The Neil Haley Show — “Dating, Faith, Money & Media”Guests: Ben Schwartz, Pearl Nsiah-Kumi, Alan Porter, Christopher Richards, Lyric Lewis


Celebrity Ben Schwartz dives into his co-authored book Things You Should Already Know About Dating, You F**ing Idiot*, tackling everything from ghosting to slow texting. With humor and candor, Schwartz calls for a return to chivalry, genuine conversations, and simple kindness on dates—reminding listeners that disposable swipe culture is no substitute for real human connection.Author Pearl Nsiah-Kumi shares her powerful story in Experiencing God’s Overwhelming Peace During Hard Times. After battling lymphoma and enduring chemotherapy, she describes how her deep relationship with God sustained her. She emphasizes that worry never changes outcomes—only prayer and trust in God bring peace. Her testimony encourages others to lean on faith, not fear, in life’s hardest moments.Financial strategist Alan Porter warns about America’s retirement crisis. He critiques reliance on outdated 401(k)s and explains why $1.28 million in savings is often insufficient. Porter highlights the need for education on tax risks, annuities for guaranteed income, and smart use of tools like reverse mortgage credit lines. His bottom line: retirement planning isn’t about chasing returns, it’s about securing safe, sustainable income.Growth expert Christopher Richards breaks down modern marketing realities: organic reach is shrinking, ads are increasingly pay-to-play, and measuring conversions is non-negotiable. He urges businesses to test small, focus on a few proven strategies, and invest in creative content that qualifies buyers. With platforms shifting constantly, Richards stresses building flexible, scalable marketing systems.Actress Lyric Lewis closes the episode with laughs from her role on NBC’s A.P. Bio. Playing history teacher Steph Duncan, she reflects on real-life mentors, the quirks of school life, and the fun of portraying a teacher balancing heart and hustle. Neil caps things off live at Cranberry YMCA’s Health & Wellness Festival with No Sleeve Nation, showcasing custom shirts, new women’s and kids’ lines, and the community vibe of a Pittsburgh fall afternoon.

Al Roker — “Ruthless Tide” & the Power of Water
Al revisited one of America’s deadliest disasters, the 1889 Johnstown Flood, and explained why he wrote Ruthless Tide. Beyond the 2,200 lives lost, it reshaped liability law, environmental protections, and put the Red Cross on the map. He tied that lesson to today’s rollbacks in regulations and the risks of climate change: water is life-giving, but also unstoppable destruction. Al also shared a fun memory about appearing on Sesame Street and plugged his SiriusXM show Off the Rails.
John Mariotti — “The Chinese Conspiracy” (New Edition)
Former Rubbermaid and Huffy executive John Mariotti described his techno-thriller rooted in real cyber threats. Worm viruses, Y2K backdoors, botnets, and now AI all set the stage for a chilling question: what happens when nothing works? The novel explores how cyberattacks could cripple communities while weaving in a human redemption story. John’s warning: the next “war” won’t be bullets and bombs but code, infrastructure hacks, and AI-powered exploits. Cybersecurity isn’t optional—it’s survival.
Susan Lintonsmith — Under the Couch Book 9: “Castle”
Susan highlighted Castle, the ninth book in her 12-book fantasy series. In it, young Justin faces ridicule in a kingdom where all knowledge comes from books—mirroring her real son’s struggles with dyslexia. The story captures his challenges with reading, the stigma of being called “stupid,” and the resilience and creativity that dyslexia often brings. The book delivers two big lessons: dyslexia isn’t a measure of intelligence, and words (especially from siblings) can wound deeply. A heartfelt reminder to celebrate strengths and meet kids where they learn best.
Dr. Mohamed (RTILA) — Grok vs. ChatGPT & Building with LLMs
Dr. Mohamed compared Grok and ChatGPT from a coder’s perspective. Grok has been snappy and logical for problem-solving, while ChatGPT swings between brilliance and sluggishness—prompt engineering matters more than ever. For app creation, he flagged options:
Cursor / GitHub Copilot → good if you’ll host and manage code yourself.
Replit / Lovable → ideal for chat-to-app builds with hosting built in.
He also noted the rise of open-source and on-device LLMs (if you’ve got a powerful GPU) and teased RTILA’s coming release: automation building fully integrated with AI.
Shawn Welsh (Parade Deck) — Military Influencer Conference Preview
Shawn previewed the Military Influencer Conference (MIC) coming to Atlanta, Sept 21–24. Expect live Parade Deck stage interviews all three days, breakout sessions, a hiring fair, and a gala. High-level voices, including VA leadership, will be present. His message: in-person connections beat DMs every time—these three days can fill months of podcast content and business collaborations. For Shawn, the “influencer” label isn’t about vanity; it’s about educating, connecting, and strengthening the veteran community.

Wings, Wine & New Playbooks — Eddie Jackson, Amy Twilegar, Alan Thompson Brillhart & Tom Quigley

From Housewives to Standing Bear: Mary Amons, Joe Starita, Dr. Mohamed, Dan Marino & Christopher RichardsMary Amons (Real Housewives of D.C.) kicks things off with a candid rewind: the White House crash shocker, learning the craft behind and in front of the camera, and the reality that one season doesn’t hand you a turnkey brand. She owns the personal detours—divorce, timing, life—and now leans into what lasts: classic, timeless design and a budding partnership with Baker Furniture, plus a talk at the Washington Design Center. Reunion dreams? Logistics are messy, but she’s game to spark something live with the cast who are still public-facing.Author and journalist Joe Starita (I Am a Man: Chief Standing Bear’s Journey for Justice) delivers a masterclass in storytelling and American history. He traces Standing Bear’s 550-mile winter trek to honor his son, General Crook’s midnight conscience, and Judge Dundee’s landmark ruling recognizing Native Americans as human beings under U.S. law—after 103 years of pretending otherwise. Bigger heart: Starita funnels his royalties into scholarships—200+ Native students and counting—turning pages into futures.Dr. Mohamed dives into the state of AI—Grok vs. ChatGPT, local LLMs, coding copilots, and why interface matters as much as model brains. Net: Grok is fast and surprisingly deep on code; outputs (like show notes) are quick but still need editorial guardrails. For builders, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, and hosted app tools (Replit/Lovable) shorten the road from idea to shipped product, while open-source models (run locally if you’ve got the GPU) protect IP and budgets.A vintage drop-in from NFL legend Dan Marino adds a dose of legacy: Pitt pride, the Sugar Bowl fourth-down dagger, and community impact through the Dan Marino Foundation—plus Microsoft’s local philanthropy. It’s a neat reminder that tech is only as good as the people it equips.Closing the loop, Christopher Richards gets surgical about growth: organic is great—until it isn’t. First-mover wins fade; you’ll pay to scale. Squeeze every free ounce (LinkedIn company pages, Shorts, smart SEO), but plan the pivot to paid when reach plateaus. Platforms change (and sometimes vanish); your message and systemized distribution keep you in the game.

The Neil Haley Show — Sept 5, 2025Guests: Dolvett Quince, Mitchell S. Karnes, Dr. Gilda Carle, Johnathan Otto Ehritz, Sean HudsonSegment 1 — Dolvett Quince (The Biggest Loser):
Dolvett comes in hot—“sorry, just did 1,000 pushups”—and teases a refreshed season: new gym, trainer-versus-trainer format, and Bob Harper moving to host. The big twist? A temptation fork-in-the-road (health journey vs. a cash offer) that’s designed to light up social. He plugs his NYT-bestselling first book, says book #2 is underway, and previews his “Quintessential” app focused on bite-size fitness tips and community. Bottom line: constant evolution to keep viewers inspired and engaged.Segment 2 — Mitchell S. Karnes (Author Update):
Mitchell’s on a packed author circuit—panels on series characters, red herrings, and story arcs—plus a women’s club talk, Pumpkin Fest signing, and a steady cadence of monthly marquee events. Blog tour feedback is strong (“riveting,” “compelling”), email subs are climbing, and Book 3 revisions are in while Book 4 is already 5k words deep. Strategy is simple and old-school smart: tell stories well, show up everywhere, and keep publishing so readers buy the next book the moment they finish the last.Segment 3 — Dr. Gilda Carle (Commentary):
First, a sober take on a Minnesota Catholic school shooting: grief, missed mental-health red flags, and a blunt call for real security and parental vigilance—“If you see something, say something.” Then a gear shift to culture: why the Taylor Swift–Travis Kelce romance works. In her view, it honors traditional courtship (he pursued, she reciprocated) while modeling mutual support—two high performers protecting each other’s world instead of competing. Respect and teamwork > headlines.Segment 4 — Johnathan Otto Ehritz (Author of The Stable Boy):
Diagnosed with autism/Asperger’s, Johnathan channels a vivid, visual imagination into a cross-age story about a boy who bonds with horses (rooted in his own therapeutic riding experience). Adults are loving it alongside kids. He wants readers—especially neurodivergent kids—to see “weakness” as hidden strength, and urges parents to be steady supporters. Favorite chapter? “Goliath,” where a feared horse reveals unexpected depth. Sequel’s on the table; a new epic-fantasy series is already in draft.Segment 5 — Sean Hudson (Financial Advisor; ex-teacher):
From $27k paraprofessional to debt-free advisor, Sean lays out the unglamorous fundamentals that actually work: real budgeting (not just bill-checkmarks), emergency funds (3–6 months), crushing high-interest debt, then investing with a plan. His practice blends defense (risk management/insurance) and offense (wealth management), taught in plain English and targeted to what clients actually care about—kids’ college, retirement, breathing room. He’s taking the message to churches, schools, and community groups because financial literacy shouldn’t be a luxury.

Jillian Michaels kicked things off with fire. She explained how her long-running podcast “Keeping It Real” leveled up into a free, video talk show on YouTube after Bill Maher pushed her to take on tougher, often “uncancelable” health conversations. The mission: fearless, nuanced chats with MDs, PhDs, and journalists on touchy topics—from plunging male testosterone to soaring early-onset cancers—so listeners can make informed choices without the usual culture-war static.Dr. Christopher Hall backed the stakes: hormone shifts, lifestyle factors, environmental pollutants, and food quality all collide—and medicine can be slow to adapt. Michaels previewed an episode with Dr. Peter Attia on testosterone, TRT do’s and don’ts, and practical fixes (sleep, stress, movement, diet) before meds. A women’s HRT companion is coming, framing both sides of the hormonal ledger with less dogma, more data.Michaels traced her origin story—bullied kid to martial artist to trainer to “Biggest Loser,” then author—crediting early mentors who preached real food and agency long before it trended. Her north star: upstream medicine. Find root causes. Stop gaslighting patients. Put credible guidance in people’s hands for free. Simple, not easy—and that’s why it matters.After a sponsor nod to Books to Life Marketing, John Mariotti took the mic to talk The Chinese Conspiracy. Drawing on decades leading major brands and advising companies, he framed a techno-thriller built on real vulnerabilities: worms, backdoors, DDoS, and patch-cycles that re-infect. The novel’s heart is human—small-town stakes, redemption, and a classic good-guys-versus-bad-guys arc—while the backdrop asks a blunt question: what happens when nothing digital works?Mariotti and Neil connected the dots to today’s AI race and a creeping complacency in cybersecurity. Talent drifts, “six-week experts” pop up, and attackers don’t clock out. The pair warned that AI plus botnets is gasoline on a brushfire, and the only antidote is competence, curiosity, and coordination—government, business, and everyday users actually doing the hard work. Old-school grit, meet new-school threats. Keep it real—and keep it secure.

Exploring New Frontiers: UFOs, Insurance Costs, and Old-School TV1. Kat Cunning on Star People
Neil Haley opened the show with actress Kat Cunning, who stars in the film Star People. Kat shared how she connected with her character Claire, a driven woman whose passion for validating her childhood UFO encounter overshadows personal relationships. Kat discussed researching epilepsy for the role, the themes of ambition versus humanity, and how the film explores flawed yet relatable characters. She reflected on her own career trajectory—from dancer to singer to actor—likening it to Claire’s journey of following a passion and discovering deeper truths along the way

.2. Lessons from Acting & Following Passion
Kat explained that her biggest takeaway from filming was learning to “trust what you don’t know,” especially as a first-time lead. She emphasized collaboration, relying on directors and castmates, and bringing authenticity to the role by channeling her own personality. The conversation turned toward the broader idea of following one’s passion versus chasing money. Kat related it to her indie film career, where validation often comes from persistence despite naysayers.3. David Sampson on Rising

Insurance Costs
Next, Neil welcomed David A. Sampson, President and CEO of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association. They discussed why insurance premiums are rising, citing three main drivers: inflation (with labor and material costs up sharply), catastrophic weather events (the costliest five-year period in history), and “lawsuit abuse” fueled by third-party litigation financing. Sampson explained how these factors ripple through the economy, adding costs to everyday goods and services—sometimes called the “tort tax.

”4. Practical Tips for Consumers
Sampson offered practical advice for lowering insurance costs, including shopping around at renewal time, increasing deductibles, bundling home and auto policies, using telematics for safe-driver discounts, and considering pay-per-mile coverage. He also stressed making homes more resilient by upgrading roofs and windows to storm-rated materials. The segment aimed to empower listeners to take control in a difficult financial climate while raising awareness about systemic legal and weather-related pressures

.5. Jonathan on Reviving Old-School Television with WON 48
The third guest, Jonathan, founder of New York’s streaming station WON 48, shared his mission to recreate the feel of classic local TV superstations. Inspired by WPIX, WOR, and WGN, his channel blends old shows, movies, indie productions, and live sports. Jonathan explained challenges in sustaining the station without traditional ad dollars, relying instead on crowdfunding and small ad deals. Neil praised the branding and compared it to his own radio and podcast journey. They discussed nostalgia programming, pro wrestling syndication, and the decline of corporate-owned local TV, agreeing that internet streaming may become the true successor to traditional broadcast.