by J. Chad Parker
If you haven’t heard of it yet, East Texas UNFILTERED is a podcast I host right here in Tyler. I sit down with the people who make this region what it is. Each episode is a real conversation: memorable stories, local personalities, behind-the-scenes moments, and a few lessons along the way. East Texas is full of fascinating and inspiring people. Many of their best stories are rarely told.
I didn’t set out to build a media company. East Texas UNFILTERED started because I love this place. I’ve always been curious about people—not just what they do, but what made them who they are. I’ve practiced law here in Tyler for more than three decades. Through my firm, J. Chad Parker, PLLC, I represent people who have been injured. You may know me from my billboards and the slogan “Don’t Get Hurt Twice.”
Along the way, I built a studio to produce commercials and podcasts for my firm. That naturally led me to interview guests and create a general-interest show for my community. I realized how many people in this town have stories worth telling. All it takes is someone willing to sit still long enough to ask.
UNFILTERED means exactly what it sounds like. It isn’t scripted or rehearsed, and it doesn’t chase controversy for its own sake. I’m not conducting a formal interview. I’m having the kind of conversation you’d have over coffee if you had two hours and nowhere else to be.
My guests come from every corner of East Texas life: business, ministry, sports, music, public service, and more. I’ve learned that you cannot predict where the conversation will go. Some conversations are funny. Others become honest in ways that surprise even the guests. My goal isn’t simply to ask what someone does. It’s to discover who they are.
Over the past year, I’ve sat down with guests including Jeff Noblitt of UT Tyler’s Cowan Center; car dealer Jack King, Jr.; real estate professional Andy Bergfeld; Bishop Joseph Strickland; retailer Harley Hooper; restaurateur Mundo Villapudua; music producer Robin Hood Brians; nonprofit leader Patrick Willis; and many others. On paper, they don’t have much in common. But each has helped shape our community.
You can find every episode of East Texas UNFILTERED on YouTube. Search for “East Texas UNFILTERED” or visit youtube.com/@EastTexasUnfiltered. Subscribe if you’re so inclined, it’s free. If you enjoy an episode, share it with someone who might enjoy it, too.
I started this because I love East Texas and the people in it. I hope you’ll watch and see why.