Sons & Daughters

Everyone is an offspring. Everyone has an origin, a past, a story. Before Shannon Spake was a successful sports media personality, she was the daughter of Don and Valerie. It’s the one label in which all other labels derive, and it’s the one label that will never change. Now in an introspective stage of life that has not always been easy, Shannon is on a quest to engage in deep, meaningful conversation with people whose achievements are well-documented but their origins are not. From these personal interactions Shannon hopes to discover the answer to a question that has long intrigued her – how do ordinary sons and daughters become extraordinary people?

  1. 19H AGO

    Jamie Little on Imposter Syndrome, Michael Jordan, and What Nobody Sees Off Camera

    This week on Sons and Daughters, Shannon Spake sits down with one of motorsports broadcasting's most recognized voices, Fox Sports reporter and play-by-play trailblazer Jamie Little. The episode opens with Shannon and Jamie taking a moment to honor Kyle Busch's life, sharing personal memories, behind-the-scenes stories, and heartfelt reflections on what his sudden passing means to everyone in the racing world. Jamie opens up about covering the Indianapolis 500 just days after learning of Kyle's death and what it was like to hold it together on camera while grieving over it.   From there, Shannon and Jamie go deep into a life story that Jamie has never fully shared before. Raised by a single mother who worked as a Las Vegas showgirl, Jamie grew up in Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas, navigating a turbulent childhood that included running away from home, a dangerous night in eighth grade that ended in a broken back and an emergency room, and the eventual turning point that set her on a path toward one of the most decorated careers in sports broadcasting history. She talks about moving to Los Angeles at 18 to pursue modeling, pivoting to sports media, working for free on the supercross circuit, grinding her way into ESPN and the X Games, and ultimately becoming the first woman ever to call a national racing series on television when she made her play-by-play debut in the ARCA Menard Series at Daytona International Speedway.   Jamie and Shannon also cover what it really means to be a woman working in male-dominated sports, including imposter syndrome, online criticism, the challenge of never showing vulnerability on the road, and the rare and powerful friendship the two have shared for over 20 years. Plus, Jamie shares what Michael Jordan is actually like when the cameras are off, and what she would tell the little girl from Lake Tahoe if she could go back and say one thing.   Sons and Daughters with Shannon Spake is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere you listen to podcasts.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 27m
  2. Brett Raymer: From Rock Bottom to Reality TV Success

    APR 29

    Brett Raymer: From Rock Bottom to Reality TV Success

    Brett Raymer from Animal Planet's TANKED Opens Up About Prison, Losing Everything, and Why He Wouldn't Change a Thing | Sons and Daughters with Shannon Spake. Brett Raymer, the man behind one of Animal Planet's longest-running reality TV shows, sits down with Shannon Spake for one of the most honest conversations you'll hear from a TV personality. Before the celebrity fish tanks, before building custom aquariums for Kevin Hart, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy Morgan, and Anthony Davis, and before 15 seasons and millions of loyal fans, Brett Raymer was a kid from Brooklyn with no clear direction until a string of life-altering pivots changed everything. In this episode, Brett talks openly about growing up in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn in the 80s and 90s with divorced parents, bouncing between homes, and dreaming of a career as a professional athlete until injuries derailed that plan. He details his move to Las Vegas, his time dealing drugs, getting snitched on by a close friend, and serving 15 months in federal prison at Nellis Air Force Base. He walks through the moment he got out, fought for and won custody of his daughter, and slowly rebuilt a legitimate business before getting the idea to pitch a reality TV show after watching Orange County Choppers one night in 2004. Brett shares the full behind-the-scenes story of how Tanked was created, why it ended after 15 seasons on Animal Planet, what happened when he checked "yes" on every single criminal history question on the show application, and how the show that seemed like it would never happen became a generational hit that still airs today. He also gets candid about losing his brother Paul, losing $1 million a year in income when the show ended, and how he pivoted again to open Stallone's Italian Eatery, two locations in Las Vegas, with zero restaurant experience. If you've ever been knocked down and wondered how people get back up, this episode is for you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 2m
5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Everyone is an offspring. Everyone has an origin, a past, a story. Before Shannon Spake was a successful sports media personality, she was the daughter of Don and Valerie. It’s the one label in which all other labels derive, and it’s the one label that will never change. Now in an introspective stage of life that has not always been easy, Shannon is on a quest to engage in deep, meaningful conversation with people whose achievements are well-documented but their origins are not. From these personal interactions Shannon hopes to discover the answer to a question that has long intrigued her – how do ordinary sons and daughters become extraordinary people?

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