Kevin Heisinger is a comedian and writer based in Los Angeles. He hosts a weekly open mic night at The Roost in Atwater Village and has graced the stages of top comedy venues, including the Comedy Store and Laugh Factory.

Cassie Mogilner Holmes is a chaired professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, an award-winning teacher and researcher on time and happiness, and bestselling author of Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most.

Cassie’s research examines such questions as how focusing on time (rather than money) increases happiness, how the meaning of happiness changes over the course of one’s lifetime, and how much happiness people enjoy from extraordinary versus ordinary experiences. Across these inquiries, her findings highlight the joy that stems from interpersonal connection and paying attention to the present moment.

Kyle Kondik analyzes American campaigns and elections and is frequently cited by national and international media outlets. He is based in Washington D.C. and is the managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, the University of Virginia Center for Politics’ authoritative, nonpartisan newsletter on American campaigns and elections. He is the author of "The Long Red Thread," a history of the growth of Republican power in the U.S. House of Representatives, and "The Bellwether," an analysis of Ohio’s presidential voting history.

He has appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, PBS NewsHour, and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. Kyle is also a member of the CBS News Election Decision Desk team.

In Episode #159, political scientist Dr. Bruce Cain joins Osi to discuss the latest developments in the upcoming presidential election. They delve into the behind-the-scenes strategy that led to Biden's decision to end his run for President, the importance of the Democratic Party unifying behind Kamala Harris as the nominee, and what it will take for Harris to have a chance against Trump.

Bruce E. Cain is a Professor of Political Science at Stanford University and Director of the Bill Lane Center for the American West. His areas of expertise include political regulation, applied democratic theory, representation and state politics. Some of Professor Cain’s most recent publications include “Malleable Constitutions: Reflections on State Constitutional Design,” coauthored with Roger Noll in University of Texas Law Review, volume 2, 2009; “More or Less: Searching for Regulatory Balance,” in Race, Reform and the Political Process, edited by Heather Gerken, Guy Charles and Michael Kang, CUP, 2011; “Redistricting Commissions: A Better Political Buffer?” in The Yale Law Journal, volume 121, 2012; and Democracy More or Less (CUP, 2015). He is currently working on problems of environmental governance.

In Episode #158, Dr. Benny Forer joins Osi to provide an in-depth analysis of criminal prosecution. They discuss the distinctions between white-collar crimes, organized crime, and street crime, while also exploring the unique challenges posed by cybercrime.

Benny Forer is a veteran criminal prosecutor specializing in complex cyber and sex crimes, including child pornography and solicitations of minors. He is a member of the prestigious Cyber Crime Unit. Professor Forer lectures at USC's Viterbi School of Engineering, teaching Cyber & Privacy Law. He is an internationally recognized lecturer on criminal justice, privacy concerns, and white-collar crime.

Mason LeCompte is a multi-talented stand-up comedian, actress, and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California, originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is best known for her work in "Childrens Hospital" (2008), "Minotaur" (2013), and "Comedy Parlour Live: Quarantine Edition" (2020).

Catch her upcoming stand-up shows in Los Angeles: Kinks of Comedy at Legacy Studios on July 27th and at The Dime on July 31st. Follow her on Instagram: @masonlecompte, Facebook: Mason LeCompte, and YouTube: @masonlecompte.

In Episode #156, post-disaster expert and former lead Homeland Security advisor Dr. Stephen Flynn joins Osi to analyze the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. They break down the incident, examine the failures, explore the demanding nature of a Secret Service agent's role, and more.

Dr. Stephen Flynn is the Founding Director of the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern University and a Professor of Political Science. He has significant experience with the federal government, serving as an expert advisor to the U.S. Commission on National Security and as executive director of a homeland security task force post-9/11. He advised the Bush Administration on maritime and homeland security and was the lead policy advisor on homeland security for President Obama's transition team. A 1982 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Flynn served 20 years on active duty, including roles in the White House Military Office and the National Security Council. He holds advanced degrees from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University.

In Episode #155, Dr. Lynn Vavreck joins Osi to discuss the latest developments in the upcoming presidential election. They explore the likelihood of Joe Biden stepping aside and opting not to run in the 2024 election, potential candidates to replace Biden, and address circulating rumors about Biden's health, among other critical topics.

Lynn Vavreck is an American political scientist, a contributing columnist to The Upshot at The New York Times, and a recipient of the Andrew F. Carnegie Prize in the Humanities and Social Sciences.  She is the author of five books, including the “most ominous” book on the 2016 election: Identity Crisis: The 2016 Presidential Campaign and the Battle for the Meaning of America, and The Gamble: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential Election, described as the “definitive account” of the 2012 election. Political consultants on both sides of the aisle refer to her work on political messaging in The Message Matters as “required reading” for presidential candidates. Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and she has served on the advisory boards of both the British and American National Election Studies. At UCLA she teaches courses on campaigns, elections, public opinion, and the 1960s. Professor Vavreck holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Rochester and held previous appointments at Princeton University, Dartmouth College, and The White House.  A native of Cleveland, Ohio, she remains a loyal Browns fan and is a “known equestrian” – to draw on a phrase from the 2012 presidential campaign.

In Episode #154, Dr. Melissa Durham joins Osi to discuss the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States. They explore the history of opioid use in the U.S., the role pharmaceutical companies have played in the crisis, the unique aspects of opioid addiction compared to other addictions, and much more.

Dr. Durham is a clinical pharmacist at the USC Pain Center, where she established and runs a pharmacist-led pain medication management service for patients with a variety of complicated chronic nononcologic pain conditions. She is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with chronic pain through patient-centered and compassionate care. The value of her unique practice model has been recognized and published both nationally and internationally. Dr. Durham is also a practicing community pharmacist and provides a valuable and unique perspective of a clinician who is both a prescriber and a dispenser.

In Episode #153, propaganda expert Dr. Nick Cull joins Osi to explore the history and current use of propaganda by various regimes to influence public opinion and behavior. They also delve into the impact of social media on propaganda and discuss methods to identify it.

Nicholas J. Cull (born 1964) is a historian and professor in the Master's in Public Diplomacy program at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California. He was the founding director of this program and ran it from 2005 to 2019.

Cull's research and teaching interests are broad and inter-disciplinary, and focus on public diplomacy, the role of advocacy, culture, exchange, broadcasting, and public opinion research in foreign policy. Cull has also worked more broadly on the history of propaganda, film, television and radio history and the role of mass media as a source for historical study. He is best known for detailed historical studies of the institutions behind public diplomacy and for emphasizing the importance of "listening" as a pre-condition for successful public diplomacy. He coined the term "reputational security" for a category of enhanced security that comes to an international actor when they are well thought of by external audiences