Dr. Scott Asmar: The Man & Everything In Between

Kody Newton shot the movie that launched his filmmaking career on a phone. Not because it was trendy, but because it was 2016 and his business was starting to fail. That decision set him on the path to becoming a full-time independent filmmaker, and Dr. Scott Asmar gets the full story on his podcast Dr. Scott Asmar: The Man and Everything In Between.
 
Kody Newton is a cinematographer, writer and director based in Idaho. He tells Scott about the movie that changed his career, a family project called Ninja Cowboy Viking, shot on an LG V10 because iit could shoot at 24 frames per second. That project led to theater screenings, fundraising for Make-A-Wish, and a decision to go all in on film.
 
This episode covers what Kody learned from low-budget sets, how cinematography gear has changed, and why easier access to good cameras doesn’t replace strong storytelling. Scott and Kody also get into the business side, why Kody charges just $650 a day, and how Newton to Newton Productions reflects his family-friendly approach to filmmaking and his habit of bringing family members onto his sets.
 
If you're weighing a career reinvention or want indie filmmaking career advice from someone who turned a low-budget family film project into a real career, listen to this episode of The Man and Everything In Between.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Meeting Kody Newton on set
00:37 Wyoming roots and the first backyard films
02:03 Ninja Cowboy Viking and the Make a Wish screenings
04:12 Making short films during a Mormon mission in Spain
06:39 How cinematography gear has changed
08:28 Why Kody stays anti AI on set
09:13 The bonfire shoot that taught him the most
11:43 Newton to Newton Productions and staying family friendly
13:23 Metal Kingdom and the robot religion concept
17:12 Life on the road between film sets
18:17 How to become an independent filmmaker and still get hired
21:07 Pricing, crew, and working with family
 
Links
Connect with Kody Newton:
Visit Kody's website
Follow Kody on Instagram 
 
Connect with Dr. Scott Asmar:
Follow Dr. Scott on Instagram
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Can architecture be an act of worship? Paul and Mark Halajian build their answer into every project, and faith-based architecture sits at the center of this conversation with host Dr. Scott Asmar.
 
On this episode of Dr. Scott Asmar: The Man & Everything In Between, Dr. Scott talks with Paul Halajian, principal architect at Halajian Architects, and his son, Mark Halajian, a designer at the firm. Paul has practiced architecture for nearly forty years and trained at UC Berkeley. Mark studied at Cal Baptist and earned master's degrees in architecture and urban design at CU Denver before joining the family practice.
 
Paul traces his focus on church architecture design back to a graduate thesis and a former youth pastor's request to design a church, a project that shaped the rest of his career. He also opens up about the fear he felt when launching his own firm in 2010 and the question that followed him through those first years.
 
Mark breaks down where he stands on AI in architecture, including why he believes it can copy but never create something new. The father-and-son architects also share what led Mark from college wrestling into the family business, the two pulpits and communion table they are currently designing together, and the fountain pen sketching habit Paul passed down to him.
 
Listen to learn how faith-based architecture, family, and design come together, plus practical architecture career advice for anyone who has ever thought about building something that lasts.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Meet Paul And Mark Halajian
01:07 Paul's Early Calling To Architecture
02:43 Studying Architecture At UC Berkeley
04:53 Mark's Roundabout Path Into Design
07:37 Faith Shaping Their Architectural Philosophy
13:14 Debating AI's Role In Design
18:17 The Fountain Pen Obsession Begins
21:34 Career Advice For Future Architects
25:47 Churches And Landmark Buildings In Fresno
33:18 How Christ Guides Their Work
 
Connect with Dr. Scott Asmar:
Follow Dr. Scott on Instagram
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Diane Christiansen waited nearly twenty years to finish her Las Vegas showgirl memoir. Now she returns to Dr. Scott Asmar: The Man & Everything In Between for part two, and a deeper conversation about The Last Real Showgirl and the stories behind the book.
 
Diane started writing in 2006 at the Stardust cast and crew reunion, shortly before the hotel came down. She recalls dancing alongside the Stardust Las Vegas showgirls in the Lido de Paris, the two writing coaches who helped her find her voice, and the childhood chapters she avoided for years. Her publisher cut 30,000 words, but the hardest stories stayed in.
 
She also shares a discovery she waited fifty years to hear. One phone call with an old dance friend exposed a betrayal by a mentor she had trusted for years, and Diane explains why she believes her career unfolded exactly as it was meant to.
 
Then comes her honest movie review of The Last Showgirl. Diane praises Pamela Anderson and Jamie Lee Curtis, then explains why real dancers reject the way the film portrays them. These women were gladiators in heels who built second careers before turning thirty, and the film shows none of this.
 
From a sold-out panel at the Mob Museum to a TIME interview tied to Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl album, Diane's story keeps finding new audiences. Press play for the full conversation and hear what the movie version of showgirl life leaves out.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Welcoming Diane Christiansen Back for Part Two
01:20 The Stardust Reunion That Sparked Diane's Las Vegas Showgirl Memoir
03:00 Finding Her Voice Through Two Writing Coaches
05:50 How Her Publisher Shaped the Final Manuscript
08:45 Success at 21 and the Grueling Vegas Show Schedule
10:05 Inside the Iconic Showgirl Costumes and Dita Von Teese's Rescue
12:25 Diane's Honest Take on The Last Showgirl Movie
15:32 Diet Pills, Objectification, and Writing About Family Secrets
18:27 The Rockettes Betrayal Diane Uncovered Decades Later
22:31 Diane's Whirlwind Book Tour and Media Coverage
28:15 The Mob, the Strip, and the Real Casino Story
28:54 Advice for Young Dancers Today
31:14 Where to Find The Last Real Showgirl and Upcoming Book Signing
 
Links
Connect with Diane Christiansen:
Visit The Last Real Showgirl website
Follow The Last Real Showgirl on Instagram
Connect with Dr. Scott Asmar:
Follow Dr. Scott on Instagram
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

What does it really mean to keep your faith alive when the calendar clears and the holidays are over? On Dr. Scott Asmar: The Man and Everything in Between, host Dr. Scott Asmar sits down with returning guest Victor Perez for an honest conversation about the Christian faith journey for young men.
 
Victor views God not as a distant figure, but as a father and a best friend. He talks to God the way he would talk to a friend, no script required, no formal posture needed, just an honest conversation that starts with gratitude. It is a personal take on how to pray for beginners that actually feels doable.
 
Victor also opens up about his experience as one of many gay Christians who have felt rejected by organized religion. He walked away for a time. His story of faith after doubt is raw and real, and it speaks directly to the broader conversation around Christianity and youth revival happening right now.
 
This is a conversation about building a relationship with God that holds up through loss, confusion, and the seasons where everything feels uncertain. Dr. Scott and Victor agree that faith is not a destination. It is a conversation that never stops.
 
If you are at the beginning of your Christian faith journey for young men or somewhere in the middle wondering if any of this still applies to you, this episode will meet you where you are.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 The Christian Faith Journey for Young Men with Victor Perez
02:23 Staying Spiritually Grounded After Easter and the Holiday Season
03:46 Why Faith Is a Relationship That Requires Daily Communication
05:26 How to Talk to God When You Are Just Starting Out
07:30 Using the Lord's Prayer as a Guide for Beginners
09:57 When Faith Collapses and How Victor Hit Rock Bottom
12:19 The Moment God Met Victor in the Silence
14:42 Why God Is Always Pursuing You Even When You Walk Away
15:49 Daily Devotionals and Bible Resources That Strengthen Your Faith
19:20 Being Gay and Christian and the Pain of Church Rejection
22:56 The Youth Revival and What Young People Need to Hear About God
25:30 A Closing Prayer for Every Listener on the Journey
 
Links
Connect with Dr. Scott Asmar:
Follow Dr. Scott on Instagram
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Your gut is telling you something, and most men aren't listening.
 
On Scott Asmar: The Man and Everything in Between, host Scott Asmar brings in his brother-in-law Dr. John Abdulian, a gastroenterologist with over 30 years in private practice, for a conversation that is long overdue. This is the kind of straight talk you wish you had gotten years ago, delivered by someone who has seen the consequences when men ignore the signs.
 
Dr. Abdulian breaks down why bloating, acid reflux, and digestive discomfort are so common in men, and what gastroesophageal reflux symptoms actually mean for your long-term health. He also explains the brain-gut connection in plain language, including why stress and mood have a direct and measurable impact on your GI tract, and why so many digestive complaints have no visible structural cause at all.
 
Colorectal cancer prevention is a big part of this conversation. Dr. Abdulian shares why colonoscopy screening should start at 45 for most people with no family history, and at 40 or ten years before the age a family member developed colon cancer, whichever is earlier, and why men have a 30 percent higher incidence of colorectal cancer than women. He also touches on inflammatory bowel disease and mental health, reflecting on what gastroenterologists are increasingly recognizing about the psychological burden of chronic GI conditions.
 
The conversation also gets into food, specifically what the latest research is saying about processed foods, additives, and what to actually put on your plate if you want your gut to cooperate.
 
If you have been putting off a screening or ignoring symptoms, this episode gives you the information and the nudge you need.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Meet Dr. John Abdulian, Gastroenterologist
02:25 Gastroesophageal Reflux Symptoms in Men Over 50
05:00 Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Mental Health
07:06 The Brain-Gut Connection and Functional Bowel Disorders
09:44 AI in Gastroenterology and the Future of Endoscopy
13:29 Why Colonoscopy Screening for Men Starts at 45
14:33 Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Risk Factors to Know
17:09 Processed Foods, Additives, and What to Cut From Your Diet
Connect with Dr. John Abdulian:
Know more about Dr. Abdulian
 
Connect with Scott Asmar:
Follow Scott on Instagram
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

The luxury fashion trends 2026 conversation you didn’t know you needed happened at the Dior Cafe inside what AJ describes as the largest Dior shopping space in the world.
 
Host Scott Asmar sits down at the Dior Cafe on Rodeo Drive with returning guest AJ, who works with luxury brands, clients, fashion events, photo shoots, and fashion-related projects. On Scott Asmar: The Man and Everything in Between, AJ brings the kind of access and perspective that does not show up in a magazine roundup.
 
Designers are moving, and AJ says Fashion Week set the tone for major changes in the industry. Dior stands out to him because Jonathan Anderson is bringing a modern twist through earth tones, floral details, pastels, and a stronger luxury feel. For anyone watching summer fashion trends 2026, he points to prints and resort wear as key summer directions, with Etro, Casablanca, Emilio Pucci, and Missoni standing out.
 
His designer fashion news 2026 rundown also covers the turbulent situation at Versace, Ferrari’s surprisingly strong clothing line, and how luxury fashion is shifting from his perspective as someone working with clients, events, and brands.
 
If you’ve ever wanted an insider’s read on the luxury fashion world, this is the episode.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Welcome to Scott Asmar: The Man and Everything in Between
01:04 Inside the World’s Largest Dior Shopping Space on Rodeo Drive
02:06 How Fashion Week in Europe Set the Tone for Industry Changes
03:54 Ferrari’s Clothing Line and What It Means for Luxury Fashion
04:57 Dries Van Noten Sells His Company and Moves Into Interior Design
08:13 Summer 2026 Fashion Trends: Prints, Resort Wear, and Standout Brands
08:55 Versace’s Creative Director Shake-Up and Donatella’s Next Move
10:35 Jonathan Anderson’s Vision for Dior and Why AJ Thinks It’s Working
11:34 AJ’s Upcoming Projects in New York, London, and Milan
12:23 What’s Next for Scott and AJ
Connect with AJ of Beverly Hills:Follow AJ on Instagram
Visit the Lotus Beverly Hills website
 
Connect with Scott Asmar:
Follow Scott on Instagram
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

The Armenian Genocide reaches this family through memory, silence, and the words one grandmother refused to leave behind.
 
On Scott Asmar, The Man & Everything in Between, host Scott Asmar sits down with his wife, Jane Asmar for a personal conversation that gives the Armenian Genocide a human face. Through Jane’s family story, this episode turns history into something close, lived, and impossible to dismiss. Her grandmother’s written account opens a window into loss, faith, survival, and the lasting impact of being forced to rebuild a life after everything familiar is gone.
 
This is the kind of episode that stays with you because it speaks to more than the past. It shows how family stories shape identity, how silence can carry pain across generations, and why remembrance still matters now. Jane reflects on what it meant to grow up around fragments of this history, then later understand what those fragments were really holding. That gives the conversation real weight and makes space for Armenian Genocide survivor stories that deserve to be heard with care.
 
The episode also speaks directly to intergenerational trauma Armenian Genocide families still carry. Small childhood memories, family habits, and emotional distance take on new meaning once Jane begins reading her grandmother’s memoir more closely. Scott and Jane also talk about April 24 Armenian Genocide remembrance and why keeping these stories visible matters for their children and for the wider public. Their renewed connection to this history was shaped in part by the Aurora’s Sunrise documentary, which helped bring the reality of survival into sharper focus.
 
At its core, this conversation is about Armenian family history genocide, resilience, and responsibility. It honors what was lost, names what was endured, and reminds listeners that memory is one way families protect truth from being erased.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Armenian Genocide Survivor Testimony From Zabel Basmajan
01:53 Jane Asmar on Armenian Family History and April 24 Remembrance
03:15 Why Armenian Genocide Remembrance Still Matters Across Generations
05:58 How Aurora’s Sunrise Reignited This Family’s Armenian Genocide Story
07:53 Aunt Nury’s Book and the Memoir That Preserved a Survivor’s Account
11:31 Zabel’s Childhood Memory of the Killing Fields and Lost Armenian Homeland
15:31 Intergenerational Trauma After the Armenian Genocide
17:48 Why Survivors Stayed Silent and Why Zabel Finally Wrote Her Story
20:41 From Turkey to Cuba to Fresno, Rebuilding Life After the Armenian Genocide
24:28 The Fresno State Armenian Genocide Monument and Family Legacy
Links
Watch Aurora's Sunrise on Amazon Prime
 
Connect with Scott Asmar:
Follow Scott on Instagram
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

A Christian faith journey gets real when belief stops being inherited and starts shaping how you live, pray, and keep going through hard questions. On Scott Asmar: The Man & Everything In Between, Scott sits down with Victor Perez for a conversation that offers more than a personal story. It gives listeners a grounded picture of what trusting God can look like when faith and identity feel complicated. Victor shares a moving gay Christian testimony about growing up in church, staying open to God through struggle, and building a real relationship with God that is rooted in honesty rather than performance. He also talks about the value of a daily devotional routine and how scripture, worship and prayer, and time in God’s presence help him stay centered.
 
This episode speaks to people who want their Christian faith journey to feel personal, steady, and honest. Scott and Victor talk about grace, spiritual discipline, and what it means to keep choosing God without pretending to have every answer. If you have been looking for encouragement that feels human and lived in, this conversation delivers that. It is a Christian faith journey shaped by trust, surrender, and the daily decision to stay close to God.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Christian Faith Journey and Growing Up in Church
05:14 Gay Christian Testimony and Trusting God
11:37 Daily Devotional Routine and Spiritual Discipline
17:08 Worship and Prayer for a Stronger Relationship With God
21:16 Relationship With God Over Rules and Religion
Connect with Scott Asmar:
Follow Scott on Instagram
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
 

Most of us have been told ‘that ship has sailed,’ yet this conversation flips that idea on its head and shows how midlife careers can open new chapters long after others think the moment has passed.
 
Scott sits down with Denyse Rabbat, a career coach, to talk through the moment many people reach when the work they’ve done no longer feels like the work they want. They look at why so many adults assume opportunity expires and why that belief holds so much power even when it doesn’t match real life. Denyse shares how reconnecting with early interests can offer clues to a more aligned path, and Scott opens up about the comment that pushed him away from acting for years before he found his way back to it.
 
The conversation invites listeners to rethink the idea of timing. Who decided that a goal has an expiration date? What if a delay points to preparation instead of failure? Scott and Denyse leave space for these questions and offer a grounded reminder that careers can evolve at any stage, often in ways that feel far truer to who you have become.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Career Transitions in Midlife
02:58 The Real Meaning of “The Ship Has Sailed”
05:55 Childhood Passions and Career Direction
09:06 How Career Expectations Have Changed
11:47 Patience and Timing in Career Growth
Connect with Denyse Rabbat:
Visit Denyse Rabbat’s Website
Follow Denyse on Instagram
Connect with Scott Asmar:
Follow Scott on Instagram
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

A grandson and an uncle keep a soldier’s memory alive by revisiting the love, faith, and quiet heroism that defined one man’s life in World War II.
 
In honor of Veterans Day, Scott Asmar sits down with his uncle, Eric Prieto, to share the legacy of Scott’s grandfather, John Asmar—an 82nd Airborne paratrooper whose courage carried him through Holland, France, and the Battle of the Bulge. Through family stories and vivid recollections, they uncover the humanity behind the history: a young man’s promise to his mother, the love he refused to burden before war, and the vision that convinced him he’d return home.
 
The episode reflects on patriotism, sacrifice, and how memory keeps meaning alive long after the generation that lived it is gone. It’s a quiet reminder that legacy isn’t measured by medals, but by the stories we choose to keep telling.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Honoring a Grandfather’s Legacy
03:03 How John and His Wife Met
05:52 Choosing Love After the War
07:03 Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne
09:27 A Vision in Paris
15:03 The Battle of the Bulge
21:03 Remembering Through Generations
23:16 A Final Farewell
Connect with Scott Asmar:
Follow Scott on Instagram
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm