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xoxo, babes. this episode? zero edits. zero pretending. just me, the mic, and the truth.

today i’m spilling the real tea on where i’m at right now: acting, improv, tarot, identity, confidence, doubt, and what it actually feels like trying to build a creative life in los angeles without losing your soul. it’s vulnerable. it’s uncomfortable. it’s honest in a way i usually don’t let myself be.

and yes… we’re talking about dating in LA. the fuckboys. the ego men. the ones who say they want a creative outlet but are doing absolutely nothing to fulfill it. the emotionally unavailable. the “i’m working on myself” men who are actually just avoiding accountability. the smallest men to have ever lived!!!

if you’re tired of men who talk big, do nothing, and drain your energy while calling it “a phase” — this one’s for you. if you’ve ever felt burnt out, disillusioned, hopeful, jaded, soft, angry, and still open.... this one’s for you.

no glam. no spin. just the truth. listen if you want the real version, not the highlight reel.

xoxo 💋

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Kicking off the first episode of 2026, I sit down with my dear friend Laura Raczka for a long overdue catch-up. We talk about how we first met, her nearly 20-year journey living and working in Los Angeles, and the realities of building a creative life in the entertainment industry. Laura shares insights into her career specializing in makeup across print, fashion shoots, modeling, music videos, film, and television along with her work in special FX makeup for horror projects and the highs, lows, and behind-the-scenes moments that come with the industry.

At the time of recording, Laura was in the middle of getting ready and packing for Paris Fashion Week, sharing her excitement about what she was looking forward to and the journey ahead, including her upcoming travel to the Sahara Desert. Since recording and releasing this episode, she’s returned from both Paris and the Sahara and had an incredible experience, which we’ll be recapping in a future episode.

We also bond over our shared love of surfing, the Venice lifestyle, and what it means to stay grounded while navigating a constantly evolving city. A relaxed, honest conversation about growth, resilience, creativity, and catching up with a dear friend.

Where to Listen:
🎧 15 Years in LA is available on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2goWp40h9kHnxIMuyTCC1D

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/15-years-in-la-pod/id1838539073

Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2535726

Follow the Show:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/15.years.in.la.pod/

Follow Laura Raczka:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laura_raczka/

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In this episode of 15 Years in LA, Sam Adler (@_sadl3r) welcomes writer, actor, and comedian Sean Leviashvili (@seanslostit) for an open and heartfelt conversation about identity, confidence, and connection. Sean shares his experience living between Los Angeles and New York, navigating dating on both coasts, and embracing life with cerebral palsy while celebrating self-acceptance and authenticity.

They explore how community and creativity sustained LA through the pandemic and the strikes, and how Sean’s journey mirrors the empowerment behind Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.”

🎧 Listen and stream 15 Years in LA on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Buzzsprout. Follow @15.years.in.LA.Pod and @_sadl3r, and be sure to like, share, subscribe, and comment to help the pod reach more listeners! 💫

#15YearsInLA #Podcast #SeanLeviashvili #LGBTQStories #BicoastalLife #BornThisWay

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⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions around mental health, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders. Please take care of yourself and listen only if and when you feel ready.

In this bonus episode, I open up about my personal journey with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and my eating disorder: what it’s looked like, how it’s evolved, and how it still impacts me today. This is one of the most vulnerable conversations I’ve had on 15 Years in LA, but it felt important to share what’s really been going on behind the scenes.

I also talk about what it means to “show up”, creatively, socially, emotionally when you’re struggling. It’s not always easy, and it doesn’t always look the way people think it does.

If this episode resonates with you, or if you’d like to hear more mental health–focused episodes, I’d love to know. Send a message or comment on Instagram. Your stories matter, too. 💛

🌀 Listen & stream 15 Years in LA on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Buzzsprout 📲 Follow for updates: Podcast — ⁠@15.years.in.LA.Pod⁠ Host — ⁠@_sadl3r⁠

💬 Don’t forget to like, share, subscribe, and comment to help spread the word about the show.

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I sit down with writer and producer Jon Zuber, who I first met on my debut feature film Killer Holiday. Jon shares stories from his 40+ year career in film & TV, his time living and working in Santa Barbara, and the making of his Emmy-winning documentary Stories in Time: Santa Barbara. Now based in Palo Alto, Jon reflects on balancing family life with creative work, the evolving entertainment landscape, and how to keep finding inspiration over the long haul.

Highlights:

• How Killer Holiday brought us together 🎬
• Lessons from 40+ years in entertainment
• The story behind his Emmy-winning Santa Barbara doc 🏆
• Moving to Palo Alto & pursuing new creative projects
• Reflections on staying inspired + collaborative in LA & beyond

✨ Listen to 15 Years in LA on Spotify and Apple Podcasts📲 Follow us on IG: @15.years.in.LA.pod💌 Submit questions or pitch yourself as a guest: ⁠15yearsinLApod@gmail.com⁠

Support the Show By Becoming a Monthly Supporter!

15 Years in LA is a true passion project. A love letter to this city and the stories that shape it. If you’ve been enjoying the conversations, you can now support the show directly via our Buzzsprout page.

Support Monthly from $3, $5, $8, or $10⁠Become a supporter here⁠

Every contribution helps cover production costs, book new guests, and keep this community growing. Your support means the world, and it ensures we can keep sharing these stories of growing up, falling down, and holding on in LA. Thank you for being part of it.

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In this deep and raw mini episode, I open up about the heavy days—the ones where depression keeps me from showing up, where being absent feels easier than facing the world. I talk about what it’s like to try and pick myself back up when I’m very much down, and the small steps I take to find purpose and self-motivation in uncertain times.

From discovering that tarot is something I’m genuinely good at, to making changes in my diet and lifestyle, this episode is about the ongoing process of caring for my mental health and learning to show up for myself—even when I can’t show up for anyone else.

Because sometimes, just admitting “I’m not okay” is the first step to becoming okay.

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What do you do when you’re halfway through Griffith Park, alone with your dogs, and two coyotes appear on the trail ahead of you? In this solo episode of 15 Years in LA, I share the story of one of the most nerve-racking hikes of my life and how it became a reminder of something bigger.

Because whether it’s wildlife on a hike or a challenge in your own head, LA will put you in situations where you have no choice but to face your fears. We’ll talk about what it feels like in the moment, the mental shift that happens when you choose to stand tall, and how those moments prepare you for everything else this city (and life) throws at you.

Lately, I’ve been inspired by voices that push me to live braver: including The Sabrina Zohar Show, which has guided me through my mental health journey, and my own therapist, who hosts Own Your Truth Podcast. In therapy, he’s helped me face my fears head-on in the real world; Sabrina’s words have helped me face the ones living inside. Together, they’ve been a huge part of me learning to stand my ground on a trail or in life.

This isn’t just a story about coyotes. It’s about courage, instinct, and the quiet power of realizing you can handle more than you think.

Listen on Spotify🎙️ Follow, share, subscribe, and rate to help more people find the pod!📸 Follow along on Instagram: @15.years.in.la.pod

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In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant and hilarious Edgar Momplaisir to talk about 15 years in LA.

The chaos, the grind, the gigs, the wins, the weird parties, and the city that raised us, reinvented us, and almost broke us (more than once).

We get into:

– how we met and what we remember about each other back then

– the realities of moving to LA and making it home

– the moments that shaped us creatively

– what’s changed over the years: in the city, in ourselves, and in our friendship

– and, of course, Edgar’s go-to LA spots: food, drinks, and one secret gem

🎭 Edgar is a writer + producer on Everybody Still Hates Chris (now streaming on Paramount+)

🎙️ Catch him live at UCB Franklin:

→ Leroy – every 4th Friday at 8:30pm

→ Asssscat – every Saturday + Sunday at 8:30pm (rotating cast)

Follow, rate, and review if you love the show. New episodes every week.

💫 Hosted by Samantha Adler

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