Wingmen Show

Drew Brown and Paul Thompson
  • 5.0 (11)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Two Dope Boys in a Navy jet. The Wingmen Show is a weekly podcast about challenges and opportunities in everyday life. Your hosts are two guys born in Harlem, New York previously unknown to each other. Separately, they became Navy pilots flying high performance jet aircraft on and off of aircraft carriers patrolling the world’s oceans. Their paths did not cross formally until they ended up flying for the same airline after their active-duty military service had ended. They have a wide range of experiences spanning the worlds of basketball and boxing. Drew’s father is Drew Bundini Brown, Muhammad Ali’s Wingman and coined the iconic phrase “Float Like A Butterfly Sting, Like A Bee". Martial Arts and Show Business are also areas of mutual interest. Drew has been featured nationally on television programs such as the Donahue Show and the Today Show. He has also appeared in hundreds of newspapers and magazines. Both are published authors as well as former Navy jet pilots and Commercial Airline Pilots; they retired after having flown the Boeing 777 airliner. The cultural mix of religions, immigrant parents and grandparents from Europe and the Caribbean gives them an uncommon perspective on racial matters. Melding the cultures of New York City, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Memphis, the Caribbean and Atlanta has helped shape their worldview when combined with the life they have seen and experienced having flown extensively to countries throughout the world.They are wingmen to each other, providing advice, guidance and constructive criticism when needed. The goal of the show is to inspire and entertain those unafraid to expand their minds and perhaps learn something new in the hope that the listeners can become wingmen to others. Each one, teach one.

  1. 1D AGO

    Discipline Always Beats Talent. Discipline Plus Talent Is Unstoppable

    Sent us text! We would love to hear from you! In Episode 251, Commander Drew Brown and Dr. Paul Thompson take on one of the most misunderstood debates in performance culture: talent versus discipline. They make the case that while talent is a gift, discipline is the decision—and when you stack both together, you become truly unstoppable.  Through vivid storytelling from Navy flight school, real-world examples of gifted pilots who washed out and steady grinders who became legends, and the unforgiving standards of carrier aviation, Drew and Paul illustrate that checklist mentality and daily consistency are what separate those who survive from those who thrive.  The episode also features a powerful Good News segment on how positive thinking and brain science can actually boost your immune response—and a moving Wingman Story about Joel, a young man with Down syndrome whose basketball shot brought an entire school to its feet and the internet to tears.    WE TALK ABOUT:  ◆Why talent without discipline is just unused potential—and how discipline is the multiplier that activates it◆Real stories from Navy flight training: the naturally gifted pilot who washed out and the grinder who became the most trusted man in the squadron◆How checklist mentality turns good performance into unstoppable performance—and why 'boring wins' in aviation and in life◆Good News: the neuroscience study connecting positive thinking to a measurable immune response boost after vaccination◆Jet Jolt—Formation Flying: the discipline of sight picture, closure rate, and why you separate immediately rather than guess◆Frequent Flow Line — Amber from Atlanta: navigating a faith transition without destroying your family relationships◆Wingman Story—Joel's Shot: how a young man with Down syndrome hit a bucket that went viral and changed his world

    35 min

  2. MAY 19

    Menopause, Hot Flashes & Hard Landings: The Midlife Flight Brief

    Sent us text! We would love to hear from you!   Episode 250 is a milestone — and Commander Drew and Dr. Paul mark it with a conversation that matters for everyone: the truth about midlife, hormonal change, and how to keep your body flying strong when your system gets a software update you didn’t ask for.  The show opens with a no-excuses fitness brief on the five areas that protect your health through midlife: resistance training, balance, mobility, cardio, and mindfulness. Whether it’s menopause for women or the quiet decline men try to ignore, the message is the same—your airframe changed. Stop pretending you’re 22 and fly what you’ve got with a plan that actually works.  The Good News segment honors Mrs. Susan Young Browne — 108 years old, born in 1918, and still collecting reasons to keep going. She walked ten miles a day for school in a segregated system, taught for three decades, traveled the world in retirement, and recently had a governor show up to her birthday asking for life advice. Her story is a masterclass in purpose and movement.  The Wingmen Longevity Quiz gives every listener an honest look at their long-range flight plan—five key areas: health, home, social connection, care readiness, and purpose. The questions are simple. The answers might sting. Either way, you leave knowing exactly what to fix.  Jet Jolt pulls back the curtain on the night carrier landing—the maneuver most civilian pilots don’t know exists and most Navy pilots never forget. No horizon, a pitching deck, a glowing meatball, and one shot to catch a wire. It’s a controlled crash, and it’s home.  The Frequent Flow-Line brings a letter from Key Largo—a woman preparing for a family reunion with a narcissistic uncle, asking how to protect her peace and model strength for her young son without starting a war. Drew and Paul walk through grey-rock tactics, boundary language, and the ready-room standard for handling someone who mistakes control for leadership.  The Gouge with Ace tackles EFOL Fact #6: the difference between healthy self-confidence and ego that quietly drives people away. And the Wingman story closes the show with Marcus—a man 47 years into bad habits and one early-morning text away from getting his life back.

    31 min

  3. MAY 5

    The Wingmen of Virgin Voyages: A Transatlantic Journey

    Sent us text! We would love to hear from you!  Commander Drew Brown broadcasts live from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean aboard Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady on a transatlantic crossing, while Dr. Paul holds down the fort on land. Together they explore what it really means to slow down, be present, and recognize the professionals quietly holding everything together around you — the real Wingmen of the operation.    In Good News, the guys salute a historic public health milestone: adult cigarette smoking in America has dropped below 10% for the first time ever, a 70-plus percent decline since the 1960s. Then they pivot to a TIME magazine piece on sarcopenia — the muscle loss that starts sneaking up on people as early as their 30s — and lay out the straightforward prescription: protein, strength training, and just 3% of your waking hours to stay in the fight.    Jet Jolt tackles one of the most common passenger fears — the wing flexing in turbulence — and explains why that movement is exactly what the airplane was engineered to do. The Frequent Flow-Line features a moving letter from Christy, a South African crew member on her first Virgin Voyages contract, who opens up about the quiet loneliness of being far from home even while living what looks like a dream life. And the episode closes with a story that stops you cold: a young man from Bali who left home to support his sick sister, only to return and find his family had quietly been building something to take care of him in return.

    28 min

  4. APR 28

    This Isn’t a Joke: Mental Health Can End a Pilot’s Career and Your Life

    Sent us text! We would love to hear from you!   FROM THE COCKPIT — EPISODE 247 SUMMARY: In this episode, Commander Drew and Dr. Paul tackle one of aviation's most dangerous open secrets — the mental health crisis hiding in plain sight behind every cockpit door. They break down the Mental Health in Aviation Act, which just cleared the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously, and explain why that kind of bipartisan agreement tells you everything about how serious this has become. Then the good news: fatal drug overdoses have dropped sharply across the country in one of the longest sustained declines on record, teen pregnancy just hit another historic low, and a 68-year-old Domino's driver in Boise bought a customer's Diet Coke with his own money — and walked away with $130,000 in tips. The Jet Jolt goes deep into high-G flight and what really happens when your body starts to lose the fight against G-LOC. Ray in Biloxi, Mississippi writes in with one of the most honest letters we've ever received — a 60-year-old man who wants the racism he was raised on out of his head for good. And a Wingman Story that will stay with you: "Watching May's Six."  We talk about:  The Mental Health in Aviation Act — what it does, why it passed unanimously, and why it matters right nowThe heartbreaking story of student pilot John Hauser — and what his letters tell us about a system that left him no safe way outWhy the pilot who asks for help is actually the safer pilotHow G-forces narrow your vision the same way stress narrows your life — and what to do about bothFatal overdoses down 20%, teen pregnancy at a historic low — the good news nobody's reportingDan the pizza delivery man, a missing Diet Coke, and $130,000 in tipsRay in Biloxi asks Commander Drew and Dr. Paul how a man rewires himself after 60 years of the wrong programmingAce's Gouge: How to build and keep a real crew of friends in your 40s, 50s, and beyondA Wingman Story about a nurse named May, a man named Marcus, and what it means to watch somebody's six when the room goes quiet Your Wingman Challenge This Week: Think of one person in your orbit who seems a little off lately — quieter than usual, shorter fuse, not quite themselves. Don't wait for them to say something. Send a text. Ask a real question. Be the wingman they don't know they need yet.   The best pilots in the world know when to call for help. Be that pilot. Thanks for flying with us. Your Wingmen, Commander Drew & Dr. Paul — The Wingman Show

    41 min

  5. APR 21

    You Gotta Believe, Rewriting Your Story the Wingmen Way

    Sent us text! We would love to hear from you! In this episode, Commander Drew and Dr. Paul get personal—sharing the real story of how two kids from Harlem rewrote their flight plans, from nightclubs and oil rigs to Navy jets, FedEx 777s, and a purpose-driven podcast. Then the good news keeps coming: a 16-year-old Girl Scout building a scam-awareness game for seniors, the seven types of rest you're probably not getting, a pizza delivery man whose small act of kindness earned an 80,000% tip, California's first graduating class of incarcerated women earning real bachelor's degrees, and an anonymous donor who quietly dropped a million dollars to help nurses pay off their student loans.  We talk about:  How Commander Drew went A to Z through every occupation until one word grabbed him by the collar: pilotWhy your story is not locked in by your neighborhood, your past mistakes, or your ageA 16-year-old who turned her grandparents' near-scam into a game that's protecting seniors everywhereThe 7 types of rest — and why sleeping more isn't the same as actually recoveringDan the pizza delivery man, a missing Diet Coke, and $130,000 in tipsCalifornia's first cohort of incarcerated women to earn bachelor's degrees — and what the recidivism numbers actually sayThe Jet Jolt: Electric air taxis that take off like helicopters and cruise like airplanesA Brooklyn senior asks: Should I join the military — and if so, how do I choose the right branch?Ace's Gouge: Staying strong and sharp after 50 — what actually moves the needleA Wingman Story that will stay with you: "Forty Wingmen in Tokyo" Your Wingman Challenge This Week: Tonight, ask yourself the same question Commander Drew asked at 26 — "What am I gonna be when I grow up?" Then write one new chapter: one decision, one phone call, one class, one habit that moves you toward the life you really want.   Small moves, flown consistently, change the whole flight plan. Thanks for flying with us. Your Wingmen, Commander Drew & Dr. Paul — The Wingman Show

    40 min

  6. APR 14

    Welcome To The Dark Side of the Moon

    Sent us text! We would love to hear from you! FROM THE COCKPIT — EPISODE 245 SUMMARY: In this episode, Commander Drew and Dr. Paul take a front-row seat to one of humanity's boldest missions: Artemis II — the first crewed flight around the Moon in over 50 years. They break it down in plain English, from liftoff to splashdown, and connect it to the kind of courage it takes to fly into the unknown. Then the conversation comes back to Earth with two powerful pieces of good news: Sweden's decision to put books back in classrooms, and new global research on the surprising power of forgiveness.  We talk about:  What Artemis II actually did — and why it matters for the future of space explorationThe "skip re-entry" maneuver that kept four astronauts from burning up on the way homeWhy Sweden is ditching screens in classrooms — and what the research actually saysForgiveness as an internal maintenance check — patching the cracks so your soul doesn't fail under stressThe Jet Jolt: Why some airliners land sideways on purpose — and nail it every timeRosalita in Minneapolis asks: How do I build a news pre-flight checklist so I can think for myself?Ace's Gouge: Three money moves in your 20s, 30s, and 40s nobody actually teaches youA Wingman Story that will stay with you: "The Extra Chair”   Your Wingman Challenge This Week: Ask yourself — who am I still carrying in my head and my heart? Choose one small act of forgiveness this week. Not for them. For you.   Small moves, flown consistently, change the whole flight plan. Thanks for flying with us. Your Wingmen, Commander Drew & Dr. Paul — The Wingman Show

    33 min

  7. APR 7

    What We Can Learn From the Happiest Countries and why are these Countries the Happiest?

    Sent us text! We would love to hear from you!  In this episode, Commander Drew and Dr. Paul explore what the world's happiest countries are doing right — and what the U.S. can learn from Finland, Iceland, Denmark and a surprising newcomer, Costa Rica. The conversation moves into youth happiness, technology, and why the most connected generation is also one of the most isolated.  We talk about:  Why "Pura Vida" is more than a slogan — it's a life philosophyHow social media has replaced connection without replacing lonelinessThe flying umbrella drone that had us laughing on the flight deckA Manchester listener stuck in a holding pattern — and how to break out of itThe power of saying no without burning bridges Plus the Jet Jolt — Racing the Sunrise at 35,000 Feet — and a Wingman Story that will stay with you. Your Wingman Challenge This Week: Pick one "runway move" — one habit, one project, one person to encourage — and commit to it this week. Small moves, flown consistently, change the whole flight plan. Thanks for flying with us. Your Wingmen, Commander Drew & Dr. Paul The Wingman Show

    33 min

  8. MAR 31

    It’s All About The Prompt

    Sent us text! We would love to hear from you!  Bruce Lee as well as his contemporary Chuck Norris, believed in efficiency in the world of martial arts as well as in everyday life. Through their careers, both were know to routinely eliminate patterns that proved to be useless for methodologies that are useful.  If you want to get the most out of artificial intelligence (AI), you must master the prompt. The ability to get a good answer is rooted in asking a well-articulated question, what is now referred to as prompting. To improve your results, it is necessary to have a vocabulary expansive enough and sufficiently precise to properly describe what information you are after.  Throughout the history of aviation, there have been relatively few instances of all of a plane’s engines quitting at the same time. On a two-engine aircraft, everything can be done safely with one engine. In the unlikely event of a dual engine failure, the airplane will still fly as it moves through the air. The wings still do the job of providing lift. The time to glide with no power is directly related to the altitude you started with. With a dual engine failure, as the plane descends, the crew will be busy evaluating the problem, running checklists, and doing their best to get at least one engine up and running.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It is a component of learning.  Meet a wingman who gave good guidance and helped one young woman live up to her true potential.

    36 min
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5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Two Dope Boys in a Navy jet. The Wingmen Show is a weekly podcast about challenges and opportunities in everyday life. Your hosts are two guys born in Harlem, New York previously unknown to each other. Separately, they became Navy pilots flying high performance jet aircraft on and off of aircraft carriers patrolling the world’s oceans. Their paths did not cross formally until they ended up flying for the same airline after their active-duty military service had ended. They have a wide range of experiences spanning the worlds of basketball and boxing. Drew’s father is Drew Bundini Brown, Muhammad Ali’s Wingman and coined the iconic phrase “Float Like A Butterfly Sting, Like A Bee". Martial Arts and Show Business are also areas of mutual interest. Drew has been featured nationally on television programs such as the Donahue Show and the Today Show. He has also appeared in hundreds of newspapers and magazines. Both are published authors as well as former Navy jet pilots and Commercial Airline Pilots; they retired after having flown the Boeing 777 airliner. The cultural mix of religions, immigrant parents and grandparents from Europe and the Caribbean gives them an uncommon perspective on racial matters. Melding the cultures of New York City, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Memphis, the Caribbean and Atlanta has helped shape their worldview when combined with the life they have seen and experienced having flown extensively to countries throughout the world.They are wingmen to each other, providing advice, guidance and constructive criticism when needed. The goal of the show is to inspire and entertain those unafraid to expand their minds and perhaps learn something new in the hope that the listeners can become wingmen to others. Each one, teach one.

Information

  • Creator
    Drew Brown and Paul Thompson
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    238
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Wingmen Show
  • Show Website
    Wingmen Show