Best AP Test Podcasts (2026)

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Johnny Manziel Tells All On Missing College GameDay, Touring With Drake, & Friendship w/ Diego Pavia 42:14

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1d ago42:14

42:14

Johnny Manziel sits down for a rare solo episode and opens up in a way fans haven’t heard before. Johnny starts by explaining why he missed College GameDay, speaking honestly about the circumstances and decisions that led to him not being there. He also talks about wanting to bring his Heisman Trophy on the show, while reflecting on his relationshi…

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The Lie We Were Told: You Must Handwrite Chinese Characters 23:28

1d ago23:28

23:28

Is handwriting Chinese characters slowing you down? In today’s digital world, does it still make sense to focus on writing by hand or should you just type? In this episode, Jared and John dive deep into this hot-button issue for Chinese learners: handwriting vs. typing. Pulling insights from a research paper by Chinese Breeze creator Chengzhi Chu (…

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Great Batch of Cookies: NYC Dreams, Kentucky Roots, and Staying Real with Taylor Greatbatch 1:09:22

7d ago1:09:22

1:09:22

This week on Finding Friends, we’re joined by Kentucky theatre artist, filmmaker, and arts educator Taylor Greatbatch—aka “Great Batch of Cookies.” From Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts to New York City stages and big creative dreams, Taylor shares the stories behind the sparkle: culture shock, learning to stop being “too nice,” building com…

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Learning Chinese Through Life, Not Lessons: How Matthew McGuire Did It 30:14

14d ago30:14

30:14

What began as a teenage crush became a lifelong journey into Chinese for Matthew McGuire, an Australian creator and accent coach. In this episode, Jared sits down with Matthew to discuss how he learned Mandarin without textbooks, grammar drills, or writing practice. Instead, he immersed himself in love dramas, shadowed dialogue, and built a Chinese…

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The Bus Stops Here: Great Crossing AP Dustin Busler on School Culture Today 50:21

14d ago50:21

50:21

This week on Finding Friends, we’re joined by Dustin Busler, Assistant Principal at Great Crossing High School in Georgetown, Kentucky—aka “The Bus.” 🚍 We talk about the reality of school leadership today, including how Kentucky’s restrictions on phones during instructional time have changed focus, attendance, and hallway behavior. Dustin shares th…

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Infrastructure as the Product: Designing Data-Heavy Systems with Product VP Maria Petrova 40:14

24d ago40:14

40:14

Infrastructure is often treated as a backend concern, but in practice it shapes how users experience a product. In this episode of Smooth Scaling, Product VP Maria Petrova explores what it means when infrastructure becomes the product, looking at real-world, data-heavy systems where decisions around compute, data resolution, scheduling, regions, an…

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Crystal Booth of Fizz Facial Bar: The “No Fuss” Facial Concept That Scaled to 10 Locations 52:54

22d ago52:54

52:54

This week, Christina and Catie are joined by Crystal Booth, founder and CEO of Fizz Facial Bar, for a fun, honest convo about building a modern skincare brand that makes facials feel easy, approachable, and consistent—not intimidating or “only for special occasions.” Crystal shares how she adapted the facial bar concept (think: “a facial in a New Y…

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Johnny Manziel & Pacman Jones on the Steve Smith Beef, Playing High, and Jerry Jones’ Secrets 45:35

29d ago45:35

45:35

Adam “Pacman” Jones joins the show to look back on one of the most eventful and talked-about careers the league has seen. Pac shares why he still believes he was better than Devin Hester as a returner, breaking down the instincts and explosiveness that made him so dangerous with the ball in his hands, along with the plays that defined that part of …

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The Masked Artist Who Paints With Blood (with J-Blood Art) 1:23:40

29d ago1:23:40

1:23:40

On this week’s episode of Finding Friends, host Christina Lee and co-host Catie Wilkes sit down with the enigmatic, masked artist behind J-Blood Art — a tattooer who paints with his own blood. J shares how his blood paintings started as curious experiments, why he keeps such clear boundaries around his personal life, and what it means to create art…

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10 Things AI Will Never Do Better Than a Chinese Learner 26:53

29d ago26:53

26:53

With AI advancing at lightning speed, many are wondering: Do I still need to learn Chinese? Jared and John say yes, and in this episode, they break down 10 ways your Chinese skills remain AI-proof. These are the kinds of things no app, bot, or translation tool can truly replace. Along the way, you'll hear stories about phone conversations that left…

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Johnny Manziel & Terrell Suggs On Freeing Myles Garrett, Ray Lewis, and Justin Tucker's Freak Status 50:46

1M ago50:46

50:46

Johnny Manziel sits down with Terrell Suggs on Glory Daze for an episode packed with NFL stories. Manziel leads the conversation as Suggs breaks down the Ravens–Steelers rivalry — the hits, the trash talk, the grudges, and why those games always felt bigger than the playoffs. He reflects on facing Tom Brady in his prime and what it took to compete …

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Queue-it’s Virtual Waiting Room System Design with Product Architect Moji Sarooghi 38:35

1M ago38:35

38:35

In this episode, Moji Sarooghi, Distinguished Product Architect at Queue-it, breaks down the design principles and distributed systems behind Queue-it’s virtual waiting room. He explains how the team handles massive traffic spikes, upholds strict first-in, first-out fairness on request, and maintains reliability at a scale that would overwhelm most…

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Manifesting Marigold: Adrienne Cole on Brunch, Branding & Building a Hospitality Empire 58:15

1M ago58:15

58:15

What happens when a hospitality lifer, a Golden Girls–themed mobile bar, and a fully manifested vision of “feminine, floral Kentucky” collide? You get The House of Marigold. 🌸✨ In this week’s episode of Finding Friends, Christina and Catie sit down with Adrienne Cole — founder and CEO of The House of Marigold Catering and Marigold Mobile Bar Compan…

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Johnny Manziel & Jared Allen on Chiefs Disrespect, AP & Brett Favre Stories & How the NFL Changed 1:06:34

1M ago1:06:34

1:06:34

Ride along with Jared Allen as he dives into the most memorable stories, pivotal moments, and honest reflections from his legendary NFL career. Jared breaks down what it was really like playing alongside Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson in Minnesota — from the practice field to the locker room — and explains why those Vikings teams were some of the …

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Katie Ann Combs: Listen, Honey, This Is My Real Story 1:55:29

1M ago1:55:29

1:55:29

In this episode of Finding Friends, we sit down with the absolutely iconic Katie Ann Combs – creator of the viral “Listen, Honey” persona and host of the Listen, Honey podcast. Katie opens up about: • Growing up in Eastern Kentucky and meeting her husband Dylan at a 13-week Pentecostal revival • Getting married at 16 and how church culture shaped t…

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A Czech Perspective on Learning Chinese: Renata Mirkova’s Story 47:02

1M ago47:02

47:02

In this episode, Jared sits down with Renata Mirkova, a Chinese language educator from the Czech Republic whose journey into Mandarin began not with a grand plan, but almost by accident. What started as a university entrance decision led her to master Chinese, live in China, and now teach both Czech and Chinese across cultural boundaries. Renata sh…

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Johnny Manziel & Josh Gordon on the NFL's Drug Testing Policy and Flash's Epic 2013 Season 56:30

2M ago56:30

56:30

Johnny Manziel and Josh Gordon finally sit down for the conversation fans have waited years to hear. On this episode of Glory Daze, the former Browns teammates look back at their time in Cleveland — the electric moments, the chaos behind the scenes, and the bond they built while navigating a franchise constantly in flux. Josh talks about how his ri…

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Trustpilot’s Journey From Monolith to Event-Driven with Engineering VP Angela Timofte 46:53

2M ago46:53

46:53

In this episode, Angela Timofte, former VP of Global Engineering at Trustpilot, shares the decade-long journey of evolving Trustpilot’s architecture from a monolith to an event-driven, serverless-first platform. She reflects on the technical and organizational shifts that made it possible—from early trade-offs and nano-services to guardrails, templ…

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Red Hair, Real Talk, & a Lipstick Launch with Claudia Fiorello (Fiorello Media) 1:04:21

2M ago1:04:21

1:04:21

Makeup artist and media founder Claudia Fiorello joins us to talk confidence, red-hair branding, viral Walgreens origins, and growing local businesses on social media. She also teases her Fiorello Beauty holiday lipstick line, and gives hard-won brow & skincare advice. Guest: Claudia Fiorello — Founder, Fiorello Media; Professional Makeup Artist Fi…

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S2 E1: Boudoir, Kilts & Nutmeg Only with Ben Marcum 1:03:00

2M ago1:03:00

1:03:00

Season 2 is HERE and we’re breaking in our new Georgetown, Kentucky studio with the perfect guest: Kentucky’s first professional headshot specialist and award-winning portrait & boudoir photographer, Ben Marcum. In classic Finding Friends style, this episode is equal parts unhinged, thoughtful, and wildly encouraging. We talk about: • How Ben went …

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The 7 Worst Ways to Learn Chinese (And What to Do Instead) 33:04

2M ago33:04

33:04

After 300 days of secretly studying Chinese, one guy surprises his partner with phrases like “the cheesecake is grieving” and “the purple elephant eats passion for breakfast.” It’s a bit humorous, but it also highlights a bigger issue: extreme learning methods that feel productive but fall flat in practice. In this episode, Jared and John dive into…

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Navigating ISO 27001 and Multi-Cloud with Security Architect Gabor Sivók 24:44

2M ago24:44

24:44

In this episode, Gabor Sivók, Cloud Security Architect at Queue-it, shares a practical look at what it takes to secure large-scale systems in today’s cloud environments. He walks through Queue-it’s journey to ISO 27001 certification, the real trade-offs between security and performance, and how security practices adapt in multi-cloud setups. Gabor …

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Fluency Now with Marko Jovanovic: No Classes, Just Progress 50:09

2M ago50:09

50:09

Can you become fluent in Chinese without teachers, classes, or even Chinese speakers around you? For Serbian software engineer Marko Javoanovic, the answer is “yes” by focusing on “fluency now”. In this episode, Marko shares how he started learning Japanese out of a love for anime but quickly pivoted to Chinese when he realized there were far more …

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Mastering MACH Architecture & Orchestration with Sezin Cagil of Dr. Martens & the MACH Alliance 39:22

3M ago39:22

39:22

In this episode, Sezin Cagil, Head of Unified Commerce Technology at Dr. Martens and MACH Alliance ambassador, shares hard-won insights on implementing and scaling MACH architecture in real-world environments. She explores how to approach modular migrations, manage complex vendor ecosystems, and prepare systems for high-traffic events. Beyond the t…

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Style Psychology with Andre Wilson: Closet Stories, Confidence & Old Fashioneds 1:01:45

3M ago1:01:45

1:01:45

Louisville stylist, fashion designer, and film/TV costume designer Andre Wilson joins Christina & Catie to unpack style psychology—why clothes aren’t the problem, how your closet patterns reveal your story, and practical ways to dress for confidence. We talk color choices, film-set continuity, Kentucky culture, pocket squares, and why most of us we…

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Does It Matter Where You Learn Chinese? Yes And Here’s Why 30:36

3M ago30:36

30:36

Ever wonder how the place you study Chinese can shape your accent, comprehension, and even identity as a learner? In this episode, Jared and John dive into the importance of where you learn Mandarin in China and how different regions can affect your speaking and listening skills. From Beijing’s “pirate R’s” to the relaxed tones of Taipei and the “h…

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Hop Water & Hemp-Derived THC in KY: Founder Michael Moeller of Kentucky Hop Water 39:57

3M ago39:57

39:57

We taste Kentucky Hop Water’s two beverages with founder Michael Moeller and unpack Kentucky’s hemp roots, the NA beverage boom, and how 2025 KY laws affect THC drinks—plus the real story of scaling a beverage brand locally. Guest Links Kentucky Hop Water: kentuckyhopwater.com (locator + DTC) Socials: @KentuckyHopWater | Personal: @michaeldmoeller …

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Hype Event Protection: How Akamai & Queue-it Stop Bots at Scale, with Ilia Bromberg & Martin Larsen 48:47

3M ago48:47

48:47

By Queue-it

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Louisville Creator to Tech Founder: Pitch Please App for Influencers — Jen Hartmann 38:05

3M ago38:05

38:05

By Christina Lee & Catie Wilkes

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From Bubble Tea to Boxing Rings: How Freddy Buechel Found His Voice in Chinese 31:55

3M ago31:55

31:55

What happens when you move abroad at age 10 and suddenly find yourself in daily Chinese class? For Freddy Buechel, it was the start of an adventure that took him from Singapore to Taiwan, back to the U.S., and eventually to Shanghai for a full-on study abroad immersion. In this episode, Freddy shares his winding journey of learning Chinese across m…

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Johnny Manziel & A.J. McCarron Bury the Hatchet On Their Iconic SEC Rivalry 1:15:40

4M ago1:15:40

1:15:40

AJ McCarron sits down with Johnny Manziel on Glory Daze for a conversation that takes you right back to the heart of the SEC. These two quarterbacks defined a moment in college football when Alabama and Texas A&M collided on the national stage. Johnny talks about the legendary upset in Tuscaloosa, when the Aggies stunned the Crimson Tide and sent s…

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Louder Than Life Recap with RZ 57:46

4M ago57:46

57:46

In this engaging conversation, the Christina, Catie, and guest, "RZ" reflect on their experiences at the Louder Than Life music festival, discussing everything from crowd surfing and VIP perks to memorable performances and the sense of community among festival-goers. They share insights on safety in mosh pits, the importance of food options, and th…

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Handling 200k Requests Per Second Surges with Zalando SRE Manager Johannes Boumans 43:06

4M ago43:06

43:06

In this episode, Johannes Boumans, Engineering Manager in Zalando’s SRE team, shares how Lounge by Zalando handles daily surges of up to 200,000 requests per second. He discusses the shift from monoliths to microservices, the “you build it, you run it” model, SRE champions, and the trade-offs behind reliability, fairness, and cost. From bot defense…

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Johnny Manziel & Randall Cobb on Owning the Bears, Untold Aaron Rodgers Stories & Packers "What Ifs" 1:10:50

4M ago1:10:50

1:10:50

Randall Cobb joins Johnny Manziel on Glory Daze to look back on the moments that defined his career. He takes Johnny inside his years in Green Bay, sharing what it was like catching passes from Aaron Rodgers, the chemistry that made their connection so dangerous, and the “what ifs” that still linger around the Packers’ near-dynasty. From playoff he…

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Louder Than Life: Insider Tips for First Time Loudmouths 24:41

4M ago24:41

24:41

Catie and Christina provide a comprehensive guide to attending the Louder Than Life festival, sharing essential tips on what to bring, how to prepare, and how to make the most of the experience. They discuss everything from comfortable footwear and hydration to crowd safety and festival logistics, ensuring listeners are well-prepared for the event.…

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Episode Two: with Guest Style Icon Andre Wilson 55:08

4M ago55:08

55:08

In this engaging conversation, celebrity stylist Andre Wilson shares his journey into the world of fashion, discussing how clothing can tell a story and boost confidence. He provides insights into Kentucky Derby Day fashion, the differences between styling celebrities and everyday people, and the psychological aspects of personal style. The discuss…

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Johnny Manziel & Ric Flair On Partying With John Cena & The Mystery Behind Hulk Hogan's Death 58:59

4M ago58:59

58:59

Johnny Manziel is back with another wild episode of Glory Daze, and this time he’s sitting down with the one and only Ric Flair. From the golden age of wrestling to his iconic “Woooo!” that still echoes through arenas, Flair opens up about what it took to become a legend in and out of the ring. The Nature Boy doesn’t hold back—sharing stories about…

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Special Episode: The Digital Experiences that Build & Break Trust, with CMO Jillian Als 31:55

4M ago31:55

31:55

In this episode of Smooth Scaling, Jillian Als, CMO at Queue-it, unpacks The Age of Online Trust report. She explores why reliability is the license to operate, how trust is earned in drops but lost in buckets, and what 1,000 consumers revealed about their expectations for fairness, transparency, and resilient digital experiences. For technical lea…

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You Can Speak Chinese, but Can You Understand the Reply? (And Other Listener Questions) 32:54

4M ago32:54

32:54

Jared and John are back with a full episode dedicated to answering listener questions covering everything from language learning strategies to cultural quirks. They explore the challenges of using sarcasm in Mandarin, how to prepare for a trip to China if you're not yet fluent, and whether watching Chinese TV shows actually helps improve listening …

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Johnny Manziel & Joe Thomas Reconcile Over the 2014–2015 Cleveland Browns Seasons 1:15:44

4M ago1:15:44

1:15:44

Johnny Manziel sits down with Browns legend Joe Thomas on this episode of Glory Daze. One of the greatest linemen in NFL history and a six-time All-Pro, Thomas opens up about his remarkable career in Cleveland, including the wild stat of blocking for 21 different quarterbacks. From his individual accolades to the challenges of keeping an offense st…

1
Finding Friends - The Pilot Episode 38:09

4M ago38:09

38:09

In this episode of Finding Friends, hosts Catie Wilkes and Christina Lee explore the complexities of making friends as adults. They share personal stories, including how they met at a children's museum, and discuss the challenges of forming genuine connections in today's fast-paced, technology-driven world. The conversation highlights the importanc…