
Meredith for Real: the curious introvert
Each episode explores a taboo question or cultural blind spot with an expert who is themselves, a paradox -Like the atheist doctor who studied near death experiences for 50 years (ep 224)Or the deeply religious man studied by NASA who sees UFOs regularly (ep 261).The mission is to inspire the kind of curiosity that looks for & celebrates nuance, because we all deserve a more curious future.So tune in each week (new episodes every Monday) to question things like American individualism (ep 260), trigger warnings (ep 208) & circumcision (ep 178).Still not sure where to start?Other listeners loved ep 230 - Can a sexless marriage survive? and ep 237 - Black man who attends KKK rallies: race & friendship
Latest episodes

Jun 13, 2022 • 38min
Ep. 139 | Dad, How Do I Forgive You? Abandonment, Mentorship & YouTube
Rob Kenney is the “Dad of the Internet.” The accidental YouTube star shares the importance of mentorship, his reluctance to be in the spotlight & his journey of forgiveness towards his Dad who abandoned him & his 7 siblings when he was just 14 years old.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 94: IRISH CATHOLIC TO ORTHODOX JEW: CONVERSION, ACCEPTANCE & COMMUNITY Guest: https://www.youtube.com/c/DadhowdoI | https://www.dadhowdoiofficial.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/dadhowdoi | https://open.spotify.com/show/0i1K3G9DGNGHz782EfAcHq?si=14AOuUE_S86tpSSzC5Vmgg&nd=1 | https://www.instagram.com/dadhowdoi/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Jun 6, 2022 • 42min
Ep. 138 | Life in the Vegas Tunnels: Clowns, Crickets & Crank
Paul Vautrinot shares his story of living in the Las Vegas tunnels, or as he states it, beneath the neon. He shares what life in the Vegas underground city was like with the tunnel people, how he left, got sober & became a co-founder of Shine a Light Foundation. He shares the organization’s unique approach to ending homelessness & how they are by-passing wait lists.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 46: METH, GAY PORN, REHAB & CELEB PHOTOGRAPHY PART 1Guest: https://www.shinealightlv.com/ | https://www.facebook.com/shinealightLV | https://www.instagram.com/shine_a_lightlv/ | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beneath-the-neon-podcast/id1532967337Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

May 30, 2022 • 34min
Ep. 137 | Honor the Past Without Living In It? Real History of the National Parks
Rob Annis is a freelance outdoor travel adventure writer & national park enthusiast who idolized the president who put the park system in place, Theodore Roosevelt. When learning the truth about the history of the National Parks, his favorite president & his father overlapped, and he had the difficult task of recognizing the darker aspects of the past. He shares what he uncovered in his research about Yellowstone, Yosemite & Mt Rushmore, how he feels about the parks now & what the future may look like as more Native Americans take leadership roles in the National Park system.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 114: WHITE INDIAN CHIEF? SOUTHERN MAN DISCOVERS HE’S INDIGENOUS ROYALTYGuest: https://www.instagram.com/robannis/ | https://twitter.com/robertannis | https://www.facebook.com/RobGetsAround/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertannis/ | https://robertannis.contently.com/ | https://hiddencompass.net/story/eroded-myths/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

May 23, 2022 • 46min
Ep. 136 | Virtue Signaling. Can We Make It Stop? Nachos & Narcissism
Dr. Brandon Warmke is an Associate Professor & philosopher at Bowling Green University & the co-author of the Book Grandstanding, The use and abuse of moral talk. He shares the different kinds of grandstanding, its link to narcissism & how to know if you are virtue signaling. We also touch on the outlook of public discourse & minding your own business.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 54: SOCIAL DILEMMA? HOW TO BUILD AN ONLINE BRAND & BE A REAL HUMAN WITH SUE B ZIMMERMANGuest: https://twitter.com/brandonwarmke | https://brandonwarmke.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-warmke-8894991a9/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

May 16, 2022 • 40min
Ep. 135 | He Voted Obama & Joined the KKK: Sobriety & New Friends (PART 2)
Chris Buckley shares how sobriety & voluntarily staying in jail were the catalysts for leaving the Georgia White Knights, his change of heart towards the queer community & an intense conversation with a Muslim. He also shares more about the programs at Parents4Peace that help veterans & police officers undo harmful job-related ideology. Trigger warning on basically all the triggers. If you know someone struggling with extremism, call the helpline: 1-844-49-PEACEIf you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 99: COFFEE, CONGO & THE AMERICAN SOUTHGuest: https://www.facebook.com/parents4peace/ | https://www.instagram.com/parents4peace/ | https://www.parents4peace.org/ | https://twitter.com/Chrisbu94982722 | https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-buckley-57a7681a2/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

May 9, 2022 • 37min
Ep. 134 | He Voted Obama & Joined the KKK: the How & the Why (PART 1)
Chris Buckley was a war veteran returning home when he was recruited for a KKK chapter – the Georgia White Knights, but the events leading up to that were “a Petry dish of hate” that included abuse, addiction, death & displacement. If you’ve ever wondered what causes someone to join the KKK, this episode will give you perspective. Trigger warning on basically all the triggers. If you know someone struggling with extremism, call the helpline: 1-844-49-PEACEIf you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 46: METH, GAY PORN, REHAB & CELEB PHOTOGRAPHY PART 1Guest: https://www.facebook.com/parents4peace/ | https://www.instagram.com/parents4peace/ | https://www.parents4peace.org/ | https://twitter.com/Chrisbu94982722 | https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-buckley-57a7681a2/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

May 2, 2022 • 46min
Ep. 133 | Burglar for Hire: Psychology, Social Engineering & a Dead Body
Jenny Radcliffe is a professional con-woman & people hacker who uses social engineering to test the vulnerability of professional security systems. She shares how she got started in her teens, avoided a life of crime & how we can all be less vulnerable.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 80: HELPFUL ADS OR DIGITAL PROWLING? HOW TO BE A LITTLE LESS TRACKABLEGuest: https://twitter.com/Jenny_Radcliffe | https://www.instagram.com/realpeoplehacker/ | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/human-factor-security/id1174807837 | https://humanfactorsecurity.co.uk/speaking/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Apr 25, 2022 • 37min
Ep. 132 | Dealing with Meetings You Can’t Stand: Jet Planes, Politicians & ZOOM
Dr. Rick Brinkman, author of the book “Dealing with Meetings You Can’t Stand” walks us through how to meet less & do more, what every meeting should have & why you should start on time even if not everyone is present.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 106: DEALING WITH PEOPLE YOU CAN’T STAND: MOTIVATIONS, REMEDIES & EMAIL HALLUCINATIONSGuest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-brinkman-ba9510b/ | https://www.drrickbrinkman.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-brinkman-ba9510b/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Apr 18, 2022 • 32min
Ep. 131 | Active or Passive Curiosity? Cultivating Confidence, Adventure & Reward Hormones
Garrick Jones is one of the authors of The Curious Advantage. In this episode, he shares his research findings on the benefits of curiosity especially in a digital world.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 102: DIVERSITY CREATES RESILIENCE?Guest: https://www.facebook.com/CuriousAdvantage | https://twitter.com/CuriousAdvantge | https://twitter.com/garrickjones | https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrick-jones-a56398162/ | https://curiousadvantage.com/ | https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzUwMjM0MzkucnNz?ep=14Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/

Apr 11, 2022 • 33min
Ep. 130 | Barefoot in Canada: Rewilding, Brain Fog & Starbucks
Sue Reagan Kenney has been living a barefoot lifestyle for the last 12 years in Canada. The former shoe-obsessed corporate woman shares how her shoeless journey began, the health benefits she’s experienced from it & why dirtier feet may make happier humans.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 61: REDUCING STRESS THROUGH BREATHING: HACKS FOR THE NON-HIPPYGuest: https://www.suekenney.ca/ | https://www.facebook.com/barebottomshoes/ | https://www.tiktok.com/@barefootsue | https://www.instagram.com/caminosue/Host: https://www.meredithforreal.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ | meredith@meredithforreal.com | https://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal | https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovertSponsors: https://empathicpractice.us/ | Watch me on TV https://bit.ly/3ImiTat | https://uwf.edu/university-advancement/departments/historic-trust/ | https://www.ensec.net/