Mike Safo
Society & Culture
About
Just a regular New York City guy who gets to interview some pretty amazing people... A conversation/hangout podcast with friends, athletes, authors, celebrities, fighters, and the world's most fascinating people "the greatest podcast ever" - My Mom
Episodes
- Mike Safo with Nigel Short, Chess Grandmaster and Legend
Joined today by Chess Grandmaster, and former number 3 player in the world, and current Director of Development for the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the legendary Nigel Short. Nigel and I chat into how we first met in the remote…
- Mike Safo with Daniel McCutchen, Former MLB Pitcher
Joined today by former Major League Baseball pitcher, Daniel McCutchen. Daniel and I talk about his journey from growing up in Oklahoma to making it to the majors and then becoming a father of four and now running his own car wash business…
- Mike Safo with Al Snow, Wrestling Legend / Co-Owner OVW
Joined today by wrestling icon and Co-Owner of OVW, Al Snow. Al gives us a journey through the wacky wrestling business. We hear about the match that inspired him, at 14 years old, that he was going to be a professional wrestler and what i…
- Mike Safo with Buddy McGirt, Former Boxing World Champion, Hall of Famer & Trainer
Joined today by former junior welterweight & welterweight world champion, Hall of Famer, and legendary boxing trainer Buddy McGirt. Buddy talks about what brought him to London, training fighters around the world, and what he misses most a…
- Mike Safo with Jane Leavy, New York Times Best-Selling Author and Trailblazing Reporter / Sportswriter
Joined today with New York Times best-selling author and trailblazing sportswriter, Jane Leavy. Jane talks about growing up in New York City, the foods she misses most, and what it was like to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee…
- Mike Safo with Thor Pedersen, Only Person to Visit Every Country in the World Without Flying/ Author / Traveler
Joined today by Thor Pedersen , the only person in history to visit every country in the world without flying. He's also the author of the awesome new book, The Impossible Journey: An Incredible Voyage Through Every Country in the World Wi…
- Mike Safo with Shawn "Showtime" Porter, Two-time Welterweight Champion & Podcast Host
Joined today by former world welterweight champion, boxing analyst, and host of The PorterWay Podcast ... Shawn “Showtime” Porter. We start off off with life after boxing, from Shawn’s successful podcast (The "PorterWay") and his boxing co…
- Mike Safo with Todd Marinovich, former NFL quarterback, Author, and Artist
Todd Marinovich – Football, Art, and Redemption Joined by former NFL quarterback, author, and artist Todd Marinovich . Todd gives me real estate advice about moving to Hawaii, shares his favorite local foods, and confesses his weakness for…
- Mike Safo with Kelly Pavlik, Former Middleweight Champion, and Will "Power" Rosinsky
"The Ghost & The Power" — Kelly Pavlik & Will Rosinsky Talk Boxing, Brotherhood, and Life After the Ring Joined by former Middleweight Champion of the World, Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik. I surprise him with my co-host: my brother-in-law and K…
- Mike Safo with Scott Payne, retired FBI Special Agent / Best Selling Author
Joined today by former FBI undercover agent and bestselling author, Scott Payne. Listen as he shares the powerful story behind his new book, Code Name: Pale Horse – How I Went Undercover to Expose America’s Nazis . Scott opens up about his…
- Mike Safo with Rick Strassman, Psychiatrist, Researcher, Author, & "Godfather of DMT"
Joined today by psychiatrist, researcher, and author, Dr. Rick Strassman. Rick shares his fascinating journey, from growing up in California during the '60s to developing a lifelong passion for chemistry, ultimately leading him to become k…
- Mike Safo with David Grann, New York Times Best Seller Author ("Killers of the Flower Moon", "The Lost City of Z", "The Wager")
Today, we’re joined by New York Times best-selling author David Grann. In this conversation, David opens up about his New York roots, his passion as a die-hard Knicks fan, and why he’ll never approach someone reading his book in public. He…
- Mike Safo with CJ Albertson, American long-distance runner & Olympic hopeful
Joined today by American long-distance runner and Olympic hopeful, CJ Albertson. We dive into his upbringing in Clovis, California, including his childhood playing on a stacked little league baseball team and when he decided to fully dedic…
- Mike Safo with Kyle Farnsworth, Former Yankee, MLB Veteran,
Join us today for an incredible conversation with MLB veteran, former New York Yankee, and professional bodybuilder Kyle Farnsworth. In this episode, Kyle opens up about his beautiful family, his love for dogs, and his passion for hunting.…
- Mike Safo with Alex Cuadros, Author of "When We Sold God's Eye: Diamonds, Murder, and a Clash of Worlds in the Amazon"
Join us today for an engaging conversation with author and investigative journalist, Alex Cuadros. Alex shares his personal journey, from growing up in New Mexico to moving to New York for college, and ultimately making the bold decision t…
- Mike Safo with Martin Gramática, Super Bowl Champion / NFL Veteran
Joined today by Super Bowl champion Martin Gramática. Martin talks about being a child in ‘86 when Argentina won the World Cup, how he celebrated the last year of them winning the Cup, and his superstitions watching the games. We then chat…
- Mike Safo with Patrick Bertoletti, 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Champion
Joined today by the number two competitive food eater in the world and the 2024 Nathan‘s hot dog eating champion, Patrick Bartolo. Patrick talks about growing up in Chicago, going to culinary school and opening up his restaurant Taco In a…
- Mike Safo with Mark Munoz, UFC Fighter / Actor
Joined today, by UFC legend, Mark the Filipino wrecking machine Muñoz. Mark talks about being a Lolo (grandfather), becoming a comic book superhero in the loop with a vengeance comic series, and his superhero skills. He shares what life wa…
- Mike Safo with T.J. Dillashaw, two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion
Joined today by former UFC Champion and Founder/CEO of Wild Society Nutrition, T.J. Dillashaw. T.J. talks about growing up in California, wrestling as a child and his collegiate career at Cal State Fullerton. We go over the science of food…
- Mike Safo with Chris Byrd, Former Heavyweight Champion (Boxing)
Joined today by the former heavyweight champion of the world, Chris Byrd. Chris reminisces about growing up in Flint, Michigan with 8 siblings, why Boxing was the only thing for him, and his insane amateur career which included over 285 wi…
- Mike Safo with Rolando "The Incredible" Dy, UFC Fighter / Bare Knuckle Boxer
Joined today, all the way from the Philippines, UFC alumni and current competitor in bare knuckle fighting, Rolando Dy. Rolando and I talk about growing up in the Philippines, being a girl dad, and some of his favorite foods. We then chat…
- Mike Safo with Eddie Yagin, UFC Alumni
Joined today with UFC alumni, the Filipino phenom Eddie Yagin. Eddie and I discuss healthy eating, our crazy diet, how we were lied to about the food pyramid, and when we became knowledgeable about what we put in our body. Eddie tells abou…
- Mike Safo with Caitlin Rother, New York Times Bestselling Author
Joined today by New York Times Best-selling author, Caitlin Rother. Caitlin talks about growing up in La Jolla, attending Cal Berkley for psychology and then Northwestern for journalism. We go over her early career, working in Massachusett…
- Mike Safo with Keith O'Brien, New York Times Best-Selling Author
Joined today by New York Times best selling author, Keith O’Brien. Keith reminisces about growing up in Cincinnati, attending Northwestern and his favorite alumni. Due to my obsession with UK, we chat about his first book “Outside Shot” ab…
- Mike Safo with Kevin Baker, Author of "The New York Game"
Joined today by reporter and author of the new book "The New York Game: Baseball and the Rise of a New City", Kevin Baker. Kevin shares about writing for the local newspaper at age 13, moving to NYC in the 70's and what the Big Apple was l…
- Mike Safo with Steven Hale, Author of "Death Row Welcomes You"
Joined today by reporter and author of the eye-opening book “Death Row Welcomes You”, Steven Hale. Steve and I chat about growing up in Florida, why he attended Auburn and of course some Tigers football players. We talk about Alabama, Tenn…
- Mike Safo with Author, Poet & Rhodes Scholar, Mark Abley
Joined today by Rhodes scholar, poet and author Mark Abley. Mark talks about his allegiance to Red Wings hockey, the Rough Riders and makes his case for Montreal bagels over NYC ones. We chat about his flex being a Rhodes Scholar, the deci…
- Mike Safo with Steve "USS" Cunningham, Former Cruiserweight champion
Joined today by former Cruiserweight champion, NAVY veteran, and current boxing trainer, Steve "USS" Cunningham. Steve talks about being a father of 4, training his two phenom sons in boxing, and the difficulty of juggling the trainer and…
- Mike Safo with Harry MacLean, New York Times Best-Selling Author
Joined today by New York Times best-selling author and Edgar Award Winner, Harry MacLean. Harry and I chat about living in Denver, what he misses most about Nebraska, and some Cornhuskers football. Harry is on to talk about his newest book…
- Mike Safo with Jonathan Eig, New York Times Best-Selling Author (Ali & MLK)
Joined today by four-time New York Times best-selling author, Jonathan Eig. Jonathan reminisces about growing up in New York, submitting articles at an early age, heading to Northwestern and how he ended up at a newspaper in New Orleans. W…
- Mike Safo with Elijah "The WXXXLF" Pierce, Junior Featherweight Boxer
Joined today by top Junior Featherweight contender, Elijah Pierce. Elijah shares what is was like growing up in both, Oklahoma and Atlanta, what's different about the two cities, foods and the Spooner rodeos. We talk about how his kickboxi…
- Mike Safo with former San Diego Padres Pitcher, Brian Tollberg
Joined today by former San Diego Padres pitcher and current pitching coach, Brian Tollberg. Brian talks about seeing himself on a baseball card for the first time, the best and worst things about living in Florida, and deciding to run a ma…
- Mike Safo with Australian Boxer Michael "Pretty Boy" Zerafa
Joined today by former middleweight champion and current # 1 ranked fighter in his class, Michael "Pretty Boy" Zerafa. Mike talks about his favorite Australian foods, what there is to do in Melbourne and his go to cheat meal. We chat about…
- Mike Safo with MLB Veteran and Brewers Broadcaster, Vinny Rottino
Joined today by MLB veteran and current Brewers broadcaster, Vinny Rottino. Vinny shared what it was like being on his first baseball card, the most iconic Wisconsin foods and his love for the Packers and Bucks. He lets us know what it was…
- Mike Safo with Nate Sestina, Kentucky Wildcat & Fenerbahçe Beko (Basketball)
Joined today by former Kentucky Wildcat and current star of Fenerbahce Beko, Nate Sestina. Nate talks about growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania, players he looked up, why he chose Bucknell and his 2 trips to the NCAA tourney. We the…
- Mike Safo with Lou Raguse, Award-Winning Reporter and Author
Joined today by award winning journalist and author of the new true-crime book, "Vanished in Vermillion, The Real Story of South Dakota's Most Infamous Cold Case", Lou Raguse. Lou and I chat about his home state of Minnesota, iconic food,…
- Mike Safo with Chris Billam-Smith, WBO Cruiserweight Champion (Boxing)
Joined today by current WBO cruiserweight champion of the world, Chris Billam-Smith. Chris and I talk about family-life, how one minute he's called "Champ" and another he's called "Dad" and assumes his role as parent, his romantic proposal…
- Mike Safo with Former NBA Player, Hamady N'Diaye
Joined today by former NBA center and current player for Nanterre 92 of the LNB Pro A, Hamady N'Diaye. Hamady acts as my tour guide for my upcoming trip to Senegal and talks about their love of futbol, what food I need to eat, and the sigh…
- Mike Safo with Legendary Boxing Referee, Jack Reiss
Joined today by legendary boxing referee, Jack Reiss. Jack talks about growing up in Brooklyn, where his love of boxing and kick-boxing started and what made him move out to the West Coast. We chat about Jack joining the LA Fire Department…
- Mike Safo with Former MLB Outfielder, Matt LaPorta
Joined today by former Brewers first round draft pick and OF for the Cleveland Indians, Matt Laporta. Matt talks about being on the cover of a video game in college, being an all-state BMX rider and why he loves living in Florida. We talk…
- Mike Safo with Luis Sojo, 5-Time World Series Champion, MLB Veteran
Joined today by five-time World Series Champion, Luis Sojo. Luis talks about growing up in Venezuela, getting scouted by the Blue Jays and how he got signed by them at the age of 20. We chat about his journey throughout the minors, getting…
- Mike Safo with Former MLB Catcher, Bruce Maxwell
Joined today by former Oakland Athletics catcher and current Mexican league player, Bruce Maxwell. Bruce talks about being born in Germany, the joy of seeing himself in a video game and partying it up at Oktoberfest. We chat about growing…
- Mike Safo with Paul Spadafora, Former Lightweight Champion (Boxing)
Joined today by former Light Heavyweight Champion of the world, "The Pittsburgh Kid" Paul Spadfora. Paul and I talk about his upcoming trip to Italy, how he proposed to his fiancé, and what Pittsburgh food he misses the most. We discuss hi…
- Mike Safo with Sergey Kovalev, Former Light Heavyweight Champion, Boxing
Joined today by the former Light Heavyweight Champion, Sergei "The Krusher" Kovalev. Sergei rants about his broken iPhone, what he was doing in NYC and the food he misses most from Russia. The Champ then talks about his love for hockey, st…
- Mike Safo with Michael Thomsen, UFC Author
Joined today by author of the new book "Cage Kings: How an Unlikely Group of Moguls, Champions, and Hustlers Transformed the UFC into a 10 Billion Dollar Industry", Michael Thomsen. Michael talks about growing up in California, joining the…
- Mike Safo with Patrick Bringley, Author "All the Beauty in the World"
Joined today by Patrick Bringley, author of the memoir "All The Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me". Patrick and I talk about him moving from Chicago to New York, switching allegiances from the White Sox to the Mets…
- Mike Safo with Madison Younginer, Former Atlanta Braves Pitcher
Joined today by former Atlanta Brave Pitcher, Madison Younginer. Madison talks about growing up in South Carolina, the food he misses most when he's on the road and other sports he played as a child. We chat about being the Gatorade player…
- Mike Safo with Hollis "Tank" Thomas, Eagles & Saints (NFL)
Joined today by former Eagles legend and New Orleans Saint, Hollis "Tank" Thomas. Hollis talks about growing up in St. Louis, why he didn't play football until High School, and when the moment was that Hollis knew he wanted to play defense…
- Mike Safo with Andrea Lankford, Author and Former Park Ranger
Joined today by former Park Ranger and now author, Andrea Lankford. Andrea and I talk about what led her to be a park ranger, the stunning landscape that is her workplace and what caused her to retire after only 12 years. We chat about her…
- Mike Safo with Jim Leyritz, MLB Veteran & 2-Time World Series Champion
Joined today by 2-time World Series Champion and MLB veteran, "The King" Jim Leyritz. Jim talks about growing up in Cincinnati, idolizing Pete Rose and the life changing advice Johnny Bench gave him when he was 14. We hear why Jim abandone…