The Totally Legitimate Business Podcast

On Episode 151 of The TLB Podcast, James welcomes back Erik Henkelman for a look into the dark history — and uncertain future — of sports betting and game fixing.

They get into the mafia’s historical involvement in sports gambling, early examples of point shaving and league manipulation, the infamous Tim Donaghy scandal that exposed vulnerabilities at the highest level of professional basketball, and the current NBA bettin...

On Episode 150 of The TLB Podcast, James sits down with Israeli-American filmmaker Michael Moshe Dahan for a thoughtful, nuanced conversation about filmmaking, identity, and using art to address deep conflict. The discussion centers on Michael’s film Yes, Repeat, No, which examines the life, legacy, and contradictions of Juliano Mer-Khamis.

They explore the creative process behind politically and emotionally charged art, t...

On Episode 149 of The TLB Podcast, James welcomes back Michael Pridmore for a deep dive into the rapidly evolving world of ultrasound technology in modern medicine. Together, they explore how ultrasound works at a fundamental physics level, its expanding diagnostic and therapeutic applications, and why it remains one of the most accessible and versatile tools in healthcare today.

The conversation spans elastography, target...

On Episode 148 of The TLB Podcast, James is joined once again by author, historian, and educator, Chris Verga, for a sober, unfiltered examination of terrorism, extremism, radicalization, and political violence in America. They examine how terrorism functions as symbolic communication, how the internet, social media, and conspiracy culture have dramatically accelerated extremist organizing, and the dangerous feedback loop created w...

On Episode 147 of The TLB Podcast, James is joined by MJ Dorian, creator of the Creative Codex Podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation on creativity, consciousness, symbolism, and the unconscious mind.

They explore where creative ideas truly originate, the psychology of artists, and Jungian concepts such as archetypes, synchronicity, and shadow work, ancient schools of thought — from alchemy and mystery traditions to symb...

On Episode 146 of The TLB Podcast, James is joined by researcher of ancient cultures Peter Goodgame for a wide-ranging exploration of Sumerian and Egyptian history, mythology, and their possible connections to modern power structures and UFO narratives.

The conversation traces the origins of civilization, the cyclical rise and collapse of empires, and the expansion of the Uruk Empire, examining mythic figures such as Inann...

On Episode 145 of The TLB Podcast, James welcomes longtime friend and Nashville metal scene legend Sam Schneider, also known as Sammy Slamdance — a musician, content creator, and one of the most recognizable voices in heavy music meme culture. They trace Sam’s journey from playing in local bands to creating viral metal memes, unpacking the evolution of Nashville’s heavy music scene, the realities of navigating the music industry, a...

On Episode 144 of The TLB Podcast, James sits down with Hani Latif and Justin Kellner of Counters and Feelers, to talk about their long-awaited debut record, Watering Dead Plants. They break down the unique challenges and unexpected joys of creating music remotely, how old ideas evolve into new creative breakthroughs, and why tone, gear, and intentional sound design play such a crucial role in their writing process.

The co...

On Episode 143 of The TLB Podcast, James is joined by all three guitarists of The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza — Layne Meylain, Eric Burngruber, and Josh Travis — for the most in-depth and exclusive breakdown of the band’s past, present, and future.

Eric shares what it was like joining Danza and playing Furnace Fest, Josh reflects on his own creative progression, and what the future could hold for the band’s next chapt...

On Episode 142 of The TLB Podcast, James welcomes long-time friend and voice actor Jeff Tinnean for a deep and honest conversation about creativity, discipline, and fatherhood. They explore their shared history in music and theater, Jeff’s journey into voice acting, and the process of learning audio engineering from the ground up — including the mistakes, mindset shifts, and breakthroughs, and the evolving influence of AI in audio ...

On Episode 141 of The TLB Podcast, James welcomes back Chris Verga to discuss his new book, Nazis of Long Island: Sedition, Espionage and the Plot Against America. Together, they explore the hidden history of Nazi influence across Long Island during World War II, examining how propaganda, espionage networks, and ideological infiltration shaped American communities.

Verga shares firsthand accounts from local families, dives...

On Episode 140 of The TLB Podcast, James speaks with Skyler Mathis, host of The Philosophical Minds Podcast, for a deep dive into the intersections of philosophy, esotericism, and the unknown. Together, they examine the connections between aliens, nuclear energy, and AI, how ancient wisdom and modern technology mirror each other in today’s rapidly shifting world, alchemy, classified science, secret societies, and the ways these for...

On Episode 139 of The TLB Podcast, James speaks with Ryan Rado, artist, musician, and host of Make It Perfect, about what it means to chase perfection in art and life — and why imperfection might be the most beautiful part of the process.

They explore how creative expression exposes our vulnerabilities, how authenticity and self-awareness guide the artistic journey, the evolution of Nashville’s art and music scenes, and re...

On Episode 138 of The TLB Podcast, James speaks with Jason Samosa, an explorer of the UFO phenomenon, to unravel how belief, skepticism, and secrecy shape our understanding of reality, the intersection of politics, religion, and technology, how public perception on the topic is being manipulated, biblical prophecies like Gog and Magog and how they may connect to modern UFO narratives, the historical role of esoteric traditions, gov...

On Episode 137 of The TLB Podcast, James speaks with Grey, a survivor and experiencer of MKUltra-style behavioral modification programs, and the creator of Organize Safety — a platform that enables survivors of covert government and psychological manipulation to safely report and corroborate their experiences.

Grey opens up about his personal history growing up within MKUltra-like programs, exploring the multi-layered syst...

On Episode 136 of The TLB Podcast, James speaks with Gore Abrams and Danny Bellini about their creative partnership and the making of their new horror short film, Locations. The trio discuss their time working on Hell House LLC, the challenges of shooting on film, the realities of independent film production, and the journey of taking a film from script to festival submission. This episode explores the heart of independent filmmaki...

On Episode 135 of The TLB Podcast, James speaks with Sterling Cooley about the cutting edge of Medical Science, exploring the role of the vagus nerve, ultrasound technology, and microtubules in consciousness and perception, how DMT may interact with microtubules, the future of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) as a new model for funding and ownership in scientific research, and how emerging science and decentralization ...

On Episode 134 of The TLB Podcast, James Oliva welcomes back Magnum of The Swerve Podcast to explore In-Q-Tel, the CIA's venture capital arm. They dive into its origins, investment strategies, how dual-use technologies bridge both civilian and military applications, notable investments such as Palantir and Anduril, the ethical dilemmas of surveillance and data mining, and the way In-Q-Tel’s portfolio has shaped technology acro...

On Episode 133 of The TLB Podcast, James welcomes back Ike Baker for a wide-ranging conversation on esotericism, spirituality, and modern belief systems. They discuss technology’s impact on well-being, the commercialization of spirituality, the evolving role of religion in society, how truth, suffering, and personal growth shape the search for meaning, and Ike’s upcoming immersive trip to Egypt, teaching Greco-Egyptian theology and...