The Juice with Jeff

The Juice with Jeff #315

On this episode, Dana Mintzer Leman, Shirley Beedon, and I facilitate and co-produce our fantastic, superb, super special, and really conversational interview with me for Episode #315 of the podcast. This is Dana's 7th time and Shirley's 4th time on the show, and we recorded this super special episode at Springbrook State Park near Guthrie Center.

After our introductions, we did a mix of two things during the podcast recording session. I gave a fairly detailed commentary of the various things we saw at Springbrook, the several trails we walked on, and I provided the history behind the buildings/facilities there that we got to see. Dana and Shirley offer commentary from time to time throughout the podcast.

At various times, Dana and Shirley also asked me the following questions related to the seasons

Which season feels most like "you" and why?

Do you prefer heat or cold when it comes to a season?

How far do you walk when you take your walks?

If you have to choose between dealing with extreme hot weather or extreme cold weather, which one would you choose?

Considering milder seasons, if you were to have one endless season; what would you choose and in doing so what would you miss? 

If life were like one endless season. which would you choose and what might be lost?' Would you rather have a milder spring, milder summer, milder fall, or a milder winter?

What is your favorite thing to do and what season do you prefer to do it in?

In your own life, what Springs have you experienced times of renewal or starting over?

Can you tie in Shirley's question about experiencing times of renewal with the Jewish High Holy Days coming up?

What is something you have had to let go of in your own life the way trees let go of leaves?

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Saturday September 6, 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 #314

On this episode, Bonnie McHugh conducts and co-produces her fantastic, superb, very fun, and really conversational interview with me for Episode #314 of the podcast. This is Bonnie's debut/first time on the show, and we recorded this episode at Greenwood Park in Des Moines.

After our introductions, Bonnie asked me the following questions:

1. Why are you a podcaster and what led you to decide to do these podcasts?

2. If everything went according to plan, where do you see the podcast going five years from now?

3. What goes into the editing and post production for the podcast?

4. If you could pick anyone to recruit for future episodes to interview you, who would they be and why?

5. What was the thought process behind having different people interviewing you for each episode of the podcast?

6. What is your favorite Saturday Night Love skit or sketches?

7. Let's say you are going on a road trip somewhere and you are responsible for putting together the playlist. What would be the first song on your road trip playlist?

8. If someone wants to start their own podcast, what advice would you give to them?

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday August 29, 2025 and it runs 46 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 #313

On this episode, Tiffany Welch conducts and co-produces her fantastic, superb, pretty fun, and really conversational interview with me for Episode #313 of the podcast. This is Tiffany's third time on the show, and we recorded this episode at Walnut Woods State Park south of West Des Moines.

After our introductions, Tiffany asked me the following questions:

1. She first asked me to give a brief history of Walnut Woods State Park and how it came to be.

2. Do you have a Superpower or Superpowers? What Superpower(s) do you wish you had?

3. Do you care about shoes? What matters to you with shoes?

4. Tell me more about how your 50th birthday year has been going? During my answer to this question, I talked about the super amazing and EPIC 1-1/2 years we've been having with the podcast and other things related to the show.

5. What made you want to do a podcast in the first place? And of course I went into the history of the podcast and how we've come a long way with it over the last few years.

There are a couple times during the podcast recording session we are walking to various parts of Walnut Woods and describe what we are seeing as we walk.

6. Do you have any specific memories of parks and playground equipment from when you were a kid?

7. Are there other podcasts you admire besides Juice with Jeff?
For a couple of the questions, Tiffany shares her answers to them. I share various things related to the podcast at several points during the interview. And a few side topics are brought up as well such as tidbits about Walnut Woods facilities.

8. What are you planning to do during Labor Day Weekend?

9. Tiffany and I also briefly talk about a couple things going on with Iowa Politics

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday August 29, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 25 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 #312

On this episode, Lisa Pringle-Chmelka conducts and co-produces her fantastic, superb, energetic, very fun, and really conversational interview with me for Episode #312 of the podcast. This is Lisa's debut/first time on the show, and we recorded this episode at Walker Johnston Park in Urbandale.

We started off the podcast with my sharing how the last time I saw and chatted with Lisa in person was back in 1994 when we graduated from VHS and how I am so excited to spend time and catch up with Lisa for the first time in 31 years. I also recapped how we are doing with the total number of episodes recorded this year versus how many episodes we ended up doing during our Historic and Record-Breaking 2024.

Here are the questions that Lisa asked me during the interview:

1. What is something you learned from an interviewer that has really stuck with you, something you learned from somebody that you don't forget?

2. Has there been something during an interview recording session (or when you were editing) that was funny or a funny thing that happened during the interview? I answer this question by sharing with Lisa a couple different funny or hilarious moments which occurred when we recorded various in person interviews, such as when Micole, Josh, and Jill conducted and co-produced their super amazing interview with me for Episode #289, all four of us were laughing really hard several times during the podcast recording session.

3. I made a comment about how I have ordered and purchased quite a lot of DVD's and Blu-Rays from Amazon and this transitioned to my showing her several pictures of what my super impressive and colossal DVD/Blu Ray Collection looks like. Then I talked about my intense passion for the Roadshow Theatrical Presentation type of movies and taught Lisa about what Roadshow Theatrical films are, etc...

4. Do you have favorite movies from your collection, including the Roadshow Theatrical Films?

5. Of the DVD's and Blu-Rays you have in your collection, do you know the total number that you have?

6. You have had a lot of guests on the podcast, who would be your Dream Guest to have interview you? I gave Lisa several examples of local celebrities that have interviewed me on the show over the last couple years. I brought up several side topics related to this question such as the Basement Dwellers series of interviews we recorded this year and the equipment we use for recording the podcast.

7. I know you have the jazz trio music at the beginning and the end of each episode of the podcast. Did you have that, did you know about that, was that music created for you? Tell me more about that.

And I share a couple more things with Lisa related to the podcast to wrap the episode up.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Tuesday August 26, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 3 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 #311

On this episode Ali Harms conducts and co-produces her fantastic, superb, very fun, and really conversational interview with me in person for Episode #311 of the podcast. This is Ali's sixth time (fifth in person) on the show, and we recorded this outdoors at Fairmeadows Park in West Des Moines. Of the six interviews Ali has conducted with me these past six years, the interview from August of last year and this interview are definitely her BEST INTERVIEWS EVER with me!!

We started off the podcast by talking about the fantastic and amazing takeout dinners Ali and I enjoyed from and local Ecuadorian Mi Patria Restaurant in West Des Moines with each of sharing what we ate for our dinners.
Here are the questions that Ali asked me during the interview:

1. Looking back on the interviews you've done over the years when you think about the most common questions you've been asked have your answers or opinion on certain things changed?

2. Has your opinion on something changed over the years?

3. Did you do another round of watching your TV show and Movie DVD/Blu-ray collection this year from A to Z?

4. Every time I hear you talk you have such a great radio voice. Did you always kind of know that you had that personality, voice, and presence for broadcasting is that what got you interested in Radio/TV production?
For the following five questions, Ali also shares her answers after I share mine:

5. What are your favorite things to smell? 

6. What are your favorite things to taste? 

7. What are your favorite things to hear? During this question, I share with Ali my three favorite types of music in the world of Rock/Pop/R&B. I especially tell Ali about my intense passion for the Brass Rock/Horn Rock type of music groups that were big during the late 1960's and 1970's. I have Ali listen to three examples of Brass Rock songs off-air (off air, the music is not in the episode because of Copyright concerns). Then I ask her what she thinks about those three songs I played for her off-air.

8. What are your favorite things to see? 

9. What are your favorite things to touch or feel?

10. Do you still enjoy going to concerts?

11. What things will make you double over in laughter? During my answer, I give Ali an example from a Fat Albert cartoon episode as well as examples from the Airplane 1 and Spaceballs movies.

12. For most of the remainder of the podcast, I bring up things about how The Juice with Jeff has been going during this year. I tell her about how my absolute all time favorite episode is the super special, super amazing, extremely energetic, and EPIC interview that Micole and  Josh Chapman and Jill Bassman conducted and co-produced with me on May 9th for Episode #289 of the podcast and I play a bunch of video snippets from my phone that were taken during the interview recording session.

13. Ali asks me what it will take for the podcast to be able to continue after this year?

14. What would a perfect day be for you?

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Thursday August 21, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 6 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 #310

On this episode Amy Burgmaier conducted and co-produced her fantastic, superb, entertaining, and very conversational interview with me in person for Episode #310 of the podcast. This is Amy's debut/first time on the show, and we recorded this in a study room at the Clive Public Library.

During the interview, Amy asks me the following questions:

1. How did you come up with the name *The Juice with Jeff"? (Teaser: We can thank Jami Bassman Ahart for coming up with The Juice with Jeff name). During my answer to this question, I also talk about how this podcast has really come a long way and that these last nearly two years have been the "Golden Age" for The Juice with Jeff.

I mentioned how I first saw Amy a decade ago on TV where she was the host at the time for a program that Blank Park Zoo produced which aired on our City of Des Moines cable channel, and she talked briefly about how she got that gig.

2. In the past week, what has brought you the most joy?

3. What is special about the art form of a podcast. I mentioned how like Amy, I was a student at Drake University and how I majored in Radio/TV Production in the J School there. Various things related to the podcast come up throughout this episode.

4. Can you tell me how I navigate my being autistic in today's world of Journalism?

Amy and I both bring up the importance of neurodiversity, Autism Acceptance, and accepting people as they are for who they are.

5. What is or are your superpower(s) with being autistic?

6. Are you good at Math?

7. If you could have any special guest interview you next, who would it be?

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday August 17, 2025 and it runs 36 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 #309

On this episode Hannah Sznes conducts and co-produces her fantastic and very conversational interview with me for Episode #309 of the podcast. This is Hannah's second time on the show.

For nearly the entire episode, Hannah asks me a bunch of questions that are all related to my impressive DVD-Blu Ray TV Show and Movie Collection; my love for classic, vintage, and Roadshow Theatrical Presentation movies; and my music collection.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday August 17, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 15 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 #308

On this episode Laura Senturia conducts and co-produces her fantastic, superb, and very conversational interview with me thru Zoom for Episode #308 of the podcast. This is Laura's second time on the podcast, and like her debut interview with me back in September of 2024, we talk about our Camp Ramah in Wisconsin days. We talk about three things related to the years we spent at Ramah:

1. Days off during the years we were on staff.

2. Shabbat observance at camp

3. Tisha B'Av observance at camp. During this segment, I share the basics of what Tisha B'Av involves and why it's observed, as well as the "Nine Days" and "Week that Tisha B'Av falls" practices.

After I share my memories about these subjects, Laura shares her memories and favorite moments related to these three topics.

We wrap up this episode with Laura asking me what inspired me to make the decision to become a practicing observant Jew every day to the best of my ability.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday July 27, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 14 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 #307

On this episode Jill Brimeyer conducted and co-produced her fantastic, superb, very fun, really creative, and very conversational interview with me for Episode #307 of the podcast. This is Jill's fifth time (4th in person) on the show, and I truly believe that this episode is HER BEST INTERVIEW EVER with me for the podcast!!

We recorded this episode at Jester Park in Granger, which is managed and operated by the Polk County Conservation Board. It is a really spread out park with a Nature Center, Outdoor Recreation and Wellness Center, Equestrian Center, golf course, lodge, bison and elk herds, many campgrounds and cabins, hiking trails, boat ramp, amphitheater, and other stuff. It took a while for Jill and I to locate the part of the park we wanted to go to. We recorded the podcast in one of the campground areas that is near the amphitheater and Saylorville Lake.

Jill asked me 16 "Never Have I Ever..." and 16 "Would you Rather.." type of questions. Those questions are:

1. Have I ever stolen something (by accident)?
2. Have I ever changed someone's mind about something important?
3. Have I ever helped a stranger in need?
4. Have I ever laughed so hard that I spit out my drink?
5. Have I ever sent out an embarrassing autocorrect?
6. Have I ever taken a huge leap of faith? 
7. Have I ever gotten stitches? 
8. Have I ever had an allergic reaction? 
9. Have I ever had my heart broken? 
10. Have I ever won a cool prize? 
11. Have I ever met a celebrity? 
12. Have I ever played an instrument? 
13. Have I ever been hypnotized? 
14. Have I ever written a fan letter? 
15. Have I ever won an athletic award? 
16. Have I ever written in a limousine? 
17. Would you rather have the ability to see 10 minutes into the future or 150 years into the future? 
18. Would you rather have the ability to move things with your mind or the ability to read minds?
19. Would you rather give up air conditioning and heating for the rest of your life or give up the internet for the rest of your life? 
20. Would you rather have a personal maid or a personal chef?
21. Would you rather spend a week in the forest or a night in a haunted house?
22. Would you rather never eat watermelon ever again or be forced to eat watermelon with every meal? 
23. Would you rather solve world hunger or global warming? 
24. Would you rather live in a treehouse or in a cave?
25. Would you rather travel the world for free for a year or have 50,000 to spend however you please? 
26. Would you rather work the job you have now for a year at double your rate of pay or have a year off with what you are making now? 
27. Would you rather have all of your messages and photos leak publicly or never use a cell phone ever again?
28. Would you rather run at 100 mph or fly at 20 mph? 
29. Would you rather never use social media again or never watch another movie ever again? 
30. Would you rather spend a week in the Air national space station or in an Icehotel in Sweden? 
31. Would you rather go back to kindergarten with everything you know now or know now everything your future self will learn?
32. Would you rather have your own theme park or your own zoo? 
After I provide my answers for each question, Jill also shares her answers to these questions.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday July 13, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 23 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 #306

On this episode Andrea McMaster conducts and co-produces her fantastic and very conversational interview with me thru Zoom for Episode #306 of the podcast. This is Andrea's third time on the podcast, and the interview is divided into three parts:

1. First I talk with Andrea about the three-part Basement Dwellers series that we did for the podcast over the last several months: Part 1 on February 2nd with Ann Kaatz LoBue, James Alsup, John Earl Robinson, and Debbie Bernstein LaCroix thru Zoom for Episode #274, Part 2 on March 5th with Jon Odell , Brad Dunn, Skye Giordano, and Erik Bilstad thru Zoom for Episode #277, and the In Person edition on May 4th with James Alsup, Elaine Moody, and Amy Schmelzer for Episode #287 from the Meredith Hall Basement facilities. I summarized for Andrea the numerous and significant changes that have occurred in the Meredith Hall Basement facilities over the last decade.

2. Then we talk about the Saturday morning cartoons that Andrea and I watched when we were kids, and I also tell Andrea about the things that I usually do on Friday nights and Saturdays.

3. We wrap up this episode with Andrea asking me what my goals are for the rest of 2025. I answer her question by reiterating my main goal of having a total of 50 new episodes produced and recorded of the podcast during this year.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Saturday July 12, 2025 and it runs 40 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!