Passion Pod

Environmental activist Robin Greenfield lives off the grid, eats foraged food, and has no bank account or ID. We sat down at his off-grid Hermitage to talk about it. Robin left a marketing career in 2011 and has lived as a decades-long experiment in simple, sustainable living ever since. In this episode of Passion Pod, host Chris Johnson sits down with environmental activist, adventurer, and exper...

What does it take to become one of America's most celebrated cartoonists — without ever going to art school? Paul Noth is a New Yorker cartoonist with over 400 published cartoons since 2004, the winner of the prestigious Thurber Prize for American Humor, and Wisconsin's first-ever Cartoonist Laureate. He's also the co-creator of the Emmy-nominated animated series Pale Force, made with comedian Jim...

Comedy magician Justin Willman — star of Netflix's Magic for Humans — joins host Chris Johnson at the Pablo Center in Eau Claire, WI, recorded live before his show. They get into how Justin traveled with up to 14 doves and snuck them onto airplanes, what made him drop the name "Justin Kredible" for his real name, how he landed Cupcake Wars and nearly got his own Comedy Central variety show, and ho...

In Episode 237 of Passion Pod, illustrator Robb Mommaerts shares his journey from getting paid for his artwork and published in a newspaper during high school to building a career in graphic design, children’s books, games, and illustration. Robb discusses illustrating the first Hodag book, growing an audience on DeviantArt, working with Cryptozoic on Food Fight and Epic Spell Wars as R.S. Bixby,...

Episode 236 of the Passion Pod features Richie Murphy—a football player and content creator who shares what it takes to pursue a professional career after college while building an audience online. In this wide-ranging conversation, Richie and Chris discuss the realities of chasing big goals, creating content, dealing with criticism, and finding ways to make a living from your passion. We talk abo...

Rapper Khary returns to the Passion Pod to talk about his journey from Rhode Island to New York and Los Angeles, working at The FADER, building an independent music career, creative evolution, skating, live performances, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Subscribe for more inspiring conversations with artists and creators pursuing their passions. Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://ww...

Professional skateboarder Nicole Hause from Stillwater, Minnesota joins Chris on Passion Pod for an honest conversation about her journey through professional skateboarding, competing around the world, and building a career around her passion. Nicole shares what it was like skating with Tony Hawk at just 13 years old, earning $30,000 from appearing in a Subway commercial, and street skating with t...

Pony Lawson has been tattooing almost 25 years — but his road to owning Mayday Tattoo Studio in Chicago started in a tiny Indiana town, involved dropping out of school, picking up his first machine at 14, and sleeping in his car on the streets of Chicago. This episode is a raw, unfiltered look at what it actually takes to build a career doing something you love when the odds are stacked against yo...

Tom Richmond is one of the most recognized caricature artists alive. For over 20 years he's been a staple of MAD Magazine, drawing parodies of shows like Stranger Things, The Sopranos, and Lost. He was the president of the National Caricature Network, author of the definitive caricature guide The Mad Art of Caricature, and has worked for everyone from Scholastic to Sports Illustrated Kids. In this...

Deanna James — 2-time Ink Master contestant (Seasons 10 & 14) and owner of Eden Body Art Studios — sits down with Chris Johnson on the Passion Pod for a raw, inspiring conversation about turning a passion into a career. From oil painting classes at Hobby Lobby to tattooing paintings on skin worldwide, Deanna opens up about surviving a brutal apprenticeship, the truth behind Ink Master, buildin...

Chris Johnson sits down with tattoo icon and 3-time Ink Master champion (and current judge!) DJ Tambe at the Middle of the Map Tattoo Convention in Des Moines, Iowa. DJ gets candid about his road to sobriety, what it was really like competing on Best Ink and Ink Master, the hardest judging decisions he's ever had to make, getting paid $50,000 by Subway, living in a house with 20 tattoo artists, an...

Ink Master Season 15 winner Bobby Johnson sits down with Passion Pod for one of his most candid interviews yet. From the truth about what he actually took home after taxes on the $250k prize, to the flash challenge he'd do all over again, his most meaningful tattoo ever, how he went from skateboarding to tattooing, the wild origin of his "Glendale Bully" name, and the one regret he has from his en...

He told Ink Master producers he'd never do their "stupid show." Then he did it twice and finished second both times. Season 8 and Season 14 Ink Master runner up Gian Karle sits down for a wide open conversation covering everything — from working as a beach attendant and photographer's assistant in Puerto Rico, to traveling the country out of hotels doing conventions, to competing against the best...

He made it to the Ink Master Season 17 finale, cried in front of the judges over a tattoo he made for his wife, protected 6 years of sobriety surrounded by drunk castmates, and is now opening one of Pittsburgh's most anticipated new tattoo shops — Seth Holmes sits down for his very first long-form interview and leaves absolutely nothing on the table. From surviving an abusive childhood and battlin...

World renowned new school tattoo artist and 2-time Ink Master contestant Jesse Smith sits down with Chris Johnson on the Passion Pod for one of the most in-depth conversations he's ever had. From getting busted for graffiti in Germany at 17, to selling Flash up and down the East Coast, to getting the call that changed his career forever — this one covers it all. Jesse opens up about why he thinks...

What happens when a funny rapper keeps going long after a "reasonable person" would quit? You end up with Justin Bieber sharing your music and selling out shows across the country. 🎤 In this episode, Chris sits down with Scoochie Boochie (Michael Ribbens) — the comedy rapper behind viral hits like  Carbutt  and  I Have Sex  — to talk about blowing up on social media, building a fanbase from nothi...

Green Bay Packers legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer LeRoy Butler sits down with Passion Pod for one of his most candid interviews yet. From growing up in extreme poverty in Jacksonville to creating the most iconic celebration in NFL history — the Lambeau Leap — LeRoy holds nothing back. In this episode: 🏈 Brett Favre's off-field memories & the Pack Attack TV show 🏈 How Deion Sanders gave...

Comedy magician Wes Barker aka Stuntmagician joins Passion Pod to talk about viral YouTube success, America’s Got Talent, Pen & Teller, TV shows, live performance, and hilarious magic fails. If you love comedy, magic, entertainment, and behind-the-scenes stories from a professional magician, this episode is for you. Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpod/ TikTok: h...

In this episode of Passion Pod, Chris Johnson sits down with stand up comedian Ashley Gavin for a candid conversation about comedy, internet fame, podcasting, public backlash, and what it takes to keep going after a career-changing moment. Ashley shares stories from cruise ship comedy, touring, building an audience online, and how her perspective on stand-up has changed over time. Follow Passion P...

In this episode of Passion Pod, Chris Johnson sits down with DC comic book artist Doug Mahnke for a wide-ranging conversation about his career in comics, creativity, and storytelling. Doug shares behind-the-scenes stories from working on Batman, The Mask, Green Lantern, Superman, and more, along with how he broke into the comic book industry and built a career spanning more than 30 years. Follow P...

What’s the difference between hallucinations and delusions—and what does schizophrenia actually feel like day to day? In this episode, mental health advocate and influencer Kody Green (aka “The Schizophrenic Hippie”) shares his story of addiction, incarceration, diagnosis, medication, and recovery—plus the often-misunderstood “positive vs. negative symptoms,” stigma, and how families can support a...

Former college baseball player turned baseball influencer Ryan Ellingson joins the Passion Pod at Kwik Trip in La Crosse, Wisconsin to share how he went from travel ball and college baseball to building a creator career—landing brand deals with MLB, the Minnesota Twins, and getting sent to MLB All-Star Week, including on-field access for batting practice just feet from Shohei Ohtani. We also talk...

Legendary underground rapper R.A. the Rugged Man sits down at First Avenue in Minneapolis for a raw, hilarious, and heartfelt interview. We talk touring with Atmosphere/Slug, signing a major-label deal as a teen, getting blackballed from shows, the story behind “Uncommon Valor,” wild concert moments, and his passion for filmmaking (including Bad Biology and Suicide Disco). If you’re into undergrou...

Tommy G is a Milwaukee-based documentary maker with over 3 million subscribers on YouTube, and his work takes you everywhere—from Grand Theft Auto stories and street-level chaos to investigating some of the worst prisons in the United States… and even exposing Scientology for what it is. In this conversation, we get into what it really takes to tell stories that hit hard: earning trust, walking in...