Ravi Patel

Ravi Patel

Actor, filmmaker, writer, and entrepreneur Ravi Patel [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravi_Patel_(actor)] is known for Meet the Patels, Master of None, The Pursuit of Happyness, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Animal Control, and films including Long Shot and 80 for Brady. He's also built companies, created television projects, and somehow manages to make every career pivot seem inevitable in hindsight. I've always enjoyed talking with Ravi because he has this rare combination of ambition and perspective. We get into everything from his unlikely journey through investment banking and the poker boom to Meet the Patels, what happened after the documentary, and the projects he was building next. But the conversation really took an unexpected turn when we started talking about success. Ravi shared one of my favorite answers I've ever gotten to the question, "Have you made it?" His take on ambition, fatherhood, redefining success, and learning to love the pursuit instead of waiting for the destination genuinely stuck with me. We still manage to squeeze in plenty of laughs (and a surprisingly competitive game of blackjack), but this one became a much deeper conversation than I expected, and I'm really glad it did. Watch Ravi's real-life romantic comedy "Meet the Patels" [https://youtu.be/KqD5S5zTMGs?si=XUGcuRcDqiJER1dB] Follow Ravi Patel:IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2201027/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/showmetheravi/?hl=en]

Willis Turner

Comedian Willis Turner has spent years touring comedy clubs across the country, sharing stages with comics like Loni Love and performing everywhere from small-town Montana to military bases overseas. But what started as two comedians swapping road stories turned into an extremely thoughtful conversation. We begin with life on the road, opening for other comics, unforgettable gigs, and the strange realities of stand-up, before the conversation naturally shifts into much bigger territory. Willis and I dive into politics, race, American history, generational perspectives, why travel changes the way you see the world, and whether comedians have become today's philosophers. I first met Willis backstage at the Comedy & Magic Club, and after talking with him for just a few minutes I knew I wanted to keep the conversation going. I'm glad we finally did. It's funny, thoughtful, and occasionally provocative. Follow Willis Turner:IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2577930/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/therealwillisturner/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/WillisTurnerComedy/] X (Twitter) [https://x.com/willisturner1] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@therealwillisturner]

Priya Rai

Priya Rai [https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priya_Rai] is one of the most recognizable Indian-born performers ever to work in the adult entertainment industry. Adopted from India and raised in Arizona, she built a successful career as a featured dancer, adult film star, entrepreneur, and online creator, becoming one of the few South Asian women to achieve mainstream name recognition in an industry where representation has historically been rare. I wasn't quite sure where this conversation would go, but that's part of what made it so fascinating. Priya is disarmingly open about everything - her adoption story, becoming a mother at a young age, raising two kids, entering the adult industry at 29, retiring, returning years later, and the complicated realities that most people never hear discussed honestly. What struck me wasn't the shock value of any of it. It was how matter-of-fact and thoughtful she was when talking about choices that many people spend their lives judging from a distance. We get into everything from stigma, relationships, family, and financial independence to how the internet completely changed the adult entertainment business. Along the way, she made me laugh far more than I expected, challenged some of my assumptions, and reminded me that the most interesting conversations usually happen when you're willing to talk with someone whose life experience looks nothing like your own. Follow Priya Rai:IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2864233/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/priya_rai_xoxo/?hl=en] X (Twitter) [https://x.com/priyaanjalirai]

Jade Catta-Preta

Jade Catta-Preta [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jade_Catta-Preta] is a Brazilian-born comedian, actress, television host, and stand-up comic whose credits include hosting MTV's Girl Code, appearances on shows like Manhattan Love Story and Those Who Can't, and a stand-up career that has made her one of the most recognizable voices in comedy today. We somehow bounced between Brazil, India, Game of Thrones, pilot season heartbreak, language, fashion, reality TV, and the weird psychology of performers, yet it all somehow connected. Jade is incredibly funny, but what stood out to me was how thoughtful she was about identity - growing up Brazilian in Virginia, trying to fit in, and eventually realizing that the things that make you different are usually the things worth leaning into. There were also a handful of moments where she said something that made me stop and think long after we moved on to the next topic. That's my favorite kind of guest - someone who can make me laugh and quietly change the way I see something in the same conversation. Watch Jade's recent Comedy Special "Jaded" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jNQVlVRSW0] Follow Jade Catta-Preta:Website [https://jadecattapreta.com] IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2196820/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/jadecattapreta] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jadecattapreta/?hl=en] X (Twitter) [https://x.com/jadecattapreta] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@jadecattapreta] Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKFDlw4Es9zwT9r9LsFT_CQ]

Sujata Day

I first became aware of Sujata Day [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sujata_Day] through her work with Issa Rae on The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, but by the end of this conversation I found myself just as fascinated by the way she thinks as by anything she's made. Sujata is the writer, director, producer, and star of Definition Please, and one of those rare people who seems completely comfortable betting on herself - whether that means leaving a stable consulting job, cold-emailing Hollywood managers, cashing out stock to finance her own film, or building opportunities for other South Asian creators instead of waiting for someone else to do it. What I loved about this conversation is how practical it gets. Sujata doesn't talk about success in vague inspirational terms. She talks about the actual mechanics of it. We get into how a random Twitter follow led to her meeting Issa Rae before either of them were famous, why persistence matters more than any single project, how she landed representation through sheer hustle, and why she believes South Asians are finally starting to build the kind of creative community that other groups have benefited from for years. There's also plenty of fun along the way - spelling bee trauma, shooting a feature in her childhood home outside Pittsburgh, and her surprisingly strong case for wearing sweatpants to fancy events. More than anything, I came away impressed by how intentional she is about lifting other people up. That's a theme that runs through this entire episode, and it's probably the thing that stuck with me most. Follow Sujata Day: IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1787397/] Website [https://www.sujataday.com] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sujataday/?hl=en] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/sujataday] X (Twitter) [https://x.com/sujataday] Vimeo [https://vimeo.com/sujataday] Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/sujataday]