Best Ben Riggs Podcasts (2025)

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Why American Food is Broken and How One Man is Fighting Back - A Documentary Filmmaker's Story - Patrick Sullivan 52:08

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2d ago52:08

52:08

Eleven years after thyroid cancer, Patrick Sullivan realized he was still furious that no one could explain what happened to his body, so he made a documentary exposing how America's food system went rotten and how everyday people are reviving it. Social Links: •Jigsaw Health on the web: https://www.JigsawHealth.com •Jigsaw Health on TikTok: https:…

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The Hidden Connection Between Your Gut Bacteria and Heart Attacks - Dr. William Davis 1:01:48

9d ago1:01:48

1:01:48

Former interventional cardiologist Dr. William Davis left traditional cardiology after his mother died months after a successful angioplasty. What he discovered challenges everything mainstream medicine teaches about heart disease. Standard cholesterol testing is outdated. The real drivers of cardiovascular disease are small LDL particles created b…

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"I am the experimental weapons division." A conversation with Mark Diaz Truman and Jay Dragon Ep. 81 1:08:54

16d ago1:08:54

1:08:54

Today, we converse with two firehoses of the human imagination: Mark Diaz Truman and Jay Dragon! Some people play games. Some people publish games. And then there are the people who change how the whole industry works. Mark Diaz Truman is one of the architects of the modern tabletop renaissance; designer, publisher, organizer, and strategic masterm…

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Why Social Isolation May Be Worse for Your Heart Than Red Meat – Scott Everson on Community & Carnivore - Scott Everson 59:37

16d ago59:37

59:37

Scott Everson didn't start the largest carnivore conference in the world just to talk about steak. After years battling chronic pelvic pain syndrome, benzodiazepine dependency, and mast cell activation syndrome, he found something more powerful than any protocol: people. In this conversation, Scott shares how social isolation preceded his illness, …

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The Fat Cell Gatekeeper: How One Unknown Hormone Controls Whether You Can Actually Lose Weight - Dr. Jay Wrigley 58:58

23d ago58:58

58:58

Your gut contains more bacterial cells than human cells in your entire body. This living ecosystem either works for you or against you, and most people are unknowingly destroying it with every meal. Dr. Jay Wrigley, hormone specialist, breaks down the intricate web connecting gut microbiome health, hormonal responses, and metabolic dysfunction in w…

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Why Modern Medicine Keeps You Sick: A Doctor's Wake-Up Call About Healthcare and Money - Dr. Ahmad Ammous 52:55

1M ago52:55

52:55

Dr. Ahmad Ammous completed medical school expecting to heal people. Instead, he found a system designed to keep patients dependent on expensive drugs and procedures. In this conversation with Dr. Philip Ovadia, he traces the roots of our broken healthcare system back to 1910's Flexner Report and the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913—showing h…

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Writing Geeky Nonfiction: A Seminar from Gamehole Con 2025- with Keith Amman & Ben Riggs- Ep 80 59:59

1M ago59:59

59:59

Happy Thanksgiving Americans! Here's a seminar from Gamehole Con 2025 about why YOU should be writing geeky nonfiction.By Brutal Segue Productions

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Why This Energy Healer Believes Spiritual People Need to Eat More Meat - Angela Lerro 56:52

1M ago56:52

56:52

Angela Lerro's journey from near-death at 89 pounds to vibrant health challenges everything the spiritual community believes about diet. After breast cancer at 28, mysterious autoimmune conditions, and years of declining health on a plant-based diet, this energy worker made a radical decision that saved her life: eating only meat. In this raw conve…

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3 Poets Turn to RPG Design- A conversation with Adam Good, Jamie Perez, & Justin Sirois Episode 79 55:45

1M ago55:45

55:45

My favorite RPG book of the year is a book of spaceship p*rn designed by two poets! INFINITY OF SHIPS is random tables for spaceship creation along with stunning artwork and essays that are as fun as they are engaging. The book was brought to us by Adam Good & Jamie Perez, and the pair have another book Kickstarting right now: https://www.kickstart…

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Medical Malpractice Victim Becomes Doctor-Lawyer Running for Office on Health Reform - Chris Brandlin 55:14

1M ago55:14

55:14

Attorney Christopher Brandlin shares his harrowing journey from botched intestinal surgery and pharmaceutical dependency to healing through carnivore nutrition. After suffering severe complications from what should have been routine colon surgery, Brandlin rejected conventional medicine's next recommendation to remove his remaining intestines. Inst…

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This is an RPG historian you have to hear from- A conversation with Shannon Appelcline Episode 78 1:00:30

2M ago1:00:30

1:00:30

This is an RPG historian you have to hear from. Shannon Appelcline. He's the mind behind Designers & Dragons, which chronicles our hobby's wild past, from basement print runs to global pop culture phenomenon. Shannon has done the research, interviewed the legends, and connected the dots between decades of dice-rolling history. So grab your characte…

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"Why Your 'Healthy' Snacks Have More Sugar Than Candy - The Food Industry Doesn't Want You to Know This" - Joburg Meats #2 54:05

2M ago54:05

54:05

What if the very foods we think are nourishing our children are actually setting them up for a lifetime of metabolic dysfunction? In this unfiltered conversation, meat industry veterans Jon Engleson and Yuda Holtzberg pull back the curtain on how ultra-processed foods have hijacked childhood nutrition, creating what they call "the three Cs crisis" …

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"Games Will Prevail": A conversation with Meguey Baker, Vincent Baker & John Harper- Ep 77 1:02:18

2M ago1:02:18

1:02:18

What do Cormac McCarthy, Charles Dickens, & Scheherazade say to each other on the podcast? Today, we find out! First up, we have Meguey Baker: game designer, textile historian, and one of the most revolutionary voices in the history of tabletop gaming. You might know her from 1001 Nights, Psi-Run, or her work on Apocalypse World, a game that cracke…

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The 97% Solution: Why Most Herniated Discs Heal Without Surgery - Grant Elliott 59:13

2M ago59:13

59:13

Chiropractor Grant Elliott challenges everything you think you know about lower back pain in this conversation with Dr. Philip Ovadia. With over 3 million followers and 250 weekly consultations, Elliott breaks down why 97% of herniated discs recover without surgery, why your core strength has nothing to do with back pain, and how simple movement pa…

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30 Minutes Into This Interview with Fred Hicks & Cam Banks, I Share Leaked D&D Sales Data Ep-76 55:25

2M ago55:25

55:25

Shamelessly, 30 minutes into this interview with Cam Banks & Fred Hicks, I share leaked D&D sales data. He's the Kiwi conjurer who helped create the Cortex System, which has been used on everything from Firefly to Marvel. He's made the rules that make the stories sing, and he's living proof that spreadsheets and sorcery can coexist. Please welcome …

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#220: Research Scientist Exposes the Shocking Origins of Low-Fat Diet Guidelines - Zoe Harcombe PhD 54:54

2M ago54:54

54:54

Zoe Harcombe didn't set out to become a controversial figure in nutrition science. With a background working inside both Mars candy company and pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, she witnessed firsthand how corporate interests shape public health messages. But when she decided to pursue her PhD, what she discovered about the origins of our dieta…

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RPGs don't make stories. They make experiences: A conversation with Jay Dragon & Watt EP 75 59:24

2M ago59:24

59:24

This conversation is absolutely brilliant. I talk to a lot of game designers, but this episode is easily a favorite. Today, we discuss with two engines of creativity: Jay Dragon of Wanderhome & Watt of Cloud Empress! Watt is a designer, artist, and architect of the beautifully bizarre. Watt's games feel like dreams with teeth, lush, lyrical, and a …

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BONUS: "Dispelling Nutrition Myths with Michelle Hurn: A Dietitian’s Journey to Metabolic Health" 53:00

2M ago53:00

53:00

Michelle Hurn is a registered dietitian, ultra-runner, and author of "The Dietitian’s Dilemma." With over sixteen years of clinical experience, Michelle has seen firsthand the shortcomings of conventional dietary advice. Now serving on the board of the newly formed American Diabetes Society, she is a leading advocate for a low-carb, animal-based ap…

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#219: Why Your Knee Pain Might Actually Be About Your Relationship - Aleks Rybchinskiy 52:18

2M ago52:18

52:18

What happens when a personal trainer realizes that loading someone under a barbell without asking about their sleep, relationships, and emotional state is like trying to run software on a broken operating system? In this compelling conversation, Aleks Rybchinskiy shares his transformation from conventional personal trainer to Check Institute practi…

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Why Borg? A conversation with Zac Goins & Erica Lowe Ep 74 1:04:15

2M ago1:04:15

1:04:15

Why borg? Today on the show, we're joined by Zac Goins, RPG designer, Kickstarter consultant, and all-around tabletop creative. Zac has worked with Marvel, Wizards of the Coast, Modiphius, and more, and currently serves as Director of Marketing for Limithron. He's designed for systems like Old School Essentials, Mörk Borg, Shadowdark, and beyond. A…

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BONUS: "He Lost 92 Pounds Eating Steak, Eggs, and Butter" — Zack Strength on the OHH Livestream 41:56

3M ago41:56

41:56

Zack Strength is a former USC Trojans defensive tackle who lost 92 pounds eating steak, eggs, and butter—and he’s not shy about it. His massive, meat-heavy meals have gone viral, sparking debates, Twitter warnings, and an army of followers who swear by his approach. Now a fitness coach, Zack helps others build muscle, burn fat, and rethink everythi…

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#218: Three Days to Mental Freedom: The Shocking Story of How Carnivore Diet Saved a Suicidal Man's Life - Mark Ennis 44:22

3M ago44:22

44:22

By Dr. Philip Ovadia

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"All RPGS are inherently unfinished"- A conversation with Justin Alexander, Panayiotis Lines & Aled Lawlor EP 73 56:30

3M ago56:30

56:30

Today, we've got a four-way! Listen and marinate in the brilliance of Justin Alexander, Panayiotis Lines, & Aled Lawlor! Aled Lawlor and Panayiotis Lines are the creative duo behind Leyline Press. In just a few short years, Leyline has carved out a reputation for distinctive, atmospheric RPGs that blend striking visual design with elegant, playable…

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BONUS: From Dying to Thriving: Angela Lerro’s Journey Through Chronic Illness & Healing 30:36

3M ago30:36

30:36

Join Dr. Philip Ovadia for a powerful conversation with Angela Lerro—Intuitive Reiki Master, Carnivore Health Coach, and survivor of breast cancer and neurological Lyme disease. After over a decade of fighting for her life, Angela rebuilt her health and now guides others through complex chronic and autoimmune conditions. She combines animal-based n…

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#217: From Wrestling Weight Cuts to Ancient Food Wisdom: How Processing Saved Humanity - Dr. Bill Schindler 1:09:06

3M ago1:09:06

1:09:06

Anthropologist Dr. Bill Schindler went from dangerous wrestling weight cuts to unlocking the secrets of human survival through food processing. In this conversation, he explains why every plant on Earth contains toxins, how our ancestors developed technologies to make food safe and nutritious, and why modern food processing has gone dangerously wro…

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Let's talk about Uncle Gary: A conversation with Gygax's biographer, Michael Witwer Ep. 72 53:51

3M ago53:51

53:51

Today, I am going to talk turkey with fellow historian and bestselling author, Michael Witwer. His books, such as Empire of Imagination, the acclaimed biography of Gary Gygax, and the lavish Dungeons & Dragons: Art & Arcana, have helped bring the hidden history of role-playing games into the mainstream. His work combines deep research with a storyt…

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BONUS: Meat-Based & Mission-Driven: Claus Carlsen on Reversing T2D & Reclaiming Resilience 51:26

3M ago51:26

51:26

Claus Carlsen knows what it takes to reverse course—whether it’s a failing business or a failing metabolism. Join us live on Wednesday, June 11 at 4:30 PM ET as Claus shares how he lost 55 lbs, reversed type 2 diabetes, and stayed off medication for nearly six years through a disciplined, meat-based ketogenic lifestyle. Now the co-founder of the HE…

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#216: She Saved Herself When Medicine Couldn't: A Carnivore Transformation Story - Dr. Nouran Abdelkader 45:50

3M ago45:50

45:50

When Dr. Nouran Abdelkader developed vitiligo—a disfiguring autoimmune skin condition—the UK's top dermatologist told her there was no hope and no treatment. The disease would spread everywhere, he said. She'd have to live with it forever. What happened next challenges everything we think we know about autoimmune disease, nutrition, and healing. Th…

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The Ring Knight Honors the Weeping Seer-with Jeremy Bent & Chris McDowall Ep. 71 58:04

3M ago58:04

58:04

Welcome to D&D Outloud with Ben Riggs, I am Ben Riggs, apparently controversial D&D historian and author of Slaying the Dragon A Secret History of Dungeons & Dragons, and over the past 13 years of writing and podcasting, I have met hundreds of creative geniuses in and around the world of TTRPGs. Here on this show, I ask two of these flaming torches…

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BONUS: From Conventional Dietitian to Metabolic Health Reformer: Live with Shannon Davis, RD 57:32

3M ago57:32

57:32

Shannon Davis, RD spent nearly two decades in mainstream healthcare—working in nephrology, organ transplant, and pharma—before realizing the standard nutrition advice wasn’t helping her patients. Or herself. Now a board member of the American Diabetes Society and founder of a virtual metabolic health practice, Shannon helps people reverse insulin r…

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#215: Energy Toxicity: The Hidden Killer Inside Your Cells - Dr. Ravi Kamepalli 56:47

3M ago56:47

56:47

Dr. Ravi Kamepalli made a startling realization that changed everything: bacteria aren't the enemy. As both an infectious disease specialist and wound care physician, he witnessed firsthand how traditional medicine's war on microbes was failing patients catastrophically. In this profound conversation, he unveils his revolutionary "disease triangles…

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"D&D is Not in the Innovation Biz" A Conversation with Two 4th Ed Designers- Ep 70 1:04:18

3M ago1:04:18

1:04:18

Does 4E D&D have the best combat? The question leads us to a conversation with two of the game's three lead designers. First up, we have Rob Heinsoo, one of the leading minds behind Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition. He's also the co-creator of 13th Age, a system that blends narrative freedom with crunchy mechanics in amazing ways. He's a designer, a …

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Bonus: Building a Healthier America: Metabolic Health Solutions with Ovadia Heart Health 21:57

3M ago21:57

21:57

Join us for an inspiring livestream featuring Dr. Philip Ovadia and Lisa Simmons, NP, as they explain into how Ovadia Heart Health is transforming lives through its innovative telemedicine practice. Discover how the program helps patients improve their metabolic health, prevent chronic diseases, and reclaim vitality with personalized care, includin…

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#214: Why Your Thoughts Control Your Weight Loss More Than Your Diet - Alli Covington 56:47

4M ago56:47

56:47

Personal trainer and counseling psychology expert Alli Covington exposes the overlooked connection between mental health and metabolic dysfunction that's keeping millions trapped in cycles of weight gain and chronic disease. After watching her father follow every doctor's recommendation only to develop GERD, high cholesterol, diabetes, and die youn…

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"All of the $ should be coming to Wizards-" an interview with the former WotC Book Team Ep. 69 56:29

4M ago56:29

56:29

Wanna know what the hell is going on at WotC? Let's ask people who used to work there. It is difficult to describe what a superstar gathering this is on the show. These are not the first names that you think of when you hear D&D, but they are just as significant if not more so than the names we all know. First Liz Schuh, whose final title at Wizard…

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BONUS: The Road to Metabolic Health” With Low Carb Visionary Doug Reynolds 1:06:20

4M ago1:06:20

1:06:20

Join Ovadia Heart Health Coach Chris S. Cornell, MHP, as he sits down with Doug Reynolds, MHP, CEO and Founder of LowCarbUSA and President of The Society of Metabolic Health Practitioners (SMHP). They’ll discuss Doug’s journey from electrical engineering to leading the metabolic health movement, his new book The Road to Metabolic Health, and the po…

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#213: What This ICU Doctor Sees Every Day Will Change How You Think About Your Health Forever - Dr. Kwadwo 52:13

4M ago52:13

52:13

An intensive care physician who has spent 20 years watching preventable diseases destroy lives shares the brutal reality of what metabolic dysfunction looks like in the ICU - and the simple steps that could keep you out of his unit entirely. Dr. Kwadwo Carmen-Tang pulls no punches as he describes the devastating cycle he witnesses daily: patients a…

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This Guy Reviewed an RPG that Doesn't Exist! Ep. 68 with Luke Gearing & Leo Hunt 48:48

4M ago48:48

48:48

An in-depth conversation with two of the most remarkable adventure-writers working today: Luke Gearing & Leo Hunt! Luke Gearing, is an incredible voice in the tabletop RPG world. His work includes Acid Death Fantasy for Troika!, the epic and disturbing Gradient Descent for Mothership and the Wages of Sin bounty book. His work is gritty, evocative, …

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BONUS: The Smarter Way to Get Strong: Dr. Phil Maffetone on Workplace Fitness and Sustainable Health 54:16

4M ago54:16

54:16

World-renowned endurance coach and bestselling author Dr. Phil Maffetone joins Ovadia Heart Health Director of Employee Wellness Krisna Hanks for a special Employee Wellness livestream on Monday, June 2 at 5:30 PM ET. Known globally for The Maffetone Method—a low-stress, highly effective training system used by elite athletes and everyday individua…

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#212: Cancer as a Metabolic Disease: Dr. Nasha Winters Challenges Medical Dogma 52:54

4M ago52:54

52:54

Dr. Nasha Winters shares her extraordinary journey from being diagnosed with terminal cancer at age 19 to becoming a pioneering force in metabolic oncology. Given just months to live and unable to receive chemotherapy, she embarked on a quest to understand cancer that led to groundbreaking insights about its metabolic and mitochondrial origins. Win…

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"Corporations are colonizing your imagination for profit. TTRPGs are a liberation movement!"- Ep. 67 59:32

4M ago59:32

59:32

Today, enjoy this conversation between 3rd edition D&D lead designer Jonathan Tweet and TTRPG historians Shannon Appelcline and Ben Riggs! They discuss one of the hotbeds of gaming ferment, St. Olaf College, which produced nerd legends like Lisa Stevens, Mark Rein-Hagen, Nicole Lindroos, and Tweet himself. Then they move on to discuss one of the mo…

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Bonus: Restoring Heart Health: Insights from a Cardiothoracic Surgeon and Practice Manager 21:29

4M ago21:29

21:29

Join Dr. Philip Ovadia and Practice Manager Cherish Thompson for a compelling conversation on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the path to restoring health and quality of life. They’ll explore the importance of early diagnostics, working with a cardiothoracic surgeon, and addressing key factors like metabolic health, LDL cholesterol, and lifestyle …

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#211: Beyond the Scalpel: How Two Surgeons Are Fighting Diabetes Before Surgery - Dr. Lily Johnston 58:46

4M ago58:46

58:46

In this compelling discussion, vascular surgeon Dr. Lily Johnston joins Dr. Philip Ovadia to share her journey from traditional surgical practice to metabolic health advocacy. After years of amputating limbs for diabetic patients who received poor nutritional guidance, Dr. Johnston couldn't unsee the devastating consequences of our healthcare syste…

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Secrets of the Bestselling D&D Adventure of All Time- Ep 66 57:39

4M ago57:39

57:39

Our guest tonight is a giant in the realms — literally and figuratively. Richard Baker is a legendary Dungeons & Dragons designer, novelist, and world-builder whose fingerprints are all over the game we love. He's helped shape settings like the Forgotten Realms, Birthright, and Alternity. He designed iconic adventures. He wrote novels that bring fa…

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BONUS: How To Stay Healthy Until The Day You Die (a heart surgeon's take) 27:29

4M ago27:29

27:29

We all want to live healthy for as long as possible. Join Dr. Philip Ovadia for a tour through what he does himself to maximize his health span, and what he tells patients to do so they can be healthy and happy for as many years as possible. Send Dr. Ovadia a Text Message. (If you want a response, you must include your contact information.) Dr. Ova…

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#210: Why Your Pain Won't Go Away: The Metabolic Connection with Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda 58:06

5M ago58:06

58:06

Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda shares his groundbreaking approach to chronic pain management that centers on fixing metabolic dysfunction rather than simply masking symptoms with medication. Drawing from his background in anesthesiology, pain management, addiction medicine, and technology, Dr. Padda explains the underlying connection between chronic pain…

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Solving the Mysteries of the D&D Business: A Gen Con 2025 Seminar- Ep. 65 54:28

5M ago54:28

54:28

D&D is bigger than it has ever been, but being a D&D fan in 2025 is deeply confusing. The questions come on and on. Why do extensive promotion of a virtual tabletop for D&D, Sigil, and then give it no marketing at rollout and kill it a month later? Why has there been an exodus of staff from the company? Why, after a golden age during the game's 5th…

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BONUS: How To Stay Off My Operating Table with Dr. Philip Ovadia 52:41

5M ago52:41

52:41

Join heart surgeon Dr. Philip Ovadia and his clinical team to learn how you can prevent heart attacks. We'll dive in to lab work, CACs, what to do when your PCP is pushing unwanted drugs, and which numbers really make the difference. Send Dr. Ovadia a Text Message. (If you want a response, you must include your contact information.) Dr. Ovadia cann…

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#209: You Can Have Anything You Want, Just Not Everything You Want: Life Lessons from an Unlikely Champion - Ed Latimore 52:51

5M ago52:51

52:51

What happens when a physics graduate from the projects decides to return to professional boxing at age 40 after a nine-year hiatus? Ed Latimore's story defies every expectation you might have about both academic achievement and athletic excellence. In this candid conversation, Latimore shares the brutal realities behind his comeback fight, the hidd…

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Is WotC Mucking this Up? Ep. 64 1:00:58

5M ago1:00:58

1:00:58

Is Wizards messing this up? We discuss with two titans of the TTRPG industry! First up, David M. Ewalt – journalist, editor, and author of the engaging and wonderful Of Dice and Men. He is currently the editor in chief of Scientific American, which may make him the most prestigious personage I've ever had on this podcast. He is also the author of D…