The Big O Podcast - Episode #16: Pete Gustin (AKA The Blind Surfer)

Glenn reconnects with old friend: Pete Gustin!

* 00:00 Intro: Pete Gustin and his radio beginnings
* 02:43 Hiding his vision loss and getting diagnosed
* 06:21 The dangerous bike commute and crash that changed everything
* 10:45 Blindness, identity, and sharing his story
* 14:13 Radio bits, Dale Arnold, and learning empathy
* 20:19 The gym confrontation that went viral
* 27:33 Disability, guilt, and an unexpected football incident
* 30:18 Building a voiceover career while hiding his blindness
* 33:48 The technology that made voice acting possible
* 38:07 Early ambitions and finding his way into radio
* 41:52 Voiceover breakthroughs and a Super Bowl commercial
* 44:15 Learning to act and perform movie trailers
* 49:02 Moving to San Diego and discovering surfing
* 51:28 Learning to surf without sight
* 54:08 Surfing’s challenges—and why it mattered
* 57:28 Finding independence on the waves
* 1:00:13 Determination, the documentary, and life as the Blind Surfer
* 1:02:37 YouTube livestreams and the Snoop Dogg AI voice
* 1:04:07 Pete’s penguin, products, and unboxing videos
* 1:05:58 Social media fame and unexpected fan encounters