Unscripted Turbulence with Raegan Medgie

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CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses a serious ongoing health crisis, childhood poverty, and past trauma.

Ever love a place so much you never stopped to ask what it took to build it?

Many of you know the studio I record in. Guests love the vibe. Viewers love the aesthetic. Truth is, I rent that space, and today's guest is the reason it exists: Brianna Peters, who runs Gotham Production Studios with her husband, the power couple behind every bit of magic you've seen on this show.

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What happens when you're building something you believe in, and suddenly start questioning EVERYTHING?

That's where I am right now with this podcast. And that's why I wanted you to meet Adam Schaeuble, host of Podcasting Business School and someone who's become a beacon of hope and clarity for me.

Adam is completely self-taught, no professional training, and that's his superpower. He's failed, redirected, experimented, and succeeded, then shared what he's learned so others can avoid the mistakes he made. Most recently, he started an online community...

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Fifteen years of marriage... and neither of us wanted to spend it lying by a pool...well, at least for the ENTIRE time.

I give a rundown of my 15-year wedding anniversary adventure with Pilot. And it was just that. An ADVENTURE. You have to listen to know where we went... or easily click below to see the places we stayed, adventured, ate, and enjoyed.

Glamping, canyons, national parks, a boat, a tiny cabin, and a driverless car... if you're looking for anniversary trip ideas or a...

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I'm still away...but likely hitting a bit of turbulence, as I'm flying with Pilot, both as passengers, returning from our 15-year wedding anniversary adventure.

Have you ever thought about what it's like sitting next to a pilot on an airplane? I live it everyday (basically), and share what happens when Pilot isn't in control.

I'm also still collecting away messages, so drop yours HERE for a proper shoutout on next week's episode! 

And if you have a question for Pilot about flying - fire a...

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I'm on assignment this week... to celebrate my 15-year wedding anniversary! It's important to unplug, rest, and realign so I can show up better for myself, my loved ones, and all of you.

I couldn't step away without saying something on Unscripted Turbulence, so enjoy this shorter episode. Because I'm not one to leave a party without a hug and making plans for the next gathering.

When I was in news, I would schedule this away message in my email, and I'm doing it here as well: <...

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CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses 9/11, sudden loss, and suicide.

September 11, 2026 marks 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and this is one of the heaviest conversations I've had on Unscripted Turbulence.

My guest, Anthoula Katsimatides, lost her older brother John, who was working in the North Tower of the World Trade Center that day. But to understand Anthoula's story, we have to go back further. Two years before 9/11, she lost her youngest brother to suicide.

Anthoula takes us inside what happens to a family after a suicide...

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Have you ever walked into a room and felt like you didn't belong, until one person made you feel like you did?

That's what happened to me at the Webby Awards Creator Weekend this spring, my first major creator event since leaving TV News. I went alone, the room was younger and more established than what I was used to, and I was way outside my comfort zone.

So I worked the room the way I know how, asking everyone about themselves. That's how I met Jeremiah...

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Have you ever met someone in the middle of your hardest chapter, and they became one of the best parts of your life? That's Smitha Rao. We met when I was still in TV news in NYC, drowning through a story she was handling as my PR contact. She'd left the news industry herself after being treated unfairly, and that day, she made sure every live shot of mine sparkled. If you're a reporter, you know exactly what that means.

This is a first for Unscripted Turbulence: a full...

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Beth Karas started out as a lawyer in the 80s, then in the early 90s got "discovered" while working a case and became the face of Court TV for the next three decades. If you've ever followed a high-profile crime trial, chances are Beth was the lead reporter covering it. She's now a legal analyst across true crime TV, most notably Investigation Discovery, and she genuinely laid the groundwork for the genre as we know it today.

In this episode, Beth shares a story that left me speechless. But...

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A year ago, I walked out of my very first recording at Gotham Production Studios in Manhattan completely defeated. I stumbled. I stuttered. I had to start over more times than I want to admit. Telling my own story, the one about leaving TV news, was harder than I ever expected.

Then I got on the elevator, and Dana Brewington turned to me and asked, "How'd it go?" That question cracked something open. We became friends that day. She was my Angel in the Elevator and I still call...

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Have you ever thrown a party just to say thank you?

Unscripted Turbulence turned ONE on August 1 - one year to the day it launched - and I couldn't let it pass without celebrating with the people who made it happen. So I hosted a livestream birthday party, my first ever Pod-iversary, and invited all of you: family and friends since birth, college pals from my Broadcast Journalism days, former colleagues (and bosses!), and podcast friends along the way. You showed up. We raised a glass.

I...

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50 episodes. One year. And we are just getting started. 🎙️

Before the biggest moment in Unscripted Turbulence history, we needed a dress rehearsal, and you showed up for it. This episode breaks down our pre-show run-through: what worked, and a few standout moments I couldn't let go unnoticed. Shoutouts were given. Comments were read LIVE. That's the energy you can expect at the main event.

🎉 YOU'RE INVITED. Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET for Unscripted Turbulence's FIRST BIRTHDAY LIVE. BYO Beverage, whatever you've got. 

🚨 Plus, a HUGE ANNOUNC...

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"How's the pod?"

That question came up at a recent farewell party for a former colleague - and it cracked something open. So it's time to pull back the curtain on the part I've avoided talking about the most: MONEY.

How much I paid in startup fees. Whose money it was. The trigger that catches me off guard. And a response to a comment that got wedged under my skin about how I'm able to do what I'm doing financially.

It's uncomfortable. It's honest. And...

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Everyone talks about the leap. Nobody talks about the landing.

In this solo episode, I share the story of the literal and mental weight I've carried since my career pivot - leaving 20 years in TV news for a life where I'M the office, I'M the company. Hours chasing news turned into hours parked at a computer. It's not that I'm not active - I just have no reason to leave my apartment daily. The scale became my checkpoint, and the irony isn't lost on me: I left one job...

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Have you ever gotten a sign so loud... you couldn't pretend you didn't hear it?

This solo episode starts as a tribute to my Medgie Militia - the listeners and friends who use words as weapons and had my back when a recent critique got under my skin. But then the signs started stacking up.

Last week, it was my old journals. This week? An email from an old colleague - with a note I wrote to her in 2004 attached. My own words, coming back to me...

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Why would anyone leave a dream job? The best local news station in the country, 20 years in - why walk away from THAT?

If you're not in the business, you're probably still asking why. If you are... you get it.

This July I'm going solo, opening up further than I did when I first shared why I left WABC back in August 2025. This time I dig into the messy middle - the theme is TIME. I reintroduce myself as your co-pilot for reinvention, walk through the whole...

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It’s the first episode of summer - and the start of a new solo series on Unscripted Turbulence. 

This week, it’s just you and me.

I kick things off with a shoutout to the Chief Swag Officer for an amazing custom mic windscreen, share why being under the weather may be the universe’s way of clearing out old energy, and pull back the curtain on PilotLife after summer storms left Pilot stranded in Fort Lauderdale during recording.

I also reveal my summer plans f...

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Singer, actor, musician, director, and Johnny Cash tribute artist Scott Moreau joins me for a conversation that feels as much as it entertains.

We talk about his upbringing in Maine, his love of theater and classic music, and how an adult fascination with Johnny Cash eventually led him to portray the legendary singer on stages across the country.

But this conversation goes deeper.

After losing both of his parents within five months of each other last year, Scott opens up about grief, healing, and the...

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What if decluttering your home could change your life?

In this episode, I sit down with professional organizer and minimalist expert Melissa Welch to explore the powerful connection between our physical spaces and our emotional well-being.

Melissa shares how embracing her lifelong passion for organization led her to a more purposeful life—and how helping others simplify their homes often helps them reclaim their time, energy, and happiness.

We talk about clutter, guilt, sentimental items, and why letting go can be one of the most em...

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Former News 12 Long Island Chief Meteorologist Sam Augeri joins me to discuss what happens when the career you've built no longer aligns with the life you want.

After successful careers in television, both of us found ourselves at a crossroads that ultimately led us away from TV news and toward work that felt more meaningful. Sam shares how she created Sam's Weather School, an educational program designed to inspire children through weather and space science.

In the second half of the episode, we shift gears and talk...

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This solo episode is me pulling back the curtain on what reinvention actually feels like in real time.

I talk about why being told “I miss you on the news” can hit harder than people realize, why I’m saying goodbye to yet another piece of my TV news identity, and why succeeding in this next chapter means breaking almost every rule TV news taught me.

I also revisit a moment from a recent interview that stayed with me, play the clip, and unpack why it hit so dee...

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Jackie Davalos had the career many people dream about — working as a Bloomberg TV and digital reporter after starting out in finance. But behind the success was something so many journalists know intimately: burnout.

The pressure, the toxic environments, the nonstop pace, the ignored warning signs — Jackie kept pushing until one question from her therapist changed the course of her life:

“If you had one year to live, what would you do?”

Her answer? Leave journalism. Move to France. Go to pastry school.

In this...

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An episode months in the making finally happened.

I sit down with comedian and podcaster Amanda Yoa — the very first podcaster I ever met, and someone who helped guide me through the turbulence of creating Unscripted Turbulence. What started as an organic connection quickly became a genuine friendship, and I credit Amanda for helping give me the confidence to fully step into this next chapter outside of TV news.

In this conversation, Amanda opens up about stepping into her truth, the heartfelt story underneath her hilarious “Pam from...

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This one is about what happens when life forces you to start over—and you say yes anyway.

I sat down with Juan Martinez, an Amazon Delivery Service Partner, whose story is the definition of resilience and reinvention.

Born in Colombia, Juan moved back and forth between countries as a kid—eventually losing his English and returning to the U.S. as a teenager starting from scratch.

A chance encounter while working as a server opened the door to a 30-year career… until the pandemic brough...

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Some friendships don’t just stay with you… they shape your path.

In this episode of Unscripted Turbulence, I sit down with Eva Pilgrim—now anchor of Inside Edition and formerly of ABC News, where she co-hosted GMA3. But long before the national stage, Eva and I met as local reporters covering the same story in Pennsylvania. That moment sparked a friendship that would go on to impact my career in a major way—she even helped connect me with my first agent, accelerating my move to New York.

Yea...

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The day after Becca Solomon walked away from her career in TV news, everything changed.

In September 2023, she made the difficult decision to leave a profession she loved. The next day, she flew to Israel to celebrate the High Holidays with family and friends.

Then came the October 7th attacks in Israel — including the attack on the Nova Music Festival.

Becca found herself outside Tel Aviv — hearing sirens, unable to leave, and living through days of uncertainty in a way that felt completely foreign, yet all...

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WARNING: This episode contains graphic content.

Before “true crime” became a genre… this was real life.

On January 8, 2000, Dan Zapp and a friend were abducted along the Susquehanna River, assaulted, shot, and left for dead.

They survived.

In this episode of Unscripted Turbulence, Dan shares what happened that day — and what it took to live after it. Because survival doesn’t end in the moment… it unfolds in the days, months, and years that follow.

We talk about the aftermath, what it’s like to...

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This episode is personal.

Before Unscripted Turbulence ever had sponsors, it had stories—and one of the people who believed in those stories early on was my friend, Brandon Igdalsky.

We go back to my days as a reporter in the Poconos, when Brandon was stepping into his role at Pocono Raceway, a track built by his grandfather, Dr. Joseph “Doc” Mattioli. What started as a professional relationship turned into a real friendship—and in this conversation, you’ll understand why.

This isn’t about promoting a...

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Exactly one year after signing off from TV news, I’m reflecting on what I’ve learned—and what I can finally see clearly now.

In this solo episode, I revisit the past year of building something from scratch, growing through uncertainty, and finding clarity after walking away from a 20+ year career in broadcast.

I answer the question I’ve been getting a lot lately—do I miss TV news?—with honesty, and share my perspective on where I believe the industry has changed.

If you’re...

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What happens when you stop planning… and follow the road?

Christina Zelezen joins me from her renovated Airstream in the mountains of Northern California to share the story of how a spontaneous cross-country van trip with her now-husband Matt changed everything. From traveling nurse life to a rare Airstream renovation and five acres above the treetops, their journey is a reminder that sometimes the greatest adventures begin when you simply say yes.

(And if you want to see their incredible Airstream renovation, you’ll definitely want to watc...

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Raegan sits down with longtime friend Leigh Abraham, who shares his journey through drug addiction, homelessness, and the bipolar diagnosis that finally helped him understand what he had been battling for years.

With honesty, humor, and perspective, Leigh reflects on the road from rock bottom to recovery.

Today, he’s married, a father of two, and says his life finally feels warm.

A conversation about addiction, mental health, friendship, faith, and finding hope after rock bottom.

Th...

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What started as a simple DM turned into an unexpected friendship.

Years ago, Orlena Cain reached out to warn me that someone was impersonating me on social media. That message sparked a connection that would later turn into a friendship — and a conversation that challenged the way I think about independence, resilience, and living life on your own terms.

Orlena shares her unconventional path from working in TV and radio in Canada to building financial independence in a surprising way — through OnlyFans. What started as an unexpected oppo...

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Six years ago, my best friend Angela Malpedo Yoo lost her father to multiple myeloma. We recorded this episode the day after his death anniversary.

From high school to college roommates, we’ve grown up together. I stood beside her through her battle with an eating disorder that began in childhood — and through it all, her father was her steady, grounding presence.

Then came cancer.

Lou, a firefighter with unwavering positivity, faced his diagnosis with strength and perspective that still guides Angela today.

In t...

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What happens after you’re fired from your dream job?

Former Nashville morning news anchor Nikki Burdine joins me for a raw, honest conversation about losing her TV career — and why she now believes it was part of a bigger plan.

Two weeks after I left WABC, Nikki’s Instagram post announcing her departure crossed my feed in what felt like divine timing. I reached out. She responded. That one message turned into a friendship rooted in shared newsroom experiences, faith, and reinvention.

In this episod...

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Disclaimer: This episode contains some swearing — it’s a raw, emotional conversation and Michele speaks from the heart.

On social media, Michele Vidal’s life can look picture-perfect — but behind the photos is a story of resilience few people know.

I sit down with my sister-in-law — my “Seester” — for a raw conversation about heartbreak, rebuilding, and the strength that emerges when life doesn’t go as planned.

After a fairytale marriage unraveled due to infidelity, Michele faced the reality of starting over as a single mother. Just as sh...

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In this intimate solo episode, it’s just you and me.

I’m checking in from my cozy podcast nook to talk about change, courage, and the clarity that often arrives in life’s most uncertain seasons. Since stepping away from local news, I’ve experienced both empowering highs and very human down days — but I’ve come to see them as signs pointing me exactly where I’m meant to go.

When a friend referred to this chapter as a “midlife crisis,” it sparked a realization: this isn’t crisis...

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A martini, a DM, and an instant friendship 🍸

Entertainment journalist and author Nelson Aspen joins me for a conversation that’s equal parts laughter, nostalgia, and heart. Nelson spent two decades on air covering entertainment news and lived through the electric media scenes of New York City and Hollywood in the 80s and 90s — stories he now captures in his books, which read like a time capsule of that era.

We talk about his upbringing, coming out to his father, the evolution of storytelling, and how he...

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Reinvention starts with learning to advocate for yourself.

In this inspiring episode of Unscripted Turbulence, I sit down with Aundrea Cline-Thomas to explore finding your voice, trusting your talent, and shaping the life you want—no matter where you are in your journey.

Aundrea shares how growing up in the Sierra Leonean immigrant community in Maryland taught her to speak up and fight for what she deserves. We discuss why comparing yourself to others is toxic, why your talent is always on loan, and how every “no” can ma...

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This episode delivers a bold jolt of inspiration — like sipping a cup of fully caffeinated coffee.

I’m joined by Ryan Leckey, a former TV news colleague who has since stepped into his next chapter as the CEO of his own media company. Ryan shares his rise through television news, what it was like growing up and coming into his own skin on camera, and the courage it took to come out while in the industry.

We dive into hustle, grinding, and the quiet whispers that tell you...

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The second Wednesday in January is when fitness resolutions start to fade — and that’s why this episode matters.

Founder of Stronger with Luisa, Luisa Curia, shares the deeply personal reason fitness became her lifeline. After battling depression in her 20s and nearly overdosing on pills, movement became her oxygen.

In this raw conversation, Luisa opens up about how fitness helped heal her mind, carried her through a marriage falling apart, supported her through the grief of losing her father, and continues to grou...