The FREEDRIFT Podcast

Kevin Ryan

Author of Sunbather. Feature writing, profiles, cultural commentary, interviews, tech nonsense, theory, philosophy, flash fiction, essays, recipes, reviews, listicles, weird to the max, usually with a soundtrack.

  1. Father Brian O'Brien Believes in You

    May 5

    Father Brian O'Brien Believes in You

    Father Brian O’Brien believes in you. He wants to help you—I’ve seen it with my own eyes. He’s blessed my home, and counseled me, and I’m just one of his parishioners, one sheep in his Tulsa flock of 1,800 registered parishioners, and hundreds more every weekend.It’s miraculous that he has time for each one of us, but that’s exactly how it is: Each of us is his primary concern, like there’s one of him for everyone, humbly living Psalm 121: “My help comes from the Lord.” ------------------ Fr. O'Brien grew up in Kingwood, Texas, studied theology and political science at Boston College, earned a master's in education from Notre Dame, and then a two-year teaching fellowship in Tulsa turned into the rest of his life. He's been a Catholic priest for 19 years, spent nine of them as president of Bishop Kelly High School, and is now the rector of Holy Family Cathedral in downtown Tulsa.Find him at Holy Family Cathedral | 8th & Boulder, Tulsa, OK | holyfamilycathedral.nethttps://www.instagram.com/frobrien/http://x.com/frobrien------------------Homily video courtesy of  @tulsacathedral  FREEDRIFT is written and produced by Kevin Ryan. Subscribe at freedrift.substack.com and check out kevinryan.us

    49 min

  2. Mar 21

    LEMON POUND CAKE | The Defamation Case That Gave AfroMan a Second Career | Justin Robert Young

    Afroman. What a legend. Justin Robert Young breaks down the full story: the 2022 Adams County Sheriff's raid, the TikTok banger cinematic universe that followed (Lemon Pound Cake, Lickum Lo Lisa, and more), and the defamation lawsuit that just handed Afro Man a second career on a silver platter. Also: NWA, Two Live Crew, the First Amendment, and why this might be the most American story of the year.

    13 min

  3. Mar 13

    The Year in Film with Alex Kraemer: Sinners, Marty Supreme & the Art of Loving Movies

    Alex Kraemer writes Critiques & Musings on Substack, and he has one of the most genuinely good eyes for film of anyone I've come across online. We sat down to go deep on the movies that defined 2025 — Sinners, Marty Supreme, Black Bag, Eddington, The Phoenician Scheme, the new Naked Gun, and more. --- Find Alex on Substack at Critiques & Musings by Alex Instagram: @MrAlexKraemer FREEDRIFT is written and produced by Kevin Ryan. Subscribe at freedrift.substack.com and check out kevinryan.us

    1h 25m
  4. Father Tom Miller: "Ever a skeptic, never a cynic"

    Feb 17

    Father Tom Miller: "Ever a skeptic, never a cynic"

    In this episode of the FREEDRIFT podcast, I sat down with Father Tom Miller, a Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the voice behind the Humbuggery Substack. I wanted to do this episode so we could talk about Lent, and we wound up talking about a ton of additional topics, including musicals and St. Louis-style pizza. Father Tom shares his 33-year journey in the priesthood, his love for history and "White Pilled Wednesdays," and why he believes Western civilization is inextricably tied to the Catholic Church. Something here for everyone, whether you’re a "recovering Catholic," a convert, or just someone looking for a bit of light in a dark digital age.Follow Father Tom Miller:Substack: Humbuggery https://substack.com/@padre66Locals: Padres Community https://atpadres.beta.locals.com/feed?mode=profile&username=Padre--------00:00 Introduction and Background of Fr. Tom Miller02:59 The Journey to Priesthood03:04 Conclusion and Final Thoughts29:20 The Impact of Christ's Presence30:37 The Power of Peace in Faith32:34 The Role of Mary in Catholicism34:54 Understanding the Church's Hierarchy36:45 The Revival of Catholicism in America38:52 Balancing Feelings and Logic39:50 The Purpose of Substack and Community Engagement42:34 The Journey of Converts and Spiritual Influences45:50 The Importance of Historical Context in Faith48:45 The Depth of Catholicism: A Hidden Treasure50:26 Final Thoughts and Blessings53:14 Untitled-5.mp4----------FREEDRIFT is a Substack for feature writing, profiles, cultural commentary, interviews, tech nonsense, theory, philosophy, flash fiction, essays, recipes, reviews, listicles, weird to the max, usually with a soundtrack.https://substack.com/@freedrift

    53 min

  5. Feb 2

    Ocean Poetry and Seafaring with the Legendary Jim Dale

    Jim Dale has been one of my best friends for about a decade now. We met in graduate school at the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas in Denton. We immediately became friends and began the series of journeys that have brought us to where we are today. There was our trip to Louisiana for a Trump rally, while I was covering the 2020 Presidential Election, and our coverage of the Official Strongman Finals in Arlington, Texas. He’s a hell of a photographer.Anytime I’m in Dallas for work, I stay at his apartment. We watch old movies and swap stories and ideas and intuitions and fears and doubts and heartaches and joys. I’d love to know how many hours we’ve spent talking over the years. It’s a lot.This is the first of many episodes. The theme is seafaring. Jim tells stories from his youth shooting cans on the Texas coast, growing up in oil-patch towns, drifting through music and journalism, and finding himself aboard offshore tugboats in the Gulf of Mexico. From riding out hurricanes in the Merchant Marine to steering crippled vessels through pitch-black swamps, Jim reflects on the moments that forced him to grow up fast.The plan is to do one of these every month. Get ready to learn about one of the loveliest and most insightful people you’ll ever meet.00:00 Nostalgic Beginnings: Family and Early Adventures03:07 Navigating Life: Education and the Navy Experience06:07 Coming of Age: Merchant Marine Adventures09:10 Sailing Through Life: Metaphors and Lessons Learned11:52 Memorable Moments at Sea: Stories from the Ocean14:46 Current Adventures: Life After Retirement17:54 Reflections on Life: Poetry, Literature, and Influence40:59 Untitled-5.mp4---------------https://freedrift.substack.com/

    41 min
  6. The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary

    Jan 20

    The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary

    My article about the Joyful Mysterieshttps://open.substack.com/pub/freedrift/p/the-joyful-mysteries?r=3umok&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=trueMy article about the Holy Rosary https://freedrift.substack.com/publish/post/181839853https://linktr.ee/FreedriftKevinhttps://freedrift.substack.com/

    25 min

  7. Jan 20

    Hair Metal Was Memory-Holed: Andrew Patrick Nelson on the Lost Decade of Rock 'n' Roll

    For nearly a decade, Hair Metal wasn’t a niche—it was mainstream rock. Then it vanished.Film scholar and historian Andrew Patrick Nelson joins me to make the case for Hair Metal as one of the most misunderstood eras in modern music history. What gets dismissed as camp or excess was, in reality, a genre built on virtuoso guitar playing, powerful vocalists, massive studio production, and an unmatched sense of fun.Andrew traces Hair Metal from its early-80s club roots through its late-80s commercial peak, to the harder turn of the early 90s that was abruptly cut short. We talk Quiet Riot, Dokken, David Lee Roth, Skid Row, and why bands that once filled stadiums were suddenly erased from radio and cultural memory almost overnight.Tracklist:Quiet Riot – “Cum on Feel the Noize” (1983)Kiss – “Lick It Up” (1983)Twisted Sister – “We’re Not Gonna Take It” (1984)Ratt – “Round and Round” (1984)Dokken – “Into the Fire” (1984)David Lee Roth – “Yankee Rose” (1986)Cinderella – “Nobody’s Fool” (1986)Mötley Crüe – “Girls, Girls, Girls” (1987)Guns N’ Roses – “Welcome to the Jungle” (1987)Poison – “Nothin’ But a Good Time” (1988)Warrant – “Heaven” (1989)Skid Row – “Slave to the Grind” (1991)

    29 min

  8. Jan 20

    "Vixen" by W.S. Merwin

    A reading of Merwin's gorgeous poem, "Vixen." Find the accompanying story at: https://freedrift.substack.com/p/109b1252-6f9c-4af0-a344-63315d453896

    2 min
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About

Author of Sunbather. Feature writing, profiles, cultural commentary, interviews, tech nonsense, theory, philosophy, flash fiction, essays, recipes, reviews, listicles, weird to the max, usually with a soundtrack.

Information

  • Creator
    Kevin Ryan
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Kevin Ryan
  • Show Website
    The FREEDRIFT Podcast