Mentor Buffet

Latest Episodes:

ALESSIA DE GASPERIS: We come here as souls to learn lessons Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

Alessia de Gasperis, the artist formerly known as Kai who you may know from the hit songs “Never Be Like You” with Flume and “Revolution” with Diplo, joins host Alexi Pappas to share the story of the past ten years, making music and not making music, inside and outside of the institutions of the music industry. Alessia and Alexi talk about healing childhood wounds, training your nervous system, and what it means to practice gratitude. They also talk about what is the journey to freedom really, what it means to feel your feelings, and why Alessia loves pickleball. Alessia’s upcoming EP, titled “Won’t Always Be There,” expresses the themes of this conversation—the importance of gratitude, and how life is a constant state of renewal.

Listen to Alessia’s music on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/27d6mRgPBvGasBzQ9KFMGO?si=gQh9DkNBTLmx5tOnimvckg

Follow Alessia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alessiadegasperis/?hl=en

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and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice.

Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠.

Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit ⁠https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet⁠ to claim $10 off their first order.

Visit https://GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50.

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How to know when to quit Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about how to know whether you should take somebody's advice, how to know when to quit, and what to do if you feel like you like your boyfriend way more than he likes you.

Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at ⁠https://merrell.com⁠.

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Documentarian ERIN LEE CARR’s Mentor Buffet Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

Documentary filmmaker Erin Lee Carr, the director of Mommy Dead and Dearest about Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Britney vs. Spears on Netflix, as well as 13 other documentary films, joins host Alexi Pappas to share about a number of film world icons who have been mentors to her: Janet Pierson, Andrew Rossi, and Sheila Nevins.

Erin, who was born two months prematurely to parents who struggled with drug addiction, also shares about her important relationship with her late father David Carr, the longtime New York Times writer and author of The Night of The Gun, a book Erin revisits every year. Many guests on Mentor Buffet corroborate that belief is the strongest form of mentorship, and more than anything else, David believed in his daughter.

Erin also shares practical advice about how to send a successful cold email, what it means to come correct to a meeting or a pitch, and some basics about financial literacy.

You can watch Erin’s latest project, Murdaugh: Death in the Family, starring Patricia Arquette, on Hulu.

You can follow Erin on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/erinleecarr/?hl=en

If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit https://therabody.com

and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice.

Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com.

Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off their first order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NAYEEMA RAZA: Allergic to Certainty May 31, 2026

Show notes

Nayeema Raza is the host of the podcast “Smart Girl, Dumb Questions” and she joins Mentor Buffet host Alexi Pappas to share about the influence her upbringing has had on her values. Her father worked for the World Bank and their family moved around constantly. Nayeema learned how to communicate, even across language barriers. She shares how her upbringing has given her her openness, her flexibility, her curiosity, how she values experiences over achievement, how she rejects routine, and how boundaries don’t come naturally. Nayeema shares what it means to live with urgency, why it’s unproductive to take things personally, and why she’s allergic to certainty. She also shares what she’s learned getting fired, what she’s learned through breakups, and what she’s learned from guests on her show.

Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com.

Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off their first order.

Visit GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50.

If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice.
Listen to Nayeema’s podcast, Smart Girl, Dumb Questions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ_OvJyBz8qlqFSrFoyt3ndvZ-xlS3QQM

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How do I chase my big dream when it feels like nobody’s supporting me? May 21, 2026

Show notes

Alexi answers listeners’ advice questions about how to deal with feeling like everybody around you is less ambitious than you, how to navigate a flirtatious friendship, and the best way to proceed into romantic situations with a complicated sexual health condition.

Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mother's Day Episode with DAVID GREENE May 07, 2026

Show notes

David Greene is a longtime journalist who for many years was the host of NPR’s Morning Edition. On this episode of Mentor Buffet, he joins host Alexi Pappas for a conversation about their moms, who both struggled with depression and passed away when they were young. How do you know what to do when you’re a kid? How does my relationship to my mother affect my current relationships? What is the nature of love? David, whose journalism has taken him to active warzones and has allowed him to spend time with world leaders, shares advice he got early in his career that he still holds onto. Alexi and David also talk about not fitting in.

Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com.

Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off their first order.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MARTA POZZAN: You don't have to know what comes next May 01, 2026

Show notes

Creative icon Marta Pozzan joins host Alexi Pappas to talk about femininity, what it means to be your true self, and why creation is her orientation toward the world. Marta and Alexi discuss their childhoods, and what it feels like for them to be alone. Marta shares a story about an influential early mentor of hers working at a magazine in Italy. Marta also shares her style icons and about the roles she gravitates toward as an actress. She explains why she sees the truth as a responsibility, why she’s not afraid of the work, and why she doesn’t stress about knowing exactly what comes next.

Marta’s new movie Perfumania (Fior Di Latte), which she produced and starred in, is now screening all over the world: https://www.instagram.com/perfumaniamovie/

Add a comfy pair of Merrell's to your rotation with 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET2026 at https://merrell.com.

Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Visit https://goodr.com/mentorbuffet to claim $10 off their first order.

Visit GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50.

If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do I let go of trying to be perfect? Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

Alexi answers listeners' advice questions about being busy, comparing yourself to others, and trying new things. She also offers tips on how to avoid your emails going to the junk folder, how to quit shoplifting, and how to tell your friend bring her dog everywhere is not the vibe.

For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

KRISTEN FAULKNER: Set goals that make you grow Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

Kristen Faulkner, the two-time Olympic champion cyclist, joins host and fellow Olympian Alexi Pappas to discuss the decision of leaving her thriving career in venture capital in favor of her Olympic dream. Kristen is somebody who can change: She grew up in Alaska and then moved to New York City, she rowed for Harvard and then took up cycling, she left her prestigious job in favor of something with no security. More than winning, she values the satisfaction of evolving as a person in order to achieve her goals. This episode of Mentor Buffet is especially suited for you if you’re hesitant to embark on a new journey—whether that’s career, fitness, or anything else, because Kristen cherishes the beginning. Kristen also recounts her Olympic experience. She originally wasn’t slated to race. And then she won gold. This episode is full of advice and inspiration.

For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com.

If recovery is something you know you should be taking more seriously, visit therabody.com and use the code MENTORBUFFET at checkout for 15% off one product of your choice. Your body (and goals!) will thank you! Terms and conditions apply.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

DAN LaMORTE: Don't Numb Your Pain Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

Dan LaMorte, comedian and ultramarathoner, joins host Alexi Pappas to discuss mentorship (and the lack of mentorship) in the comedy world. He encourages us to sit in the presence of suffering without trying to numb it. All experiences are good, even painful ones. He shares what it’s been like going through his divorce, talks about his love for running, and shares how important his family’s been in his life. Alexi and Dan talk about respecting their audiences and what artistic integrity means to them. They recount running the half marathon at the LA marathon together. Dan names Ram Dass and Mitch Hedberg as mentor figures. He even cracks a joke or two.

For a limited time, we’re partnering with Merrell to give you an exclusive offer of 25% off your first purchase using the code MENTORBUFFET25 when you checkout on Merrell.com.

Visit GoBrewing.com/alexi50 for 50% first beer club subscription order with code ALEXI50

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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