#270 Oz Pearlman - The Most Mind-Blowing Mentalism Tricks

Oz Pearlman, known professionally as The Mentalist, is one of the most successful and in-demand mentalists in the world, captivating audiences with jaw-dropping demonstrations of mind reading, suggestion, and psychological illusion. Born in Israel and raised in Michigan in a secular Jewish family, Oz discovered his passion for magic at age 14 and was already performing professionally by his mid-teens. A prodigy who graduated high school at 16, he went on to earn an engineering degree from the University of Michigan before leaving a promising Wall Street career at Merrill Lynch to pursue entertainment full-time. Pearlman combines advanced techniques; including suggestion, subliminal messaging, body language reading, statistical analysis, and neurolinguistic programming; to create experiences that feel impossible. He skyrocketed to national fame by finishing third on Season 10 of America’s Got Talent, which led to multiple primetime TV specials and appearances on NBC, ABC, CNBC, and major media outlets worldwide. An elite endurance athlete, Oz is an enthusiastic marathon and ultramarathon runner with a stunning marathon personal record of 2 hours and 23 minutes. He has completed some of the world’s toughest races, including Badwater 135, the Hawaii Ironman World Championships, Western States 100, and the Spartathlon and has also won dozens of races across the country. Happily married to Elisa and father to five children (three girls, two boys), Oz runs his own full-service production and entertainment company, managing bookings, live events, branded shows, and television projects. He is the author of the 2025 book Read Your Mind: Proven Habits for Success from the World’s Greatest Mentalist. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get $5 off off your Starter Pack (that’s over 40% off) with promo code SRS at https://Mandopodcast.com/SRS ! #mandopod Learn a new language and get up to 55% off your subscription at https://babbel.com/SRS Rules and restrictions may apply. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Check them out at https://roka.com and use code SRS for 20% off sitewide. Oz Pearlman Links: X – https://x.com/OzTheMentalist IG – https://www.instagram.com/ozthementalist YT – https://www.youtube.com/@OzTheMentalist Website – https://ozpearlman.com Book – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DVBG7KSR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Shirley is an American independent journalist, YouTuber, and content creator known for on-the-ground investigative videos and street interviews. Starting with prank and shock content as a teenager, including a 2019 video about flying to New York without parental permission at age 16, Shirley transitioned to political and cultural commentary, gaining prominence for covering protests, immigration issues, and government accountability. A former high school student from Utah who served a two-year LDS mission in Santiago, Chile, he has amassed over 1 million YouTube subscribers and hundreds of millions of views across platforms. In December 2025, his viral video investigating alleged fraud in Minnesota's government-funded childcare programs—claiming over $100 million in misused funds—garnered more than 100 million views on Xl, prompting renewed scrutiny and FBI comments. Shirley participated in a White House roundtable on antifa in October 2025 and advocates for transparency in government spending, immigration enforcement, and exposing perceived corruption, often aligning with conservative viewpoints while conducting direct, minimalist on-location reporting. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://polymarket.com Go to https://shopbeam.com/SRS and use code SRS to get up to 50% off Beam Dream, their nighttime cocoa for better sleep. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at https://shopify.com/srs Join thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family—apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/SHAWN. Try ZipRecruiter for free at https://www.ziprecruiter.com/SRS to find the best people for all your roles. Nick Shirley Links: YT - https://youtube.com/@nickshirley IG - https://www.instagram.com/nickshirley X - https://x.com/nickshirleyy Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/4fm9G0i6lyDZ3XE5fz3Lb9 Hoodie - https://shirleydefense.com/collections/all Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Waltz is an American politician, diplomat, author, businessman, and retired U.S. Army Colonel, a combat-decorated Green Beret with 27 years of military service and the first retired Special Forces officer elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Born in Florida, to a family steeped in military tradition as the son and grandson of Navy Chiefs, Waltz graduated from Stanton College Preparatory School in Jacksonville, Florida, before attending Virginia Military Institute (VMI), earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1996. Commissioned as an Army lieutenant upon graduation, he excelled by graduating from elite Ranger School and selection for the Green Berets, deploying worldwide on multiple combat tours to Afghanistan (starting in 2000), the Middle East, and Africa, while serving in the Pentagon under Secretaries Rumsfeld and Gates and as a counterterrorism advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney. Waltz served three terms as Republican Congressman from Florida’s 6th District (2019–2025), resigning to become National Security Advisor in President Trump’s second administration (January–May 2025) before his September 2025 Senate confirmation as the 32nd U.S. Representative to the United Nations, where he currently serves. A successful business owner, he co-founded Metis Solutions, a strategy and intelligence firm that grew to hundreds of employees worldwide and was acquired for $92 million; he authored the bestseller Warrior Diplomat recounting his military and policy experiences, along with Hard Truths on Green Beret leadership, with proceeds benefiting veterans’ charities, and he continues media commentary on defense and foreign policy. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use code SRS to turn $5 into $300 in bonus bets if your bet wins—see full terms and responsible gaming resources at https://dkng.co/audio. Go to https://drinkag1.com/SRS to get their best offer—plus, for a limited time, receive a FREE AG1 duffel bag and FREE AG1 Welcome Kit with your first subscription order (while supplies last). Sign up and get 10% off at https://betterhelp.com/srs. #ad Get 27% off sitewide at https://helixsleep.com/SRS, exclusive for listeners of the Shawn Ryan Show—enter our show name after checkout! Mike Waltz Links: X - https://x.com/michaelgwaltz IG - https://www.instagram.com/michaelgwaltz Warrior Diplomat - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1612346316 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rob Luna is a prominent wealth and business strategist with over 25 years of experience in wealth management. Renowned as one of the nation's top financial advisors and consistently ranked by Forbes, he currently serves as CEO of Valtrion, founder of the Rob Luna Wealth Academy, and host of The American Capitalist Show. As an on-air contributor for Fox Business, Rob offers expert insights on investment strategies, market trends, and wealth building. Driven by a mission to help entrepreneurs and investors build, scale, and protect their wealth, he provides comprehensive services through Valtrion, including financial planning, asset management, tax strategies, insurance, and risk management—meeting clients where they are, from debt reduction to handling multimillion-dollar portfolios. Through the Rob Luna Wealth Academy, he mentors aspiring business owners with practical tools to achieve financial independence. A best-selling author, successful entrepreneur, and Ivy League alumnus with MBAs from Wharton and UCLA, Rob has built substantial wealth for himself and others while passionately advocating for accessible financial education and smart investing. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Receive 30% off your first subscription order at https://armra.com/SRS or enter code SRS at checkout. Get the Harry’s Plus Trial Set for only $10 at https://www.Harrys.com/SRS. Rob Luna Links: X - https://x.com/realrobluna IG - https://www.instagram.com/realrobluna YT - https://www.youtube.com/@realrobluna Valtrion - https://valtrion.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking back, 2025 stands as one of the most defining years in the history of The Shawn Ryan Show—a year that pushed far beyond the studio and into the heart of stories that don’t fit neatly into headlines or soundbites. Across conversations with military veterans, intelligence professionals, world leaders, and everyday people carrying extraordinary experiences, the show explored the full spectrum of the human condition: moments of life-and-death clarity on the battlefield, firsthand accounts of global threats and emerging warfare, hard truths about corruption and institutional failure, and deeply unsettling realities surrounding child exploitation and extremism. At the same time, 2025 was also about resilience and hope—guests speaking openly about survival, faith, accountability, and the belief that truth still matters even when it’s uncomfortable. From global deterrence and technological warfare to personal redemption and moral courage, these moments collectively reflect why the show exists: to give people a place to tell their story honestly, confront darkness head-on, and remind us that there is still a path forward. These are the moments that defined The Shawn Ryan Show in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Dan Schneider is an Adjunct Professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville and an Associate Staff Member at the St. John Henry Newman Research Centre for Theology at Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, England. A former U.S. Army attack helicopter pilot, Gulf War veteran, and amateur boxer, Schneider has nearly two decades of experience in Catholic evangelization and teaching.  Dr. Schneider works with exorcist Fr. Chad Ripperger, providing tools and resources for priests and laity in the apostolate of deliverance and exorcism. He is the author of Spiritual Warfare Q&A: Priests and Laity (TAN Books, 2025), Sins of the Father: A Catholic and Biblical Approach to Generational Curses (TAN Books, 2026),  and The Liber Christo Method: A Field Manual for Spiritual Combat (TAN Books, 2023), which offers practical “guerrilla warfare” tactics for spiritual battles, including five key strategies: Renunciation of Evil Influences, Repentance, Examination of Conscience, Learning Power and Authority, and Prayer.  A sought-after speaker, he advocates for sacramental living, prayer, and spiritual discipline to combat diabolical influences, drawing on his military and theological expertise. For more information, contact the Holy League Institute at [email protected] Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Join thousands of parents who trust Fabric to help protect their family—apply today in just minutes at https://meetfabric.com/SHAWN. Go to https://helixsleep.com/srs for 27% Off Sitewide https://USCCA.com/srs https://bubsnaturals.com – USE CODE SHAWN Dr. Dan Schneider Links: The Liber Christo Method - https://tanbooks.com/products/books/the-liber-christo-method-a-field-manual-for-spiritual-combat/?afmc=7e Spiritual Warfare Q & A - https://tanbooks.com/products/books/spiritual-warfare-q-and-a-for-priests-and-laity/?afmc=7e The Sins of the Father - https://tanbooks.com/products/books/sins-of-the-father-a-catholic-and-biblical-approach-to-generational-curses/?afmc=7e Holy League Institute - https://holyleagueinstitute.com General inquires, email and web page - [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lee Strobel is an American Christian author, apologist, speaker, and former investigative journalist who transitioned from an atheist investigative journalist into a leading Christian apologist and author, blending rigorous investigative methods with his faith journey to influence millions worldwide. Born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, Strobel earned a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School; growing up in a nominally Christian but non-practicing household, he became a committed atheist who viewed Christianity as irrational until 1979, when his wife Leslie’s conversion prompted a nearly two-year personal investigation into the historical evidence for Jesus. On November 8, 1981, at age 29, Strobel became a Christian, an experience he describes as “falling in love with Jesus” while interviewing scholars and examining ancient manuscripts. A 14-year veteran of The Chicago Tribune where he served as award-winning legal editor, Strobel earned Illinois’ highest honors for investigative reporting and public service journalism from United Press International before pivoting full-time to Christian apologetics. He is a New York Times bestselling author of over 40 books and curricula—including the seminal The Case for Christ (1998), which has sold over 5 million copies—with total sales exceeding 18 million copies translated into 40 languages. His “Case for…” series, along with titles like The Case for Faith, The Case for Miracles, and The Case for Heaven, applies courtroom-style evidence to core doctrines. Strobel, currently serves as Founding Director of the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University. He is described by The Washington Post as “one of the evangelical community’s most popular apologists,” he has received multiple Gold Medallion Awards and the 2023 Pillar Award for History from the Museum of the Bible. Married to Leslie since 1973, Strobel is father to daughter Alison (novelist and homeschooling expert) and son Kyle (professor of spiritual theology at Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology), and he continues to equip believers worldwide with intellectual tools to defend and share their faith effectively. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://USCCA.com/srs Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at http://shopify.com/srs When you buy gold or silver through https://ShawnLikesGold.com, you’ll get up to 10% FREE SILVER OR GOLD on qualified purchases from my partners over at Goldco. Lee Strobel Links: X - https://x.com/LeeStrobel IG - https://www.instagram.com/leestrobel YT - https://www.youtube.com/@LeeStrobelOfficial Web - https://leestrobel.com Book - https://www.amazon.com/Case-Christmas-Journalist-Investigates-Identity/dp/0310371031 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hunter Biden is an American attorney, businessman, and author and the son of President Joe Biden. Born in Delaware and shaped by profound personal tragedies and a diverse career in finance, policy, and international ventures. His mother and sister passed away in a car accident when he was young, and his brother, who survived the accident, later passed at age 46 from brain cancer. Married to Melissa Cohen, with whom he has one child. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Georgetown University and earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School, before working briefly as a Jesuit volunteer in Portland, Oregon, and transitioning into banking and politics. Biden built his early career at MBNA America, then served at the United States Department of Commerce, focusing on e-commerce policy during the Clinton administration. In 2001, he co-founded the lobbying firm Oldaker, Biden & Belair, which worked on issues including online gambling. He served as a board member of Amtrak and is a founding partner of Rosemont Seneca Partners, an investment and advisory firm. He previously was on the board of BHR Partners, a China-based private equity firm, and from 2014 to 2019, he served on the board of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian energy company owned by Mykola Zlochevsky, amid political investigations. In 2013, Biden joined the U.S. Navy Reserve as an ensign, but was discharged in 2014. Biden has publicly admitted to struggles with addiction, detailed in his 2021 memoir Beautiful Things, and has been sober since 2019. He faced public controversies, including the 2018 laptop scandal, and was under federal criminal investigation for tax matters and firearm possession. In 2024, he pleaded guilty to failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes from 2016 to 2019 on foreign income, which he spent on drugs and luxuries. In April 2025, President Joe Biden issued a pardon clearing Hunter of his federal gun and tax convictions. Biden continues to advocate for awareness of addiction through his personal story of recovery and resilience. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://polymarket.com Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Go to https://RocketMoney.com/SRS today. Go to https://armra.com/SRS or enter SRS to get 30% off your first subscription order. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Check them out at https://roka.com and use code SRS for 20% off sitewide. Hunter Biden Links: Book - https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Things-Memoir-Hunter-Biden/dp/1982151110/ref=sr_1_2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steven Bunting is a former U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer and Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman (SARC) / Special Operations Independent Duty Corpsman who spent over a decade embedded with Marine Recon and MARSOC Raiders. He delivered advanced trauma care and operational support on the front lines of combat, direct-action raids, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, and Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) missions worldwide. After leaving active duty, Steven continued high-threat work as a Global Response Staff (GRS) contractor, providing protective security, tactical support, and emergency medical expertise to U.S. government personnel in some of the world’s most dangerous and volatile regions. Transitioning from the battlefield to the cutting edge of mental health and human performance, Steven became a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He has worked in addiction treatment, community mental health, neuropsychiatric research, and psychedelic-assisted therapy with leading organizations including The Mission Within, Heroic Hearts Project, Kadima Neuropsychiatry Institute, and MAPS. Today, as Head of Coaching at Sharp Performance, Steven leads a national team that delivers elite performance coaching and resilience training to first responders, military veterans, and high-risk professionals. Drawing on special operations leadership, clinical expertise, and performance psychology, he helps America’s protectors heal from the cost of service, rebuild identity, and reach their highest potential. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:https://bubsnaturals.com – USE CODE SHAWN Go to https://PatriotMobile.com/SRS or call 972-PATRIOT, and use promo code SRS for a FREE MONTH of service! When you buy gold or silver through https://ShawnLikesGold.com, you’ll get up to 10% FREE SILVER OR GOLD on qualified purchases from my partners over at Goldco. Steve Bunting Links: Sharp Performance – https://www.sharpperformance.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aliia Roza is a former secret agent turned women’s empowerment coach, public speaker, and influencer with over 1 million followers on Instagram who specialized in seduction and psychological manipulation to dismantle human and drug trafficking networks for the Russian government. Born in Karaganda, Kazakh SSR, in the former USSR to a distinguished Kazakh-Tatar military family, father Colonel Timerbulat Roza of the KGB 1st Chief Directorate (retired FSB general-lieutenant), mother Gulnara Roza daughter of Red Army Colonel Khasan Timerbulatov (Order of the Red Banner, Berlin 1945); she was rigorously trained under a state program for officers’ children in martial arts and psychological conditioning, later graduating from Russia’s Military Academy of Internal Affairs and earning a master’s in fashion from London’s Istituto Marangoni plus certification in human sexuality from Kinsey University. Selected for elite KGB-style training, Roza infiltrated criminal rings to rescue underage girls from sex trafficking; during one mission she was abducted and beaten by gang members but rescued by a target who had fallen in love with her, prompting her final operation, witness-protection status, defection from Russia, identity change, and relocation to Europe. Since 2018 an ambassador for London’s Best Beginnings Charity (endorsed by the British Royal Family and personally introduced to Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III), Roza founded the Roza Club, organizing 30+ humanitarian events backed by Cartier, Rolls Royce, Damiani, Roberto Cavalli, and House of Garrard to aid underprivileged women and children in London and Paris. A 2017 Miss Asia International Beauty crowned by Sushmita Sen, she earned Forbes Woman Empowerment recognition at Cannes and Venice Film Festivals (2019, 2022) and speaks at the United Nations and World Changers Summit in Vatican City. She co-hosts the podcast To Die For with Neil Strauss, has signed with Topic Studios for a life documentary, and is writing a book exposing KGB spy techniques to help readers spot manipulation in relationships and daily life; her column “How to Dress Like a Spy” translates espionage confidence into practical fashion and self-empowerment advice for women. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Get $10 Off @BRUNT with code SRS at https://bruntworkwear.com/SRS #BRUNTpod Head to https://lumen.me/SRS for 15% off your purchase. Ready to upgrade your eyewear? Check them out at https://roka.com and use code SRS for 20% off sitewide. Go to https://helixsleep.com/srs for 20% Off Sitewide Aliia Roza Links: Book Preorder - https://www.rozaclub.com/spybook IG - https://www.instagram.com/aliiaroza YT - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOlgX-RrnrBsbWpNhkGtd9w LI - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliia-roza-17710a39 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices