Best Charles Bates Podcasts (2025)

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Full Disclosure 2025: The Year Reviewed 6:43

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5m ago6:43

6:43

A Boxing Day reflection on a standout year of Full Disclosure. James O’Brien revisits key guests and conversations from 2025, offering perspective on the ideas, stories and people that shaped the podcast over the past twelve months. With sincere thanks to everyone who has listened, shared and stayed curious, your company makes these conversations p…

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Ep 101 - Emily Schwartz - From Content to Education: Building Trust Through Financial Wellness 45:44

7d ago45:44

45:44

Community Banks produce a lot of "educational" content, but a lot of it is thinly disguised sales material, or sounds the same as 1,000 other "how to buy your first home" blogs. In this episode, we sit down with Emily Schwartz, Director of Financial Education at MidFirst Bank, about how her team helps build real trust in her bank, by focusing on ed…

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Martin Shaw: The Professionals was a monster that swallowed my career 1:01:11

6d ago1:01:11

1:01:11

From bomb sites in postwar Birmingham to the centre of British stage and screen, Martin Shaw’s life has been shaped by curiosity, kindness and a refusal to play the part he was expected to play. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with one of Britain’s most enduring actors to trace the journey behind the performances. Shaw r…

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Sir Gareth Southgate: There were days I didn’t want to get out from under the duvet 57:31

13d ago57:31

57:31

From missing the most famous penalty in English football to leading the national team into a new era, Gareth Southgate’s story is one of quiet resilience, modern leadership and emotional intelligence forged under relentless public pressure. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Gareth to trace the long road that shaped hi…

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94: The King's Code with Mikaal Bates 1:19:45

15d ago1:19:45

1:19:45

Welcome to Lunacy; where we discern the sacred from the insane and admit that whether we like it or not, we are all profoundly affected by the cycles of the moon. Today on LUNACY, I interview my brother Mikaal Bates. Bates is a leader in "The King's Code", a men's initiatory path I have taken. We discuss in detail what it means to take this path, t…

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Ep 100 - 100th - Chris & Dan in the Hot Seat 1:01:49

18d ago1:01:49

1:01:49

100 episodes. Four seasons. Many dozens of conversations with bank leaders and innovators – and we're just getting started! In this milestone episode, Chris and Dan look back at what they've learned from these conversations, and where they think community bank marketing is headed next. They also turn the cameras on themselves – and put each other i…

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Jan Ravens: “I lived with a nameless dread” 1:02:00

20d ago1:02:00

1:02:00

Jan Ravens, the acclaimed impressionist at the heart of Dead Ringers, grew up learning to change the mood of a room long before she ever changed her voice on stage. In this conversation with James O Brien, she reflects on a childhood shaped by humour, instability and her father’s illness, and how those early pressures sharpened the instincts that l…

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Hal Cruttenden: Divorce blew my mind- it hits harder than losing parents 1:04:43

28d ago1:04:43

1:04:43

Before he became one of the most recognisable storytellers on the comedy circuit, Hal Cruttenden was a shy kid from West London who spent years trying to be what he thought others wanted him to be. He trained as an actor, chased approval, and tried to outrun a gnawing sense that something in his life was not quite aligned. It took heartbreak, thera…

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Ep 99 - The Future of AI Agents - How Community Banks Win SMB Relationships - with Jared Shulman and Jerry Shu 55:23

1M ago55:23

55:23

AI Agents are quickly becoming the biggest competitive edge for community banks to win and serve small business customers. Chris and Dan sat down with the co-founders of Daylit, Jared Shulman (CEO) and Jerry Shu (CTO), to break down what AI agents actually are, how they work, and why banks should be thinking about building an AI Agent portfolio to …

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Stephen Mangan: When Mum died, I knew I couldn’t waste life being a lawyer- I had to act 1:00:18

1M ago1:00:18

1:00:18

Before he became one of Britain’s most familiar faces, Stephen Mangan was a bookish North London boy from an Irish working-class family- the son of a builder and a barmaid- who won a scholarship to a boarding school his parents didn’t want him to attend. From there to Cambridge, to RADA, and to the West End, his path looks polished. But behind it l…

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Toby Jones: I never wanted to feel desperate about acting 1:04:28

1M ago1:04:28

1:04:28

From Truman Capote to Mr Bates, Toby Jones has built a career on disappearing- an actor whose transformations are so complete they can seem alchemical. But behind that versatility lies a story of inheritance, self-doubt and quiet rebellion. The son of two actors, Toby grew up watching his father’s unpredictable career and vowing never to feel so ex…

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93: Dismantling the Patriarchy Within with LeeAnn Mallorie 1:20:15

1M ago1:20:15

1:20:15

Welcome to Lunacy; where we discern the sacred from the insane and admit that whether we like it or not, we are all profoundly affected by the cycles of the moon. Today on LUNACY, I interview my very good friend and soul sister, LeeAnn Mallorie. LeeAnn is a Master Coach of Executive Women and Disruptors of all sorts. We dive deep into what it means…

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Ep 98 - Randy Dorn - Lessons from a Rebrand 55:13

2M ago55:13

55:13

What happens when a 120-year-old community bank decides to take a bold leap forward? Randy Dorn, President of My Kind of Bank (formerly First National Bank of Henning), joins Chris and Dan to share the story behind their rebrand — from internal debates to a powerful cultural transformation that united staff and energized customers. Randy reveals ho…

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John Lloyd: Blackadder, Spitting Image, QI and a life in search of meaning 1:03:46

2M ago1:03:46

1:03:46

As the creative mind behind Blackadder, Spitting Image, Not the Nine O’Clock News and QI, John Lloyd has quietly shaped British comedy for more than forty years. In this episode of Full Disclosure, he sits down with James O’Brien to look back on the work that defined his career-and the questions that have driven him ever since. Lloyd reflects on hi…

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Jimmy Wales: The man who built Wikipedia 1:05:34

2M ago1:05:34

1:05:34

Long before it became one of the most visited websites on Earth, Wikipedia began as a radical idea from a curious boy in Huntsville, Alabama. Raised by a father who managed a grocery store and a mother and grandmother who ran a tiny, Montessori-inspired school where “each one teach one” was the guiding principle, Wales grew up surrounded by early c…

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Ep 97 - Charles LeFevre - AI, Compliance, and the Marketer's Dilemma 42:21

2M ago42:21

42:21

Compliance and marketing don't have to be enemies, especially in the age of AI. In this episode, Charles LeFevre, Director of Compliance Operations at Kadince (and self-proclaimed "Taylor Swift of Compliance"), joins us to break down how these two sides can work together to move faster, stay compliant, and even have a little fun doing it. You'll he…

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The Death of David Lewis 37:17

2M ago37:17

37:17

In 1993, a mother and daughter returned home to find their husband and father, David Lewis, missing. Hours later, a deceased hit-and-run victim was found 1,600 miles away. It would take 11 years before the victim would be identified as David Lewis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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Charles Dance: From builder’s labourer with a stammer to Tywin Lannister 58:58

2M ago58:58

58:58

Before he was Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones or the commanding presence of The Jewel in the Crown, Charles Dance was a boy from Worcestershire whose father died when he was three and whose mother built a new life for the family, remarried to their lodger. A childhood marked by loss, a stammer and humble beginnings gave little hint of the comman…

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92: The Gift of Grief with Joshua Wenner 1:34:47

2M ago1:34:47

1:34:47

Welcome to Lunacy; where we discern the sacred from the insane and admit that whether we like it or not, we are all profoundly affected by the cycles of the moon. Today on LUNACY, I interview Super Coach Joshua Wenner on the importance of Grieving to becoming a healthy human. We delve into our immense propensity to ignore, numb, or otherwise transc…

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Alexander Armstrong: My default setting is fear- I expect the worst of people 53:58

2M ago53:58

53:58

Before Pointless, Classic FM and comedy stardom, Alexander Armstrong was a restless kid growing up in rural Northumberland- lonely at boarding school, obsessed with music, and quietly desperate to perform. In this revealing conversation with James O’Brien, he opens up about the bruises and eccentricities of his childhood, the teachers who changed e…

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Ep 96 - Crucial Considerations for your 2026 Marketing Strategy 40:38

3M ago40:38

40:38

If your 2026 plan looks like 2025's...you may not be adapting to all the technology- and user behavior-driven changes that have happened this year. In this episode, Chris and Dan chat about all these changes, and lay out a simple checklist to use as your 2026 strategy comes together - including adjusting budgets, getting found with GEO and SEO, and…

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Jack Thorne: “I was allergic to moving - the doctor said, ‘This might be forever.’” 1:06:24

3M ago1:06:24

1:06:24

Growing up in Bristol, acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Jack Thorne was a shy, politically driven kid who believed he could change the world- first through politics, then acting, before discovering that storytelling was where his voice truly belonged. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the Emmy and BAFTA-winning c…

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Cor Hutton: The Quadruple Amputee Who Found Her Feet 51:59

3M ago51:59

51:59

In 2013, businesswoman and mum Cor Hutton was given just a five percent chance of survival after contracting pneumonia that developed into sepsis. She pulled through, but lost both hands and her legs below the knee. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien speaks to Cor about her extraordinary journey- from relearning how to live as a quad…

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Jamie Oliver: “I’d gone from being skint to having a lot of money, I felt like a fake.” 1:03:22

3M ago1:03:22

1:03:22

Before he became one of the world’s best-known chefs, Jamie Oliver was a dyslexic kid growing up in his parents’ pub in rural Essex, learning the value of hard work, fresh food, and family. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with Jamie to trace his journey from peeling veg at his parents’ pub to fronting The Naked Chef, res…

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Ep 95 - AI Search - How to Stay Ahead of the Curve 35:59

3M ago35:59

35:59

Is SEO really dead—or is AI search just the new shiny object? In this episode, Chris and Dan break down the buzz around Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and what it actually means for community banks. (spoiler: SEO isn't going anywhere, but banks that act now have a huge opportunity to get ahead while everyone else is still watching from the si…

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Leo Varadkar: Former Prime Minister of Ireland on Power and Letting Go 1:05:21

3M ago1:05:21

1:05:21

Before becoming Ireland’s youngest Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar was a Dublin GP with bold ambitions and a belief that politics could be a kind of medicine for society. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien sits down with the former Prime Minister to explore his extraordinary rise from a mixed-heritage childhood in 1980s Ireland, to leading h…

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Dr Richard Shepherd: Lessons from 23,000 Postmortems- including Hungerford, Hillsborough and Princess Diana 1:01:49

3M ago1:01:49

1:01:49

Britain’s leading forensic pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd has performed over 23,000 postmortems and given evidence in some of the most high-profile cases of our time, from Hungerford to Hillsborough, from Princess Diana to David Kelly. But his fascination with death began much earlier, when his mother died suddenly from heart disease and he was le…

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Ep 94 - Sharveen Kumar - How Banks Can Adopt AI While Adding To Their Personal Touch 47:15

4M ago47:15

47:15

There's lots of hype in the marketplace about how AI is taking over – and while the promise is that AI can help personalize customer experiences at scale, community banks are worried that it will actually make customer service feel more generic and less personal. This week, Chris and Dan talk with Sharveen Kumar, former NVIDIA-backed founder and ex…

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Arabella Weir: At nine my mum said, “I can’t bear the sight of you” 1:00:56

4M ago1:00:56

1:00:56

Actor, comedian and bestselling author Arabella Weir grew up in a family that prized intellect and appearances but struggled to offer love. In this episode of Full Disclosure, she tells James O’Brien how an unsettled childhood shaped her fearless streak, her need to perform, and her instinct to turn pain into comedy. From the brutal remarks of her …

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Natalie Haynes: Greek Myths, Medea and the Comedy of Classics 1:04:23

4M ago1:04:23

1:04:23

Natalie Haynes has never been easy to categorise. A stand-up comedian turned broadcaster and best-selling author, she has built a career out of making the ancient world vivid, funny and urgent. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien talks with the presenter of Stand Up for the Classics about her unusual path from Birmingham bookshops to …

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Ep 93 - Use AI to Build a 90-Day Content Calendar (in Real Time!) 18:48

4M ago18:48

18:48

EP 93: Use AI to Build a 90-Day Content Calendar (in Real Time) In this second hands-on demo (see Ep 89: AI Starter Kit for the first one), Dan shares his screen to walk through a real example: how a custom GPT can take just three real customer questions and instantly generate 90 days of social posts, blog topics, and image suggestions—all formatte…

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From The Vault: Brian Cox 1:09:05

4M ago1:09:05

1:09:05

From a childhood in Dundee marked by loss, poverty and resilience, to becoming one of the most respected actors of his generation, Brian Cox’s life and career have been defined by an unrelenting pursuit of truth on and off stage. In this in-depth conversation with James O’Brien, the Emmy and Golden Globe winner reflects on the death of his father a…

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91: Taking a Big Leap - Christine Erwin interviews Geoff Eido about his Upcoming Concert 1:03:14

4M ago1:03:14

1:03:14

Welcome to Lunacy; where we discern the sacred from the insane and admit that whether we like it or not, we are all profoundly affected by the cycles of the moon. Today on LUNACY, we flip the switch. My wife, Christine, interviews ME about my upcoming show at the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley, CA. We get into the heart of why LUNACY exists, h…

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From The Vault: Miriam Margolyes 1:00:08

4M ago1:00:08

1:00:08

From a childhood in Oxford shaped by unconditional love, Jewish heritage and a keen sense of curiosity, to a career spanning stage, screen, voice work and bestselling memoir, Miriam Margolyes’ life has been anything but ordinary. In this candid conversation with James O’Brien, the beloved actor reflects on the security of her early years, the sting…

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Ep 92 - Justin Stayrook – The Opportunities of AI Beyond LLMs 55:25

4M ago55:25

55:25

AI isn't just for the big players—it might be your small bank's biggest advantage. In this episode, Chris and Dan interview Justin Stayrook, Chief Growth Officer at EYEMAGINE, about how AI is transforming operations for lean marketing teams in community banks and credit unions. From cutting project timelines to boosting output without increasing st…

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Cariad Lloyd: Talking About Grief Changed My Life 1:01:05

4M ago1:01:05

1:01:05

Cariad Lloyd never set out to become the voice of modern grief, but after losing her father at just fifteen, the silence around death stayed with her. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien speaks with the actor, comedian and creator of Griefcast podcast about how turning her personal loss into public conversation has transformed both he…

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90: Comedy, Clarity, and Objectivity with Neal Brennan 1:18:36

4M ago1:18:36

1:18:36

Welcome to Lunacy; where we discern the sacred from the insane and admit that whether we like it or not, we are all profoundly affected by the cycles of the moon. Today on LUNACY I drop in with my friend, comedian Neal Brennan. Neal takes us on a tour of his crazy comedy history including the rise and fall of the Chappelle Show, and going from sole…

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Kevin Rowland: Beyond Come On Eileen 59:08

5M ago59:08

59:08

From a shifting childhood split between Wolverhampton, rural Ireland and London, to fronting one of the most distinctive and uncompromising bands of the 1980s, Kevin Rowland’s life has been defined by defiance, vision and resilience. In this in-depth conversation with James O’Brien, the Dexys Midnight Runners frontman reflects on the lasting impact…

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Ep 91 - Autumn Jose – Creating Social Stars for Marketing Success 39:40

5M ago39:40

39:40

Can your employees become your most powerful marketing tool? In this episode, we sit down with Autumn Jose, AVP and Brand Marketing Coordinator of Civista Bank to talk about how she turned a simple idea into a thriving employee advocacy program—and what it takes to grow a brand from the inside out. Autumn shares how she created Civista's "Social St…

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Irvine Welsh: We’re More Addicted Now Than in Trainspotting 1:01:43

5M ago1:01:43

1:01:43

From the high-rises of Muirhouse to the heart of countercultural Britain, Irvine Welsh has built a literary universe fuelled by punk energy, dancefloor euphoria, and radical empathy. In this episode of Full Disclosure, James O’Brien meets the novelist and cultural icon to trace a life shaped by rebellion, recovery, and relentless storytelling. They…

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89: Curing the "Incurable" with Cannabis Oil with Greg Moran - Part 2 1:00:14

5M ago1:00:14

1:00:14

Welcome to Lunacy; where we discern the sacred from the insane and admit that whether we like it or not, we are all profoundly affected by the cycles of the moon. Today on LUNACY, I interview my friend Greg, or as I like to call him, Grandalf. Greg has the unfortunate moniker of contracting Ulcerative Colitis, an "Incurable" disease that leaves one…

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David Lammy: I’ve had imposter syndrome my whole life- until now 54:57

5M ago54:57

54:57

From a working-class childhood in Tottenham to the Cabinet table, David Lammy’s path to becoming Foreign Secretary was anything but straightforward. Raised by a single mother after his father disappeared when he was twelve, David’s early life was shaped by absence, ambition and a fierce sense of justice. In this deeply personal conversation with Ja…

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Ep 90 - The Power of Connection with Neil Stevens (RERUN Ep 38) 48:48

5M ago48:48

48:48

The Power of Connection with Neil Stevens Connection – with your team, your bank, your customers, and your own self - is the key to great leadership and to creating a truly engaged team. It starts at the top. Your bank's leadership needs to feel confident in and connected with the values, vision, and mission of your institution. When this happens, …

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The Book of Murder - Interview w/ Matt Murphy 50:20

5M ago50:20

50:20

Matt Murphy is a former Homicide prosecutor and current legal analyst for ABC News. He spent more than two decades assigned to the Sexual Assault and Homicide Units of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, where he tried some of the most compelling murder cases in America. During his long tenure in Homicide, he prosecuted cold cases, famous…

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The Crack City Strangler - Interview w/ Author B.R. Bates 55:46

5M ago55:46

55:46

'THE CRACK CITY STRANGLER: The Homicides Of Benjamin Atkins' offers a chilling, in-depth account of the horrifying crimes committed by one of America's most notorious serial killers. In this interview, award-winning journalist B.R. Bates delves into the twisted life of Benjamin "Tony" Atkins, whose reign of terror in Detroit spanned less than a yea…

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The Oswald Puzzle - Interview w/ Larry Hancock 37:24

5M ago37:24

37:24

Larry Hancock earned his BA with honors, majoring in history, cultural anthropology and education. He's been researching Lee Harvey Oswald in depth for 35 years. We engaged in a discussion about the JFK assassination, with a particular focus on Lee Harvey Oswald. We explored Oswald's personality, intelligence, and interactions, as well as his exper…

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John 'White Devil' Willis 36:40

5M ago36:40

36:40

John Willis claims to have been the only white person within Chinese organized crime - and it's backed by FBI agent Scott O'Donnell, who stated he has "never seen" a case like that of Willis. John Willis would become a crime boss for a sect of the Chinese Mafia. That group was a larger Chinese gang called Ping On. They were the ones who accepted hi…

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The Simulated Multiverse - Interview w/ Rizwan Virk 56:22

5M ago56:22

56:22

Rizwan Virk is a graduate of MIT and Stanford, and is a successful entrepreneur, video game pioneer, film producer, computer scientist and bestselling author of The Simulation Hypothesis and The Simulated Multiverse. He is the founder of Play Labs at MIT, a video game accelerator at MIT, and is also an advisor to the Galileo Project at Harvard. You…

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Grace Dent: Almost Everything I’ve Done, I’ve Been Told No First 1:02:35

5M ago1:02:35

1:02:35

Before she was a MasterChef judge and one of Britain’s most distinctive food writers, Grace Dent was a Carlisle kid eating crispy pancakes and dreaming of life beyond beige dinners. In this episode of Full Disclosure, she joins James O’Brien to talk about blagging her way into London media, finding her voice through food, and why she still can’t be…

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88: Curing the "Incurable" with Cannabis Oil with Greg Moran - Part 1 1:03:41

5M ago1:03:41

1:03:41

Welcome to Lunacy; where we discern the sacred from the insane and admit that whether we like it or not, we are all profoundly affected by the cycles of the moon. Today on LUNACY, I interview my friend Greg, or as I like to call him, Grandalf. Greg has the unfortunate moniker of contracting Ulcerative Colitis, an "Incurable" disease that leaves one…