Unpopular Celebrities Podcast LLC

UPC Squad
  • 5.0 (29)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Unpopular Celebrities. Learn all about leadership, finance and life - and a lot more. Follow your hosts of the UPC Squad along with guests as we take a deep dive into different topics. Our focus is on leading people! Come take a journey with us and discover how you are also an unpopular celebrity. "I may be not be everything to everyone but I am something to someone." 

  1. 5d ago

    You Can Break Into The Cool Group Without Selling Out

    Send us Fan Mail You can feel the difference between “I didn’t get picked” and “I got shut out,” especially when AFSA is treated like the golden ticket for Air Force professional development, networking, and career visibility. We tackle that exact frustration from a listener who believes they are not part of the cool group, and we keep it real about what’s actually happening behind the scenes: limited billets, wing priorities, unit budgets, and how certain roles get automatic consideration. We also talk about how the good old boy club perception forms, and what to do with that energy instead of letting it stall your growth.  We share practical ways to get closer to yes next year: ask how your unit selects attendees, plan early for TDY funding, and bring a clear purpose backed by the AFSA schedule. We also push the idea that involvement matters, joining AFSA, showing up to meetings, and building credibility locally can change the conversation when you ask for bigger opportunities. If you want AFSA for more than a trip, pitch value back to your unit with a quick brief or trip report and make it easier for leaders to invest in you.  Then we take a sharp turn into culture and tech: the PlayStation 5 jailbreak chatter and what it reveals about digital game ownership, online restrictions, and why gamers are tired of being told they “rent” what they buy. We also hit GTA 6 hype, why parents should pay attention to mature-rated content, and we end with a loud debate about the Tesla Roadster thrusters and so-called flying car claims, plus our usual sports chaos and bets. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review, then tell us: have you ever felt locked out of an opportunity for reasons nobody will say out loud?

  2. Oct 4

    Supervisors Should Put First Sergeants Out Of A Job

    Send us Fan Mail The Air Force loves a uniform change, but at what point does “building identity” start erasing it? We jump right into the announcement that EOD Airmen are getting a beret and ask the questions nobody wants to say out loud: what problem does this solve, who is it really for, and why do we keep reaching for symbols instead of standards? We talk mission reality, gear that actually gets worn in the field, and how constant updates can blur the lines of what makes career fields distinct. Then we take on the viral “How Heavy Is The Diamond” post and the deeper issue behind it: trust. We respect first sergeants and the work they do, but we challenge the culture that turns the diamond into the default solution for leadership failures. We argue that solid supervisors and senior NCOs should be carrying their share of the load, building real psychological safety, and developing the soft skills that keep Airmen from feeling like they have to escape their chain of command just to be heard. Along the way, we hit training gaps like ALS, mentorship, and the promotion incentives that reward visibility over true people leadership. We close with some sports heat, breaking down A’ja Wilson’s courtside moment with a fan and what it says about the WNBA’s growth, athlete-fan boundaries, and the messy reality of “new fans” showing up loud. If you’ve got opinions on berets, first sergeants, or where respect ends and heckling begins, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the conversation.

  3. Sep 29

    What If The Air Force Removed The Diamond?

    Send us Fan Mail A Tech Sergeant makes a call that feels right and gets punished for it anyway: an Airman has an off-base counseling appointment that costs money to cancel, but the squadron has a mandatory formation. When leadership says “everyone means everyone,” do you protect the Airman or protect the standard? We start there, then pull the thread all the way through what accountability really looks like in the Air Force when a direct order and human reality collide. From that fan mail, we jump into the debate that lit up the comments: do first sergeants actually need to exist at the squadron level, or has the Air Force built a dependency that lets NCOs and senior NCOs avoid the hardest parts of supervision? We talk morale, discipline, commander awareness, separations, treatment team meetings, and the “single point of contact” argument, then challenge whether those duties are truly unique to the diamond or just centralized by habit and policy. We also get blunt about the places we already have for accountability and advocacy, like IG and EO, and why “people problems” keep getting passed uphill. Then we go tactical: how to respond to paperwork, when to go to ADC, what a strong rebuttal includes, and why the EPB has to measure how leaders take care of Airmen, not just operational output. We even debate bigger structural ideas like shifting Chiefs away from squadron-level roles and rebuilding leadership responsibility from the ground up. Subscribe, share this with a supervisor or a shirt, and leave a review if you want more honest conversations like this. Where do you stand: keep the diamond as-is, or train leaders so the job becomes optional?

  4. Sep 20

    You Can’t Mentor Someone You Don’t Know Yet

    Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to lose a talented Airman is to treat their confidence like a character flaw, then act surprised when they stop listening. We start with a fan mail question from a Staff Sergeant trying to lead a young troop who has the skills and potential to go far, but also has a “cool guy” mindset, resists feedback, and dismisses experience. We talk through what’s really happening under the surface, why respect isn’t automatic just because you have rank, and how to earn buy-in without turning mentorship into a power struggle. From there, we get practical: how we manage expectations person to person, why development happens on their timeline, and what to do when coaching isn’t enough. We also get into the uncomfortable middle ground every supervisor faces, balancing grace with standards. Sometimes the answer is more responsibility. Sometimes it’s a hard conversation. Sometimes it’s paperwork as a shock and awe reminder that the position still matters. And if you want someone to trust you, we’re blunt about the work it takes: get to know their background, listen actively, and build a relationship that can carry real feedback. We close by zooming out into credibility and identity. We touch on leadership optics, consistency, and why people judge the messenger as much as the message, then react to a Cam Newton clip about life after football and connect it to identity after military service and the reality of transition. If you’ve ever wondered who you are when the title fades, this one will land. Subscribe, share this with a supervisor or mentor, and leave a review with the best leadership lesson you learned the hard way.

  5. Aug 31

    How A Fake 49ers Player Took $1.3 Million...Practice Squad for your Wallet

    Send us Fan Mail A “49ers wide receiver” slides into DMs, posts helmet workouts and luxury flexes, then asks for “investment” money. Sounds ridiculous, until you remember how many people treat social media as a background check. We break down the alleged dating app scam that took about $1.3 million from dozens of women, why the red flags were right there, and the simple verification steps that stop most online dating scams and romance fraud before they start. Then we get into the messy part: responsibility. We argue about sympathy versus accountability, and we go deep on how wire fraud works when someone “agrees” to send money based on a lie. If you’ve ever wondered where the line is between getting played and getting defrauded, this is the kind of real-world case that makes it clear why details, intent, and false representation matter. The show pivots to sports and culture when Enes Kanter Freedom gets escorted after a courtside moment at a WNBA game and Natasha Cloud snaps back afterward. From there, we talk women’s sports, competitive fairness, and why leagues like the WNBA invite chaos when eligibility language stays vague. We also respond to feedback that we sound “too negative” about the Air Force, explain why we speak openly as retirees who still care, and finish with a rapid-fire, painfully accurate list of why Security Forces life can be so hard. If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs better scam radar, and leave a review with your take. Where do you draw the line between “do your homework” and “you got defrauded”?

  6. Aug 24

    AI Music, NFL Drama, And The Real Rules Of Work

    Send us Fan Mail An AI R&B artist signs a multimillion-dollar deal, a human artist calls it theft, and the internet does what it always does: picks sides fast. We slow it down and ask the harder questions. What counts as “creating” when a machine can write, sing, and produce a full track? If AI is just a tool like spellcheck or autotune, why does it feel different when the output is actually good, and money starts moving? From there, we widen the lens beyond music and talk about the part that should really worry people: dependence. Robots running races, automation creeping into everyday jobs, and the uncomfortable possibility of AI-generated podcasts that are flawless but soulless. We get into why people still crave the human element, the messy timing, the real emotions, the live reaction, and the trust you only build when you know there is an actual person behind the mic. Then we bring it back to life at work and in teams. We use AJ Brown and Eagles drama to debate a question every workplace faces: do you tolerate a bad attitude if the results are elite, and what happens when the wins stop hiding the problems? We also run through “10 things you should never say at work,” translating it into plain language you can actually use, especially when you are frustrated, underpaid, or ready to quit. We close with a fun argument that turns into a serious one: Avengers versus X-Men, and why one character flips the whole matchup. If you like sharp takes on leadership, AI ethics, workplace communication, and sports culture, hit subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with your hottest take.

  7. Jul 26

    Pack You Up For That Hot Take; LeBron James to 76ers; WNBA IS over

    Send us Fan Mail We start with a small question about cologne at work and end up arguing what respect looks like, from how you show up around coworkers to what fans should expect from pro athletes. Along the way we break down the WNBA All Star product, the money behind all star weekends, and a blunt debate about accountability when leaders fail the same standards they enforce.  •Cologne at work as a signal, not just a scent  •Uniform life, hygiene basics, and why over spraying backfires  •WNBA All Star weekend ideas worth copying  •Reaction to highlight quality and what fans pay for  •Revenue, attendance, and the “deserve more money” argument  •Whether commanders and chiefs should appear on PT failure slides  •Transparency vs discretion and what accountability really means  •How readiness standards differ from other standards  •Why discipline varies by AFSC and mission risk  •LeBron to the Sixers hype, bench depth, chemistry, and health  •Jordan vs LeBron vs Kobe takes and all time position picks

  8. Jun 29

    WAPS Testing And EPB Inflation In The Air Force Promotion System

    Send us Fan Mail A promotion list drops and the internet instantly turns it into a verdict: the “right” people made it, the “wrong” people made it, and the system must be broken. I take a breath and dig into what those Tech Sergeant numbers really mean, how WAPS testing shaped the Air Force promotion system, and why EPB inflation makes it harder for true performance to stand out. If you just pinned on Tech or you lead people who did, I lay out what I wish every new TSgt heard: be technical, be teachable, and do not sprint so fast for Master that you forget your Airmen.  From there, we get into a messier topic: military professionalism off duty in the age of screenshots. A Major’s personal photos get blasted across a military social media page, and the comments turn into a courtroom. I talk through the “higher standard” argument, what’s actually written in guidance, and why a private conversation often makes more sense than public outrage. The real question I keep coming back to is simple: is this person a good leader who takes care of their people, or are we just reacting to optics.  Then we lighten it up while still keeping it real: Grand Theft Auto 6 preorders, $90 standard editions, and the digital-only future that’s quietly changing what “owning a game” even means. We also hit the WNBA spotlight with Caitlin Clark and the league’s increasingly chippy physical play, before closing with my unfiltered take on LeBron James vs Michael Jordan and why that debate refuses to die. We wrap with a listener question about dating and money: should a man only date based on what he can afford, and what do fair expectations look like today.  Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who always argues in the group chat, and leave a review with your take: where should the line be on standards, online behavior, and what we reward?

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Unpopular Celebrities. Learn all about leadership, finance and life - and a lot more. Follow your hosts of the UPC Squad along with guests as we take a deep dive into different topics. Our focus is on leading people! Come take a journey with us and discover how you are also an unpopular celebrity. "I may be not be everything to everyone but I am something to someone." 

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