The Forward
Arts
Sports
Lance Armstrong
The Forward Podcast with Lance Armstrong gives the audience a rare and revealing listen into Armstrong's conversations with an eclectic range of personalities—some well-known, others simply with intriguing stories to tell. Guests, which hail from the worlds of politics, entertainment, art, business, sport and beyond, have included Malcolm Gladwell, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Chris Evert and the Avett Brothers. The Forward often touches on the theme, or concept, from which the podcast’s name is drawn—pressing onward in the face of adversity or challenge, and seizing the opportunity to continually grow from experience. Above all, The Forward Podcast is a personal, honest, engaging and always entertaining dialogue that leaves the listener with new insights and perspective.
Total 130 episodes
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Bryan Fogel - Part 1
Bryan Fogel - Part 1
Bryan Fogel joins Lance to discuss his Academy Award nominated Best Documentary, Icarus. They discuss Bryan’s original vision of the film and how that changed. Bryan goes into detail about he got to know former Russian anti doping lab director Grigory Rodchenkov. They review the doping program that Bryan was on to compete at the Haute Route. Part one concludes with Bryan elaborating on how Russia was able to circumvent the testing process during the Sochi Olympic Games. 
46:3729/01/2018
Heidi Zuckerman
Heidi Zuckerman
Heidi Zuckerman is the CEO and Director of the Aspen Art Musuem. Heidi joined Lance to talk about giving opportunities to all for access to the Arts. They also talk about the decision to continue their relationship with Lance in light of controversy. Heidi also discuses her new book, Conversations with Artists, and the challenges of opening a new art museum.
56:2422/01/2018
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a recently retired NASCAR driver from Kannapolis, NC. He sat down with Lance over the holidays in Aspen to talk about his move from the car to the NBC studio and his introduction into cycling and riding bikes. Dale also discussed the changes in the NASCAR scoring system, his memories of his Dad and his somewhat controversial go to sandwich. 
01:17:4515/01/2018
Bode Miller
Bode Miller
Lance sat down with American World Cup ski racer and six-time Olympic medallist Bode Miller in Aspen to talk about Miller's decorated alpine skiing career and more. Their candid conversation touched on everything from Miller’s unconventional upbringing, to what it feels like to fly down a mountain at 100 miles per hour, to the mental game of higher-risk sports like skiing and cycling. Miller, now a father of four, also talks about his passion for horse racing, and shares what’s next, following his formal retirement from ski racing.
01:07:1208/01/2018
Nate Bargatze
Nate Bargatze
Nate Bargatze is a touring comedian from Tennessee. Nate dropped by the studio this past weekend before 6 shows at Capitol City Comedy Club in Austin. He talked about his process for writing and working through jokes, his misery being a Vanderbilt sports fan and perceptions about what it is to be a clean comic. Nate is featured in the new Netflix special The Standups and has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Comedy Central Presents and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. He also talked about working with his Dad who is a magician and whether or not his wife finds him funny.
01:25:1618/12/2017
Dakota Meyer
Dakota Meyer
Dakota Meyer is a United States Marine Corp veteran. In 2009 he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Battle of Ganjgal. He is the first living Marine in 38 years to be honored. Dakota and Lance discussed the battle at length, dealing with PTSD, having a beer with the President and his Own The Dash brand. 
01:10:4311/12/2017
Noah Kagan
Noah Kagan
Noah Kagan is an entrepreneur and founder of appsumo and sumo.com. He was the 30th employee at Facebook and went on to work at Mint before founding his own companies. Noah and Lance caught up from the Forward Studios to talk about dealing with getting fired from a company, picking a coach and trying to improve a new skill each year and how to effectively manage your time every day. 
01:07:3704/12/2017
Joe Nick Patoski
Joe Nick Patoski
Joe Nick Patoski is an author and journalist who has covered Texas and Texas music for 40 years. Joe Nick and Lance spent an hour talking about writing books with and about Willie Nelson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Selena and the Dallas Cowboys. 
01:27:4120/11/2017
Turk Pipkin
Turk Pipkin
Turk Pipkin is an author, actor and director from Texas. Along with his wife Christy they founded The Nobelity Project. The Project started after they interviewed 9 Nobel Laureates about topics such as hunger, climate change and energy. Turk talked about opening on the road for Rodney Dangerfield, building a library in a Kenan water tank and his Book of the Every Other Month Club. 
01:02:1513/11/2017
Phil Keoghan
Phil Keoghan
Phil Keoghan has been the host of The Amazing Race television show since 2001. The New Zealand native recently completed the documentary, Le Ride. The film follows Phil and his friend Ben as they try to recreate  the 1928 Tour de France route on original bicycles from the same year. Phil joined Lance for a screening of the film in Austin and taped an episode of The Forward. They discussed the difficulty of riding the route, Phil’s discovery of cycling while living in Antigua and his passion for making lists. Le Ride is screening globally on November 9th. Details can be found at http://philkeoghanleride.com/
01:22:1705/11/2017
Roy Spence
Roy Spence
Roy Spence is a member of the Advertising Hall of Fame and a founding partner of GSD&M. Roy dropped into The Forward studio to talk about getting the Southwest Airlines business which lead to a relationship with Sam Walton and Walmart. Spence also talked about the future of advertising and the ability to change.  They finished up their discussion talking about Roy’s desire to continue to walk across the country and The Promised Land Project. 
01:02:1430/10/2017
Larissa Connors
Larissa Connors
Larissa Connors is a professional mountain bike racer and the recent winner of the Leadville 100. In her “spare” time she is a full time math teacher in California. Larissa was in Aspen for the WEDU FIFTY and sat down with Lance to talk riding bikes and juggling a full time job. She may be the happiest guest we have had on The Forward. She also went out and won the women’s field in the FIFTY the day after the interview and returned to California that night to teach school on Monday morning.  
53:3923/10/2017
Eric Byrnes
Eric Byrnes
If you’re at all familiar with MLB star outfielder Eric Byrnes, whether it’s from his 11-year pro career or his analyst role for MLB Tonight, you know the word “animated” merely scratches the surface when describing this balls-to-the-wall (literally) personality.  True to form, Byrnes is refreshingly real, rowdy, hilarious, insightful and inspiring during a revealing conversation between two “kindred spirits” that touches on everything from the NFL debate over the national anthem to who will win the World Series. Byrnes, who retired from pro ball in 2010, also talks about taking on various endurance challenges, from the Ironman to the infamous 100-mile Western States Endurance Run. 
01:23:2709/10/2017
Wrongful Convictions (Live at the Texas Tribune Festival)
Wrongful Convictions (Live at the Texas Tribune Festival)
For the first time Lance took the Forward Podcast on the road in front of a live audience. Lance interviewed 3 investigative journalists at this years Texas Tribune Festival. Pamela Colloff of ProPublica and The New York Times Magazine, Michael Hall of Texas Monthly and Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE-TV talked with Lance for an hour about their experiences and stories of wrongful convictions. All three journalists have written extensively about high profile cases in Texas. They discuss the challenges of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, initial botched handling of cases and life after exoneration.
01:10:1401/10/2017
Luke Bryan
Luke Bryan
Luke Bryan is an American Country musician and songwriter. Bryan has currently sold over 7 million albums and over 27 million singles worldwide. Luke met up with Lance in Austin, Texas to talk: writing songs for artists, performing in Houston after the flood, raising a family, performing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, and more.
44:3026/09/2017
Mondo Cozmo
Mondo Cozmo
Joshua Keith "Josh” Ostrander is an American singer-songwriter and producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is best known under his musical alias: Mondo Cozmo. Mondo met up with Lance to talk: writing songs, supporting yourself while making music, and even playing a couple songs including his single: “Shine."
49:4317/09/2017
Emmanuel Acho
Emmanuel Acho
Emmanuel Acho is a former college and NFL linebacker. He currently works in television as a football analyst. He dropped in to The Forward studio to talk: paying NCAA athletes, the business of football, the helmet technology in contact sports. He also discusses his family work in Nigeria and his experience in getting cut by NFL teams at interesting times.
01:02:5506/09/2017
Rickey Gates
Rickey Gates
Rickey Gates is an ultra runner hailing from Colorado. He just completed a self supported trans America run over 5 months. He and Lance caught up in Aspen to discuss why he chose to run across the country, his time living in Antartica, working with the 10th Mountain Huts and the explosion of trail running.
54:0428/08/2017
Ben Gibbard
Ben Gibbard
Benjamin Gibbard is an American singer, songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie. He is also one half of the electronica duo the Postal Service. Ben met up with Lance before playing the Velorama at the Colorado Cycling Classic to talk: his music career, his legal activity with the United States Postal Service and trading in alcohol for running trail ultras.
01:16:1121/08/2017
Citizen Cope
Citizen Cope
Clarence Greenwood AKA Citizen Cope is a songwriter, producer and performer. In between dates at the Belly Up, in Aspen, Cope dropped in to talk with Lance. They both talked about their experiences of growing up without a father present and the impact of how they parent. Cope's experience with the Turn Around Arts program in DC. And closing with a couple of live songs.
45:1915/08/2017
Charif Souki
Charif Souki
Charif Souki is an Egyptian-born American businessman who co-founded and was CEO of Cheniere Energy, an oil and gas company specializing in liquefied natural gas. In 2013 he was the highest-paid chief executive officer in the United States. Charif and Lance caught up to talk: moving forward, being fired from the company he founded, supporting Hillary Clinton, and more.
52:2808/08/2017
Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman is a Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl Titles. He is currently half of the lead broadcast team for NFL on Fox. Lance talks with Troy about concussions and health in sports, playing in the social network age and what it takes to prepare to do television analysis.
58:0330/07/2017
Ryan Holiday
Ryan Holiday
Ryan Holiday is a best selling author who has written: "Trust Me I'm Lying", "Ego is the Enemy" and his latest "Perennial Seller." Lance caught up with Ryan in Austin to talk: marketing a book, stoicism, speaking to sports teams, the Gawker fallout and their shared passion for Iron Maiden.
01:15:2424/07/2017
Jonny Craig
Jonny Craig
Jonny Craig is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter best known as the frontman for Slaves, Dance Gavin Dance and Emarosa. Jonny’s 17 year career has contained much controversy including his struggle with heroin and drug addiction, being kicked off the Warped Tour, kicked out of multiple bands, and much more. Jonny, now in his 3rd sober month after a recent time in rehab, sat down with Lance to discuss addiction, touring, tattoos and much more.
47:5316/07/2017
Anna Deavere Smith
Anna Deavere Smith
Anna Deavere Smith is an actress, playwright and professor from Baltimore, Maryland. Her latest project Notes from The Field takes a look at personal accounts of students, parents, teachers and administrators caught in America’s school-to-prison pipeline. They talked about what it takes to inhabit multiple people in one performance, her experience “being” Lance in a production, and an analysis by Lance of where he is in his life.
01:07:3909/07/2017
F.K. Day
F.K. Day
FK Day is a co-founder of the SRAM Corporation, a bicycle component manufacturer based in Chicago. After a trip to Sri Lanka following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami FK and his wife Leah were inspired to help via a bicycle distribution system. They founded World Bicycle Relief. WBR is a comprehensive bicycle distribution program to aid poverty relief in developing countries around the world. To date WBR has donated over 300,000 bicycles. FK was in Aspen with Lance to discuss their old history together at SRAM, World Bicycle Relief and how people can help.
53:4905/07/2017
2017 TDF Preview
2017 TDF Preview
Lance Armstrong shares his perspective on the 2017 Tour de France co-hosted by longtime Austin radio personality JB Hager. Stages airs about an hour after each stage finish, from July 1-23 at StagesPodcast.com. The first episode is the preview show.
48:2230/06/2017
Anne Hed
Anne Hed
Anne Hed cofounded HED cycling with her late husband Steve. Their focus is to bring a rider the best possible, most reliable, fastest and most well-rounded cycling products. Lance stopped into the HED headquarters in Minnesota to catch up with Anne. They talked about her decision to continue on with the business after Steve’s passing a few years ago. They discussed being one of Lance’s first sponsors as a teenager, patterning on a new bike and memories of Steve. 
01:00:3026/06/2017
Dave McGillivray
Dave McGillivray
Dave McGillivray is the founder of DMSE. He has served as the Race Director of the Boston Marathon since the 1980’s. He has run the Boston race every year since 1973. Many of those runs start after his official duties as Director end for the day. Dave and Lance caught up in Boston to talk about his career in endurance events, his personal health scare, running a sub 2 hour marathon and how the Boston bombing impacted his duties and family. 
01:05:4119/06/2017
The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers
Scott and Seth Avett are founding members of the Avett Brothers. Formed in North Carolina the San Francisco Chronicle describes the band with "heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles the raw energy of the Ramones.” Lance recently caught up with the brothers during a visit to North Carolina. They shared their memories of Chris Cornell, playing with Willie Nelson and backing Bob Dylan at the Grammy’s. The brothers also discussed May It Last, the Judd Apatow directed documentary which was recently acquired by HBO.
57:4111/06/2017
Liz Lambert
Liz Lambert
Liz Lambert is a hotelier in Austin TX. After finishing law school she left her career as a lawyer to pursue a dream of owning the Hotel San Jose. She has taken her vision and attention to hospitality and grown the Bunkhouse Group brand around the country. Liz dropped in to talk about the hotel industry, getting out to travel and how the Foo Fighters recorded a record at one of her hotels.
57:4905/06/2017
Lyle Lovett
Lyle Lovett
Lyle Lovett is a country singer-songwriter from Klein, Texas. He has won four Grammy Awards, including Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Album. Lance stopped by Lyle’s to talk: getting started in music, the importance of Nashville, writing and touring with Guy Clark and Joe Ely, and even playing a couple songs during the interview.
01:06:0230/05/2017
Eduardo Garcia
Eduardo Garcia
Eduardo Garcia is a chef by trade but also the definition of perseverance. A life long outdoorsman Garcia's life changed after being electrocuted. Fighting back from his accident he was dealt the news that he also had testicular cancer. He stopped by to discuss his documentary “Charged," his food brand Montana Mex and his passion for the outdoors.
01:06:5722/05/2017
Brett Favre
Brett Favre
NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Brett Favre is this week’s guest on The Forward Podcast. Lance and The Gunslinger sat down after they completed their ride at the annual Bo Bikes Bama event in Auburn, Alabama. They talked about Brett’s new found passion for endurance events, his hall of fame career and the issues of brain injuries in the NFL. The interview took place at the home of former Auburn football Coach Pat Dye. Dye pulled up a chair and talk about his own successful coaching career, what he learned from Bear Bryant and how the game has changed. 
01:26:2007/05/2017
Rickie Fowler
Rickie Fowler
PGA pro golfer Rickie Fowler is currently ranked among the top ten in the world. The California native stopped by The Forward studio to discuss the current state of golf, pursuing his first major win, influence on the youth of golf and his US Olympic experience.
01:09:1301/05/2017
Darden Smith
Darden Smith
Darden Smith is a singer songwriter who resides in Austin, TX. Smith has made music for over 30 years and just released his 15th album titled, Everything.   Smith’s career evolved in unexpected directions when he began to explore the creative potential in what he calls “writing songs with people that don’t write songs.” Collaborations with homeless youth to HIV affected villagers in South Africa led to the founding of his latest project Songwriting with:Soldiers, a program that brings professional songwriters together with wounded veterans to write songs about combat and the return home. Smith opens up about how much he gets out of these retreats and talks through a recent session. Smith also performs a song written with a soldier as well as a track of his new record. 
01:11:1624/04/2017
Rip Esselstyn
Rip Esselstyn
Rip Esselstyn is a health activist, plant based diet supporter, former firefighter and triathlete. He is widely known for writing the books: The Engine 2 Diet and My Beef With Meat and for appearing in the 2011 documentary Forks Over Knives. Rip stopped by the Forward Podcast studio to talk: the health benefits of plant based diets, being hired by Whole Foods, and his new book The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet: Eat Plants, Lose Weight, Save Your Health.
01:04:2317/04/2017
Timothy Showalter
Timothy Showalter
Timothy Showalter is the first guest in the Forward Podcast new studio. The leader of Strand of Oaks talked about being fearless versus reckless, working as a school teacher and what he learned opening up for the likes of My Morning Jacket, Ryan Adams and Jason Isbell. Tim also broke in the new studio by playing three songs including a cover of Used Cars by Bruce Springsteen.
01:14:0509/04/2017
Eddie Wilson
Eddie Wilson
Eddie Wilson is the owner of Threadgill’s restaurant and founder of the legendary music venue: The Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, Texas. During it existence, the Armadillo held such legendary acts as ACDC, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Zappa, Van Morrison and helped give birth to Austin’s music renaissance. Eddie hosted Lance at the restaurant where they caught up on everything from: owning a music venue, Willie Nelson, hosting music royalty, starting an advertising agency at a music venue and much more.
58:0203/04/2017
Michael Franti
Michael Franti
Michael Franti is an American Rapper, musician, poet, spoken word artist and singer-songwriter. He is the creator and lead vocalist of his current independent project, Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band that blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock. Michael stopped by to catch up with Lance and talk: reconnecting with family, his non profit: "Do it For Love, " and opening for the likes of U2 and the Foo Fighters.
01:01:0327/03/2017
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson is a California born professional stock car racing driver and seven-time champion in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. His seven wins tie him with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most Cup Series championships of all time. In 2006 Jimmie and his wife Chandra started the Jimmie Johnson Foundation dedicated to helping children, families, and communities in need. Jimmie and Lance caught up on: getting started in racing, how racing has changed with the digital age, fielding fan questions, and more.
57:0620/03/2017
Simon Illa
Simon Illa
Simon Illa is an American music writer/producer/vocal arranger from Paris, Illinois. He was voted by Blender Magazine as Philadelphia’s Hottest producer in 2008. As a child, Simon was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta otherwise known as “Brittle Bone Disease.” He stopped by Jesse Itzler’s house to catch up with Lance on O.I., breaking into the music industry, inspiring people and more.
01:05:0412/03/2017
Jesse Itzler
Jesse Itzler
Jesse Itzler is an entrepreneur, author, endurance athlete, former rapper, and one of the owners of the Atlanta Hawks in the National Basketball Association. Jesse co-founded Marquis Jet and is a partner in Zico Coconut Water. Lance stopped by Jesse’s house in Atlanta to talk: hip-hop dinners, being an NBA owner, living with a Navy Seal, and more.
01:11:5006/03/2017
Tanya Streeter
Tanya Streeter
Tanya Streeter is a British-Caymanian-American best known as a world champion free diver. Tanya was inducted into the Women Diver's Hall of Fame in March 2000 and for a time held the overall "no limits" freediving record (greater than the men's record) with a depth of 525 feet (160 m) that is still the women's world record. Tanya stopped by Lance’s to talk: the sport of free driving, "A Plastic Ocean” the documentary and overcoming physical and mental barriers.
01:27:0527/02/2017
George Hincapie, Christian Vande Velde, & Dylan Casey
George Hincapie, Christian Vande Velde, & Dylan Casey
George Hincapie, Christian Vande Velde, and Dylan Casey are former professional cyclists who raced for various professional teams during their cycling careers. All three went on to great successes in their post cycling careers. The guys got together with Lance for an epic 24 hour mountain bike ride in the Sonoran Desert known as 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo. All four guys sat down in the trailer pre-race for a quick catchup.
01:21:5121/02/2017
Chris Bell
Chris Bell
Chris Bell is an American director best known for his critically acclaimed documentaries “Bigger, Faster, Stronger” and “Trophy Kids.” Chris stopped by Lance’s to talk: making documentaries, the prescription drug problem in America and overcoming addiction.
01:22:0213/02/2017
John Paul DeJoria
John Paul DeJoria
John Paul DeJoria is a billionaire businessman and philanthropist best known as a co-founder of the Paul Mitchell line of hair products and The Patrón Spirits Company. Over the years, he has founded and/or funded numerous for-profit and nonprofit entities. John Paul sat down with Lance to talk: politics, being homeless, the story of Patrón, philanthropic efforts and more.
52:0605/02/2017
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, and Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York City. He has garnered much notoriety for his appearances on The Colbert Report, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the late night circuit and more. Neil stopped by Lance’s to talk: the new generation’s take on science, the future of NASA, science in schools and much more.
01:10:1730/01/2017
Shep Gordon
Shep Gordon
Shep Gordon is an American talent manager, Hollywood film agent and producer. He is best known as the manager of Alice Cooper as well as other celebrities and musicians including: Anne Murray, Blondie, Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross. Gordon is credited with being one of the originators of the celebrity chef movement. He is featured in the documentary directed by Mike Myers entitled: Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon. Lance caught up with Shep at his home in Hawaii to talk: how he got into the management business, the Mike Myers documentary, the Dali Lama and more.
01:20:4723/01/2017
Bob Schneider
Bob Schneider
Bob Schneider is a Michigan born, Austin based musician and former lead-singer of Ugly Americans. He has released over a dozen albums during his career. He sat down with Lance in Austin to play a few songs and talk: surviving a plane crash, growing up overseas, overcoming addiction and more.
01:12:0416/01/2017