Under the Influence

About Under the Influence

Discussion without the bias of mainstream media. Hosted by Royce D'Orazio. roycedorazio.substack.com (https://roycedorazio.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Royce

Category

news · news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 Aug 2024

Latest episode

22 Jan 2026

Latest episodes

110 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Jan 2026

   Greg Grunberg

   On this episode, Royce reconnects with friend and actor Greg Grunberg for a wide ranging conversation that moves from arcade games and old Hollywood side hustles to Star Wars, Disney, and fandom. What starts as casual catching up quickly turns into a deep discussion about careers, community, and what really lasts beyond the franchise. Greg shares behind the scenes stories from the Star Wars sequels, including why he wasn’t brought back for The Last Jedi, his thoughts on the lack of long term trilogy planning, and why he believes Dave Filoni stepping into a larger leadership role is good for the future of the franchise. The conversation also turns personal as Greg talks about his nonprofit and podcast Talk About It, which focuses on epilepsy awareness and grew out of his son’s diagnosis. He discusses stigma, emergency seizure medications, seizure alert dogs, and why sharing real stories matters. Greg also opens up about developing alopecia after knee replacement surgery, the shock of sudden hair loss, and adjusting to a new reality after decades in front of the camera. It’s a candid, funny, and surprisingly emotional episode about friendship, fandom, and finding purpose beyond the projects that made you famous. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit roycedorazio.substack.com/subscribe (https://roycedorazio.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

2. 

   15 Jan 2026

   Teresa Hui

   In this episode, I sit down with Teresa (https://teresahui.com/) to talk about growing up as an “Xennial,” that in between generation with an analog childhood and a digital adulthood, and how that shaped her relentless work ethic and creative drive. We talk about social media, not as a strategy, but as an extension of her real life and how sharing that journey has quietly built a massive audience without ever chasing the “influencer” label. Teresa opens up about growing up in New York City, navigating both its magic and its danger, and how that environment forged the kind of toughness it takes to survive in the performing arts. From getting mugged as a teenager to navigating Times Square today, she reflects on how the city has changed, how COVID shifted public behavior, and how street smarts and self-awareness have become survival tools, especially as a performer who’s always moving between jobs, auditions, and late night commutes. We also dig into her early creative life from school plays and church programs to believing for years that she “couldn’t sing” because of one bad audition while sick. That self doubt pushed her into mastering multiple instruments, becoming a top student musician, and eventually circling back to singing in a big way, including performing at Carnegie Hall at just 17. It’s a powerful reminder of how easily we can write ourselves off, and how often teachers and mentors see potential before we do. At its core, this episode is about momentum: saying yes, staying in motion, and letting passion lead even when the path doesn’t make sense yet. Teresa’s story is a reminder that confidence is often built backwards, after years of doubt, and that sometimes the only real strategy is to keep going, keep auditioning, and trust that the work compounds, even when you can’t see it yet. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit roycedorazio.substack.com/subscribe (https://roycedorazio.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

3. 

   11 Jan 2026

   Rob Lott

   In this episode, Rob (https://www.tiktok.com/@therobalott?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc) shares what it’s really like working across Orlando Florida’s theme park scene. He brings Main Street, U.S.A. to life as a Dapper Dan at Walt Disney World, but he also shifts into a completely different gear performing as a mime at SeaWorld. Rob talks about how switching between these worlds sharpens his skills, protects his voice during busy seasons, and shows just how flexible performers have to be in a gig driven entertainment industry. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit roycedorazio.substack.com/subscribe (https://roycedorazio.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

26 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 57 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

93

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact Under the Influence

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.