Demosthenes Spiropoulos


Hey everyone! My name is Demosthenes Spiropoulos, and welcome to DMOunited.com.

Of course, you're looking at the name and thinking, "Is that Greek?" Yes... yes, it is. Your follow-up question is probably, "How do you pronounce that?"

Easy. Dee-moss-sta-knees. Boom. You just said it.

If you're like some out there, you'll find yourself unable to stop saying my name (it happens, and I am very flattered). If you're like others, you're hoping I go by a shorter name. For you, you can call me D-mo.

Now what about me? This is the About page after all. Well, I've discovered that I have a hard time talking about myself without sounding like a pompous ass. If I try to go all third person on you, we end up with something like this...

Artist, scientist, designer, architect, fashion mogul, musician, journalist, photographer, television host, radio personality, podcaster, ordained priest... these are just some of the things that can be used to describe Demosthenes, a modern-day renaissance man.

Demosthenes Spiropoulos, better known to people around the world as D-mo, has been delighting friends, family, fans, and strangers for years with a blend of intelligence, eloquence and random humor.

First... all true. Second... that sounds waaay too pretentious. Let's take a more relaxed tone.

I am a creative person with a curious mind. I enjoy both arts and sciences, and I believe we never stop learning...

Man, this is starting to read like a cover letter (and not a particularly good one); let's try again.


At my core, I talk to people. I write. I design things. Some of these creative endeavors see the light of day, some don't.


Nailed it.

I've worked in the entertainment industry. I've been on radio, on TV, hosted various live gigs, and I'm currently hosting a podcast that has been downloaded in over 120 countries (though the running joke is that we only have 40 listeners). I have been called a top-notch interviewer due my conversational approach, and I do a better than average job of not fanboying out when talking to celebrities.

My hobbies are just as random as I am. My biggest passion is hiking, especially in the unmatched beauty of our national parks (you might have noticed given the theming of this site). Bonus plug: my charitable partner of choice is the National Park Foundation which works to "strengthen the enduring connection between the American people and their national parks." Go to nationalparks.org and give them money.

Closer to home, I enjoy archery, music (my harmonica skills are improving), sports, dominating the family at Boggle, and making fun of Time-Life Music informercials with my lady, Valerie.

Hopefully, this will serve as a basic primer on who I am. Thanks for stopping by.



Oh, before I forget... everyone loves a testimonial. Here are some nice things people have said about me...
    "D-mo, you're the only one I trust without a script."
    -Rhianne B.

    "You have an amazing fashion sense, D-mo. I just wish you'd use it on yourself."
    -Alexandra M.

    "You know, she told me that you were the funniest person she's worked with."
    -Liz H.

    "That went perfectly. The only way you could have botched that was if you were an arrogant prick... but even then, that sometimes works for you."
    -Britt H.


A lot of people hear the name "Demosthenes," and they are awestruck. I'm not kidding; I see it on so many faces. A chorus full of "Wow!" and/or "That's cool!" soon follows. Then suddenly, any number of things pop into their heads that pertain to the name. For whatever reason, people feel compelled to try and flaunt their knowledge of ancient Greece, and look for validation. 7 out of 10 times, they are incorrect.

Now, I'm not judging. In fact, I'm here to help. Let's dispel some misconceptions surrounding the historical figure that is... Demosthenes


Misconception 1) The Sword of Demosthenes
Demosthenes of ancient Greece never wielded a sword, though I have been known to on occasion (and my lightsaber skills are better than you'd think). What people are shooting for is the "Sword of Damocles."

Who was Damocles? Pronounced "Dam-o-clees," he was born in 370 BC (maybe) and was the Courtier of Dionysius the Elder, who was tyrant of the Greek city of Syracuse in Sicily.

So how does the sword come into play? According to a legend recounted by the Roman writers Horace and Cicero, Damocles on one occasion commented to his sovereign on the grandeur and happiness of rulers.

Dionysius soon thereafter invited his courtier to a luxurious banquet, where Damocles enjoyed the delights of the table until his attention was directed upward and he saw a sharp sword hanging above him by a single horsehair. By this device Dionysius made Damocles realize that insecurity might threaten those who appeared to be the most fortunate.



Misconception 2) Demosthenes searching for an honest man
Some think that Demosthenes was the man that, while carrying a lantern, was searching for an honest man. Demosthenes never did that. That feat belongs to chap named Diogenes of Sinope.

Who was Diogenes? Pronounced "Die-ahh-ja-knees," he was a Greek philosopher, perhaps the most noted of the Cynics. He pursued the Cynic ideal of self-sufficiency: a life that was natural and not dependent upon the nonessential luxuries of civilization (so an angry Buddhist?).

The legend is that Diogenes walked through the marketplace of Athens, in broad daylight, with a lit lantern, looking for an honest man; he claimed he could only find rascals and scoundrels. The sass was high with this one.



Misconception 3) The Greek God Demosthenes
When people hear a Greek name, they instinctually think it was the name of a Greek God. I have fielded the question, "Was he a Greek God or something?" so many times. No mythological figure in Greek history had the name Demosthenes. He was a real person.

For cheap laughs though, I have been known to tell people that Demosthenes was the Greek God of Laziness.



Misconception 4) Demosthenes: Spartan warrior
Despite the flashiness of the film 300, there was no Spartan of note named Demosthenes.

However, there was an Athenian general named Demosthenes who fought against the Spartans. In the spirit of fairness, he does appear in history before the more famous Demosthenes, yet no one seems to remember him.
Artist, scientist, designer, architect, fashion mogul, musician, journalist, photographer, television host, radio personality, podcaster, ordained priest... these are just some of the things that can be used to describe Demosthenes, a modern-day renaissance man.


Let's talk about the Demosthenes that you're probably thinking about. To distinguish me from him, let's call him "Ancient D-mo" as he lived from 384-322 BC in the happening burg of Athens, Greece.

Ancient D-mo led a large and full life and was called, among other things, "the perfect orator who lacked nothing," "the standard of oratory", and "he stands alone among all the orators." That sounds pretty impressive (except for the last one which kinda sounds like he's anti-social).

The full rundown of Ancient D-mo's life can take a lot of time to go over, so here are the most notable highlights:
  • Yes, Demosthenes spoke with pebbles in his mouth to overcome a speech impediment, namely stuttering. He also spoke over the sounds of the crashing waves to improve his overall speech as well. Seems to have worked because Ancient D-mo was the most famous and popular orator in ancient Greece.

  • Ancient D-mo vigorously advocated taking action against King Philip of Macedonia and his encroachment into Greek territories. When Alexander the Great (Phil's boy) took over, Demosthenes still supported resistance, even though no one listened to him until it was too late (kinda like me; no one listens until it's too late)

  • Demosthenes' most notable speech was entitled "On the Crown." It was actually his defense speech when Aeschines brought trumped-up charges against Ancient D-mo. As a testament to his popularity at the time, Demosthenes delivered this speech in front of "large" crowd about 1500 Athenians, practically unheard of back in the day. Demosthenes was acquitted of all charges by more than a 4/5 majority.

  • Sadly, he committed suicide by poisoning himself with the ink of a quill. The Macedonians were hunting down Demosthenes, even after Alexander's death (talk about holding a grudge). Demosthenes took refuge in the sanctuary of Poseidon at Calauria; but when the Macedonian soldiers refused to honor that, Ancient D-mo opted to take the "long nap."

  • If you were to translate the name from Greek into English, Demosthenes = People's Strength.

For loads o' detail, and the full run down of Demosthenes' life, check out the chapter on it in Sanderson Beck's book Greece & Rome to 30 BC

And of course, Wikipedia has a good article on Ancient D-mo at: wikipedia.org/wiki/Demosthenes

Thanks for visiting. Love, Demosthenes Spiropoulos