Call Me Tony

My dad used to tell me, “If at first you don’t succeed, give up!” I thought it was terrible advice. Almost 30 years later, I’m beginning to understand the freedom in genuinely giving up, why taking a break isn’t always the same thing, and why persistence isn’t automatically a virtue.

I used to consume as much news as I could and spent a lot of time stressed and angry about things I couldn't influence. I eventually started asking a different question: Why do I need to know this? I talk about empty stress, the pressure to stay informed, being selective about what deserves my atte

We made childhood safer, more supervised, and more structured. But did we go too far? I look at what kids may have lost when we removed unsupervised time, meaningful risk, conflict, mistakes, and the freedom to figure things out for themselves.

Years ago, Tony chose not to reconnect with someone he'd carried in his heart for more than two decades. Revisiting the very first episode of Call Me Tony, he discovers that he still agrees with what he said back then, but no longer feels the same way about the memory. A reflection on lost love, let

Curiosity has always been one of my greatest strengths, but I've learned there are moments when the search for answers can become more about control than understanding. In this episode, I reflect on the relationship between critical thinking, uncertainty, and meaning. Some experiences change us eve