On Topic, Off Script

On Topic, Off Script host, journalist Brian Mastroianni, sits down with freestyle BMX rider Nikita Ducarroz.

A trailblazing athlete, Nikita won bronze in Tokyo 2020, the year that BMX Freestyle made its debut at the Olympics. She had a somewhat unconventional path to the sport — one of the top female freestyle BMX riders in the world, Nikita says soccer was her first love growing up, but that all changed when she developed what she describes as crippling anxiety in her teens. School and soccer became hard, but then...enter BMX. 

She discovered the sport in 2010, practicing in the driveway and then to the local skatepark where she says she didn’t meet another female biker for three years. She went pro in 2016 and the rest is history. 

While BMX is her passion, Nikita is an outspoken mental health advocate, she co-founded M1ndTricks, a platform on social media for athletes that connects them to one another and gives them the opportunity to speak about mental health. You can follow that on Instagram, 

Now, she’s preparing to make her Olympics return -- from May to June she’ll be competing in the Olympic Qualifier Series as she rides down the road to Paris 2024. 

Brian caught up with Nikita, a Red Bull athlete, earlier this year in New York as part of the Red Bull Olympic media tour, where she discussed how she works through her anxiety, M1ndTricks, the upcoming Paris Games, and advice she has for all of us when navigating our own mental health. 

Nikita Ducarroz's socials: Instagram, Facebook, M1ndTricks, Blog

Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - ⁠⁠https://www.silvermansound.com⁠⁠

Logo: ⁠⁠David J. Martin⁠⁠

For more info on host, journalist Brian Mastroianni:

⁠⁠brianmastroianni.com⁠⁠

IG: ⁠⁠@bmastroianni

On Topic, Off Script host, journalist Brian Mastroianni, sits down with Peloton instructor Matty Maggiacomo.

Matty is a Peloton star whose popular Tread and Strength classes are known for giving members an uplifting boost to their days. 

Today, he's discussing ways we can all embrace new fitness and wellness habits as we move through spring and inch toward those warm summer months, suggestions for how we can get into the mindset needed to start something new, as well as sharing his own personal story -- how he made the leap from a career in TV news to Peloton. 

Matty's here to offer some words of encouragement during this season of change. 

Matty Maggiacomo's socials: Instagram, Threads, Facebook, TikTok

Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - ⁠https://www.silvermansound.com⁠

Logo: ⁠David J. Martin⁠

For more info on host, journalist Brian Mastroianni:

⁠brianmastroianni.com⁠

IG: ⁠@bmastroianni

On Topic, Off Script host, journalist Brian Mastroianni, sits down with actor, singer, and activist Gloria Reuben.

She's an Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated star known for her groundbreaking role as Jeanie Boulet in the iconic medical drama 'ER.' She’s done it all, from touring with Tina Turner to authoring the book My Brothers’ Keeper, which honors the memory of her two departed brothers. She’s been seen on TV and streaming in the CBS hit 'Elsbeth' and was at SXSW earlier this year to premiere the new film, ‘My Dead Friend Zoe,’ in which she stars alongside actors like Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman. 

Right now, she’s opening up about an issue important to her — her experiences living with moderate to severe hot flashes — also known as VMS — due to menopause. For Gloria, these hot flashes began to impact her daily life — with sweating and discomfort leading her to even feel nervousness in front of the camera. She’s now partnering with Astellas, the makers of Veozah — an FDA-approved 100% hormone-free treatment to reduce the frequency and severity of these moderate to severe hot flashes. 

Gloria says she wants other women not to feel alone and to know that treatment is out there for hot flashes.

In this episode, Gloria discusses her journey with hot flashes, her storied career, a big ER anniversary coming up this year, and some advice she has for all of us, especially for when we navigate those unexpected bumps in the road. 

Gloria Reuben's socials: Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok

Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Logo: David J. Martin

For more info on host, journalist Brian Mastroianni:

brianmastroianni.com

IG: @bmastroianni

Award-winning actress Bellamy Young spent 7 seasons as Mellie Grant, ‘Scandal's' powerful first lady, and was most recently seen in Hulu’s ‘The Other Black Girl.’ Today, she’s using her platform to raise awareness about a health issue that can often be stigmatized and under-discussed — cirrhosis. The mortality rate for cirrhosis has doubled over the past 15 years, a bleak reality that has personal resonance for Bellamy and her family. 

When she was just 15, her father passed away two years after being diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy — or HE — a complication of cirrhosis in which your liver doesn’t properly filter out toxins that can in turn cause cognitive issues like disorientation and confusion once they reach the brain. 

Bellamy has been partnering with Salix Pharmaceuticals on Understanding HE, an awareness campaign to offer tools of support while shedding a needed spotlight on this condition. You can head to UnderstandingHe.com for more information on that. 

On Topic, Off Script host Brian Mastroianni sits down with Bellamy to discuss HE, how she's honoring her dad's memory, and what's next for her -- from new acting projects to writing!

Music: The Right Direction by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Logo: David J. Martin

For more info on host, journalist Brian Mastroianni:

brianmastroianni.com

IG: @bmastroianni

Join New York-based journalist Brian Mastroianni for the launch of his new podcast -- On Topic, Off Script!

For over a decade, Brian has had the chance to speak with just about everyone for outlets like CBS News, The Atlantic, The New York Times For Kids, Healthline, Barron's, and Engadget, among others. Now, he's letting you listen in on a series of intimate conversations with newsmakers, creatives, advocates -- people who are making a mark.

You'll be hearing from former 'Scandal' star Bellamy Young, iconic menswear designer Sir Paul Smith, actor and activist Gloria Reuben, Peloton trainer Matty Maggiacomo, and many more who'll be sharing their inspirations, some of the lessons they've learned along the way, and what they hope all of you can take away from their stories.

So, let's start the conversation and go on topic, off script.

Follow, like, and subscribe to On Topic, Off Script on Spotify, Apple, and everywhere you get your podcasts.

Video and logo: David J. Martin

Follow Brian Mastroianni:

brianmastroianni.com

IG: @bmastroianni

Facebook: Brian Mastroianni