Mentor Buffet

Alexi answers listeners’ advice questions about what to do when they learn deal-breaking information about their fiancé, and how to deal with the feeling that disaster could be looming around every corner. Alexi also offers advice for relating to an uncertain future.  For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 when you checkout on Merrell.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ultramarathoner Max Jolliffe joins host Alexi Pappas to share about his evolution as a person and athlete over the past few years, including how he’s formed the habit of choosing positivity, and how he’s learned to prioritize progress over perfection. Max recounts his third place finish at the Kodiak 100 last week, which qualifies him for next year’s UTMB—the most prestigious trail race in the world. Max shares about the challenges in his upbringing and the challenges of abusing substances in, and presents running as the vehicle that transformed his life. He’s grateful to have found his thing and says when you find your thing it will bring you amazing gifts. Among those gifts are Max’s many mentors, who he catalogs: his sponsor in AA Ray Coder, his friend JP Olson who got him into more serious running, the veteran local trail runners Jesse Haynes and Sally McRae, Max’s wife Mackenzie, trail running legend Courtney Dauwalter, and all around legend Cam Hanes.   Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. Visit https://GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about getting in touch with your passion, how to make money if you don't want to work a 9-5, and how to choose which direction to go at a crossroads. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 when you checkout on Merrell.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Richard Linklater, the great filmmaker who made Boyhood, Before Sunrise, Dazed and Confused, and so many other movies you love, joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to share about protecting how he spends his time, why the art life is important to him, and how he relates to actors. Both having backgrounds in sports, Rick and Alexi also compare and contrast sports to the Arts. Rick recounts his first interactions on the internet and explains why he doesn’t have any social media. His worldview is centerstage every step along the way.  Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Richard Linklater, the great filmmaker who made Boyhood, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise, Slacker, and so many other movies you love, joins host Alexi Pappas to discuss what it has meant for him to listen to his passion and create his own path. Rick recounts community college professors he admired for living the Art life. He points to Henry David Thoreau as his greatest mentor for writing Walden, for demonstrating that the most important thing in life is to spend as much time doing exactly what you want. Another mentor figure Rick points to (“A ment—”) is Martin Shafer at Castle Rock who helped Rick get Before Sunrise made when the big movie studios wouldn’t offer him the same creative freedom. Rick also shares about admiring Frank Zappa. Alexi and Rick talk about the differences between sports and the arts, and Rick shares why he prefers the Art life. In this conversation with Alexi, Rick’s worldview comes through clearly—the world is trying to help you; the most important thing is to follow your sense of excitement; when you’re ready everybody else will sense it. And so much more. Rick Linklater on Mentor Buffet—enjoy. Another hour of this conversation will be released in a week.  Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jenny Simpson, the World Champion and Olympic medalist track athlete, joins host Alexi Pappas to share about her experience with cardiac arrest, and the changes in her life that are coming as a result of never being able to run again. They talk about our relationship to the unexplainable, finding new teachers when we’ve outgrown old ones, and embracing the fact that we’re good at multiple things. Jenny shares about her relationship with her sister and the process of letting people show up for her.  Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amelia Meath of Slyvan Esso joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to share about her Aunt Carol who showed her how to be free, what it means to means to share creative and romantic partnership with the same person, and how to build a scene. They talk about how there’s no such thing as “the best,” meeting your icons, and what it means to be guided by intuition. Amelia also shares the feeling she’s after and what it means. She calls it disappearing. Sylvan Esso’s new album “Ow ∞” is out September 11.  Buy “Ow Infinity” on Bandcamp: https://sylvanesso.bandcamp.com/album/ow.  If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. Visit https://GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Allie Rowbottom, the author of Aesthetica, Jell-o Girls, and now Lovers XXX joins Alexi on Mentor Buffet to share about the mentorship she’s experienced from her husband, the writer Jon Lindsey, from her mom, who was constantly writing during Allie’s adolescence, and from her professors—who offered her reading lists that accelerated her toward her taste and style and set deadlines for her. One of her professors was the writer Maggie Nelson. Allie and Alexi also discuss rejection, the nature of the internet, and the benefits of getting in touch with the worst case scenario. Allie shares the books she reads to study her craft and also explores mentorship dynamics between the characters in both Aesthetica and Lovers XXX, explaining the importance of characters that steer the story in the direction of conflict and then learning or growth. It’s a lovely conversation between two writers. Order Allie's new book, Lovers XXX: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1641297301?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about navigating long-distance relationships with your friends and family, giving advice to somebody who doesn't accept advice easily, and dealing with being more intense or ambitious than your friends. She also offers wisdom on how to deal with being constantly busy, because she's constantly busy right now. Add a comfy pair of Merrells to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nils Arend, the founder of The Speed Project, shares the story of designing his life, step by step, from the beginning. He traces the foundation of his principles from his adolescence in Germany to decades later founding and then exiting his successful advertising agency. He talks about the importance of setting ambitious goals but then detaching yourself from the outcome, how he avoids settling, why he loves America, and his running origin story, which leads to the foundation of The Speed Project—a 300 mile journey through the desert from Los Angeles to Las Vegas that Nils first completed in 2013 with Blue Benadum. There’s so much wisdom in this conversation about dreaming big and designing your own life. Here’s Alexi’s conversation with Nils Arend.  If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. Visit https://GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about how to deal with being busy, how to be easier on yourself, and how to stay true to yourself in your creative expression. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam Skolnick, the lifelong writer behind the David Goggins memoir Can’t Hurt Me, countless publications in the New York Times, and the recent novel American Tiger, joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to discuss how to recognize a calling, how to mold a career around the lifestyle you want, and overcoming doubt. Adam shares about his mentors Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love who he met by circumstance on a trip to Bali, and David Goggins. Adam also shares about the journey leading to the publication of his new new book American Tiger, which demonstrates that there is wildness running through us and that the world is more mysterious than we can consciously know. Adam also shares a story about a time a fortune teller correctly predicted a great success in his life.  If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. Visit https://GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lisa Thompson, Alexi's marathon teammate who is blind, joins us on Mentor Buffet for a beautiful conversation about growing up with a visual impairment. And she shares wisdom every step of the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi is joined by her friend Lisa Thompson to answer listeners' advice questions about letting go of a situation you've outgrown, feeling like you live two distinct lives, and granting yourself permission when you're wired to always ask for it. Add a comfy pair of Merrells to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alessia de Gasperis, the artist formerly known as Kai who you may know from the hit songs “Never Be Like You” with Flume and “Revolution” with Diplo, joins host Alexi Pappas to share the story of the past ten years, making music and not making music, inside and outside of the institutions of the music industry. Alessia and Alexi talk about healing childhood wounds, training your nervous system, and what it means to practice gratitude. They also talk about what is the journey to freedom really, what it means to feel your feelings, and why Alessia loves pickleball. Alessia’s upcoming EP, titled “Won’t Always Be There,” expresses the themes of this conversation—the importance of gratitude, and how life is a constant state of renewal.  Listen to Alessia’s music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/27d6mRgPBvGasBzQ9KFMGO?si=gQh9DkNBTLmx5tOnimvckg Follow Alessia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alessiadegasperis/?hl=en If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit ⁠https://therabody.com⁠ and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order. Visit https://GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about how to know whether you should take somebody's advice, how to know when to quit, and what to do if you feel like you like your boyfriend way more than he likes you.  Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Documentary filmmaker Erin Lee Carr, the director of Mommy Dead and Dearest about Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Britney vs. Spears on Netflix, as well as 13 other documentary films, joins host Alexi Pappas to share about a number of film world icons who have been mentors to her: Janet Pierson, Andrew Rossi, and Sheila Nevins. Erin, who was born two months prematurely to parents who struggled with drug addiction, also shares about her important relationship with her late father David Carr, the longtime New York Times writer and author of The Night of The Gun, a book Erin revisits every year. Many guests on Mentor Buffet corroborate that belief is the strongest form of mentorship, and more than anything else, David believed in his daughter. Erin also shares practical advice about how to send a successful cold email, what it means to come correct to a meeting or a pitch, and some basics about financial literacy.  You can watch Erin’s latest project, Murdaugh: Death in the Family, starring Patricia Arquette, on Hulu.  You can follow Erin on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/erinleecarr/?hl=en If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit https://therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off their first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nayeema Raza is the host of the podcast “Smart Girl, Dumb Questions” and she joins Mentor Buffet host Alexi Pappas to share about the influence her upbringing has had on her values. Her father worked for the World Bank and their family moved around constantly. Nayeema learned how to communicate, even across language barriers. She shares how her upbringing has given her her openness, her flexibility, her curiosity, how she values experiences over achievement, how she rejects routine, and how boundaries don’t come naturally. Nayeema shares what it means to live with urgency, why it’s unproductive to take things personally, and why she’s allergic to certainty. She also shares what she’s learned getting fired, what she’s learned through breakups, and what she’s learned from guests on her show.  Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off their first order. Visit GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice.Listen to Nayeema’s podcast, Smart Girl, Dumb Questions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ_OvJyBz8qlqFSrFoyt3ndvZ-xlS3QQM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners’ advice questions about how to deal with feeling like everybody around you is less ambitious than you, how to navigate a flirtatious friendship, and the best way to proceed into romantic situations with a complicated sexual health condition.  Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Greene is a longtime journalist who for many years was the host of NPR’s Morning Edition. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, he joins host Alexi Pappas for a conversation about their moms, who both struggled with depression and passed away when they were young. How do you know what to do when you’re a kid? How does my relationship to my mother affect my current relationships? What is the nature of love? David, whose journalism has taken him to active warzones and has allowed him to spend time with world leaders, shares advice he got early in his career that he still holds onto. Alexi and David also talk about not fitting in.  Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off their first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Creative icon Marta Pozzan joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about femininity, what it means to be your true self, and why creation is her orientation toward the world. Marta and Alexi discuss their childhoods, and what it feels like for them to be alone. Marta shares a story about an influential early mentor of hers working at a magazine in Italy. Marta also shares her style icons and about the roles she gravitates toward as an actress. She explains why she sees the truth as a responsibility, why she’s not afraid of the work, and why she doesn’t stress about knowing exactly what comes next.  Marta’s new movie Perfumania (Fior Di Latte), which she produced and starred in, is now screening all over the world: https://www.instagram.com/perfumaniamovie/ Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off their first order. Visit GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about being busy, comparing yourself to others, and trying new things. She also offers tips on how to avoid your emails going to the junk folder, how to quit shoplifting, and how to tell your friend bring her dog everywhere is not the vibe. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kristen Faulkner, the two-time Olympic champion cyclist, joins host and fellow Olympian Alexi Pappas to discuss the decision of leaving her thriving career in venture capital in favor of her Olympic dream. Kristen is somebody who can change: She grew up in Alaska and then moved to New York City, she rowed for Harvard and then took up cycling, she left her prestigious job in favor of something with no security. More than winning, she values the satisfaction of evolving as a person in order to achieve her goals. This episode of Mentor Buffet is especially suited for you if you’re hesitant to embark on a new journey—whether that’s career, fitness, or anything else, because Kristen cherishes the beginning. Kristen also recounts her Olympic experience. She originally wasn’t slated to race. And then she won gold. This episode is full of advice and inspiration.   For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com.  If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Your body (and goals!) will thank you! Terms and conditions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan LaMorte, comedian and ultramarathoner, joins host Alexi Pappas to discuss mentorship (and the lack of mentorship) in the comedy world. He encourages us to sit in the presence of suffering without trying to numb it. All experiences are good, even painful ones. He shares what it’s been like going through his divorce, talks about his love for running, and shares how important his family’s been in his life. Alexi and Dan talk about respecting their audiences and what artistic integrity means to them. They recount running the half marathon at the LA marathon together. Dan names Ram Dass and Mitch Hedberg as mentor figures. He even cracks a joke or two.   For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com.    Visit GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50  If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Your body (and goals!) will thank you! Terms and conditions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about confidence, cohabitating with the in-laws, and how to break a bad habit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jacqueline Novak is a comedian and writer and actor. Her show “Get On Your Knees” was a smash hit and in 2024 it became a Netflix comedy special. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, Jacqueline and Alexi discuss mentorship in the abstract. They offer hypotheses about what their purposes might be. They discuss their systems of motivation. Jacqueline shares how she got into comedy and what makes a project worthwhile to her. Jacqueline asks Alexi about long distance running. Jacqueline expresses her gratitude for having creative agony. It’s a beautiful conversation, unlike any other episodes of Mentor Buffet.   Jacqueline is on tour now through May performing comedy. You can find a show coming to your city on jokesnovak.com.   Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram, www.instagram.com/mentorbuffet  For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Your body (and goals!) will thank you! Terms and conditions apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to discuss her transition into the ultramarathon. She shares about the process of getting in touch with what she actually wants, and how she’s come to break her old pattern of doing what she thinks other people expect of her—both in her running career and in her relationships. She talks about why she’s attracted to the infinite unknown of the trails, and explains how she came to realize that no single moment of success would ever fix her problems. The girls also discuss what it means to be a good friend and talk about how they’ve been there for each other the past few years.  For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com.   If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Your body (and goals!) will thank you! Terms and conditions apply. Visit GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pat Regan is a TV writer for the hit shows Hacks and Overcompensating. He co-hosts the podcast Seek Treatment with Cat Cohen. He's writing a book right now. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, he joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about the very beginning: dreaming of writing for TV, not talking for his entire freshman year of high school, making the boys on the track team laugh for the first time—and then later, how he got into comedy, what it was like moving to LA in his mid-30s, and what it's been like working as a writer in Hollywood. The conversation is about what it means to find your voice and chase your dreams even when you don't know if you're necessarily moving toward them. Pat's a lit crazy genius and he'll make you laugh. If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Your body (and goals!) will thank you! Terms and conditions apply. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' questions about how to combat disillusionment, how to deal with crumbling New Year's Resolutions, and how to choose whose advice to trust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Social media star Victoria Paris joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to discuss her internet origin story and how her relationship to social media has changed over time. Victoria shares about how positive her relationship with her girlfriend Nico has been the past few years and how she’s grown as a person because of it. Victoria also talks about why Bethany Frankel is an icon to her. She shares killer advice she got from her friend Noah Miller. And she explains why that white man is not your mentor.   For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Visit www.gobrewing.com/alexi for 15% off your next order. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rainn Wilson joins host Alexi Pappas for the second time on Mentor Buffet, this time to discuss spiritual tools for modern living. Rainn shares his path to spirituality in his 20s living in New York in the 90s. Rainn says the question, “What are we really paying attention to?” is really to ask “What are we really worshipping?” They discuss screentime, the billboards in Calabasas, and why young people are in a hope deficit. Rainn also introduces The Soulboom Workbook, his new book that’s out now, that offers a program for getting in touch with your spirituality. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram at https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS shoes, joins host Alexi Pappas to share advice he’s learned on the path of creating purpose-driven business and along his healing journey. Blake shares advice he’s learned from his dad, from Sarah Blakely the founder of Spanx, from his therapist Dr. Dan, and others. Blake shares what it means to be ENOUGH and shares his new bracelet with Alexi. Blake and Alexi both share stories from the lows of their Depressions and talk about how they climbed out. Blake also urges listeners to try talking to themselves in the future.  For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners’ questions about how to parent a crazy kid, how to get what you want, and how to move on after chasing a dream and coming up short. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet.   For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cam Hanes is a world-class bowhunter. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, he joins host Alexi Pappas to express his gratitude for his grandmother who created a safe-haven for him in his younger years, and his late friend Roy who is his number-1 hunting partner, the man who really believed in Cam, and the guy he could tell anything to. Cam shares why it’s important to him to have a close relationship to pain, why he likes to live on the edge, and what it really means to be reliable to others. Cam and Alexi also recount the Oregon hunting trip they went on together last month. This is a beautiful unfiltered conversation between two friends you’ll be glad you listened to.  For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Visit www.gobrewing.com/alexi for 15% off your next order.  Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram at https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Cam’s new book “Undeniable: How To Reach The Top And Stay There” is available for order now at https://www.amazon.com/Undeniable-How-Reach-Stay-There/dp/1250365945 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cooper Raiff, the writer, director, and lead actor of Shit House, Cha Cha Real Smooth, and now Hal and Harper, which is now streaming on Mubi, joins host Alexi Pappas to discuss what it means to make true art, how he develops relationships with his characters, and what a good mentor looks like. He shares about his relationship with his mentor Jay Duplass, who he met because he emailed him a short film he made during his spring break freshman year of college. Cooper also talks about what it means to get rid of fear. He shares about his ideal creative process. And he says he trusts in the universe. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram at http://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The amazing Gabby Reece joins Alexi on Mentor Buffet and shares so much wisdom it'll knock your socks off. For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram at https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about dealing with anxiety and getting out of a toxic relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Holiday, the writer who has popularized stoicism among millions of readers today, joins host Alexi Pappas for the second consecutive episode of Mentor Buffet to share about the very beginning—from sandbagging on the high school cross country team, to being promised a job that didn’t exist at a talent agency, to dropping out of college not certain about where his path was leading him. One thing’s been true: Ryan has kept it moving forward. Ryan recounts the earliest days of his writing career, discusses discipline, and talks about why he rarely writes about himself in his books. Ryan also shares about his relationship with Rich Roll and talks about what he’s learned from being a parent.  Ryan’s new book Wisdom Takes Work is out now. Ryan talks about the book on the other episode of Mentor Buffet, titled RYAN HOLIDAY: Wisdom Takes Work.  For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com. Follow Mentor Buffet on Instagram at https://instagram.com/mentorbuffet.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Holiday, the writer who has popularized the ideas of stoicism among millions of people, joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about his mentors from history. From the Roman Empire, Ryan calls on Marcus Aurelius, Hadrian, and Antoninus, but he also calls on legendary basketball coach Gregg Popovich, the writer Joan Didion, Florence Nightingale the mother of modern nursing, and Michel de Montaigne, the french philosopher. Ryan believes our greatest mentors can be found in books. He also shares about why he was first attracted to stoicism, what it means to him now, and how it could help us all.  For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com.  You can find Alexi's favorite Merrell shoes and gear at merrell.com/alexi. Mentor Buffet has teamed up with Square. Go to  square.com/go/mentorbuffet to learn more about how your business can grow with Square. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi is back with another episode of Help Me Please, where she answers listeners' advice questions—about receiving criticism, finding or creating your dream job, and when to break off a marriage. Alexi also shares an update on her running. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zack Bornstein, the writer and director and comedian, joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about the beginning of his creative career in Hollywood and the lessons he’s since learned along the way. Zack emphasizes that creative output holds all the answers. Make more work and your voice will reveal itself. Zack also shares about mentors of his, including the writers and directors Jonathan Groff and Bill Lawrence.  Check out http://merrell.com/alexi for Alexi’s collection of Merrell products.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nicole McLaughlin, the prolific upcycler and fashion designer, joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to discuss her creative process, the importance of spending time alone, and how she worked up the courage to make a big leap and change her whole life—from working a mostly predictable corporate job at Reebok, to launching her own business and career, completely on her own terms. This conversation is about creating something that didn’t exist before.  If you love Mentor Buffet, we’d love to hear from you. Please fill out the audience survery: http://voicingchange.media/mentorbuffet Shop Alexi’s Merrell collection: http://merrell.com/alexi Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listener advice questions about helping people who don’t want to be helped, how to make a big change, and how to fix the problems that football can cause within a marriage. Alexi also shares an update on her running.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi sits down with a real life mentor: filmmaker and cross country kid Jay Duplass. Jay shares about what he does to protect his creativity, dispels myths about making money as a filmmaker, and shares what he admires about indie filmmaking icon Richard Linklater. Jay also tells the story of how he unexpectedly began his acting career and shares an on-set ritual that puts entire film crews at ease. And finally, Jay is a mentor to many young filmmakers—like Cooper Raiff, the director of Shit House and Cha Cha Real Smooth—and he shares what that’s looked like. Among other things—Alexi and Jay vibe like crazy. Tune in for a great hour long conversation between two friends. If you love Mentor Buffet, we'd love to hear from you. Please fill out our Audience Survey: ⁠⁠http://voicingchange.media/mentorbuffet⁠⁠ If you love the show, follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/mentorbuffet Check out Alexi's Merrell collection: http://www.merrell.com/alexi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The photographer Sinna Nasseri joins host Alexi Pappas after shooting their Outside Magazine cover together. They reflect on the shoot and talk about believing in potential, following a feeling with curiosity, and believing The Universe is good. Sinna also shares about how he changed his life—abandoning his career as a lawyer to pursue photography. They discuss the differences between observing and concluding, what's real and what's not, and how to change your default settings. Check out Alexi's Merrell collection: www.merrell.com/alexi If you love Mentor Buffet, we'd love to hear from you. Please fill out our Audience Survey: http://voicingchange.com/mentorbuffet Check out what we're doing with Square at: www.Square.com/go/mentorbuffet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi takes a break from her routine at training camp in Mammoth to give some advice to Bella Chao. Alexi and Bella are 10 years apart in age and both ran for Dartmouth College. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Victoria Garrick Browne is a USC volleyball player turned mental health advocate turned social media icon who has been recognized by Forbes 30 under 30 for her work. She has chosen to broadcast her mental health online. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, Victoria sits down with Alexi to share her story and about a mentor who really helped her when she was struggling. The girls discuss what it means to be real, how to decide what to share and what not to share, and if everything is a simulation and what that means. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keira D'Amato took 10 years off running and then broke the American Records in both the half marathon and marathon. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, she talks about what led to her decision to go for it again, talks how she changed her relationship to running this time around, and what it feels like to make a big change. Keira talks about how she learned to prioritize herself and shares stories about her coaches Scott Roscoe and Matthew Centrowitz Sr. She reads a text from Joan Benoit Samuelson the night before the Olympic Trials Marathon. And she talks about her new book, Don’t Call It A Comeback, which is out in the world and ready for you to read. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The filmmaker Bao Nguyen joins Alexi to talk about various mentors throughout his life, all of who have influenced how he sees his art—from an important middle school teacher to a Sundance-winning director. Shoutouts to Miss Tripp, Miss Grossman, Jeff Chang, Tony Bui, and Tran Anh Hung. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about making a big change in your life, dealing with an audience, and moving cities. She also shares what she's learning pitching a TV show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi Pappas is joined by Lesley Paterson who is the Oscar-winning screenwriter of All Quiet on the Western Front and a world champion triathlete. She shares about her late husband Simon Marshall and other important people in her life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' questions about how to be high vibrational on command, how to balance striving and being present, and also one about a jealous boyfriend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Zoey Grossman, the first photographer to ever join host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet, shares about her anxiety, the relationship between her and her subjects, and the times she feels the most magic. Zoey also shares her secrets for confidence and directing advice she got from Francis Ford Coppola. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Durr, the accomplished Hollywood gaffer, joins Alexi Pappas to talk about mentorship in his family. His dad and brother are also gaffers, and Nick discerns what he’s inherited from each of them from what’s only his. Nick also talks about the start of his career, a consequential family trip to Thailand, and the importance of shittalking on set.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' questions about accountability, codependence, and when to give up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Angela Trimbur joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet the day after Alexi attended one of Angela’s dance classes and cried. Angela and Alexi discuss the motivation behind her dance classes, and recap Alexi’s experience last night at “Balletcore”—Angela’s class where everybody cosplays as professional ballerinas. Angela shares what she’s learned from her icon Twyla Tharp and about how empowering her friendship has been with Miranda July. She also explains her life motto, “Bend With The Wind,” recommends four books, and explains why she cherishes the moment right before a surgery.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rich Roll joins Mentor Buffet host Alexi Pappas to discuss his purpose: being of service. It's a truth he's discovered in sobriety: “Your life expands in proportion to the extent to which you’re in service to other people." Orienting himself toward service has led Rich to the mentors and friends that helped him publish his book, Finding Ultra, start his podcast, and eventually launch the network, Voicing Change Media, that has fostered Mentor Buffet to life. Rich also recounts recording the first episode of The Rich Roll Podcast with his wife on a mango farm in Hawaii.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about the difference between good and bad pain, being 23, and procrastination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Walsh, the comedian and actor, joins host Alexi Pappas to share some of the lessons he’s learned along the way—from his high school football coach, his biology teacher, and from his peers in the Second City comedy scene in Chicago. Matt shares about the roots of the Upright Citizens Brigade, the improv comedy group he started with his friends that eventually turned into a full-fledged school. Alexi and Matt also talk about Matt’s anxiety about scheduling trips or putting anything on the calendar, and Alexi teaches him a little trick she learned from a psychologist about our worst fears being ridiculous. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Randi Zuckerberg joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about the lessons she learned being one of the original employees of Facebook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abby Wambach, the all-time highest goal scorer in soccer, joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about the lessons she learned from her teammate and mentor Mia Hamm. Abby and Alexi talk about the difference between personality and True Self, and how professional sports can encourage a safety state personality to dominate our lives. Now retired for a decade, Abby can see her behavior and her adaptations from when she was competing with clarity. Abby and Alexi also talk about how athletes can predict the future, the importance of sometimes saying No, and the Disney movie Inside Out.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listener advice questions about fitting in, finding inspiration, and setting goals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oscar Best Picture-winning producer Alex Coco joins Alexi Pappas to talk about working with director Sean Baker through his whole career, on Florida Project in 2017, Red Rocket in 2021, and now Anora, which just won five Academy Awards. Alexi’s conversation with Alex is about not having a plan. It’s the spirit he’s brought to his independent filmmaking and it’s a worldview he’s embodied, consciously or not, since he was a teenager—getting in touch with what he likes, understanding his motivation system, and deciding who to spend time around. Alex and Alexi also talk about David Lynch’s seminal masterpiece Eraserhead, how Alex stays steady among chaos, and how to honor The Film Gods. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ian Harding, the actor, sits down with host Alexi Pappas to talk about his lifelong mentor, his Aunt Julie, who just passed away. Ian became famous overnight when he was cast in Pretty Little Liars and his whole world changed but Aunt Julie stayed the same. She taught him to embrace challenges and how to be graceful, and she gave him her presence through the ups and downs of his acting career—and his life. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, Ian and Alexi talk about all-boys boarding school, how to deal with expectation, and Lindsay Lohan—who Ian idolized as a teen teenager and then worked with her on his latest movie, Our Little Secret, which is now streaming on Netflix.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Haley Joel Osment grew up in Hollywood, and here he shares about mentors he's had through his lifelong acting career: His dad, Robert Zemeckis, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, M Night Shymalan, The RZA, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rich Roll sits down with host Alexi Pappas and shares about some bad mentors he had when he was young. Rich habituated to not asking for help and adapted a strong sense of self reliance, which, years later, stood in his way of receiving help with his alcoholism. How he understood his greatest strength eventually proved to be a profound weakness. Rich details what it took for him to eventually receive help, how he learned to change his mind, and discusses the mentorship model in AA. He also shares about the beautiful mentorship and support he’s received from his wife Julie on the journey to understand his purpose.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Bender is the producer who brought so many movies you love to the screen, like American Pie and Final Destination. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, Chris talks about how his career has been about finding screenwriters with strong voices who were otherwise being ignored—his taste is his form of expression. Chris’s collaborators were also mentors to him—early in his career, Warren Zide helped Chris understand the business and how he wanted to approach it, and the late and great J.C. Spink, Chris’s intern-turned-business partner, who he worked with for 20 years. Chris and Alexi also talk about parenting, high school career day, and how the industry is evolving.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The actress Ciara Bravo joins host Alexi Pappas to discuss her transition from child stardom on Big Time Rush to acting in more adult roles—like Wayne in 2019, Cherry with Tom Holland in 2021, and Alexi and Ciara’s new movie together, Not an Artist which is available to watch digitally on January 31. Alexi and Ciara talk about how to find your north star, and Ciara talks about how she found it in Hollywood, while making Wayne in 2019 with her mentor Shawn Simmons who created a set environment that felt like summer camp. They also chart Ciara’s evolving relationship with school, and Ciara shares a funny audition story.  And Merrell is offering Mentor Buffet listeners a special deal! Use code MentorBuffet25 at checkout for 25% off your first order at merrell.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Olympic 1500-meter champion Cole Hocker joins Alexi to recap his gold medal race in Paris. The two Oregon duck alums also discuss managing self-doubt, accessing your alter ego for peak athletic performance, and what makes a good coach. Cole also talks about his athletic style icons, Mike Tyson and former American Olympic 1500-meter champion Matthew Centrowitz.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The popstar and philanthropist Harry Hudson drops by Mentor Buffet to share his story and the lessons he’s learned from a handful of unexpected friends he’s made along the way—A Swedish music producer he met the day he dropped out of music school showed him what hard work really looks like, an elderly woman he met in chemotherapy guided him to find his purpose, and Jaden Smith helped him understand what real friendship is. There are so many lessons from Harry’s conversation with Alexi, but the main one is this: You’re always in the dream while you’re chasing it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The chef Duff Goldman joins host Alexi Pappas on Mentor Buffet to discuss mentorship in the food world. Duff shares about how his stubbornness has made him resistant to accepting mentorship his whole life. Duff also shares his tips for how to trust yourself, how to harness the power of your subconscious mind, and how to cultivate a lasting state of optimism. Duff and Alexi also talk about Disneyland, “weirdo” status, and the secret to life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The restauranteur and media icon David Chang joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about how to level yourself up by failing within boundaries. They talk about checking in with your actual priorities, the importance of being around people who are better than you, and what it really means to grow up. David also talks about the mentorship he received early in his career in the restaurant business and explains his worldview through the myth of Sisyphus.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cat Cohen, the comedian, writer, and actress joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about her legendary age gap friendship with a woman named Marla who originally was her voiceover acting coach but then became a friend who taught her a bunch of life lessons she still cherishes today. Cat also shares about some of her peers in comedy who she’s learned from. The girls also discuss the movie they acted in together, the excruciating conditions that are sometimes necessary for creativity, and how to tell if your jokes are funny.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The chef and media extraordinaire Eddie Huang joins host Alexi Pappas to discuss how a handful of mentors have helped him stay in touch with himself and his values along his ever-evolving and sometimes turbulent business trajectory in the media world. Eddie shares what the editor of his book Fresh Off the Boat taught him about writing and how the lessons we learn making art always apply elsewhere in our lives too. Eddie recounts the day he met Anthony Bourdain and tells Alexi about how their friendship was predicated on a mutual commitment to always tell the truth. Eddie and Alexi also talk about the difference between judgment and understanding, the characteristics of a graceful mentor, and how to stay focused.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Grammy-winning artist Estelle tells host Alexi Pappas about how curiosity is her guiding light at this point in her music career. They discuss why Estelle’s famous for her collaborations, and she talks about making American Boy with Kanye West, Garden Shed with Tyler the Creator, and Oh No with Kaytranada. Estelle also shares her tips for staying present, talks about the importance of making honest art, and explains why everything is perfect.  Subscribe to Mentor Buffet for a new episode every Thursday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Legendary Hollywood producer Debbie Liebling sits down with Alexi to talk about how she brought to life several shows and movies you love. South Park, Borat, PEN15, and more. The ladies talk about the start of Debbie's career at MTV in the 80s. They also talk about trusting your intuition, the importance of taking ownership over your desires, and how change is scary but sometimes you just have to embrace it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GaTa is a true entertainer. He’s a rapper, an actor, a hype-man. In this episode of Mentor Buffet, GaTa sits down with Alexi to discuss how much he’s improved his acting, the importance of passion, and why he’s not ashamed to ask for help.  Subscribe to Mentor Buffet for a new episode every Thursday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joanne Molinaro, “the Korean Vegan," shares her journey from a 20-year legal career to becoming a food influencer and social media vegan extraordinaire. She discusses the discomfort of staying in an unfulfilling job and the pivotal role of two older women lawyers at her firm who mentored her into understanding her own self worth. Joanne also tells Alexi about the influence of the podcast host Rich Roll in her career transition. The ladies also talk about going to Disneyland as adults, the limits of perfectionism, and the importance of having a sense of humor.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tommy Caldwell tells Alexi about his friendship with Alex Honnold. Tommy and Alexi talk about the transformative power of challenging situations. They reflect on spending time alone, the importance of trust and partnership in climbing, how we change before we realize it, and other things. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Mentor Buffet’s fourth episode, Alexi and Melissa Villaseñor talk about what it’s like to achieve your biggest dream—and then what happens next. Melissa always wanted to be on SNL. And then she made it happen. And after six years as part of the cast she left the show. Melissa tells Alexi the advice she got from her mentors, the comics Whitney Cummings, Maria Bamford, and Bill Burr. The girls also talk about instant fame, making yourself laugh, and building confidence.  Subscribe to Mentor Buffet for a new episode every Thursday, anywhere you listen to podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the third episode of Mentor Buffet, Diplo tells Alexi about a trip he took to India when he was 19 that changed his life forever. His friend Brent took him on an adventure all over the country, and Diplo learned how to be self-sufficient in the world, how to cultivate an independent spirit, and how to be disciplined—all foundational qualities to his successful music career. Diplo and Alexi also recount the time they ran the LA marathon together. They talk about why they love running. And Alexi tells Diplo a secret.  ButcherBox is giving us a special deal! Sign up today at butcherbox.com/mentorbuffetand use code mentorbuffet to get a special offer PLUS $20 off your first box! Subscribe to Mentor Buffet anywhere you listen to podcasts for a new episode every Thursday.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the second episode of Mentor Buffet, Zach Braff shares with host Alexi Pappas about his relationship with his mentor Bill Lawrence, the creator of Scrubs and Ted Lasso. Bill is the first person to give Zach a big Hollywood chance and he cast him as the lead of his show Scrubs as the iconic J.D. Dorian. They also discuss what it means to be yourself, what Zach learned making his debut feature film Garden State, the importance of gratitude, and how to avoid shin splints.  ButcherBox is giving us a special deal! Sign up today at butcherbox.com/mentorbuffetand use code mentorbuffet to get a special offer PLUS $20 off your first box! Subscribe to Mentor Buffet for a new episode every Thursday, everywhere you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the premiere episode of Mentor Buffet, host Alexi Pappas talks to Rainn Wilson about his acting journey and how his mentors—three acting professors he met in school at NYU—taught him lessons that have stuck with him his entire career. Rainn shares about how Zelda Fichandler, the grande dame of American theater, shaped his definition of an actor, how Paul Walker taught him to assume he’s brilliant to build longstanding confidence, and how Ron Van Lieu helped him get out of his own way. Rainn and Alexi also discuss the importance of resilience, the value of being of service to others, and how to stay on your own team. Subscribe to Mentor Buffet anywhere you listen to podcasts for a new episode every Thursday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alexi Pappas's Mentor Buffet is a podcast about mentorship: Who influenced the people who influence us? Who helped them along their journey? Alexi is an Olympian, filmmaker, actress, and bestselling author, and she's leaned on mentors to help her level up faster than she could on her own. After losing her mom to suicide when she was four, she needed to find other people to lean on. Now, it's Alexi's turn to peel back the curtain on mentorship. In each episode of Mentor Buffet Alexi sits down with people who inspire her—athletes, entrepreneurs, creatives, and beyond—to have conversations about chasing dreams and befriending pain, through the lens of those who have shaped them into who they are today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices