On this episode of Cocktails with Dimples and The Beard, we sit down backstage at High Noon Saloon with American Idol standout Genevieve Heyward for an honest conversation about what life has really been like after American Idol. Genevieve opens up about the emotional highs and lows of competing on one of the biggest music shows in the world, dealing with internet criticism, navigating social media pressure, and adjusting to life once the cameras stop rolling. She shares what surprised her most about the experience, how American Idol changed her career, and why life after reality TV is far more complicated than most people realize.

We also dive into Genevieve’s move to Nashville, touring with her band, songwriting, and recording new music. From the truth behind becoming “Pickle Girl” to the emotional story of a surprise visit from her best friend during one of her toughest stretches, this episode offers a raw and personal look at the artist behind the music. If you’re a fan of Genevieve Heyward, American Idol, or behind-the-scenes conversations with rising artists, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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Comedy Store door guy and Employee of the Year Joey Cerone joins Cocktails with Dimples and The Beard to talk stand-up comedy, life behind the scenes at the world-famous Comedy Store, moving from Indiana to Los Angeles, celebrity encounters, Don Barris, Bobby Lee, Ron Funches, and what it takes to survive in comedy. Joey shares stories about becoming the Comedy Store's "Head Door Guy," working alongside some of the biggest names in stand-up, and the unexpected path that led him from the Midwest to one of the most legendary comedy clubs in the world.

Along the way, we discuss vegetarianism, fake journalism assignments, Midwest culture, Jimmy Garoppolo being distractingly handsome, and why a beerless shower is basically a chore. If you're a fan of stand-up comedy, The Comedy Store, comedian interviews, behind-the-scenes comedy stories, and hilarious conversations that go completely off the rails, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

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DISCLAIMER: We experienced a severe audio/video lag while recording this episode with comedian Jackson Banks. Unfortunately, it prevented us from getting into the rhythm we normally have with our guests, and you'll occasionally notice Jackson's lips not matching his voice. The connection issues ultimately forced us to end the recording early, which is why the episode cuts off abruptly. We considered not releasing it, but Jackson was too funny not to share.

Jackson Banks is a rising stand-up comedian and newly minted Comedy Store regular whose unpredictable style had us tracking him down after seeing him perform. On this episode, we talk about his journey from Utah comedy clubs to The Comedy Store, why he enjoys pushing audiences out of their comfort zones, the challenges of stand-up writing, his upcoming special Brain Kisser, and why there's always one appalled white woman in every crowd. Along the way, we somehow end up discussing Wisconsin, freak-show dating preferences, tongue-size theories, and everything else you'd expect from a conversation that completely goes off the rails.

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A man pretended to have Down syndrome so he could get three nurses to bathe him. That's not a joke, that's an actual story we came across — and it immediately turned into one of the most ridiculous debates we've ever had. Was it wrong? Was it diabolical? Was it somehow genius? We honestly couldn't agree.

From there, the conversation goes completely off the rails. We get into the world's most questionable pickup strategy, debate whether orcas are secretly running the planet, talk Dave Matthews, Keanu Reeves, the Home Alone house, and a bunch of other topics that probably shouldn't be connected in the same episode. If you like chaotic conversations, terrible ideas, and two idiots overanalyzing things nobody should be overanalyzing, this one's for you.

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Bobby Lee kisses. Pauly Shore hugs. Don Barris tickles. Somehow that was only PART of our trip to The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. We spent three straight nights inside one of the most legendary comedy clubs in the world — watching comics like Bobby Lee, Ali Wong, Don Barris, Jeff Ross, Pauly Shore, Howie Mandel, David Spade, Dane Cook and more absolutely destroy on stage while we somehow kept getting pulled deeper into the chaos ourselves. From celebrity encounters and Comedy Store insanity to drunk late-night podcasting and complete chaos, this trip turned into one of the wildest experiences we’ve ever had.

We also talk about watching comedians build material in real time, why Don Barris became one of our favorite parts of the trip, how Howie Mandel thought The Beard threw up during a set, and what happened after we got back to our hotel and tried recording a podcast at 4AM completely exhausted and over-served. If you love stand-up comedy, Comedy Store stories, comedy podcasts, and completely unfiltered conversations, this episode is for you.

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Midwest Meg joins us for one of the most Wisconsin episodes we’ve ever done — and things go off the rails fast. What starts with Midwest accents, supper clubs, dive bars, cheese curds, and how she accidentally became one of the biggest Midwest content creators online slowly turns into drunk bar stories, dirty business names, social media chaos, and a story that completely destroys her wholesome image. We also dive into Wisconsin culture, Milwaukee nightlife, recording content in her car, going viral on TikTok and Instagram, and the surprising moment she ended up interviewing Hugh Jackman in Milwaukee.

But underneath all the chaos, this episode also gets surprisingly real. Midwest Meg opens up about mental health, depression, dealing with hate comments online, and why she refuses to pretend life is perfect on social media. It’s funny, awkward, ridiculously Midwest, and somehow weirdly heartfelt all at the same time.

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After hanging out at The Comedy Store all night and waiting out a police standoff at our hotel until nearly 4 a.m., we somehow ended up back in our room with comedians Josh Potter and Nelya Linnik recording one of the most chaotic episodes of Cocktails with Dimples & The Beard we’ve ever done. Running on almost no sleep, the conversation immediately spirals into trauma bonding, growing up in Ukraine, moving to America, Comedy Store stories, weed tests, Glenn Campbell, Alzheimer’s, cremation, onion farms, Boy George, and the ongoing debate over whether “brick” means penis.

The production quality may not be up to our normal standards — we accidentally forgot to turn on the good mics — but there was no way we weren’t sharing this episode. It’s loud, messy, sleep-deprived, completely unfiltered, and honestly feels less like a podcast and more like sitting in a hotel room with a group of exhausted comics slowly losing their minds together. If you enjoy late-night comedy conversations, chaotic podcast energy, stand-up stories, and the kind of conversations that could only happen at 4 a.m. in Hollywood, this episode is absolutely for you.

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This week we’re joined by comedian and horror expert Katie Hettenbach, and yeah… she absolutely unloads on Scream 7. What starts as a simple question turns into a full breakdown of what went wrong — from pacing and missing story beats to why it doesn’t feel like a real Scream movie at all. We get into horror franchises, why some sequels hit and others completely fall apart, and how modern horror is evolving (or not).

From there, it goes exactly where you’d expect with us — comedy store stories, bombing in LA vs Midwest crowds, watching movies high (including some truly questionable choices), Scooby-Doo nostalgia, and somehow claw machine strategy. It’s part horror deep dive, part chaos — mix comedians, strong opinions, zero structure, and a few cocktails — and see what happens.

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This week on Cocktails with Dimples & The Beard, we sit down with singer-songwriter Bryant Thomas and his fiancée Alyona to break down the moment his life flipped upside down—going from singing in the shower to getting the call from American Idol. What started as a random recording turned into a viral moment, leading to an unforgettable audition, behind-the-scenes chaos, and a proposal story that almost went off the rails when he completely forgot the ring at the worst possible time. From getting roasted as a “drunk idiot” trombone player to figuring out how to stand out in a crowded music space, Bryant and Alyona walk us through the highs, the panic moments, and everything in between.

Join us as we discuss Bryant’s journey into music, the reality of being on American Idol, and the wild path that got him there—including the now-famous shower videos that changed everything. Plus, Bryant performs three songs during the episode, including his unreleased track “Thorns” and two more you don’t want to miss.

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This week, we sit down with comedian Kirstie Hayden, known for her appearance on Kill Tony, and dive into the moment that had everyone confused—her explanation of “brain zaps.” What starts as a casual reference turns into a wild breakdown of what it actually feels like to quit Zoloft cold turkey, including the unexpected physical effects, the mental challenges, and how that experience unexpectedly became part of her Kill Tony interview. We get into her journey through stand-up, moving to Austin, signing up for Kill Tony over 30 times before getting picked, and how timing, life experience, and just letting things “come out” led to a breakout moment on stage.

Beyond Kill Tony, Kirstie opens up about her full comedy process—from writing and testing jokes at open mics to developing her unique on-stage persona—and shares honest insight into mental health, antidepressants, and learning how to cope both on and off medication. The conversation blends raw honesty with chaos as we talk about SSRIs, serotonin syndrome, psychedelic experiences, crowd work vs written material, and what it really takes to build a career in comedy. If you’ve ever wondered what “brain zaps” actually are, what it’s like grinding your way onto Kill Tony, or how comedians turn real-life experiences into moments that hit on stage, this episode delivers.

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