Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger

Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger

Author: Paul Ollinger Language: English Episodes: 100
Paul Ollinger has worn a few different hats-stand-up comedian, tech executive, and now, the curious host of Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger. This isn't a lecture series or a dry self-help guide. Instead, it feels more like pulling up a chair for a series of genuinely engaging talks that wander into the places where our daily lives, careers, and inner worlds collide. The conversations, which feature authors, thinkers, and various creatives, are refreshingly candid. They dig into the practical and philosophical questions about what it actually means to build a life that feels both successful and satisfying. You'll find that each episode of this podcast approaches big themes-money, purpose, and the pursuit of contentment-with a blend of wit and thoughtful depth. The underlying idea isn't about finding a perfect, Instagram-ready version of happiness, but something more grounded and attainable. It's for anyone who's ever wondered if there's a smarter, more meaningful way to navigate the pressures of business and culture without losing sight of what matters. Tuning in, you get the sense that Paul is figuring it out alongside his guests, making the insights feel earned and relatable. The result is a consistently interesting exploration of how we can all aim for a life that feels reasonably, and authentically, well-lived.
Episodes
Jeffery Toobin on Presidential Power | Reasonably Happy Podcast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:30
CNN legal analyst and bestselling author Jeffrey Toobin breaks down the hidden power of presidential pardons — and how they reveal the true character of American presidents. From Trump’s transactional pardons to the cont…
A Poet’s Wild Past w/ Edward Hirsch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:46
Acclaimed poet and Guggenheim Foundation president Edward Hirsch joins us in an unforgettable episode to discuss his powerful memoir My Childhood in Pieces: A Stand-Up Comedy and a Skokie Elegy. Hirsch reflects on his ch…
Has Affirmative Action FAILED? | Richard Kahlenberg & Paul Ollinger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:12
Has affirmative action failed in America??In this eye-opening conversation, Richard Kahlenberg—author of Class Matters and a longtime education and housing policy scholar—explains why race-based affirmative action has fa…
Facing Down Trump with Jocelyn Benson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:15
In December 2020, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson was decorating the family Christmas tree with her 5-year-old son when she heard a crowd outside her home chanting "Stop the Steal!" In the days and weeks that…
Paul Wants $$ From Qatar (and other hilarious Substack posts) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:55
This week, Paul reads his three most recent Substack posts, including: A very funny take on Qatar's bribery of pretty much every institution in America, How his dog's feel about castration, and Why many of us will have o…
From Chaos to Cambridge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:31
Rob Henderson’s dad walked out when Rob was an infant. Not long after, Rob’s drug-addicted mother placed him into the foster care system and a near-constant cycle of neglect and displacement. According to his 2024 book,…
From Chaos to Cambridge - Rob Henderson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:31
He was drinking by age five, shuffled through ten foster homes, and emotionally shut down by the time most kids are starting kindergarten — yet Rob Henderson clawed his way from chaos to Cambridge. In this powerful episo…
Laurie Woolever- Dark Side of Celebrity Chefs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:08
Former personal assistant to both Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali, Laurie Woolever, opens up about the untold truths behind celebrity kitchens, toxic food culture, addiction, and what ultimately drove Bourdain to suici…
E.A. Hanks - Famous Father, Troubled Mother [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:49
In this raw and revealing episode of Reasonably Happy, author and screenwriter E.A. Hanks opens up about growing up as the daughter of Tom Hanks, surviving a chaotic childhood with an abusive, mentally ill mother, and fo…