Episodes
The Power of Love and Wrestling: A Conversation with Ellie Neidhart
SummaryTo kick off the third season of The Tragedy Academy, Jay and Gary are joined by Ellie Neidhart, the wife of late WWE legend, Jim The Anvil Neidhart. Jay and Gary are able to geek out over their shared childhood experiences of watching wrestlin...
The Tragedy Academy 2.0
SummaryWelcome to The Tragedy Academy... 2.0! In this episode get the scoop on what we have in store for our relaunch. Jay sits down with our new co-host, Gary, to talk about this new era of TA - from new team members to new merch, we've got it all. ...
Lessons Learned
This week on The Tragedy Academy, Jay welcomes back musician and executive producer, Gary DeFranco, for a very special episode: The Tragedy Academy’s season finale! This is TA’s last episode before taking a short hiatus to come back even bigger and b...
Special Guest: Katie Chonacas - Kyriaki
SummaryThis week on the Tragedy Academy podcast, Jay rolls out a very big welcome for the talented multi-disciplinary artist, Katie Chonacas (aka KYRIAKI). Not only has Katie acted in numerous productions with A-list stars, but she also recently rele...
Special Guest: Ben Dykstra - The Rolling Dragon
SummaryThis week on the Tragedy Academy, Jay introduces Ben Dykstra, a.k.a. The Rolling Dragon. Born with Spastic Cerebral Palsy, Ben hasn’t let his disability limit his potential. Ben is a talented voice actor with tireless perseverance in a field t...
Special Guest: Michael Anthony - Think Unbroken
In this episode of the Tragedy Academy, Jay brings trauma survivor and life coach, Michael Unbroken, on to the show. Michael is the host of his own podcast, “Think Unbroken”, where he invites experts, researchers, psychologists, and therapists to dis...
Just Be Kind - Living Unapologetically as a Queer Muslim with Amir Yass
SummaryIn this episode of the Tragedy Academy, we sit down with Amir Yass, digital creator, and LGBTQ activist. As a queer Muslim man, Amir has faced discrimination from all sides - even from other LGBTQ individuals. This discrimination inspired him ...
Exploring the Unknown: A Conversation on Astrophotography and Deep Space with Damien Boath
Summary:Welcome back to another episode of The Tragedy Academy; today, Jay meets Australian native Damien Boath. Damien shares with us his fascination for deep space and his love for pondering the unknown. Through his discovery of astrophotography, D...
Finding Self-Discovery Through Art and Superheroes with Christian Valera
Summary: In this episode of The Tragedy Academy, we meet Christian Valera. Christian runs a YouTube channel where he dives deep into the Marvel and DC universe and details each superhero. Christian used art and superheroes to escape his reality, whic...
Special Guest: Dee McB - Compassion Fatigue
Summary:This week on The Tragedy Academy, Jay invites Dee McB. Dee is a zookeeper and lover of all animals, and in this episode, we get into compassion fatigue and growing up with ADHD. Dee educates us on animal behaviors and touches on how her nurtu...
Navigating the Grief of Losing Both Parents with Aliza Sherman
thetragedyacademy.comSummary: In this installment of the Tragedy, Academy Jay welcomes Aliza Sherman to the show. Aliza is an author, entrepreneur, and web pioneer. She has written 12 books and co-founded Ellementa, a company dedicated to educating w...
Special Guest: Max Lemberger - The Greek Chorus
In this episode of The Tragedy Academy, we meet runway model and actor Max Eric Lemberger. Max's journey into acting and the fashion industry came later in life but with double the intensity. He is a true testament to time having no boundaries and an...
Special Guest: Alexandra Pacheco - Life’s Ladder
The Tragedy AcademySummary: In this episode of the Tragedy Academy, Jay welcomes gymnast turned firefighter Alex Pacheco. Alex shares her journey battling with body dysmorphia on top of a slew of other medical conditions starting from a young age. He...
Overcoming Adversity Through Butterfly Words: A Conversation with Zelda Black
Join us for another episode of The Tragedy Academy, where host Jay speaks with author and poet Zelda Black about her latest book, Butterfly Words. In this episode, Zelda shares her inspiring journey of growing up in a rural town surrounded by racism ...
Special Guest: Rachel Macdonald - Supposed to Suffer
Summary: On The Tragedy Academy; this week, we welcome Rachel McDonald to discuss her experience living with Endometriosis, a rarely diagnosed disorder targeting only women. Rachel walks us through her painstaking journey of getting diagnosed, the ba...
Special Guest: Edison Jakupi - Questionable Behavior
Ep 102: Edison Jakupi - Questionable BehaviorSummary: On this installment of The Tragedy Academy, Jay is joined by actor, model, and podcaster Edison Jakupi. Edison is the host of Questionable Behavior, a podcast committed to helping creators elevate...
Special Guest: Kirk Nurmi - Greatness Unchained
Summary:In today's episode of The Tragedy Academy, Jay welcomes actor, author, and former attorney Kirk Nurmi. Kirk has written numerous books on topics from the famous trial of Jodi Arias To pursuing a purposeful and fulfilled life by defending your...
Special Guest: Mirko Castagna - Just Keep Trying
Summary:In this episode of the Tragedy Academy, we welcome Mirko Castagna to the show. Mirko is a recovering nicotine addict; he was a smoker for over 20 years, starting at 14. He shares his battle with addiction and details the most challenging part...
Janet Conroy-Quirk: National Plus Guide
Summary:On this installment of the Tragedy Academy, writer, actor, and speaker Janet Conroy Quirk is in the studio. Janet is an advocate for the plus-sized community and is co-founder of National Plus Size, a directory that connects people with plus-...
”F#@k It: Why Not Me?” - A Journey of Perseverance with Ryan Cooper
In this episode of The Tragedy Academy Podcast, host Jay Hicks sits down with entrepreneur and author Ryan Cooper as he shares his inspiring story of overcoming adversity. Despite growing up with a bipolar mother and later being diagnosed with the sa...
From Sheltered Child to Queer Host: The Inspiring Story of Jaymes The Face Anthony
Summary:In today's episode of The Tragedy Academy, Jay speaks to Jaymes, The Face Anthony. Jaymes hosts the YouTube show Jaymes Kickback, where he interviews celebrities, influencers, and artists to showcase their art and get to know them personally....
Overcoming Obstacles and Self-Discovery as a Single Father: A Conversation with Kent Lawlor
In this episode of The Tragedy Academy Podcast, host Jay Hicks sits down with Kent Lawlor, an author, schoolteacher, and single father of three children. Kent shares his journey of parenting, mental health struggles, and self-discovery, highlighting ...
The Power of Vulnerability: Zain of Aftersound Gets Real About Making Music
Summary:In today's episode of The Tragedy Academy, Jay welcomes singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Zain of Aftersound. Zain gives us a peek into the mind of a musician and shares his perspective behind the music he creates. We learn of the po...
Special Guest: Hernando Del Castillo - I Am Just Gaying
Summary: In today's episodes of The Tragedy Academy, Jay invites the host of the podcast I Am Just Gaying, Hernando Del Castillo. Hernando brings us along to his journey of reflection, awareness, and metamorphosis. We learn of the societal pressure h...