The Flow with Bob Martin

Bob Martin
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  • Society & Culture

Commentary and Interviews on Politics, Culture, Society & Being Human The Flow is commentary for people who are already awake — and want to stay that way. Each episode, Bob Martin cuts through the noise to examine what's really happening in politics, culture, and society — not just the surface events, but the deeper forces, fears, and patterns shaping our world. Sometimes that's sobering. Sometimes it's absurd. Honestly, lately it's been both at once. This isn't passive listening. The Flow is for engaged people who want sharper thinking, stronger arguments, and a deeper grounding for the work they're already doing — whether that's civic action, cultural advocacy, or simply trying to make sense of a world that seems increasingly determined not to make sense. To go with the flow, first understand the flow.

  1. 9h ago

    The Podium and the Cheap Seats l The Flow: Commentary by Bob Martin

    Political polarization becomes dangerous when people stop seeing those across the aisle as fellow citizens and begin seeing them as a threat that must be defeated—or removed.   In this episode of The Flow, Bob Martin takes a deeper look at political extremism and the familiar argument that “there are extremists on both sides.” He acknowledges troubling examples of extremism from both Democrats and Republicans, but argues that simply saying “both sides” can obscure important differences in who is speaking, where the rhetoric comes from, and how much influence it carries. Bob explores the contrast between extremists in the “cheap seats” and those at the “podium,” and examines how political rhetoric can move from anger and dehumanization toward something far more dangerous. He also reflects on how each political side can selectively focus on the other side’s worst behavior while overlooking its own, creating an increasingly distorted picture of political opponents. Drawing on the example of Ted Kennedy and John McCain, Bob remembers a time when deep political disagreement could coexist with a recognition that opponents were still fellow Americans. At the heart of the conversation is a challenge: What would it take for us to look beyond our political divisions and recognize what is happening beneath them?  Watch or listen to the full episode of The Flow with Bob Martin and stay engaged in the conversation about political polarization, extremism, democracy, and what it means to remain awake and aware in a divided America. Subscribe for more thoughtful conversations and commentary on the issues shaping our lives and our country.  📌 Video Chapters  00:00 — Extremists on Both Sides  00:24 — When Political Rhetoric Turns Violent  00:53 — Yes, Extremism Exists on Both Sides  01:50 — The Cheap Seats vs. The Podium  02:46 — Beat Them or Remove Them?  03:21 — When Opponents Become Enemies  04:19 — We Only See Their Worst  04:48 — What Are We Grieving?  05:32 — Stay Awake, Aware & Engaged  🔗 Connect with Bob Martin   Substack: https://iambobmartin.substack.com/publish/home Podbean: https://podcastbobm.podbean.com/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IamBobMartin   Email: contact@theflowmedia.com  Explore My Published Books https://authorbobmartin.com/   OR  To explore my blogs, vlogs, podcasts, videos, and books, or to send Bob Martin a message please click here:  https://theflowmedia.com

  2. 5d ago

    Commit Together and Turn Concern Into Action l The Flow with Bob Martin

    Concern alone doesn’t create change—action does. Paul M. Katz joins Bob Martin to explore how ordinary people can move beyond civic overwhelm, take meaningful first steps, and rediscover the power of acting together.  Drawing on decades of work connecting entertainment, advocacy, and social impact, Paul shares how his experiences led to Commit Together, an initiative designed to help people turn concern into practical civic participation. He explains why disengagement isn’t always about apathy—sometimes people simply feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin. The conversation explores the power of small, achievable actions, from becoming more informed and participating in your community to finding organizations that align with your values. Paul also shares the idea that “action overcomes anxiety,” showing how taking one step can restore a sense of agency and connect people with others who care about the same issues. Bob and Paul discuss community, trust, civic participation, political differences, and why meaningful change doesn’t always begin with a grand gesture—it can begin with one person deciding to act.  You don’t have to solve everything to make a difference. Discover how one meaningful step can turn concern into action—and action into connection. Watch or listen to the full episode of The Flow with Bob Martin, and explore ways to get involved through Paul’s Commit Together initiative.  📌 Video Chapters  00:00–05:14 — From Music to Social Impact  05:14–10:21 — Harnessing Celebrity for Change  10:21–16:00 — Matching Passion With Purpose  16:00–20:25 — Why People Feel Civically Overwhelmed  20:25–27:06 — Taking the First Small Step  27:06–34:18 — Inside the Commit Together Mission  34:18–40:24 — Action, Agency, and Community  40:24–45:50 — Ordinary People Creating Real Impact  45:50–51:48 — Values, Voting, and Democracy  51:48–57:18 — Protecting Democracy Through Action  💬 Featured Quotes  “Action overcomes anxiety.” — Paul Katz   “There are people who feel like you who didn't know what to do, who are now doing something.” — Paul Katz  “I'm not looking to sell books. I'm looking to make a difference in the world by having more people engage in civic participation.” — Paul Katz  “You just never know, you know, what one act, one motion, one opening of a door for someone can make such a difference in their lives.” — Bob Martin  “The system is only based on confidence and trust.” — Bob Martin 💡 Episode Key Takeaways  Small actions can restore personal agency. Civic participation doesn't require becoming a full-time activist; registering to vote, attending a meeting, sharing information, donating, or helping someone else participate can be meaningful first steps.  Overwhelm isn't the same as apathy. Paul argues that many people care deeply about their communities and democracy but struggle with information overload and uncertainty about where to begin.   Action can reduce anxiety. Taking one manageable step can replace helplessness with momentum, confidence, and a greater sense of efficacy.   Community multiplies individual impact. Civic engagement connects people with others who share concerns and creates a sense that they aren't facing difficult issues alone.  Democracy depends on participation and trust. The conversation emphasizes voting, checks and balances, credible institutions, fair processes, accountability, and citizens remaining engaged even when political disagreements persist.   🔗 Connect with Paul M. Katz  Website:  https://www.paulmkatz.com/  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulkatznewyork/  Commit Together:  https://www.committogether.org/  🔗 Connect with Bob Martin   Substack: https://iambobmartin.substack.com/publish/home Podbean: https://podcastbobm.podbean.com/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IamBobMartin   Email: contact@theflowmedia.com  Explore My Published Books https://authorbobmartin.com/   OR  To explore my blogs, vlogs, podcasts, videos, and books, or to send Bob Martin a message please click here:  https://theflowmedia.com  #civicengagement #civic participation #democracy #committogether    #communityengagement

  3. Sep 30

    Christianity is on the Ballot (Who is My Neighbor, Really?) l The Flow: Commentary by Bob Martin

    What happens when we decide who deserves our compassion—and who doesn't? A devastating flood in Nepal raises a much deeper question: Who is our neighbor, and what does our faith ask us to do when someone is in danger?  Bob Martin explores the meaning of the biblical command to “love your neighbor as yourself” through the story of the Good Samaritan and a modern debate over disaster preparedness, foreign aid, and the cancellation of the SERVIR flood-warning program. He examines the tension between America First, Christian responsibility, compassion, and the question of whether national borders or religious identity should determine who deserves our concern. The conversation also looks at the cost of foreign assistance, government spending, and how our choices reveal the values we claim to hold. At its heart, this episode asks what it really means to live out faith, compassion, generosity, and love of neighbor in a divided world.  Watch or listen to the full episode of The Flow and join the conversation. Subscribe and follow for more thoughtful discussions about faith, spirituality, compassion, politics, culture, and what it means to live a more conscious and meaningful life.  📌 Video Chapters  00:00 — The Question That Won’t Go Away  01:35 — Who Counts as Our Neighbor?  02:03 — The Nepal Flood and Public Response  03:28 — Love Your Neighbor  04:22 — The Good Samaritan Question  05:31 — Two Visions of Christianity  07:12 — The Reality of Foreign Aid  08:44 — What Happened to SERVIR?  10:48 — What Does America Stand For?  12:14 — Faith, Compassion, and Responsibility  14:32 — What Does Our Faith Ask of Us?  🔗 Connect with Bob Martin  Substack: https://iambobmartin.substack.com/publish/home  Podbean: https://podcastbobm.podbean.com/    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IamBobMartin    Email: contact@theflowmedia.com   Explore My Published Books https://authorbobmartin.com/    OR   To explore my blogs, vlogs, podcasts, videos, and books, or to send Bob Martin a message please click here:  https://theflowmedia.com

  4. Sep 25

    How Creativity Turns Pain Into Purpose and Beauty l The Flow with Bob Martin

    What if the way you see the world could change the way you live in it? In this deeply personal conversation, Bob Martin and artist Robert Maniscalco explore creativity, trauma, resilience, spirituality, and the remarkable ability to find beauty and meaning even in the most difficult experiences.  Robert Maniscalco shares the winding journey that led him from studying music and acting to becoming a professional artist and portrait painter. He reflects on how creativity became more than a career—it became a way of processing life, communicating what words could not, and continually looking more deeply. Robert opens up about a traumatic experience in his youth and how it shaped his understanding of safety, identity, creativity, and resilience. The conversation then moves into his extraordinary artistic collaboration with Nick, a young artist with cerebral palsy, whose spontaneous and unselfconscious marks have transformed the way Robert thinks about art, ego, ability, and collaboration. Robert also explains how portrait painting goes beyond technical skill to capture a person's presence, emotion, and story. Together, Bob and Robert explore the importance of beauty, awe, meaningful objects, spirituality, gratitude, and creating an environment that reminds us of what matters. The episode ultimately becomes a reflection on perspective, purpose, human connection, and how we can use creativity to see ourselves and the world differently.  Stay with this conversation to discover how creativity can become a pathway to resilience, deeper connection, and a more meaningful life. Watch or listen to the full episode of The Flow with Bob Martin, and subscribe or follow for more thoughtful conversations about creativity, spirituality, personal growth, and the human experience.  📌 Video Chapters  00:00 — A Chance Encounter With Art  06:00 — From Music to Painting  09:16 — Is Creativity Part of Who We Are?  12:12 — From Trauma to Resilience  16:24 — Learning to Rise Above Circumstances  20:04 — The Collaboration That Changed Everything  27:49 — When Art Becomes Something Sacred  38:04 — The Creative Seed Within Us  42:27 — How Do You Paint a Feeling?  50:10 — Finding Alignment, Beauty, and Gratitude  01:00:13 — Letting the Viewer Complete the Art  01:03:17 — The Portrait That Became a Reminder  01:09:06 — How You Use the Tool Matters  01:10:24 — A Conversation to Be Continued  💬 Featured Quotes “Talent is this desire to do something and go deep.” - Robert Maniscalco  “It’s not your hands that you make art with. It’s your mind.” - Robert Maniscalco  “I feel very fortunate that God gave me this ability to look deeply.” - Robert Maniscalco  “I think that we all have the seed of creativity in us.” -  Bob Martin  “How important beauty and sense of awe and connection...are to being able to maintain a balance.” -  Bob Martin  💡 Episode Key Takeaways  Creativity can be a way of seeing and processing life, not simply an artistic skill or profession.  Resilience can involve reclaiming agency after experiences that make us feel powerless or trapped.  Art can create connection beyond words, allowing people to communicate experiences that are difficult to express directly.  True collaboration can challenge our assumptions about ability, especially when each person contributes something the other cannot.  Beauty, gratitude, and meaningful surroundings can help reconnect us with what matters, even amid the pressures and distractions of everyday life.  🔗 Connect with Robert Maniscalco Website: https://maniscalcogallery.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PortraitArtistRobertManiscalco/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maniscalcogallery/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-maniscalco-a5b447412/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@pointofart/videos Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pointofartoldman Interested in having a portrait done? Check out this link: https://maniscalcogallery.com/about-having-a-maniscalco-portrait-artist/ Amazon best selling how to draw and paint book, "The Power of Positive Painting." https://maniscalcogallery.com/product/power-of-positive-painting-the-full-color-book-buy-now/ 🔗 Connect with Bob Martin Substack: https://iambobmartin.substack.com/pub... Podbean: https://podcastbobm.podbean.com/ YouTube: / @iambobmartin Email: contact@theflowmedia.com Explore My Published Books https://authorbobmartin.com/ OR To explore my blogs, vlogs, podcasts, videos, and books, or to send Bob Martin a message please click here: https://theflowmedia.com   #Creativity #HealingThroughArt #PersonalGrowth #ArtAndHealing #TheFlowWithBobMartin

  5. Sep 18

    Serving Others When Faith and Politics Collide l The Flow with Bob Martin

    An Army veteran and grassroots political candidate Matthew Hasty sits down with Bob Martin for an honest conversation about faith, government, and truth — proving that people who deeply disagree can still listen, respect, and grow from each other.  Bronze Star recipient and self-funded political candidate Matt Hasty joins The Flow with Bob Martin for a wide-ranging conversation on what it truly means to live a life of service. They dig into the tension between belief and action — is someone a Christian if they follow Jesus's teachings but reject His divinity, or believe in Him but ignore His example? The conversation moves into the friction between the "heavenly kingdom" and worldly government, why hierarchy and power inevitably corrupt, and how different faith traditions (Christianity, Hinduism, Islam) each wrestle with human imperfection. A spirited debate follows on the loaded term "Christian nationalism," the nature of objective truth versus subjective experience, and how much common ground is needed before real dialogue is even possible. They close on wisdom, boundaries, and America as an "unfinished experiment" — still reaching for ideals it may never fully achieve.  This is a masterclass in disagreeing without dehumanizing — a must-watch for anyone interested in faith, politics, service, and the pursuit of truth in a divided world. Watch the full episode now, and subscribe to The Flow for more honest, thought-provoking conversations like this one.  📌 Video Chapters  00:00 – Meet Matt: Service, Sacrifice & Running for Office  01:00 – What a True Life of Service Looks Like  08:19 – Can You Be "Christian" Without Believing in Jesus?  12:37 – Two Kingdoms: Faith vs. Government  15:40 – The "Operating System" Jesus Gave the World  21:55 – Tennis Balls, Golf Balls & the Journey to Joy  24:08 – Comparing Christianity, Hinduism & Islam  31:15 – Unpacking "Christian Nationalism"  41:05 – Objective Truth vs. Finding Common Ground  50:44 – Wisdom, Boundaries & America's Unfinished Experiment  💬 Featured Quotes "That's a lost opportunity to extend to someone the grace that Jesus extended to us." - Matthew Hasty   "Believing in Him means obeying Him."  - Matthew Hasty   "The pyramid will never be finished because we cannot reach the goal that we have set for ourselves." - Matthew Hasty   "The power of the operating system that Jesus suggested is powerful, it is long lasting, and eventually I hope the world evolves into it." - Bob Martin  🔗 Connect with Matthew Hasty  Website:  https://linktr.ee/matt.hasty  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/matt.hasty.378  Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/matt.hasty.378/  YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@matthasty720  Substack:  https://substack.com/@matthewhasty   X:  https://x.com/Terkunamam  TikTok::  https://www.tiktok.com/@matt.hasty    🔗 Connect with Bob Martin   Substack: https://iambobmartin.substack.com/publish/home Podbean: https://podcastbobm.podbean.com/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IamBobMartin   Email: contact@theflowmedia.com  Explore My Published Books https://authorbobmartin.com/   OR  To explore my blogs, vlogs, podcasts, videos, and books, or to send Bob Martin a message please click here:  https://theflowmedia.com      #FaithAndPolitics  #ChristianNationalism  #TruthMatters  #ServeOthers  #CivilDiscourse

  6. Sep 16

    John 3:16 or Matthew 25 (Two Verses, Two Americas, and the Christianity We Actually Live)

    What if two of the Bible’s most familiar passages are shaping two very different ways of understanding faith, compassion, and public life? Bob Martin explores the tension between John 3:16 and Matthew 25, asking whether faith is ultimately about what we believe—or what we actually do for the people in front of us.  In this new episode of The Flow:  Commentary by Bob Martin, Bob examines the different ways Christians can interpret faith through the lens of John 3:16 and Matthew 25. He begins with the real-world tension of helping people in need: how do we show compassion without ignoring the possibility of exploitation or harmful behavior? From there, Bob explores how a belief-centered understanding of Christianity can influence attitudes toward strangers, immigration, belonging, and political life. He contrasts this with the Matthew 25 emphasis on feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, caring for the vulnerable, and putting faith into action. Bob also reflects on his own experience working with people facing difficult circumstances and explains why suspicion of poverty can look very different when you encounter people up close rather than as abstractions. The episode ultimately challenges the idea that Christians must choose between belief and action, pointing instead toward a faith that combines conviction with mercy, compassion, and meaningful works.  Which verse actually shapes the way you live—John 3:16 or Matthew 25? Share your thoughts in the comments; Bob reads them and wants to hear your perspective. Stay tuned to The Flow, watch or listen to the full episode, and subscribe or follow for more honest conversations about faith, politics, leadership, and the issues shaping our lives.  📌 Video Chapters  00:00, Two Verses, Two Visions   00:35, The Struggle to Help Others  02:22, Where Faith Meets Politics  03:15, The John 3:16 Worldview.  05:16, What Does Matthew 25 Ask?  06:21, Faith Versus Action?.  07:25, When Faith Becomes Personal.  08:16, Seeing People Up Close  09:16, Faith Without Works  09:51, Which Verse Do You Live?  🔗 Connect with Bob Martin:    Substack: https://iambobmartin.substack.com/publish/home Podbean: https://podcastbobm.podbean.com/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IamBobMartin   Email: contact@theflowmedia.com  Explore My Published Books https://authorbobmartin.com/   OR  To explore my blogs, vlogs, podcasts, videos, and books, or to send Bob Martin a message please click here:  https://theflowmedia.com

  7. Sep 11

    What History Teaches Us About Empathy l The Flow with Bob Martin

    History is more than a record of what happened. It can reveal who we are, why we make the choices we make, and whether we are actually capable of learning from the past.  In this episode of The Flow, Bob Martin sits down with author Herman Forwood for a  conversation about history, empathy, human nature, and the lessons we often fail to carry forward.  Herman’s writing explores what it means to be human and why people choose to do good or bad things. His books use thought experiments and alternate-history scenarios to ask difficult questions about how different choices could have changed the world.  One of his most challenging ideas imagines what might have happened if Hitler had been assassinated in 1939, before World War II fully unfolded. Without the Holocaust and the enormous suffering that followed, would the world have developed the same sense of empathy? Would nations have responded differently to one another? And what happens to humanity when we remove the tragedies that shaped our understanding of compassion?  Bob and Herman also discuss Anne Frank, the millions of lives and possibilities lost during World War II, the Marshall Plan, generational memory, and why societies continue repeating historical mistakes.  The conversation ultimately turns toward a larger question: If history gives us a blueprint of what went wrong, why do we keep building the same things?  This is a conversation about history, empathy, human nature, historical fiction, alternate history, war, memory, and our responsibility to learn from the past.  Listen to the full episode of The Flow with Bob Martin and consider what history has taught you about being human.  📌 Video Chapters  00:00, What History Teaches Us About Empathy  02:35, Why Herman Writes About Humanity  06:43, Imagining a Different History  10:24, What If Hitler Died in 1939?  15:13, How Tragedy Shapes Empathy  19:07, The Difficult Question of Anne Frank  23:47, What If World War II Never Happened?  30:49, Why We Fail to Learn From History  35:19, Why Humans Keep Repeating Mistakes  41:54, The Tipping Point for Change  💬 Featured Quotes  “What would happen to humanity? What would happen to our humanity?”  - Herman Forwood  “It’s very easy to judge another group that don't agree with you.” - Herman Forwood  “If we have this historical context for a lot of things that have happened and we are doing something similar. Why can't we do it better?”  - Herman Forwood  “Why do we not learn?”  - Bob Martin  “You never know when the tipping point comes.”  - Bob Martin  💡 Episode Key Takeaways  History can teach us about empathy - The conversation explores whether humanity's experience of enormous suffering helped create greater empathy and compassion after World War II.  Tragedy changes more than history - Herman's alternate-history premise asks what the world—and humanity—might have become if some of history's greatest tragedies had never occurred. We often recognize mistakes without learning from them - History provides examples of what went wrong, yet societies continue repeating similar patterns. Herman describes history as something from which we should learn and adapt.  Human emotion can overpower logic - Bob and Herman examine how stress, anxiety, pressure, and immediate gratification can influence human behavior and decision-making.  Change can begin with one idea - Bob's “tipping point” reflection emphasizes continuing to do the next right thing—even when you don't know when an idea, action, or conversation will finally make a difference. 🔗 Connect with Herman Forwood  Podmatch:  https://podmatch.com/guestdetail/17847392872778550f368cef0  Website:  https://www.hermanforwood.com/  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/people/Herman-Forwood-Books/61576308830473/  Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/herman_forwood_books/  Threads:  https://www.threads.com/@herman_forwood_books  🔗 Connect with Bob Martin   Substack: https://iambobmartin.substack.com/publish/home Podbean: https://podcastbobm.podbean.com/   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IamBobMartin   Email: contact@theflowmedia.com  Explore My Published Books https://authorbobmartin.com/   OR  To explore my blogs, vlogs, podcasts, videos, and books, or to send Bob Martin a message please click here:  https://theflowmedia.com

  8. Sep 9

    The $40 Trillion Question: Who Pays the Interest? l The Flow: Commentary by Bob Martin

    The national debt just hit $40 trillion — and one new law is about to add a tenth of that number all by itself. Here's the math nobody in Washington wants to say out loud.  In this new episode of The Flow, Bob Martin breaks down what the $40 trillion debt milestone actually means and why the interest alone is now devouring the federal budget. He walks through the CBO's own numbers on the 2025 tax and spending law, showing how $3.4 trillion in new deficits plus $718 billion in interest adds up to $4.1 trillion — more than 10% of America's entire debt accumulated since George Washington took office. Bob also gets honest about an argument he's made before: he once said tariffs shouldn't be blamed for the deficit because they generated revenue. But after the Supreme Court struck down those tariffs and the government began refunding over $100 billion, that argument no longer holds — and he says so directly. This isn't about blaming one party or one president. It's about a debt spiral where borrowing creates interest, interest creates more borrowing, and yesterday's decisions increasingly control what tomorrow's government can afford.   If you want the numbers behind the headlines — explained clearly, without the spin — stay with this one to the end. Subscribe to The Flow for more honest, clear-eyed breakdowns of the stories shaping our world, and join Bob every Monday and Wednesday for new episodes.  📌 Video Chapters  00:00 – Introduction: The $40 Trillion Milestone  00:28 – Why This Debt Isn't One Party's Fault  01:55 – Treasury Confirms $40 Trillion in Federal Debt  02:49 – The 2025 Tax Law and the CBO's $4.1 Trillion Warning  04:02 – How Debt Creates More Debt: The Interest Spiral  05:00 – Rising Treasury Yields and the Real Cost of Borrowing  06:22 – Correcting the Record: Tariffs, the Supreme Court, and Refunds  08:17 – Not About One President: A Debt Inherited by All  09:14 – Putting $4.1 Trillion Into Perspective  10:14 – Closing Thoughts: Who Stops the Borrowing?  🔗 Connect with Bob Martin   Substack: https://iambobmartin.substack.com/pub...   Podbean: https://podcastbobm.podbean.com/   YouTube: / @iambobmartin   Email: contact@theflowmedia.com   Explore My Published Books https://authorbobmartin.com/   OR   To explore my blogs, vlogs, podcasts, videos, and books, or to send Bob Martin a message please click here: https://theflowmedia.com

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About

Commentary and Interviews on Politics, Culture, Society & Being Human The Flow is commentary for people who are already awake — and want to stay that way. Each episode, Bob Martin cuts through the noise to examine what's really happening in politics, culture, and society — not just the surface events, but the deeper forces, fears, and patterns shaping our world. Sometimes that's sobering. Sometimes it's absurd. Honestly, lately it's been both at once. This isn't passive listening. The Flow is for engaged people who want sharper thinking, stronger arguments, and a deeper grounding for the work they're already doing — whether that's civic action, cultural advocacy, or simply trying to make sense of a world that seems increasingly determined not to make sense. To go with the flow, first understand the flow.

Information

  • Creator
    Bob Martin
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Flow with Bob Martin