Let's Give A Damn

Mike McHargue "is a public educator trusted by millions to use empathy and deep scientific insights to help them navigate some of the most difficult parts of the human experience. He’s the host of Ask Science Mike, is the bestselling author of Finding God in the Waves, and You’re a Miracle (and a Pain in the Ass), and works as a science advisor and story consultant for film and television working with clients including Marvel Studios and Pete Holmes. Mike has been featured in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, The Huffington Post, and scores of other notable publications. Mike is an in-demand speaker appearing all over the world—including appearances at Google and MIT." During this chat, we discuss his journey to atheism and back, his books, the pandemic, science, and so much more! You’re going to love Mike. He's amazing. Follow Mike on Twitter and Instagram. ___________________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is

We’re bringing back and oldie but a goodie! My 10th podcast conversation — 131 podcast episodes ago — was with my friend Rainn Wilson. Since we met 3 years ago, Rainn has been so kind to help me and Let’s Give A Damn out in several really key and kind ways. I love Rainn, his wife Holiday, and the many ways they give a damn.  In this conversation, Rainn gives us so much wisdom. Among other important things, he talks about building something as an alternative to what you’re protesting. This is a huge point, friends. Slacktivism is the name of the game for so many today. It’s so easy to sit on a couch, yell, and scream at others that don’t agree with us. That’s not activism. That’s not giving a damn. That’s not getting shit done. That’s easy. The hard stuff is pointing out the problem and them building an alternative. Or pointing out the problem and, at the very least, being part of the solution.  There is so much more gold in our conversation! This one is worth a re-listen. ___________________________________ T

It’s monologue time, friends! I want to share with you this I’ve been processing and learning over the last few weeks. Give it a listen and let me know what you think!  Shoot me an email with any questions or thoughts you may have: hello@letsgiveadamn.com. I’d love to hear from you! Make sure to follow us on Instagram and sign up for our email newsletter so you’ll know all the details for our weekly livestream show that we’re launching on May 8! ___________________________________ This show was created by me, produced by Chad Snavely, and the music is by our friend Propaganda. We’re part of the Matter Media family. We’re grateful for their partnership. Until next time, peace! Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! Support us on Patreon! We can't do this without you. Lastly, leave us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts! Please. Pretty please. Have an amazin

April 22 is Earth Day! This year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day — a day we set aside each year to show our support for the environment, our commitment to helping our planet become cleaner and healthier, and to discuss the different ways we are doing just that.  Before I introduce our guest today that was handpicked for our Earth Day episode, I want to share with you something we are doing on Let’s Give A Damn to show our increasing commitment for the environment. For every new follower on our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) we will plant one tree! We will share more about our method and our partners soon but we wanted to let you know that’s happening. So, invite your friends to join the LGAD family on social media. By merely clicking a button, they will help change the world. Pretty cool, huh? Joe Sanberg is a serial entrepreneur, an investor, one of the leaders who helped bring the Earned Income Tax Credit to California, and he is the co-founder of Aspiration Aspiration is a

Joel Stein — quite possibly the best person out there to defend elites — is on the podcast this week! But we don’t like elites, right? Well, don’t check out quite yet. You’re going to want to listen to this conversation. I promise. Joel Stein is was a staff writer and columnist for Time magazine for two decades. While there, he wrote twenty-two cover stories! Additionally, he was a columnist for Entertainment Weekly and the Los Angeles Times. His first book is called Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity. His second book is the reason I asked him to join me on the podcast. It’s called In Defense of Elitism: Why I'm Better Than You and You're Better Than Someone Who Didn't Buy This Book. You should buy his book so you can be as good as I am but not as good as Joel, obviously. Besides, it’s a fantastic book!  Oh, he taught at Princeton, also. No big deal. During this chat, we talk about why Trump was elected, what Joel means by elitism and why it needs defending, how to be endlessly curious, the importance o

Earl Bridges and Craig Martin are philanthropologists, storytellers, and lifelong best friends and adventurers. During our conversation, we discuss growing up overseas, the importance of global travel, failures and successes, their podcast, and their brand new TV show, The Good Road.  Click here to find out when The Good Road is playing on PBS near you.  Follow The Good Road on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Listen to their podcast, Philanthropology. I’m a guest on their podcast this week! ___________________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! Support us on Patreon! We can't do this without you. Have an amazing week, friends! Love y’all!

Katie Steller is the founder of Steller Hair, Steller Connect, Steller Kindness Project, The Red Chair Project. Yes, all of those things. Katie and I have known each other for 12 years and it was great to reconnect. In our chat, we talk about her upbringing, her faith background, how she became an entrepreneur, why she began inviting people to “come as you are” in all of life, what she is doing now that her business is shut down because of a global pandemic, and more!  Follow Katie on Instagram. You’ll be glad you did! She is always sharing good news and encouraging people.  And don’t forget to follow Steller Connect & Steller Kindness Project! ___________________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! Support us on Patreon! We can't do this without you. Have an amazing week, friends! Love y’all!

It’s monologue time, friends! In this short episode, I share some great stories and hopeful ideas for us to chew on during this crazy time. We talk about possible effects this pandemic could have on the climate, we talk about Yashar’s fundraiser for hourly workers that have lost their jobs, we discuss the new #DamnGoodQuarantine series I’m launching this week, and much more.  Please hit me up on email (hello@nicklaparra.com), Twitter (@NickLaparra), or Instagram (@NickLaparra) if you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas.  Join me next week for another amazing conversation with someone who saw something wrong in the world and gave a damn about it. Be safe out there! Stay home. Wash your damn hands. Love you. Peace!

How can we give a damn in the midst of this Coronavirus Pandemic if we don’t know what it is, how it spreads, what we’re doing right, what we’re doing wrong, and what the future looks like?  Jacob Glanville, my friend and computational immuno-engineer, joins us on the podcast to give us a one-stop-shop experience re: all things Coronavirus. Buckle up, you’re about to drink from a firehose! Jacob is one of the co-founders of Distributed Bio, a company whose mission “is to create breakthrough technologies to drug previously challenging targets.” What does that mean? Hell if I know! But I do know, among many other things, they are working on things like a universal vaccine for the fly and for HIV.  Follow Jacob on Twitter and please attention to all the advice he gives us in this chat! Stay safe out there, y’all. Much love. ___________________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we d

Join me in welcoming Josh Mundy to the pod! On March 3, an F4 tornado hit Nashville and caused billions of dollars of damage. Josh Mundy housed 4 of his businesses in one building and lost them all overnight. Yet, Josh and Tabitha have a tremendous amount of peace that whatever comes next will be for their good and for the good of their community. I can’t wait for you to hear our chat! If you want to know more about what Josh is working on and the businesses he hopes to rebuild, check out The Lab, Pivot Technology School, and Fortitude Homes. And be sure to follow Josh on Instagram! All sorts of great content on there.  And if you’d like to help the Mundy’s get back on their feet, you can donate here.  ___________________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! Support us on Patreon! We can't do this without you. Have an amazing week, friends! Lov

March 8 is International Women’s Day and we have my favorite person in the world and Let’s Give A Damn’s biggest fan on the podcast today! My wife has sacrificed so much so that I can bring amazing stories to your ears each and every week. I’m thrilled that you get to meet her via this one-hour conversations with one of the biggest damn-givers I know. Enjoy! She’s not on social media right now but if you want to get in touch with her, send an email to becky.laparra@gmail.com. Love y'all! ___________________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! Support us on Patreon! We can't do this without you. Have an amazing week, friends! Love y’all!

Justin Jones is running for Congress in Tennessee's 5th Congressional District and he is my guest on the podcast today. His bio, found on his website, is worth reading because it highlights the breadth and depth of the ways he has given a damn from such a young age: Justin Jones is an activist, graduate student, and community organizer in Nashville. Born in Oakland, California, he grew up in the East Bay where he attended public school and learned at an early age the importance of speaking up for equality for all. His mother, Christine, raised Justin and his sister while putting herself through nursing school. She’s now a registered nurse active in the California chapter of National Nurses United. He is the grandson of black, working-class grandparents from the South Side of Chicago and Filipino immigrants who migrated to California during the Vietnam War. Growing up, his family, especially his two grandmothers, taught him the importance of community involvement, care for the environment, and spirituality. In

Let's talk about the Oscars. Many actors and artists used their stage time to share their thoughts on what is happening in society and in politics. Which, for the record, I’m 100% OK with. In fact, I applaud it! Entertainers throughout history have used their art form and platform to speak out against injustices happening around them. The notion that athletes should stick to playing sports or that actor should stick to acting or that musicians should stick to music and not speak up is ludicrous. It’s bullshit. So, let's talk about Joaquin Phoenix. Let's talk about Jane Fonda. Let's talk about awareness and activism. Let's talk about cancel culture.  ___________________________________ SPONSOR: We keep this show (relatively) ad-free but we do need to make a little money so we can cover the costs of recording, production, travel, and *fingers crossed* my time. I won’t put a dollar amount on how much that costs per episode but it’s a lot. if you didn't know, we are on Patreon! Patreon is a place where — for the

Will Acuff, Co-Founder of Corner to Corner, is on the podcast today! Will is a force of nature. He and his family give so many damns. Will and I met at our favorite cigar shop in Nashville. We both like cigars so that was a great start to a friendship. But the more I got to know Will, the more I knew I wanted to share his life and work with you. Follow Corner to Corner on Facebook and Instagram. Email will directly at will@cornertocorner.org.  And follow his street photography account on Instagram! He is really good! ___________________________________ SPONSOR: We keep this show (relatively) ad-free but we do need to make a little money so we can cover the costs of recording, production, travel, and *fingers crossed* my time. I won’t put a dollar amount on how much that costs per episode but it’s a lot. if you didn't know, we are on Patreon! Patreon is a place where — for the price of a damn cup of coffee each month, you can help us make this podcast and platform more sustainable. Go to Patreon.com/letsgivead

Jamel Campbell-Gooch is on the podcast this week! Jamel is a violence interruptor and is part of the Gideon's Army leadership team. Gideon's Army uses restorative justice-based programs to build resilient kids and healthy communities.  A few links that may interest you: Check out Gideon's Army on Facebook and Instagram.  Follow Jamel on Instagram and Twitter. Take a look at Blackstorian. ___________________________________ SPONSOR: We keep this show (relatively) ad-free but we do need to make a little money so we can cover the costs of recording, production, travel, and *fingers crossed* my time. I won’t put a dollar amount on how much that costs per episode but it’s a lot. if you didn't know, we are on Patreon! Patreon is a place where — for the price of a damn cup of coffee each month, you can help us make this podcast and platform more sustainable. Go to Patreon.com/letsgiveadamn to find out how you can join the Let's Give A Damn family or hit me up on social media if you have any questions at all. I hope

Join me in welcoming Josh Radnor to the podcast this week! You probably know Josh for his role as Ted Mosby in the wildly popular show, How I Met Your Mother. Admittedly, I'm not a fan of the show but I know it was/is a big deal to lots of people. Sure, we chat about HIMYM a little bit but we spent most of our time discussing Ram Dass, Spirituality, Radnor & Lee (his band), porn, giving a damn, a lawsuit he is involved in, and so much more.   A few links that may interest you:  Check out Josh's band, Radnor & Lee.   Subscribe to Josh's email newsletter, Museletter. They're so good!  Josh has a new show coming out on Amazon Prime soon. It's called Hunters. Jordan Peele is the Executive Producer and it stars Al Pacino. Make sure to watch it when it comes out! Follow Josh on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. ___________________________________  SPONSOR: We keep this show (relatively) ad-free but we do need to make a little money so we can cover the costs of recording, production, travel, and *fingers cro

Here's a short monologue for you as we finish 2019 and begin 2020. I feel incredibly excited about what will happen in 2020 with Let's Give A Damn. Do you feel it, too? I hope so. Because I need you.  I hope these words help you and give you hope. Also, buy Becoming Human (or any of the 30+ books Jean Vanier wrote while alive). You'll learn so much from him. I love you and I can't wait to give so many damns alongside you this next year. Let's go!

This is me. Raw. Unscripted. Sitting in my bedroom staring at a wall for 13 minutes while talking to you. In this brief monologue, I share why we've been taking more breaks than normal, what's going on right now, and where we are headed in 2020. Exciting things ahead, friends! But not without some growing pains. Remember, giving a damn must take place in this order: First, give a damn about yourself  Second, give a damn about each other  Third, give a damn about others  Love y'all. Hit me up at hello@nicklaparra.com or anywhere on social media and let's chat about LGAD or 2020 or anything you want. I'm here for you.

My guest today is David French. David is a senior editor for The Dispatch. He just left a role as senior writer for National Review last month. David is a New York Times bestselling author, and his next book, The Great American Divorce, will be available for you to purchase in a few months. He graduated from Harvard Law School and he is a former lecturer at Cornell Law School. David is a former major in the United States Army Reserve. In 2007, he deployed to Iraq an, during that time, was awarded the Bronze Star. In this conversation, we talk about faith, cancel culture, gun control, how the Left and the Right can work together for the good of our country (is this even possible?), and so much more. ___________________________________ SPONSOR: We keep this show (relatively) ad-free but we do need to make a little money so we can cover the costs of recording, production, travel, and *fingers crossed* my time. I won’t put a dollar amount on how much that costs per episode but it’s a lot. if you didn't know, we a

My guest today is the incredible Blythe Hill. Whether or not you’ve heard of Blythe, you’ve probably heard of Dressember — a community of international advocates utilizing fashion + creativity to help end human trafficking. They’ve raise over $7.5m since 2013 and this is shaping up to their biggest year ever with a $2.5m goal. If you’ve ever participated in Dressember, you know that you participation directly impact the fight to rescue, protect, and restore the lives of trafficking victims and survivors worldwide. Join Dressember now by becoming an advocate. You'll wear a dress or tie every day in December, you'll raise money, and you'll change the world along with thousands of others! Follow Dressember on Instagram. Follow Blythe on Instagram.  ___________________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! And if you want to follow our host Nick Laparr