PODCAST · society
Why Am I Podcast
by Greg Sowell
A conversation with people who do interesting things to trace the path that brought them to where they are.
Episodes
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Nobody Tells You a Big Heart Burns Out on Death - Why Am I Monte Leach
What happens when a kid raised by Nashville musicians, bounced between Tennessee, California, and Texas, finally figures out what he was made to do? Greg sits down with Monte Leach, a registered nurse, Navy honor graduate, dad, and self-described "dude" to everyone, to trace the winding road from...
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He Turned Mario Music Into Two Grammy Wins - Why Am I Charlie Rosen
What if the Super Mario Bros. theme, a 45-second loop built on the most rudimentary hardware imaginable, turned out to be a great piece of music all on its own? Greg sits down with Charlie Rosen, a Broadway music director, arranger, and two-time Grammy winner who grew up surrounded by his…
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A Trash-Night Painting Became a Museum - Why Am I Louise Reilly Sacco
What happens when a painting pulled from the trash turns into a beloved museum, and the person who agreed to keep the checkbook ends up running it for thirty years? Greg sits down with Louise Reilly Sacco, a lifelong Boston Irish kid, the permanent interim acting executive director of the Museum…
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She Eats Green Chili Like It's Her Morning Coffee - Fantasy Restaurant Lara Dale
What does it say about someone that they'd want their fantasy waiter to look progressively more shipwrecked as the meal goes on? In this Fantasy Restaurant warm-up, Lara Dale builds a wonderfully specific, slightly chaotic feast, honey mead in a Renfair stein, green chili pot stickers, a seafood...
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Her Secret Weapon Is a Wet Chamois Cloth
Have you ever wondered who makes the sound of a footstep sound sad, or a pomegranate sound like something you'd rather not think about? Foley artist Laura Dale joins the Why Am I Podcast to talk about the invisible art of building a movie's sounds by hand, from a wet chamois cloth to a broken…
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Why Her Drink Order Always Needs Three Cubes - Fantasy Restaurant Marisa Helene Mast
What can a fantasy meal tell you about a person's whole life story? In this warm-up round with Marissa, three ice cubes are non-negotiable, pasta fagioli is a straight line back to childhood, and strawberry shortcake shows up every single birthday without fail. It's a playful, surprisingly tender...
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Why This Trainer Never Says a Dog's Name
Did you know a dog can smell a diabetic emergency coming twenty minutes before your glucose monitor catches it? Terry Cadle has spent forty years training dogs, from field trial champions to diabetic alert and seizure alert dogs, and he joins Greg to unpack the surprisingly simple psychology…
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His Cheese Smells Like Trouble - Fantasy Restaurant Joe Iconis
What does your dream meal say about where you come from? In this Fantasy Restaurant warm-up, Joe Iconis builds a menu that's part sophistication, part childhood memory, from a Manhattan on the rocks all the way to his grandma's West Virginia-Italian pasta with anchovies. Along the way there's…
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Fantasy Restaurant Marten Carlson
What if your whole life could be mapped out in a single meal? In this Fantasy Restaurant warm-up, Martin builds a menu entirely out of memory - a dark and stormy from a Decatur bar, saline-injected wings from a long-gone college dive, a bacon-loaded salad from his family's Wisconsin cabin, and a...
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Fantasy Restaurant Brady Drennan
What if a beer on a beachside stool in Maui, watching your own submarine anchored just offshore, became one of the best meals of your life? In this episode of the Fantasy Restaurant warm-up, Brady Drennan orders up a five-course meal that traces his path from a Navy submariner to a…
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Why Am I Marisa Helene Mast - Theater Performer And Podcaster
What does it take to feel at home on a stage, even when you can't quite let loose anywhere else? This episode, Greg sits down with actor, coach, and podcaster Marisa Mast to talk about growing up in a theater household, playing a psychopath in Evil Dead the Musical, and why she calls acting both...
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Fantasy Restaurant Jeffrey Zurek
Welcome to the warmup exercise for the Why Am I podcast called “the Fantasy Restaurant.” In here, my guests get to pick their favorite: drink, appetizer, main, sides, and dessert…anything goes. Jeff puts together what I would describe as comfort food. It sounds hearty, simple, and delicious. I…
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Why Am I Joe Iconis - Musical Writer And performer
Ever wondered how a kid who was once afraid to connect found his voice on the stages of New York City? In this episode, Greg chats with Joe Iconis, renowned for weaving personal truths into his musicals. Discover how Joe's journey to becoming a celebrated writer and performer unfolded through…
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Why Am I Marten Carlson - Horror Fanatic, Mattress Tester
Have you ever wondered what path leads someone to become a professional mattress reviewer? Meet Martin Carlson, a film fanatic who journeyed from a childhood love of Abbott and Costello to an unlikely career in sleep products. Join us as we dive into the world of niche expertise, the delicate…
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Fantasy Restaurant Rusty Surrette-Alvarez
Welcome to the Fantasy Restaurant. What culinary adventure includes both pecan pie and gumbo secrets? Dive into this week's episode with Rusty Surrette-Alvarez as he dishes on the art of creating a meal that's uniquely Southern. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations...
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Why Am I Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Broadway Historian
How does a daydreaming theater kid from Boca Raton, Florida end up making her mark on Broadway? In this episode, Greg sits down with Jennifer Ashley Tepper, a self-proclaimed theater nerd and accomplished historian, who has turned her childhood obsession into a Broadway career. Join us as we...
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Fantasy Restaurant Sean Petrie
Ever imagined a meal where Wheaties meet leftover cake and a filet mignon finds its place on the same table as a 16-scoop ice cream split? Welcome to the Fantasy Restaurant with Sean Petrie (@typewriterrodeo) in the Fantasy Restaurant. Listen in as Sean's creative choices and childhood flavors…
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Why Am I Sasha Zaitsev - Radio Free Memphis
Ever wonder what it feels like to be a radio pirate in Memphis? Sasha Zaitsev shares his unique journey as the mastermind behind Radio Free Memphis, a pirate radio station disrupting the airwaves. Dive into his world of experimental music, designed to challenge and provoke, and uncover what it...
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Fantasy Restaurant Dee Parson
Ever wondered what your ultimate comfort meal would look like if you had no limits? Join me in Dee Parson's fantasy restaurant, where nostalgia and rebellion serve up a side of spicy popcorn chicken. From childhood influences like Grandma's canned Pepsi to the ultimate birthday cake handcrafted…
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Why Am I Brady Drennan - Naval Nuke
What’s life really like when your workplace is a submarine, your family is 120 sailors, and your phone calls home are measured in words instead of minutes? Navy veteran Brady Drennan shares stories from 38 years of service, from fast attack submarines to aircraft carriers, nuclear power…
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Why Am I Jeffrey Zurek - Volcanologist
On this episode of Why Am I, Greg talks with scientist and podcaster Jeff Zurek about volcanoes, curiosity, public speaking, “type two fun,” and the strange paths that lead us into the work that lights us up. Jeff has a gift for making science feel less like homework and more like an adventure,...
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Why Am I Rusty Surrette-Alvarez - Life as a News Anchor
On this episode of Why Am I, Greg sits down with Rusty, a Bryan-College Station news anchor who sees journalism less as being on TV and more as helping people feel seen. They talk about curiosity, trust, changing media, social media, Texas pride, and why the best stories usually come from…
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Why Am I Jerry Beck - Cartoon Historian
Jerry Beck has spent a lifetime chasing, preserving, and celebrating the cartoons most people almost forgot. From underground film collecting to restoring classic animation and meeting the legends who made it, this conversation is about obsession, art, nostalgia, and why old cartoons still…
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Fantasy Restaurant Liz Thorpe
Liz puts together an interesting meal...I've never eaten fresh clams, but she makes it sound interesting enough to give it a go. One thing I like is that she remember to add atmosphere, which is often forgotten, but always makes a difference. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more...
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Why Am I Joe Lawther - The Boom Room
Imagine if you will having 60 minutes to free a hostage or perhaps to interrogate the suspect. Your heart is racing, you start sweating...your body is flooding you with adrenalin. Now take a step back and remember that you are in the Boom Room experience created by Joe Lawther. This series of...
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Fantasy Restaurant Ryan Estrada
What happens when a fantasy meal is built from Amazon coconuts, Himalayan survival snow, train-station samosas, and pumpkin pie blessed by the gods? Ryan Estrada brings wild travel stories, near-death meals, and unforgettable bites to the Fantasy Restaurant. I hope you enjoy this meal as much as…
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Why Am I Sean Petrie - Typewriter Rodeo
A man with a 1920s typewriter writes poems for strangers on the spot, and sometimes changes their lives. In this episode of Why Am I, Sean Petrie shares how Typewriter Rodeo turns fleeting moments into something people carry forever. Sean came along right when I need him, and who knows, maybe…
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Fantasy Restaurant Fatal1ty
In the warmup for the Why Am I Podcast, the Fantasy Restaurant, anything goes. Fatal1ty builds his ultimate meal, from a vodka soda lime to a filet with a serious green bean backstory. Help us find the perfect beans LOL.🔗 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations that...
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Fantasy Restaurant Ken Butler
What happens when “anything goes” in a fantasy meal? Ken builds a menu of coconut seltzer, calamari, grilled fish, and a perfectly balanced dessert—while casually revealing he’d eat almost anything. This one gets unexpectedly philosophical (and hungry).🔗 Don’t forget to like, comment, and...
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Fantasy Restaurant David George Gordon
What happens when a bug cookbook author builds their dream meal? It gets weird in the best way. From camp-style “bug juice” to grasshopper appetizers and a surprisingly relatable lobster debate, this Fantasy Restaurant goes places.🔗 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more...
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Fantasy Restaurant Colton Holder
A sweet tea start, a nerdy old fashioned debate, and a main course straight out of fantasy lore. In this episode of Fantasy Restaurant, Colton builds a meal that somehow goes from Southern comfort to mythical creatures without missing a beat. 🔗 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for…
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Why Am I Beth Howard - The World Needs More Pie
What happens when grief turns into a mission to make the world kinder? In this episode of Why Am I, I talk with writer, filmmaker, and pie maker Beth Howard about losing her husband, traveling the world with pie, running a pie stand at the real American Gothic House, and why sharing something...
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Why Am I Quick Cal - Cowboy Fastdraw
What does it take to draw a revolver and hit a target in under half a second?In this episode of Why Am I, I talk with Cal, better known in the sport as “Quick Cal.” He’s been competing in fast draw shooting since the 1960s, winning world championships and helping build a sport where competitors…
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Why Am I Elizabeth Bromstein - Tarot Requires No Magic
In this episode of Why Am I, I sit down with Elizabeth Bromstein, a writer, marketer, perfumer, and tarot reader who made a late-career pivot after realizing the old path wasn’t sustainable anymore. We talk about identity in midlife, ego checks, career humiliation, addiction, skepticism, belief…
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Why Am I Dee Parson - Syndicated Cartoonist
In this episode of Why Am I, I sit down with Dee Parson, also known as Supr Dee; a syndicated newspaper cartoonist and the creator of Rosebuds. We explore his experience growing up as the only Black family in a sundown town, losing his father at a young age, and learning to read through Garfield....
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Why Am I Liz Thorpe - The People's Cheese
In this episode of Why Am I, I sit down with Liz Thorpe; author, educator, former Murray’s Cheese leader, and one of the most respected voices in American cheese. From eating progressively stinkier cheeses on Epicurious to helping shape the future of American dairy producers, Liz has turned her...
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Why Am I Ryan Estrada - Banned Book Club
Ryan Estrada has been homeless in a typhoon, thrown off a moving train by police, almost eaten by lions, and banned in multiple U.S. states, and somehow came out of all of it more optimistic than most people.In this episode of Why Am I?, Ryan traces how growing up anxious led him to deliberately...
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Why Am I Fatal1ty - FPS Legend
In this episode of Why Am I, Greg Soul sits down with Fatal1ty, one of the original professional gamers and a true pioneer of competitive FPS. From hustling pool halls at 12 years old to winning world championships across Quake, Unreal Tournament, Painkiller, and more, Fatal1ty breaks down the...
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Why Am I Ken Butler - Art Meets Music
In this episode of Why Am I, I sit down with artist and musician Ken Butler, a Brooklyn-based creator who has spent decades building musical instruments from found objects and refusing to compromise; either artistically or personally.We talk about what it means to live as both an artist and a...
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Why Am I David George Gordon
In this episode of Why Am I, Greg sits down with writer, naturalist, and professional curiosity chaser David George Gordon; a man whose life has included capturing giant octopuses, writing field manuals on Sasquatch, playing harmonica on street corners, and teaching people how to eat bugs.From…
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Why Am I Colton Holder - Arkansas Renaissance Festival
In this episode of Why Am I, I sit down with Colton Holder, Director of Operations for the Arkansas Renaissance Festival. Colton’s path took him from theater kid, to soul-crushing sales job, to unexpectedly helping build a Renaissance Festival from the ground up. We talk about identity,...
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Why Am I 2025 Wrap Up
Just a quick thank you for everyone listening and a wrap up for the year! Find more info at http://whyamipod.com. If you want to support the podcast you can do so via...
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Fantasy Restaurant Nancy Beverly
Step inside The Fantasy Restaurant as Nancy Beverly joins me to build her dream meal. From the atmosphere to the first sip, she crafts a dinner that’s simple, personal, and surprisingly charming. We talk about childhood favorites, homemade touches, and the joy of keeping things unfussy.🔗 Don’t...
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Fantasy Restaurant Bryan Sobolewski
In this Fantasy Restaurant episode, Brian takes his time building a thoughtful meal, choosing dishes that each have personal meaning or a story behind them. We talk through why certain foods stuck with him, what makes a dish “right” in his mind, and the small details that shape how he enjoys a...
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Why Am I Nancy Beverly
Award-winning writer, photographer, and explorer Nancy Beverly joins Greg to talk about creativity, collaboration, and the joy of exploration; from the hiking trails of California to the writer’s room in Hollywood. They discuss playwriting, community, nature, feedback, and even how aliens might...
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Why Am I Bryan Sobolewski - Reformed Jewel Thief
Former jewel thief Bryan Sobolewski committed over 20 robberies alongside his father and brother. In this episode of Why Am I, we dig deep into what pushed him to that life—and what brought him back. From his chaotic childhood to finding redemption through comedy and nonprofit work, Bryan shares…
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Antioch - A Family Reunion In A Cemetery
I head into the piney woods of East Texas for a family reunion… held in a cemetery. Since the mid-1800s, families have gathered at Antioch Cemetery on the third Sunday in October to argue about upkeep, share a potluck, and remember. My Uncle Bobby walks me through headstones, East Texas sawmill...
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Fantasy Restaurant Ben E Wood
Step into the Fantasy Restaurant with Ben E. Wood, where the menu is fueled by nostalgia and imagination. From banana milkshakes the size of his head to crispy chicken wing triangles, Ben’s meal is equal parts comfort food and childhood memory. Add in diner all-day breakfast, a “cheese number,”…
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Why Am I David van Es
Step into the world of pinball like you’ve never seen it. David van Es blends his lifelong love of movies, pinball, and film production into immersive machines that let you live inside your favorite stories. From Star Wars to Labyrinth to Dune, David shares how pinball can become more than a...
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Why Am I Dawn Meyerriecks
Dawn Meyerriecks has spent her career at the intersection of technology, strategy, and service. From building systems that shaped modern defense to guiding innovation in intelligence, she’s proven how curiosity and courage can change the world. In this episode, we explore her journey, her…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Why Am I Podcast have?
Why Am I Podcast currently has 121 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Why Am I Podcast about?
A conversation with people who do interesting things to trace the path that brought them to where they are.
How often does Why Am I Podcast release new episodes?
Why Am I Podcast publishes regularly with 121 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Why Am I Podcast?
You can listen to Why Am I Podcast 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 Why Am I Podcast?
Why Am I Podcast is created and hosted by Greg Sowell.
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