Truth Tastes Funny with Hersh Rephun

Hosted by Hersh Rephun

Business Entrepreneurship Education

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Episodes

123

Latest episode

Feb 2025

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About the show

How do we stay sane, survive, and thrive in today’s world? On the Truth Tastes Funny podcast, writer/comedian Hersh Rephun explores the absurdity of life’s challenges, while engaging with experts who’ve dedicated themselves to finding serious solutions.

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February 5, 2025Episode 12237 min

Mislabeled: Ryan DeLena Skis the Slopes of Self-Perception

Ryan DeLena and his dad Rob join Hersh to talk about labels, limits, and the true realization of potential on this episode of Truth Tastes Funny. When Ryan DeLena was five years old, he was placed in a therapeutic school that relied on detrimental methods of behavior modification such as physical restraint. He was heavily medicated and four years later, was voluntarily committed to a mental hospital for further evaluation. His parents Rob and Mary Beth were counseled to place him in a group home. They refused. Today, Ryan is the youngest person to ski tour in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, having completed expeditions in Antarctica (2018), Svalbard (2022), and Baffin Island (2023). He was featured on the cover of Backcountry Ski Maps, and he’s climbed and skied peaks in Chile, Argentina, Oregon, Washington, and more. He graduated from Vermont State University in 2024.

January 29, 2025Episode 12128 min

From Finance to Funny: Jim Flynn on Life, and it's Not Brain Surgery

Jim Flynn shares his remarkable journey from the finance world to becoming a successful author. Following a life-altering brain surgery, Jim found a new perspective and direction in life, leading him to write bestsellers. The conversation delves into his influences, decisions, and the intersection of finance and writing. Jim and Hersh discuss their writing styles, comedy, and the evolution of jokes. They reflect on the comedy profession and Jim's future plans. The episode also offers writing tips and emphasizes professionalism. Jim's personal growth, influenced by surgery, aging, and family, is highlighted, concluding with a promotion of his work and final thoughts.

January 22, 2025Episode 12020 min

Balancing Goals and Distractions: Tina Collura's Advice for the New Year

Tina Collura, an award-winning Productivity and Business Development Coach who leverages 14+ years of entrepreneurial expertise to drive businesses from surviving to thriving. Through personalized consultations, she helps business owners develop growth models that will help them secure deals and triples entrepreneurs' income swiftly. As a dynamic Keynote Speaker, Tina shares insights globally on business development and productivity. She's not just a consultant but a dedicated strategic partner empowering entrepreneurs on their path to success.

January 15, 2025Episode 1191 hr 9 min

David Weiss on Questioning Reality and Rediscovering Personal Power

David Weiss, also known as Flat Earth Dave, dives into the depths of alternative cosmology in this episode. He challenges the conventional understanding of space, gravity, and Earth's movement, sparking a discussion on the reliability of scientific evidence and expert credibility, including figures like Neil deGrasse Tyson. David and Hersh explore the purpose and logic behind various conspiracy theories, including control theories and the significance of the Georgia Guidestones. They emphasize the importance of questioning reality, understanding societal power dynamics, and overcoming fear to rediscover personal power. The episode concludes with reflections on critical thinking and a preview of future discussions.

January 8, 2025Episode 11843 min

Navigating Burnout and Finding Purpose with Jean-Francois Lappas

"JF" burned-out and quit his 6-fig corporate job during the pandemic. He then reset his whole life, and has since been investing his time and savings into building a business he’s truly passionate about. He believes that, for an individual to be truly happy, they must be supported in exploring all possible ways to self-realize. That's why - through his coaching platform, wabya - he aims to bring self-actualization to 1 billion people by 2033.

January 1, 2025Episode 11728 min

Thomas R Wilson on Sensory Friendly Initiatives and Emotional Processing in Youth

Inspired by his own experiences as a member of the Neuro-diverse and Mental health community, Thomas R Wilson is a professional Advocate, Writer, Consultant, Business Owner, and Sensory Friendly Event Specialist. In this episode of Truth Tastes Funny, Hersh sits down with Thomas to discuss his work, which involves an empathic and person-first mindset that works to empower and uplift community voices.

December 25, 2024Episode 11637 min

Dame Clarissa Burt on Self-Esteem, Resilience, and Mental Health Challenges

Dame Clarissa Burt is an internationally acclaimed award-winning media personality, producer, director, writer, author, public speaker and former supermodel and winner of the Celebrity Survivor show! With hundreds of television and film credits to her name, this Who’s Who of International and American Women brings over 35 years of entertainment industry experience in both International and American markets.

December 18, 2024Episode 11538 min

The Power of Belonging, Self-Acceptance, and Family Health with Jeff and Liz Spitzer

GET YOUR HEAD & HEART IN THE GAME! In this episode, Hersh welcomes Jeff and Liz Spitzer from Head Heart Health to discuss belonging and self-acceptance. Jeff and Liz share their journey in service-oriented business and coaching, highlighting the importance of positive recognition and emotional health in families. The conversation covers distinctions between emotional and mental health and the role of thoughts, feelings, and actions in health coaching. They also touch on aging, recent health research, exercise benefits, and online vs. in-person connections, ending with advice on making incremental lifestyle changes.

December 11, 2024Episode 11432 min

Ashish Kothari on Neuroplasticity, Joy, and Mindful Living

C'MON GET HAPPY!!! Ashish Kothari is an executive coach, author, consultant and founder of Happiness Squad, a company focused on helping individuals and organizations make flourishing their competitive edge and operate at their fullest potential. In his best-selling book, “Hardwired for Happiness,” Ashish outlines an easy-to-follow recipe that can help anyone increase joy, health, love and meaning in their lives.

December 4, 2024Episode 11329 min

Heroines, Mysticism, Villains, and Modern Parallels with Douglas Burton

We've got a treat for our lovers of storytelling! Hersh sits down with Douglas A. Burton, a novelist and storyteller whose various works emphasize heroic women in fiction. Doug’s debut historical novel, "Far Away Bird," brought Byzantine Empress Theodora to life through an intimate biographical account. The novel collected numerous awards including gold medals for the IBPA’s Best New Voice in Fiction, Readers’ Favorite Historical Personage, and eLit’s Best Historical Fiction eBook. Far Away Bird was also a finalist for the Montaigne Medal (Eric Hoffer Book Award) and Screencraft’s Cinematic Book competition. His articles and work on Theodora have appeared in Ms. Magazine and have been cited on Wikipedia. More recently, Doug’s short story ‘The Vaccine’ won the 2024 NextGen Short Story Awards for the Scary Story/Paranormal category.