Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, in a town with only one lawyer, every problem comes to the same door. Bill Bryk spent his career deciding when to fight for others and when wisdom meant stepping back. Practicing law in a small community taught him that justice isn’t only about winning cases, but about judgment, restraint, and knowing when to rest. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the iconic Hanson Brothers from Slap Shot weren’t actors. They were real minor-league hockey players. When Dave Hanson, known as “Killer,” was cast in the 1977 cult classic alongside Paul Newman, one of the most unforgettable trios in sports movie history was born. Here's Hanson with the true story behind the making of Slap Shot, how real hockey culture shaped the film, and why the Hanson Brothers became enduring symbols of grit, toughness, and comedy in American sports cinema. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From 1962 to 1992, Johnny Carson defined late-night television as the longtime host of The Tonight Show. Over three decades, hundreds of guests passed through the chair across from him, but only a few appearances became truly legendary. Two of the most unforgettable belonged to Don Rickles and Ed Ames, whose moments on Carson’s stage are still talked about today. Mark Malkoff, author of Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend, shares the stories behind these iconic late-night television moments and why they endure in comedy history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the origins of the Protestant Reformation trace back to a deceptively simple and deeply personal question. A Catholic monk named Martin Luther wrestled with it for years: Am I a good person? That spiritual struggle would ultimately shake the foundations of Christianity and transform Western civilization. Eric Metaxas, bestselling author of Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World, tells the story of how one man’s search for grace sparked the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of world history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Lee Habeeb, host of Our American Stories, reflects on his mother’s life and the quiet legacy she left behind. Set in the patch of Northern New Jersey she cared for and shaped, this is a deeply personal meditation on love, grace, character, and the influence a parent carries long after they are gone. It’s the eulogy he never gave, and the story he chose to share. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, on January 29, 1774, Benjamin Franklin was summoned before the King’s advisers in an octagonal chamber at Whitehall Palace known as the Cockpit. Intended as a public humiliation, the encounter instead became a turning point. Franklin entered as a loyal servant of the British Empire and left deeply disillusioned, newly committed to the American cause. Sheila Skemp, author of The Making of a Patriot: Benjamin Franklin at the Cockpit, tells the story of the extraordinary hour that helped turn one of Britain’s most famous subjects into an American patriot and set him on a collision course with his own son. We'd like to thank the U.S. Library of Congress for originally hosting this audio. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ken Kendrick, owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, reflects on two profound college friendships that shaped his life long after graduation. In this deeply personal story, Kendrick recounts intimate conversations with two fraternity brothers before their deaths, moments that left a lasting imprint on his understanding of loyalty, mortality, and what it means to live with purpose. It’s a moving reflection on friendship, loss, and the words we carry with us long after goodbye. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the height of the Cold War, a routine American B-50 bomber flight over the North Pole turned into a tense encounter with a Russian MiG jet. Richard Muniz shares the story of his friend’s fateful meeting in the skies, revealing the quiet dangers of Cold War aviation and the high-stakes cat-and-mouse games between the United States and the Soviet Union. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Johnny Carson reigned supreme as the host of The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992, shaping modern late-night television and launching countless careers. Over three decades on the air, iconic sketches and unforgettable guests became part of American pop culture, from “Carnac the Magnificent” to appearances by Tiny Tim and Rodney Dangerfield. Mark Malkoff, author of Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find the Genius Behind the Legend, shares behind-the-scenes stories of Carson’s influence, comedic instincts, and the moments that defined late-night television history. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1964 World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals played the mighty NY Yankees. On the pitcher's mound for the Cardinals was Bob Gibson, and his catcher was Tim McCarver. Here's Jeff Bloodworth, a professor of American history at Gannon University and a Jack Miller Center fellow, with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.