Podcast
The Person Who Believed In Me
Hosted by David Begnaud · EN
Deeply human conversations with extraordinary humans. Raw. Relatable. Unexpected.
Hosted by Emmy Award–winning storyteller David Begnaud, The Person Who Believed in Me brings together big names from every field around one powerful question: Who believed in you before anyone else did? Through vulnerable, gratitude-filled conversations, guests reflect on the mentors, teachers, family members, and quiet champions who shaped their lives long before success found them. While the names may be familiar, the stories rarely are.
This is a podcast about belief, connection, and the people who change our lives without ever asking for credit.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
He LOST His Family Overnight for Being Gay
5d ago01:00:53Summary readyBefore Joel Kim Booster became an Emmy-nominated writer, actor, producer, stand-up comedian, and the star and creator of Fire Island, he was a 17 year old kid living in his car, kicked out by his adoptive parents for being gay, and convinced he was going to hell. Then Sarah Casey, a classmate he barely knew, turned around in choir and said the words that changed everything: If you ever need a place to stay, you can come and stay with me and my family. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, one of comedy's sharpest voices sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the girl who became his chosen family when his own family walked away.e can give you is a place to belong when the world says you don't. And sometimes, that's all you need to become exactly who you were meant to be.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: https://www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Girl from Choir Who Saved His Life00:01:47 The Offer That Changed Everything: If You Need a Place to Stay00:03:32 Coming Out in a Homeschooled Evangelical Home00:05:50 The Exorcism: When Your Father Tries to Cast Out Demons00:06:56 Bipolar and Undiagnosed: The Difficult Kid Nobody Understood00:08:00 Adopted from Korea: The Complex Relationship with Janet and Ken00:11:47 Moving In with the Caseys: A Year of Being Seen and Loved00:13:16 Pastor Tim's Words: There Is No Biblical Basis for Hell00:15:18 A Version of the Future I Never Considered Before00:19:33 The Dad Who Showed Up: Quiet Support and Complicated Love00:23:05 Neither of Them Have Ever Seen My Work: Making Peace with Distance00:24:08 The Cases Helped Me Reconcile: Bridging the Gap with His Parents00:25:23 Therapy and Honesty: Why He Gives His Parents Grace Now00:27:53 Relationships Are Complex: Arthur Brooks and a Better Word00:29:58 Best Friends from Housemates: The Porch Talks That Built a Bond00:31:11 She Always Believed I Would Be Right Where I Am00:33:10 Sarah the Minister: Following in Her Father's Footsteps00:38:10 Rejection from Casting Directors Hurts More Than Family Rejection00:39:30 Diagnosed Bipolar Two: Six Months Before the Pandemic00:41:00 John Michael: The Man Who Loves Him Unconditionally00:51:01 I Never Considered What It Would Be Like to Be Loved00:51:51 The Last Six Months: Finding Stability Through Marriage and Medication00:52:33 Not a Single Person Would Have Predicted This: Proving It to Himself00:53:35 Chosen Family: The People Who Bump Into Your Life and Change It00:54:10 She's a Superhero: Real Work That Changes the World00:55:59 For the Little Girl: Giving Back to Sarah's Daughter00:56:23 Twenty Years from Now: Kids, Stability, and Less Self-Promotion00:57:31 To His Younger Self: You Know Jack Shit, But You'll Figure It OutABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Joel Kim BoosterExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Jonah JohnsonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksDirector of Social: Mariah MaullLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Theme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
From Cleaning Airbnbs to a Number 1 Hit Song in 12 Hours | Carly Pearce
2w ago00:58:22Summary readyBefore Carly Pearce became a Grammy-winning country music superstar and a member of the Grand Ole Opry, she was a 24 year old singer who had spent eight years in Nashville being told she wasn't enough. She'd done countless showcases, recorded endless songs, and watched labels pass her by again and again. Then she met Daniel Lee, a music publisher who saw something the entire industry had missed. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the multi-platinum artist sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in her when she was cleaning Airbnbs and ready to move home.Carly opens up about the moment Daniel sat her down at a coffee shop and said the words that changed everything: I know your story. I know how long you've been here. I know what the industry thinks. I believe otherwise. She talks about growing up in Taylor Mill, Kentucky, telling her parents at age five she was going to be on the Grand Ole Opry, dropping out of high school in ninth grade to work six shows a day at Dollywood, and spending years in Nashville chasing what everyone else wanted instead of trusting what made her different. She shares what it felt like to play five songs for a manager who told her to her face that they would never work, only to watch one of those exact songs, Every Little Thing, debut at number one on iTunes 12 hours after it hit Sirius XM's The Highway.If you've ever wondered whether one person's belief could actually change the trajectory of your entire life, this episode will remind you that sometimes the greatest gift someone can give you is faith when the world says no. And sometimes, that's all you need to become unstoppable.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Publisher Who Believed When Nobody Else Did00:02:13 The 12-Hour Period That Changed Everything: Every Little Thing00:06:36 I Believe Otherwise: The Coffee Shop Meeting That Saved Her Career00:10:20 Stop Chasing Other People: Finding Her True Voice00:12:18 These Songs Will Never Work: The Manager Who Said No00:07:57 Meeting Busby: The Producer Who Understood the Purist in Her00:18:50 The Kentucky Girl's Dream: From Age Five to the Grand Ole Opry00:37:36 Cleaning Airbnbs While Her Song Played on the Radio00:26:43 Eight Months of Marriage: The Mistake She Knew on Her Wedding Night00:25:06 Never Wanted to Be That Girl: The Grammy-Winning Collaboration00:39:48 Recurrent Pericarditis: When Doctors Dismissed Her Heart Condition00:41:38 The Sacrifices: How Mom and Dad Held It Down00:22:57 Dolly's Surprise: Becoming a Member of the Grand Ole Opry00:50:10 I Don't Feel Like I've Achieved What I Deserve Yet00:54:14 Daniel's Lifeline: You Continue to Make Me Believe I MatterABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Carly PearceExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Jonah JohnsonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksDirector of Social: Mariah MaullLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Theme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
The Man Printing Homes Opens Up About GRIEF and PURPOSE | Jason Ballard, ICON’s CEO
3w ago01:09:49Summary readyBefore Jason Ballard became the CEO of Icon, a groundbreaking company using 3D printing and robotics to revolutionize how humanity builds homes and even NASA-backed lunar habitats, he was a skinny kid from East Texas with big ideas and a wife who believed those ideas could change the world. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the visionary entrepreneur sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of Jenny Yuri Ballard, the woman who believed in him when belief was the only thing they had.Jason opens up about meeting Jenny at a summer camp in Colorado, dancing with her all night in a barn, and writing a letter to her parents to introduce himself before driving 20 hours from Texas to South Dakota just to see her for less than a day. He talks about the moment she broke her neck in Nepal, how he bribed an official to get a visa and drove through the night searching hospital after hospital in New Delhi until he found her. He shares what it felt like to be married to someone who never counted the cost, who said let's move into my parents' basement so he could chase a dream, and who maxed out credit cards to buy concrete so they could finish printing the world's first permanent 3D printed house days before South by Southwest.If you've ever doubted whether one person's belief could change the trajectory of your entire life, or wondered what it means to burn the ships and go all in, this episode will remind you that sometimes the greatest gift someone can give you is the courage to try the impossible. And sometimes, that's all you need to build something that lasts forever.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: www.thedogoodcrew.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Woman Who Danced on the Prairie00:17:19 The Barn Dance That Changed Everything: Meeting Jenny00:19:27 The Letter to Her Parents: A 20-Hour Drive for Love00:21:54 Broken Neck in Nepal: Finding Her in India00:25:26 We're Going to Do This Together: The Philosophy of Fearless Living00:28:11 From East Texas to Boulder: Building Treehouse00:04:29 The Diagnosis: Breast Cancer at 2800:56:31 If I'm Going to Die, We Better Keep Moving: Living with Cancer for 13 Years00:27:42 The Bishop Who Changed His Path: Choosing Icon Over Priesthood00:37:38 You Print Houses? Starting Over After Seven Years00:42:47 100% Rejection: When No One Believed Except Them00:45:05 Maxing Out the Third Credit Card: The First House00:49:42 The Window Screen That Saved Icon: Sifting Concrete at 2 AM00:58:03 We Have No Regrets: The Final Diagnosis00:59:15 Christmas Eve Mass by the Fireplace: The Last 90 Days01:01:45 I Love You Guys So Much: Her Final Words01:03:50 Thank You for Loving Our Daughter: A Message from Her Parents01:06:38 To Do Right By All the Trust and Courage She Gave MeABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Jason BallardExecutive Producers: Ellen Rocamora, Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Griffin HamiltonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksDirector of Social: Mariah MaullLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Theme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
Hollywood’s Most POWERFUL Woman on Overcoming Self-Doubt | Sherry Lansing
4w ago01:48:09Summary readyBefore Sherry Lansing became the first woman to run a major Hollywood studio and a legendary force behind some of cinema's most iconic films, she was an insecure young woman convinced she had to hide her ambition, terrified of judgment, and struggling to believe in herself. Then she met Dr. Joshua Hoffs, a therapist who gave her something she'd never experienced before: a space where she could be vulnerable without shame, ambitious without apology, and herself without fear. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the trailblazing studio executive sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in her when she couldn't believe in herself.Sherry opens up about growing up with a mother who escaped Nazi Germany and wanted nothing more than for her daughter to get married and join the country club, even though that same mother became Sherry's first role model when she took over the family real estate business after Sherry's father died when she was just nine years old. She talks about her first therapist, who told her that when he was done with her she wouldn't want to work, she'd just want to bake pies, and how that experience nearly broke her. She shares what it felt like to walk into Dr. Hoffs' office for the first time and realize within the first hour that this was different, that he wasn't there to judge her or change her, but to help her become the best version of herself.When Dr. Hoffs asked her a question that changed everything: Why can't you be the head of the studio? Sherry talks about her decades long marriage to Academy Award winning director William Friedkin, the only person who ever gave her unconditional love, and why losing him was the hardest chapter of her life. She shares why she believes therapy taught her to understand people in a way that made her a better executive, why she never craved power, and why the only thing that lasts forever is the movies. She reflects on greenlighting Titanic, Braveheart, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, and Fatal Attraction, why Glenn Close almost didn't get cast, and how she learned to pick her battles in rooms full of men who didn't hear her.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: www.thedogoodcrew.comThank you to Canva for believing in the power of storytelling and helping us bring this podcast to life: https://canva.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Therapist Who Changed Everything00:03:56 The First Bad Therapist: When Therapy Goes Wrong00:05:42 Meeting Dr. Hoff: The Non-Judgmental Zone00:08:50 Margot's Contradictions: A Mother's Complex Love00:23:03 The Moment That Changed Her Career: Why Can't You Be Head of the Studio?00:25:42 Understanding People: The Gift of Therapy00:29:26 Billy Friedkin: The Only Man Who Gave Unconditional Love01:08:09 Fatal Attraction: The Glenn Close Audition That Taught Her Everything00:59:32 Success vs Happiness: What Therapy Gives You That Fame Never Can01:15:19 Life as Chapters: Finding Joy After LossABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Sherry LansingExecutive Producers: Ellen Rocamora, Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Griffin HamiltonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksDirector of Social: Mariah MaullLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Theme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
David Archuleta OPENS UP About Being a Gay Mormon
Apr 2001:05:07Summary readyBefore David Archuleta became a household name as the runner up on American Idol and a multi-platinum recording artist, he was a kid who didn't believe in himself, terrified of being exposed, and convinced that who he was at his core was something he needed to hide. Then he met Ronda Truman Ford, a Nashville mom who opened her home, her heart, and gave him something he'd never experienced before: a place where he could belong without expectations. In this raw and deeply personal conversation, the singer sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the woman who believed in him when he was too afraid to believe in himself.David opens up about meeting Ronda when he was just 18, exhausted & longing for a home cooked meal and a sense of family. He talks about how Ronda invited him in, cooked for him, held game nights, and made him feel seen not as a celebrity, but as a person. He shares what it felt like to move to Nashville at 24 after serving a two year mission in Chile, still closeted, still codependent, and how Ronda became his accountability partner, his gym buddy, and the safe place he needed to start healing. She never forced him to change. She just made him want to grow.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: www.thedogoodcrew.comThank you to Canva for believing in the power of storytelling and helping us bring this podcast to life: https://canva.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Nashville Mom Who Saw Him Whole00:01:49 Game Night in Nashville: The First Meeting That Changed Everything00:04:06 Moving to Nashville: Searching for a Place to Belong00:06:23 What Do You Want in Return? Learning Unconditional Love00:10:35 The Dad Who Pushed Too Hard: Growing Up Under Jeff's Control00:17:53 The Accusation That Shattered Everything: A Family Secret at Age Nine00:20:50 I Was Used to Being Obedient: Homeschooling and Hiding Who He Was00:23:48 The Late-Night Conversations: Ronda's Table and the Healing That Began00:13:23 She Knew I Was Gay Before I Did: The Permission to Be Myself00:23:48 I'm a Living Contradiction: Being the Mormon Poster Boy While Struggling Inside00:37:40 The Prayer That Saved My Life: When God Said Stop Asking Me This00:33:10 Three Engagements to Women: The Desperate Attempt to Be Straight00:57:36 I Almost Chose Not to Be Here: Writing His Will and the Fear of Failing00:25:47 Singing at Her Bedside: The Week COVID Shut Down and Ronda Passed Away00:26:22 Thank You for Giving Me a Safe Place: What David Would Say to Ronda Today00:50:06 The Paralyzed Vocal Cord That Became His Story: Turning a Flaw Into Fame00:40:18 From Agnostic to Raves: Finding God Outside the Mormon Church00:43:29 To the Gay Mormon Watching This: It's Okay to Take a Break00:49:18 I Can't Keep It to Myself: Why Visibility Matters More Than Silence01:00:35 Devoted to Being Alive: Making Mistakes On Purpose and Living Without Regret01:03:10 You Are Not a Mistake: David's Message to Anyone Who Feels WrongABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: David ArchuletaExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Jonah JohnsonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Director of Social: Mariah MaullTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
Hollywood REJECTED This British Actor as MLK for 7 Years | David Oyelowo
Apr 1301:01:42Summary readyBefore David Oyelowo became a critically acclaimed actor and the man who brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to life on screen, he was a shy kid who came back from Nigeria struggling to find his place in British life. Then Jill Foster, a theatre studies teacher at his Sixth Form College, saw something in him he hadn't yet seen in himself. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the award winning actor sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the teacher who changed everything when she cornered him outside a London tube station and said the words he'll never forget: I think you could do acting professionally. And I want to help you with that.David opens up about growing up between two worlds, living in Lagos, Nigeria from ages six to thirteen with a father who bore tribal marks and came from a royal family. He talks about what it felt like to experience life as a black man who was not a minority, and how those formative years gave him an identity so secure that no one could take it away. He shares the story of returning to the UK, discovering acting because he had a crush on his pastor's daughter, and meeting Jill Foster, the teacher who didn't just encourage him, she built him a ladder. She introduced him to the National Youth Music Theatre, helped him apply for funding through the Prince's Trust, coached him through drama school auditions, and gave him access to a world he didn't even know existed.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: www.thedogoodcrew.comThank you to Canva for believing in the power of storytelling and helping us bring this podcast to life: https://canva.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Teacher Who Saw a King00:01:44 Meeting Jill Foster: The Theatre Teacher Who Changed Everything00:06:11 The Tube Station Moment: I Think You Could Do This Professionally00:09:45 Jessica: The Wife Who Said I've Got You, I've Got Us00:12:31 Playing Henry VI: When a Black King Became a Threat to the Status Quo00:24:01 The God Whisper: I'm Going to Play Dr. King00:30:17 Shooting Selma While His Mother Lay Dying00:33:11 The 2 AM Call: Losing His Father on Day One of Newborn00:40:55 Lagos, Nigeria: Where the Minority Mentality Was Boiled Out of Him00:55:01 Newborn: Seven Years in Solitary and the Power of LoveABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: David OyelowoExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Jonah JohnsonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Director of Social: Mariah MaullTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
One Belief Got Her Through Fame, Grief and Cancer | Melissa Etheridge
Apr 601:14:55Summary readyBefore Melissa Etheridge became a Grammy-winning rock legend and an icon of resilience, she was a Kansas kid with a wild dream and a father who never told her she couldn't do it. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the multi-platinum singer-songwriter sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of John Etheridge, the man who believed in her when belief was the only thing she had.Melissa opens up about growing up in Leavenworth, Kansas, with a father who came from nothing. A migrant farmer's son who served in the Korean War, earned a teaching credential on a sports scholarship, and became a coach who spent weekends driving his daughter to rehearsals, gigs, and bars filled with grown men so she could play guitar. He never gushed. He never overreacted. He just showed up. And when she sat him down in 1980 to tell him she was gay, he said the words that changed everything: Is that it? Just be happy.There's also a raw reflection on what it means to lose a child, how stress can eat you alive if you let it, and why Melissa had to learn to love her music before anyone else would. She talks about the 2005 Grammys, walking out bald after radiation to sing Piece of My Heart, and why that moment became one of the most powerful of her career. She shares what it felt like to be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, why her new album Rise is about falling to the earth and tasting the dirt, and how a heroic cannabis overdose sent her on a journey to understand consciousness, plant medicine, and what it means to truly be alive.Melissa talks about her wife Linda, who makes her laugh every single day, why she calls herself a dad mom, and how the Etheridge Foundation is working to bring psychedelic research into the fight against opioid addiction in honor of her son Beckett. She reflects on why life doesn't happen to you, it happens from you, and why the greatest gift her father gave her was the freedom to believe in herself when no one else did.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: www.thedogoodcrew.comThank you to Canva for believing in the power of storytelling and helping us bring this podcast to life: https://canva.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Girl from Leavenworth and Her Dad00:02:49 The Soldier Who Became a Teacher: John Etheridge's Story00:05:13 He Just Showed Up: A Father's Quiet Belief00:07:16 Learning Metaphor from Neil Diamond: Music Lessons with Dad00:11:57 Is That It? Coming Out to Her Father in 198000:15:46 Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Navigating Fame While Gay in the 90s00:25:45 The Grammy Performance That Changed Everything00:29:21 The Heroic Overdose: A Cannabis Journey That Changed Her Life00:36:43 Losing Beckett: The Son Who Taught Her the Hardest Lessons00:42:47 Life is Happening FOR Me: A New Philosophy After Cancer00:46:32 Rise: Writing Anthems from the Dirt00:51:50 The Dad Mom: Parenting Like John Etheridge01:10:57 If I Could Call Him Today: A Final Thank YouABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Melissa EtheridgeExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Jonah JohnsonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Director of Social: Mariah MaullTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
Nick Cannon on NARCISSISM, ADHD & Why Diagnoses Are Just LABELS
Mar 3001:01:44Summary readyBefore Nick Cannon became a multi-hyphenate media mogul, comedian, rapper, producer, and host of The Masked Singer, he was a hyperactive five year old kid walking into a storefront Taekwondo studio in San Diego, terrified of the stern man who would change his life. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the entertainment powerhouse sits down with David Begnaud to share the person who believed in him when discipline was the last thing he wanted.Nick opens up about meeting Grandmaster James Wilson, a stoic and accomplished man who was not just a martial arts instructor, but an assistant United States attorney, a minister, and a pillar in a community that rarely saw figures like him. Nick talks about growing up with a teenage dad, being raised in a disenfranchised neighborhood, and how Master Wilson became larger than life to him. He shares what it felt like to learn integrity before he even knew what the word meant, why he wanted to quit more than he wanted to stay, and how the discipline he resisted as a child became the foundation for everything he does today.There's also a raw reflection on being diagnosed with ADHD, narcissistic personality disorder, and lupus nephritis. Nick talks about why he sees diagnoses as chapters, not his whole story, and why therapy has become a space to offload, take inventory, and grow. He shares why he believes he's a machete juggler, why standing in the fire is where he feels most alive, and why slowing down has never been an option even when doctors tell him it should be. He opens up about fatherhood, raising 12 kids, the guilt he carries daily, and why being present matters more than being perfect. Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: www.thedogoodcrew.comThank you to Canva for believing in the power of storytelling and helping us bring this podcast to life: https://canva.comRecorded January 28, 2026Chapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: Nick Cannon00:03:26 Meeting Master Wilson: The Five-Year-Old Who Didn't Want Discipline00:07:37 The Superhero in the Neighborhood: Why Master Wilson Was Different00:13:45 Integrity: The Word That Changed Everything00:09:08 The Question: Have You Become the Man He Wanted You to See?00:18:30 Growing Up With Dad: The Teenage Father Who Became His Hero00:29:13 The Diagnosis Collection: ADHD, NPD, Lupus, and Labels00:27:39 Therapy as Waste Management: Offloading to Stay Superhuman00:30:25 The Narcissist Test: When You Try to Give the Right Answer00:35:40 Standing in the Fire: Why Slowing Down Hurts More00:37:18 The Machete Juggler: Proving Something to Himself Every Day00:43:13 MTV and Wild 'N Out: Creating Space for Hip-Hop Culture00:54:00 The 12 Kids Question: Legacy vs. Lineage00:55:10 School Pickups and Guilt: The Super Dad Who Can't Be Everywhere00:57:16 The Relentless Dreamer: Insomnia, Faith, and What's Left to Prove00:42:35 Where Humans Connect: The Struggle Behind the Success00:59:40 The Man Master Wilson Wanted: Honorable Over FamousABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Nick CannonExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Associate Producer: Jonah JohnsonDirector of Social: Mariah MaullTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
A side of Charlie Puth the media never showed
Mar 2301:04:44Summary readyBefore Charlie Puth became a multi-platinum artist and one of the most technically gifted musicians of his generation, he was a kid who couldn't sing in front of people until he was 18 years old. He was a student who heard everything at 200% volume, who felt sick when sounds were off-key, and who believed the only way he could express himself was if there was music behind him. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and producer sits down with David Begnaud to share the people who believed in him when he was too afraid to believe in himself.Charlie opens up about growing up with diagnosed OCD, perfect pitch, and a sensitivity to sound so intense that it still makes him nauseous. He talks about his parents, Chuck and Deb, who championed him when teachers told him to stay in one lane, when Catholic school didn't understand his love for Eminem, and when competitive swimming felt like sensory overload. His mom, a Jewish music teacher in a Catholic school, taught him that music could bring people in. His dad took a day off work and sat with him for 14 hours in line for an America's Got Talent audition, only to watch Charlie freeze and say he couldn't sing without something behind him.There's also a raw reflection on why Charlie has resisted vulnerability for so long, why he's terrified of being judged, and why his new album is the first time he's letting people see the imperfect, anxious, overthinking version of himself. He shares what it felt like to hear Taylor Swift mention his name in a song, why sitting with Quincy Jones changed his life, and why the song I Used To Be Cringe might be the most honest thing he's ever written. He talks about his pregnant wife, building a house, going on tour the same week his baby is due, and why the only thing that makes him feel better when the world gets too loud is a melody in his head.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: www.thedogoodcrew.comThank you to Canva for believing in the power of storytelling and helping us bring this podcast to life: https://canva.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Musical Prodigy Who Hears Everything00:02:39 The Incense, The Nerves, and Sweating the Small Stuff00:05:30 When Music is Your Only Comfort: The Gift and the Curse00:08:41 I Used to Be Cringe: Writing the Song That Was Too Honest00:15:49 The Swimming Pool Story: When Mom Pulled Him Out00:15:08 Chuck and Deb: The Parents Who Believed When No One Else Did00:39:51 The Classical vs Jazz Battle: Fighting to Do Both00:44:55 Mom's History: Why She Fought So Hard for Charlie's Freedom00:50:05 The Vulnerability He's Been Hiding: Opening Up for the First Time00:49:21 Taylor Swift, Baby Puth, and the Album That Changes Everything00:57:19 The Imperfections Make It Human: Charlie's Letter to His Younger SelfABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Charlie PuthExecutive Producers: Ellen Rocamora, Olivier DelfosseBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksTheme Music: SlipstreamLive Production Technician: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative)Post-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
The Cold Pitch That Took Her From UNKNOWN To Hollywood | Ava DuVernay
Mar 1601:05:35Summary readyBefore Ava DuVernay became an Oscar-nominated director and groundbreaking force in Hollywood, she was a 32 year old publicist with a $50,000 film, no film school degree, and a dream she wasn't sure anyone would take seriously. Then Roger Ebert said yes. In this deeply personal conversation, the visionary filmmaker sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the legendary film critic who believed in her when the world had no idea who she was.Ava opens up about the moment she cold-pitched Roger Ebert to review her debut film I Will Follow, a meditation on grief inspired by her aunt Denise. She had worked with him before as a publicist, always transactional, always professional. But this time it was different. This was her movie. She didn't tell him that at first. She just sent the pitch like she always did. He said yes. And then he wrote a review that changed everything.Ava talks about growing up in Compton with her aunt Denise, standing outside the Oscars as a little girl getting a thumbs up from Roger Ebert himself, and never imagining she'd one day be the filmmaker he championed. She shares what it felt like to be taken seriously by the critic of a generation, how his belief gave her the confidence to keep going, and why she spoke at his funeral years later. There's also a powerful reflection on what it means to open doors all the way, not just crack them, and why she believes your presence alone is an act of resistance.If you've ever felt unqualified, if you've ever been afraid to ask for help, or if you've ever wondered whether one person's attention could actually change the trajectory of your life, this episode will remind you that sometimes all it takes is someone willing to take you seriously. And sometimes, that's the greatest gift of all.Get more stories that remind you the world is still good. Sign up for our free newsletter: www.thedogoodcrew.comThank you to Canva for believing in the power of storytelling and helping us bring this podcast to life: https://canva.comChapters ☀️Chapters00:00:00 Intro: The Girl with the Thumbs Up and Roger Ebert00:07:47 The Cold Pitch: Sending the Film to Roger Ebert00:07:17 The Tweet That Changed Everything00:11:02 The Review: When a Critic Sees Your Soul00:15:33 I Will Follow: A Film About Aunt Denise00:29:34 The Power of Being Taken Seriously00:44:13 From Publicist to Filmmaker: Finding Your Calling at 3000:41:28 Cinema as Memory: The Power to Rewrite and Heal00:54:14 Opening Doors All the Way: The Philosophy of True Mentorship00:58:47 Get On a Moving Train: What It Takes to Earn Help01:00:54 Leading with Kindness While Demanding Excellence00:37:39 Speaking at Roger Ebert's Funeral: The Full Circle MomentABOUT THIS PODCAST:The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew and often called "America's storyteller." In each episode, David sits down with world-class guests to ask one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? Big names. Honest stories. Relatable takeaways. Different paths — same question.David is also a CBS News contributor and host of the weekly segment Beg Knows America, which airs every Monday morning.Host: David BegnaudGuest: Ava DuVernayExecutive Producers: Ellen Rocamora, Olivier DelfosseAssociate Producer: Griffin HamiltonBooker: Sully BlochDirector of Photography: Foster ParksDirector of Social: Mariah MaullTheme Music: SlipstreamPost-Production: Longwave DigitalCONNECT WITH US:The Person Who Believed In Me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary