergistic relationship between AI and indie artists. Caleb's vast contributions include over 800 articles and tutorials, influencing a broad spectrum of creators, from Oscar-winning studios to aspiring artists. His leadership at Curious Refuge embodies his passion for empowering the next wave of creative talents.

Shelby Ward, the COO of Curious Refuge, brings her rich background in artist education in the motion design and VFX spaces. Her impactful career has involved collaboration with industry leaders such as Disney and Netflix. Shelby's commitment to building an optimistic and inclusive community aligns seamlessly with Curious Refuge's mission. Together, they create a formidable team, driving forward the integration of modern technology in artistic expression.

Episode Chapters:

00:06:11 Creativity and AI are transforming industries.
00:16:00 The AI Creative Community.
00:21:23 AI is revolutionizing content creation.
00:25:19 The Wes Anderson Star Wars Trailer.
00:31:26 The power of viral creativity.
00:38:36 The Curious Refuge story.
00:46:44 AGI best guess.

Connect with Curious Refuge

Star Wars by Wes Anderson Trailer | The Galactic Menagerie

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Paul sits down with Professor Timothy Morton, an eco-philosopher, artist, and author of 25 books, translated 40 times into 18 languages. They explore the connection between philosophy, ecology, spirituality, fascism, and shame. Their discussion centers on the notion that acknowledging our existence within the biosphere is a profound spiritual encounter. Professor Morton's broad range of work spans philosophy, literature, music, art, and more, resonating not only with scholars and philosophers but also with artists and creative minds who cherish the interconnectedness of the natural world. 

[00:00:35] What it is to be a life form
[00:05:53] The jungle is a cathedral
[00:10:12] Indigenous peoples
[00:14:32] Appreciating the atomic structure
[00:17:09] Recognizing our interconnectedness
[00:23:12] The trickster quality of nature
[00:27:18] Gender and identity exploration
[00:30:46] Evolution and sexual selection
[00:34:37] Rediscovering family relationships
[00:39:40] Spiritual experiences and Kundalini
[00:41:42] The concept of telos
[00:45:40] The human condition of shame
[00:50:57] Shame and self-limiting beliefs
[00:53:09] A shame audit
[00:57:23] Self-medication and societal energy

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Copyright © 2023 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

Well, it's 2023 - we made it! As we gather receipts and do an audit on times past while looking forward; I wanted to gather bits and pieces of the past year's conversations in which my guests' brilliance took us places profound, hilarious and enlightening.

What we talked about...

• Bisexuality and coming out (with Zachary Zane)
• Understanding Happiness (with Tal Ben-Shahar)
• Undeniable wisdom from a retired sex worker (with Rylee Rabbit)
• the warnings about the slow rot of American authoritarianism (with Sarah Kendzior)
• Finding one's Self (with John Kim)
• How our biographies directly affect our biology (with Dr. Habib Sadeghi)
• Comedy and kindness (with Jeffrey Gurian)
• Ayahuasca and meeting our shadows (with Kat Courtney)
• How the Marvel Cinematic Universe is built on Trauma (with George Hahn and Dr. MC McDonald)
• The right to shame-free sex for all (with Rena Martine)

This podcast will continue to grow as will the Smart Funny Tortured brand and my dedication to using my story to help others. And if a particular clip from this omnibus episode caught your attention, go back and give it a full listen. Feel free to share, leave a review wherever you listen or drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you.

And this is where I take a moment and say "thank you". Thank you for listening and being present while I found myself and found my voice.

My name is Paul Chamberlain and this is Smart Funny Tortured 2022 - a look back.

May you find your people, find your pleasure, find your purpose and find your peace in 2023.

Happy New Year everyone.

EPISODE CHAPTERS

Zachary Zane - Intro 2:17

Zachary Zane - No one believed I was bisexual 3:23

Zachary Zane - Paul coming out 4:21

Tal Ben-Shahar - Intro 7:30

Tal Ben-Shahar - What is Happiness Not? 8:36

Tal Ben-Shahar - Happiness is a continuum 9:59

Rylee Rabbit - Intro 11:01

Rylee Rabbit - You gotta find things that are beautiful in people 11:51

Rylee Rabbit - Shame is the supervillain 13:09

Sarah Kendzior Intro 15:46

Sarah Kendzior - Breitbart Ass Kicking 17:16

Sarah Kendzior - I'm not your mom! 23:22

John Kim - Intro 23:58

John Kim - Not a typical therapist 29:09

John Kim - Self is the most important thing 31:33

Dr. Habib Sadeghi Intro 33:30

Dr. Habib Sadeghi - Our biographies are our biology 35:59

Dr. Habib Sadeghi - Good Medicine is bad business 37:23

Jeffrey Gurian - Intro 40:24

Jeffrey Gurian - Everything that happens to me is my path 41:57

Jeffrey Gurian - Comedy became his remedy 45:20

Kat Courtney - Intro 53:03

Kat Courtney - UFC Fighter, Ayahuasca and his truth 54:49

Kat Courtney - Giving back to the medicine and the people 56:45

Marvel Traumatic Universe Intro 58:19

Marvel Traumatic Universe - George's stepdad...the superhero 1:01

Marvel Traumatic Universe - When we can't be superheroes in the face of trauma 1:03

Rena Martine - Intro 1:06

Rena Martine - The true elements for great sex 1:07

Rena Martine - ENM and the 5 W's 1:08

Goodbye 2022 1:10

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What is the Christmas season without thinly veiled trauma and dysfunction in the form of beloved animated family television specials? With the help of trauma research professor, Dr. MC McDonald, sex/love addiction coach, Sean Cardinalli and Life Coach, Carllie Jaxxen, we take an irreverent but nostalgic look at the classic Rankin Bass Christmas Specials: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty The Snowman, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without a Santa Claus.

Follow MC McDonald on Instagram: @emseyphd
Read MC McDonald on Medium
Visit MC McDonald, PhD Alchemy Coaching
Listen to the Trauma Tapes podcast hosted by MC McDonald

Follow Sean Cardinalli on Instagram: @seancardinalli

Follow Carllie Jaxxen on Instagram: @carlliemusings

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Paul sits down with women's intimacy coach and former sex crimes prosecutor, Rena Martine to discuss ethical non-monogamy (ENM) and her mission to help women love their bodies, experience deep intimacy and have great sex, shame-free.

Rena Martine is a fascinating and dynamic woman who, at first glance at her career track from then to now, could be seen as a massive divergence. But upon closer examination, her evolution is both logical and beautiful.

Rena Martine was a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney for 14 years, where she specialized in sex crimes, child abuse and domestic violence cases. She continues to serve women today as an intimacy coach, educator, TEDx speaker and author.

She holds a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, where she was also a law review editor and twice-published author. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University Los Angeles and also holds a certificate in Positive Psychology through the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Certified Life Coach through Lumia Coaching and recognized as a Master Coach by High Impact Coaching, an international community of the world's top coaches.

Episode Chapters

Fantasies - 4:10
Who was and is Rena Martine - 10:00 
The inequity of morality - 13:16 
The true elements of pleasurable and authentic sex - 16:21 
Monogamy falling away - 20:33 
ENM & Polyamory 101 - 20:56 
Polyamory defined - 26:11 
The 5 W's of Polyamory - 32:55
Dismantling trauma within a relationship - 35:31 
27 sex bucket list questions - 40:17
Coming back from infidelity/lack of trust - 43:23

Connect with Rena

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RenaMartine.com

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t powered by vibranium, sorcery or infinity stones...it's powered by trauma and grief. With the help of research professor, Dr. MC McDonald and the incomparably urbane satirist, George Hahn, we break down how the MCU has pulled off a superhuman feat in depicting the impact of these very human experiences.

In honor of the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Paul, MC and George take an informed heartfelt look at Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision and the latest MCU installment of the Black Panther saga. While laughing a lot and crying a little, they identify where the Avengers are in their own healing process and why these characters mean so much to us and give us one more way to heal.

MaryCatherine (MC) McDonald, PhD, is a research professor and life coach who specializes in the psychology of stress, and resilience. She has been researching, lecturing, and publishing on stress-based neuroscience, psychology, and lived experience since 2011. She is passionate about destigmatizing mental health issues in general, as well as reframing our understanding of mental health in order to better understand and treat it.

Given the spot-on designation of “Urban Raconteur” by the New York Times, George Hahn is a multi-talented satirist, sartorialist and non-conformist mid-century modernist who is a force of nature on all media including his eponymous online magazine and podcast. He can also be found almost daily, live-streaming his hilariously charming and intimate morning walks through Central Park with his dogs.

Episode Chapters
Which Avenger is more traumatized than the other 5:31
Hawkeye and Moral Injury 14:39
Finding meaning 21:49
Emotional vulnerability 33:30
The Hulk and Internal Family Systems 35:4
Marvel trauma collateral damage 46:57
We are all damaged people 56:44
Different speeds of grieving 1:21:51

Follow George Hahn on Instagram: @georgehahn
Follow George Hahn on Twitter: @georgehahn
Visit GeorgeHahn.com
Listen to the George Hahn Podcast

Follow MC McDonald on Instagram: @emseyphd
Read MC McDonald on Medium
Visit MC McDonald, PhD Alchemy Coaching
Listen to the Trauma Tapes podcast hosted by MC McDonald

Kat Courtney is a woman of exceptional power, perspective and wisdom. 

She is an 18 year veteran of Plant Medicines: Meaning she has been traditionally trained to administer the psychedelic medicinal brew Ayahuasca and the botanical cousin of Peyote, Huachuma or San Pedro cactus. She is an integration coach and her expertise extends to crises of the soul and addiction recovery. And she is an author with her first book out now,  The Plant Medicine Mystery School Volume 1: The Superhero Healing Powers of Psychotropic Plants. She is a certified Death Doula honored to help people make peace with the inevitable and beautiful transition into the afterlife.

Kat trained for almost 12 years, drinking in hundreds and hundreds of plant ceremonies. She completed 22 master plant dietas to date, including a 9 month dieta and a full year deep dive, and she has held a Master Level Reiki certification for over a decade. Now, Kat pours medicine in places like Peru and Costa Rica many times a year, leads master plant dietas both in person and remotely, and assists with preparation and integration of psychedelics in conjunction with major life events.

Specific to this podcast, Kat is yet another member of the “Save Paul Team” in that she was there at the beginning of my journey to where I am today. I remember the very first time I spoke with her. I thought I would be going to see her in person and have to walk through a beaded doorway into a cloud of incense. That’s how cynical and naive I was. What happened is that I sat in my car, in a parking lot, in a Vegas downpour talking to a woman on my cell who told me it was going to be okay by instilling in me confidence through her own story of redemption and purpose. An hour and a half later, I was in…and about to enter the world of Pachamama/Mother Ayahuasca with Kat, as my guide.

Episode Chapters

It all started over salads 4:55

We support each other at playing small 15:13

The Science of Ayahuasca 19:59

Sacrament 26:19

Kat's Arrest 28:51

Integration Explained 45:15

Fighting the Authentic Self 48:21

Huachuma 52:04

Death Doula 57:11

Connect with Kat

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Paul sits down with Jeffrey Gurian to talk about being one of the most beloved people in the world of comedy, self-limiting beliefs and picking the right outfit before the ambulance arrives.

People often refer to him as a “Renaissance Man”, because he’s involved in so many things. But he’s really a Mensch. A wonderful Yiddish term that defines a person as someone who can be relied upon to act with honor and integrity. Who is kind and considerate; admired within the small circle who know them well. 

Well, that small circle includes people like Jimmy Fallon, Chelsea Handler, Chris Rock, Amy Schumer and so many more. I have personally witnessed the biggest stars in comedy stopping in their tracks to hug and chat with Jeffrey while the craziness of a red carpet swirls around them.

He was a former Cosmetic Dentist and Clinical Professor at New York University where he taught and lectured for 12 years. He is an author with eight books: three on comedy, five on motivation and happiness. He’s the host of Comedy Matters TV, a YouTube channel sporting millions of views along with being a regular on Sirius XM’s Bennington Show.

Above all, he is a survivor. Of both a widow maker heart attack and the deadly New York City 2020 Covid wave that almost took him out. He has battled his own demons which only seem to make him more empathetic, quirky and generous. He was there when I was battling mine and stood by when others didn’t. I will never forget that. He is one of kindest and most interesting people I have ever met and now you get that pleasure as well.

Follow Jeffrey Gurian on Instagram: @jeffreygurian
Follow Jeffrey Gurian on Twitter: @JeffreyGurian
Visit Comedy Matters TV

Paul sits down with Dr. Habib Sadeghi to talk about love, medicine and what we can do to regain our health and happiness despite a broken medical system.

It’s fair to say that one area of our life where we find ourselves tortured is when we have to navigate the traditional American medical system for ourselves or a loved one. Enduring the feeling that we are only to be quickly seen, prescribed and dispatched to the next test, doctor or calendar year.

Imagine having a doctor who listened to you. Who was inquisitive from the start to not only know about your condition but you as a person. Someone who embraced your story with love and compassion to not only treat you with conventional medicine, but also applying other modalities of medicine that acknowledge what the body and mind is capable of when we feel safe, heard and genuinely taken care of.

Dr. Habib Sadeghi is that doctor.

He is the founder of Be Hive of Healing, an integrative medical center based in Los Angeles. He specializes in multi-disciplinary treatment for chronic illnesses that include osteopathic, anthroposophical, environmental, psychosomatic, family, and German new medicine, as well as clinical pharmacology. He served as an attending Physician and Clinical Facilitator at UCLA-Santa Monica Medical Center and is currently a Clinical Instructor of Family Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences. He is the author of two books, The Clarity Cleanse: 12 steps to finding renewed energy, spiritual fulfillment and emotional healing, and Within: A spiritual awakening to love & weight loss. Dr.Sadeghi is also a regular contributor to Goop, CNN, BBC News and the Huffington Post, and is the publisher of the health and well-being journal, MegaZEN.

Full disclosure: Doctor Sadeghi is my doctor.

You’ll hear my story and how I ended up in his care. Sorry to say it is an all too common scenario for a lot of people. And heads up - this is the first interview I’ve done in person for the podcast - No Zoom. An issue with my mic has me sounding a little sub-par, but my guest sounds great, so enjoy.

Visit Love Button Global Movement
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Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Dr. Habib Sadeghi
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

Paul sits down with The Angry Therapist, John Kim, LMFT to talk about finding Self, the power of Coaching and how motorcycles, CrossFit and donuts made it all better.

In a departure from the usual format, Paul sets up the interview by sharing his very personal connection to one of John’s books (I Used to Be a Miserable F*ck) and how it helped him during an extremely dark time*. Spoiler alert: there’s a happy ending for everyone on this episode.

John Kim, LMFT, (AKA The Angry Therapist) and co-founder of Lumia, pioneered the online life coaching movement. A decade ago, John Kim's divorce led to his total re-birth and he became an unconventional therapist and life coach by working out of the box and growing his audience of like-minded people from the ground up. John's books The Angry Therapist’s No BS Guide to Finding and Living Your Own Truth, I Used to Be a Miserable F*ck: An Everyman's Guide to a Meaningful Life and Single. On Purpose. have inspired thousands to change their lives.

Follow John Kim on Instagram: @TheAngryTherapist
Follow John Kim on Twitter: @AngryTherapist
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Subscribe to John Kim on YouTube: The Angry Therapist
Visit TheAngryTherapist.com
Visit Lumia Coaching

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: John Kim
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

*If you or someone you know is suicidal, help is available - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish - 800-273-8255