Be Our Geek

On this edition of the Be Our Geek Show, Miss Shannan is joined by JC Libbold, a teacher, community leader, and consultant. Shannan and JC talk about the history of musical theater and their personal history as theater nerds. JC also highlights his work promoting mental health awareness, including staying sharp and developing your mental capacity.  To connect with JC, support mental health support...

Miss Shannan is joined by Dawn Krosnowski, a Minneapolis-based performer best known for her stage, commercial, and voiceover work. She has had the privilege of voice-over and puppeteering the mascots for CONvergence, Connie, and MKII. Dawn speaks about her experience being chosen to join the Broadway cast of The Twenty Sided Tavern, a Broadway DnD playthrough. Find out more about Dawn's work at  ...

Kelly Groehler, creator and host of the WTAF Show (standing for Women Travel Art Food), joins Miss Shannan to talk about her work connecting women to women-centered food and travel content and tackling the massive funding gap for women-owned businesses. Shannan and Kelly discuss what she strives to offer women through her content, how she intends to reshape how these experiences are marketed, and...

Today, the Geeks are joined by 8BitofFun or 8Bit for short. 8Bit is an Influencer and Content Creator with over 13 years of experience in the media and gaming industry. He grew his business and name from the ground up and shares how he made his passion his life. Connect With 8bit to talk about gaming, growth, or his work advocating for African American Male content creators and go to: Youtube.com/...

Host Shannan Paul and head of Twin Cities Film Fest Jatin Setia are joined by Paul McGuire Grimes, the featured Geek Of The Week, to geek out over all of their favorite movies of 2024 and what to see in 2025. Paul is a Minnesota-based film critic and entertainment reporter who appears on KSTP-TV, My Talk 107.1, Fox9 Good Day, and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. Paul gives us a glimpse into t...

This episode our guest GEEK has two of the collect gigs in the world.  Not only is Mike Marcotte an award-winning TV producer, but he also spends time awarding other people during his other job as an adjudicator for Guinness World Records. Check out his wild ride to both careers he loves.  Join in on the conversation and please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE wherever you find Be Our Geek. Stay Safe. Stay Heal...

Here in the Twin Cites, we’re gearing up for CONvergence 2023. To help you get in the mood, catch up with the replay of this interview recorded live at CONvergence 2022. Miss Shannan had a great conversation with Dawn Krosnowski. Dawn is an amazingly talented Voice Actor, Actress, Puppeteer, and the Voice of The CONvergence Mascots, Connie and Mark II. Get their take on the business of Voice Actin...

For all our music fans, you’ll catch the vibe when our guest GEEK, Aaron Lazerbeak Mader , musician, producer, and CEO/General Manager of Doomtree Records shares with Miss Shannan how he’s evolved along with the music industry. How he’s collaborated with artists like Lizzo (producing her entire debut album), Doja Cat, and Dessa.  Plus, he fills us in on releasing his new project “Lava Bangers II.”...

Do you get distracted by bad costume design in movies?  You’re not alone. Our guest GEEK, clothing designer Samantha Rei talks with Miss Shannan about the good, the bad and the ugly within costume design. Plus, we cover over the latest in Geek Culture and Fashion. Learn more about Samantha Rei’s latest design work and register for her classes Sewing at https://www.samantharei.com Join in on the co...

We’re ready to hunker down for the holidays with the return appearance of guest GEEK, Rocco Bonell. Rocco updates Miss Shannan and Jatin Setia on this growing list of favorite TV Christmas Episodes. Plus, we helped him workshop a new history of music show that we would love to listen to. Join in on the conversation and please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE wherever you find Be Our Geek. Stay Safe. Stay Health...

Have you ever considered building your own incredibly accurate Stormtrooper Uniform? Well, our guest Geek, Paul Haga has. More than once. Get some expert perspective on the art of costuming, thanks to Paul. We also learn all about the 501ST LEGION and their “Bad Guys Doing Good” Charity endeavors. Join in on the conversation and please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE wherever you find Be Our Geek. Stay Safe. S...

Two guest GEEKs for the price of one, when author Scott Burtness, and illustrator Harold Torres, help us all color in the lines of their awesome new Coloring Book. They have some great stories to share as participants of a wide variety of Cons, both as attendees and selling their books and art. Grab your copy of their coloring book, “A is for All the Monsters We Can't Stand” available if you see o...

Christmas is here and our guest GEEK, Rocco Bonello has been sharing the holiday cheer for years by filling in friends on TV Christmas Episode of the distance and recent past. Grab your favorite holiday beverage and listen in while they cover holiday episodes from All in The Family, Bewitched, Silver Spoons and More. Join in on the conversation and please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE wherever you find Be Ou...

The snow is finally flying in Minnesota and our guest GEEK comedian Maggie Faris comes in out of the cold to share her new comedy web series, “Dyke It Yourself.” See the fun comedy series starring Maggie and her friends at www.dykeityourself.com Join in on the conversation and please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE wherever you find Be Our Geek. Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. Listen In. #MaggieFaris #WebSeries #DIY...

We’re back from our Summer Holiday with some more fun for everyone. Our guest GEEK Ben Penrod doesn’t just love going to Cons. He loves founding them. Listen in as Jatin and Miss Shannan learn all about Twin Cities Con, a new comic con at the Minneapolis Convention Center promising us a ton of geek goodies. Grab passes and get the full schedule on Twin Cities Con happening on October 2 and 3rd 202...

Our guest GEEK Arvind Ethan David has given us a ton of geek goodies, such as “Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency” and the stage musical “Jagged Little Pill.” Now Jatin and Miss Shannan are geeked to talk with him about his new graphic novel and audio drama, called “Gray.” Gray is based on Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, but with a modern feminist twist. This time, GRAY is a superna...

Our guest GEEK Patrick Strait is a journalist and author who has covered the Minnesota comedy scene for years. So Miss Shannan and Jatin are geeked to talk with him about the long comedy history of the Twin Cities and his new book “Funny Thing About Minnesota.” Grab his book, “Funny Thing About Minnesota” from you favorite retailer like Amazon, and get more info on all the cool things Patrick cove...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we have two of the best guest GEEKS to help us talk about Mental Health and Mental Wellness. Miss Shannan and Jatin Setia are joined by Justine Mastin and Larisa Garski, co-authors of the book “Starship Therapise.” Justine and Larisa are experts in the growing field of geek therapy. And they bring a unique approach to self-help and therapy, using the powers...

Ever wonder how to get the best deals when you’re planning your next trip? Well our guest GEEK, Jenn Bonine, CEO of AI Appstore, has the best ways for you to beat the algorithms so you can travel like a rockstar. Plus, she fills Miss Shannan and Jatin in on what is up and coming in the realm of AI. Get more info on Jenn, AI Appstore, and their new Virtual Reality Community “Red Rex” at https://jen...

We’ve got TWO guest GEEKs coming to you this week with the fun team from the “Hyperbole Podcast.” Amy Zaroff and Danielle Arlowe pop in to tell us about what's going on in the world of Reality Television Shows. Listen in while Miss Shannan and Jatin find out what they should be watching to keep it real. And, catch up on Amy and Danielle’s Hyperbole Podcast at https://www.hyperbole.fun Join in on t...

One of our favorite guest GEEKs “T. Aaron Cisco aka Taylor Cisco” joins Miss Shannan and Jatin to cover the first 7 episodes of WandaVision. Plus, why Taylor gave a glowing review of Wonder Woman 1984. Find out more about T. Aaron Cisco’s latest book “Rod String Nail Cloth” at http://blkintl.com Join in on the conversation and call in to Be Our Geek at 612-276-2774 and please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE wh...

After a brief break Miss Shannan and Jatin Setia are back with a string of new episodes. Kicking off with guest GEEK and DC Comics fan, Darin Lynch from Irish Titan. They cover Darin’s long term love of comic books and wonder out lord over the “Wonder Woman 1984.” Join in on the conversation and call in to Be Our Geek at 612-276-2774 and please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE wherever you find Be Our Geek. Sta...

Our friend and guest GEEK, Stuart Sutherland is our favorite resource on the latest trends in all things doing with Adult Beverages, including some great ideas if you're doing some “Zoom Dating.” And he has a great conversation with Miss Shannan and Jatin about how our movie going experience is much thinner in our current streaming world. Join in on the conversation and call in to Be Our Geek at 6...

Our friend and guest GEEK, Stephanie March not only ”works around the clock covering the local dining scene” as the Food and Dining Editor for Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine . She also finds time to catch up on a few Disney Plus programs. Miss Shannan, Jatin and Stephanie discuss the upcoming roster of Marvel television programs and talk about how the restaurant and hospitality industry continues t...

This is more for the grown ups than our other episodes. Miss Shannan caught up with her friend, Colleen Bertino the CEO of Fantasy Gifts. Get the scoop on being a retail business owner in Minnesota through the pandemic. Hear the latest trends in sex toys. And Colleen shares her geeky love of vintage cookbooks and the history they hide in their tasty pages. Let Colleen and her team spice up your li...