Country Outdoors Podcast

Eric Tansey is a former police officer, combat veteran, podcaster, and author of Pig Latin: A Seriously Funny True Story of a Former Police Officer. In this episode, Eric tells the unbelievable story of his first day as a rookie cop—only minutes into the job—when a routine call became absolute chaos.

We dive into the hilarious, outrageous, and sometimes dark real-life police stories that inspired Pig Latin, including what it was like learning law enforcement on one of Raleigh’s toughest beats. Eric shares how writing helped him process the job, how a collection of wild police stories became a book, and why Pig Latin is more than just another “cop book.”

But this conversation goes much deeper than rookie cop chaos.

Eric takes us back to his life as a Saint Augustine beach kid and deep-sea fishing deckhand, the moment he felt called to join the military, his combat deployment to Afghanistan, Green Beret selection, SERE school, leadership lessons, and the complicated transition from military service to police work. We also discuss his personal perspective on the war in Afghanistan and the U.S. withdrawal.

Eric also opens up about being wounded in the line of duty, trauma, faith, marriage, raising five kids, homeschooling, getting rid of screens, building self-reliant children, and learning to put fatherhood ahead of personal ambition. He shares why he recently rededicated his life to Christ and what becoming a spiritual leader in his home means to him.

We begin at Scuba Diving International, where Eric helped create a veteran-focused scuba-diving initiative designed to bring wounded veterans, combat veterans, first responders, Gold Star families, and their loved ones into a healing experience on the water.

This is one of the funniest and most honest conversations we’ve had: from combat stories and police academy pressure to fatherhood, faith, healing, outdoor living, and the wild true stories behind Pig Latin.

Former police officer, combat veteran, and Pig Latin author Eric Tansey joins Country Outdoors to share the wild true stories behind his time in law enforcement—from his unbelievable first call as a rookie cop to military service, fatherhood, faith, and the moments that changed his life.

Listen to this preview now, then come back tomorrow for the full conversation.

Mary O’Neill sits down at CMA Fest with Australian farmer and rising country artist Jarrad Wrigley, fresh off winning the Star Maker competition that funded his first-ever trip beyond Australia. They dive into his humble background, how Star Maker changed his life, and what it’s like to perform in Nashville for the 1st time.

Jarrad shares behind-the-scenes stories from Farmer Wants a Wife Australia, from producers living under the same roof to the drama that changed the rules for later seasons. You’ll hear how the show really works when the cameras aren’t rolling, plus why he chose a more respectful approach while other farmers leaned into the chaos.

Mary and Jarrad dig into meeting the American Farmer Wants a Wife cast at CMA Fest, nights out in Nashville, and the differences between country fans in the U.S. and Australia. They swap stories about travel, music, hats and merch, and what Jarrad is dreaming up next for his music career after reality TV.

Ever wondered what really happens behind the cameras on FOX’s Farmer Wants a Wife? In this Country Outdoors episode, Mary O’Neill Phillips sits down with John Sansone and Matt Warren to break down reality TV secrets, life on their ranches, and how the show followed their real feelings more than a scripted storyline. They go deep on avocado wars, cartel‑pressured farming and water control, family tragedy that pushed them into agriculture, and how neighbors in the ag community helped them learn the ropes. Then it’s all about the outdoors: wild pigs in wine country, duck blinds, Osceola turkey hunting on public land, bowhunting with a young family, wild game cooking, faith, unions, and the farm‑law realities of keeping generational land—perfect for fans of Farmer Wants a Wife, The Bachelor, and anyone who loves rural life and hunting.

“When I met God, I high‑fived the devil.” — @wakaflocka

In one of the most raw and unfiltered conversations we’ve ever had on Country Outdoors, Waka Flocka Flame sits down with Mary O’Neill Phillips to share his full testimony.

He opens up about losing two younger brothers and carrying the weight of survivor’s guilt, years of numbing pain through ecstasy starting in seventh grade, and facing a 10‑year prison sentence after being caught with a stolen car and a sawed‑off shotgun. From divorce and depression to rebuilding his life, Waka walks through the moments that nearly broke him—and how God met him right in the middle of it all.

Today, his perspective is clear: “If it moves me away from God, I’m not doing it. I don’t care how profitable it is. The devil gets no play in my ride.”

He also shares how that mindset shapes everything—his views on marriage, friendship, forgiveness, and the kind of father he wants to be.

If you only know Waka Flocka Flame from the high-energy anthems, this episode will completely change how you see him.

In this episode, we cover:

The tragic accident that took his younger brother’s life and the guilt that followed

Losing another brother to suicide and questioning God

Years of drug use and the moment he realized he needed change

A life-altering legal scare in Georgia

Divorce, failure, and the growth that came from it

Making decisions rooted in faith, not profit

Fatherhood, boundaries, and still choosing to believe in love

Welcome to the Country Outdoors Podcast—where country music, entertainment, and the outdoor lifestyle meet real conversations about faith, life, and the wild.