The Juice with Jeff

The Juice with Jeff #325

On this episode, Howie Hoffman conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, and conversational interview with me thru Zoom for Episode #325 of the podcast. This is Howie's second time on the show.

Basically, Howie went all over the place in bringing up and asking me questions related to how the podcast went this year, my Blu-Ray and DVD collection, movies, cartoons, people in the animation and TV industry, among a few other things.

2025 is now officially "in the books" for having the SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER OF EPISODES produced and recorded of the podcast for a given year both in general and also for the number of in person interviews as we had 56 new episodes recorded during this year with 37 of them being done in person. I truly feel that both 2024 and 2025 are definitely the Golden Age for The Juice with Jeff podcasts!!!

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Monday November 17, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 13 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Lisa Krain, and Wendi Roush. Enjoy!

 

The Juice with Jeff #324

On this episode, Kelly Flynn conducts and co-produces a fantastic and conversational interview with me In Person for Episode #324 of the podcast. This is Kelly's second time on the show (first in person).

After our introductions, Kelly asks me a few questions:

1. What is your morning routine like? Is there is a certain routine you have every day to get yourself ready for work or whatever, is it different on the weekends?

2. In the past, I've seen you do karaoke when you get together with friends, what is your go to karaoke song?

3. How did you come up the name for your podcast, The Juice with Jeff? Is there any special meaning behind it?

4. You mentioned with doing the podcast there are a lot of things you've learned along the way,  what is one mistake you've made that you're actually glad you made in the end thru the process?

5. What is or are your other favorite podcast(s) besides The Juice with Jeff?

6. If you had a Superpower of any kind, what would it be, why, and how would you use it?

7. If you had an extra hour in every day, what would you do with it?

8. What is the most unique thing you've ever eaten?

9. You've done 325 episodes of the podcast these last 8 years which is amazing, is there any question you haven't been asked that you wish someone would ask you about?

10. Tell me about the laughter that occurs when you're listening to an episode of the podcast or when you're recording a particular episode?

11. Ai is everywhere in the news now. What are your thoughts on Ai, do you use it, and how do you see Ai changing everyone's life in the next few years?

12. If someone did a movie on your life, who do you think would play you?

13. If you could have a conversation with your younger self, what advice would you give?

14. I was recently invited to a party that will be coming up in a couple weeks with a "bring your favorite things theme", you're supposed to bring two or three different things that are under or around $25 that you use in your everyday life, what such items would you bring?

15. What would your life look like if money was never a factor?

16. What is the best compliment that you've ever received from somebody in your life?

17. If you could meet any historical figure or famous person dead or alive, who would you like to meet?

18. What is your biggest fear?

19. How do you feel about the recent "Cancel Culture" and do you believe in it or not?

20. What is your favorite childhood memory?

21. What is your favorite holiday to celebrate?

22. You said you watch lots of movies on DVD and Blu-Ray, what is your favorite movie of all time that you probably watch the most?

23. If you had to eat only a couple of foods for the rest of your life, what would they be?

24. What is one thing you want people to know about you?

25. What is your favorite season?

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday November 2, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 4 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Lisa Krain, and Wendi Roush. Enjoy!

The Juice with Jeff #323

On this episode, Laura Grisamore conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, super fun, and really conversational interview with me thru Zoom for Episode #323 of the podcast. This is Laura's seventh time on the show.

After our introductions, we divide the interview into four parts:

1. I make some comments on how the podcast has come a really long way over these last two years and Laura mentions some thoughts on that. Laura also brings up how she's been recording quite a few audio interviews for her Project Unincorporated MN project.

2. Laura asks me "If you had a million dollars and you could get any type of audio equipment for your in person interviews, do you have a Wish List?". I answer her question by bringing up one of my favorite quotes "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and we get into a very in-depth discussion on keeping the items we have for as long as they continue to work properly, how I'm super happy with the Zoom H4n digital recorder/mic we've been using for the In Person interviews since the podcast began eight years ago and that we'll continue using it for as long as it keeps working, and other related things like the items both Laura and I have kept as well as items that we've had to replace (like desktop computers).

3. We start the second half of the interview with Laura asking me if there's been any talk of Ai in my podcast world. I reply by saying i don't worry about Ai or trends. While I do benefit from Ai from time to time for things like autocorrect or helping me enhance pics on social media posts, I make it really clear that I insist on doing things the old-fashioned way as much as possible.

4. How much did you get into Atari and Nintendo during your childhood and teenage years? Laura and I get into an in-depth discussion on our using Atari and Nintendo when we were younger.

5. You recently had your 51st birthday, what did you do for it? I describe what I did for my birthday during the October 18th-19th weekend including the super special day I had at Ledges State Park with Dana Mintzer Leman, Zander Leman, and Robin Bear along with the in person episode we recorded at Ledges for the podcast.

6. Do you have any advice for someone about to turn 50, having just lived your 50th year?

7. For the rest of the podcast, Laura asks me a bunch of "Would You Rather" questions:

a. Would you rather watch only Black and White movies for a year or only animated movies for a year?

b. Would you rather live inside your favorite movie or would you rather have your favorite movie character as your roommate?

c.  Would you rather never be able to re-watch a movie or never be able to see new movies?

d.  Would you rather watch movies with Director's Commentary every time or random commercials every ten minutes every time?

e. Would you rather have to use dial up Internet forever or flip phones only forever?

f. Would you rather lose all of your photos or all of your music?

g. Would you rather your shoe makes a crunchy leaf sound everywhere you walk or would you rather smell like pumpkin spice forever?

h. Would you rather relive your favorite day or skip your worst day?

i. Would you rather spend the night in a haunted house or would you rather spend the night in a corn maze that never ends?

j. Would you rather have to carve 50 pumpkins or untangle 50 strings of light?

k. Would you rather get lost in a foggy cemetery or in a dark forest?

l. Would you rather have to eat only pumpkin flavored food for a week or would you rather eat candy corn for all meals in one day?

m. What was your favorite Halloween candy when you were a kid?

n. Would you rather have Yoda as your life coach or Dumbledore as your mentor?

8. Did you go to the Iowa State Fair this year?

9. Are you doing anything special for Thanksgiving?

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Tuesday October 28, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 11 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Lisa Krain, and Wendi Roush. Enjoy!

The Juice with Jeff #322

On this episode: Dana Mintzer Leman, Zander Leman, and Robin Bear co-produce a fantastic, superb and conversational interview with me In Person for Episode #322 of the podcast. This is Dana's eighth time, Zander's fifth time, and Robin's third time on the show; and we recorded this super special birthday episode at Ledges State Park in Madrid, IA (Ledges is one of my favorite Iowa State Parks!!!)

This episode of the podcast involves:

1.  Me talking about/giving commentary on all of the parts of Ledges we went to and this can be divided into five parts:

a. Main entrance/Welcome Center area/Amphitheater

b. Oak Woods Picnic and Shelter Area. During this part, we talk about the special Birthday Picnic Luncheon that Dana and Robin prepared and put together for my birthday that the four of us enjoyed. 

c. Lost Lake Trail

d. Lower Ledges area including the Fritz Henning shelter

e. Canyon Drive/Peas Creek area including the CCC Stone Arch Bridge.

2. There are 3 or 4 moments in the podcast where Robin and Zander asked me questions. And Dana, Zander, & Robin provide commentary at various moments throughout the show.

a.  During the Lost Lake Trail segment, Robin asks me "How did you become interested in state parks and nature?

b. During the Lower Ledges segment, Robin asks me three questions

     What obstacles have you dealt with in your life and because of these obstacles what advice can you give others?

     What would you say are your sources that enable you to be so knowledgeable? If someone wants to obtain knowledge about the Iowa State Parks system, what sources would you recommend?

    Talk about your wish list, what's at the top of your wish list for another state park you have never been to in Iowa?

     At the end of the Lower Ledges part, Zander asks me what my plans are for making 51 special? 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday October 19, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 11 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Lisa Krain, and Wendi Roush. Enjoy!

The Juice with Jeff #321

On this episode, Leigh McNabb conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, energetic, very fun, and conversational interview with me In Person for Episode #321 of the podcast. This is Leigh's debut/first time on the show and we recorded this episode outdoors at Campbell Recreational Area in Clive.

After our introductions, Leigh asks me a few questions:

1. Let's go down memory lane and talk about how you decided to do this podcast. Besides telling Leigh how this whole podcast got started, I told her about we have made many changes to the show this year and last year to make it as successful as it is now.

2. In talking about how the podcast, I talk in depth about how I've had a fascination and strong interest for electronics and audio equipment since the middle of my Elementary School years back in the mid 1980's. I also talk about how I was involved with KWDM radio during my junior and senior years at VHS and Leigh mentioned once or twice about how she was at VHS too and was part of KWDM during her years there. I then mentioned my being in the J School at Drake majoring in Radio/TV Production during the mid to late 1990's. I go into depth on how I learned so much about radio broadcasting from Brian Dean Christensen during two years on KWDM at VHS. And we bring up multiple things related to radio including EBS/EAS requirements (Emergency Broadcast System/Emergency Alert System), how KWDM finally increased its broadcast power to 100 watts six weeks into my Senior year in October 1993, technical stuff, etc....

3. I know you are a Fred Rogers fan. What would Mister Rogers (of blessed memory) think of the world in 2025?

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday October 5, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 20 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Lisa Krain, and Wendi Roush. Enjoy!

The Juice with Jeff #320

On this episode, Elise Lamb conducts and co-produces a fantastic and really conversational interview with me thru Zoom  for Episode #319 of the podcast. This is Elise's third time on the show.

After our introductions and my comments on how things have been going with the podcast this year, Elise asked me a whole bunch of questions:

1. What are your plans for your upcoming birthday this year?

2. How do you feel about this business in the news connecting between Tylenol and Autism?

3. Talk about Shabbat, your weekly Jewish Sabbath. Do you find great peace in your Sabbath?

4. What is the significance of bread during meals in Jewish tradition?

5. I saw your posts about your upcoming trip to Ledges State Park for the special podcast you'll be doing from there on your birthday. How has the park changed?

6. Are there other state parks you enjoy besides Ledges?

7. What movies have you added to your impressive DVD and Blu-Ray collection since September of last year?

8. What has been the biggest impact in the last year to your life?

9.. Do you have any big plans as we move closer to the end of the year?

10. What is your favorite kind of cake? Do you like candles on your birthday cake or not?

11. Talk about the work which goes on in preparing for the annual Juicys Awards Event?

12. Do you have any other hobbies besides the Juice with Jeff podcasts?

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Monday September 29, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 5 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Lisa Krain, and Wendi Roush. Enjoy!

The Juice with Jeff #319

On this episode, Katie Hoover conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, very festive, and really conversational interview with me In Person for Episode #319 of the podcast. This is Katie's second time on the show and we recorded this episode outdoors at the park behind Crossroads Park Elementary School in West Des Moines.

After our introductions and comments I made on how we have now reached the baseline goal of having at least 50 new episodes recorded this year, Katie asked me the following questions revolving around the theme of Celebrations:

1. How do you like to celebrate your birthday? Any traditions for your birthday? 

2. How do you like to be celebrated?

3 Tell us about a time you were proud of and how did you celebrate?

4. How do you celebrate others?

5. We have recently had some people close to us pass away. How would you want to be celebrated? Have you ever thought about your Legacy?

6. We have been invited to an upcoming Bar Mitzvah. We have never been to a Bar or Bar Mitzvah before, tell us everything we need to know about it, how we should dress for one, what you would suggest for gifts.

I ask Katie to share her thoughts on being part of our Juice with Jeff Family of Interviewers and Co-producers.

Then we have the special on air toast celebrating our reaching the goal of having at least 50 new episodes of the podcast recorded so far this year. We do this toast over Sparkling Apple Cider and a chocolate quinoa crisps treat, and after the toast I thank everyone by name who has conducted/co-produced the interviews with me so far this year by name in order of appearance.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday September 28, 2025 and it runs 49 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Lisa Krain, and Wendi Roush. Enjoy!

The Juice with Jeff #318

On this episode, Megan Hopper conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, very fun, and really conversational interview with me In Person for Episode #318 of the podcast. This is Megan's debut/first time on the show and we recorded this episode outdoors at Greenwood Park.

After our introductions and comments I made on how the podcast is coming along this year, Megan asked me the following questions:

1. We are still pretty new to the Des Moines area(moved from Colorado in 2020). Tell me some of your favorite local restaurants.

2. I love cottage cheese and heard you do too! How do you like to eat it? What do your eat with it?

3. I love to read, do you enjoy reading? What do you read?

4. What are your go-to movies or TV shows you could watch again and again? 

5. My son is 6 years old, autistic, non-verbal, sensory processing disorder. I have seen it to be true that he actually is most adversely affected by his sensory sensitivities. Can you explain from your perspective what that is like when you go out into the world daily? 

6. My son loves to carry around 1 toy exclusively. It goes everywhere with him, whatever his special interest is currently.  did you have special interests as a child? What were they?

7. What are some things you wish your family (parents or siblings) knew or understood more about you?

8. What kind of supports or resources would've benefited your family as a whole growing up with autism?

Megan provides her answers to the first 4 of the questions. We wrap up this episode with me performing a bunch of my voice impersonations for Megan.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday September 21, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 16 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Lisa Krain, and Wendi Roush. Enjoy!

The Juice with Jeff #317

On this episode, Lindsey Smith conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, and very conversational interview with me thru Zoom for Episode #317 of the podcast. This is Lindsey's second time on the show.

After our introductions and comments, Lindsey asked me a bunch of questions related to museums and artifacts. And then halfway thru the podcast, she asks me to talk about my intense passion for The Blues Brothers.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday September 19, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 12 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Lisa Krain, and Wendi Roush. Enjoy!

The Juice with Jeff #316

On this episode, Bryan Hall conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, and conversational interview with me In Person for Episode #316 of the podcast. This is Bryan's debut/first time on the show and we recorded this episode at his office.

After our introductions and comments I made on how the podcast is coming along this year, Bryan asked me the following questions:

1. What does the podcast mean to you, and what hole does it fill in your life?

2. You and I both share an "idol" with Fred Rogers o.b.m. Talk about what Mister Rogers would be doing and saying if he were alive today in terms of the negativity that is going on in this world and how he would try to help people thru this particular period in history?

Bryan shared a thought or two about Mister Rogers during this question and the importance of kindness and I shared how I'm super passionate about Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and also the 2019 A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood movie.

3. What is your perspective on mental health?

4. What stress like for you? How do you know when you're getting stressed and you need to spend extra time listening to music or watching your DVD/Blu-Ray collection?

5. What are some artists/bands/album you love listening to when you want a quick pick me up that makes you feel better after a stressful day? I go into detail with the types of music I love.

6. And for the rest of the podcast, Bryan asks me to pick a few numbers between 1 and 200 from a book called The Book of Questions by Dr. Gregory Stock and he asks me the questions corresponding to the numbers I chose.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Wedneday September 17, 2025 and it runs 42 minutes long. Our opening and closing theme music is provided by Oleg Kyrylkovv courtesy of Pixabay. Funding for this podcast is provided by RandomKid, Lisa Krain, and Wendi Roush. Enjoy!