Open To Debate On TikTok; Unbreakable Podcast With Former Baseball GM; Scripted Emo Prom Night Podcast

Today we have three podcasts that span the genre universe of podcasting.  First up is Open To Debate, which is the superb debate podcast that teaches the media how to hold civilized and informative debates instead of partisan screaming matches. Then, one of the best podcasts dealing with mental health issues, Unbreakable with Jay Glazer talks with the former General Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team about his mental health journey. Finally, the very creative Audio Up studio offers listeners a unique scripted fiction podcast. 

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  With the Senate currently poised to take up the just-passed House bill forcing China-based parent company ByteDance to either sell TikTok or face a national ban, tying it to a broader package sending aid to Israel and Ukraine to speed its passage, nonpartisan debate podcast Open to Debate recently shared a debate on a very timely question: "Should The U.S. Ban TikTok?"

Foreign policy and defense expert Kori Schake argued Yes. Director of the Internet Governance Project Milton Muellera argued No. Emmy-winning host John Donvan moderated. And several journalists including Forbes' Emily Baker-White, whose data was improperly accessed by ByteDance employees, joined to ask questions.

Kori Schake, arguing Yes, said:

“There are two concerns about TikTok. The first is the data being amassed and potentially used as surveillance by China. Second is the potential for it to be a propaganda tool by what its artificial intelligence and algorithm bounce into our feeds. As people increasingly use it as a media platform, China has the ability to censor and boost content on it, which it did during the Hong Kong protests and which it does over Xinjiang repression. What TikTok has said is, ‘We won’t do it anymore.’ I don’t think we ought to take that as a definitive answer. I think we’re right to be concerned about the potential for that kind of manipulation. I think there is the basis for legitimate concern about the Chinese government, manipulation of media content, and collection and use of data.”

Milton Mueller, arguing No, said:

“This is really a political case, a foreign policy case. There are people who believe in decoupling from China, and they’re going to interpret any Chinese company, any economic connection between the US and China as a threat. This is exactly what I’m challenging. I think TikTok is a perfect example of how a foreign company can come and introduce competition and valuable services into the American market. They can provide a form of platform communication that Americans love and benefit from and they can create economic value. There’s really no evidence that this is harming the United States.”

Listen to the Open to Debate episode "Should The U.S. Ban TikTok?" wherever you get podcasts, via WNYC, or at opentodebate.org.

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On Unbreakable with Jay Glazer: A Mental WEALTH Podcast,” host Jay Glazer welcomes former Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim, who opens up for the first time about going to rehab while serving as G.M. of the team, and the issues he was battling that led him to make changes in his life.

On why he’s telling his story now:

… “it's funny because when I walked into the room to do this podcast, I felt that sort of, not anxiety, but sort of that little bit of excitement, actually, to be able to tell my story, and hopefully, my story helps someone …maybe somebody else out there, maybe another general manager, maybe another athlete can say, ‘you know what, here's just another guy that has had his issues along the way and was able to talk about it and to be open and honest.’”

On what led him to go to rehab during the season:

“Here I am making the most money I've ever made in my life. You know, more than I could ever imagine making as a young man, living my dream as a general manager, and I was still unhappy. …I'm sitting there trying to ask myself, what's wrong with you? Just get out of this funk. And it was not easy to do, and I couldn't get out of it, and it just got darker and darker. I got more depressed. And really the culmination of what really happened, it probably was the worst part of it, was my inability to sleep. I got to a point where I couldn't even shut my brain off. So, I couldn't sleep. I was taking Xanax, I was taking Ambien just to sleep…”

 On the darkness he felt:

“…one thing I learned… which was a great learning lesson for me in the treatment centers, sometimes for guys like ourselves or ‘Type A,’ alpha males, guys who are so driven to be the best, you know, it can become a real predicament whenever you get into a situation where when is it enough?  And you know, that's kind of how it was for me. …Money is not enough. How many cars do I need? How many houses do I need? How many things do I need? How many suits do I need? How many watches do I need? Just nothing was gratifying anymore either.”

On what he’s learned as he continues his mental health treatment:

 “…the day I walked into the treatment center as the General Manager of the Arizona Cardinals. Knowing that that changed everything in my life. Could have been for the good, bad, or whatever anybody else thought about it. But when I walked out that other end, 45 days later, I found out who Steve Keim was. I liked who he was. And I embraced the things that he did in the past. I forgave him for the things he did in the past. And more than anything, I found a way to love him again.”

On former Arizona Cardinals executive Terry McDonough’s accusations against the team:

“Oh, it's just unfortunate to me, you know, because again, as I said, the stress that I carried that I was trying to keep people happy in every sort of compartment. And that really would tear at you whenever you knew that people couldn't get along. And there were things that went on behind the scenes that maybe only I knew about, or some others knew about, that they were just tough to know that I couldn't fix certain things. Because I always felt like I was the kind of guy that my mentality was always, you know, be part of the solution, not part of the problem, and keep everybody's attitude in the right direction, and roll your sleeves up at the door and check your ego there, and that sort of thing. But it's unfortunate, you know, we had a good run and, you know, I'm still rooting for the organization because again, a lot of people there that I care about.

 On whether he’s happier now or when he was a GM:

“Oh, I mean, much happier now. Much happier. Yeah, I mean, you know, when the paychecks stop coming in and fans stop screaming, there's certainly an evolution of life that changes for you. Things slow down, and you miss certain parts of your life in the past. But at the same time, you can finally, again, appreciate the small things. As we said, you know, at a point in time, how many cars, how much money, whatever it is, how many watches. Now, you know, to go on a walk and to see a beautiful day and appreciate that, it changes everything.”

On whose decision it was to get help:

“Leading up to it, you know, I had enough people, again, friends, family, coworkers, Cardinals Owner Michael Bidwill even came, our owner came and sat with me multiple times and said, ‘hey, you know, you don’t seem like yourself.’ And I didn't know what it was, but I'd also didn't try to hide from it. I told him straight up, ‘yeah, I'm not doing good. I don't know what's wrong with me.’ And you know, he was great and supportive. There's a difference between acknowledging and saying, ‘hey, I don't know what's wrong with me and I'm not perfect,’ versus ‘I really need some help.’"

Listen the full conversation HERE.

Below are some highlights from the conversation, and the full interview can be accessed HERE.  

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 – SiriusXM and Audio Up Inc. are taking listeners back in time to 2005 with their new scripted podcast series, Emo Prom Night.  The launch is part of a new slate of podcasts set for release throughout the year, with Emo Prom Night being a raunchy, coming-of-age scripted series that will debut May 8^th on the SiriusXM app and wherever podcasts are available.

 

The series was written and created by Audio Up CEO Jared Gutstadt, and stars recording artist Mod Sun and rock group Beauty School Dropout. Emo Prom Night will also feature new original music from both. The series revolves around three best friends; Dallas (voiced by Beauty School Dropout lead singer Colie Hutzler), Cos (voiced by Beauty School Dropout guitarist Bardo), and Tyson (voiced by Beauty School Dropout bassist Beepus Burdett), who embody the emo music culture from the mid-2000s, and make an Emo pact and vowing to not drink, do drugs or lose their virginity during their senior year of high school. This all changes when prom night comes around, and the cast of characters is challenged to keep their emo vows intact.

The series stars Mod Sun as the narrator, and music contributions from Grammy winning and multi-platinum songwriter Sam Hollander, known for his collaborations with the likes of Panic! at the Disco, Weezer, Blink-182, Boys Like Girls and Gym Class Heroes among many others.  

Check out the first official trailer HERE.

"The episodes arrive just in time for prom season,” notes Gutstadt. “They series is heartfelt and hilariously entertaining, and the music is absolutely incredible. It's one of our best examples of integrating music and storytelling, and we can't wait for the world to hear it."

 The announcement marks an expansion of the creative programming and strategic agreement between Jared Gutsatdt’s Audio Up Media and SiriusXM, an alignment that was originally announced in October of 2022. 

 “Emo Prom Night” is set for release on May 8th and will be available on the SiriusXM app and all other major U.S. podcast platforms.

 Audio Up has built an ecosystem of premium entertainment content within the music and audio space. The company is led by Audio Up CEO Jared Gutstadt and produces and releases fictional scripted podcasts, a Marvel-like universe of musicals, and one-on-one interview formats.