The FREEDRIFT Podcast

American Storytelling with Eric Nishimoto

Eric Nishimoto shaped how I think about journalism, teaching, and friendship.In our interview, Eric shares his family's remarkable history, his journey through law enforcement, and the importance of storytelling, patriotism, and faith in shaping a meaningful life. Read the full written profile on the FREEDRIFT Substack.-------Chapters00:00 Revisiting Old Friendships07:30 The Legacy of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team15:10 The Journey of Writing a Non-Fiction Book23:01 Transitioning to Teaching and Writing31:01 The Art of Storytelling in Journalism32:05 The Art of Storytelling in Writing34:56 Political Perspectives in Academia37:30 Generational Differences and Teaching Challenges41:53 Revival and the Return to Faith46:38 The Influence of Media and Society52:49 The Importance of Perspective and Open Dialogue56:44 The Responsibility of American Citizenship-------REEDRIFT is written and produced by Kevin Ryan. Subscribe at freedrift.substack.com and check out kevinryan.us

Father Brian O'Brien Believes in You

Father Brian O’Brien believes in you. He wants to help you—I’ve seen it with my own eyes. He’s blessed my home, and counseled me, and I’m just one of his parishioners, one sheep in his Tulsa flock of 1,800 registered parishioners, and hundreds more every weekend.It’s miraculous that he has time for each one of us, but that’s exactly how it is: Each of us is his primary concern, like there’s one of him for everyone, humbly living Psalm 121: “My help comes from the Lord.” ------------------ Fr. O'Brien grew up in Kingwood, Texas, studied theology and political science at Boston College, earned a master's in education from Notre Dame, and then a two-year teaching fellowship in Tulsa turned into the rest of his life. He's been a Catholic priest for 19 years, spent nine of them as president of Bishop Kelly High School, and is now the rector of Holy Family Cathedral in downtown Tulsa.Find him at Holy Family Cathedral | 8th & Boulder, Tulsa, OK | holyfamilycathedral.nethttps://www.instagram.com/frobrien/http://x.com/frobrien------------------Homily video courtesy of  @tulsacathedral  [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCZ9z4GzpIIo28kM6jYfB6LA] FREEDRIFT is written and produced by Kevin Ryan. Subscribe at freedrift.substack.com and check out kevinryan.us

LEMON POUND CAKE | The Defamation Case That Gave AfroMan a Second Career | Justin Robert Young

Afroman. What a legend. Justin Robert Young breaks down the full story: the 2022 Adams County Sheriff's raid, the TikTok banger cinematic universe that followed (Lemon Pound Cake, Lickum Lo Lisa, and more), and the defamation lawsuit that just handed Afro Man a second career on a silver platter. Also: NWA, Two Live Crew, the First Amendment, and why this might be the most American story of the year.

The Year in Film with Alex Kraemer: Sinners, Marty Supreme & the Art of Loving Movies

Alex Kraemer writes Critiques & Musings on Substack, and he has one of the most genuinely good eyes for film of anyone I've come across online. We sat down to go deep on the movies that defined 2025 — Sinners, Marty Supreme, Black Bag, Eddington, The Phoenician Scheme, the new Naked Gun, and more. --- Find Alex on Substack at Critiques & Musings by Alex Instagram: @MrAlexKraemer FREEDRIFT is written and produced by Kevin Ryan. Subscribe at freedrift.substack.com and check out kevinryan.us

Father Tom Miller: "Ever a skeptic, never a cynic"

In this episode of the FREEDRIFT podcast, I sat down with Father Tom Miller, a Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the voice behind the Humbuggery Substack. I wanted to do this episode so we could talk about Lent, and we wound up talking about a ton of additional topics, including musicals and St. Louis-style pizza. Father Tom shares his 33-year journey in the priesthood, his love for history and "White Pilled Wednesdays," and why he believes Western civilization is inextricably tied to the Catholic Church. Something here for everyone, whether you’re a "recovering Catholic," a convert, or just someone looking for a bit of light in a dark digital age.Follow Father Tom Miller:Substack: Humbuggery https://substack.com/@padre66Locals: Padres Community https://atpadres.beta.locals.com/feed?mode=profile&username=Padre--------00:00 Introduction and Background of Fr. Tom Miller02:59 The Journey to Priesthood03:04 Conclusion and Final Thoughts29:20 The Impact of Christ's Presence30:37 The Power of Peace in Faith32:34 The Role of Mary in Catholicism34:54 Understanding the Church's Hierarchy36:45 The Revival of Catholicism in America38:52 Balancing Feelings and Logic39:50 The Purpose of Substack and Community Engagement42:34 The Journey of Converts and Spiritual Influences45:50 The Importance of Historical Context in Faith48:45 The Depth of Catholicism: A Hidden Treasure50:26 Final Thoughts and Blessings53:14 Untitled-5.mp4----------FREEDRIFT is a Substack for feature writing, profiles, cultural commentary, interviews, tech nonsense, theory, philosophy, flash fiction, essays, recipes, reviews, listicles, weird to the max, usually with a soundtrack.https://substack.com/@freedrift