The Juice with Jeff

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!

The Juice with Jeff #305

On this episode Lori VanLo conducts and co-produces her fantastic, superb, pretty energetic, very fun, really entertaining, and very conversational interview with me for Episode #305 of the podcast. This is Lori's third time on the show, and I truly believe that both the one she did with me in March of last year and this one were equally HER BEST INTERVIEWS EVER with me for the podcast!!

We recorded this episode in a conference room at Indian Hills Jr. High in Clive, and coincidentally I went there for Junior High between 1988 and 1990. After our introductions, here are the fun questions that Lori asked me during the interview:

1. If you could be any video game, what video game would it be?

2. What kitchen utensil or appliance would you be?

3. Is water wet?

4. If you were given an elephant for a week, what is the first thing you'd be asking about?

5. If you were a vegetable, which one would you be and why?

6. How would you sell hot chocolate during July in Florida (or any other place where it's often warm/hot and humid during the summer)?

7. If you could only use one piece of office equipment for the rest of your life, what would it be?

8. What is the most ridiculous fact you know? I answer this question by talking about my intense passion for the Roadshow Theatrical Presentation version of certain films.

9. What is the most unusual type of transportation you have used while traveling?

10. Describe the perfect sandwich?

11. Tell me about the last time you had a really big laugh.

After I share my answers to these questions, Lori shares her answers to all the questions.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday July 11, 2025 and it runs 33 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 #304

On this episode Maura Kenworthy conducts and co-produces her fantastic, superb, energetic, very fun, and really conversational interview with me in person for Episode #304 of the podcast. This is Maura's second time on the show, and I truly believe this one was HER BEST INTERVIEW EVER with me for the podcast!!

We recorded this episode at Walnut Woods State Park and we take a Nature Walk thru portions of Walnut Woods during parts of the podcast recording session.

After our introductions, here are the questions that Maura asked me during the interview:

1. We each talked about how the 4th of July weekend went for both of us.

2. Then I describe for our listeners the setting for where we are starting our podcast interview from in the open semi outdoor portion of the day-use lodge at Walnut Woods, and I also talk about how some of the buildings or structures in our Iowa State Parks were built by the Civil Conservation Corps during the 1930's.

3. How many different Iowa State Parks have you done in person interviews from for the podcast, and do you have a favorite?

4. Talk more about the interview you did last year from the Cedar Bridge of the Bridges of Madison County.

5. Tell me about the early years of your childhood and if you remember when you first discovered your passion of connecting with people that led to starting your podcast. While I really didn't talk about my childhood, I did share with Maura about how my social skills have gradually improved and gotten better over the past few decades, the mini reunion parties I had between 2011 and 2016, and I also talked about in detail the history of how the podcast began.

6. Then Maura and I do a sales pitch that is meant to promote more people joining our Juice with Jeff Family of Interviewers and Co-producers.

7. When you started this whole journey for the podcast, did you have a common theme that you wanted to carry throughout the podcast or do you leave it up to the friend or friends who  interview you to guide where it's going to go?

8. Talk more about the special series of episodes you produced and recorded during the week of your birthday last year? This is referring to the really special "Five Books of Jeff Duitch" series (Episodes #259 thru #263 on our podcast platforms) that Dana Mintzer Leman created and members of her family conducted and co-produced a five part series with each of those five episodes focusing questions from each specific decade from the 50 years of my life.

9. Have you ever been camping? I talked about the years I spent as a camper (1989 to 1992) and staff member (1994 to 1997) at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin plus a taste of camping in one or two other times not related to Ramah.
Maura asks me if I have been back to camp since 1997.

10. Then Maura asks me if I have been back to VHS since the mid 1990's.

11. Maura then challenges me to do as many of my voice impersonations as I can in ONE MINUTE.

12. Which state park is your favorite?

13. Then we wrap up the interview with me giving a powerful performance of the following voice impersonations for Maura: current President Trump, RFK, Jr., former President Biden, Mitt Romney, Dr. Fauci, Mitch McConnell, several Simpsons voices, the SNL Church Lady, Forrest Gump, a couple voice ID announcers for KGGO and 100.3 The Bus, Ira Glass, and the late Jim Morrison.

We also bring up other things related to the podcast and other side topics throughout the interview.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday July 6, 2025 and it runs an EPIC 2 hours and 2 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 #303

On this episode Sue Evans conducts and co-produces her fantastic, superb, and really conversational interview with me for Episode #303 of the podcast. This is Sue's third time on the show, and I truly believe both the interview she did with me in May of last year and this year's interview are definitely equally HER BEST INTERVIEWS EVER for the podcast!!

After our introductions, here are the questions that Sue asked me during the interview:

1. What is the earliest memory you have of watching cartoons? And after I answered this question, I asked her the same question.

2. If you could step into one of those cartoons and spend a whole day being in a cartoon, what cartoon would you choose?

3. Besides Fat Albert, which other characters were your favorite on the show?

4. Could you ever see Mister Rogers o.b.m. and Fat Albert acting together?

5. What makes a good musical?

6. What is your favorite scene in The Blues Brothers film? During my answer to this question, I explain to Sue in detail about the Extended Version (15 minutes longer than the all too familiar Theatrical cut), how the film was originally going to be a full Roadshow style 2 hour 40 minute to nearly 3 hour production with an intermission, and some other factoids about the movie.

7. Do you think you think you could recite all the dialogue of the film from memory?

8. Would you ever like to talk to Dan Aykroyd about the Blues Brothers film?

9. Are there any other movies you memorized the dialogue from word for word? I talk about my love for the 1980 Airplane movie.

10.  Tell me more about your two Havenese dogs.

11. When you are feeling stressed, what kind of things make you feel more comfortable so you can kind of get back into the normal feeling of life?

12. Do you think you feel comfortable in the structures or rhythm of Jewish life and prayer times?

13. Do the Jewish values of Chesed (Kindness), Tzedek (justice or righteousness), and Tikkun Olam resonate with your world? 

14. I know sensory is very important to autistic people. Do the sounds of the shofar, the texture of the tallit (prayer shawl), or the smell of the Shabbat food affect you?

15. Have you ever thought of any biblical figures that might have had traits associated with Autism?

16. What's one thing that you are proud of yourself that you have done or about your character that you are proud of?

17. Is there something really special that you did during your high school years that you did that was important to you? I talk about the American Citizenship Award that I was presented with right before my graduation from Valley High School in May 1994.

18. You have an affinity for lighthouses, how did that come to be? What other physical attractions do you live besides lighthouses?

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday June 27, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 18 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 #302

On this episode Mindy Toyne conducts and co-produce her fantastic, superb, very fun, pretty energetic, and very conversational interview with me in person for Episode #302 of the podcast. This is Mindy's second time on the show, and I truly believe both the interview she did with me in May of last year and this particular interview are definitely equally HER BEST INTERVIEWS EVER for the podcast!!

After our introductions, here is what we brought up during the interview:

A bunch of things related to the podcast, including the super amazing and historic year we had during last year, Mindy being part of our Juice with Jeff Inc. Board of Directors/Advisory Committee, our super amazing Juice with Jeff: Best Interviews in the World logo that Micole and Josh Chapman arranged to have created that is on the T-shirts and those stickers, and all the milestones we've reached with the podcast over the last year.

I talked with Mindy about the super amazing extremely special, super energetic, and EPIC interviews that Micole and Josh, and Jill Bassman conducted and co-produced with me in person both last year for Episode #212 (Carrie England was also part of this interview last year) and a couple months ago for Episode #289. I also share with Mindy how I met Katie and Nic Hoover a couple weeks ago and they conducted/co-produced their debut interview with me for Episode #298.

Mindy also asked me the following questions:

If you could pick a celebrity interviewer/co-producer for the podcast, who would that be?

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

If you chose a specific photo for the screensaver on your phone, what would it be?

If you had a $1000 to spend on something from Amazon Prime, what would it be?

If you could have a round trip ticket to travel anywhere in the world at no expense to you, what would it be?

Do you read comic books or did you read comic books?

What is your favorite color?

If you went back to Drake University or another university, would you choose to study Journalism/Radio/TV again or something else?

Are you afraid of heights?

Would you hold a snake if someone walked up with it and assured you it would be safe?

Would you ever get a tattoo?

If you could live anywhere other than Des Moines, where would it be?

We wrap up the podcast with Mindy sharing what's new with her over the last year.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday afternoon June 27, 2025 and it runs 43 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!