The Shawn Ryan Show

Nick Shirley is an American independent journalist, YouTuber, and content creator known for on-the-ground investigative reporting and street interviews. He initially gained attention as a teenager producing prank and shock-style content, including a 2019 video documenting a solo trip to New York at age 16. He later transitioned into political and cultural journalism, focusing on protests, immigration issues, and government accountability.

Originally from Utah, Shirley has built a digital audience of over 1 million YouTube subscribers and hundreds of millions of views across platforms. His reporting style is direct and minimalist, often conducted in real-time and on location.

In December 2025, Shirley drew national attention with a viral investigation into alleged fraud in Minnesota’s government-funded childcare programs, claiming over $100 million in misused funds. The video amassed more than 100 million views on X and contributed to increased public scrutiny, including comments from the FBI.

His latest episode builds on this work, focusing on alleged fraud and misuse of government funds in California, continuing his broader investigative coverage of public spending and institutional accountability. Shirley’s content often aligns with conservative perspectives while emphasizing transparency and oversight.

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Nick Shirley Links:

YT - youtube.com/@nickshirley

IG - https://www.instagram.com/nickshirley

X - https://x.com/nickshirleyy

Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/4fm9G0i6lyDZ3XE5fz3Lb9

Hoodie - https://shirleydefense.com/collections/all
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Meg Appelgate is the Founder and CEO of Unsilenced, a nonprofit organization launched in January 2022 to support past, present, and future victims of institutional child abuse. A survivor of the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI), Meg was abducted from her bed at age 15 and confined in abusive facilities for three and a half years—an experience that drives her mission to expose systemic abuse and fight for reform.

Her 2024 memoir, Becoming UNSILENCED: Surviving the Troubled Teen Industry, chronicles her harrowing journey and transformation into one of the leading national voices demanding change. In 2023, she testified as an expert before the Montana State Senate, helping secure passage of HB 218, landmark legislation increasing oversight and regulation of TTI programs.

Her work continues to empower survivors while pushing for transparency, accountability, and legal reform across the industry. Alongside her advocacy, Meg serves as Vice President and Managing Director of the Gochnauer Foundation, supporting philanthropic initiatives aligned with justice and healing. She lives with her husband, Ben, and their four children, dedicating her life to ensuring that no child endures what she once did.

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Meg Appelgate Links:

Personal Website - www.megappelgate.com

Memoir - https://a.co/d/3P5hM37

IG - https://www.instagram.com/megappelgate

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@megappelgate

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Megappelgate1

X - https://x.com/megappelgate

Unsilenced Website - www.unsilenced.org
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Prior-enlisted in the U.S. Army, he began his military career as an 88K (Watercraft Operator) at Fort Eustis, Virginia, where he served aboard the Logistics Support Vessel (LSV-5) and later became the first Leading Seaman of the Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL).

In 2023, he was selected for a Division Commander’s Green to Gold scholarship, transitioning to become an Army Officer candidate. He is currently a Leadership Science major at Old Dominion University and a senior in the Army ROTC program, with plans to commission as an Active Duty Second Lieutenant this May.

Most recently, he was recognized by the Secretary of the Army and the Sergeant Major of the Army for the actions he and his peers took in response to the attack at Old Dominion University.

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Pete Blaber is a retired Delta Force commander renowned for leading elite counter-terrorism and special operations teams across the globe, now applying his battle-tested leadership principles to corporate environments, authorship, and innovative security solutions.

Born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois, as one of nine children in an Irish-Catholic household. Pete attended Southern Illinois University. His military career saw him rise through the ranks of Delta Force to high-level command roles, directing critical operations in Panama, Colombia, Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Retiring in 2006, he transitioned from commanding elite combat teams worldwide to leading executive teams.

A prominent voice on leadership, team dynamics, crisis decision-making, national security, and organizational effectiveness, he has been featured in profiles, interviews, and podcasts sharing practical insights drawn from his extraordinary career.

Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:

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Pete Blaber Links:

Substack - https://substack.com/@peteblaber

Website - ⁠https://www.peteblaber.com⁠

Books - ⁠https://www.peteblaber.com/books
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Pete Blaber is a retired Delta Force commander renowned for leading elite counter-terrorism and special operations teams across the globe, now applying his battle-tested leadership principles to corporate environments, authorship, and innovative security solutions.

Born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois, as one of nine children in an Irish-Catholic household. Pete attended Southern Illinois University. His military career saw him rise through the ranks of Delta Force to high-level command roles, directing critical operations in Panama, Colombia, Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Retiring in 2006, he transitioned from commanding elite combat teams worldwide to leading executive teams.

A prominent voice on leadership, team dynamics, crisis decision-making, national security, and organizational effectiveness, he has been featured in profiles, interviews, and podcasts sharing practical insights drawn from his extraordinary career.

Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors:

Post jobs for free at https://ziprecruiter.com/srs

Get 20% off sitewide at https://helixsleep.com/SRS and enter our show name after checkout so they know we sent you!

Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @shop.mando and get 20% off with promo code SRS at https://shopmando.com ! #mandopod

Go to https://meetfabric.com/SHAWN and apply today, risk-free

Go to https://shopbeam.com/SRS and use code SRS to get up to 50% off Beam Dream Powder, the sleep formula designed to help you fall asleep fast and wake up clear.

Ready to tackle bigger problems? Get started with Claude today at https://claude.ai/srs and check out Claude Pro, which includes access to all of the features mentioned in today’s episode.

One thing to pack, five ways to power! Get 10% Off @Ridge with code SRS at https://www.Ridge.com/srs #Ridgepod

Pete Blaber Links:

Substack - https://substack.com/@peteblaber⁠

Website - https://www.peteblaber.com

Books - https://www.peteblaber.com/books
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