Podcast
Real Fake Seal
Hosted by AJ Buckley · ENGLISH
Even though his role as Sonny was fiction, AJ Buckley gained a front-row seat into the world of Navy SEALs, their discipline, mindset, and brotherhood. Real Fake Seal is where AJ takes those lessons and brings them into real conversations. From Hollywood to high-stakes business, fatherhood to fitness, and everything in between, every episode explores what it means to approach life with a SEAL mindset, authentic, disciplined, and unfiltered.
15episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
From Guilt to Purpose | Scott Graves on Supporting Special Operations Veterans and Kids | RFS #15
Dec 3100:56:35Tap to summarizeCheck Out: http://realfakeseal.com/In this emotional episode, AJ Buckley talks with Scott about guilt, heroes who don’t make it home, and the pressure that never turns off when operators return from deployment. From the song “Heroes” to the story of a lodge built for dads and kids to reconnect, this conversation dives into purpose, faith, and higher calling.It’s about real boots-on-the-ground support instead of empty posts. Real stories, real tears, and real work for the men and women who gave everything.
Transcribe →Grayson Russell on Faith, Family & Hollywood | RFS#14
Dec 2301:20:49Tap to summarizeCheck Out: http://realfakeseal.com/Grayson Russell takes it from the Listening Room in Pigeon Forge “redneck Disneyland” by Dollywood to the moment a brutal, true line hit him in Walmart by the salmon. He shares the family truth his dad revealed, why his mom didn’t know, and how it became the song “Turned Out Good,” played for crowds from 100 to 30- 40,000 then bringing his dad on stage as the evidence.They also hit old soul songwriting, Irish ballads, touring, opening for Grammy winners, and the episode’s closing stretch on kids, purpose, and life on the road.
Transcribe →Daniel Corbett's Full Story - The American Mercenary, Hell Week & Serbia Arrest | RFS#13
Dec 1601:14:08Tap to summarizeCheck Out: http://realfakeseal.com/AJ Buckley talks with Daniel Corbett SEAL Team Six operator and author of "The American Mercenary" about the future fight: a “gorilla squadron” operating in onesies and twosies, language-driven intel, and why full-scale assault elements are fading.Corbett breaks down Green Team’s unforgiving standard, shatters the biggest mercenary myth—no ethics and explains how saying “absolutely not” is part of the job. The conversation turns to Serbia, where there’s no jury only a judge and how that ordeal rewired his approach to risk, trust, and knowing exactly when to walk away.
Transcribe →Doug Ellin Explains the Making of Entourage, Hollywood Pressure & Why He Moved to Nashville | RFS#12
Dec 901:38:06Tap to summarizeCheck Out: http://realfakeseal.com/Real Fake Seal is back as AJ Buckley sits down with Entourage creator Doug Ellin for a raw, no-BS ride. Doug jumps from New York roots to discovering Nashville is not a hick town, talking pickleball, fatherhood at 55, and the LA break-in caught on Ring that finally pushed him out of California.He cracks open doing standup, a $10K short that sold to Showtime, almost directing The Parent Trap, AFI, Fat Beach, bombing at the box office, the Curb spec that birthed Entourage, HBO hating his first pilot, grinding through 20+ drafts, casting Dillon, Piven and AJ’s “yo dog” role, and how COVID and the strikes crushed crews while execs stayed rich.
Transcribe →Doing It for Something Bigger: Ethan Benard’s Journey for His Future Family | RFS #11
Dec 201:35:57Tap to summarizeCheck Out: http://realfakeseal.com/26-year-old Ethan Benard went from 660 lbs to losing over 200 pounds, surviving intubation, beating food addiction, and rebuilding his life for something bigger—his future wife and kids. In this Real Fake Seal episode, Ethan shares his full journey: childhood struggles, gaming escape, Twitch growth, Valorant streams, and the near-death moment that changed everything.Thank you to everyone who has supported Ethan on his journey—his Twitch community, the gaming fans from League of Legends, Valorant, and Riot’s playtests, and all who’ve encouraged him along the way.A special thank-you to Chris Pratt, Jocko Willink, Jelly Roll, and Bert Kreischer for taking the time to send Ethan well-wishes. Your kindness truly meant a lot and helped fuel his transformation.
Transcribe →Ryan “Darth” Bader – Bellator Double Champ, RIZIN Comeback & Filming The Smashing Machine | RFS #10
Nov 2501:27:10Tap to summarizeCheck Out: http://realfakeseal.com/Ryan “Darth” Bader, UFC legend and Bellator double champ, sits down with AJ Buckley on Real Fake Seal to talk fighting, family, hunting, and the mental warfare of staying on top. From savage weekly wrestling weight cuts and insane gas tanks to walking away from the UFC and flatlining Fedor for double gold, nothing’s off-limits.Bader breaks down landing the role of Mark Coleman in The Smashing Machine with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, raising grounded kids, brutal elk pack-outs, and gearing up for one last violent run in Japan’s RIZIN Heavyweight Grand Prix ring.
Transcribe →Sal Gonzalez Unbelievable Story of Survival, Music & Perseverance | RFS #9
Nov 1801:37:36Tap to summarizeSal Gonzalez, a Marine Corps veteran who was severely wounded in Iraq in 2004, sits down with AJ Buckley on the Real Fake Seal podcast. From growing up in East LA as a Mexican-American musician chasing Ritchie Valens dreamsGetting blown up just one year into service, and later stepping onto the America’s Got Talent stage with a performance that left the entire audience in tears — this is one of the most powerful veteran stories you’ll ever hear. Raw, funny, emotional, and full of heart.
Transcribe →Josh Peck: Fame, Oppenheimer & The Fight to Stay Real | RFS #8
Nov 1101:07:47Tap to summarizeAJ Buckley sits down with actor, YouTuber, entrepreneur, and author Josh Peck for a raw, no-filter dive into growth you don’t see on camera. From child-star fame to rebuilding self-worth, and falling back in love with the craft, Josh opens up about finding peace, discipline, and purpose as a husband and father. They revisit the Justin Fortune boxing days—training alongside Chris Hemsworth for Red Dawn—then unpack the chaos of show business, the grind of auditions and acting class, and lessons from Oppenheimer. Hear how saying “no” protects family, and why esteemable acts build real self-esteem.
Transcribe →Gary Sinise: The Role That Changed My Life | RFS #7
Nov 401:28:20Tap to summarizeCheck Out: http://realfakeseal.com/Gary Sinise joins AJ Buckley on the Real Fake Seal Podcast for an emotional 90-minute deep dive: from playing Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump to founding the Gary Sinise Foundation — raising more than Hope for veterans, first responders, and Gold Star families. Hear untold stories from Steppenwolf Theatre’s basement beginnings, filming Forrest Gump out of sequence, early CGI magic, and how one role sparked a 30-year mission of service. Plus: Gary honors his late son Mac Sinise through new music, hospital visits and why he says “we can never do enough, but we can always do more.”#GarySinise #LtDan #GarySiniseFoundation #ForrestGump #RealFakeSeal #Veterans #MilitaryFamilies #GoldStar #SnowballExpress #Steppenwolf #ActorGivingBack #MacSinise #ResurrectionAndRevival #Podcast #SupportOurTroops
Transcribe →Ghostfacers Reunion: AJ & Travis Spill EVERYTHING | RFS #6
Oct 2801:00:07Tap to summarizeCheck Out: http://realfakeseal.com/AJ Buckley & Travis Wester reunite on Real Fake Seal for the ultimate Ghostfacers deep dive! From audition chemistry to Comic-Con chaos, UK ooze disaster, Jared Padalecki lifting Travis like a baby, and the final episode director feud.Full episode, Patreon Q&A, behind-the-scenes secrets and improv madness, and a call to fans: let’s get the band back together!#Ghostfacers #Supernatural #AJBuckley #TravisWester #RealFakeSeal #HarrySpangler #EdZedmore #GhostfacersReunion #UKFacers #YorkOoze #SpaceDocking #GMA #SupernaturalBTS #Patreon
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