My First Rodeo Podcast

My First Rodeo Podcast

Professional firsts, life achievement and more

Episodes

July 7, 2025 68 mins

Too many firsts to name!  Historic Jacksonville Mayor who preserved land, invested in infrastructure and pursued innovative ways to understand and represent everyone - not just those who voted for him.  

Public University and Private College President - who won over critics who initially saw him as not "enough of an academic."  And, before all that, Chief Assistant State Attorney, City General Counsel and Mayoral...

Mark as Played

Adam took the helm of Hillel, the world's leading Jewish student organization, just months before the Pandemic.  

So, there has been no shortage of crises for the man who heads an organization that counts 180,000 Jewish students in 850 colleges and universities as its constituency.  

Mike and Adam get into how the lawyer, turned entrepreneur, turned playwright, and oh yeah a capella singer, brings problem- so...

Mark as Played

After her debut performance as a fairy in elementary school, Helen didn't perform again for decades. She has been on a pretty good tear ever since  -  playing memorable characters in Jane the Virgin, Never Have I Ever, booking her first commercial (Comcast Cable) and then her first acting audition: a Coen Brothers classic,  becoming a regular on NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell me, and hosting her own game show, Go Fact Yo...

Mark as Played

Seth and Mike talk, growing up Jewish with the shadow of the Holocaust front and center and how, for Seth, this permeated his DNA and his being and drew him to innocence work. The Bone Valley Murder, college protests, and passion feature prominently.

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played
February 14, 2025 62 mins

A touring theatre comedian out of Nashville, Tennessee, Lee has two successful DryBar comedy specials.

Mike and Lee talk, comedy entrepreneurship, creating opportunities vs. being angry about the opportunities that don't come, television work, upbringing, lacking luxury but being provided for and encouraged, and growth.

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played

The millennial president is on this episode. 

He became the 30th president of Edward Waters College, now University, in 2018. 

Since then he’s shaken things up for EWU and the entire HBCU world. 

He is enthusiastic, thoughtful, demanding of himself and others, and above all passionate. 

Want to find out how he got that way? 

Check it out!

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played
December 3, 2024 61 mins

When it comes to news reporting, Alex Ebert is at the same time a throwback to old school journalism and a foreshadowing of what newsrooms are becoming. 

Perspective, exuberance, how stories impact the lives of real people and the judicial process, learning from mistakes, pursuing passion, and work life balance. 

This episode has it all.

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played
October 21, 2024 57 mins

This episode is all about leadership and service. 

No one better exemplifies both than the man who has led at the highest levels of PepsiCo, Eastman Kodak, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, and now his own alma mater (and Mike”s too), Jacksonville University. 

Passion, encouragement and loyalty feature prominently.

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played
October 14, 2024 28 mins

You asked for it, you got it: a larger dose of the reality show that is produced for an audience of two in the home of a 56 year old comedian/lawyer and his 15 year old daughter.  

This episode gives you a taste of the bantar, sarcasm, sharing, exploring and compassion that occurs daily in the home of two people from very different generations.  

You will be as captivated by the intellect and candor of my sweet Sa...

Mark as Played
October 10, 2024 58 mins

From "The Tonight Show" to "Last Comic Standing" -  from appearances on "That 70's Show," ""Scrubs," "Will & Grace," and "Agent Carter," - and from commercials for Honda, Heineken, Doritos and even Midol -- there is no shortage of firsts to discuss.  

This high energy conversation covers a bunch.  

From his upbringing in Greenville, Mississi...

Mark as Played

Dave joins Mike to talk about the challenges and failures that inspired him to run over 3,400 miles --- coast to coast – in 80 days, run 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days, and to do triathlons every day for 32 days – all to raise money and awareness for charities!!!  

His accomplishments, and impact through inspiration, too great to list.  “His Game, His Rules!”  “Accomplisher!”  “Relevant!”  

And he does it a...

Mark as Played

As portrayed in the Hollywood feature film, “Brian Banks,” Brian was destined for football stardom when he was wrongfully accused of sexual assault and took his lawyer’s advice to plead “no contest.” 

He spent the next six years in prison only to be exonerated when his accuser confessed to lying. 

Brian shares with Mike how he persevered, continued to dream and to realize dreams. 

This episode is about sy...

Mark as Played

 He’s performed on The Tonight Show, Letterman, Colbert, James Corden, Craig Fergusson and was a finalist on Last Comic standing.

Michael shares how making the family laugh around the dinner table and the encouragement of his parents gave him the confidence and patience to build a successful career as a Touring Stand-up Comedian. 

Lot’s of great insight from one of the nicest guys in the comedy business.

@freedtola...

Mark as Played

Get to know one of the consummate television news journalists of our day, her history, her heart and her approach to relaying the news and exploring personalities, stories and issues with compassion and objectivity. 

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played

An informative and fun conversation about the unique piece of Americana and running lure that is The Boston Marathon.  

Marc talks to Mike about his first Boston in 2003 as a Bandit, 17 Bostons since, fun facts about the race, the importance in finding beauty in imperfection and the intrinsic value of a beautiful question.  

This episode is for runners and non-runners alike!

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played

If you or someone you know is battling cancer, you won’t want to miss this episode with Dr. John Oertle - a leading expert in advanced precision medicine and the Chief Medical Director at Envita Medical Centers in Arizona specializing in individualized outcome-based care models for chronic disease and integrative oncology. 

Mike and Dr. Oertle talk cancer genomics, immunotherapy, and even chronic Lyme disease.  Find out wh...

Mark as Played

Boston Marathon Champion Jack Fultz sits down with Mike to lay out what it takes to win; the differences between success and winning and between competition and enemies.  

Fultz lays out the formula to use a platform for the greater good and the psychology behind the athlete. You don’t want to miss these insights from the winner of the “run for the hoses.”

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played

Mike chats with two generations of actual rodeo royalty. Listen in to a conversation about practice, hard work, relationships, role models and family in an ageless sport where winning is the ultimate goal. And join Mike to celebrate the first season of the My First Rodeo Podcast.

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played
January 1, 2024 41 mins

Comedy, TV, movies and even battle rapping - Rio Paris does it all with excellence.

In this episode, Rio and Mike talk about the best comedy advice, how to be kind and successful and how parenting changes everything.

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played

Meet the man who ran without any support from California to New York in just over 71 days. He then set the record for running Badwater - 147 miles in 73 hours. 

And then ran through 26 states in 147 days straight. 

Mike and Jay Chat about momentum, the importance of being unrelenting and why it’s best to order the food that a restaurant serves most!

@freedtolaugh on IG

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

    24/7 News: The Latest

    The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

    Latino USA

    Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S. centering Latino stories, hosted by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Maria Hinojosa Every week, the Peabody winning team brings you revealing, in-depth stories about what’s in the hearts and minds of Latinos and their impact on the world. Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro+ for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on Latino USA and all our podcasts. www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.