Hello you savages. Get a free list of my 100 favourite books - chriswillx.com/books/ Here's the timestamps: 00:00 From Navy SEAL to Storyteller 04:14 Why People Love Gruesome True Crime 07:24 The Best Story MrBallen Has Ever Told 18:56 Living a Double Life in a Coma 22:56 Developing a Storytelling Style 32:37 Biggest Mistakes in Telling a Great Story 36:47 Audience Reactions at Live Shows 39:15 The Story With the Biggest Reaction 49:45 Where MrBallen Finds His Stories 58:46 Who Was MrBallen Before the SEALs 1:08:32 Advice for People Stuck in a Rut 1:11:54 Getting Through SEALs Training 1:24:23 The Worst Element of Hell Week 1:30:13 What it Feels Like to Be Hit By a Grenade 1:49:49 Rewatching the Video of the Hit 2:00:46 Adjusting From War to Home 2:07:52 MrBallen’s View on a Good Life 2:14:24 Principles for When Life Gets Hard 2:19:45 The Couple Who Almost Caught Ted Bundy 2:26:44 The Most Evil People 2:32:49 Tom DeLonge’s Alien Obsession 2:37:21 Receiving Backlash for Sharing Stories 2:43:00 Why the Military Has an Issue With MrBallen 2:54:06 Speaking in Depth About Military Experiences 3:04:26 Dealing With Rapid Growth 3:12:15 MrBallen’s Favourite Storytellers 3:20:34 What’s Next for MrBallen? 3:26:01 Where to Find MrBallen
One of the reasons I respect Mr Ballen as a storyteller in the true crime space is because his telling feels respectful to the victims in a way almost nobody else does. As someone who lost a close family member to murder, the attitude so many true crime podcasters and storytellers have just feels exploitative and gross.
I don’t really care for story telling (I’m not a child); I care more about what’s true, and to me he cares less about the validity of the stories he tells, since some of them definitely are not factual.
@@FutureAbe “I don’t care for storytelling, I’m not a child” bruh storytelling is like a foundational component of being human. You must be a real drag to be around irl
SAME! I was driving and had tears in my eyes as I was gripping the steering wheel. I don't know how it was so suspenseful because I obviously know he lives, but it just was.
The one thing you can't fake and that translates over the internet is authenticity, being an interesting person and being a good egg. I think that's why he's so successful.
I really have so much respect for John, not only for his service (his service alone is something to revere), but for who he has become. Beautiful human being
Me Ballen's stories are fascinating -- But also it's his voice. No matter how frightening the story is, his voice conveys that we'll get through to the end and be ok.
Yes! I have a sensory issue regarding voice. I don't talk about it because people don't understand it. Voice is everything to me. Mr B.Allen's voice is perfect. There are some storytellers that I just cannot listen to because of their voice - it makes me feel annoyed because I "should" be more open - but inflection, tone, and pronunciation can make or break it. Mr B.Allen makes it. His authenticity comes through and it's comforting, no matter what the subject is.
@@Dreasurai totally get this! I have this myself to a degree… men who have a “vocal fry”, idk what it is but I actually want to crawl out of my skin and experience fight or flight. I didn’t always have this happen, it kinda developed over the years. I’m 35 and this started happening maybe ~5 years ago. The type of vocal fry so deep that really makes me want to run away…. That’s the worst. It is the kind of vocal fry that is almost like the sound from “The Grudge”. It’s just really hard to sit through. I’m a nail tech and some of my pedicure clients are men, mostly older men, so I hear this more often than I’d like. And I feel so bad for being that way. I learned that our ears pick up different frequencies depending on age so I think that’s why it started randomly around 30. Of course that’s just one of many voice characteristics that drive me nuts; there are many.
When I saw that this was three and a half hours long, I didn't think I was going to watch the whole thing. But I quickly and easily got sucked in. Mr. Ballen has a way of doing that. I could listen to him for hours... And I guess I just did.
15/10 interview. Really enjoy letting him speak and go off on side tangents and not interrupting that so many other shows seem to do to get to "the point". Mr Ballen deserves all the success and more.
In 3 hours he doesn't say umm or uh even once, I think. I've done 100hrs of podcasting and I'm amazed by his unscripted eloquence in plain language. That's really, really hard to learn, but easy to do once you've learned. It's the gift of ADHD imho lol
I had a friend who smoked dmt or salvia once and he hallucinated dating a women, marrying her, he said he watched 2 kids being born, watching his wife die, then getting old himself before he came to. He said he remembered everything vividly even taking his son to baseball games and watching him graduate to teaching his daughter how to ride a bike. I seen him like a week or 2 after he had the trip and he was seriously broken up about losing his family. I haven't talked to him in a couple yrs I'll have to check on him.
My husband, 8 year old daughter and I have been watching Mr Ballen for about two years…. When we first started about 2 years ago, our daughter would ask to watch “flannel stories” 😂😂😂😂 he might be mr ballen to potential SEALs but to us, you’ll always be flannel man LOL
Haha nice. Anytime my family (s is 7, d is 3) take longish drives somewhere, we always listen to fun and happy music on the way there, since it's usually b/c we are going somewhere fun and exciting, whereas on our drives home, when things are much more subdued and the kids are dreading school the next day, it's always MrBallen or The Why Files. I mainly just stick to the three places you can't go and stranger than fiction episodes, and totally avoid the dark/disturbing ones or any that have to do with murder. My kids are big time nature lovers, especially the 7 year old, so I am a little hesitant to do the missing 411's with them and have them scared of the great outdoors (my 3 year old isn't comprehending what she's hearing yet, so it's only my son I'd actually be worried about and he's truly a maniac for the outdoors).
@@BlyGuy when my daughter was younger, I’d prewarch episodes that I wasn’t sure about… like some of the ‘creepy’ ones, just to make sure they weren’t too scary. She really likes the ‘places you can never go’ episodes, too☺️
the way yall talked about being in a rut because youre just not sure what do to with your life is exactly what i needed to hear, im so ready to achieve more in life
My daughter is in the Navy Reserve. After serving 9 years in the U.S.M.C. She had a side job publishing books on individual veterans. She would fly out and interview each veteran and then a Biography book would be created about them. It was funded through a veteran program. I thought Mr. Ballen would be the perfect candidate for this project, my daughter as well. I think that would be an enriching experience for all involved and all who love and enjoy Mr. Ballen.
@@StayingClassy100there are a lot of people that know this story from different views from how mrballen explains it also a lot of spin off stories using this format
After watching the entire thing I have to say I'm in awe of how beautiful this set is, I have never seen anything like it here on YT, the images are so wonderful, the tones used, even the table and mics, there is a minimalist feel to it too , congratulations on such a gorgeous set.
Great background! Excellent when the jet seemed like it was flying right over/at you! I love story telling, as an example the way Wynona Rider narrates in the beautifully made, "Little Women," or Jude Law's narration in the beginning & off & on throughout the movie,"Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events." There's a talent & skill set to creating captivating content. Mr. Ballen is right, NEVER give up the reveal (plot) up at the beginning! As a serious reader & movie fan since a child....I found that as an adult I lost great interest in watching movies where the description gave up the story! Off I went to find something else! I started off in life with comic books & the Hardy Boys Mysteries....to this day "Mysteries," intrigue me. Trying to figure out what happened BEFORE the reveal is a challenge! Now who doesn't like a good challenge?! Like this podcast, subscribed 👍 I've already picked my spring/summer mystery book, a cross between Indiana Jones & the Da Vinci Code called "The Fifth Gospel," by Ian Caldwell. But of course I'll get Mr. B's book....there's mystery content!! Yes! Good luck!!
@@jordanwilliams8040every special ops guy I’ve known has been like Mr. Ballen. You just don’t see them because they aren’t posers grifting on the podcast circuit :P
I wish there were more Mr Ballen interviews on the internet. It’s just so nice to hear him talk in general. Seems like a standup guy too! Hope the stories always keep coming!
I've stumbled into MrBallen during COVID in 2020 and was captivated by his distrubing russian sleep experiment story and his personal paranormal story. I have loved his story telling since. I am amazed but not surprised how much he has blown up in popularity! YOU ROCK BALLEN!
As someone who generally gets a bit bored by the Jocko/Goggins/Seal/Delta media circus, it was really interesting to hear this thoughtful and nuanced behind-the-scenes account. He's the true role model that people should be following.
I love Mr ballen because of the way he delivers his stories. He doesn't sensationisle or try to drag you threw it. It's a very subtle and succinct deliverance and he comes across as a genuinely nice guy. All in all chuffed to bits for him and his family the success he's having.
@MrBallen is that good friend you always go camping with and he keeps you rapt with tales around the campfire. I think that's where the "comfort" comes in.
I would go to a theater to sit and listen to Mr. Ballen telling stories, the thing is, I hate theaters, but he is so good on his craft, and feels between a friend and bard that is so soothing!
I’ve never watched this channel before but I’ll certainly be going through and watching old videos. You asked incredible questions and seemed so interested in not only the logistical questions regarding his content but him as a person and his feelings about things. Amazing.
Thank you guys, I absolutely love John & it's great to see him being the guest & subject of the show. I love to listen to MrBallen videos, my ADHD means I always listen to videos whilst doing other things because I don't single task (it's almost impossible for me to only do one thing at a time) however when I tune into a MrBallen video I usually find I'm stood or sat there with whatever I'm dong in my hand, totally transfixed on what John is saying - quite often I end up watching his videos with the hoover, dish cloth, cat food in my hand, or stood next to me😂 To be fair I am very funny about voices & accents - there are content makers that I cannot watch because of their voice or their accent (sensory issues) but John has the most gentle & likeable American accent, I could listen to him read out my shopping list & I'd be enthralled 👌 So thank you Chris & John for a fantastic viewing/listening experience - the backdrop was also fascinating, I kept getting drawn to it ❤
I got shot by a sniper (2x) while deployed and when asked what it felt like by a military dr i said "it kinda felt like chuck noris round house kicked my in the side"... an army reporter got ahold of that quote 😂 its now in an article "soldier displays courage under fire"
Hey John don't say nobody really cares about you because I genuinely care about you and deeply do appreciate your service to me and this country. Thank you.
Bro is too goated tbh , can't believe people said it was "a vanity project" this is like podcasting 3.0 and I'm not even looking at the screen 80% of the time.
seeing mr ballen have a conversation make me fall in love with in even more. he seems like such a humble and genuinely good guy. it's such an inspiration. his presence makes me feel like i need to be a better person too. i sound so cringe but i've been battling some inner demons and watching this video was just so calming and grounding. appreciate your existence and landing on one of your videos learning of your existence. i've also already been following chris too. learning about chris from a diff channel, podcast too.
When I first watched Mr. Ballen I was hooked for sure. His stories are true. They actually started to disturb me. Each story seems to have a lesson to learn. I do recommend him to people but beware they will scare !
Easily the best podcast I have listened to, used to listen to MrBallen but due to work, life ect haven’t really watched much of him as of the last year or so. Was such a refreshing experience to listen to these story’s and conversations.
Might be two of my favourite RUclipsrs in a conversation. Either of them could talk about making breakfast and I'm in, fully. Amazing set as well. Super well done, Chris and co.
For the past week or so, I have basically binge watched Mr. Ballen’s videos. After listening to many, many stories beautiful told. I noticed the south shore accent, it’s very slight. But come to find out, we both graduated from hs in the same city. At diff schools. And only a few years apart. Mr Ballen, I love your storytelling style. It’s obviously your an intelligent man. And it makes sense that you come from a family of very talented storytellers. I actually like you even more knowing we grew up in almost the same place.
Man I could listen to John talk for litterally hours... thank you so much for having him here, cuz 15minutes a week isn't enough for me =P much love and support MrBallen
Chris asked: are you pain at this point? John answered: right now? Or in the story? God bless you, MrBallen! That's kind of telling, John thought Chris meant "at this moment, TELLING the story". This is really amazing to me, seeing MrBallen talking about himself. At the beginning, I could tell he was out of breath just speaking, and that's so relatable. And beautiful! I've been on the MrBallen train since 2020, when he had a couple hundred thousand followers, and watching him blow up has been so cool! Well deserved, sir!
I love that John is doing podcasts! I started watching his videos when he was just starting out and I binged all the videos he had at the time in one sitting, and I’ve been hooked ever since. He’s an incredible storyteller ❤
I have been a fan of MrBallen since pretty much his beginning. My mom and I haven't ever missed an episode. He has such an amazing gift of giving as much detail as possible so you can actually see it in your mind. I have a hard time with descriptive writing or speaking. I am an artist of sorts, so it's easier for me to show than tell lol I think this is what has made me love MrBallen as much as I do. His ability to go into such detail, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Gosh, what an immense talent he has for telling a story. I have rewatched his videos so many times and still never get bored haha.
Mr. Allen, not only are you an American hero, but also a very accomplished story teller, which is a skill and talent in and of itself. I have followed you for 3 years now and now I have my bf, coworkers and some family hooked. Thank you sir for keeping me on my toes and entertained....tell Seagull Lung I say hi;)
My dad was in WWII. He lost his arm from shrapnel and had large scars across his back. He had justed 18 when he went in and was out shortly after turning 19. He never talked about what happened or what he experienced. When my children were in Jr high and high school he started talking about his experience but did not talk about actually losing his arm. It was good to hear you talk about those actual moments when you thought you might die and your recovery. It helped me see how dad might have felt and explained some of his behaviors during his life. They didn’t talk about or understand PTSD, now I see my dad struggled with it and how it affected his life. Thank you.
2:53 that introduction to his story of starting his social media career is honestly so awesome. I’m so happy he got big he deserves it, his videos are so intriguing and the way he tells stories is truly special
what MrBallen said about NOT giving away the story's truth till the end, IT DRIVES ME TOTALLY CRAZY. I hate that so much, I cant listen to his stories. I have heard maybe 3-4 of them and until now I could not, for the life of me figure out why I cant "get into it" NOW I KNOW! lololol maybe I'm mental or something...I read books the same way. I read the last chapter to know the end, and then I start the book from the front. I also HATE HATE surprises! Its NOT his fault though, my mother had a serious mental illness and growing up I never knew what will happen from one moment to the next. MrBallen, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE SIR :)
I used to watch MrBallen's video's all the time. Then I started watching video's of people like Chris Williamson and to see MrBallen on this podcast now talking about his life story, his time as a navy seal and knowing that he is a magican in storytelling makes me really feel like I want to watch the entire podcast a couple times over. 2 amazing people on the table😃
The best story Mr. Ballen has ever told: I firmly believe this is why we don’t remember past lives. I had a dream once that I was a tiger and my baby cub drowned in front of me. When I woke up I was fcked up about it for WEEKS
Dreams are wild sometimes. I used to joke about "seeing a movie on my eyelids" when I went to bed. My imagination is trippy - I've had recurrimg nightmares, so I learned about lucid dreaming. Now I can usually turn my nightmares into "stories" that have a better ending. My worst nightmare ever involved one of my kids falling off a balcony. It still disturbs me when I think about it. I really need to write a book of a collection of my dreams.
A lot of the things that were said during this episode is exactly what i needed to hear right now. I'm going through a big transition in my life at the moment - moving away from my childhood home/ city that I've lived in for 25 years. I've become such a home body and the gaurd rails are up and i'm afraid of leaving my comfortable routine. But I'm doing it anyway. It's funny how these things work out. Thank you for that. Thank you.
And this is precisely why Mr Ballen is the best storyteller. Some channels are loved by a specific group of people and they become popular and successful. But mrballen is like the sage that’s on a different plane. Like the grandmaster that’s looked up to by all the masters. And he does it all without any outrageous or spectacular graphics and gimmicks.
7:23 my mom specifically had me watching true crime growing up just to know what to look out for and safety reasons like that. This is the first time I’ve heard someone else mention it. She’s on her way home and I can’t wait to show her this!!
I had a much milder version of the 2nd life that they talked about. I had a dream, very vivid, i fell in love, had a family, just like these stories. I woke up, I was driving to work when I realized that it wasn't real. I went from being the happiest I had ever been, to the saddest I've ever been. I pulled over and just started crying. Every once in a while, I find myself daydreaming about the memories from that life, and it takes me a few moments to remember it didn't happen, and I get that feeling of loss all over again. I never thought about it happening to others, but it makes total sense that im mot the only one.
Usually listen to this podcast on Spotify! Today I watched this episode on RUclips and the background and the studio you have is just phenomenal. I especially like how it matches the theme and the mood of the story. As Mr.Ballen was talking about his military stories with his articulation and storytelling plus the background made me feel like I was actually there. Well done Chris!
My man John is doing plenty of interviews and podcasts now. I love it! Ever since the iced coffee one ive been hoping he does more. Found this randomly on my homepage! 👏🏾
He’s so right about his style. A great storyteller doesn’t tell you the story, they _show_ you the story. As an amateur writer, that’s the best advice I’ve ever gotten. Show, don’t tell.
MrBallen is not a narcissist, he sounds exactly like me and i have adhd. Often, if you're saying you're narcissistic and become humbled or something you are not truly narcissistic.
Mr Ballen?! This one was so cool Chris! Ballen is the evidence of how we are wired for story telling, and how much we need it, albeit special effects productions, and other "sophisticated" contents. He´s an internet "bazinga". Thanks a lot to both of you.
I love MrBallen. His story telling is the best. Just listened to his episode on the Shawn Ryan Show. Now he is on another one of my favorite podcasts. Love it!!
The big cinematic wall gave this particular conversation so nice depth. It was obvious the team prepared some scenarios in forward, based on the topics which could occur, and were switching scenes based on the conversation. Well done, well done :)
I greatly appreciate and respect Chris’s style of hosting by simply letting his guest speak. There isn’t a narcissist need to mark his territory throughout the interview by incessant interjections. John has moved and continues to go through his life in true form of the human condition - trail, error and learn. Rinse and repeat. He has this inalienable right as much as you and I. Period. I agree with John that in the micro prospective, our life is a detailed and complex compilation and in the macro prospective relative to cosmic time our existence in mass of our species, isn’t even a blip on its timeline = You’re significant while being insignificant at the same time.
The lamp is definitely his most haunting story and that story about the twin towers, I had to watch multiple times before I made it all the way through. The way he tells it really projects the terror and despair those poor people must have experienced. Such a great storyteller.
The pinching man was his most haunting story for me. If you’ve never heard it you really should. I have NEVER reacted to anything in my life the way I did to that one. And I still randomly think about it probably a couple times a month because it really just stuck with me.
Mr ballen tells stories in a way, that keeps you really engaged and just tuned in. His story telling is very soothing and done in a way that makes you visualize what is happening .
The fact that you were trying new things with the backdrop and everything is CRAZY to me because it all felt so seamless! Granted - I am a first time viewer of this channel so I do not have any frame of reference point, but the overall production of this video felt like a movie to me xD Well done mate
There's just something about John's voice he's definitely my favorite story teller he just has the best watch to catch ur attention and keep it he always makes the story's where u wanna hang till the end to find out how the story ends up I love John aka mrballen
Intersting story, in the 60's, my grandfather lived many years with Leukemia far past what he should of. He was a bee keeper and the Mayo clinic actually studied his case. The study was inconclusive, but they specultaed that the frequent bee stings must be what kept his cancer in remission for so long.
Hello you savages. Get a free list of my 100 favourite books - chriswillx.com/books/ Here's the timestamps:
00:00 From Navy SEAL to Storyteller
04:14 Why People Love Gruesome True Crime
07:24 The Best Story MrBallen Has Ever Told
18:56 Living a Double Life in a Coma
22:56 Developing a Storytelling Style
32:37 Biggest Mistakes in Telling a Great Story
36:47 Audience Reactions at Live Shows
39:15 The Story With the Biggest Reaction
49:45 Where MrBallen Finds His Stories
58:46 Who Was MrBallen Before the SEALs
1:08:32 Advice for People Stuck in a Rut
1:11:54 Getting Through SEALs Training
1:24:23 The Worst Element of Hell Week
1:30:13 What it Feels Like to Be Hit By a Grenade
1:49:49 Rewatching the Video of the Hit
2:00:46 Adjusting From War to Home
2:07:52 MrBallen’s View on a Good Life
2:14:24 Principles for When Life Gets Hard
2:19:45 The Couple Who Almost Caught Ted Bundy
2:26:44 The Most Evil People
2:32:49 Tom DeLonge’s Alien Obsession
2:37:21 Receiving Backlash for Sharing Stories
2:43:00 Why the Military Has an Issue With MrBallen
2:54:06 Speaking in Depth About Military Experiences
3:04:26 Dealing With Rapid Growth
3:12:15 MrBallen’s Favourite Storytellers
3:20:34 What’s Next for MrBallen?
3:26:01 Where to Find MrBallen
You need to interview Antony Peak! Seriously PLEASE
I’m sure you’re aware, but on Apple Podcasts and Spotify the pod cuts off at like 2h37m.
How you say,what you say,is as important, as what you say😮
Amazing show!
Hard pass, just here 4 MrBallen
This was so fun to film, thanks again Chris!!!
Yes
Appreciate the hell out of you, thank you man
We love you MrBallen 🤘
I’ve watched your channel for a while and definitely have became a big fan over the years! Thank you Mr Ballen of what you do!
Hey Mrballen
Its crazy to hear him re tell stories I have heard him tell before and how perfectly re told it is! This man is a legend
Thank you Jason!!
@@MrBallen Aw man! 💙💙 Love from Switzerland, whole lotta love.
One of the reasons I respect Mr Ballen as a storyteller in the true crime space is because his telling feels respectful to the victims in a way almost nobody else does. As someone who lost a close family member to murder, the attitude so many true crime podcasters and storytellers have just feels exploitative and gross.
Have you watched Dire Trip?
Agreed, that’s why he’s pretty much the only true crime podcast I listen to. The rest just feel very exploitative
I don’t really care for story telling (I’m not a child); I care more about what’s true, and to me he cares less about the validity of the stories he tells, since some of them definitely are not factual.
@@FutureAbe “I don’t care for storytelling, I’m not a child” bruh storytelling is like a foundational component of being human. You must be a real drag to be around irl
@@FutureAbe You kinda sound more like a child by saying you "don't really care for storytelling". That's such a rebellious teenager attitude
The interpreter lying on him and praying made me tear up... ❤😢
Me too 🥺🖤
SAME! I was driving and had tears in my eyes as I was gripping the steering wheel. I don't know how it was so suspenseful because I obviously know he lives, but it just was.
Me too 😢❤
I hope the debrief between him and his medic helped his medic also..❤️❤️
@@Jim-uy2qehe gets into that in detail on Shawn Ryan’s pod.
The one thing you can't fake and that translates over the internet is authenticity, being an interesting person and being a good egg. I think that's why he's so successful.
He seems so down to earth!
thank you!
Good egg 😊
@@robincrawford2252 - He IS a good egg!
@@MrBallen - I'm sharing this with my grandsons! I didn't breathe during the retelling of your first Afghanistan operation. Damn, son.
I really have so much respect for John, not only for his service (his service alone is something to revere), but for who he has become. Beautiful human being
“True Crime”. You mean the strange, dark and mysterious delivered in story format.
I was really into his content and I didn’t know he was a seal lol
I scrolled for this comment 😂 10/10
@@coledorney
😂👍🏻
😂
Idk why the SEAL community had an issue with John , but as a Marine , I 100% support this man ! Love his channel .
They were jealous and thought he had no right to talk about seals when not on the team
Shit happens, it’s none of our business, actually.
@@Max_G43but it’s his story. Not as if he told stories of a friend that was told to him about a cousin.
@@Max_G43but he was, i mean maybe not anymore but he went thru it and did it just like everybody else .
This is the first time I heard he's being hated on by the SEAL community. For what reason?
Me Ballen's stories are fascinating -- But also it's his voice. No matter how frightening the story is, his voice conveys that we'll get through to the end and be ok.
100%!! ❤
Couldn't agree more 👍🏼
Me Ballen
Yes! I have a sensory issue regarding voice. I don't talk about it because people don't understand it.
Voice is everything to me. Mr B.Allen's voice is perfect. There are some storytellers that I just cannot listen to because of their voice - it makes me feel annoyed because I "should" be more open - but inflection, tone, and pronunciation can make or break it.
Mr B.Allen makes it. His authenticity comes through and it's comforting, no matter what the subject is.
@@Dreasurai totally get this! I have this myself to a degree… men who have a “vocal fry”, idk what it is but I actually want to crawl out of my skin and experience fight or flight. I didn’t always have this happen, it kinda developed over the years. I’m 35 and this started happening maybe ~5 years ago. The type of vocal fry so deep that really makes me want to run away…. That’s the worst. It is the kind of vocal fry that is almost like the sound from “The Grudge”. It’s just really hard to sit through. I’m a nail tech and some of my pedicure clients are men, mostly older men, so I hear this more often than I’d like. And I feel so bad for being that way. I learned that our ears pick up different frequencies depending on age so I think that’s why it started randomly around 30. Of course that’s just one of many voice characteristics that drive me nuts; there are many.
When I saw that this was three and a half hours long, I didn't think I was going to watch the whole thing. But I quickly and easily got sucked in. Mr. Ballen has a way of doing that. I could listen to him for hours... And I guess I just did.
Yeah me too!!! I didn't think I could sit through 3hrs + but I just finished it and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Almost half a million people did (up to this point) and we have been one of them
Same 😂
15/10 interview. Really enjoy letting him speak and go off on side tangents and not interrupting that so many other shows seem to do to get to "the point". Mr Ballen deserves all the success and more.
He's so self-aware, which I absolutely love.
Dude! I love seeing John do the podcast rounds. He’s such a captivating storyteller, he can just talk about himself and hold my attention for hours.
I listened to a similar interview with him on a different podcast and I’m absolutely watching it again on a new one xD
@@SoulixStories was it the Shawn Ryan show? I saw that one also. The stories about navy seal training blew my mind.
@@Malfunkshun87 I had to go back and look haha it was “the iced coffee hour” podcast
In 3 hours he doesn't say umm or uh even once, I think. I've done 100hrs of podcasting and I'm amazed by his unscripted eloquence in plain language. That's really, really hard to learn, but easy to do once you've learned. It's the gift of ADHD imho lol
@@SoulixStoriesDid you notice he didn't tell the story about him getting beat up on this one?😂
I broke a tear about the guy in a coma... Had no idea it was only for 10 secs. How heartbreaking to have a connection with a son that never existed 😢
I had a friend who smoked dmt or salvia once and he hallucinated dating a women, marrying her, he said he watched 2 kids being born, watching his wife die, then getting old himself before he came to. He said he remembered everything vividly even taking his son to baseball games and watching him graduate to teaching his daughter how to ride a bike. I seen him like a week or 2 after he had the trip and he was seriously broken up about losing his family. I haven't talked to him in a couple yrs I'll have to check on him.
Are you talking about the Reddit lamp story? If so, turns out that story is fake
I have kids that age and the final details of still dreaming of them broke me.
@@angelbbva3135 how do u know?
Maybe it was his previous life
My husband, 8 year old daughter and I have been watching Mr Ballen for about two years…. When we first started about 2 years ago, our daughter would ask to watch “flannel stories” 😂😂😂😂 he might be mr ballen to potential SEALs but to us, you’ll always be flannel man LOL
My God is "flannel" stories" the cutest thing I've read today lol
Tell your daughter she’s super cool!
❤she will love this so much, thank you!
Haha nice. Anytime my family (s is 7, d is 3) take longish drives somewhere, we always listen to fun and happy music on the way there, since it's usually b/c we are going somewhere fun and exciting, whereas on our drives home, when things are much more subdued and the kids are dreading school the next day, it's always MrBallen or The Why Files.
I mainly just stick to the three places you can't go and stranger than fiction episodes, and totally avoid the dark/disturbing ones or any that have to do with murder.
My kids are big time nature lovers, especially the 7 year old, so I am a little hesitant to do the missing 411's with them and have them scared of the great outdoors (my 3 year old isn't comprehending what she's hearing yet, so it's only my son I'd actually be worried about and he's truly a maniac for the outdoors).
@@BlyGuy when my daughter was younger, I’d prewarch episodes that I wasn’t sure about… like some of the ‘creepy’ ones, just to make sure they weren’t too scary. She really likes the ‘places you can never go’ episodes, too☺️
the way yall talked about being in a rut because youre just not sure what do to with your life is exactly what i needed to hear, im so ready to achieve more in life
Dude has a gift with speaking. He easily draws your attention.
His mom also a writer great storyteller too
My daughter is in the Navy Reserve. After serving 9 years in the U.S.M.C. She had a side job publishing books on individual veterans. She would fly out and interview each veteran and then a Biography book would be created about them. It was funded through a veteran program. I thought Mr. Ballen would be the perfect candidate for this project, my daughter as well. I think that would be an enriching experience for all involved and all who love and enjoy Mr. Ballen.
You should be very proud of your daughter!
@@collecttcg1122Thank you.😉 I am very proud of her.
Wow that’s amazing ❤️
That's so cool
Mr. Ballen is my favorite RUclips channel. No one else comes close.
I love it when hosts just let their guests talk. ❤
Especially if the guest is Mr. Ballen!❤
Watching this video and hearing, “The lamp turned blurry”. Gut punch. Every time
Why is that ?
@@StayingClassy100there are a lot of people that know this story from different views from how mrballen explains it also a lot of spin off stories using this format
After watching the entire thing I have to say I'm in awe of how beautiful this set is, I have never seen anything like it here on YT, the images are so wonderful, the tones used, even the table and mics, there is a minimalist feel to it too , congratulations on such a gorgeous set.
Interviews that MrBallen has been doing lately are just as great to watch as his stories.
I always knew Mr.Ballen is just an awesome person. Easy to admire. This interview just amplified that admiration for me.
Thank you so much!
I love Run Fool,mr ballet . Awesome story teller.😊
This set up was made for MrBallen period!!!!!!
@@vermithor51ac 😂
Lol
Great background! Excellent when the jet seemed like it was flying right over/at you!
I love story telling, as an example the way Wynona Rider narrates in the beautifully made, "Little Women," or Jude Law's narration in the beginning & off & on throughout the movie,"Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events."
There's a talent & skill set to creating captivating content. Mr. Ballen is right, NEVER give up the reveal (plot) up at the beginning! As a serious reader & movie fan since a child....I found that as an adult I lost great interest in watching movies where the description gave up the story! Off I went to find something else!
I started off in life with comic books & the Hardy Boys Mysteries....to this day "Mysteries," intrigue me. Trying to figure out what happened BEFORE the reveal is a challenge! Now who doesn't like a good challenge?!
Like this podcast, subscribed 👍 I've already picked my spring/summer mystery book, a cross between Indiana Jones & the Da Vinci Code called "The Fifth Gospel," by Ian Caldwell.
But of course I'll get Mr. B's book....there's mystery content!! Yes! Good luck!!
You can tell he's such a good dude and family man. So surprising cause most seals are HARD dudes and less socially likeable and easy going
@@jordanwilliams8040every special ops guy I’ve known has been like Mr. Ballen. You just don’t see them because they aren’t posers grifting on the podcast circuit :P
I wish there were more Mr Ballen interviews on the internet. It’s just so nice to hear him talk in general. Seems like a standup guy too! Hope the stories always keep coming!
I've stumbled into MrBallen during COVID in 2020 and was captivated by his distrubing russian sleep experiment story and his personal paranormal story. I have loved his story telling since. I am amazed but not surprised how much he has blown up in popularity! YOU ROCK BALLEN!
Yes his own story wow I had to stop half way in to take a break I was sooooo scared 😱
Yeah same here, stuck indoors bored out my head I found him to be the best entertainer on RUclips
"What was the question again? I just spaced it...." Welcome to my life as well, sir.
True ADD moment lol
Mr Ballen is a fantastic story teller. Even here when has to give a quick synopsis of the stories, it's enthraling.
As someone who generally gets a bit bored by the Jocko/Goggins/Seal/Delta media circus, it was really interesting to hear this thoughtful and nuanced behind-the-scenes account.
He's the true role model that people should be following.
Woah I didn’t expect his family to be made of such incredibly successful people.. Wonder what their family gatherings are like..
Probably pretty normal, I'd guess? Hahah.
Pretty fun I'm sure Mr Ballen tells strange , dark and mysterious stories🥳
I love Mr ballen because of the way he delivers his stories. He doesn't sensationisle or try to drag you threw it. It's a very subtle and succinct deliverance and he comes across as a genuinely nice guy. All in all chuffed to bits for him and his family the success he's having.
Mr Ballen is definitely my fav RUclips channel & has been for years. So happy you interviewed him - Thanks for this!
This is honestly, honestly one of the best, most engrossing podcast interviews I've heard. Just fantastically captivating!
Ballens family sound extremely intelligent. Can see how he is the way he is now
@MrBallen is that good friend you always go camping with and he keeps you rapt with tales around the campfire. I think that's where the "comfort" comes in.
Listened to the whole thing straight through, because I could listen to MrBallen talk ALL DAY ❤
I would go to a theater to sit and listen to Mr. Ballen telling stories,
the thing is, I hate theaters, but he is so good on his craft, and feels between a friend and bard that is so soothing!
I’ve never watched this channel before but I’ll certainly be going through and watching old videos. You asked incredible questions and seemed so interested in not only the logistical questions regarding his content but him as a person and his feelings about things. Amazing.
Thank you guys, I absolutely love John & it's great to see him being the guest & subject of the show.
I love to listen to MrBallen videos, my ADHD means I always listen to videos whilst doing other things because I don't single task (it's almost impossible for me to only do one thing at a time) however when I tune into a MrBallen video I usually find I'm stood or sat there with whatever I'm dong in my hand, totally transfixed on what John is saying - quite often I end up watching his videos with the hoover, dish cloth, cat food in my hand, or stood next to me😂
To be fair I am very funny about voices & accents - there are content makers that I cannot watch because of their voice or their accent (sensory issues) but John has the most gentle & likeable American accent, I could listen to him read out my shopping list & I'd be enthralled 👌
So thank you Chris & John for a fantastic viewing/listening experience - the backdrop was also fascinating, I kept getting drawn to it ❤
This was hysterical and really kind, thank you!!
I got shot by a sniper (2x) while deployed and when asked what it felt like by a military dr i said "it kinda felt like chuck noris round house kicked my in the side"... an army reporter got ahold of that quote 😂 its now in an article "soldier displays courage under fire"
Thats great
And then ev3rybody clapped
The fact no one mentions... how are you alive is amazing?!?
The Texas ranger lol
Thank you for your service to our country! Much respect. ❤
Hey John don't say nobody really cares about you because I genuinely care about you and deeply do appreciate your service to me and this country. Thank you.
This podcast has to be my absolute favorite. I cant lie I was in tears listening to the war story. Thanks for this wonderful podcast.
He is extremely respectful to the victims and their families. I absolutely love to hear you tell stories. You are great at it. Keep on keeping on.
the production value of this podcast is insane compared to anything else out there
Bro is too goated tbh , can't believe people said it was "a vanity project" this is like podcasting 3.0 and I'm not even looking at the screen 80% of the time.
seeing mr ballen have a conversation make me fall in love with in even more. he seems like such a humble and genuinely good guy. it's such an inspiration. his presence makes me feel like i need to be a better person too. i sound so cringe but i've been battling some inner demons and watching this video was just so calming and grounding. appreciate your existence and landing on one of your videos learning of your existence. i've also already been following chris too. learning about chris from a diff channel, podcast too.
So glad I can listen to the Mr Ballen podcast now that it’s available outside of Amazon Music app.
When I first watched Mr. Ballen I was hooked for sure. His stories are true. They actually started to disturb me. Each story seems to have a lesson to learn. I do recommend him to people but beware they will scare !
What the hell? What an extremely unexpected surprise! Love Mr Ballen's storytelling. This will be great!
Easily the best podcast I have listened to, used to listen to MrBallen but due to work, life ect haven’t really watched much of him as of the last year or so. Was such a refreshing experience to listen to these story’s and conversations.
Might be two of my favourite RUclipsrs in a conversation. Either of them could talk about making breakfast and I'm in, fully.
Amazing set as well. Super well done, Chris and co.
I was an instant fan of Mr Ballen from that first tiktok video. He’s come so far and worked his butt off to get to where he is.
Thank you so much Emily!!
I’ve watched so much of Mr. Ballen’s stories that I knew the Elle story before 😅😅😅. Love this guy
Right, I've watched story he's produced
Yeah... I knew each story that he retold him n this interview!!!
This story is just insane😮
For the past week or so, I have basically binge watched Mr. Ballen’s videos. After listening to many, many stories beautiful told. I noticed the south shore accent, it’s very slight. But come to find out, we both graduated from hs in the same city. At diff schools. And only a few years apart. Mr Ballen, I love your storytelling style. It’s obviously your an intelligent man. And it makes sense that you come from a family of very talented storytellers. I actually like you even more knowing we grew up in almost the same place.
Man I could listen to John talk for litterally hours... thank you so much for having him here, cuz 15minutes a week isn't enough for me =P much love and support MrBallen
Chris asked: are you pain at this point?
John answered: right now? Or in the story?
God bless you, MrBallen! That's kind of telling, John thought Chris meant "at this moment, TELLING the story".
This is really amazing to me, seeing MrBallen talking about himself. At the beginning, I could tell he was out of breath just speaking, and that's so relatable. And beautiful! I've been on the MrBallen train since 2020, when he had a couple hundred thousand followers, and watching him blow up has been so cool! Well deserved, sir!
Thank you!!! 🙏
I've been watching since 300,000 subscribers. It's so impressive and so well deserved to be where he's at now...and growing. 😊❤😊❤
@MrBallen you're so cool.
I love that John is doing podcasts! I started watching his videos when he was just starting out and I binged all the videos he had at the time in one sitting, and I’ve been hooked ever since. He’s an incredible storyteller ❤
I have been a fan of MrBallen since pretty much his beginning. My mom and I haven't ever missed an episode. He has such an amazing gift of giving as much detail as possible so you can actually see it in your mind. I have a hard time with descriptive writing or speaking. I am an artist of sorts, so it's easier for me to show than tell lol I think this is what has made me love MrBallen as much as I do. His ability to go into such detail, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Gosh, what an immense talent he has for telling a story. I have rewatched his videos so many times and still never get bored haha.
I loved the background changing. Especially for the story telling moments.
Mr. Allen, not only are you an American hero, but also a very accomplished story teller, which is a skill and talent in and of itself. I have followed you for 3 years now and now I have my bf, coworkers and some family hooked. Thank you sir for keeping me on my toes and entertained....tell Seagull Lung I say hi;)
Much respect for Mr. Ballen, such a great example of perseverance.
My dad was in WWII. He lost his arm from shrapnel and had large scars across his back. He had justed 18 when he went in and was out shortly after turning 19. He never talked about what happened or what he experienced. When my children were in Jr high and high school he started talking about his experience but did not talk about actually losing his arm. It was good to hear you talk about those actual moments when you thought you might die and your recovery. It helped me see how dad might have felt and explained some of his behaviors during his life. They didn’t talk about or understand PTSD, now I see my dad struggled with it and how it affected his life. Thank you.
What I learned about story telling with MrBallen in this episode is worth one year of writing courses and three years and a half of writing!😃
It’s not tho is it..
@@arthurmorgan7086you can learn so much more by people that have mastered the craft and then actually applying it. You just haven’t learned anything.
@@arthurmorgan7086it is you just didn’t learn anything
@@DanielCrossBoss no I’m afraid a short video does not compare to 4 years of education. You don’t know because you don’t have one.
@@arthurmorgan7086 I mean, of course not. But that's also completely missing the point and perspective of the one who wrote the comment.
2:53 that introduction to his story of starting his social media career is honestly so awesome. I’m so happy he got big he deserves it, his videos are so intriguing and the way he tells stories is truly special
I love the way John tells a story. Every episode is like the movie Sixth Sense.
what MrBallen said about NOT giving away the story's truth till the end, IT DRIVES ME TOTALLY CRAZY. I hate that so much, I cant listen to his stories. I have heard maybe 3-4 of them and until now I could not, for the life of me figure out why I cant "get into it" NOW I KNOW! lololol maybe I'm mental or something...I read books the same way. I read the last chapter to know the end, and then I start the book from the front. I also HATE HATE surprises! Its NOT his fault though, my mother had a serious mental illness and growing up I never knew what will happen from one moment to the next.
MrBallen, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE SIR :)
"can you tell me how to get to bells canyon"
NOOOO LOL
That was the scariest one
😭😭😭 I will never forget that one
I got chills just reading this.
If I would ever meet Mr.Ballen in rl, either by accident or how ever else, this is what I think of asking him first...
I relate so much to the "stoic routine" and sacrificing fun for fulfillment. No one told me that being an adult is so rewarding. Go conquer!
I used to watch MrBallen's video's all the time. Then I started watching video's of people like Chris Williamson and to see MrBallen on this podcast now talking about his life story, his time as a navy seal and knowing that he is a magican in storytelling makes me really feel like I want to watch the entire podcast a couple times over. 2 amazing people on the table😃
The best story Mr. Ballen has ever told: I firmly believe this is why we don’t remember past lives. I had a dream once that I was a tiger and my baby cub drowned in front of me. When I woke up I was fcked up about it for WEEKS
Dreams are wild sometimes. I used to joke about "seeing a movie on my eyelids" when I went to bed. My imagination is trippy - I've had recurrimg nightmares, so I learned about lucid dreaming. Now I can usually turn my nightmares into "stories" that have a better ending.
My worst nightmare ever involved one of my kids falling off a balcony. It still disturbs me when I think about it.
I really need to write a book of a collection of my dreams.
A lot of the things that were said during this episode is exactly what i needed to hear right now. I'm going through a big transition in my life at the moment - moving away from my childhood home/ city that I've lived in for 25 years. I've become such a home body and the gaurd rails are up and i'm afraid of leaving my comfortable routine. But I'm doing it anyway. It's funny how these things work out.
Thank you for that. Thank you.
Change is hard, but sometimes it can be for the better. You're going to be ok.
And this is precisely why Mr Ballen is the best storyteller. Some channels are loved by a specific group of people and they become popular and successful. But mrballen is like the sage that’s on a different plane. Like the grandmaster that’s looked up to by all the masters. And he does it all without any outrageous or spectacular graphics and gimmicks.
7:23 my mom specifically had me watching true crime growing up just to know what to look out for and safety reasons like that. This is the first time I’ve heard someone else mention it. She’s on her way home and I can’t wait to show her this!!
I had a much milder version of the 2nd life that they talked about.
I had a dream, very vivid, i fell in love, had a family, just like these stories. I woke up, I was driving to work when I realized that it wasn't real.
I went from being the happiest I had ever been, to the saddest I've ever been. I pulled over and just started crying.
Every once in a while, I find myself daydreaming about the memories from that life, and it takes me a few moments to remember it didn't happen, and I get that feeling of loss all over again.
I never thought about it happening to others, but it makes total sense that im mot the only one.
Dude…… his stories that are claustrophobia inducing are TERRIFYING. Great channels to both of you. All the success lads.
Usually listen to this podcast on Spotify! Today I watched this episode on RUclips and the background and the studio you have is just phenomenal. I especially like how it matches the theme and the mood of the story. As Mr.Ballen was talking about his military stories with his articulation and storytelling plus the background made me feel like I was actually there. Well done Chris!
My man John is doing plenty of interviews and podcasts now. I love it! Ever since the iced coffee one ive been hoping he does more. Found this randomly on my homepage! 👏🏾
He’s so right about his style. A great storyteller doesn’t tell you the story, they _show_ you the story. As an amateur writer, that’s the best advice I’ve ever gotten. Show, don’t tell.
MrBallen is not a narcissist, he sounds exactly like me and i have adhd. Often, if you're saying you're narcissistic and become humbled or something you are not truly narcissistic.
Loved the background matching your interview questions ! It really made the talk more engaging ! Keep doing what you`re doing !!!
Bad ass interview. Thanks for the listen.
Mr Ballen?! This one was so cool Chris!
Ballen is the evidence of how we are wired for story telling, and how much we need it, albeit special effects productions, and other "sophisticated" contents. He´s an internet "bazinga".
Thanks a lot to both of you.
I love MrBallen. His story telling is the best. Just listened to his episode on the Shawn Ryan Show. Now he is on another one of my favorite podcasts. Love it!!
The big cinematic wall gave this particular conversation so nice depth. It was obvious the team prepared some scenarios in forward, based on the topics which could occur, and were switching scenes based on the conversation. Well done, well done :)
I greatly appreciate and respect Chris’s style of hosting by simply letting his guest speak. There isn’t a narcissist need to mark his territory throughout the interview by incessant interjections. John has moved and continues to go through his life in true form of the human condition - trail, error and learn. Rinse and repeat. He has this inalienable right as much as you and I. Period. I agree with John that in the micro prospective, our life is a detailed and complex compilation and in the macro prospective relative to cosmic time our existence in mass of our species, isn’t even a blip on its timeline = You’re significant while being insignificant at the same time.
You're a genuine inspiration and I'm so grateful for you sharing your truths, experiences and all things strange and mysterious.
I have being watching Mr.Ballen from the start everynight I listen to his stories,addicted now to the strange dark and mysterious!!
Personifying characters as natural as you do Mr Ballen, is your superpower it's conviction! ❤❤❤
The lamp is definitely his most haunting story and that story about the twin towers, I had to watch multiple times before I made it all the way through. The way he tells it really projects the terror and despair those poor people must have experienced. Such a great storyteller.
The pinching man was his most haunting story for me. If you’ve never heard it you really should. I have NEVER reacted to anything in my life the way I did to that one. And I still randomly think about it probably a couple times a month because it really just stuck with me.
Mr ballen tells stories in a way, that keeps you really engaged and just tuned in.
His story telling is very soothing and done in a way that makes you visualize what is happening .
The fact that you were trying new things with the backdrop and everything is CRAZY to me because it all felt so seamless! Granted - I am a first time viewer of this channel so I do not have any frame of reference point, but the overall production of this video felt like a movie to me xD Well done mate
John is what is good about the internet. Honest entertainment, wholesome character. Deserving of honor. Congratulations on your accomplishments!
Haven't watched anything over 2 hrs let alone 3 hrs in 5 yrs or longer. New subscriber and early MrBallen subscriber
Thank you!
@@MrBallen and thank u. As a former military vet myself- thank u for also showing there's life after duty.
This is by far one of the best interviews I have ever seen/heard. Thank you both! ❤
I'll watch hours of Mr Ballens interviews any day any time! He's so interesting.
There's just something about John's voice he's definitely my favorite story teller he just has the best watch to catch ur attention and keep it he always makes the story's where u wanna hang till the end to find out how the story ends up I love John aka mrballen
An interview/story telling/more interview/more storytelling... best ever!!!
Got to be one of the best story tellers on the internet. Even the Grenade story Fkn crazy how much detail and emotion he can add
Intersting story, in the 60's, my grandfather lived many years with Leukemia far past what he should of. He was a bee keeper and the Mayo clinic actually studied his case. The study was inconclusive, but they specultaed that the frequent bee stings must be what kept his cancer in remission for so long.
That’s amazing