Passion Pod

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...

In this bonus episode we catch up with country music artist Chris Kroeze. Chris has been a guest on the show twice in the past, but it's been a couple of years since we last chatted. Chris has a brand new album titled "Even Rednecks Get The Blues". In this interview we get the inside scoop on all the new music. Chris also shares his favorite Wisconsin venues, which country stars have better beards...

In this episode of The Passion Pod, we sit down with tattoo icon and Ink Master fan-favorite Clean Rock One—widely known as one of the most televised tattooers in Ink Master history. Filmed at the Minneapolis Arts Tattoo Festival, Clean opens up about the real stories behind his name, his early days in graffiti, getting arrested, almost joining the army, and how tattooing became his life. We also...

Mark Longenecker is a renowned tattoo artist who became known worldwide after placing 4th on Season 5 of the hit TV show Ink Master . With over 30 years behind the machine, Mark is the owner of Endless Summer Tattoos in Cocoa Beach, Florida—and when he’s not tattooing, he’s usually chasing waves as an avid surfer and ocean lover. In this episode, we get into what it was really like competing on In...

Corey “Thunder” Law takes you behind the scenes with the Harlem Globetrotters—recorded before their show at The Sonnentag Center in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on January 2, 2026. In this interview, Corey shares the full journey: his first dunk at 12 years old, becoming a college dunk star, the moment he dropped the ball in the NCAA dunk contest, and how he ultimately got drafted by the Harlem Globetrot...

Leon Ondieki is a viral content creator from Atlanta who’s built 9+ million followers across his platforms—and he’s only 23. In this episode, Leon breaks down how he went viral on TikTok in high school (one video hit 8 million views and gained 100,000 followers in a week), how he landed his first major brand deal with What Do You Meme, and how that first sponsorship helped him make $50,000 in a si...

34-time Guinness World Record holder Adam Winrich joins Passion Pod to break down the real world of professional whip cracking—how a whip crack breaks the sound barrier, what it takes to set Guinness records, and what it was like appearing on Conan and America’s Got Talent. Adam also shares wild travel stories (Australia, Italy, China), Renaissance festival life on the road, and how viral videos i...

Voice actor David Errigo Jr. (the current voice of Ferb on Phineas and Ferb ) joins Passion Pod live from Twin Cities Con 2025. We talk about the Phineas and Ferb reboot, anime dubbing vs video game VO vs animation, union advocacy, character integrity, and an emotional convention story that reminded him why this work matters. Follow Passion Pod: Instagram: @passionpod TikTok: @passionpodofficial Y...

Epic Lloyd and Nice Peter from Epic Rap Battles of History join Passion Pod at Twin Cities Con 2025 for a behind-the-scenes deep dive into how ERB became one of YouTube’s longest-running hit channels. We talk about: How ERB started (early YouTube + Maker Studios era) Writing and production process (quality over quantity) Collaborations with T-Pain, Weird Al Yankovic, Snoop Dogg, Key & Peele, S...

Andrea Boehlke—producer and co-host of Discover Wisconsin’s podcast “The Cabin” and three-time CBS Survivor contestant—joins Chris Johnson on the Passion Pod for a revealing conversation about life on and off the island. Andrea shares how she got cast on Survivor, the biggest behind-the-scenes challenges, her most embarrassing moments, and what really happens when the cameras stop rolling. Hear ab...

Comedian Ryan Goodcase—winner of the World Series of Comedy and featured at the Netflix Is a Joke Festival—joins Passion Pod for a hilarious and honest conversation about life as a stand-up comic. Hear Ryan’s behind-the-scenes stories, viral moments, and the ups and downs of building a comedy career. From embarrassing stage mishaps to real talk about social media, ticket sales, and creative pressu...