{"podcast":{"title":"Mick Unplugged","slug":"mick-unplugged-6799861","podcast_index_feed_id":6799861,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/YAP1844984381","website_url":"https://mickhuntofficial.com/podcast","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/22ca4666-8c1e-11f1-8be5-9f19a4511f05/image/dc36ccb82bbbcc7bc25ee13fd4ed55e5.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Mick Hunt","episode_count":305,"summary":"Everybody talks about your WHY. Mick Hunt goes deeper. Mick Unplugged is the leadership and personal growth podcast built on one idea: your BECAUSE is the purpose underneath your purpose, and it is the most powerful force you own. Hosted by Mick Hunt, USA Today bestselling author and the voice of Modern Leadership, every episode sits across from a high performer, founder, athlete, or culture-shaper and asks the one question they cannot fake an answer to. What is your BECAUSE? Past guests include Shark Tank stars Daymond John and Kevin O'Leary, entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, motivational legend Les Brown, Chef Robert Irvine, comedians Rickey Smiley and Earthquake, NFL Hall of Famer Jared Allen, hospitality mogul David Grutman, and World Series champion Jeremy Guthrie. No scripts. No surface-level fluff. Just the real fire behind why they refused to quit. If you are a leader, an entrepreneur, or someone who is done coasting on motivational quotes, this is your show. You will walk away every week with mindset shifts, leadership strategy, and the kind of straight talk that actually moves you forward. New episodes drop weekly. Follow Mick Unplugged on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTub…","last_synced_at":"2026-09-24T22:18:29.576931+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/mick-unplugged-6799861"},"episode":{"title":"How to Keep Going When Life Breaks You with Rickey Smiley","slug":"how-to-keep-going-when-life-breaks-you-with-rickey-smiley","published_at":"2026-05-07T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/mick-unplugged-6799861/how-to-keep-going-when-life-breaks-you-with-rickey-smiley","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/mick-unplugged-6799861","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/YAP4821507976.mp3","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/YAP4821507976.mp3","summary":"Rickey Smiley is a nationally beloved stand-up comedian, award-winning syndicated radio host, television personality, bestselling author, and one of the most authentic voices in entertainment today. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Rickey first captured America’s attention through his legendary prank phone calls and breakout performances on BET’s Comic View before building a media empire that includes The Rickey Smiley Morning Show, heard in over 70 cities nationwide. A two-time Marconi Award winner, Rickey has starred in multiple television series and specials, including his critically acclaimed Hulu comedy special Foolish. Beyond the laughs, Rickey is a devoted father, grandfather, mentor, and man of deep faith who uses his platform to uplift communities and inspire others. His bestselling memoir, Sideshow: Living with Loss and Moving Forward with Faith, chronicles his journey through unimaginable grief—including the loss of his eldest son Brandon—and stands as a powerful testament to resilience, service, and the healing power of purpose.   Takeaways: Give Your Kids What You Had, Not What You Didn’t: Rickey Smiley is unapologetic about raising his children and grandchildren with the same discipline, structure, and old-fashioned home training his grandparents gave him. No negotiations, no iPads as pacifiers, no coddling. In a world where everything right is being called wrong and everything wrong is being called right, Rickey stands firm—because the foundation that built him still works. If you liked who you became, give your kids the blueprint that made you, not the things you missed out on. Men, Put Your Ego Down and Get Help: Rickey Smiley performed comedy shows while crying backstage. He went back on the radio three days after burying his son because e…","meta_description":"Rickey Smiley is a nationally beloved stand-up comedian, award-winning syndicated radio host, television personality, bestselling author, and one of the m…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3336,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/mick-unplugged-6799861/episodes/how-to-keep-going-when-life-breaks-you-with-rickey-smiley/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/mick-unplugged-6799861/how-to-keep-going-when-life-breaks-you-with-rickey-smiley.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}