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.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
7 Years as a Waiter to TOP-PAID Comedian
5d ago01:01:49Summary readyBefore Sebastian Maniscalco became one of the highest paid comedians in the world — selling out five shows at Madison Square Garden and earning his own Sirius XM channel — he was a waiter at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, spending seven years serving nuts to celebrities while bombing at open mics. Then Mitzi Shore, the legendary owner of the Comedy Store, saw something in him that the rest of the industry had missed. In this deeply personal conversation, Sebastian sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the woman who believed in him when he barely knew her, and how she gave him the one thing he needed most: a place to belong.Sebastian opens up about the moment Mitzi grabbed him after his audition and said the words that changed everything: Come back for 10 minutes next week. He talks about skipping straight to paid regular status, getting hot spots one week and 1:30 a.m. slots in front of four people the next, and how Mitzi manipulated lineups to build his thick skin without him realizing it. His relationship with her was never verbal — her love came through the stage time she gave him, and his came through never letting her down.There's also a raw reflection on family and work ethic. Sebastian's father Cecilion, a 79-year-old hairdresser, still cuts hair and refuses to retire because he believes stopping means dying. He rented Sebastian a lawnmower as a kid to teach him about business expenses — making him cut grass while allergic to it — and after a quadruple bypass, his first question from the hospital bed was when he could go back to work. Sebastian bought his parents cars last year, because the journey was never just his. He covers a lot of groundGet 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 Woman Who Gave Him a Stage00:03:00 Why Her? The Audition That Changed Everything00:09:29 The Hulk Hogan Documentary: A Morning Cry About Family00:11:20 From Anger to Disbelief: Finding His Voice on Stage00:13:36 Seven Years at the Four Seasons: The Nuts That Never Got Stale00:16:18 Renting the Lawnmower: Learning Business from Dad00:21:40 Selling Satellite Dishes in the Ghetto: The Kiosk Days00:29:54 The Photo That Made Him Cry: When They Were a Unit00:33:37 AI and Comedy: Using Technology to Brainstorm Ideas00:39:53 The Grind: Boxing Rings, Bowling Alleys, and Blood-Stained Canvas00:42:05 The Sandman Moment: Worst Night Ever, Best Lesson Learned00:45:40 From 91 People to 91,000 Tickets: The Madison Square Garden Journey00:47:39 The Introvert Comedian: Steam Rooms and Recharging Alone00:52:36 The SNL Sketch: When Marcello Called00:53:59 Thank You, Mitzi: A Relationship From AfarABOUT THIS PODCAST: The Person Who Believed In Me is hosted by David Begnaud, founder and CEO of Do Good Crew. In each episode, David asks one simple question: Who believed in you before the world did? David is also a CBS News contributor and host of Beg Knows America, airing every Monday morning.Host: David Begnaud Guest: Sebastian Maniscalco Executive Producer: Olivier Delfosse Associate Producer: Jonah Johnson Booker: Sully Bloch Director of Photography: Foster Parks Live Production: Joseph Gabay & Will Whitley (Statik Creative) Social: Mariah Maull, Maxim Trofimenko, Kylee AndersonTheme Music: Slipstream Post-Production: Longwave DigitalInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/believedpodcast
Summary
Sharon Stone on Abuse, Death, and Who Believed in Her
2w ago01:08:31Summary readyBefore Sharon Stone became one of Hollywood's most iconic stars, she was a kid from rural Pennsylvania getting sent to the principal's office for teaching her classmates cursive and multiplication. Then her father - a blue-collar machine shop worker with the touch of kings - walked in and said: Here's what's going to happen. It's not going to stop. She's going to keep right on doing it. Are we clear?In this unguarded conversation with David Begnaud, Sharon shares the story of the man who believed in her when the world told her to be less - and reflects on the life that followed. She opens up about the nine-day misdiagnosed brain hemorrhage she survived against 1% odds, the assault she didn't understand for a decade, the custody battle she lost to an ex-husband who ran the only newspaper in town, and why being a sex symbol meant the world assumed she was stupid instead of surviving.She talks about being the 13th choice for Basic Instinct, fighting through every makeup test to wipe off the bimbo overlay, and a mother who never once said I love you. And she shares what her father - who died exactly four months to the day after calling to say he had four months left - would want the world to know.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 Man Who Believed When Nobody Else Did00:04:59 The Principal's Office: Here's What's Going to Happen00:09:42 The Confrontation at 14: I Will Never Love You Again00:15:45 Growing Up in Rural Pennsylvania: The Girl Who Dyed Her Hair00:22:30 I'm Not a Quitter: The 1% Chance of Survival00:29:59 The Psychic Gift: Babies, Animals, and Knowing Things00:49:07 The Attack: What Really Happened That Day00:56:39 Not a Sex Symbol: The 13th Choice for Basic Instinct00:39:22 The Vanilla Milkshake: A Father's Love in a Mason Jar01:00:51 Four Months to the Day: Cleaning Every Can on Her Hands and Knees01:04:10 Work Your Own Door: The Legacy of Joseph William Stone IIIABOUT 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: Sharon StoneExecutive Producer: Olivier DelfosseBooker: 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
Harvard Professor: You Won’t Be Happy Until You FIX This | Arthur Brooks
3w ago00:48:53Summary readyBefore Arthur Brooks became a Harvard professor, bestselling author, and one of the world's most influential voices on happiness and human behavior, he was a 34 year old PhD student standing in front of a room full of Nobel Prize winners, delivering what he calls a catastrophic dissertation defense. Then James Q. Wilson, the most distinguished social scientist of the 20th century, walked up and said the words that changed everything: You know, you got something special here. If I can ever help you, just let me know. In this deeply personal and unguarded conversation, the renowned social scientist sits down with David Begnaud to share the story of the man who believed in him when no one else did.There's also a raw reflection on faith, struggle, and the complex problem of God. Arthur talks about the priest who rejected him, why he believes therapy isn't about solving problems but living with complexity, and why your marriage is not a problem to solve. He shares the one regret he carries every day, why he still asks if his father would be proud of him, and how losing his parents too soon led him to move his entire family to one place so he wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He opens up about the meaning crisis destroying young people today, why happiness is love and love is a choice, and why the greatest act of selfishness is refusing someone's generosity.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 Man Who Changed Everything00:01:14 The Catastrophic Dissertation Defense That Led to Destiny00:01:46 From French Horn Player to Social Scientist00:06:31 The Email That Opened a Door: Will You Let Me Help You?00:08:56 The Calling You Can't Articulate: Right Brain vs Left Brain00:10:58 Faith, Struggle, and the Complex Problem of God00:15:03 Complex vs Complicated: Why Your Marriage Isn't a Problem to Solve00:18:19 The Power of Being Present: You Can Only Love Right Now00:20:55 Growing Up Brooks: The Mathematician and the Artist00:23:29 Why I Quit Music: When You Don't Love the Craft, Only the Dream00:25:48 Every Day I Ask: Would My Dad Be Proud of Me?00:28:12 Moving the Whole Family to One Place: Learning from Loss00:30:03 The Meaning Crisis: Why Young People Are Suffering00:31:55 How to Find Your Calling: Earning Your Success and Being Needed00:33:05 The I Self vs The Me Self: Why Looking Inward Makes You Miserable00:33:41 The Funk and How to Get Out: Forcing Yourself to Serve00:36:27 Why We Connect Through Struggle, Not Success00:37:58 James Q. Wilson's Legacy: Community Policing and Broken Windows00:39:36 Did You Ever Ask Him Why He Believed in You?00:46:26 The One Takeaway: Happiness Is Love, and Love Is a ChoiceABOUT 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: Arthur BrooksExecutive 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
He LOST His Family Overnight for Being Gay
4w 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
May 1100:58:22Summary 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
May 401:09:49Summary 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
Apr 2701:48:09Summary 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
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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
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