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Why do some stories stay with us forever, while others lose their magic?

This week on Here’s What We Know, we welcome screenwriter, author, and game show researcher Steve Abramson for a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about storytelling, Hollywood, game shows, and the stories that shape who we are.

Steve shares how a childhood viewing of Star Wars sparked a lifelong love of movies, what it is really like working behind the scenes in television and game shows, and why modern franchises often struggle to recapture the joy and clarity that once made them timeless. We also explore why villains are often more compelling than heroes, how pressure changes performance, and what our favorite stories reveal about our hopes, fears, and curiosity.

This is an honest, curious conversation about creativity, culture, and the simple power of a good story told well. If you love movies, game shows, pop culture, or thoughtful conversations that connect the dots between entertainment and real life, this episode is for you.

In This Episode:

• Why stories matter
• How Star Wars sparked a love for storytelling
• Learning screenwriting before the internet
• Sending a screenplay to Hollywood at 15
• Why movie franchises lose their way
• What Star Wars got right and where it went wrong
• Why villains are more interesting than heroes
• The reality of writing for television today
• Behind the scenes of game shows
• Why game shows are harder than they look
• Knowing the answer vs performing under pressure
• How pressure changes creativity
• Why the stories we consume shape us
• Passing curiosity to the next generation
• Why great stories still matter

This episode is sponsored by:

Reed Animal Hospital

Dignity Memorial

Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!

Bio:

Steve Abramson is a screenwriter, author, and television writer whose creative journey began at fifteen when he wrote his first screenplay and even managed to get someone at Amblin Entertainment to read it. After formally studying Film and Television at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Steve broke into professional television writing with credits including In a Heartbeat for the Disney Channel, story pitching for Star Trek, and writing for Survivor: Cook Islands. His career spans television pilots, network pitching, and extensive work on game shows, including Temptation, Boom, Million Second Quiz, and Funny You Should Ask. Alongside years in post production, Steve continues to create across media through projects like KnowItAllJoe.com and his children’s book The Bear in the Chair.

Website: https://steveabramson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowitalljoe1977/

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What happens when the machines get smarter and we have to get wiser?

This week on Here’s What We Know, we welcome Jeff Burningham, author of The Last Book Written by a Human. We talk about AI, fear, failure, and the power of being present.

Jeff shares how building companies, losing a run for governor, and slowing way down changed how he sees success and identity. This is a human conversation about wisdom, humility, and staying grounded while everything around us speeds up.

If you are curious about AI but even more curious about what it means to be human, this episode is for you.

In This Episode:

• Artificial intelligence and its impact on human identity
• What The Last Book Written by a Human is really about
• Why wisdom matters more than intelligence in the AI age
• Fear, uncertainty, and how people are responding to rapid technological change
• Doing versus being and how success can disconnect us from ourselves
• Public failure and the lessons learned from losing a gubernatorial race
• Leadership, ego, and redefining what success actually means
• Presence, attention, and slowing down in everyday life
• What makes human connection irreplaceable
• How to stay grounded as technology continues to advance
  
  

This episode is sponsored by:

Mike Counsil Plumbing & Rooter (Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

License #: 679261

Bio:

Jeff has started, run or been an early investor in over 15 companies in tech & real estate valued at over a billion dollars, lost a challenging race for Governor amidst COVID in his home state, is an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship, served on 20+ boards, lived in the Middle East & traveled to over 60 countries while earning two degrees.

He is a Founder and Chairman of Peak Capital Partners, a $5B+ real estate investment firm located in Provo, UT, which was named the 2nd fastest growing company in Utah and one of the 500 fastest privately held companies in the United States by Inc. Magazine. Jeff also launched Peak Ventures, which has three early-stage funds that back the brightest and most inspiring entrepreneurs in Utah and throughout the US. In 2014, Jeff was named The Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Mountain West Region.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffburningham/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.burningham.252321/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-burningham-15a01a7b/

Connect with Gary:

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Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!

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This week on Here’s What We Know, we’re ending the year with a bang in this episode of Once Around the Country as we welcome singer-songwriter Will Jones! Join us for a relaxed, honest conversation that wanders through bluegrass roots, songwriting, fatherhood, and the beauty of keeping things simple.

Will shares stories from growing up in Cana, Virginia, playing in a family bluegrass band tucked into the Appalachian Mountains, learning music before most kids learn multiplication tables, and waking his dad up singing gospel songs at six years old. Those early porch-front, small-town moments still shape how he writes and performs today.

We also explore the grind of the road, lessons learned from nearly empty rooms, moments with artists like Josh Turner, Laney Wilson, Ashley McBryde, Jon Pardi, and Zach Brown, and how faith, family, and years of persistence have shaped his perspective.

This episode is funny, reflective, and deeply human. It is about staying rooted, showing up honestly, and finding joy in the journey, even when it is messy.

In This Episode:

• Bluegrass roots and Appalachian beginnings
• Learning music before learning math
• Writing songs from real conversations
• Fatherhood, family, and finding balance
• Fixing old trucks between shows
• Playing live with no tracks, no safety net
• Lessons from empty rooms and long roads
• Why honesty still wins in country music

This episode is sponsored by:

Mike Counsil Plumbing & Rooter (Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

License #: 679261

Bio:

Will Jones is a country artist raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains and based in Nashville. A seasoned performer and songwriter, he blends mountain grit, soul, and timeless storytelling into a sound all his own.

His sound is a love letter to the past and a firm handshake to the future—carving his own lane in country music.

Website: https://willjonescountry.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willjonesofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillJonesCountry/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@willjonesofficial

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCD_ZJSvhqWmy967s-_iaSg

Connect with Gary:

• Gary's Website
• Follow Gary on Instagram
• Gary's Tiktok
• Gary's Facebook
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Advertise on the Podcast

Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!