'I Can't Pretend to Be That.' Mayim Bialik on Life After 'Jeopardy!' and 'The Big Bang Theory.' Mayim Bialik discusses the launch and growth of her media company devoted to helping people on their mental health journey.
By Shawn P. Walchef Edited by Dan Bova
Key Takeaways
- On her podcast, "Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown," Mayim creates a culture of comfortability so guests are able to be vulnerable while discussing personal mental health journeys. She has had guests from all walks of life and occupations, including comedian Jeff Foxworthy and music artist Rob Thomas.
- Mayim Bialik’s YouTube channel is full of real-life vlogs and content that shows her in her authentic state. For Bialiki, it’s easier to be authentic than to portray a created character.
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Mayim Bialik is helping people avoid breakdowns by broadcasting her own breakdown. Every week.
The beloved actor and neuroscientist is the host of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown podcast, among myriad other projects. She uses her many platforms to share her authentic self — no matter how vulnerable. Sharing your story can help others, she believes.
"There's not really, like, a destination, per se, but there's a journey that we're all on," she explains. "There's no cure for being human."
Bialik is known for her multifaceted career as an actor on classic shows like Blossom and The Big Bang Theory, as well as her role as a host of Jeopardy!. With a PhD. in neuroscience, she has crafted a unique space with her podcast, her books and her popular YouTube Channel — where she shares her authentic self, including a passion for cooking. The goal is to help people, she says, and she's built an audience thanks to consistent storytelling.
"I think there's a lot of people who will show you a shiny world and a world where everything gets tied up," she explained to Restaurant Influencers host Shawn Walchef. "That's not what I do. It's not my life experience. I can't really pretend to be that, so I just get to be myself. And a lot of people do resonate with that."
On Breakdown, she creates a welcoming environment where guests feel safe to share personal stories and mental health journeys. Her mission is to maintain a space of mutual understanding and vulnerability, where the endgame is not to achieve perfection but to navigate the complexities of human existence together. "It's an extension of that vulnerability and really just kind of me being an authentic person," she said.
Bialik's approach to interviewing is rooted in the universal aspects of the human experience. Whether she's speaking with a comedian, music artist, or a fellow doctor, she seeks to uncover the common threads that bind us all. "We're all born somewhere and raised somewhere, and we pretty much all felt like either we didn't fit in or something wasn't right," she reflects.
Through her work, Miyam Bialik demonstrates the power of authenticity and vulnerability in fostering deep human connections. Bialik's dedication to genuine connection and understanding is refreshing and inspiring.
"You have a thing that people really love when you're vulnerable. And I believe that you can build an audience from this."
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