Operation Midnight Climax

In this deeply personal conversation, recorded at the launch of Waking Up with Ryan at The Lighthouse in Brooklyn, Ryan sits down with his dear friend Ricki Lake to explore the real work of spiritual awakening. Together, they trace Ryan’s journey—from a decades-long career in entertainment to walking away from it all in a single day and building a life devoted to helping others heal. The episode also features reflections from Danielle Robay and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who share the profound impact Ryan has had on their lives. They talk about letting go of the ego, coming out and family acceptance, love as "the space inside of which all things get to exist," fear of death, new fatherhood, and why the real path to peace isn't about doing more work — it's about finally resting into who you already are.
You can follow Ryan on Instagram (@wakingupwithryan), YouTube (@wakingupwithryanpod), or visit wakingupwithryan.com.
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Your morning doesn’t just start your day — it shapes it. In this episode, Ryan shares why the first few minutes after you wake up are the most important of your day, and how a simple morning practice can help you feel more grounded, present, and connected to who you really are.
You can follow Ryan on Instagram (@wakingupwithryan), YouTube (@wakingupwithryanpod), or visit wakingupwithryan.com.
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Thanks to her McDonald’s fortune, Joan Kroc was one of the world’s wealthiest people. And she was determined to die nearly broke.
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Special thanks to our guests Lisa Napoli, Dick Starmann, and Stephanie Bergsma. Go check out Lisa's excellent book Ray & Joan.
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs
Additional Editing by Mary Dooe
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English
You can always reach us at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did Americans always send their children to public school?
Not even close.
In this episode of American History Hotline, Bob calls up historian and author Dixie Dillon Lane to explore the surprising history of education in America. From colonial classrooms and the self-taught education of Abigail Adams to the rise of public schools, compulsory education laws, and the modern homeschooling movement, this conversation reveals how Americans have thought about learning for more than 250 years.
Why did reformers like Horace Mann champion public schools? How did immigration, industrialization, the Great Depression, and the Cold War transform education? And why are more families today choosing alternatives to traditional public schools?
Dixie's book is Skipping School: A History of American Homeschooling and How It Went Mainstream
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Comic Sans is a punchline. A design crime. Cultural shorthand for bad taste. But the notorious font's legacy isn't one of failure. Because Comic Sans succeeded in ways its critics never saw coming.
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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Bess Lovejoy
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Story Editor is Virginia Prescott
Editing and Sound Design by Jesse Nighswonger
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Research and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Bess Lovejoy
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English
Today's episode was produced in partnership with School of Humans. For School of Humans, Producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez. Executive Producer is Virginia Prescott.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.