The Juice with Jeff

The Juice with Jeff #295

On this episode of the podcast Robin Bear conducts and co-produces her fantastic, superb, pretty energetic, very fun, and really conversational interview with me in person for Episode #295. This is Robin's second time on the podcast and I definitely love both the interview she did with me back in September of last year and this interview equally.

We recorded this episode at Campbell Recreational Area in Clive and Robin chose the theme "Jeff's Favorite Things". Here are the questions that Robin asked me during this episode:

1. What is your favorite way to spend a rainy day, or for that matter any other day where you have nothing else going on?

2. Do you have a favorite T-Shirt?

3. Please share one or more favorite things about yourself?

4. Robin asks me to share three of my absolute favorite voice impersonations. And then she requests me to perform a few more of my voices: A whole bunch of the NPR anchors and personalities, current President Trump, Big Bird and Snuffleupagus, and Yogi Bear.

5. What are your favorite holidays throughout the year?

6. What are other favorite gifts have you received besides the Juice with Jeff: Best Interviews in the World T-shirt and stickers?

7. What are your some of your favorite foods or restaurants in the Des Moines area?

There are moments I bring up a bunch of things related to the podcast and Robin shares her answers to some of the questions after I give my answers.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Wednesday evening June 4, 2025 and it runs 44 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 #294

On this episode of the podcast Sarah Graf conducts and co-produces her fantastic, superb, and really conversational interview with me in person for Episode #294. This is Sarah's 6th time on the podcast and out of the six times she's interviewed me, I truly think the interview she did with me today is her BEST ONE EVER!!

 

We recorded this episode at the trail which connects Raccoon River Park and Walnut Woods State Park together, and we took a two mile (both ways combined) Nature Walk on this trail, including the Athena Pedestrian Bridge which is part of this area.

 

Sarah and I talked about a variety of topics, including more about the Athena Pedestrian Bridge connecting Raccoon River Park and Walnut Woods State Park, our love for Iowa State Parks and nature, birds and their calls/songs, the podcast, the Blu-Rays and DVD's I added to my TV Show and Movie Collection since last August (when I previously saw Sarah and she did last year's interview for the podcast), my CD Music Collection especially what I have in my Brass Rock/Horn Rock and Classical Music collection, and Public Radio.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday afternoon June 1, 2025 and it runs an epic FEATURE LENGTH 1 hour and 50 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 #293

On this episode of the podcast Lilianna and Jarad Bernstein conduct and co-produce their fantastic, superb, very fun, pretty energetic, and really conversational interview with me in person for Episode #293. This is the fifth time Jarad and Lil have interviewed me together as a team for the show.

After our introductions; Jarad and Lil asked me the following questions where in general I share my in depth answers:

1.  What things bring you joy these days?

2.   Speaking of podcasts, do you listen to other podcasts and consider learning from any of them?

3.  You've had 8 years of these podcasts/audio interviews with a lot of people interviewing you. Every time you have an in person podcast, you get to go to a park or someone's house/patio or other cool places. We know that some of the friends who interview you try to make it special. If you could plan your excursion and whatever it involved in where you went, what would you want to eat, etc... what would your perfect Juice with Jeff interview session look like?

4.  Do you have a favorite toy you remember from when you were really young?

5. As you think about your future and what you'll get into, is there already gear or stuff you are looking at where you feel like "Wow, this is super cool, which is unattainable now but I know that in ten years or so I'm gonna have one of these things?

6. Have you given any thought in terms of the podcast on who's a "Wish List" person that you haven't yet extended an offer to that you'd like to have interview you for an episode of the show sometime in the near future, that you think would be super cool to have on the podcast?

I talk about various things related to these Juice with Jeff podcasts at various points throughout the interview. We wrap this episode up with Lil and Jarad doing a "Sales Pitch" that's designed to recruit additional people to join our Juice with Jeff Family of Interviewers and Co-Producers and conduct the interviews with me over the next few months.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday morning May 18, 2025 and it runs 56 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 #292

On this episode of the podcast Molly Buck conducts and co-produces their fantastic, superb, very fun, and really conversational interview with me in person for Episode #292. This is Molly's debut/first time on the podcast.

After our introductions; Molly asked me the following questions:

What was one of the biggest challenges that you faced as a student during your K-12 years and how did you overcome it?

Was there any moment at Drake that changed how you see yourself? 

When you think about growth mindset, what motivates you when things get hard?

In a recent episode of the podcast you talked about "MA" and the power of empty space. What do you think the world would be like is more people took the time to practice that to make time for stillness?

Considering the political times we are in what do you think that people in the United States misunderstand most about our politics here?

What cartoon character do you relate to the most?

Do you believe in Ghosts or in the Afterlife?

Do you prefer sweet or salty?

Do you prefer mornings or nights?

What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud? When I answer this question, I talk about the fantastic, superb, outstanding, extremely fun, super energetic, extremely special, and EPIC interview that Micole and Josh Chapman and Jill Bassman conducted/co-produced with me on Friday May 9th for Episode#289; during that episode of the podcast all of us were laughing several times during several moments of the interview.

What is the best compliment you've ever received?

Would you rather have a text or a phone call?

What's your favorite smell?

Do you ever wear socks with sandals?

What one or two or three things would you bring to a Desert Island?

In answering some of the questions I bring up side topics related to that question. After I answered a couple of the questions, Molly also shares her answer to those particular questions.

We wrap up the podcast with me performing the following voice impersonations for Molly: The "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" announcer Michael Buffer, Audrey II the Plant from the Little Shop of Horrors musical, Bob Barker, Robin Leach, Casey Kasem, Kermit the Frog, my The Simpsons Medley, and Former President Bill Clinton

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday morning May 18, 2025 and it runs 1 hour and 34 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 #291

On this episode Mac McKoy facilitates and co-produces a fantastic and conversational interview with me thru Zoom. This is Mac's third time on the podcast.

 

This entire episode focuses on the "Legendary Iowa Broadcasters" theme, and we talked about various Central Iowa broadcasting legends such as Steve Gibbons (may he rest in peace), Roger Summit, Michael Libbie, Clutch, Andy Elliott, Ron Sorensen, and a couple others.

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday May 16, 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 #290

On this episode of the podcast Shonna Murrey, Liz Diaz, and Whitney Parker conduct and co-produce their fantastic, superb, really fun, pretty energetic, and very special interview with me in person for Episode #290!!! This is Shonna's, Liz's, and Whitney's debut/first time on the podcast.

After our introductions; Shonna, Liz, and Whitney took turns asking me the following questions. There are times where after I answer the questions, they'll also share their answers to these questions.

Shonna:  If aliens landed and asked you to explain Iowa and Des Moines, what would you say to them?

What is your walk up song of life if it were a baseball game? As I'm not a fan of competitive athletic events; I share with Shonna what specific song easily gets me energized for the day.

Before Whitney asks her couple questions, I ask Shonna to share any fun, unique, and exciting things about herself.

Whitney:  Do you have a favorite memory?  What is one memory that you reminisce because it was such as happy moment?

What do you envision for The Juice with Jeff in 2026? I explain to Whitney that I should first focus on getting thru the rest of this year and making sure we can try to have a total of 50 new episodes produced and recorded this year (with 30 of them being done in person) and then I can worry about 2026.

Liz:  Are there any hidden gems or spots that someone else doesn't know about?

Do you have foods that are your favorites or go-to foods?

Shonna:  What is the weirdest compliment you've received or weirdest question you've ever been asked?

And we wrap up this episode with me asking Whitney and Liz to share any fun, interesting, or unique things about themselves.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday morning May 16, 2025 and it runs 41 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 #288

On this episode Ann Kaatz LoBue conducts and co-produces a fantastic, superb, really fun, and very conversational interview with me thru Zoom. This is Ann's eighth time on the podcast.

After our introductions, Ann and I had a two way conversation about three things:

1. Both of us sharing our thoughts on the super special and EPIC Basement Dwellers in person episode that we produced and recorded this past Sunday from the Meredith Basement at Drake for Episode #287 with James Alsup, Amy Schmelzer, and Erin Kiernan.

2. An in-depth discussion on the 1961 musical film West Side Story.

3. An in-depth discussion on the 1980 Airplane 1 movie.

There are parts of the podcast where we bring up more about the films that were designed and initially presented as Roadshow Theatrical Presentations and some stuff about classic movies overall.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Thursday night May 8, 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 #289

On this episode of the podcast, Micole and Josh Chapman, and Jill Bassman conduct and co-produce their fantastic, superb, outstanding, extremely fun, super energetic, super special, and EPIC interview with me in person for Episode #289!!! This is Jill's 8th time (6th in person), Micole's 7th time (5th in person) and Josh's second time on the podcast.

Their interview with me this year follows a format similar to the super special and EPIC interview with me they (along with Carrie England) did with me on April 19th of 2024 with each of them asking me two or three questions.

Before they begin asking me the unique and one of a kind questions on their list, I ask Micole and Josh how they came up with the idea to have our super cool and amazing Juice with Jeff: Best Interviews in the World logo created in April of last year when they presented me with the super cool Juice with Jeff: Best Interviews in the World T-shirts and the pack of 36 Juice with Jeff stickers that they arranged for a sticker company to have produced and sent to me back in early December last year.

Here are the questions that Micole, Josh, and Jill ask me during the interview:

Jill: Who would you want to play you in a movie about your life?

Josh: If you just won the $10 Millon lottery, what would you do with all that money?

Micole: What do you hope your eulogy will say?

Jill: What is the number one thing on your bucket list?

Josh: How many impersonations do you think you can do in one minute? And after I answered this question, Josh challenged me to do whatever impersonations I could do in one minute: Fat Albert, Michael "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!!!" Buffer, Audrey II the Plant from "Little Shop of Horrors", and Tom Bodett.

Micole:  One of the members of our family Kyler is graduating from high school in a few weeks.  What kind of advice would you have for any high school senior about your future, about how to look at life, any kind of advice you can give to a high school senior to prepare them on for their next phase in life?

Jill:  If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you want to have with you?

And then I give a powerful performance of the following voice impersonations for Micole, Josh, and Jill: The Simpsons Medley, politicians such as current President Trump/former President Joe Biden/former Senator Mitt Romney/Senator Mitch McConnell/Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, several NPR and public radio personalities, and I end my performance with my Jim Morrison singing the Toys R' Us jingle in The Doors' style impersonation.

We definitely had sooooooo much fun during this super amazing interview for the podcast!!! As you can hear at various points of the interview, there are numerous moments of laughter. If someone insisted/demanded that I pick which Juice with Jeff episode is my absolute favorite one out of the 289 episodes (plus the Pilot one) we've produced and recorded so far since 2017: I truly and firmly believe that the interview Micole, Josh, and Jill did with me for this episode is my ALL TIME FAVORITE EPISODE of the podcast and in my opinion our BEST JUICE WITH JEFF INTERVIEW EVER!!! The interview they did with me in April 2024 last year is my SECOND ALL TIME FAVORITE episode of the podcast!!

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday morning May 9, 2025 and it runs 48 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 #287

On this episode, Erin Kiernan, James Alsup, and Amy Schmeltzer conduct and co-produce a fantastic, superb, pretty fun, pretty energetic, and very conversational interview with me in person. This is our super special and EPIC Basement Dwellers In Person episode which we recorded in the Zoom Conference/Large Group Podcast Room in the Meredith Hall Basement at Drake. This is James' fourth time (second in person) and it's the debut/first time for both Erin and Amy. This particular episode is definitely one of my All Time Top 20 Favorite Juice with Jeff Interviews!!

During the interview, all four of us basically talked about three things:

1. What we've been doing since we graduated from Drake in the 1990's2. Favorite highlights, memories, and special moments we have of things we did during our J-School years at Drake, including the significant amount of time we spent in the Meredith Basement.

3.  Commenting on the numerous changes and the significant renovation that has taken place in the Meredith Hall Basement over the last decade.

NOTE: There is one moment during this episode where Erin spells out a four letter word that is generally not used in broadcasting.

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Sunday morning May 4, 2025 and it runs 57 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 #286

On this episode Spencer Cox conducts and co-produces a fantastic and conversational interview with me thru Zoom. This is Spencer's fourth time on the podcast.

After our introductions, here are the questions and topics that Spencer brought up during the podcast interview:

Who is your favorite U.S. President of all time and why?

Can you still name all of the U.S. Presidents in chronological order? Believe it or not, I am still able to name all of the Presidents in order.

Then Spencer asks me for an update on my job at DSM Sleep Specialists and the basic things I do as part of my job.

Spencer then asks if I have any investment questions that he could answer?

Have you started to think about your retirement plans and the timing of it?

He then asks for a summary of how my parents and sister Marni are doing.

What is the best movie of all time in your opinion and why? During this question, I talk about my love and passion for both general films like Airplane 1, Spaceballs, and The Blues Brothers; and also my strong passion for the Roadshow Theatrical kind of films.

You have always been a really thoughtful and caring individual, would you like to talk about a couple times where you did something really special for someone else and how it are you feel?

Then we spend the rest of the interview talking about several things related to the podcast, including how everyone who conducts the interviews with me are also the co-produces those interviews, my goals for this year in terms of the show, a little bit about the historic and record year we had with the show last year, and how The Juice with Jeff is the most important and favorite Passion Project of mine.

And we end with: Spencer giving a "Sales Pitch" designed to recruit additional people in his circle to conduct and co-produce the interviews with me over the rest of this year, and then Spencer asking me to give an example of one of the many friends who last year made their debut on the show and conducted their first interview with me. I briefly talk about the interview that Dawn Edwards conducted and co-produced with me back on September 20th last year, how Dawn is one of the 50+ new interviewers we added to our Juice with Jeff Family last year and how her September 2024 interview is one of my Top 10 Favorite All Time episodes of the podcast.

This episode of the podcast was recorded on Friday May 2, 2025 and it runs 38 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!!