PODCAST · tv
Inspired Minds
by Jeff Watson, Michael Lee Simpson
The soul of artistry lies behind the scenes in the creative process and the heartbeat of greatness lies within the most inspired individuals. Listen to in-depth interviews with directors, writers, producers, authors, entrepreneurs, comedians, musicians and figures from all walks of life. Produced by writer and journalist Michael Lee Simpson and hosted by Warner Bros. Records executive-turned therapist in training Jeff Watson, “Inspired Minds” is filled with tales of life, joy, pain and imagination. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
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Tony Sutton
Author, journalist, and media historian Patrick Jankiewicz interviews legendary blacksmith and Hollywood armorer Tony Swatton — the master craftsman behind some of film’s most iconic weapons and props. Swatton’s creations include the Zenith Blade from League of Legends, Wolverine’s claws from...
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Tom Hoeler
Tom Hoeler is the Editorial Director of Fiction & Special Projects at Random House Worlds, a division of Penguin Random House. He specializes in developing and editing fiction across major licensed properties, including Star Wars, Magic: The Gathering, and World of Warcraft, playing a key role in...
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Neil O'Brien
Neil O’Brien is a Senior Broadcast Producer at NBC News Specials and an Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist with over two decades of in the industry. He is the author of After Disney: Toil, Trouble, and the Transformation of America’s Favorite Media Company, which explores the dramatic...
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Paula Munier
PAULA MUNIER is the Senior Agent and Director of Storytelling for Talcott Notch Literary and USA TODAY bestselling author of the Mercy Carr mysteries from Minotaur. Over her 20-plus years in the business, she’s conceived, created, produced, and marketed exceptional content in all formats across…
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David L. Robbins
David L. Robbins is the author of seventeen novels, including two bestselling works, War of the Rats and The End of War. Known for his gripping historical fiction, Robbins has also made a mark as a co-founder of the James River Writers and as the founder of the Richmond-based Podium Foundation....
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Katharine Sands
Katharine Sands is a literary agent with the Sarah Jane Freymann Agency in New York City. She is the agent provocateur of Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch A Literary Agent’s Eye. She has been a guest speaker on writing and publishing for Poets and Writers, The American Society of…
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Damon West
Damon West, M.S. Criminal Justice, is a college professor, internationally known keynote speaker, 3 x Wall Street Journal bestselling author and former crime boss in Dallas, who was sentenced to Life in prison for Organized Crime. USA Today calls him the “modern day Shawshank Redemption and the...
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Christina Lopez
Christina Lopez is an assistant editor at St. Martin’s Press, where she started as an intern in 2021 and worked her way up. In her time at SMP, she has worked on a wide array of books in several genres and with several amazing authors including Katherine Center, Kristin Hannah, and Sally…
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Lisa Sharkey
Lisa Sharkey, SVP Director of Creative Development of HarperCollins Publishers, opens up about her journey into the publishing industry after working as Senior Producer for “Good Morning America” and President of Al Roker Entertainment. She has overseen the acquisition and publication of more…
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Marco De Molina
Marco De Molina is a 2022 Grammy Nominated film producer and co-founder of the independent production company Spacebrain. He has received international acclaim at prestigious film festivals worldwide, including the Festival de Cannes. De Molina has also produced countless music videos for...
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Jim Kouf
Jim Kouf is a screenwriter, director, and producer who has worked on a variety of beloved films and TV shows. He wrote "Rush Hour," "National Treasure," "The Boogens," "The Hidden," executive produced "Con Air," and wrote/directed "Gang Related," "Miracles," and "Disorganized Crime." In the...
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Michael Pollack
Michael Pollack has held leadership positions for more than 35 years in the legal, financial and entertainment industries. Michael is the founder and former President of a litigation support firm that is today part of an international group of companies. He has held directorship positions for…
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Laverne McKinnon
Laverne is a Japanese-American film and television producer with more than 20 years of successful programming and producing experience in premium cable, broadcast and digital platforms. She is the Executive Producer of the Netflix series GIRLBOSS, and co-founder of K&L Productions, a film &...
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Chelsea Peng
Chelsea Peng is the Senior Editor of New York Magazine's The Strategist, formerly Assistant Editor at Marie Claire and Fashion Editor, Branded Content at Refinery29. She joins us to discuss fashion, the journalism industry, and bringing fresh, new ideas into the world. Hosted on Acast. See...
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Jason Perlman
23 years ago in 2000, Jason Eric Perlman packed up a U-Haul trailer, hitched it to his Jeep and drove across the country to begin his new life in Los Angeles. Three years after that move, his same Jeep was crushed by a 2000-year-old Sequoia Redwood tree while shooting his USC Master Thesis Film....
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Steven Schneider
A former film critic and scholar with M.A. Degrees in Philosophy from Harvard University and the University of London and in Cinema Studies from New York University, producer Steven Schneider has quickly risen the ranks of Hollywood to become one of the go-to experts in genre films. After having...
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Michelle Holbrook
Michelle Holbrook was diagnosed with Schwannomatosis, a type of neurofibromatosis also known as “NF,” at the age of 30. The disease causes tumors to develop throughout her body. But despite the pain she goes through each morning, she is now serving as an Ambassador for the Children’s Tumor...
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Morena Duwe
BuzzFeed Editor Morena Duwe discusses her rare journey from ballet dancer and film school student to finding her place in the world of journalism. Duwe is a Contributing Writer for Rolling Stone and the Los Angeles Times, and has written for CNN, Guardian News & Media, Business Insider, VICE…
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Max Potter
Maximillian Potter is a best-selling author and a Contributing Editor to Vanity Fair. He has been a staff writer and/or editor at Philadelphia Magazine, Premiere, Details, GQ and Esquire; and he has contributed to Outside and The Atlantic, among other publications. Potter has written two books:...
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Mara Reinstein
Mara Reinstein is a New York City-based entertainment journalist who's contributed to The New York Times, Parade, The Television Academy, CNN, The Ringer, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wall Street Journal, AARP, Vulture and more. She’s also the film critic for Us Weekly magazine and Reader’s Digest...
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Heather Langenkamp
Heather Langenkamp began her career as an extra in The Outsiders (1983) and Rumble Fish (1983) before debuting as a lead actress in Drew Denbaum’s film Nickel Mountain (1984). She is best known for her performances in several movies, including A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Dream Warriors...
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Cole Haddon
Cole Haddon is an Australian-American novelist, screenwriter, and journalist. His new novel "Psalms For The End Of The World" was called ‘Ingenious and compelling’ by The Times. "Dracula," his first television commission, was produced by NBC and Sky Living starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and he…
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Dr. Peg O'Connor
Peg O’Connor, Ph.D., is a Professor of Philosophy at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. Her training is in moral philosophy, feminist philosophy, addiction studies, and the work of Ludwig Wittgenstein. She believes that philosophy helped her to get and remain sober. Avoiding...
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Christopher Lockhart
Christopher Lockhart is a Hollywood executive, filmmaker, and teacher. As a story professional, he has worked in the talent agency business for almost 25 years. He started at ICM, worked his way to William Morris, and transitioned to WME, the world’s largest diversified talent agency, where he...
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Jessica Toscano
Jessica Toscano is a skilled content creator and editor with experience in print and digital media. She founded unisex lifestyle publication, IntrigueMag in 2014, having first published as a blog (its formal recognition as a legal entity was in Sep 2020), and continues to serve as CEO and...
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Alicia Dennis
Alicia Dennis is a content executive, award-winning journalist and editor innovating the telling of mass media stories across print, digital and broadcast. A true crime and pop culture expert, Dennis leads teams of breaking news reporters in crime and serves as an executive within multiple…
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Jeremiah Watkins
Standup star Jeremiah Watkins appears on Inspired Minds to talk about film, comedy icons, and his widely-acclaimed style in front of the microphone. Known to make Judd Apatow fall in love with comedy again, Jeremiah lit a fire in the industry that hasn’t been blazing since Chris Farley. His debut…
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Eric Morse
Eric Morse is an author and activist who wrote the twin children's books, "What Is Hip Hop?" and "What Is Punk?" featuring claymation images of Biggie Smalls, Tupac, The Ramones, The Clash, and other luminaires from their respective scenes. He cut his teeth in the music industry while joining…
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Jillian Dale
Jillian Dale is a journalist and has written pieces for The Huffington Post on film as a Contributor, as well as a producer/director for her own company, Bella Luce Productions. She has directed and created shows like "Omniscient," "Up In Arms," and "Beverly Hills Canine Club." She was formerly a...
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Marc Fisher
Pulitzer Prize-winner Marc Fisher is a Senior Editor at The Washington Post, and reports and writes on a wide range of topics. Most recently, he wrote "Trump Revealed," a biography of Donald Trump. He previously was The Post’s Enterprise Editor, leading a team of writers creating narrative...
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Randee Dawn
Entertainment journalist and author Randee Dawn writes for the LA Times Envelope, Variety, Today.com, and a number of other outlets. fiction. She's also a former editor at The Hollywood Reporter and Soap Opera Digest. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and online publications;...
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Drew Fortune
Drew Fortune is a pop-culture journalist and screenwriter, who has been actively publishing for the past ten years. He is a regular contributor to Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Vulture, but his writings on music, film, and television have been published in Cosmopolitan, Playboy, SPIN,...
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Jeremy Helligar
People Magazine Executive Editor, Entertainment Jeremy Helligar opens up about his journey through life, the journalism field, being the underdog as a gay black man and a newfound passion for writing. He’s written for numerous publications over the years: Variety, HuffPost, Reader’s Digest, The...
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Diana Ossana
Oscar-winning screenwriter, bestselling author and producer Diana Ossana discusses the magic behind art, her thirty-five year friendship with Larry McMurtry and crafting powerful stories and characters. After co-writing novels “Pretty Boy Floyd” and “Zeke and Ned” with McMurtry, the pair’s...
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Malina Saval
As one of America’s most prominent journalists, Malina Saval is a three-time LA Press Club award winner and National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award winner. She’s currently the Features Editor at Variety where she’s penned profiles on artists and luminaries such as Sean Penn, Robert De…
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Brandyn Cross
Multi-media artist, writer, recording artist, songwriter, filmmaker and actor Brandyn Cross talks about his career and living as a wheelchair-bound amputee. He’s written over 100 episodes of the award-winning hit episodic drama TV show “Proper Manors” (now streaming on Amazon Prime) and the show...
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Jason Fine
“Rolling Stone” legend Jason Fine joins us to share his musical inspirations and journalism journey. He’s been with “Rolling Stone” since 1997 in a number of capacities, from Editor to Director of Content Development to SVP of Rolling Stone Films. He’s edited books on Johnny Cash, George Harrison...
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Tracy Mercer
Tracy is Amasia Entertainment’s Senior VP of Television. Currently, Amasia is in development at The CW with a sequel series to Dan Curtis’ classic, "Dark Shadows," to be showrun by Emmy-winner Mark B. Perry. Additional shows in development include "Because the Night" based on the James Ellory…
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Serah Henesey
Born & bred in Sydney, Australia to European/Middle Eastern parents Serah danced from a young age. After joining Youth Theater at age 16, she finished her training in London, where she performed in both period & contemporary plays. Serah is an award-winning actress, with an established career in...
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Rob Schnapf
Rob Schnapf has been making critically acclaimed records for the past two decades. He first gained recognition by producing (with his then-partner Tom Rothrock) Beck's debut album, "Mellow Gold," including the breakthrough single, "Loser." Rob and Tom produced three albums for Elliot Smith,...
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Katherine Turman
Katherine is a multifaceted journalist, editor and content creator who has written for publications including "Entertainment Weekly," "Los Angeles Times," "Mother Jones," "Esquire.com," "Marie Claire," "Billboard," "Village Voice," "Black Book," "TEEN," "Guitar World," "Rolling Stone," "NY...
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Jenelle Riley
“Variety” Deputy Awards and Features Editor, screenwriter, playwright, director, actor and producer Jenelle Riley explores the arts, her inspirations and living with OCD and bipolar disorder. Riley wrote the 2015 short film, “Warning Labels,” directed by Jennifer Morrison, and is the host of...
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Le Ly Hayslip
Vietnamese-American memoirist and humanitarian Le Ly Hayslip tells her incredible story about surviving the horrors of Vietnam, translating those memories to the page and striving to change the world. Her first memoir, "When Heaven and Earth Changed Places: A Vietnamese Woman's Journey from War…
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Kristen Lopez
"IndieWire" TV Editor Kristen Lopez discusses Hollywood culture, classic movies and disability representation in film. Beginning as a film critic writing for $10 a review, Lopez is now recognized as an influential figure in the journalism field. As an entertainment journalist for fifteen years…
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Thuc Doan Nguyen
Thuc Doan Nguyen was born in Vietnam. She survived life as a boat person refugee as a child, was sponsored to the US and spent her whole life in public school. She grew up in North Carolina and Southern Maryland and is a dual passport holder of the United States and the Republic of Ireland. Thuc...
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Reinhard Denke
Reinhard Denke grew up in Texas and is a graduate of USC Film School. He got his start as a writer in 2009 with his spec script “Sex, Greed, Money, Murder and Chicken Fried Steak” about the Cullen Davis murders in Fort Worth, Texas. The script was chosen for the prestigious Hollywood Blacklist.…
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Chip Jacobs
Bestselling author/acclaimed journalist Chip Jacobs joins us to explore his magical and powerful craftmanship. His debut novel, "Arroyo," a historical fiction masterpiece set in 1913 around the construction of Pasadena's Colorado Street Bridge, was a "Los Angeles Times" bestseller, "CrimeReads"...
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Jeffrey Reddick
"Final Destination" franchise writer/creator Jeffrey Reddick started his creative journey when he wrote a ten-page treatment for prequel to "A Nightmare on Elm Street" at the age of fourteen. After mailing it to New Line Cinema founder Bob Shaye, an unlikely letter-and-phone relationship with…
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Sarah Halstead
Comedian Sarah Halstead talks career, the art of good comedy and performing standup across the country. Her Comedy Special, "RVs and Cats,” is streaming on Amazon Prime with a widely popular comedy album released last year. Also host of the “Drinking During Business Hours" podcast, her "Bottle...
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Neil D'Monte
Neil D'Monte is an American artist, SAG-AFTRA film actor, musician, producer, creator of the Hellbilly clothing line, and director born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. A graduate of the USC School of Fine Arts, Neil began his career as a comic book and storyboard artist, which segued into a...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The soul of artistry lies behind the scenes in the creative process and the heartbeat of greatness lies within the most inspired individuals. Listen to in-depth interviews with directors, writers, producers, authors, entrepreneurs, comedians, musicians and figures from all walks of life. Produced by writer and journalist Michael Lee Simpson and hosted by Warner Bros. Records executive-turned therapist in training Jeff Watson, “Inspired Minds” is filled with tales of life, joy, pain and imagination.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
Jeff Watson, Michael Lee Simpson
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Inspired Minds have?
Inspired Minds currently has 77 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Inspired Minds about?
The soul of artistry lies behind the scenes in the creative process and the heartbeat of greatness lies within the most inspired individuals. Listen to in-depth interviews with directors, writers, producers, authors, entrepreneurs, comedians, musicians and figures from all walks of life. Produced...
How often does Inspired Minds release new episodes?
Inspired Minds has 77 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Inspired Minds?
You can listen to Inspired Minds on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Inspired Minds?
Inspired Minds is created and hosted by Jeff Watson, Michael Lee Simpson.
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