Mick Unplugged

This is a previously recorded conversation, returning as a Mick Unplugged re-release. References to upcoming projects reflect the time of recording. Chef André Rush's strength reaches far beyond the kitchen or the gym. In this conversation, the U.S. Army veteran, former White House chef, and mental health advocate shares the mission that keeps him serving others through grief, setbacks, and success. Mick and Chef Rush talk about checking in on the people you love, the stigma around asking for help, and why compassion belongs alongside discipline. Chef Rush reflects on September 11 at the Pentagon, a moment of connection at therapy, and the lessons his parents gave him about hard work and perseverance. The conversation also explores how cooking became his calling, the accountability required inside the White House, and the experiences behind his memoir, Call Me Chef, Dammit! It closes with four rapid-fire questions and an exchange about mentorship, gratitude, and making an impact. You'll Hear - Why a simple conversation can help people feel connected - Chef Rush's answer to “What is your because?” - How personal loss shaped his commitment to children and veterans - His experience of trauma and the difficulty of asking for support - Why encouragement, empathy, and perseverance matter - How military service led him toward a culinary career - Accountability, teamwork, and the White House kitchen - The story behind his memoir and four candid rapid-fire answers CHAPTERS 00:00 Check on each other: the cold open 00:20 Meet Chef André Rush 01:19 Why reaching out matters 03:24 Choosing service and refusing complacency 05:33 His father's lessons on hard work 07:19 The Because: a mission beyond yourself 10:22 Mick on friendship, loss, and connection 13:05 Turning remembrance into a cause 14:13 September 11, the Pentagon, and trauma 17:14 Asking for help and challenging stigma 20:12 A moment of connection at therapy 20:43 Keep going: encouragement and resilience 24:44 How cooking became his calling 32:17 Accountability inside the White House 35:35 The story behind Call Me Chef, Dammit! 40:50 Food, patience, and plans discussed in the recording 42:24 Four rapid-fire questions 44:40 Gratitude, mentorship, and farewell CONNECT & DISCOVER CHEF ANDRÉ RUSH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realchefrush/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChefRush TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chefrush Website: https://chefrush.com/ Book discussed: Call Me Chef, Dammit! A Veteran's Journey from the Rural South to the White House FOLLOW MICK Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mickunplugged/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MickUnpluggedPodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickhunt/ TikTok: @mickunplugged: https://www.tiktok.com/@mickunplugged Spotify, Mick Unplugged: https://open.spotify.com/show/2cUp7JRzkVqunYmD2ENe4g Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953 Mick Hunt Official: https://mickhuntofficial.com/ Buy Mick's book, How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Leader-When-Youve-Never/dp/1394357958 Content note: Discussion of suicide loss, grief, September 11, trauma, and mental health. Contains occasional strong language.

What happens when business experience becomes the foundation for a more personal mission? Adam Zeitsiff joins Mick Hunt to discuss youth fitness, purpose, and the leadership lessons behind building teams that can carry a mission forward. From technology to Gold's Gym and LA Fitness, Adam reflects on the experiences that led him to his work with the Dominique Dawes Academy. He explains why a child's gold medal moment might be learning a cartwheel, gaining confidence, or discovering the value of practice. The conversation also explores the shop-floor example his grandfather set, the importance of asking for help, and why hiring and listening to capable people can change a business. They close with mentorship, lessons Adam wishes he had learned earlier, and The Unplugged Five. YOU'LL HEAR - Why Adam's because is centered on creating better opportunities for children. - How his technology background shaped his work in the fitness industry. - The mission behind helping kids find their own gold medal moments. - What his grandfather taught him about caring for the people on your team. - Why entrepreneurs need to ask for help, listen, and hire strong specialists. - His perspective on AI, mentorship, and the legacy he wants to leave. EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 The mission behind the work 00:33 Meet Adam Zeitsiff 01:34 The Because: a mission centered on children 05:45 Schools, parents, and physical activity 08:55 The Unplugged Truth: technology meets fitness 11:45 Leading at Gold's Gym 14:32 Two different fitness business models 16:05 Hot Takes: the Dominique Dawes Academy vision 20:43 AI and the human side of fitness 23:17 Finding a child's gold medal moments 25:57 The Room: a grandfather's leadership example 27:56 Asking for help and scaling a business 30:01 Hiring and compensating the right people 32:58 Mentorship and growing leaders from within 34:25 Connecting with the academy 35:11 Leadership lessons learned the hard way 36:46 The Unplugged Five 40:12 Legacy and making a difference CONNECT & DISCOVER Adam Zeitsiff: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-zeitsiff/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/zeitscameraaction/ Dominique Dawes Academy: https://www.dominiquedawesgymnasticsacademy.com/ Academy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dominique-dawes-academy/ Academy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawesgymnasticsacademy FOLLOW MICK Mick Hunt Official: https://mickhuntofficial.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/ TikTok: @mickunplugged https://www.tiktok.com/@mickunplugged YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MickUnpluggedPodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickhunt/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953 Spotify: Mick Unplugged https://open.spotify.com/show/2cUp7JRzkVqunYmD2ENe4g Buy Mick's book: How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One https://www.amazon.com/Good-Leader-When-Youve-Never/dp/1394357958 Your because is your superpower. Go unleash it. Content note: Contains occasional strong language. Business plans and expansion discussions reflect the time of recording. #mickunplugged #adamzeitsiff #kidsfitness #gymnastics

What does it take to stand in front of a room and make people laugh—even when the room goes quiet? Comedian Mookie G joins Mick for a candid, funny conversation about the work behind the punchline. He shares how his mother recognized his gift for bringing people joy, encouraged him to take a comedy class, and helped him discover his because. Mookie breaks down the difference between being funny online and performing live, the challenge of developing jokes, and why an audience’s silence does not always mean a set has failed. Mick and Mookie also explore authenticity, self-love, social media, and the patience it takes to keep showing up before the right opportunity arrives. Along the way: Houston sports loyalty, growing up in Beaumont, moving to Atlanta, and a rapid-fire conversation about comedy, food, and the legacy Mookie wants to leave. Listen for the purpose beneath the laughter—and the reminder to be yourself. In this episode: • Finding a because in bringing happiness and joy to others • The mother who saw a comedian before he saw it himself • Stage fright, audience energy, and learning to trust silence • Developing material through recorded conversations and real-life experience • Hosting, featuring, and headlining: different jobs, different rhythms • Using social media to build visibility while staying yourself • Self-love, consistency, and being ready for opportunity • Beaumont roots, Atlanta possibility, and a funny and friendly legacy CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open: becoming comfortable with silence 00:27 Welcome and the comedy show where Mick and Mookie met 02:36 The Because: bringing happiness and joy 03:29 How his mother helped him discover comedy 04:10 Being funny online versus performing on stage 05:36 Tough rooms and protecting your own material 07:42 The Unplugged Truth: developing jokes 11:04 Hosting, featuring, and headlining 12:42 Hot Takes: getting attention and staying yourself 14:05 Building visibility through social media 16:40 Be yourself, self-love, and finding joy 18:23 Houston loyalty and Beaumont roots 22:26 Why Atlanta felt full of possibility 23:49 The Room: the comedy class that changed his path 25:45 Trusting silence and finding your pace 28:45 New projects and getting booked 29:59 Performing your best when opportunity is watching 33:15 Where to find Mookie and the story behind the merch 34:47 The Unplugged Five: comedy, football, and food 38:03 The legacy he wants to leave 39:30 Closing: your because is your superpower Subscribe to Mick Unplugged for conversations about the because behind the journey. Connect & Discover Mookie G: Instagram: @mookie_g_comedy Facebook: @mookiegcomedy Website: mookieg.com FOLLOW MICK ON: Spotify: MickUnplugged Instagram: @mickunplugged Facebook: @mickunpluggedYouTube: @MickUnpluggedPodcast LinkedIn: @mickhunt Website: MickHuntOfficial.com Website: howtobeagoodleader.com Website: Leadloudseries.com Apple: MickUnplugged Book: How to be A Good Leader When You’ve Never Had One

D.L. Hughley wanted one more conversation with his father. He put it into Charlie's Boy. In this episode of Mick Unplugged, D.L. joins me to talk about his new memoir, the man who raised him and the parts of fatherhood he understands differently now. We get into duty, family silence and why providing for your children can become so consuming that being present gets pushed aside. D.L. shares what he learned about Charlie after his death and why he makes a deliberate effort to let his own children know him. I also tell D.L. how his backstage mentorship changed the way I approached my podcast and my business. We talk about knowing the rules, owning your decisions and understanding why people keep listening. You'll hear: - The conversation behind Charlie's Boy - What showing up does for a father-child relationship - The pressure to keep working, even when it costs you time at home - Why finding his way into comedy also brought survivor's guilt - A reunion 25 years after an act of kindness - D.L.'s take on freedom of speech, consequences and protecting your peace I'm giving a copy of Charlie's Boy to the first 100 people who DM "Charlie's Boy" to @mickunplugged on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/ CHAPTERS 00:00 The conversation D.L. never had with his father 00:11 Meet D.L. Hughley 00:55 The Because: Faith, hope and connection 04:12 The Unplugged Truth: The father behind Charlie's Boy 07:12 Duty, love and the words fathers do not say 10:36 Why D.L. wrote Charlie's Boy 11:45 Hot Takes: Hurt, offense and growth 14:30 Free speech and consequences 16:22 Fatherhood and the trust built by showing up 21:56 What D.L. learned about Charlie's work life 26:03 The Room: Finding a way forward through comedy 28:02 Survivor's guilt and appreciating your life 29:05 An act of kindness comes back 25 years later 32:06 The backstage advice that changed Mick's approach to media 34:11 Mick's 100-book offer 35:22 The Unplugged Five: What makes D.L. laugh 36:37 The conversation America avoids 37:45 Human connection and why people keep listening 41:34 D.L.'s go-to drinks 42:35 Other people's opinions and protecting your attention 44:27 Closing conversation CONNECT & DISCOVER D.L. HUGHLEY Book: Charlie's Boy: A Memoir https://a.co/d/0bV9x1UZ Instagram: @realdlhughley https://www.instagram.com/realdlhughley/ Facebook: @RealDLHughley https://www.facebook.com/RealDLHughley/ YouTube: DL Hughley https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6B_HuuSaR-IDsKuJVK0LEw FOLLOW MICK Instagram: @mickunplugged https://www.instagram.com/mickunplugged/ Facebook: @mickunplugged YouTube: @MickUnpluggedPodcast https://www.youtube.com/@MickUnpluggedPodcast LinkedIn: @mickhunt https://www.linkedin.com/in/mickhunt/ Website: https://mickhuntofficial.com/ Book: How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never Had One https://howtobeagoodleader.com/ Apple Podcasts: Mick Unplugged https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mick-unplugged/id1731755953 Spotify: Mick Unplugged https://open.spotify.com/show/2cUp7JRzkVqunYmD2ENe4g Content note: Explicit language and discussion of grief and family relationships.

What makes a bottle worth remembering? For Dixon Dedman, the answer starts with the people who share it. The master blender behind 2XO joins Mick Hunt for a conversation about bourbon, hospitality, creative conviction, and the legacy he hopes to leave his children. Dixon explains how his family's hospitality roots shaped his purpose, why blending requires more than mixing percentages, and how he approaches mouthfeel, maturation, and secondary oak exposure. Mick also tastes Rapper's Delight during the conversation, and Dixon shares the story of a father and son celebrating a new generation with a bottle of Kentucky Owl. That moment brings the conversation back to his because: making something that becomes part of another person's meaningful experience. In this episode: How hospitality shaped Dixon's purpose and approach to bourbon The challenge of reproducing a small sample blend at barrel scale Why creative conviction matters when developing a whiskey His focus on mouthfeel, viscosity, and the overall drinking experience The personal connections that matter beyond awards and ratings His hope that the next generation will carry the family legacy forward Listen for the lesson that travels beyond bourbon: exceeding expectations can turn a product or service into a moment someone remembers. Chapters 00:00 A moment beyond selling bottles 00:40 Meet Dixon Dedman 03:06 What is your because? 07:30 Moments, memories, and personal connection 10:07 Unplugged Truth: the craft of blending 15:20 Putting a personal mark on whiskey 19:27 Hot Takes: tasting Rapper's Delight 22:01 Mouthfeel and the drinking experience 35:00 The Room: a toast to three generations 39:29 2XO and the recorded plans discussed 42:20 Unplugged 5 46:08 The legacy Dixon hopes to leave 48:08 Closing reflections Follow Mick Unplugged for more conversations about purpose, leadership, and the because behind the work. Connect & Discover Dixon Dedman: Instagram: @dixon_dedman LinkedIn: @dixon_dedman X: @dixon_dedman Website: 2xowhiskey.com FOLLOW MICK ON: Spotify: MickUnplugged Instagram: @mickunplugged Facebook: @mickunpluggedYouTube: @MickUnpluggedPodcast LinkedIn: @mickhunt Website: MickHuntOfficial.com Website: howtobeagoodleader.com Website: Leadloudseries.com Apple: MickUnplugged Book: How to be A Good Leader When You’ve Never Had One #MickUnplugged #Leadership #Podcast #DixonDedman #2XOWhiskey