Tell Me What It's Like

The Reality of Reality TV: The Psychologist Who Decides Who Gets on the Show

Have you ever wondered how the people on reality TV get cast? Dr. Steven Stein is a psychologist who's spent twenty years helping make that call. Working behind the scenes of shows like The Amazing Race Canada and Big Brother Canada, he assesses who belongs, who can handle it, and what might happen when the cameras start rolling. > "People want to be the villain. And if you fake it, we try to screen you out. You can’t fake being a villain." Hear Steven talk about: * How casting works: the psychological assessments, the interviews, and how producers narrow thousands of applicants to a final cast * The personality traits that drive people to apply for reality TV in the first place * What it really means to be the "villain" and why the best ones know the difference between the game and real life * The 12 reality TV archetypes he's identified and the quiz he's developed to find out which one you are * Why social media has fundamentally changed what contestants experience after the show airs * What reality TV has taught him about behavior, emotion, and how people perform under pressure Mentioned in this episode: * Multi-Health Systems (MHS) — Dr. Stein's company, wh [https://www.mhs.com/]ich developed the EQ-i emotional intelligence assessment * Yes, Chef [https://www.nbc.com/yes-chef] with Martha Stewart [https://www.nbc.com/yes-chef] — the cooking competition show Dr. Stein describes as one of the more intense sets he's worked on Support This Show: * Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast app * Leave a rating & review — it helps others find the show * Share the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media Mentioned in this episode: Help Others Discover the Show Enjoying Tell Me What It’s Like? Leaving a rating and review in your podcast app helps more listeners discover the show. Thanks for supporting thoughtful conversations and perspective-driven storytelling.

Joining Their Reality: Lisa Skinner on Alzheimer's, Dementia, and Caregiving

When Lisa Skinner was a teenager, she went to visit her grandmother, who began telling her frantic stories about birds living in her mattress and men trying to steal her jewelry. There were no birds, and there were no men, but Lisa would soon find out that her grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease. That experience shaped the course of Lisa’s life and eventually led her into dementia care, where she’s spent decades helping families better understand what their loved ones are experiencing and how to care for them with compassion and dignity. In this episode, Lisa shares what she’s learned from both her personal and professional experiences with Alzheimer’s and dementia, including why “joining their reality” can completely change the caregiving experience. > "A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease does not have to equate to this is the end of the person’s life." HEAR LISA TALK ABOUT: * The moment she first realized her grandmother had Alzheimer’s * The difference between Alzheimer’s disease and the umbrella term dementia * How her experiences with eight family members led her into dementia care * Why traditional caregiving instincts often do not work with dementia patients * What it means to “join their reality” instead of correcting them * How person-centered dementia care can help families live more meaningful lives together MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: * Lisa Skinner’s latest book [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61989777-truth-lies-alzheimer-s-its-secret-faces] on Alzheimer’s and dementia care * Lisa’s podcast and newsletter resources [https://www.mindingdementiasummit.com/d1zhhyui] * Lisa’s television show on dementia care [https://e360tv.com/public/episode/The-Truth-Lies-Alzheimer-s-Show/S3E6-Driving-Autonomy-and-Dementia] Support This Show: * Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast app * Leave a rating & review — it helps others find the show * Share the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media Mentioned in this episode: Help Others Discover the Show Enjoying Tell Me What It’s Like? Leaving a rating and review in your podcast app helps more listeners discover the show. Thanks for supporting thoughtful conversations and perspective-driven storytelling.

Finding her Birth Mother at 51: Julie Melanson on Adoption and Identity

Julie Melanson always knew she was adopted, but it wasn’t until she was 51 years old that she decided to search for her birth mother. She eventually found her, built a connection with both her mother and her birth siblings, and then lost her mother soon after. Julie reflects on what it was like to grow up as an adoptee, search for her mom, meet her for the first time, and get to know her during the time they had together. > "And she said, 'I am your mother and I have been looking for you for the last five years.'" HEAR JULIE TALK ABOUT: * Growing up in a large extended family with 17 cousins and summers at the family lake house * What her adoptive mother used to say about her birth mother * Why she waited until 51 to begin searching for her birth family * What it felt like to finally find and meet her birth mother * Discovering similarities between herself and her biological relatives * The complicated emotions of finding — and later losing — her birth mother MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: * Julie’s memoir, Not Yours To Keep [https://Not Yours To Keep, J], about adoption and her birth mother’s strength * “The Prayer” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIktycGf_Y4] by Josh Groban and Charlotte Church Support This Show: * Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast app * Leave a rating & review — it helps others find the show * Share the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media Mentioned in this episode: Help Others Discover the Show Enjoying Tell Me What It’s Like? Leaving a rating and review in your podcast app helps more listeners discover the show. Thanks for supporting thoughtful conversations and perspective-driven storytelling.

Switching Sides: James Porfido on Becoming a Defense Attorney After Prosecuting

Note: This episode includes discussion of crime and the criminal justice system, including violent crime. James Porfido spent years as a prosecutor, working to put accused criminals behind bars—until he made a pivotal shift and began defending them instead. Now, having seen the criminal justice system from both sides, he shares what changed his perspective, what most people misunderstand about fair trials, and why he believes the system doesn’t always deliver equal justice. > " As an attorney, this is how I viewed my transition to becoming a defense attorney: we all are guaranteed a fair trial and due process under the law, and we have constitutional protections. " HEAR JAMES TALK ABOUT: * His path from prosecutor to defense attorney, and what changed his perspective * The meaning of “innocent until proven guilty” in practice * The state’s obligation in a criminal case * The role of a strong defense attorney in ensuring a fair trial * Why he believes the justice system isn’t always equal * What everyday citizens misunderstand about the legal system MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: * The Salem Witch Trials [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/] * Framed, by John Grisham [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/742610/framed-by-john-grisham-and-jim-mccloskey/] * Unequal Justice [https://www.unequal-justice.com/] by James Porfido [https://www.unequal-justice.com/] Support This Show: * Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast app * Leave a rating & review — it helps others find the show * Share the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media Mentioned in this episode: Help Others Discover the Show Enjoying Tell Me What It’s Like? Leaving a rating and review in your podcast app helps more listeners discover the show. Thanks for supporting thoughtful conversations and perspective-driven storytelling.

Earth Day Special | Trash Wolf: Leader of the Anti-Litter Pack (Re-Release)

This Earth Day, listen to one of the most earth-friendly guests from Tell Me What It's Like so far: Trash Wolf. While there are lots of people who talk about helping the environment, Florida’s Trash Wolf took a different route. In 2022, Trash Wolf began prowling the streets, putting on a wolf suit to patrol his neighborhood and solve one specific problem: litter. Since this episode first aired, Trash Wolf's anti-litter pack has doubled in size, illustrating that his unique approach to caring about the earth makes a lot of sense. > "It's your neighborhood. It's your community. You live there. If you are already out and walking around, pick up a piece of litter or two." HEAR TRASH WOLF TALK ABOUT: * The Origin Story: What finally pushed him to put on the mask, and why it was a wolf * The Philosophy: How cleaning up trash teaches us about the world. * The Call to Action: Why his mission is really about awareness, community, and taking that first step. Mentioned in this episode: * Trash Wolf on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/therealtrashwolf/] * Trash Wolf on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheRealTrashWolf] Support This Show: * Follow Tell Me What It’s Like in your favorite podcast app * Leave a rating & review — it helps others find the show * Share the episode and tag @RaineMediaCo on social media Mentioned in this episode: Help Others Discover the Show Enjoying Tell Me What It’s Like? Leaving a rating and review in your podcast app helps more listeners discover the show. Thanks for supporting thoughtful conversations and perspective-driven storytelling.