Hippie Talk and the Rich Roll Podcast

Listening to the RRP gives you that fly-on-the-wall experience
except it's not gross and you won't be dead in 30 days or less.

     Imagine you’re at a restaurant and you’re catching bits and pieces of a very interesting conversation. One of the guys is baring his soul about his addiction.  Over the din you think you heard him say he’s clean now. And he lectures? Is that what he said? And the other guy, 50ish, he’s battled alcoholism but now he...runs marathons? You sure do wish you could listen in. 

     Now imagine they invite you over.

     That’s kind of what listening to the Rich Roll Podcast is like. It’s very simple. Two very interesting people at the top of their respective fields having a smart, engaging, transparent conversation. 

     Rich Roll became a successful ultra endurance athlete, fueled only by plants, after emerging from a serious struggle with alcoholism. His book Finding Ultra was a bestseller. But his podcast has taken him to new heights. In fact, he’s the Woody Allen of the podcast world. Not because he kvetches about the possibility of developing a tumor, but because he can pretty much get anyone he wants to be on his show.

     I first started listening to the RRP because Rich is a whole food plant based advocate. But his podcast is much more than that. He interviews movers and shakers from many different disciplines. Health experts. Writers. Athletes. Entrepreneurs. Teachers. Filmmakers - people you’d love to talk to if you had the access or, in many cases, even knew they existed!

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     The first episode I listened to was Matt Long (Episode 131) the New York City firefighter and athlete who got hit by a bus and was impaled on his own bike. He broke innumerable bones and was given 68 units of blood and a 1% chance to live. He lived. He live to finish a marathon - without that all important butt muscle that helps you lift you’re leg!

Then there’s Casey Neistat (episodes 73, 144 & 174) the viral filmmaker who took the entire budget he was given to make an ad for Nike and instead blew it on a 10-day trip across the world. He didn’t really blow it of course. He filmed along the way and made one of the most successful, inspirational viral videos of all time. Nike was pleased.

   

 And finally there’s Kahlil Rafati (episodes 61 & 206) the illiterate, years-long heroin addict who somehow found sobriety and went on to become the founder of Sunlife Organics and a string of juice bars installed only at high-end retail locations. He got rich and poured his wealth into helping others. It’s a powerful episode. Profane. But unforgettable. 

The goal of the podcast, Roll says, is to unlock and unleash your best, most authentic self. It’s effective. It has inspired me to risk, reevaluate and work harder. It’s been the source of some great conversation with my wife. And it seems like no matter what the topic is I can get hooked. I wasn’t that excited about listening to Adam Skolnick (episode 218) the writer who covered a famous freediver. Silly me. Couldn’t stop listening. 

The episodes are long. Two hours is not unusual. But that’s not a bad thing. They’re perfect for the commute or a long hike. 

Also, if you’re put off by hippie talk you’re going to have to tap into your inner free spirit. There’s a lot of, “I really dig your book, man” and “listen to what the universe is telling you” type chatter. And every episode ends with Rich saying “Peace” long pause, then “Plants”. It’s the kind of thing that would make my former-Marine Dad roll his eyes so high and hard he might never get his pupils to come back down again. But it would be foolhardy to avoid the Rich Roll Podcast for such a trifle. However, if you’re a meat-and-potatoes guy don’t say I didn’t warn you, man.

Peace. Plants. 

Postscript: I noticed after posting this that I failed to include any women who've been guests on the RRP. There are many. Check it out. Just listened to Robynne Chutkan (episode 192). Wow.